Disclaimer: All character names, places, events in this story is a work of fiction, fairy tales and other stories characters that are used in the story, had been reimagined to fit the narrative, in no mean of disdaining the originals or of mean-spirited purposes.
"So you sent them all, to their graves?".
An uneasy whisper, carelessly, tailing the wind into the cradle of Fairy Tales. Bending towers and buildings, with black-vines dripping with ink, sprouted outward windows into strange trees, twitching, pulsating and occasionally, eyes seems to emerge from the inky body just to then submerge back in and emerge at somewhere else and low groan echoes.
A knight, withered by ages, cladded in full-golden armor, a white cloth baring a golden sun at the front, a crown weight heavily upon his head, sitting steadily on his white-horse.
"So we are back. Finally!".
Words echo inside his mind, as his eye pierce forth, a vast sea of bubbling ink-like-water, not quite solid, but also not liquid, so vast that feel like staring out from the edge of the world. Majestically, standing at the center of the sea of ink lie a tower-- it is the antithesis of sanity, an amalgamation of ink and constructs, for its built, neither of rocks nor stones, but of crystals and marbles fused with black-fleshy-ink, with an of sort chitin-like shell, like that of insects on the outer layers, for every inch of that tower, vertically, an ever-watching eye, that occasionally blinking and periodically sinks back into the inky-flesh just to emerges at some other location nearby. On top of the cruel construct, a gigantic crown-like structure lie at the very top of the tower, pierced right-through the sky itself, like a hand, open wide to net at the imitation sun- an enormous, black orb, constantly dripping with inks, and amidst the endless sky, only the spot around the "sun" is clear, making it feels like an iris of an eye is looking down at the tower, crying. The king mind goes weary, as sweats flooded his forehead, his eyes blinking uncontrollably, his head shakes slightly.
"My liege, are you well?".
A knight to his left on a black horse, armor wrapped in night sky, with one red stripe from under his left shoulder down to his right waist, turns to his king, his eyes filled with concerns.
"Its nothing, Lancelot, its just strange to be back here, again".
The king replied, as now before his eyes, is no longer an endless sea of ink, but a field, of white, pure lilies, and stands at the middle of it all, a little girl, as if through a telepathic connection, the little girl turns back to face the king.
"Arthur, Arthur, come and play with me".
Her voice echoed inside his mind. Just as then, exhausted light shimming down at Arthur, reveals behind him, a continent made of men and women, of human, elf and dwarf alike are marching right behind him.
"What's in Lillie's name made this?".
A young knight on a brown horse, to the right of Arthur, with short-hair draped in dawn and a vibrant red cross paint at the front of his chest, utterly puzzled by the sight before him.
"That's i'm afraid Sir Galahad, the Sea of Ink, birth place of all Metaphors, and that at the center is it throne, Argamorath, the throne of The Evil Witch".
A middle-age man on a silver horse, with black pony-tail and eyes as blue as the sea, in adventure clothing, with one hand on the bridle, others clenching tightly at a massive book that he kept close to his heart.
"And where our Fair Lady took her eternal slumber, until the witch showed up, and the horrors that she brought with her".
A middle-aged knight with curly-black hair and a black-bushy mustache to match, a black Hawk with both wings pan wide to it sides on his front and a large shield with it outline made of metal while the center a mirror places behind his back. Staring intensely at Argamorath, his brow furrows deeper every second, his teeth grits as he and his horse is accompanying a carriage.
"And that is why, we gonna take it back today, Sir Garwain, in Lillie's name".
Arthur said as his eyes gaze intensely at Argamorath, heard Arthur's words, Sir Garwain nodded in agreement.
"I beg your pardon, Quill Lucius, but... have you ever been here before?".
A feminine voice, breathlessly echoed out from inside the carriage.
"Lady Aurora? Please...".
The man asked with sounds echoes within his guttural, he turns his head and bends upward a quick and easy smile, follow by a low bow.
"Call me Lucius. I must admitted that, through the course of my study on the ink, it took me out far and wide from the comfort of the Colleague, to venture into deep-Metaphors-infested lands, but this... this is my first time i'm this close, although Argamorath can be seen from every corner of Fairy Tales ".
Lucius replied, calmly, his attention retreats back into the carriage and onto the fair maiden. As he too, can sees and agrees that Fate's truly a cruel mistress, the maiden is a walking corpse, wrapped in finest silks coated in pink with gold-textures and blue outlines. Her head, a tree amidst a storm, swinging from side to side, a constant struggle between awake and asleep. Her cheeks sink deeply and hug at the arch of her facial structures, while her eyes-- hollowed and distant, like moons dawn among the empty void of her eyes. The lady, can barely sit upright, as 2 maiden have to occasionally hold on to her to move her back. After Lucius words, no reply from the lady, only a weak and warm smile emerges on her face.
