A Tale of the Grimm Troupe

Dance of the Troupe Members

     Brumm had not suspected anyone would know his plan, let alone meet him to stop him from completing it...the least of who would have been Aspen.  Aspen had been close with Brumm, the person who helped him adjust to being a part of the troupe and find his place among the Grimmkin.  Now here he was, ready to fight his close friend because of empathy battling loyalty.  Brumm returned Aspen's bow, a courtesy Grimm drilled into their heads before Aspen vanished.  His skill with magic and the speed of his abilities was outstanding.

      Scarlet fire danced from his palms, erupted from him from a teleport in midair, erupting from the ground as he slammed his cane down...all in an effort to kill the man he had once called friend.  Brumm was outmatched, his strength versus Aspen's mobility and range...he could barely get a hit off before having to dodge out of the way.  Aspen was especially careful of Brumm when he tried to get close to the Lantern, shielding it with fire until Brumm was either thrown away or backed off.

     "Why don't you just drop your mask and run?!" Aspen roared, striking Brumm with a lunging slash.  "You could have gone back to being a humble accordion player!"  He moved the lunge into an uppercut which split into three balls of fire, none of which hit Brumm.  Brumm was breathing heavily, now wondering if he was really could defeat Aspen enough to banish the rest of the troupe.  "You're weak...you've let your own emotions get in the way of the troupe and passing on the flame to the child."

     "This kingdom has seen enough horrors without us," Brumm gasped, clutching his side.  "So much innocent blood has spilled in the great ruins of this kingdom in a battle we could only hope to comprehend."  Aspen had no hint of mercy in his expression, no sense of sympathy.

      "We know about the wrath of the Radiance," he stated, coldly.  "We know because she once tried to destroy the Nightmare Heart which polluted her realm with terror but it was too much a part of the realm of dreams.  The perfect time for us to perform this ritual here is now...while she is contained and the Pale King is missing."  Brumm looked up into the mask of his once friend, looking at the man who was likely to kill him and leave him here to die.  The flame's flickering became more and more erratic, drawing their attention.  "The vessel has almost finished their dance...now is the time to decide...."

      "Decide what?" Brumm wheezed.  

      "I will give you one more chance to leave," Aspen offered.  "Leave your mask with me and crawl out of here...I'll let you go....  You don't have to die in this lonesome cave out in the wilderness of Hallownest."  Brumm looked at Aspen and then turned back to the Lantern, not noticing as Aspen drew two knives from behind his back.  "Sorry that it had to be this way...."  Brumm's cry of pain echoed around the chamber as Aspen's knives dug into his back, Aspen putting his full weigh to make sure they dug in.  "I told you, Brumm...I would kill you."

     Their shadows flickered with the fire as Brumm struggled to get Aspen off his back but only succeeded in digging the knives in further.  As Brumm's flailing became little more than a stagger, Aspen removed his knives and grabbed Brumm's mask, tearing it from his face and revealing the face beneath.  Red smoke began to pool at their feet, leaving a circle around Brumm as it no longer recognized him as a troupe member.

     "Aspen," Brumm said weakly, falling to his knees.  "Please...."  Aspen placed the knives back at his belt before huffing at Brumm.  

     "Shadows dream of endless fire," Aspen began.  "Flames devour and embers swoop.  One will light the Nightmare Lantern."  The red smoke began to fill the cavern and Aspen's eyes began to glow a vengeful scarlet.  "Call and serve in Grimm's dread troupe...."  He vanished in a burst of red light along with the Lantern, leaving Brumm on the floor with those last words.  Words which had meant something dear to him as it was the words of his closest friends...his family.  This was what he deserved...better this than to be destroyed by the Heart, he supposed.