Aspen gradually felt the pain fading away. He felt so relieved. It seems he had succeeded.
His vision became blurry and he soon passed out. Even so, he was happy that things didn't get worse.
Everyone was relieved as well. They all exchanged glances with smiles on their faces. They were indeed lucky this time.
~~~~~*~~~~~
After a moment of silence and catching their breaths, Amili suddenly came in and looked around.
The place was a mess. The whole place was cracked and there are craters at the floor, and even at the walls.
Airi lay flat on the floor, gasping and exhausted, while Rex was sitting, using his hands for support.
Lune was lying unconscious in his lap, and as for the twins, they were sitting on a corner. Kishi held Kira tightly and blood was still dripping from her eyes and her lips.
Although the floor was reduced to almost debris, Amili can still spot inscriptions written using blood and there are also destroyed candles as well as burned talismans.
From the looks of it, and judging by Kira's state, Amili had a rough idea what those tugs kidnapped her for, and they have done to her.
Sighing she spoke. "Kishi, kiss her."
"Eh!? WHAT?!%@!" The two boys were surprised but Kishi did not move an inch.
"K-kiss! Are you serious!?" Airi asked.
Amili looked at him with straight face and did not feel like answering. "Yes, is there a problem with that?"
Flustered, Rex said, "No, not really, but...well, I mean...kiss...."
"It's just a kiss." Amili said, "knowing those two, they probably kissed more than one time already. And besides.... the only safe way to handle the effects of the ritual was to finish it."
The boys remained silent. This might be very embarrassing but they have no choice but to put up with it. But seriously, why are they the ones so embarrassed when the twins themselves don't seem to mind?!
Kishi released her from his embrace and looked at his dear sister. As he held her cheek and gently wiped off the blood with his finger, he can't help but felt his heart ache.
Just why does it always had to be her? Kira is only a frail little girl and she's already weak enough, but why does people tend to hurt her.
Kishi felt like crying at the sight of it. Kira was trembling from fear caused by the trauma she experienced almost five years ago, and she won't stop crying.
Her voice was weak and trembling as she kept calling out to him. She kept pleading him to save her. She was feeling so much pain from her fears and anxieties as well as the physical pain her weak body was forced to endure.
Gritting his teeth, Kishi slowly move his face closer to her and gently kissed her bloodied lips.
It tasted like iron but it was sweet. At that moment he felt as if their veins and nerves are all connected.
They were always told that they seem like a single person divided into two and they never denied that. However, for once, he actually felt like one with her.
He can feel her magic flowing into him, as well as his magic flowing into her.
It wasn't a pleasant feeling. It hurts. It was terribly painful, yet...yet it was warm.
He loved her. He loved her more than anything else in the world. He loved her more than himself. He hated himself in fact, but he loved her.
Ever since they were born, they were always together. They first held each other's hand when they were still infants, just before they were even brought to the palace.
Due to their doubts and anxieties, they grew to hate themselves. They don't want to live; they don't want to go on further. They felt shrouded in darkness, with nowhere to go and no one to help them. They want to cover their eyes and ears from the people and the world. They were scared, and they hate everything.
Kishi hate himself. He hated his incompetence, and he was scarred of his strengths. He felt so pathetic, he just wanted to die.
But she was there. As long as Kira would be with him, it's okay. Everything's going to be okay. As long as she would be by his side, he is not scarred. He will be strong so that he could protect her.
But after what happened almost five years ago, he hated himself even more. All that he ever wanted was to be strong enough to protect her. But he was weak.
Until now, he was still weak. She was hurt this badly; he wasn't able to protect her at all. The only reason he was able to rescue her was because he was not alone; because he received help.
He doesn't want her to cry anymore; he doesn't want her to be hurt.
The very thought of the curse, the fate that the two of them had to face, the reality that the most precious to him would die. That his dearest sister would die in his hands.
It hurts more than anything else. What's the point of getting stronger to protect her if he cannot even protect her from himself? Was it better if he was just weak so he wouldn't be able to hurt her at all?
Kishi held her even tighter as his kiss grew deeper.
If only time would stop. He would not let go of her at all.
The radiance emitted by the two of them was so bright the others have to cover their eyes, and a beam of light passed through even the rocks and the earth into the sky. It was so bright that all the students including the fourth years has seen.
The force was so strong that their hair rose from the wind.
It was a spectacle. Their porcelain white skin as well as their snow-white hair was tinged with the golden light that surrounded them.
The most noticing thing however, was the blood that drips down from their lips to the ground. It was the most beautiful of red. The colors of white and gold was beautifully contrasted by the hue of red.
The two boys stared at them with a bemused expression. Apparently, they don't understand what was going on or the reason between that much light.
"Holly..."
"That was the power of forbidden ritual of the Divine kiss of transfer, against the Sacred royal's sacred kiss, and the legend of those twins." Amili stated.
"What do you mean?" Airi asked.
"You must have heard of it, the ritual that the princesses of the Sacred realm must be careful of."
"He did but not me." Rex muttered, but Amili ignored him and just continued.
"It is said that with just a kiss, the power of the girl will be transferred to the person who will kiss her and she will not be able to use magic ever again. In worst cases, she may die due to magic exhaustion."
"T-then, why? Why did you made Kishi kiss her to finish the ritual?!" Airi questioned from both confusion and panic.
"Relax, nothing bad will happen." Amili proclaimed. "Kishi is also a Sacred royal, a powerful one at that fact. The Divine kiss would not only heal her, it can also restore her magic."
"But was it really that easy?" Airi asked suspiciously.
Amili glanced at him and she smiled, before turning back to look at the twins. "You're right it wasn't that easy. But have you heard of this legend?"
There was a legend about a powerful clover. The other clovers regard of him as a god. He was very powerful, yet he was kind.
The nature loved him and the creatures that surround him was full of smiles.
But he was too powerful. No one treated him as equals so he became sad. He was so lonely he wished that there was someone equal to him.
He started to hate himself and his sadness continued to devour him.
He wanted to love someone who will love him as equally. He did not want to be perfect, he wanted to have some flaws too. But those flaws would be filled by that person whom is dearest to him.
As a result, he wished to be separated in half.
The clover's wish was fulfilled but it comes with a price.
Ever since then, that clover became two and they were that filled each other with love and supported each other in every way the could. They were regarded as the legendary twins.
The twins were very alike as one divided in two. They were the same person but are good at different things. But they can't be separated, or they will only cause a catastrophe.
That was the oldest legend only a very few knew.