From her soul comes a light as pure as that of a warrior's heart............

.......as the Dark One walks away from her last encounter with the demon who tormented her for too long.........she feels a sense of freedom as never before.........as if the weight and cold of the highest peak has been lifted from her.....light floods within and without......and her heart beats calmly and steadily knowing that this is the last time she ever will be faced with this demon with eyes of a serpent......forever more she will be surrounded by the kindest hearts with souls of pirates and angels intermingled.....for they are the ones who have always truly cared for her.....and the Dark One knows this without doubt.......the harbor is lit with rays of light raining from the skies above.......luna moths flutter in the night and one rests upon her arm peering at her.....love fills her heart as she views this magical creature......one who lives for just one week......but one week that is filled with love for its mate and of the offspring that are brought forth.....and with this the Dark One vows to live every day as though it were her last and to seek and love and care as never before..........and she will discover her true love.....of heart and soul and passion upon the earth she walks upon.....in the fastest time.......now that she loves her own heart......it will bring to her the one with a knightly soul that will hold her within his arms where she will feel the truest of loves from his heart to her own.........

Black dark is all she sees through the tears that fall from her eyes.......

.....and the Dark One.......her heart breaking in pieces.....feels the tears upon her face cascade to the ground beneath.......yet again she has let the most evil demon of them all without a heart take life and love from her soul.......from the water's edge she hears the melodic voice that tells her that all will be well in time........that she must walk on with her sword at her side and her head held high.......to focus on the beauty before her.......the glowing moon and the sparkling stars....and they will guide her to the reality of her long-held dreams........and the demon shall be left behind in her own misery........one that the Dark One cannot rescue her from.....one of the demon's own making..........and one that the Dark One must forget forever more........

The rain slashes down upon the Dark One......

.....and her armor gleams wet as she hears the bitter words of the most evil of the demons that have taken so much of her life from her upon this earth……after so long and he still lurks upon the edges of her world…..hoping to tear her into pieces but he cannot…….she is stronger than he and always has been…..a green glow emanates from his very soul, evil as it is and full of true and bidden darkness…..his heart one full of unrequited anger at himself…..for he fears the Dark One as her love protects her from his black intentions…..he knows he must run as he always has…..for he has tried to take her happiness and joy again even for one day….but she prevails despite his lashing words…..and the Dark One knows he cannot ever take what she holds most dear…..her love of the pirates and angels that have come into her life…….the ones who truly know her heart, her soul…….the ones who believe in her……the ones who have true hearts borne of love…..not evil…..not evil as the coward that sits upon the edges of the forest…..she raises her dagger to the sky and the stars swirl and the wind comes up and he runs into the forest once again knowing he has no chance at survival if he attacks again….so he escapes to the black hole of loathing that engulfs his soul…..the place where he shall live for the rest of his days…….the Dark One places her silver dagger within its hilt and walks onward over the brick pathway to her seat near the harbor and watches as the ship comes upon the horizon…….and knows he is here……the one she loves…..the one she has been waiting for……he is on his way…….and she will be waiting………

So long it has been.............

….so long it has been since the Dark One has appeared upon the pathway with her silver sword in its hilt covered in shimmering stars and her body gloved in dark armor…….but here….now…..she walks even though she feels pain of heart, soul and body……..nothing will stop her……not even the demons who watch her from the edges of the dark forest not far away……her heart breaks for the thousandth time with thoughts of the one who has instilled great strength within her mind and heart who could at any moment leave her…......alone in this world yet again……..her mind shifts to the evil ones who hope to take from her all that she loves and she vows within her heart to fight to the end no matter.....for no one will take her hope.......her dreams.........her life...........no one........and she walks onward with her hand on the hilt of her sacred sword of light............

Lights shine in the darkness.......

........as the Dark One stands on the brick path........before her is the brilliance of hope.......lights upon the tree that touch the sky glow and she feels happiness within her heart for one moment........a moment that longs for so much more........and she thinks of the ones who have come into her life and given her the strength to survive even for just one more hour......or day........and she longs for new love and light........

Silence.........

.........in the darkness.......which path to take........she hears no answers.........but waits again and again......hoping......but for what........more darkness..........where is the light.........the Dark One screams within for the light.........

……..the Dark One feels as though time has taken itself from her……that there is no time left….

….how shall she continue to protect her sacred harbor…..who will continue the constant vigil over her magical place if she must leave once again……forever……her mind races not knowing her path……or where she belongs……her heart says she belongs in her place of peace but her mind takes over and in that moment she feels so much pain……her heart breaks for the thousandth time…….she has fought battles beyond what she thought imaginable…..and survived beasts and demons that she never knew existed……but for what……..still, she stands alone hoping for something…….for someone…….to care for her as she is…….not perfect……but as the loving heart and soul……her heart beats with memories hoping for them to remain forever within her…….and her thoughts wander to that pirate with the sparkling eyes who captured her heart when she first came to this perfect place…..her sadness this night envelopes her in its cloak of darkness and light…..for always they are one…….the Dark One remembers and hopes for all to come together as it is meant…….this night…..and always………