Suddenly, all stopped and In front of them, a silhouette, veil in shadow, approaches them from the ink. A tall old-man about 70 year-of-age, in ivory-colored suit, adds ebony-color strappings with gold outlines and buttons, finishes with a black tie and a pristine with gold textures cane, a purely bloom lily flower sticks at the side of his heart, despite the distant, his cane reverberates with every connect, *thumb*...*thumb*...*thumb*... Under the dimly light of the imitation sun, Silvered-facial and hairs glister as he steps into view, then suddenly, stops.
"King Arthur and chivalry lords, please-- accept my utmost respect greeting".
The old-man spoke with such calmness and mannered speech and bows low in front of Arthur.
"Quill Darius...".
Lancelot replied while Arthur eyes is locking onto Darius, his brows bend downward, fire burn behind his irises as images flash before him, a tower, a mighty tower, is burning, as screaming shriek through the hall, there stand Darius, and before him, a throne, made out of crystals sat by a young woman, in pristine white dress... Lillie, a purely white lily sits upon the throne, now withered, it pedals painted in red. With shaking hand, his eyes open wide, dash from one side of the socket to the other, shock filled his lung as his mouth opens and closes but no words escape his throat, then rage, as he shouted: " For the Lillie!" and sprints forth. The images stopped, Arthur's hands clenching at the hilt of his sword while his gaze never leaves Darius.
"I, Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot, Protector of Fairy Tales, In Thy name which bestowed by her Lady... ".
Arthur shouted triumphantly, then swiftly unsheathes the Excalibur, raise and point it tip toward the sky as a ray of light pierces the gloomy sky and shine down at the king.
"I'm now condemning Thee and the Evil Witch that thee served against Fairy Tales, may in dead that thee find forgiveness".
Arthur shouted as he slowly lower Excalibur, pointing it tip directly at Darius.
Darius stands firmly, indifferent, as if slightly amused.
""Evil"? "Against Fairy Tales"? Those are words that you called us, but i'm the only one who saw the truth, everything i did and am doing, is for Fairy Tales, as do Mother. But, why words, when the judgement has already been passed? i'll accept my punishment, but know this, Arthur, as least i'm not the one who has been lying to IT's people".
Darius calmly retorted at Arthur, then a slam of his cane, *thumb*, a loud, thunderous sound reverberate through the entire land itself as the ink begin to move.
Quickly, they-- emerged, Metaphors, in uncountable number. From the Fury- shaped like a dark-goblin as tall as a fully-grown man with elongated arms and it's body a constantly shifting flesh, 2 red orb for eyes, it belly a gaping mouth with strange faces and eyes staring out from inside it's stomach. To Sadness - a inky-spider, the size of a car, with spider-body but human-limbs for legs and hundreds of ink people merged together, moving and writhing with those at the tip of it holding a large cocoon-like orb with a giant needle like erects from it to make an of-sort scorpion-like tail, it face a mask - made of marbles, shaped like a woman, with ink streaming down from her eyes.
*Thumb*, another time the cane connects with the inky-ground and the endless sea of Metaphors charge forward, closing their gap with Arthur's army in rapid pace, just to be obliterated by waves of cannon-salvo. A gigantic galleon sail on winds, swoops down into view, on top of it watchtower, a handsome young man in pirate clothing with short-black hair and a quick and easy smile. Not enough time for dusty-ink to settle, from the side, the godly Poseidon emerges, dwarfs Argamorath in size and swing his mighty trident and cleaves through a big chunk of the metaphors forces almost in half, while storm begin to rages, and below him on the ground, a young and beautiful woman, with hair as red as blood in a slim-white-armor on her white horse spear ahead, followed by an army of knights.
"Little Mermaid! She made it".
Lucius shouted.
Just as then, a yellow comet descend from the sky and slam directly into a group of metaphors, then burst open as yellow energy converted into a yellow horse and young boy in full green clothing and a red feather stitched aside of his green hat is charging through a group of metaphors, slashing them open with his knife, then suddenly, the yellow horse turns into a little golden pixie with golden dust scatters from her wings. Still the dust linger, and from the carriage.
"Aim little to the right".
Aurora whispered as she is lying on her back, with a strange symbol shines on her forehead, of that of a blue tree with it top holding a purple moon. Follow the Lady's words, waves after waves of stone draped in fire got propelled by instruments of war and showered down onto the field hitting the remaining forces of metaphors and Darius directly without missing a single shot.
