Chapter Text
It was a horrible mistake.
At the top of the spire the scent of ozone and darkness as two cookies stood across from one another. Truthless Recluse had his head down in despair. It was all a facade. The pieces were beginning to fall into place.
He lifted his head and grinned menacingly as he accepted Shadow Milk Cookie proclaiming that they were of course one in the same. It was a lie. It was all supposed to be a lie.
This of course seemed to excite Shadow Milk Cookie as he returned an equally as deranged grin that would send shudders down any other cookie. Truthless Recluse was used to it at that point.
The air around them began to shift and distort as the other realm began to fill the sky around the spire, blocking out the sun and making the light that was spilling in through the open walls of the top suddenly vanish as the sun was blocked out by shadows.
The magic suddenly began to shift and distort. It was growing bigger. Out of control.
Black Sapphire Cookie seemed distressed. This was not his master's power but in fact Pure Vanilla Cookie’s power, slowly beginning to overtake. Shadow Milk Cookie didn’t seem to notice the very subtle loss of control over his own other realm as he was too busy going on and on about his own victory.
The Light of Truth finally spoke.
“Is this truly your will?” It questioned.
There was no time for Shadow Milk to react as the sky shifted from a vibrant yet dark dance of shadows and light to being completely engulfed in the light. Shadow Milk Cookie was shocked then immediately enraged.
“HOW DARE YOU?!” He exclaimed as he looked right at Truthless Recluse “You… You TRICKED ME?!”
Black Sapphire Cookie took a step back shielding Candy Apple Cookie in the process. The magic was out of control at that point.
Shadow Milk Cookie screamed as he began to lunge towards Truthless Recluse.
“GRAHHHHH! GIVE ME BACK MY SOUL JAM!!!” Shadow Milk roared as he lunged. Truthless was watching with a cold calm.
That cookie knew what he was doing. That angered the beast even more.
The walls were a blur as he flew towards Truthless Recluse, his eyes were fixed on the soul jam. His eyes widened slightly as he watched Pure Vanilla Cookie close his eyes and aim his staff toward the center of his soul jam.
“NO!!” Shadow Milk cried out as he thrusted his hand forward, a split second decision.
His magic was unstable but he was able to control his own intentions. Blue strings wrapped around Pure Vanilla Cookie’s hands making the blonde gasp. The intent was to pull the staff from his arms as it was pulled towards him. There was a miscalculation. The strings pulled his hands upward.
The end of the staff struck the top of the soul jam.
It wasn’t a shatter that echoed but a crack. A sickening crack that echoed through Shadow Milk Cookies ears. That wasn’t supposed to happen.
The reaction was instant. As the power from the soul jam weakened ever so slightly the light seemed to drain from Pure Vanilla Cookie’s eyes as he fell to the ground. His eyes fluttered shut, too weak to keep them opened.
He was stuck in between a transition that was supposed to happen. His blonde curls were body lengthened and spilled across the floor as he lay there, asleep. His robes were basic and skimpy compared to what he would usually wear.
He seemed to be dead. The world seemed to focus on the body laying on the ground in Shadow Milk Cookie’s peripheral vision. He was silent now, everyone was. He floated right up to the body and crouched down on his knees next to Pure Vanilla.
This… this was what he’d wanted right? For the downfall of his worst enemy. For a punishment to be enforced towards the one who tricked him. So why? Why does the thought of Pure Vanilla dying in front of him bring him to his knees?
…
Oh wait.
Shadow Milk’s own soul jam glowed ever so slightly as he sat near Pure Vanilla. He wasn’t dead, just sleeping. That’s why it didn’t feel right.
Black Sapphire and Candy Apple Cookie cautiously approached.
“Master?” Black Sapphire Cookie spoke up. His voice was shaking slightly.
“Is he… dead?” Candy Apple Cookie asked with a bit of caution as she eyeballed the figure on the ground.
Shadow Milk Cookie only turned slightly, looking over his shoulder only slightly
“No. No he’s not dead.” He responded. His voice was… cold. Unbefitting of a performer like himself. The performance was over.
