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Parrot was tired. His entire body ached, sword lying broken against the wall. Parrot had tried to lay the players Saps had slaughtered to rest, giving them what minimal respect he could afford. They now rested row on row against the wall, each person’s arms crossed over their chest. He prayed there was some other future for them.
The golden crown that once adorned his head was cast aside. The jewels seemed to dim in the evening light, rubies painting the room red. He couldn’t tell what was another blood splatter on the ground or a trick of the light.
Parrot could barely see out of his right eye, bruises covering his face. Every piece of his armour was broken, shards of diamond scattered across the room. Saparata stood in front of him, sword pointed at his throat.
“Are you upset, Parrot?”
“Are you upset that you couldn't have everything you wanted? That the world didn't fall right into your hands at your beck and call?”
Saps let out a grating laugh.
“You're lucky. People follow you on a whim, no matter the cost to themselves. You say how many you've lost. That you're just like me.”
He shot Parrot a broken smile.
“But you're a liar, y’know that?”
“Wifies, Dean, Theo, Reina… They're all the same to you. Replaceable.”
Parrot opened his mouth to retort but a flash of pain kept him silent. A line of blood trickled down his neck. Saps' expression dared him to try and interrupt again.
“Whatever I do to you, it'll never hurt more than what you've done. I can never get back what I lost. He's gone for good. My friends are gone for good.”
“So maybe it would be nice to take something nearly as important from you. Status means nothing. No one cares about your role as King. Heh, aside from your failures of course.”
Saps brought the sword closer. Parrot could feel the heat radiating from the blade several inches from his skin. His hairs stood on end. Saps’ eyes were curious and wild, a toddler crafting his first art piece.
“Y’know, wings are everything to us avians. I guess you already know that. But I wonder…” Saps pressed the hot metal against the side of Parrot’s wing. A strangled noise caught in his throat.
“You wouldn’t-”
“Wouldn’t I? You’ve seen what I can do, Parrot. A few feathers can’t be that much worse.”
Parrot's eyes widened. He had heard rumours about what Cindercrest was doing to its traitors but he couldn't have imagined that they'd clip someone's wings. To take away someone's freedom like that. What made them whole... Was a horrible thing. His breath quickened.
“Where to begin…” Saps appeared to mull over his decision for a few seconds, twirling the blade around his hand. That was his opening. Parrot lunged forward, aiming for the nearby balcony. He got halfway across the room before he was yanked back by the wing, pulling out multiple of his primaries in the process.
In one swift motion, Saps pulled Parrot onto his side, yanking his arms behind his back. Parrot winced, the movement jarring his shoulder enough that it nearly popped out of its socket. He was restrained against the floor, helpless to whatever came next.
“Say goodbye to those colourful primaries, Parrot.” Saps snarled.
The smell of burning feathers filled the air and Parrot struggled underneath his hold. He screamed, thrashing around on the floor, desperately trying to get loose. Saps tightened his grip around Parrot’s wrists, a sickening pop coming from his shoulder. He bit back another cry, his struggles weakening as pain jarred his senses.
It was horribly invasive, feeling the keratin feathers falling like snow.
There was a loud thump of footsteps beyond Parrot's sight. There were confused voices, people who had never seen the Unstable SMP in person. New Players. A wicked grin spread across Saps' face.
“No!” Parrot leapt from the ground, frantically flapping his wings to escape Saps’ grip. He jabbed him in the stomach with his free foot, eliciting a quiet curse from the general. He sprinted over to the group of players, movements frantic and desperate.
“Run! Get out of here!” He waved them towards the staircase.
The whine of a sword was Parrot’s only indication before the general was upon him. He was barely able to duck before the blade passed overhead, nicking the feathers against his ears.
He was tackled to the ground, tussling across the floor in a storm of rainbow and white feathers. Saps took the upper hand, forcing his hand across the smaller avian’s windpipe. Parrot went still, lest risking a snapped neck.
Saps snared a gloved hand around the radius and ulna of Parrot's left wing, the delicate bones tucked between his fingers and palm. Parrot struggled for air, letting out a startled gasp.
"Saps please. Don't do this. Don't-"
A sickening crack split the air.
