Light and Shadow

They arrived simultaneously. They stood facing each other, at opposite ends of the clearing. This was where their final duel was to take place.

They looked like complete opposites. He—black hair, dark complexion, green irises. She—blonde, fair skin, blue eyes.

Yet, similar doubts clung to their hearts like splintered twigs...

"There is no other way," he told his subordinates. "We must find a way to defeat her as quickly as possible and take away her power, otherwise she will do it first..."

Suddenly, the secretary entered the room. As usual, he was struck by the extraordinary beauty of their Highest. He had only been working here for a short time, but even those who had been here for years couldn't get used to him.

As usual, he was dressed in black. His green eyes stood out against the background, the only bright spots. His dark diadem with navy blue crystals gleamed ominously, foreshadowing an imminent war. Only these details were the same for each eye, for the rest corresponded to the individual's ideal of beauty.

"Yes?" "said the tallest one, barely concealing his irritation as the silence stretched on too long. "What's the matter?"

The secretary immediately regained his composure.

"A messenger has arrived, sir," he said, "saying he has news concerning the White One.

" "Does he know how to defeat her?" The tallest one immediately perked up.

"No... but who knows how?"

The reception hall was impressive. It was wide enough for three horses to stand one behind the other without their tails touching, and almost four times as long. About three-quarters of the way down the hall, an ornate staircase began. It extended to all four directions and had six steps each. From the last, a red carpet flowed like a waterfall toward the entrance. At the top was a throne. The rest of the hall was awash in white and yellow, as was the girl sitting above the others. Dressed in white, she looked completely out of place against the red-upholstered throne. One might ask what this child was doing there. However, she was much older than she appeared...

The messenger entered slowly. He was dressed in blue—a neutral color. It was permitted to be worn both here, in the lands of the Most High and the Dark One. Messengers had to have certain privileges.

"So?" The Most High said commandingly, "what do you come to me with?"

The messenger took a few more steps, then knelt about ten paces from the head of the stairs.

"Exactly ten paces," the Most High thought. From this precision, it was clear that no one had been sent to her.

"There is a legend," the messenger said, not rising from his knees, "that a certain old witch living in the south had the power to reveal the secrets of a chosen person.

" "I'm not interested in legends." The Most High waved his hand, wanting to dismiss the messenger. Suddenly, he lost interest.

"There's a grain of truth in every legend," the intruder persisted, "especially since I'm being sent by this witch."

The Supreme One raised an eyebrow, as if in disbelief. In truth, however, curiosity and hope for quick success were boiling within him.

"Don't talk nonsense, man," he said, "what could a figure from a legend want from me?"

"He wishes to see you, my lord," the messenger bowed even lower, if possible. "Let the future victor come to me. He will find something he hasn't sought, but has longed for since the beginning of his life."

"But there is no such thing," the Supreme One waved his hand impatiently.

"With all due respect, mighty one, it won't take you long. It's possible this visit will decide the fate of the entire war.

" "But that's complete nonsense," the Supreme One muttered, and then said aloud, "you said where her headquarters is?

" "In the north."

The Supreme One continued to pretend for a while that she considered the whole matter utter nonsense and a waste of time. As soon as she was alone, she immediately transported herself to the place the servant had described.

It lay right between their lands. The Highest One entered the cave hesitantly. She didn't know what to expect.

The entire interior was composed of green crystals, shimmering mysteriously everywhere. A small flame was enough to make the interior as bright as day.

At the end of the corridor, a circular chamber held a multitude of artifacts. In the center stood a cauldron, and next to it stood a witch. How could it be otherwise? She wasn't ugly, but she wasn't beautiful either. She looked like an ordinary, plump woman with, perhaps, brown hair—it was hard to tell in this light.

"Come in, my dear," she said. "I was expecting you.

" "I hear you wanted to tell me something?" The Highest One felt a bit uneasy in this place. As if she were everything she fought for and everything she fought against, so she wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

"Of course. I have it here." The witch slowly approached one of the shelves. The Supreme seemed to wait for ages for the witch to approach and hand her the item. She slowly began to unwrap it.

"A mirror?" The Supreme was clearly irritated. "All this for a useless combination of wood, silver, and glass?"

The witch just smiled to herself. "Not just any ordinary mirror. You just need to ask the right question...

" "The right question?" Almost immediately, the Supreme stared at her reflection.

"What must be destroyed to deprive the Dark One of his power?"

Nothing happened. The Supreme looked at the witch with disgust.

"I hope you know the penalty for lying to me?"

"I didn't lie to you," the witch said impatiently. "I said you had to ask the RIGHT question. Maybe you should find out what he has to do to neutralize you?"

The Supreme One doubtfully returned her gaze to the mirror. She didn't really know what could rob her of her power.

"What does the Dark One have to destroy to strip me of my power?"

Suddenly, the reflection began to transform into another face...

"No," the Supreme One said with horror, "that's impossible! "

The White One's face appeared in the mirror. After a moment, the Supreme One tore his gaze away from the reflection. He wanted to direct all his anger at the witch for showing him such lies, wanted to inflict as much pain on her as possible...

But the witch was already gone.

"And what now?" the Supreme One thought, standing opposite the Dark One. "What to do? Whatever happens, we'll both be lost!"

Suddenly, she saw him smiling. A moment later, she understood. He knew. He knew what had to be done.

The Supreme One was looking across the clearing, where the White One stood. "And what now?" He thought, "The whole world is practically falling apart. I can't kill her because I'll die myself, but we can't live together either..."

A flame suddenly erupted from the spark of that thought. He knew. He smiled at the White One. He saw the surprise on her face. After a moment, however, she knew too.

They slowly began to walk towards each other, as if afraid of frightening each other. They should have known this right away. They couldn't live apart. They were opposites, and opposites didn't exist unless one of them was there. There's no good without evil, and evil without good. If evil disappeared, good would cease to be good. If there were no day, night would cease to be night. There's no day without night.

There's no shadow without light.

There's no light without shadow.

They can't live apart. Because they hate each other... because they love each other.

Soon their religions vanished. They couldn't exist without their gods. In their place, a new one arose. One. Built on the opposites that, after all, make up humanity.

They ruled together, and they would never be alone again.

Light and Shadow...