Chapter Text
Pixlriffs, The Copper King woke when the world started shaking. Deep in the Anthill he burst through the doors startling the guards to either side of the door. “Somethings wrong. We need to prepare now . NOW !” He roared and the guards skittered away; they had never heard him yell about anything and that of course... Pix was awake after 4 months of coma. His god was summoning him for the first time in many months, he ran and saw flames of the candles wavering no no no no NO these were his friends tethers to this plane. But eventually they burned low and smoky and he knew: This was the end of an era.
The People of Pixandria had retreated into the anthill to wait out the intense desert storm that was sweeping the city, The Copper King stood out in the gale as dry lightning struck the conduit tower again and again. Taking a deep breath the man looked at the candles that were tucked carefully in his arms.
-
Pix had found all their bodies one after the other, once the shaking stopped.
Jimmy was surrounded by Cod in his bay as he floated, blue in the face. That was the worst discovery, Pix struggled to move from the Codlands into the sunken ocean. He left once he found the courage to send his best friend off, with poppies covering the man, he was sunk into the seaweed covered swamp floor. Pix stood on the muddy bank until the sun set holding a vigil for the young demi-god who’d never get to live out his long life.
Lizzie was in similar condition, deep in her treasure room, blue in the face. not the blue scales she learned to proudly wear but a terrible slimy drowning blue. Her funeral took the longest because he had to drag her into the watery crater to bury her into the sea floor but couldn’t bring himself to touch the bloated seaweed covered corpse until he couldn’t stand looking at her any longer. She was buried with azalea flowers threaded through her braided hair.
Joel’s body was the hardest to find in the ruins of his castle, hands grasping his heart. The Vigil whispered in his brain of sheer unmitigated heartbreak. He cremated him under the leaves of Mother Tree. Feeding in the moss and terracotta he had lived and breathed, with a piece of coral over his heart Joel burned.
Kathrine was neigh unfindable. The overgrown was just charcoal and ash when he got there not a single flower was found in the desolate land. He found her burned corpse in the small cave on the edge of her empire. He buried her there in a purple silken burial shroud. All the flowers he could find were covering her, he buried her in the flowers.
Shrub was the goriest body he found, she was half in half out of her nether portal that had stopped glowing. Quickly he repaired the portal and he found her… he found her top half, quickly decomposing from the heat of the nether. He whispered a prayer while cradling her head and bringing them through the portal again. When an absolutely giant wolf came silently out of the woods Pix nearly died from a heart attack. But the wolf just nudged Shrub's body and howled in deep mourning. He buried the little gnome by her tree arch. And the dire wolf curled up on her grave, ears laying flat in mourning. Mushrooms sprouted above her as soon as Pix stepped away.
Joey’s body was the hardest to unearth from the millions of little tentacles holding onto his body. His wings were bent at odd angles and his back was bruised up and down his spine. Quickly Pix threw the evil crown from Joey’s head and the tentacles wilted away. Joey had fallen to death with his beautiful parrot wings being shattered in the fall. He buried the cheerful man in front of his flame temple with a totem of undying over his chest.
Sausage’s body was partially eaten by the Blood Sheep when Pix finally fought through the swarms of mammals. With his crown over his heart Sausage was buried on the edge of his forest close to his giant castle. The wither roses that covered his enemy's grave formed a cave for their king to rest. Quietly he turned and walked through the passageway to Small Holding.
Pearl looked almost ethereal but not quite due to the burns covering her but the sunflower crown still shone in the early dawn light. He buried his friend in the burned out crop field closest to the beanstalk castle. He planted Wither roses and sunflowers around her grave and left the flower mantle along with a farmer’s scythe on the grave.
Fwhip and Gem were holding hands in the Crystal Cliffs seeming to have just collapsed. The Vigil whispered about twin soul bonds to the inherent soul magics. Shaking he hoisted them one after the other into his arms. Carefully he laid them to rest in the meeting point between their empires. Wither roses planted at the heads of the two graves. One with a soul lantern and the other with an amethyst on the headstone.
Scott and Xornoth or… who he assumed to be Xornoth were side by side. Xornoth’s hair was greasy and stringy but he had hair and actual skin . He took the glowing sword out of Scott’s stomach. He launched the brothers in twin boats. Scott was carefully placed in his boat with poppies wreathed around his face. Xornoth seemed so small as he sailed out in the slightly too big boat. He drew his long bow back and lit the arrow, it took two arrows to light the two boats. Finally he stabbed the glowing sword into the bank of the fjord.