Parrot let out a guttural scream, thrashing wildly against Saps’ hold. Pain erupted across his wing, the bone twisted in the wrong direction. His vision went dark, his entire world shrunk down to the red and black pain that threatened to pull him under.
Saps removed his hand from Parrot's windpipe, picking up his sword from its scattered place on the ground. His eyes betrayed an air of sadism, a slight smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. Parrot was grounded on the floor, cradling his broken bone, biting back a sob. He couldn't give Saparata the satisfaction. He tried to turn over, groaning at the effort that movement alone took. His body was a burning match in a barrel of oil, any sudden move running the risk of getting blown sky high.
“Oh Parrot. Your actions have consequences. Don’t you see that?” Saps’ voice sounded far away. Parrot blinked his eyes open.
Saps held an armourless player by the throat, sword pressed against their neck. Their eyes were wide and terrified, breaths coming out in choked gasps.
“You try over and over again. To save the new players. To be the hero of the story.”
He pressed the blade further into the player's neck, a steady stream of red flowing from the blade. The player cried out, staring pleadingly at the old king.
"Saps don't!" Parrot stumbled towards them, falling to his knees as another wave of pain shot through his wing.
Laughter bubbled from Saps' throat. A sound far too childlike to come from such a merciless killer. "You idiot. You're fighting for a cause that never mattered in the first place. Players who never mattered in the first place. In the end, we're the only ones who truly matter. The sooner you see that, the less pain you'll feel."
Parrot could only watch in horror as Saps brought his sword across their neck, a wet slice filling the air.
They were dead before they hit the ground. The player’s eyes were unseeing and dull as a puddle of red grew beneath them. A quiet horror filled Parrot's expression, a sob escaping his throat. They were innocent. Another innocent player he couldn't save. Another failure. How much higher would that death toll climb on Parrot's watch? How many more people would he leave to die?
Saps walked over to the broken king, placing a hand on his shoulder. The gesture would have been a comfort to most, if not for the circumstances. Parrot was too numb to care, staring blankly at the blood covered hand. "You could have saved yourself so much suffering if you just took my offer."
“Now, where were we?”
Saps continued along Parrot’s wing, each shing of the blade causing him to wince. A braver person would have kept their eyes open. Theo would have kept his eyes open. Would have spat in Saps’ face, cursed him to hell. Parrot didn’t have the resolve to do that anymore. At one point, the general grabbed at his wing to reach his secondaries, jolting the broken bone enough that he nearly blacked out.
“Saparata, please.” Parrot was begging at this point, tears flowing freely from his eyes.
Theo never would have begged. Wifies wouldn’t have begged. Parrot really was pathetic, wasn’t he? Saps appeared to pay him no mind, focused on the work before him. Tufts of green and yellow littered the tower floor, a thousand tiny snowflakes lost to the wind.
Finally satisfied, Saps tossed Parrot aside, a soft cry escaping his throat as his ulna hit the ground with a crack. He curled into a fetal position, shielding his broken body from further harm. All he wanted was for it to be over. To be freed from his torment.
Saparata laughed, a terrible soulless thing. “Do you know what it’s like to suffer now? To feel pain?”
He ran his finger along the burning blade, grinning from ear to ear.
“Y’know, that really was entertaining. So how about this? An offer for your performance.”
“I’m giving you five minutes to run before I end you myself. You better get out of the city before then.”
There was a watch wrapped around Saps' wrist, brown leather stained maroon by countless battles. He gave the clock face five full rotations, the device emitting a soft, tick.
"Clock's ticking."
Parrot had to leave. He had to. Who else would stand up to Cindercrest in his absence? Who would lead his army? Theo and Reina were waiting for him. He had a meeting to organise. To rebuild.
What was he thinking? They already lost. Saps had taken the throne. His own soldiers had betrayed him on a whim. What was the point?
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The warm darkness pulled at the recesses of his mind, dragging Parrot towards the beyond. It was tempting to leave. To be with everyone he lost.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The pain was excruciating. Parrot might never fly again. He’d be more of a burden to those who remained than a leader. He brought his hand towards the light. He saw their faces. Their smiling, happy faces. Dean, Wifies… They were there. He could be happy again. Parrot would smile again. He took a step towards the light. Then another. It was so easy. So simple. There was small voice in his ear, almost too quiet to be heard. It grew louder as the light grew brighter. It sounded like... Wifies?