"For The Lillie, For Fairy Tales!".
Arthur shouted and what seems like an entire continent behind him begin to charge forward. From dusty-veil, Darius emerged, unscathed, and just as quick as they are destroyed, the ink raise and another one is born. Darius raises his hand into a fist, as ink swirl into a vortex above him into a giant orb, It opens it eye and beam of yellow particles shoot forth, immediately evaporated the front line of Arthur chargers into burst of lily's petals. Suddenly, a large shadow leaps forth and snatched at Darius, send him and it flying back for kilometers.
Darius quickly regains his stance and looks down at his torso, half of which is completely torn open, but his expression-- unbothered, as from within his body, black-string-like-vines shoot forward from under the torso to connect with the mangling waist and within seconds, they filled up his entire missing torso and immediately heal up, even the clothes, like nothing had happened, Darius stands and casually adjust his tie and dust off his suit. His gaze fix onto the attacker, a 220cm height beast covered in dark-flesh, with figure and features of an amazonian of a woman embraced by black furs and covered it in a long and wide red-cloak with big red hoodie to mask it face, leaving only 2 large and round golden eyes staring back at him with savage intention.
"Red hood!".
Darius remarked at the beast, with no answer from the beast, only spears-like-claws are protruding from it fingers. Darius quickly swing his cane in quick succession, trail of smeared ink follow it movement as a wave of yellow-particle mixed with black ink propelled outward at Red Hood.
"Left, left, right, left, left, right, right".
Aurora's voice echoes inside Red Hood's mind, as she followed her instruction and dodged all Darius attacks while gaining momentum as she is charging forward toward him like an arrow, but just as she reaches him, Darius vanishes leaving an after image made of ink behind.
"Behind you!".
Once again, Aurora's voice echoes inside Red Hood's mind as she quickly turns and immediately uses her arm to grab at Darius cane as he is about to stabs it through her. Right as Red hood stopped Darius. He pushes his palm against Red Hood stomach as a shockwave bursting out from the impact knocking her back, while her dark-flesh turn back to ink and melt away leaving behind her human form as she falls onto the ground.
Suddenly, a giant serpent made of water chomping down at Darius as it indescribable pressure, almost bury him down into the ink, after seconds, Darius bursts out of the water and with a dazzling speed, he dashes toward Little Mermaid on the side, but just as he reaches her, an illusion, made of glass shatters, as he glances to the side, from afar, Sir Garwain with his mirror-shield in front of him, to create Little Mermaid illusion, with not even enough time to adjust to his movement, from the inky ground behind him, Lucius bursts upward and aim his book at Darius, a golden beam shoots out and knocks Darius backward, as he is stumbling from the blast, the sky is raging with golden lightnings, as if descending from heaven, Sir lancelot shoots down in a lightning strike and with his mighty spear imbued with lightning, chops off Darius's cane holding arm, sending the cane flying to the side as Lucius grabs it and golden particles soon engulf it and shape it into a golden sword. Without a second of hesitation, Lucius leaps, and right beside him, Sir Galahad, now with golden- angle wings sprout out from his back and a golden halo made of 5 golden-swords behind him, already is descending upon Darius and both of them slam down at him.
"Little mermaid!".
Aurora's voice echoes inside Little Mermaid's head, as she nods and immediate draws water from the raging storm caused by her father, as they converted around the group to form a protective bubble. Another voice shouts out from nearby.
"I condemn thee!".
Arthur is now holding an excalibur imbued with brilliant golden light as the ground beneath is shaking violently by the sheer energy is emitting from it, finally! He slams excalibur forward and a massive golden beam burst forth, aiming directly at Darius, as it evaporates everything on it path.
"Wake up! My sleeping beauty".
A strange feminine voice with saddened tone whispered directly into Aurora's ears, as she immediate bursts awake, the symbol on her forehead fades, her eyes in blood shot as streams of ink is oozing out from her eyes sockets, her maids desperately trying to get a hold of her as she rolls out from her rest and onto the ground, coughing up blood violently.
"My lady, my lady".
A maid desperately holding on to Aurora.
"She is here!".
Aurora whispered breathlessly under the coughing, as her body begin to contorts and twists violently into inhumanly positions and angles, her choked scream soon silent as strange black-ink-tree like is sprouting out from multiple parts of her body.
"Aurora?".
"Something is wrong, Scholar, i cannot hear her".
Little Mermaid falls onto her knees as her link with Aurora abruptly cut off. Her gaze fixes onto Lucius.
