Soulbreak - A MCYT 3rd/Last/Double Life FanFiction

Chapter 28 - Yellow No Longer...

Grian hesitated before turning the doorknob and stepping into the tower. Grian looked around, in awe. A long, long ladder. Buttons, everywhere. The wall was plastered with them. Eyes. Grian jumped. An eerie glow cast on the platform where Pearl stood, her eyes void of their former warmth.

"Pearl," Grian carefully tempered his voice to keep it from shaking. "What is this place? Why are you here? Where's Martyn?"

Pearl turned to face him, her eyes reflecting a resolve that sent a shiver down Grian's spine. A large, gray wolf growled lowly, the sound sent Grian's heart pumping with a warning.

"Leave, Grian," Pearl's voice was firm, each word a proclamation of her newfound isolation. "This is my sanctuary. I won't let anyone disrupt it."

Grian, undeterred, took a step forward. "Pearl, where is Martyn?"

Pearl blanched. "He left. As you should."

"Oh Pearl..." Grian sighed. "We're friends, and friends help each other. I'm not going to leave you, no matter what you say. What happened to you out there? Why are you so different? What is this place."

Tilly's growl intensified a protective stance that mirrored Pearl's determination. "I don't need help, Grian. This entire tower, I built it myself. I don't need anyone." Pearl laughed.

Oh no... Grian's blood ran cold.

"And if you value your survival, you should really run." Pearl laughed, one hand caressing a stone button. Grian suddenly believed he was about to die. Pearl's other hand pulled back her red hood. Cold, yellow eyes. It was Grian's turn to blanch. But his resolve didn't waver.

"Pearl, shutting yourself off won't make the pain go away. It'll just fester. We can face whatever happened together."

Pearl's eyes darkened, and her second hand tightened around the hilt of some unknown weapon concealed in her cloak. "Oh, Grian." Pearl laughed, mock care painting her face as she descended the ladder.

The wolf barked, its protective instincts kicking into overdrive as it scrambled to follow its mistress. Grian, torn between concern for his friend and the looming threat, took another cautious step forward.

"Pearl, please. I don't want to see you go down this path. Let me stay. We can figure this out together," Grian implored, his eyes pleading for their friendship,

Pearl's gaze wavered for a moment, a flicker of vulnerability that Grian caught. "You don't understand, Grian." