Chapter Text
Poster for Arc I (The festival of dreams and deception), and Arc II (A cleansing of the once thought dead) out of V.
Blue was never one of MK’s favourite colours, instead choosing more vibrant shades of red and yellow to dress in. But after that day, the colour held more meaning that before.
The flash of blue as it collided with his side, the cold seeping into his bones, an ache that didn’t leave him for years to come.
The cry from Mei as she struggled to control the Samadhi fire, the heat not enough to burn away the ice that the Lady Bone Demon brang in her wake.
Ice.
Cold, sharp, terrifying ice. As his friends fought to keep her at bay, and doing a good job at it too, till all went to shit.
Clouds darkened, shifting away from the battlefield, as if the horror unfolding below was one they couldn’t bear to witness. The ground crumbled and mountains tore apart with a single blow.
A single blow from that staff.
The very staff MK once held in his hands, proud and mighty, and revelled in the look of adoration Monkey King gave him. A look filled with hope, and trust, and love.
And when those once gold eyes started back at him lifelessly, filled with ice blue, he couldn’t help but clutch onto Macaque’s sleeve. Couldn’t help but stare at the shadow for reassurance, but none to be given for he too held a similar look of fear.
And as they turn tailed and ran, ran as far away as they could, far from Megapolis, far from the Lady Bone Demon, and far, far away from the King, her voice filled the cold night sky.
‘’Run. Run as far as you can. There is no place on the heavens or on earth, that can hide you.’’ Then she turned to her new champion. ‘’Go, my champion, and bring an end to those so called heroes.’’
MK didn’t need to look back to see who she was talking to. He remembers the flash of shiny gold armour turned crystal, its gleam now more sinister. He remembers the gold fur, the snow tainting its rich colour, its pigment still present, as if as a reminder of what they lost to the snow.
And as they watched the Lady Bone Demon tear down Megapolis with her champion by her side, as they watched the foundations crumble under nimble flicks of her wrist, they stood within the confines of the forest and did nothing but watch.
Could do nothing but watch, and listen. Listen to the screams that filled the air as the world froze over, as eyes turned glassy and limbs turned brittle. Even as the snow piled up and mist settled, they never stopped running.
They never turned to look back, fearful they might catch a glimpse of those lifeless eyes that once brang them so much joy.
Never turned, even as his friends fell one by one, even as hope ran thin, and so did breath.
He just couldn’t.
And the one time he did, he had already lost more than he’d gained.
The sky turned a blinding blue, the clouds shed its tears in form of snow and everything wilted. Whether it be nature or man, under her reign, all froze.
It left a prominent scar on all for centuries to come.
But maybe the worst were inflicted by the hero that they once turned to. For the sun that brought them hope and light, now brought them despair and darkness. His stone heart beating in time with the screams.
Fear, pain, regret. MK felt all of these during his journey through the cold, and maybe some more. He became acquainted with them on a first name basis, for when they came knocking on his heart, he let them in.
Just as he did with the cold.
For the sun never set, and nor did it rise. And this period of time, whilst marking the heroes as symbols for humanity, became a time no one wished to ever occur again.
It became known as the plague Megapolis suffered, ice and bone stringing its way through people’s hearts.
It became known as the coldest winter to ever defile the lands.