"We just lost Aurora. She is here, the Witch...She..."
Garwain shouted, then silenced.
From the shadow of the corner, THEY, emerged, the Abstracts, mother's champions and guardians. From the depth of the ink, a gigantic creature burst upward and grab at Poseidon, it head a bouquet of grand-tentacles, which each tip is a human heads, with a mouth consisted of endless spiraling ring of teeth and a gigantic eye at it throat, it front limbs are that of an alligator, scaly and grand, it back limbs an elephant, toughen with carapace, hungry gaping maw all over it body as it constantly moving around among it own flesh, for its "The Whale", as it throws it size onto godly Poseidon causing him to be overwhelmed and stumbles backward.
"What in Lillie's name?".
The captain of the flying Galleon shouted in horror as he is staring-- IT emerged from the sky above, as if rising from the depth but now upside down, a leviathan creature is slithering among the cloud, shapes with an upper half of a blind-folded woman with black-haired stream all the way to her chest, 8 elegant and elongate arms that spread out toward the very edge of the sky, 4 Angelic butterflies wing with mesmerizing patterns and colors, pink-coral formations melt into each other to form an of sort of crown at the back of her shoulders, while her lower half an amalgamation of mouths opens and closes amidst flesh and ink to form a snake like tail, and she begin to sing, the coral-crown on her back begin to glow, vibrantly, a group knights and elf in the mist of fighting, hear the singing, their eyes turned pink and " Mother!" chanting began to escape their throat, as a twisted smile emerge on their face, as they turn around, weapons raised high as they charge and attack their former allies. For they are now lost, body and soul, their are now It's command now, "The Serpent".
"Sinbad, everyone, cover your ears".
One of the crew, a mountain of a man shouted out to the captain and his crewmates, as they instinctively covered their ears up, but then got jump on by other crewmates who are not fortunate. As a massive in-fighting soon broke out on the galleon. Furthermore, a massive golden force-field engulf the entire battle field, on the ground, Arthur is kneeling on 1 knee and holding out a luxurious golden grail.
"O Lord all-mighty, grant thy thee strength, protect thy and thee followers".
Arthur chanted.
Then another, a walking mountain made flesh, with arms like a moving ancient oak-tree morphed into a shape of an arm with gigantic claws that shadowed the sky above. A factory for a torso, with gears, chains and exhausting tubes entire made of it's own pulsating flesh, 3 massive gaping maw as gate constantly pumping out ink while it's face, 4 grand-tentacles for a face that strangely resemble a man-face, and occasionally open up sideway to reveal it mouth, an abyssal depth made of teeth and flesh, 2 arch-batwing sprout out at the back of the monstrosity. It ramping forward, with humanoid legs and chitin-like skin, too fast for something of that size, each step shakes as the very core of the continent and armies crushed, trembled before it might, "The Bear".
"So again, we met, Lucius!".
Lucius's vision went dark, as all sounds seems to be muted, and in front of him, Darius, casually walks toward him.
"Darius!".
Lucius eyes focus on Darius.
"What game are you playing here, Lucius? You managed to convince them all, to come here, to their graves, are you losing your marbles this time? Getting desperate?"
A quick and uneasy grin emerges on Darius's lips as his gaze turns back at the carriage.
"Lady Aurora? Fate can be such a cruel mistress! You managed to convince her to come out of her tower, yet you left out Cinderella? We both know that she's your best chance of winning here... Right! To-- convince her ladyship at this point in time, during her most... Volatile state, would be such a big risk to take. So, Lucius, you sacrificed your queen right at the start of the match, and since-- i cannot see Snow White anywhere, so that go for your bishop, instead you filled the board with pawns, how are you going to play this game, Lucius? How many more failure, do you want to inflict on yourself? ".
Darius continued calmly, his eyes focus on every details on Lucius facial, as if trying to predict his next move.
""Queens"! Darius, for a simple pawn once reached the end of the board, could become any pieces, including a "queen". So theoretically, i filled my board with queens".
Lucius brows furrow, a quick grin shows itself on the scholar's face, his burning gaze meets Darius owns.
"How noble of you, Lucius. To put one life above others for the good of all, but... Tell me, are you ready, to put THEIR life, on the line for-- YOUR GOALS?".
Darius remains calm as he is staring directly at Lucius, something changed on Lucius face, his brows raise, eyes widen, sight dashes from side to side, then quickly, re-focus at Darius. Lucius gritted his teeth, his mouth opens and closes, but no words escape his throat, follow by a slow nod from Darius.
