Chapter Text
With an agonized scream, the witch collapsed.
War had descended upon Earthbread, warriors hailing from each kingom being turned into nothing but metallic splatters of blood and viscera, the stench of iron carrying through the wind.
Dark Enchantress had promised power, Freedom for the suffering. Salvation for everyone, how benevolent her goals truly were. Having gone to great lengths in order to see her goal completed. Truly, the sight of the Creators hands, of a visage beyond anything that any of them, — Ancient hero or malicous Beast — could have imagined.
And yet here she was, a heap of pathetic faliure.
The plan was nothing if not thorough, a genius idea executed to near perfection. And yet, she had pushed herself too far, relied too much on the beast's power. Ignored every warning of caution that Pomegranate heeded.
A golden light enveloped Dark Enchantress. The shield, Prison, that Pure Vanilla spanned over her, a golden dome of defeat. Even if she could rise and fight against it, it would've been futile.
And thus, the evil fell. The mightiest did always have the highest fall.
Fighters and Magicians from the Crème Republic came to Pure Vanilla. They took over the spell that he had cast, keeping Dark Enchantress locked away, keeping her away. The Consul had asked for her to be turned in alive, and face her punishment with due process.
The first ray of sunshine peeked from the red clouds. The first ray of hope.
The heroes laughed in the midst of fresh sunlight, celebrating the high of victory.
The villains lay defeated on the ground, wallowing in loss, watching them with utter disgust.
Brave fighters from the Golden Cheese Kingdom gathered around their Queen. The one with that long, light blonde hair embraced her tightly, winding her arms around her waist and yanking her from mid flight. Golden Cheese's wings wrapped around all three, including the two men standing at her left and right.
A booming laugh echoed through the battlefield as the bearer of the Light of Passion demanded for her followers, for her knights to gather closer. They all ran towards her like bees to a flower, the ones who couldn't because of their injuries were hefted up and carried by their friends.
And just there, amidst the rubble where the first golden ray of the sunlight had touched, a head of white hair appeared from beneath broken pieces of debris, leaning against her staff for support. Despite how tattered her clothes and bruised her skin, she endured, getting up once again. After he'd spotted her, Pure Vanilla was running to her in an instant. His hands were at the metal chestplate, spanning over her waist, as he lifted her in one fell swoop. It was surprising even to himself, not to mention White Lily, spinning out the force of their impact. When he set her down again, they both knelt to the ground, holding eachother, murmuring something. They were too far away to hear, the movements of lips, a breath from one another, was the only thing indicating that they were saying anything at all, and not just shedding tears silently.
Last but not least, was the King from the snowy lands. His army gathered around him instinctively, one of the Cream Wolves nearly pushing him over in excitement. They were just as loud, if not louder, than the group of the Berries. But their King, ever perceptive, noticed one figure at the back of the crowd, cloaked and unnoticed.
He didn't hesitate a second as he pushed through the crowd, coming to a halt before the young man.
...She'd never seen that sort of expression on him. Disbelief, yet relief. Tension, yet hope.
A bag full of ruby red gems dropped from the young man's hand, as he lifted it to embrace his Father.
That must've been Dark Choco then. The forsaken son, having brought so much useless pain and attachment to Dark Cacao.
He'd endured so much, and despite that he was...glad? In the end, there will be more conflict, more loss, there is no reason to celebrate such a fleeting victory.
The others around her were just as pathetic as she was. Shadow Milk lay face-down in the dirt, blue hair a tangle around him.
Eternal Sugar had encased herself within her wings, hiding away from the world further away from them all, nothing but a ball of white feathers, more stewn around her.
Burning Spice made his way to his axe that had struck in the ground somewhere. He wasn't putting weight on one of his feet, his gait strained.
Silent Salt was...Somewhere. She didn't care about any of them, least of all him.
And yet here she sat, once the Flour of Volition, now the Beast of Apathy, sitting back against rubble. Her Light of apathy was dwindling, enough to keep her alive but not enough to do anything beyond that. She wagered it was the same for the others, too.
Pure Vanilla had tilted his hat in order to shield his and White Lily's face from the others, as he leaned closer into her.
The two Queens looked at eachother with smug, knowing grins, then at the two kneeling and hiding their faces.
Light, at the end of the tunnel.
And yet, ever so meaningless. This suffering, this exhausing strife for some short respite, when in the end, it won't matter. Another millennium will pass within the blink of an eye, and they'll all be nothing but crumbs. So much effort to escape the inevitable, when escape itself is impossible.
From the direction which Burning Spice had taken, a loud clang of metal echoed. Even Shadow Milk moved his head to turn towards the noise.
One of Golden Cheese's spears had stopped Burning Spice before he could reach out and grab his Axe.
Slowly, all of the ancient heroes gathered around the general vicinity where the Beasts lay tattered.
They approached without their entourage, just the five of them. One on one with their other halves.
White Lily swiped a tear off Pure Vanilla's cheekbone, still standing close to him, as the others stood a bit further apart, each closer to their counterparts.
"So what of them now?" Hollyberry spoke up. Her voice was saddened, pityful even. Like the answer wasn't obvious.
Because it wasn't. Everyone had their own thoughts on dealing with them. End them, what Dark Cacao would maybe have suggested. Seal them, what Golden Cheese might have said. Justice, what White Lily could have thought. Healing, what Hollyberry may be convinced of.
