Light and Darkness
This story was written as a raffle prize for Ty on Furry Amino. Enjoy!
Ty stood on the steps of his beachside cabin close to a small town. He breathed in the fresh air, free from pollution and poison. Slowly, he lowered his head to glance the wisps of smoke rising from a little community. It must be dinner time. The Tasmanian tiger's long, slender tail flicked against the beams holding up his home. This is where he came to be alone. Solitude. The word seemed foreign to him ever since he was young. Watching over the universe was both a blessing and a curse. Most of the time, the only real curses were the voices of light and darkness that echoed in his thoughts. He was never truly alone.
It's been quite some time since chaos broke out, wouldn't you say?
I'll say. It's been eons since I've really smashed in someone's skull.
Well I think it's nice.
No one asked what you thought.
"You two need to shut it. Let me enjoy some peace for once!" His tail wrapped around the small wooded beam and shattered it. His voice sent birds scattering out of the trees and flying off into the distance.
Darkness waited a moment before responding. It s_eems like you could go for some skull crushing fun too. You're full of energy, I see._
"You think I like what I do? I might do it well, but for once I'd like to think that I live a normal life just like everyone else."
Light chimed in. At the moment, you do. Let's hope it lasts.
"Nothing's happened in almost a year. It's unsettling."
Don't worry yourself so much. Sleep now.
Ty walked down to the water's edge and dipped his paws into the cool liquid, moving them deep beneath the sand. The waves washed over them before pulling back into the sea. He liked it here. He liked how calm the water looked at night, and the way the moonlight sent his reflection right back at him. If only I could never leave, he thought. Walking back inside, Ty retired to his room for the night. He pressed his head to the pillow and fell asleep.
...
Wake up.
Ty stirred in his sleep. Slowly, his eyelids began to open. He felt almost weightless, as if he was floating. No sounds. Nothing moved. The voices of light and darkness clouded his mind.
Wake. Up.
He stared into the darkness. It hurt to breathe. Why does it hurt to breathe?
Get up before you die. Ty, you're going to die.
His eyes were wide now, and they burned. Am I...underwater? I am. I have to get to the surface. He swam higher and higher, but the surface never came. Suddenly, his head smashed into something hard. This is the ocean floor. Up is down. Down is up.
Swim up, Ty.
Which...which way is...Gahh my throat is on fire!
For what seemed like hours, Ty's throat burned as he struggled to gain his sense of direction. Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the pain subsided. Ty touched his paws to his throat. Small slits lined his neck. I can breathe.
It seems we're not on Earth anymore, are we Ty?
"Seems not. I wonder why I'm here."
Now that his eyes had adjusted, Ty could make out a source of light, and it was definitely coming from beneath him. He swam as fast as he could, using his tail for additional momentum through the water. Eventually he arrived in a small city that seemed to be devoid of life.
"Hello? Anyone?"
Ty scanned the streets, keeping on high alert for anything unusual. Buildings were empty. Up ahead, a large building that resembled a capitol towered over small shops and houses.
Maybe someone in there knows what's going on?
I sense malevolence, and that's coming from me.
"Thanks darkness. I'll head that way. I don't have any weapons though, and my fire won't work down here. See anything?"
There's a blade of some kind in the shack to your left.
Ty turned towards the shack, grimacing at its state. Fish swam through the holes in its walls. Upon swimming over, he grabbed at the door with one paw and gave it a pull. The door came right off.
"I'm going in. Watch my--" Ty!
A life form reached out and grabbed Ty by the shoulders, pinning him to the ground. He countered with a punch, narrowly missing its jaw. Slamming the creature up against the wall, light shined through him, illuminating its face.
"Stop! Please! I thought you were one of them."
Ty's eyes grew wide. "One of who? Who are you?"
This creature means no harm, Ty. Let her go.
He pulled the creature to her feet, looking her in the eyes. They were a deep blue. She had gills, just like the ones Ty had developed. Her hands and feet were webbed. Dressed only in tattered shorts and a thin wrapping of fabric, the skinny aquatic humanoid was clearly not the universal threat that Ty was looking for.
"What is your name?"
"My name is Kolai."
Ty was used to this. Anytime an alien language was spoken, light and darkness translated for him. It made things easier when traveling to other dimensions.
"Why are you here?"
"I wish to stay hidden from the others. They are building something. Something bad."
"Well that's why I'm here, Kolai. Where is this taking place?"
"At the capitol. There isn't much time. Go!"
Ty swam out of the shack and darted toward the capitol. As he drew nearer, sounds of sparking electricity filled the air around him. Even underwater his fur stood on end. Soon, strange alien voices could be heard from the building's grand hall.
Under his breath, Ty whispered, "Light, translate."
Well it seems they're harboring an inter-dimensional transport device. It appears to have many flaws, however. They seek passage to Earth.
"Understood."
Ty gave up his cover at the face of the building, making himself visible in the capitol's central doorway. Immediately, creatures similar to Kolai looked at him. The endless moment of silence was deafening.
"Listen up. I've been sent here due to a disturbance that could potentially harm your world as well as mine. As I'm sure you're aware, I cannot allow this to happen."
One humanoid stepped forward. "It has taken us years to develop technology capable of teleporting from our world to yours. The resources on your planet are vast and we desire the salt within your water to make us stronger."
"As that may be, opening that portal could flood the Earth. More importantly, the salt within our water is necessary for our ecosystem. I will not allow this."
"Then we agree to disagree. Now leave our world."
Ty stepped forward, ears flat against his head and teeth bared. With one hand, he reached out and grabbed the speaker by the neck, lifting him from the ground. His webbed hands wrapped around Ty's paws in an attempt to free himself. The surrounding lifeforms drew various weapons, and Ty was not prepared to find out what they could do.
"This is how things are going to go."
Ty began walking towards the portal in the center of the room. Out of his back, wings made out of the essence of darkness formed from each of his shoulder blades. His grip on the sea creature before him tightened. Struggling harder, he managed to speak.
"Fire..."
On command, bullets began hailing into the center of the room where Ty stood.
"Light, now!" From the center of the room, light radiated in all directions, blinding all in its path. When the flash faded, Ty stood at the foot of the portal, hand over the top of the mechanism. His assailants were sprawled out across the room, blinded. He pointed his hostage's neck against the control panel. "Turn it on."
Reluctantly, he fired up the portal. Ty prepared to pull the portal down over him when in the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a figure approaching. Take me with you. Please.
"Kolai? Is that you?"
_Save her. She deserves better. _
No, leave her here to die with the rest of her species.
"I have an idea." Using all of his strength, Ty brought down the portal over his head, enveloping him and Kolai. It whirred and sputtered, crumbling to pieces as it hit the ground with a loud bang.
...
Back in his beachside home, Ty sat in the sand looking out into the water. Everything was okay again. The waves were calm, the sand was soft beneath his paws, and the air smelled of small town dinner. He rose to his feet, walking into the water. Suddenly, something grabbed his paw from beneath the surface, startling him.
"Boo!" Kolai rose from the water, wrapping her arms around him. "You know furball, I think I could get used to this." Hiding a smile, Ty pulled her into the water with his tail. He missed his gills already. "Race you to that rock?"
"You're on!"
Ugh, they're disgusting.
Oh, shut it darkness. You know they're cute.
END