"Then so be it. But-- remember, Lucius, once this is started, their blood, will be on your hands, and once this is over, they will hunt you down, and you will-- have nowhere else to hide, for you are, putting Fairy Tales on the wager.".
The vision faded and sounds filled Lucius ears again.
"Lucius, Lucius, are you dozing off, scholar?".
Lancelot shakes at Lucius, as no words escaped his throat, only a quick nod.
"We lost Lady Aurora, but the plan could still work, leave the battlefield to us, enter the tower, end this".
Lancelot continued.
From the dust, Darius emerged.
Arthur stands up beside Lucius as he nods.
Strange platforms made out of water soon rise up before Lucius, leading way almost to the Imitation sun, he turns and looks and receives a quick nod from Little Mermaid and begin dashing forth, jumping and vaulting onto those platforms.
"For the Lillie!".
Arthur shouted and everyone, now including a woman in red cloak, dashing forward as her flesh fills with ink and her body begin to change, within seconds Red hood returned to her beast form.
Salvo of ink-projectiles darken view, knocking out the platforms and Lucius with it, as he is falling, a hand grab onto him tightly.
"Got you, Quill Lucius".
Galahad is flying upward while carrying Lucius, just to be immediately grab by the legs by one of the Sadness's fleshy-web as it yanking Galahad down, gathers all of his might, Galahad throws Lucius up as if sending him up to heaven as he, himself, descending into hell.
A golden pegasus made out of golden-dusts swoops in to carry the Quill, and the boy in green soon accompanies him.
"Quill Lucius!".
The boy said, happily, as he swinging around fending off those Metaphors Envy, a humanoid-mermaid-like creature, with upper body of a human-female, with empty eyes sockets, elongated arms with saber-like claws, large bat-wing on the back, it lower body a fleshy nozzle like fish-tail with an mouth at the end of it tail that shoot out ink-projectiles, as they are swarming the 3 of them tirelessly from Argamorath fleshy-outerior. Lucius draws from the book, a stream of yellow-particles to shapes into a bow as he is aiding the boy, shooting down those envies, as they traveling up.
"Peter!".
Lucius shouted, as the boy turns around just to be grab by one of the envy into an embrace as he is plummeting quickly down, it saber-like claws are clawing at the boy's back, tearing through his clothing and flesh with ease, the boy gritted his teeth trying desperately to wiggle his arm around, finally, he curls his arm upward and plunges his knife into the envy chest repeatedly until the envy gave up and the boy breaks out and swoops down quickly under the ink-monstrosity to appear on top of it as he grabs hold of it shoulders, pulling back as he using it as a make-shift plane to fly up again. Soon, the boy jumps off the dying envy into a swam of them, as he slashes and jumps using each of them as a stepping platforms. Through the chaos of battle, Lucius eyes find Peter, suddenly, a yellow-particles beam shoot up pierced the pegasus, as it body fading and bursting out into millions of golden dust, at the center of it all, a pixie, is plummeting, seeing the scene unfold, Peter immediately jumps off and fly directly at Lucius and the pixie.
"Tinker!".
Peter shouted, while a swarm of countless envies engulfing them, then gore and ink scatter everywhere as the flying galleon ramps directly through them, from the galleon, Sinbad swings out with rope strung around his waist as he catches Lucius and Tinker, safely return up on his ship.
"Darius!".
Lucius quickly glances down at the battlefield, despite such great distant, he can clearly sees, Darius is staring directly up at him.
"Good to see you Scholar, given the circumstances".
Sinbad quickly helps Lucius on his feet.
"You're bleeding bad, kid".
Sinbad turns to Peter, as he shakes his head.
"It's nothing... But Tink!".
The little pixie clumsily rises up from the sailor's hand, her legs noodling as she turns her head to the side, wing clapping slowly and rapidly picking up speed, then turns back at Peter and a warm smile paints itself ln her golden face and she nods eagerly.
"Here we are Scholar, do what you must do, leave the air to us, right kid?".
Sinbad remarked at Lucius then turns to face Peter, as he hit his chin upward. Peter eagerly runs at the sailor to pickup his companion and gently places her onto his shoulder.
"AWOOO! AWOOO! AWOOOO!".
The boy looks at Tinker and smile happily then let out a string of howl filled with youthfulness's pride and excitement.
"Can never get you kid".
Sinbad shakes his head.
The sight of the imitation sun is getting bigger and bigger by the seconds, seeing the opportunity, Lucius steps up to the helm, produces a mysterious vial of red that stored carefully inside a leather bound pounce.
"I'm sorry".