Parrot was back at the wooden house in the tundra, if you could even call it that. The bare bones cabin had been constructed in a rush, random pieces of half built furniture strewn across the room. The blizzard raged outside, heavy snowfall obscuring the glass windows. At least the cabin was warm. Despite being a temporary respite, it was the first time Parrot had felt at home in a long time. One of the last remaining pieces of Wifies left. Parrot brushed his hand over the couch cushions, the hurriedly crafted frame. Wifies was so proud of those cushions. They always made Parrot smile when he saw them, even if it now caused his heart to clench.
His old friend stood by the window, staring off into the blanketed unknown. He quickly turned around at Parrot's approach, his eyesbrows knitted together.
"Parrot? What are you doing here?" He looked confused. That was a rare sight.
"I..." Parrot trailed off. His breath caught in his throat. Tears rolled down his face, a sob escaping his lips.
"I screwed everything up, bro. I let them die. All of them. So many of the new players. They're all dead because of me."
Parrot collapsed into Wifies' arms, sobbing into his friend's shoulder. Wifies held him close, remaining steadfast as a wave of emotions threatened to drown him. Eventually, Parrot's sobs subsided to faint hiccups, Wifies lowering them both onto the couch.
"You know you can't stay here, Parrot."
The avian's grip tightened, breathing shaky and hollow. "Is it really not my time, Wifies? Have you seen how they treat me? No one cares if I live or die at this point. Cindercrest won. Completely won. Wouldn't it be better if I was here?"
Wifies paused for minute, giving Parrot a thoughtful noise. When he continued, he sounded more confident than Parrot had ever heard him.
"Remember the last thing I told you before I joined the mafia?"
Parrot sniffed, his voice wobbly. "Yeah, you told me to keep lighting the beacons."
"And what have you been doing?"
"Trying to fix the server."
Wifies smiled at him, a genuine one. "In other words, lighting beacons. Fighting corruption on the server. Protecting the new players. It wasn’t just about the mafia, Parrot. It wasn’t just about Cindercrest. It was about protecting all the players who couldn’t protect themselves. To protect everyone, no matter who they were. Do you get what I'm saying? You're not a failure, Parrot. You never were."
"All you need to do is keep lighting beacons. That's all you can do. Keep trying. Keep living."
"Can you do that for me?"
Parrot nodded, a watery smile crossing his face.
"Good. Are you ready to go back?"
"As ready as I can be." Parrot got to his feet, walking towards the door. He placed his hand on the warm metal, preparing to turn the handle.
"Wait." Parrot turned around, Wifies rising to meet him.
"Until we meet again, my friend." Wifies pulled him into a hug.
"Till we meet again." Parrot grinned, tousling the brunette's hair.
Parrot turned the handle, stepping into the bright light.
“Thirty six. Thirty five. Thirty four.” Saparata paced around him, a smug grin painting his face. He had began counting out loud as the final seconds ticked by.
Every feeling came rushing back at once, the exhaustion, the pain. It was almost too much to bear. Parrot took a sharp breath, steeling his resolve. He had to keep fighting.
“Get up, Parrot.” Parrot whispered underneath his breath.
Every movement hurt, sending a wave of fresh pain through his body. Parrot lifted himself onto his knees, a wet sounding cough leaving a shallow crimson puddle behind. Crawling over to the wall, he dragged himself to his feet. Parrot’s wings hung awkwardly beside him, broken and useless. Keep lighting beacons.
“Thirty three. Thirty two. Thirty one.”
The door was right there. A shaky hand reached for a water bucket.
“Twenty seven. Twenty six. Twenty five.”
Now or never.
Parrot ran towards the open door, leaping from the balcony. Wind rushed by his ears, adrenaline pumping through his body. His wings brushed against the air, tucked tight against his body. He could barely feel the pain anymore.
The ground approached quickly, the bricks rising to meet him. He dropped the bucket, water splashing against the pavement. He rolled across the ground, jagged stones biting into his skin. There was no time to breathe. He had to keep going.
Parrot stumbled to his feet, running towards the cluster of houses that lined the city streets. There was no chance he would reach city limits. He had to hide.
There was a larger house tucked between the rows, multiple doors lining the hallway. It would have to do. From the cobblestone street, Parrot saw a glint of light from the tower.