-
Snapping back from the mental journey Pix held a procession of just him until he was in front of the Vigil carefully holding 12 candles in his arms. Thunder rumbled overhead as he settled the 12 flames in the sands.
Picking up Jimmy’s candle he walked over to the green candles and lanterns. For one last time he lit the green candle. And as he snuffed out the last candle all of the others blew out suddenly, lanterns drifted to the desert sands. “Codfather Jimmy, may you reap the respect you rightfully deserve.” and set down the smoking candle.
Lizzie was next and as her deep sea blue candles snuffed out Pix whispered quietly. “Empress of the Oceans and Seas Lizzie May you protect your home and animals the way you so strongly did in this life.” and all her lanterns blew out.
Joel’s candles did not snuff out at once but as a whirl of magenta flames. His lanterns crashed to the ground and then tried to float again. But eventually they settled into the sand. “Joel of Mezalea may you find a family and home in the next life.”
Kathrine’s sky blue candles went out simultaneously and on the wind he smelled flowers. “Archfey Kathrine Elizabeth, may you fight to protect the life you’ll lead again.” The rain beat down on his cloak and lightning struck outside the city and thunder roared overhead.
Shrub’s yellow candles left quietly and Pix watched as the smoke drifted away. “Wolf Spirit Shrub, may you find a place to be you.”
Joey’s vibrant candles went out after they glowed in protest, refusing to go meekly into death. “Emperor Joey Graceffa of the Lost Empire, may you find friends and never be lost in the next world.”
Sausage’s candles flickered quickly as if the wind was finally affecting the candles. Shaking his head and wiping his eyes, Pix held the black candle up. “Lord Sausage of Mythland may you protect the lost ones, the ones without a home, the ones seeking friendship, may you be their guide and protector.” and the black section of the vigil stopped glowing. With a crack the rain began to pour harder.
One of Pearl’s candles refused to go out and the Vigil whispered to him about godhood so Pix took the new goddess’ candle and brought it to the little store room on the edge of the vigil’s aura. The candle happily found its place on the floor. “May you watch over your friends forever more Guardian Pearlescent Moon.”
Fwhip’s candles snuffed out quickly and without a fuss besides seeming to try to reach out to its twin’s flames in its last moments. “Count Fwhip of the Grimlands may you find friends and chaos in the next world you’ll roam.” Pix felt his eyes burn as he watched his friend’s smoke drift away in the wind.
Gem’s candles sputtered for a few seconds trying to find its twin before dying out softly. “High Wizard, Gemini Tay, may you feel the sun’s light in whatever comes next.” he whispered softly before turning to the final two candles.
He held two candles in his hands, a cyan candle with a tall pillar of flame and a smaller magenta candle swirled with a deep absorbing black. First he held the magenta candle in front of himself. “Xornoth, Prince of Rivendell you have caused pain and suffering but may you find a place of comfort wherever you end up.” and he snuffed out the candle. “King Scott of Rivendell. May you find hope and spread colour in the next life you lead.”
Looking up at the 92% dark vigil Pix finally let his tears fall. He let himself scream at the sky,
scream to the Goddess he followed for taking his friends away,
scream for the people he had made tentative friendships and trade deals with,
scream for the people he faced on other sides of the battlefield
and
Just scream on and on for the people he had just helped move on.
His tears were washed away by the rainfall and his screams were drowned out by the thunder crashing overhead. “DAMN IT ALL TO THE NETHER THEY HAD SO MUCH GOOD LEFT TO DO! THEY BELONG HERE WITH ME.”
When the Copper King entered the Anthill he was soaked to the bone and his knuckles were scabbed and bleeding. “My king, do you wish for a healer-” a guard said standing up. “I’m fine. I can take care of it, thank you.” Pix bit out, he can’t let his citizen’s see him cry. “Yes my king, would you like some bandages?” the guard offered. “No it’s fine, I have potions.” and Pix shut the doors to the king’s suite in the mountain. numb to the pain thruming through his fingers he carefully poured a healing potion over the wounds. But a potion did nothing to cease the pain in his heart.