Lucius whispered as he quickly glances back at Sinbad and Peter, then down to the chaos below and he pours the vial on his head, red liquid soon sculptured him whole, as he is there, facing the imitation sun, cautiously enter it, immediately before The Serpent swing it arms at the galleon, sending it spinning freely among the sky.
Hours passed in a blink of an eye amidst the chaos. At the center of it all, Arthur is charging forth on his mighty steed as he buries his sword all-through Darius stomach, just for him to places his palm on the steed, The white steed soon turns gold, then black, flesh melt into ink as it bursts. In golden light, Darius dashes forth like a lightning shooting through the air as his cane penetrates Arthur stomach mid-flight and pins him down onto the earth.
"Foolishness Arthur! Foolishness! I'm doing all this for Fairy Tales".
Darius gritted his teeth as he twists the cane, Arthur's armor soon painted in red. But suddenly, the King hands grab at the cane and Darius palm, tightly.
"As do I, Darius".
Arthur bared his teeth, his face contorts as blood is gushing out his wound, but with all his might, Arthur leans himself upward toward Darius and head-butt at him sending him stumbles backward, soon the two both kneel on one knee with thing between their intestines.
"You should have told them the truth, Arthur".
Darius grabs at Excalibur hilt and is slowly pulling it back-out, blood is pooling under him.
"The people deserved... Hopes".
Arthur gaps as he grabs at the cane hilt and pulls it out.
"She trusted you, i trusted you".
Arthur continued.
"No, Arthur, i'm saving her...YOU, are the thing that's killing her, drawing her back and back into Fairy Tales, like a parasite, an addiction".
Darius gaps with each breath, as blood foam around his mouth.
"She... loved you, all of you, too much... "
"It was her wish, for me to sent her out... For she knew, you would hesitate, you wouldn't be able to do... what is right, what is necessary".
Darius continued, then in a flash, as he appears behind Arthur, excalibur raises high, and he slashes down.
"No!".
*Slash* with lightning reflect, Arthur turns and blocks the blade with Darius's cane while staring directly at Darius, his brows furrow.
"As long as there are still breath within my body, i'll bring down The Evil Witch, and liberates Fairy Tales, In Lillie's name".
Arthur shouted, as he quickly turns his side slightly pulling excalibur's blade to one side with his cane's holding hand while his other hand repeatedly pummel at Darius face, finish up with a kick to the chest while skillfully maneuvers to retrieve excaliber back from Darius fumbling hands, and just before Darius even notices, Arthur pierce his chest with both excaliber and his own cane.
Darius body dissolved into inks as it quickly re-emerges behind Arthur, just for Arthur's to also quickly dissolved into and outline of golden-particles to quickly turn back and once again, with both Excaliber and Darius's cane he stabs Darius again and pins him back down onto the ground. Swiftly, both his hand grips at Excaliber's hilt as he is lifting it up.
"I condemn thee!".
Arthur shouted as the blade turn golden and billions of golden-particles is swirling into it, and immediately, Arthur jam the blade back down at Darius, an enormous golden-shockwave rock the very foundation of the earth, Darius's body can be seen completely dispersed into millions of golden-particles and fade away.
The king is gasping for air while he is looking around as his wounds finally catch up to him as he begin to stumble onto his knees, his eyes lock-onto the imitation sun and Argamorath, for it's still standing, signifying that the plan has failed.
"Where is our cue?".
"Where is the scholar?".
"Is he's dead?".
"Their forces are still without ending".
"The tower still stands".
"Should we retreat?".
Echoes among the knights.
"Foolishness! Arthur".
Darius spoke calmly as he is casually walking out of the settled dust, a black tentacle shoot forth toward Arthur, a flash of light and blood is pooling the ink below.
"For... the... Li...!".
A whisper of a dying man.
Arthur looks up and before him, a knight in an armor as black as the starless night is standing before him, a tentacle is wiggling where his heart should be.
"Lancelot!".
Arthur screamed as Lancelot body got toss to the side.
"Father!".
Galahad screamed from the crowd, as he sprouts forth his wings, 5 golden blade to form a golden halo at his back as he is swooping at Darius, just for him to liquified into an after-image made of ink as Galahad sword came right through, to then immediately solidate and grabs at his wing and slams him down onto the ground and caves his skull in using his boot.
"Is this what you want to become of Fairy Tales? Looks! Arthur looks!".