"Understanding," Pure Vanilla found his voice instead. Four, no, eight pairs of eyes locked onto him. Even Eternal Sugar peeked up from beneath her wings, even Shadow Milk lifted his head and stared at the healer.
He lifted himself with what little strength he had left, "oh don't start with that again. You're making yourself a bigger fool than I am!"
Dark Cacao cleared his voice, unconvinced, "As much as it pains me to admit it, why would you want to do this, after all the pain they've caused? What makes you even believe it to be possible?"
Pure Vanilla didn't look at him, and instead sank to his knees, one hand reaching out, hovering near the pale blue cheek, "Everyone deserves understanding. White Lily," he glanced up at her, "deserves it. Dark Enchantress deserved it. And they do especially."
Smack
Shadow Milk slapped away the hand that almost touched his cheek, letting his forehead drop to the ground with a thud. "Ugh, SPARE me," came a muffle from the earth, "I cannot hear this incessant yapping AGAIN. It was hilarious the first time, now it's getting old and pathetic!"
With trembling limbs, he opened a portal to whereever, just away. He glanced down at his fallen friends once again, disdained yet with a pity he couldn't quite hide, not from Pure Vanilla at least. For a moment, he debated saying something. Then simply, with a scoff, flew through it.
A short distance away, where Candy Apple and Black Sapphire lay unconscious, another portal opened just beneath them, taking them back with Shadow Milk.
Pure Vanilla sighed but straightened up, dusting off his robe where he knelt. "That would leave us with three"
"Four," White Lily interjected. "Silent Salt is...far from redemption. Even though he has helped us tremendously."
A soft huff that may have bordered on a laugh, "I haven't said anything about Redemption, and yet you're reading my mind."
She hummed. "Wasn't hard to figure out what you meant by that."
Golden Cheese cut in. "Wait a moment. Understanding? Redemption? Are you saying we, I should understand the person that had wanted to defeat me? Us?"
"It's a safer bet than sealing them, or punishing them even further," He responded gently.
Burning Spice interrupted, "Just kill me instead."
She looked at him. Then back at her friend. "See?"
"Great place to start then!" The healer said, glancing between the bearers of the Light of Change. "Nobody is asking you to forgive him, Golden Cheese. We cannot — should not — excuse their actions. None of us should even enable them."
Hollyberry looked over at the cocoon of feathers, at the single, devastated yet hopeful eye peeking out. Her gaze softened. "It is alright by me. I'd love to give it a shot."
The eye looking at her softened, crinkled by a smile. She closed the gap between her wings again, hiding it away.
"Dark Cacao," White Lily inquired, "What about you? How fo you feel about it?"
"I feel like I do not have a choice anymore." A curt reply. "I do not welcome enemies in my Kingdom, and I would rather keep it that way."
Mystic Flour scoffed to herself, tilting her head to the side. Perhaps following Shadow Milk into his portal would've saved her from this. He might even be less insuffeable than that King.
"I understand where you're coming from," Pure Vanilla put a hand on his friend's shoulder, "but none of them hardly are any threat right now. They're barely alive as is."
Dark Cacao raised an eyebrow, "Shadow Milk just used highly complex magic to escape. that didn't seem like barely alive."
"Let that be my worry." It will be my worry, he thought. "Shadow Milk is very magically skilled. Though I don't want to underestimate the others, I doubt that they could come close to Shadow Milk's threat level."
Pure Vanilla's hand patted him twice, "Besides, I know you can handle it."
"...Alright then. But don't take this as anything but reluctance."
"We'd never," Hollyberry grinned.
The healer smiled, clasping both hands around his staff, "Great. Will everyone be able to..." he thought for a moment, for the right word, "get them into their Kingdom safely?"
Nods, from all three. More or less convinced.
"Then we're doing that."
Hollyberry went the few paces to Eternal Sugar first. Pet over her wing. "So? You taking up my offer this time?"
Eternal Sugar opened up. "Oh, have you not seen this cruel world, Hollyberry? I wanted to keep you safe from it! Please, come with me..."
A mix of an exasperated sigh and a huff of laughter escaped Hollyberry, "Nope. But we'll be together. I promise." She held out a hand.
Eternal Sugar eyed it. Then back at the woman in front of her. And laid her smaller, thinner hand into hers.
Golden Cheese faced bigger struggles. Burning Spice was unwilling, and wanted to put up a fight.
Yet suddenly, green vines wrapped around him, tying his limbs together.
White Lily smiled at her friend. "Will this do?"
She smiled back. "Yes, thank you." then turned back to the Beast, "If you're so desperate for a fight that you're willing to be this pathetic, I suppose I could indulge you later. A fight with the Golden Sovereign...Really, you should be grateful to face loss against me."
"Tch. We'll see about that, bird."
At last, Dark Cacao reached out a hand to where Mystic Flour was sitting. Instead of taking it, she got up herself, even with some struggle, and took careful steps forward.
"You are not even going to resist?" Dark Cacao asked suspiciously.
She didn't spare him a glance. "I see no reason to. It does not matter where I am or where I am not."
A quick glance to his friends, and he got up ans turned to where they all came from earlier. "Follow me. And please. Don't turn my men into flour again."
She didn't honour that with a reply.