But as little as the Copper King wished for it not to time continued on in a steady march. The relatively okay kingdoms rebuilt and chose new leaders and one candle after another relit themselves on The Vigil. Refugees came from the hardest hit nations. The Codlanders and Ocean Empire citizens drying out in their waterless homes, scorched Grimlanders, shell shocked Mythlanders covered in red wool and a handful of wide eyed avians from the Lost Empire came flooding into Pixandria due to its relative stability compared to the other empires. Pix accepted them with open arms, the fishfolk happily swam in the warm river, the grimlander’s brought their incredible machines and resources, the Mythlander’s brought music and light to the empire it had lacked since the dragon had died and the Lost Empire-ees built high on the anthill creating a series of connected cliff houses.
Only six candles lit themselves on the Vigil. And only five rulers came searching for the Copper King.
-
Mezealea’s new queen, Queen June came to look for a trade agreement, she was a distant cousin of Joel so was the only option for the Terracotta throne. She also informed him that the Ocean empire had sunk into the sea after the water returned and any divers she sent to see if there were people hadn’t come back.
-
Then came the new leader of the overgrown, the Lord of the House of the Orchid. He reiterated that The Overgrown would continue to seek peace in this world and wouldn’t seek retribution on the ones who caused such ruin.
-
King Damian of Mythland was far less forgiving to his predecessor, saying that ‘the old king must be erased from the history books for all the pain he had caused.’ Pix didn’t agree and said as much. Ah well, he had never been a friend to Mythland so what’s a long lasting enemy. A few more Mythland refugees loyal to Sausage trickled into the desert.
-
High Wizard Janu of the Crystal cliffs said they were taking stewardship of the Grimland Crater and would continue to learn and teach the magics of their world.
-
And the youngest Elvish Sovereign to date, Ruler Iibyrn, said they were struggling to rebuild. Pix pledged some resources to the mountain nation.
-
When he himself searched for The Lost Empire none appeared to him, only the jungle flora and fauna surrounded him.
Time went on and Pixandria expanded, with all the differing architectures creating a buzzing metropolis. Pixandria began to withdraw from the other empires, only watching as squabbles broke out between empires. Eventually the Rivendell candles snuffed out and would not relight again. Rivendellian elves dispersed across the continent. Eventually finding home in the white blank tundra. And a white candle was lit for them.
Pix sat the personal candles for his friends in his own chests. Slowly Pix watched as people began to forget, the stasis granted to him from the Vigil kept him alive but not the people around him, and he was just one man. So in fear for his friends memories he began to write, endlessly on and on about his friends, not just their wars but little personality traits and preferences. Like how Joel put mountain’s of sugar in his coffees and teas, “Would you like some coffee with your sugar?” was a common tease from his friends. Or how Lizzie would stick her tongue out in deep concentration. Or how Jimmy had more freckles on his left cheek than his right. He wrote about his enemies too. How sausage would laugh uproariously at his own jokes, or when annoyed Fwhip would stomp around like a toddler, or how Joey hummed incessantly making it insanely easy to spook him.
It was an accident, in his quiet way, that Pix became the Eyes that Watched. He did a ritual in the freezing end, his friend’s personal candles tucked in his pockets so they could see the moment of rebirth. With a roar a new dragon was hatched and began to circle the end islands. Tucking his tools and their candles away in an ender chest Pix took a running leap into the void. But instead of falling to his death he kept falling. Trying not to panic he tried to grab his elytra from his ender chest but there was no way to put it down. So he fell far and long. Eventually Pix struggled to figure out how long he had been falling or up from down. And as suddenly as the fall started it stopped.
In front of him was something with too many purple glowing eyes. Too many eyes looked at him. “We’ve been watching you Pixlriffs.”
-
In a far away desert the cream candles intertwined with copper on the Vigils south-eastern face flickered once and then twice and then burned low and weak.
-
Pix didn’t know how long he had been in the freezing lightless space but he longed for the sun and its light. The blisters from the shackles were biting cold and achy. He heard the approach of the eyes? And wobbled to his feet. “Trainee Xephinos.” His new purple wings bristled at his new ‘name’. The Eyes ignored the slight. “Meet your partner.” And it shoved a short man into the room Pix saw the signs of a half healed zombie. And with a thump the eyes left. “Hallo, I’m X- Zloy. Just Zloy.” Zloy said, holding out a hand. “Pixlriffs ignore what it said.” Pix said, shaking the offered hand. “You got it!” Zloy said.