Arthur breathlessly looks around him, Poseidon is losing his ground, struggling to fight The Whale, until it takes a big chunk out of his left shoulder, while tentacles-like-spears shoot forth and pierce all-over his body and it 2 front arm grab onto him and slams him down into the depth. Above him, the one mighty galleon, overwhelmed with envies, despite the distant, Arthur can surely see a pair of eyes, with extinguished fire behind it from the captain, as he look at the kid in green, fighting tirelessly, and he runs forth and pushes the boy from his ship, right before mighty arms of The Bear clamp with the ship, turning it into splinters. The boy shouted as tears stream his face, stubbornly, he grips tightly as his knife, flying upward to continue fighting just to suddenly face-to-face with a face of blind-folded woman and her mesmerizing arch-butterflies wings... Arthur's gaze shoot downward, and to the side, a beautiful lady, as water dances around her cutting metaphors in half as its passing through, but its only her now, as she occasionally looks back at her army, no one is left, only a sea of mangled corpses, while endless metaphors now is focusing on her. Then at the corner of his eye, the beast in red and the knight with a mirror-shield, fighting, standing side-by-side, as the beast soon got piled upon, furs run scarlet. All is lost!
Like an arrow, Sinbad rides on a giant golden-hawk pierce through the air and grabs at the boy and lands on the inky ground, Sinbad immediately dismounts, cutlass in one hand decapitates one Fury while flintlock on the others to shoot down an envy while shouting "behind me, quick!". Endless ink monstrosity, with no end in sight, until the final bullet has been shot, knife dulled and water dropped it last, the very ground shaken, and suddenly, a gigantic mouth made out of a bouquet of tentacles with each tip a human-head, bursts forth and swallows up everything.
Suddenly, the very air holds it breath and gravely silent embraces the entire battlefield like an ethereal blanket, as Arthur looks around, blood gushing out from the corner of his mouth, a familiar dread expresses on his face.
"They're still coming!".
A knight is carrying another knight on his back, with crossbow holds high as he pierces a Sadness's head with an arrow.
"It's gonna be ok now... Seline... Se...".
As the knight is talking, his head slightly turns back at the companion on his back, her hand-- is dissolving! Like smeared ink on a canvas, scatters outward from where her hand once were, then slowly turns into petals, purely white and sweet fragrance assaults his nostrils, hundreds, no! Thousands of them, of lily. Terror burns within him, as its keep spreading like wild fire across her body, first her hands, then arm, torso until all is scatters away right in front of him.
"Seline? SELINE? What... is happening?".
A strange tingling at his finger tips, when he looks down, them too, are slowly turn into lily petals and flown away in stale wind. He drops his crossbow and started running, a hand on his wound as blood is pooling out, he must run, as fast as possible, but no, he can't run from it, as him too, quickly dissolved, into lily petals, with one last remnant of strength, he falls down onto his knees, a single tear finds it way down onto his cheek as his palm clenches tightly as a lily petal of what left of Seline, after which his gaze turns to where the fighting is still raging, platoon of men and women, all is fading away into lily petals in a blink of an eyes and lower his head until him too, are all with Lillies now.
A black comet quickly descend upon the sea of ink before Arthur, but there was no explosion, but quiet, as black smoke transformed into millions of colorful butterflies as they take the sky. And emerges from within it.
"The Evil Witch!".
Garwain whispered as he is carrying Red Hood in her human form on his back, one step after another, until he is suddenly stumbles as his once leg dissolved into lily petals and both of them falling onto the ground. Garwain gaps in pain, as he is trying to crawl toward Red Hood leaving a trail of red where he passed. Garwain gritted his teeth, as the armor suddenly feels heavier, or maybe he is lighter, just as he is about to reach Red Hood, his hand dissolve and then his entire body, while she just lies there, tears are streaming down from her eyes to the back of her neck as she raises one hand toward the light on the sky.
"Mother! i'm coming to you now. Hold on to... that basket... for me...".
Red Hood whispered, her voice grunted and deep, almost wild, then closes her eyes and her entire body dissolves away into lily petals.
There she stands, a svelte figure, in magnificent-silky-black-dress, an ebony crown weight heavily on her head, her snowy- hair floats upward like as if under water, her body entirely made of marbles with cracks all over as black ink is oozing out, with an elegant oval face that carved straight out of a painting, every arch, every textures are tuned to perfection, but 2 empty sockets for eyes. On her hand, firmly yet gently, a purely white and strong fragrance flower, a lily.
Casually, she started walking, every step she took, greenery replaces the inky ground, and from it, a bouquet of white lily sprouts forth, purely and carelessly. Breathing of the air turns silent chanting, while sun lights are pulling back the inky curtain to descend and circling the figure, as if investigating the figure in such scrutinizing way, then takes it bow before their queen, their mother, their-- creator.
