A Path to a Different Happy Ending (Flower Husbands Empires Fic)

Chapter Fourteen: Freedom

Scott hadn't slept. He wasn't going to tell anyone, but after realising he had held the corpse of the man he loved in his arms in something - a dream or another life - that felt real to him, he couldn't sleep without nightmares of the memory. Because it was part of what he remembered now.

The man, face still a blur, an arrow through his throat, lying on the ground in a crater.

A horrible, horrible feeling like Scott was the one with the arrow in him.

Pulling his husband onto his lap.

Crying a name, a name he couldn't hear in his own language, and begging him to come back.

The burning fury as he looked at his communicator to find out who murdered his ⋮╎ᒲᒲ||.

And then... He ended up dead, and knew there was more, a purgatory of sorts, between what he knew was Third Life and Last Life. But there was nothing. He couldn't remember. He also didn't know why he was so certain it was a memory, and not just a dream.

He wanted to know... What happened between? Who was the man? That was what frustrated him the most. He had been so in love... Never been in love like that before, and he couldn't remember the man's face or name.

Scott tapped his fingers on the edge of the crafting table. He pulled out six wood planks to make a stair, which he proceeded to throw at the floor. Over the crashing, he heard a knock at the door.

"Scott? What was that?" It was Jimmy.

Scott went to the door and opened it. "Hi. I threw a stair at the floor. Why are you here?"

Jimmy blinked. "Uh... Lizzie thinks she might have found a way out of here. Why did you throw a chair at the floor? Are you alright?"

Jimmy was worried for Scott. It was kinda cute.

"I'm just frustrated that we can't get out." Yes... That was why Scott was angry... He couldn't explain the dreams to anyone. "But, maybe your sister has solved that. I assume she wants us to meet somewhere?"

"Yes. Main room of the Prisma Palace."

"Let's go."

~*~

"So. I think I figured out a way to get out of here before I fell asleep last night." Lizzie began. "The Nether."

"Oh, we're so dumb. How did it take us so long to think of that?" Jimmy groaned. "There are five of us! Someone should've been smart enough!"

"We should've thought of this immediately. But at least we've thought of it now!" Joel said.

"Let's go, let's get out of here! Lizzie, where's your Nether portal?" Scott asked.

"It was in the geode with the entrance to the stronghold. It's covered in lava. We're gonna need to make a new one. Luckily, we're surrounded by lava, and I probably have a flint and steel in my storage." Lizzie responded.

"Okay. Lizzie, go grab that, then join us at the edge so we can get obsidian. There are five of us, it shouldn't take long." Pearl beckoned the others to follow her as she headed to the obsidian rim.

~*~

Jimmy's arms hurt. Mining obsidian was so annoying. It took so long, and so much force.

He grabbed the block he had just mined before it was destroyed by the lava.

"How many do we have?" He called.

"I think we've got two each. That makes ten. Anyone not have two?" Pearl yelled.

"I've got three." Joel smirked. "I didn't lose any to the lava."

"Shut up. Let's go build this Nether portal."

~*~

Lizzie struck the flint and steel onto the portal frame, watching as the flames swirled up into a portal, constantly flickering and swirling. "We're ready." She turned to look at the others. "Let's go."

~*~

They stepped into the Cod Empire.

"Oh, thank God!" Jimmy said. "It's so nice to be home."

"Come on. We've got to call the other emperors to tell them what's happened." Lizzie said.

~*~

"Guys, what happened? It's been two days, no word!" fWhip said.

"We got trapped for a day, but we can use the Nether to get back and forth. We can still use the Ocean Empire to shelter our people." Pearl said.

"We need to start moving our people immediately." Gem said. "The corruption pulled down one of my towers yesterday. The ender dragon needs to be protected. She can protect us if she survives to grow up."

"If you take two steps in Eastvale, you've probably stepped in corruption. It's really bad." fWhip said.

"I've already got my people crossing through the desert. But..." Rarran paused. "Is it safe to use the Nether? Isn't Xornoth corruption everywhere there? I heard some story about him corrupting the Nether."

"Oh, only part of it. Just the crimson forests. If you can avoid those, you'll be fine." Katherine said.

"Thank goodness, that means I can take my people through there instead, which will be faster." Rarran smiled.

"Who's gonna be coming to Rivendell? I can probably house one empire." Scott offered.

"I'll go." fWhip said. "Jimmy and I may be new friends, but my people still don't love him - or Lizzie - and it probably wouldn't be good for our people to be in such close proximity."

"That's probably a good idea." Jimmy agreed.

"Everyone else will be coming to the Ocean Empire, then?" Lizzie asked. "It's settled?"

No one had any objection, so that was the plan.

Plans don't always work out, though.