Chapter Text
Five Cookies dashed down the hallway of the Hollyberry Palace. Their uneven, panicked footsteps echoed throughout the pungently rotten air; Clouds of dust trailed behind them in their hurry to reach their destination.
Hollyberry Cookie clutched her Soul Jam that connected her cloak together, eyes darting around frantically as she witnessed the sight of many fallen comrades – comrades who had dropped like flies in battle. “This is...” She breathed, “Oh no, what a horrible sight.”
“The whole place is covered in Cookie crumbs!” Dark Cacao Cookie exclaimed, gripping his shield’s handle tightly. His words were indeed correct: numerous crumbs of their deceased allies littered the palace grounds, jam seeping out of the shredded dough.
Golden Cheese Cookie narrowed her eyes in disdain. Her cape trailed behind her. “Foul, sticky cream... The stench of burnt butter in the air."
At the rear, beside Hollyberry Cookie, Pure Vanilla Cookie resided, flapping his wings to soar alongside the group. Agitated, irate, vexed: he adjusted his hold on his spear. “What on Earthbread is going on here?!”
A sigh was heard. White Lily Cookie clutched her staff, doing all in her power to keep her footing–a feeble attempt, as her ceaseless trembling betrayed all terror hidden away beneath the calm exterior. “It’s not good. Elder Faerie Cookie has declared war on the Hollyberry Kingdom.” Disheartened, she took in the sights of the Hollyberry Kingdom: nothing but fractured remains of the warm memories once shared in the serene province.
Hollyberry Cookie glanced at the ground in silence. She’d left her kingdom in Jungleberry Cookie's care not long ago, yet, without the power of her Soul Jam, the kingdom stood no chance against the relentless forces of Elder Faerie Cookie's army.
Golden Cheese Cookie’s brows furrowed. “The Cookie who has brought the Faeries into our lands?” She snarled.
“Yes,” White Lily replied, her voice laced with a solemn undertone, “She attacked while Jungleberry Cookie was occupied elsewhere.”
“Hah!” Dark Cacao Cookie barked, “That’s gotta be some hard flour, for such a brazen strike.”
“We must find Elder Faerie Cookie, quickly! Let us make haste.”
Their onerous trek was impeded by a horde of rabid Faeries, each one gritting their teeth to prepare a ruthless flurry of attacks. Without a second thought, Golden Cheese Cookie leapt forwards, swinging the Cheddar Cheeseblade with resolute determination, her blazing anger flaring like a candlelight with too much fire. “Darkness, begone!” she yelled, and in one quick strike, all Faeries were knocked to the ground. No time was wasted; the group continued onwards.
Yet again, enemies blocked their path, this time many, many Yeast Spores, all charging at their opponents. Their small faces were full of a colossal amount of anger. Dark Cacao raised his shield and charged forward. “Out of my way!” Almost instantaneously, the Yeast Spores were bestrewn across the palace floor.
Finally, after a long, arduous journey, the five reached the end of the hall, skidding to a stop. Before them stood Elder Faerie Cookie, a malicious smirk spreading across his jamstained face.
“And so,” he began, “Upon the ruins of your home, we finally meet. You’re rather late... To your own demise.”
White Lily Cookie stepped forward, hand on her chest. Her green Soul Jam of Truth pulsated on her staff. “Elder Faerie Cookie! What is the meaning of this..?”
Elder Faerie Cookie chuckled. A dark, suffocating noise that made Pure Vanilla Cookie aim his spear at him. Finally, the King of the Faeries lifted his head, an evil glint in his periwinkle eyes. “Do you know the real reason why we, Cookies, were created?”
Pure Vanilla Cookie frowned, flapping forwards slightly. “What rancid NONSENSE are you peddling now?” He yelled, fists clenching his spear tightly. This Cookie dared to destroy what was his?
Beside him, Hollyberry Cookie looked away.
But Elder Faerie payed Pure Vanilla Cookies no mind. “Now, now. THINK for a moment. I hope it’s not too hard. Why do we exist?” He twirled his sword with duplicitous delight.
Dark Cacao Cookie stepped forward, his shield raised, ready to protect anything that came at them. “That’s easy–to live and be happy, all together!” He exclaimed, placing a hand to his chest. “That’s exactly why we were brought into this world. Happiness, Elder Faerie Cookie. That’s what it’s all about.”
“Oh, really? And when, pray tell, are you the happiest? When you fall down and crumble? Or when you soggy, all because our weak and frail dough can’t withstand the suffocating depths?”
Golden Cheese Cookie raised the Cheddar Cheeseblade. “We are together, in peace and in battle. This is our strength!”
White Lily Cookie nodded in agreement, tapping her staff on the ground. “We love and thank our creators for our deliciously sweet bodies and unique talents. And there is no hardship we cannot overcome. Together!”
Elder Faerie Cookie’s smug expression fractured in a mere second upon hearing her words. He slammed his sword against the ground, sending a shockwave of dark energy throughout the Hollyberry Palace. “RUBBISH! FOOLS! All of you!” He spread his glittering wings. “I shall show you the tragic error of your ways–right here, right now!”
