Morgan Mitchell
Fiction Editor
Primal stepped out on the white field, his black cloak blowing in the non-existent wind as an ivory mask adorned his face. The light shined behind him brightly as he walked towards the black sea of his other half.
Cardinal walked onto the black sea, her white robe was still despite the harsh winds that blew against her ebony mask. The darkness raged behind her as she walked towards the white lands of her other half.
It wasn’t long till the two came face to face. The light and dark of their respective realms bordering one another, daring not to cross. Eternities passed as they simply stood opposite of each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. How long has it been since they’ve seen each other? How long since they’ve been face to face? They didn’t know nor care since time had long since left them. All they knew… it had been too long. They had allowed others to steal the time that should’ve been for them, but no more.
As they approached one another, the light and dark blended into a monotonous gray filled with shades and tones. Cardinal extended her frail hand towards Primal, who gently took it. With their hands locked together, they began to move in ways they haven’t for years. Cardinal, directed by Primal, gave a twirl that took the gray and turned it into a rainbow of colors. Primal followed his partner’s lead and gave a twirl of his own causing the rainbow to shatter into a discord of colors.
The two’s movements began to flow and become more intense. They stepped, twirled, slid, pulled each other close and distanced each other. Every time Primal leaned back, a star was born. Every time Cardinal was lifted into the air, a story ended. They did not care. Their harmonious movements and graceful slip-ups echoed between them. Silence was broken whenever they sang, yet none could hear it. Every gesture caused typhoons, every flailing limb calmed the great sea, and every breath told a circumstantial truth. The world that was being born around them mattered little to the joy they felt at this moment. The realms beyond them were of little consequence or thought. This moment was a dance that was stolen from them, and they would not relinquish it again.
Every clap of their hands caused stars to go nova. Every tap of their feet imploded black holes. Laws and reason, chaos and madness, nothing had a place in their dance except for each other. They danced for years, long into the night, before finally pulling each other into a tight embrace. The cracked, peaceful eyes of Cardinal stared into the wizened young eyes of Primal. They both spoke in unison, beginning and ending each others’ sentence, “never one, without the other.”
It did not matter what form they took, it did not matter how far apart they were, nor did it matter if they didn’t remember one another. They would always be together whether it be physically or spiritually. Together forever. Never one without the other.