"Arthur!".
The Evil Witch's mouth doesn't move but her voice, soft and matured echoes inside Arthur's mind.
"You has grown into a fair maiden, Child!".
Arthur replied, with occasional coughing.
"The curse of time, while you-- haven't changed one bit, Arthur".
The Evil Witch continued as she is closer and closer to Arthur.
"Cease this... ".
Arthur interrupted by a violent cough, as his mind begins to swirl and images is losing it edges.
The Evil Witch suddenly stopped, as she is now right before Arthur.
"I'm sorry, Arthur. I tried, i really did try, but there-- was no light, no happy ending and no fairy tales".
The Evil Witch voice dropped into a sadden tone.
With all of his remaining strength, Arthur stands straight up, his legs noodling as he is stumbling forward, clumsily.
"There will... always... a way, child".
Arthur continued.
"You are as stubborn as i remembered".
The witch's marble head slightly turn to looks directly at Arthur, a clear *Clank* can be heard.
"For that-- was... how you WRITE me to be... Lillie!".
Arthur said, as he is staggering toward The Evil Witch, one hand is reaching out and gently plants on her frail and thin shoulder. With an aliened yet familiar warmth surge through The Evil Witch body, like and electric shock.
"I... remembered a little girl, who love to write so much that... she once told me "I could lose the coldness with the warmth of the page"".
"A little girl that ran to me every night, once she was sad or alone, asked me to take her for an adventure, to protect the people, to fight a dragon and save the princess".
"Or to dance with Cinderella for days until she can't barely walk, and how its hurting every time you put on that slipper, and keep on drafting to change it's size but never once it fit".
"A little girl, that got scared with Snow White's story, and the one that want to build a marvelous tower, made of crystals and marbles, where she will sit and draft her own Fairy Tales, a "Lillie's Fairy Tales" she'd call it".
"For i missed that girl".
Arthur continued, until his legs betrayed him as him stumbles forward and has to lean onto The Evil Witch.
A single inky-tear escape an empty eye socket as it smearing downward onto her cheek. Slowly, she places her hand onto Arthur chest and suddenly... Arthur's eyes widen in shock, a unimaginable pain surges through him as blood is bursting out of his mouth non-stop while his back, ink is smearing outward into hundreds of lily petals, a dreading feeling, as if every molecule of him is being ripping apart, consciously, while each is constantly boiling and freezing at the same time. Veins filled his eyes and his vision slowly darken while his breath slower and slower until vain and null.
"I'm sorry, Arthur! But there can be no Fairy Tale for me".
"I missed them, to play with Red Hood on that greenfield, to dance with Cinderella or to engage in a sparring with Gretel and Hansel until i were all beaten, and to sing with Ariel under that magical ocean, and-- YOU, most of all... ".
Lillie rested her forehead onto the old king chest, like a daughter returning after many years to her father.
"I cannot finish it anymore... So i must-- draft it all... i'm sorry, Arthur".
Lillie shakes her head mechanically, the marble-neck clank and crack at every movement.
Abruptly, Arthur reaches out his other hand and pulls Lillie into a heartly embrace.
"I... FORGIVE... YOU!".
Arthur whispered breathlessly.
With no more resistant, Lillie pushes her hand forward and Arthur immediately burst into millions of lily petals and ink, Darius turns his head to the side, his eyes closes tightly, hand squeezes at his cane.
"Goodbye, old friend".
Darius whispered.
While at somewhere else, far away from the battlefield at Argamorath. A small room filled with darkness, lit only dimly by the fire of a small torch on the wall as a loud *thud* of someone's fist slams down at a desk, echoes through the place.
"She's a writer alright. I can feel it power emitting from her, but what do you want to do with her now, Quill?".
A voice of a woman talking to someone, her voice low and a bit grunted.
"Ethiel! Ethiel! She's awake".
Another woman, with much sweeter voice called out the first woman, as she slowly and cautiously walk toward a little girl around 12 year-old, dressed in white and long black hair, as her eyes slowly opens and glances around the room, her eyes spots 3 people, 1 is a woman with blonde-pixie hair, cladded in knightly armor and a blue banner at her. Then a small girl, around 10 year-old, dressed in big-blue dress and a big blue hat on her head with a face sparkling with enthusiasm. And the right corner of the room, stands Lucius. Seeing the girl is awaken, Lucius walks toward her and gently reaches out 1 hand.
"It's ok now, you're safe, my name is Lucius, what's your name?"
Lucius voiced cautiously.
"Evelyn"
The little girl whispered.