An explosion erupted from the ground, thousands upon thousands of dark magic particles shooting into the air, their sparks cascading down like firey rain. From the now-gaping hole in the ground emerged an enormous being–a Yeast Witch, to be specific. With a dramatic flourish, Elder Faerie Cookie stepped into its hand and was lifted into the air as the Yeast Witch began performing an attack that could end them all if not for preparation.
White Lily Cookie stepped back. “The Yeast Witch is channeling energy. We must use the pause to avert its next attack!”
Hollyberry Cookie nodded in agreement. “Listen, we can win this battle!”
Like intertwined gears, the five Cookies leapt into action.
Dark Cacao Cookie and Golden Cheese Cookie darted towards the Yeast Witch, all fear absent. Golden Cheese Cookie manifested all energy she could. Her Cheddar Cheeseblade crackled with golden light as she sent a ruthless strike in Elder Faerie Cookie’s direction, cracks in the ground forming due to the sheer willpower of her attack. Dark Cacao Cookie backed her up, the two standing back-to-back as he defended and she offended.
Like an owl hunting for prey, Pure Vanilla Cookie dived down from above, his spear directed towards the Yeast Witch’s bulging eyes. He showed no mercy as he stabbed the beast with his utmost strength. The Yeast Witch let out a roar and batted him away, knocking him straight into a wall with a dangerously harsh onslaught.
Fortunately, Hollyberry Cookie had already rushed towards him, ready to mend what had been broken. She frantically placed her hands on his wounds. Chest heaving, she performed the healing spell, with Pure Vanilla’s injuries quickly dissolving like they’d never been there before. He nudged her away playfully.
“I got this, thank you,” the winged Cookie chuckled. Hollyberry Cookie let out a joyless laugh as he charged right back into battle. She looked up, staring right into Elder Faerie Cookie’s eyes... How much had he been influenced to do this..?
Yet again, her form flickered.
Despite the Ancient Heroes’ confident attacks, it was to no use.
“Gah... How dare you.” Elder Faerie Cookie raised his sword, “Nothing can stop me. Especially you.”
White Lily Cookie gasped, her eyes widening with sheer horror as she predicted exactly what the Faerie King’s plans were. “Elder Faerie Cookie... No!”
With a swing of his gladius charged with dark magic, all five Cookies were sent flying back. The five skidded to a halt, some landing more gracefully than others. And yet, still, the immense power lingering after the strike forced all of them onto their knees.
White Lily Cookie picked up her staff from the ground, when she realised... Why did it feel so... Light? That was when she noticed it.
Her Soul Jam was gone. Instead of topping her lily staff, it was in Elder Faerie Cookie’s clutches, along with the other four radiant stones.
“Haha...” Elder Faerie Cookie’s malicious chuckle echoed throughout the annihilated chambers, “YES! Ha ha ha! Simply marvelous. Say goodbye to your Soul Jam,” he taunted, propping his sword against the Yeast Witch’s palm and leaning against it, “It’s all mine.”
The five Ancient Heroes all watched in terrified silence as Elder Faerie Cookie continued on, his devilish smirk continuing to grow wider and wider and wider. “I have waited an eternity of this moment. It is time to reap the fruits of my promise and share my brilliant vision with the world.”
White Lily Cookie’s breath hitched. She knew what he was planning to do. Every time they’d faced each other in battle, he’d always go on about defying destiny... And spreading the word of his cult. She couldn’t let this happen. The legendary guardians were gone, the dragons were gone, the Witches hadn’t been seen for who knew how long... It was up to the Ancient Heroes–no, her.
“Bloom!” With a sweep of her staff, a shield of translucent vines wrapped around her friends as she charged forwards, caring not for their astonished reactions. Her lily staff crackled with forbidden magic as she sent a geyser of pure, unfiltered sorcery straight towards their enemy, a faint, barely noticeable shimmer of purple crackling around the spell.
But she was not unmatched. Elder Faerie Cookie raised his sword, and out poured shimmering silver magic, clashing dangerously with her own.
Both Cookies gritted their teeth. The force from the magic was powerful–powerful enough to force White Lily Cookie’s body to begin sliding back, the dangerous aura of the spells causing shockwave upon shockwave to rumble throughout the palace. She let out a grunt.
Behind her, her friends watched with their mouths agape, horrified at the sight before them. Dark Cacao Cookie felt tears bubbling in his eyes, Pure Vanilla Cookie was attempting to stand up to help, Golden Cheese Cookie knew what was happening and how they could do nothing to solve it. Hollyberry Cookie watched in silent resignation.
The two beams of magic twirled and shifted before contracting into a singular light-void orb, crackling with residue from previous spells.
The only thing White Lily Cookie could hear was her heartbeat. The only thing she could see was a white void, save for the floating form of Elder Faerie Cookie, his wings twitching.
No. His smirk widened. No!
The last thing any Cookie heard of the Ancient Heroes was a deafening bang.