Aspen once again opened his eyes in the cave where the Nightmare Heart summoned its followers, clad in the dark red and black robes as normal but surrounded by the Grimmkin. One of the Novices floated up to him, looking confused and unsure.
"Where is Brumm?" it asked.
"Dying," Aspen answered, flatly. "He tried to destroy the Nightmare Lantern and banish us from Hallownest...during the vessel's dance with the Master." He looked out among the Novices, Masters and even the Nightmares but noticed something was different. "Where is the child?" As one, the Grimmkin pointed behind Aspen who turned and kneeled before the Heart.
"The child is with the vessel," the Heart explained. Aspen had to bite his tongue to avoid saying something that would deserve him being struck dead by the Heart. "The vessel will go on to face the Light Forgotten once more...after fighting the other gods of Hallownest. The child will be useful to them and it will give the child a chance to grow...."
"But we are without a Troupe Master," Aspen began. "Without Grimm we have no physical manifestation of your will...who will lead us?" Silence filled the chamber and Aspen could feel the attention directed towards him. He felt he knew how the Heart would answer before it did.
"You have shown great loyalty to the troupe and to me," the Heart postulated. "You put your friendship with Brumm below the kinship you share with the troupe...a fine master to lead the troupe until the child returns...." Aspen rose slowly to his feet, head kept down in a reverent posture.
"It would be an honor, Master," Aspen agreed. Scarlet fire wrapped around Aspen, burning away his robes to put him in his normal clothes but something was different. They looked of higher quality, his cape was longer and fell gently from his shoulders and the clasp keeping it on his shoulders resembled a burning flame. He turned towards the Grimmkin, opening his eyes to reveal a burning scarlet. "What say the rest of you...?"
"Glory to the Troupe Master," a Nightmare rasped. "Glory to Aspen...until the child returns." The Grimmkin bowed their heads and Aspen was certain that's all he would get. There was no way of him keeping this title forever as the child would eventually mature enough to return home.
"The Ritual has come to fruition," the Heart boomed. "It is time for the troupe to pack up and await the next lighting of the Lantern. Aspen will lead you until Grimm's return to the stage and the Nightmare had truly reformed. Our work here is done." Red light filled Aspen's vision once more, taking him back but carrying the message of his promotion...this was going to get interesting.
YOU ARE READING
A Tale of the Grimm Troupe
FanfictionAspen does not remember much of his life before joining the Troupe but he remembered where he was from. Powerful in the ways of manipulating soul, he became a magician in the troupe, commanding scarlet fire in the place of soul, using it both to en...