“Three. Two. One.”
Massive white wings unfurled atop the highest spire. Flecks of red caught the light, cracks of hell breaking into reality. The angel of death freed from his chains. And Parrot was his next target.
Parrot ran inside, shoving open the first door he could find. There was a winding staircase at the edge of the room, a tiny space between the wall and the steps. Parrot folded his wings as close to his body as possible, suppressing a wince.
Voices filled the streets, the pound of armoured footsteps. Cindercrest’s guards were here. Netherite boots clacked against the cobblestone, growing louder as they drew nearer.
“Parrot…” A singsong voice echoed through the street. He tensed.
“Where are you?”
The flash of white feathers passed the doorway. Parrot gave an involuntary shudder, the floorboards creaking beneath him. The avian was back in an instant, red flecked eyes glowing in the dim light.
“Interesting. Very interesting.” Saparata's tone was almost teasing. Like feigned surprise in a game of hide and seek.
Parrot pulled himself further into the gap, ignoring the stab of pain it sent through his broken wing. The footsteps came closer, a shadow inches away from his hiding place. He could almost hear laughter. It was too easy. Far too easy.
Parrot squeezed his eyes shut, awaiting the inevitable. He waited with baited breath for a sword to graze his neck, for a blade to bleed red. Except an attack never came.
“Cindercrest!” Saps yelled out to his troops.
“Parrot’s gone. I want you to secure the city. Move out.” He blew the horn, its haunting drone echoing through the streets.
The marching of soldiers grew faint, moving outside the city’s walls. Parrot let out a breath, allowing his wings to unfurl. He was in the clear, right? They were gone. But that didn't make sense. The shadow remained. Unless...
Parrot froze. He jumped to his feet, attempting to sprint out the door. An armoured hand clamped around his arm, another lifting him up by the throat. Parrot could barely make a sound, his throat scratched and raw.
Saps’ eyes were obsidian, lava swirling in between the cracks. “I know you can do better than that, Parrot.”
“The King of Unstable, cowering beneath a stairwell. Who would have thought?”
He searched Parrot’s face for a moment. Looking for shame, fear, anger; Parrot didn’t know. Eventually he spoke again.
“It doesn’t really matter if you escape or not. I’ve already won. No one will follow you after seeing the wreck you leave behind. So let’s make this a little more fun, shall we?”
Parrot fell to the ground, a hacking cough racking his frame. His vision was blurry, the edges of his vision fading in and out of focus.
“You’d only become a martyr if I ended you now. The remnants of the kingdom would rally against me to seek penance for your death. So I want you to run. Show everyone what I’ve done to you. Show everyone how much of a failure you truly are.”
Saps drew his sword, his smile twisting into something that was almost inhuman.
“Now run.”
Parrot pushed past the new king Saps, running towards the open door. His breaths came out in shaky gasps, salt running down his face.
Saps laughed manically, his voice the same taunting pitch that plagued him during their battle. “You lost Parrot!”
The words followed him as he ran towards the forest. No matter how far he ran, he'd never outrun them.
“You lost. You lost. You lost.”
He fell against a tree, dry heaving onto the pine needles. It felt as though the world was imploding, pulling him apart at the seems. His breaths were too fast, too fast, too fast. Failure. Failure. Failure. Saps had let him live. How pathetic was he to be released by his enemy? Nothing more than a rabbit hunted for sport. He should have just let himself die. He should have just- A light pulled Parrot from his spiral. The sun had long since set, the moon peaking through the clouds.
"You're not a failure, Parrot. You never were."
Parrot let the words guide him. In and out. In and out. The world slowed down. Fireflies illuminated the forest, crickets chirped from their hiding places in the grass. A frog croaked in a distant pond.
"Keep trying. Keep living."
That's all you can do.
Parrot let out a long sigh. He was alive. That was all that mattered. He wasn't infallible. He wasn't immortal. But he was stubborn. Parrot wouldn't let Saps break him. He wouldn't let himself become a shell of his former self. While he still breathed, Saps wouldn't have his way. He'd make sure of it.
Theo and Reina were probably thousands of blocks away, sequestered in some secret hideaway. That wouldn't stop him. Parrot would find them both and they would take down Saparata.
Once and for all.