Chapter Text
Through generations, many fairies had raised doubts about their kingdom’s choice to conceal themselves from the rest of Earthbread. “Perhaps we could begin to barter with nearby nations!”, “Us fairies are strong enough to defend ourselves if the need arises!”, “The Faeriewoods shall protect us from the outside world, we have no need for the Veil!” Were words that often breached the lips of young, brazen cookies over countless generations.
But the few whispers from the outside that lately reached Elder Faerie Cookie’s ears were enough to reassure him that they were doing the right choice.
In the East, destruction burned down everything and everyone that dared crossed its path, spreading like fire, for cookies chose to join in the devastation rather than crumble under its flames.
Their neighbors, although numerous enough to be one of the strongest kingdoms of the continent, preferred to indulge in vanity and fruitless pleasures. Their lands were so full of foods and delightful fruits that they could not eat it all, and yet they refused to give it, sell it or trade it, despite the famines ravaging Beast-Yeast. “Why would I work, when I can remain here and enjoy the pleasures of life?” Said their once merchants, now lazily laying in the grass, fattening from the monstrous amounts of food they ate all day.
In the South of their beloved forest, laid a pagoda where people seemed to vanish. Visitors climbed the steps leading to the immobile structures after hearing wonderful stories of wishes granted and happiness revealed, only to never come back from its white walls.
And in the center of the continent, a tower loomed over the forest, a small discreet village at the fringe of the trees. Once the land where all scholars dreamed of peregrinating to, it was now the cradle of countless hearsays that spread chaos and confusion through all other domains. Its inhabitants shouted proudly many “truths” but were far less eager to clarify which words were indeed to be believed, and laughed when discord sparkled tensions and quarrels among cookies.
A long time ago, the Emissaries had been brought forward as the lights of the Creators, five virtues in the shape of powerful beings that were to lead Cookiekind to greatness. Elder Faerie Cookie had watched from afar, curious to see how such unique cookies would influence cookie societies. It was often tempting to see them as threats more than protectors however, for their power was greater than anything else on Earthbread, Cookies said. But he only ever heard of ordinary cookies falling to violence and deceit, and he remained hopeful that the Emissaries were to keep fidel to their Virtues.
The source of his hope appeared on a moonlit night, just after the sun had disappeared behind the canopy: a familiar silhouette emerged from the darkness and joined him in his evening patrol, his pace muffled by the faint sounds of the water underneath the silverware bridges and pewter pavilions.
Salt cookie stopped a few meters from his friend, in the middle of a bridge curving above the dark ink water. He admired the Silver tree that stood proudly before them; the gigantic plant reflected in his metal helmet, forever planted on his head.
On his chestplate of salt crystal, his soul jam glistened in the moonlight. Elder Faerie was relieved to see Salt cookie: it was perfectly impossible, knowing the Salt of Solidarity, to doubt his integrity to any degree. His soothing presence was more than enough to reassure him that Emissaries were more robust than he sometimes feared they were.
“You always appear without warning,” muttered the faerie. “You know well enough that we consider it improper to keep our guests waiting at the gate.”
Salt cookie chuckled. “And yet, not once have you kept me waiting… Not even that first time.”
“A cookie of few words you may be, but your silver tongue leaves me disarmed every time,” Elder Faerie replied. His friend’s helmet turned slightly in his direction. “I heard about your campaign in the Strong Flour Ridge.”
“We were unable to meet the Flour of Volition”, sighed Salt cookie. “But the Cookies of that region seemed to have lost all vestiges of civility, fully succumbing to their most primal urges. Furthermore, it has been long since we last heard from the Garden of Delights, and the strife in the Land of the Spices burns on without end…”
He paused for a minute. The wind hissed through the branches of the Silver tree, bending the wisteria flowers above their heads.
“Chaos has engulfed our continent, fanned by falsities and mistrust running rampant. Nothing seems true anymore, not unless witnessed with one’s own eyes.” He continued, his voice going lower and lower. Elder Faerie joined him on the bridge as he spoke, eager not to miss a single word of his friend. “And…”
Salt cookie finally dared to look at his friend. “I can no longer sense the resonance of our Soul Jam.”
He looked at the tiles at his feet, falling silent again. His free hand inadvertently reached the fleur-de-lys on his chest.
Elder Faerie cookie approached closer, letting his curiosity win over. “Is something threatening the Divine Emissaries…?”
“I pray it is not so.. however different our priorities may be, we have always stood united in our mission to better Cookiekind… Yet, I am afraid that the virtue of solidarity might be the next to fall.”
A wave of cold fear ran through Elder Faerie's jam at these words. “You will not let that happen, I know it.” He tried to reassure someone: was that someone the Salt of Solidarity or himself, he couldn't tell.
“The same was true for the other Divine Emissaries. Now, they are nowhere to be found.”
Elder Faerie could not deny that it did not surprise him in the slightest, nor should it have surprised Salt Cookie. But those who were nothing but distant rumours to him were close friends to the Commander, and the old King certainly lacked knowledge that would justify such trust in the other Virtues.
Salt Cookie huffed. “Solidarity alone… No. Not even the other Virtues combined can keep our world crispy and sweet anymore.”