Shadow Milk Cookie looked back down at Pure Vanilla laying comatose on the ground of the spire. He reached out, his claws wrapped around the soul jam and wrenched it free from Pure Vanilla’s chest. He held it in his hands for a bit, staring at it, before grinning.
“I’ll be taking this back.” He pocketed it.
“As for you, Pure Vanilla Cookie.” He looked down at the body and tilted his head, the smile abruptly gone from his face. His eyes were wide like he was still in shock or denial after what happened, what he did.
He didn’t say another word and just scooped Pure Vanilla up with a shocking gentleness considering their… relationship with each other. He stood holding the sleeping healer bridal style.
“I’ll be keeping you… My sleeping beauty.”
✦✧✦✧
Falling from such heights was… terrifying. It’d be such a long time before Gingerbrave, Strawberry Cookie, and Wizard Cookie reached the ground. They passed out after only a few miles of falling.
But… they never reached the ground.
Instead they were caught.
Fortune Teller Cookie caught them by casting out his cape creating a makeshift net. They were pulled in and laid on the ground gently. Fortune Teller Cookie put his cape back on.
“Gi… nge…r… brave…?”
“Str…aw…berry Co…okie…?”
“Wi…za…rd…Co…okie?”
The gentle voice faded in as the trio slowly began to wake up. Gingerbrave was the first to regain consciousness. He shot upright immediately.
“P-Pure Vanilla Cookie! He… He’s still up at the top!”
Gingerbrave turned his gaze to Fortune Teller Cookie and a brief look of confusion crossed his face but there was no time to be bewildered. He grabbed the cloaked cookie’s arm.
“Fortune Teller Cookie you have to help us get back to the top!” Gingerbrave exclaimed.
“I know. I was about to guide you all there.”
The other two groaned softly as they woke up as well. Fortune Teller Cookie stood and helped the other two up. He was ready to guide them back to the top… but it was too late.
The shift in magic made him gasp softly. He turned and rushed to the opening in the wall, the sky went from the bright white of Pure Vanillas magic back to the typical black and blue. It was too late.
“No.”
“What's wrong Fortune Teller Cookie?” Strawberry Cookie spoke.
Fortune Teller Cookie turned to them.
“You three have to leave. Now.”
“What?! We aren’t leaving! Not when Pure Vanilla is still up there!” Gingerbrave exclaimed.
“There is no room for rebuttals. It’s too late for him.”
The trio's eyes went wide. Too late for him?
“Wh-What do you mean too late?”
Fortune Teller Cookie did not respond. He simply turned and began to walk.
“Hey! Come back!" Wizard Cookie called out as they began to follow.
“Answer our question! What do you mean it's too late?!"
Fortune Teller Cookie kept walking, guiding the trio out of the spire.
“It's time for you three to go. I'll guide the way." He left no room for argument.
The three went silent and looked at one another before cautiously following. All the creatures around the spire normally ready to attack were either cowering or rushing around towards the top.
“They seem… Scared." Strawberry Cookie comments.
“They seem urgent." Wizard Cookie also comments.
The threat of being attacked or ambushed seemed nonexistent at the moment. Gingerbrave gulped and kept pushing forward letting Fortune Teller Cookie to keep leading them.
The winding passages were enough to disorient and lead any ordinary cookie astray and get lost within the spire but Fortune Teller Cookie seemed to know where he was going.
With the guide it didn't take too long for them to find the exit. He stopped and stepped aside for them to pass.
“Go. Don't turn back."
He gestures for them to leave. They don't leave immediately.
“And what if we don't?” Wizard Cookie stubbornly questions.
Fortune Teller Cookie didn't respond and only shoved them slightly.
They wanted to leave either way.
They seemed to get the hint and all the stubbornness vanished, replaced by a desperation to get away from the spire.
They ran. The sound of footsteps pattering on the ground was the only sound that came from them.
Gingerbrave looked behind him and saw the figure of Fortune Teller Cookie watching them before vanishing into the spire.
They ran, leaving behind the spire and a sleeping beauty up at the top…
It was a reluctant choice but they had to go.
The unspoken words between them and the mystery of the implications of Fortune Tellers Cookies words were left behind… swallowed by the jagged trees.