“You said these words upon your first visit to our Faerie Kingdom.”
“And the fruit of our objective stands right before us.”
“It took so long… But the tiny sprout that we planted together has grown into a magnificent tree.”
They admired the Silver Tree that spread his branches across the night sky, letting stars pierce between its jade leaves.
“The day is near… The day where the tree shall bloom and bear fruit, and from them, the new Virtues will be born and spread to all.” Salt cookie spoke, seemingly to himself.
-
“Are you certain you will not live to regret your decision? You power, too, shall-”
“I have no fear. On the contrary, this is what I wish for. We waited eons for the fruits of our ancient power to blossom, but time is running out earlier than we thought. Our Virtues have grown distorted, disfigured into endless sources of pain and sorrow for Cookiekind.”
Elder Faerie threw his friend a worried gaze. “Yours does not show the slightest of decay. Do you not believe you still have good to bring to Cookies? Your people count on and fight to defend your solidarity.”
“I cannot be of any utility without my peers. The only way I can be of any usefulness to Cookies… Is to offer my power of Solidarity.”
The old king tried his best to conceal the desolation that ravaged him at these words. He must have failed, as Salt cookie approached him, brushing a hand over his arm, careful to not touch the coruscating wings that adorned the fairy as a cape. Wings appeared to be quite the source of curiosity for Cookies who came from outside the Kingdom, and the knight was notably fascinated by them, always careful when it came to them like a single bust of wind was enough to shatter them.
“My wings do not fear your touch, you do not have to be so prudent.” Elder Faerie half-jokingly said.
“With your magic and my power, Virtues will be reborn, and Cookies will witness a new dawn. The goal we’ve worked so hard to achieve is closest than ever, my friend. This goes far further than my person.”
The fairy sighed. He put his hand over his friend’s and pressed it gently, taking a moment to savour one of the very rare moments where Salt cookie accepted any form of physical contact. He had admitted to being fond of such proximity, but it was too foreign for the Emissary to accept any gesture of the sort in most occasion.
“I know.”
The Commander took a step back, letting space for Elder Faerie to spread his iridescent wings.
He advanced to the border of the bridge to bask in the blueish moonlight. He lifted his sword in a parade rest, knowing the silver floors had survived worse than the sharpest of blades resting on them.
“O Silver Tree!” He chanted in the night, his soft voice ported clearly above the crystal waters. “Your roots reach all souls, all dough… Heed me! For balance is the yoke I bear. Reach out for the place where Knowledge, Volition, Happiness, Change and Solidarity are.”
He did not need to wait for a reaction: a gust of solace ran through him, accompanied by a shiver that ran from his feet to the top of his head, making his wings budge before returning to their usual position. His mind felt refreshed as if wind had cleared his face of the troubles that encumbered it.
“The tree resonates to your words.” The Salt of Solidarity said behind him. With surprise, Elder Faerie noticed the faint glow that slipped from the insides of his friend’s armor. He was covered entirely in his gear, without anywhere to have a look at his bare dough, and yet the king understood.
“Your dough is emanating light. Among all other Emissaries, the Tree chose you first.” He smiled.
The knight looked down at himself with visible confusion despite his helmet. He brought a hand to his other gauntlet; the fairy barely held a gasp of surprise when the soldier took his piece of armor off to inspect his bare hand. Surely, it shone of a white light of which small particles escaped to flutter in the direction of the Silver Tree.
He closed and reopened his hand, examining it carefully.
“I feel it… My strength flowing into the Tree.” He said imperturbably.
The fairy fluttered to his side. His covered hand naturally found its way onto Salt cookie's. The Commander did not resist when the king made him close his hand.
“Now, the spell of the Guardian shall seek the other bearers of the Virtues across the continent. Alas, even though my magic was granted by the Creators, it will take some time until the Tree finds the others.”
Salt cookie kept quiet. His gaze had turned back to the Tree calling him just a few meters away from them. The moonlight reflected onto its silver bark, creating iridescent sparkles on the water.
Elder Faerie, for his part, had seen this scene dozens of thousands of times and would continue to witness it every night. He preferred to contemplate what he would way too soon be unable to. It was impossible to imagine this Cookie turning away from his mission. After millenia fighting throughout the continent, there he stood with his fidel blade in his hand, his armor white as ever. The thought of having to sacrifice a pure soul wrenched the old king's heart.
“Considering how pressed you were about executing the spell earlier than we wanted… I deduce that you managed to obtain information about how the other Emissaries have been?”
“No, I couldn’t reach any of them. My pleads only met silence. I fear that there is nothing to be done anymore.”
In the absence of anything to say to bring comfort to his friend, Elder Faerie let silence settle again. They had lowered their arms, but hadn’t let go of each other’s hand, which allowed him to feel the subtle quiver that ran through the soldier.
“I shall ride back to the Great Barren.” Said Salt cookie after a minute. “Far too long was my absence.”
“Be warned: half of your power now nourishes the Silver Tree.”
Salt cookie regretfully let go of Elder Faerie’s hand.
“It will not longer matter once your spell is complete. I can only hope evil has not spread too far…”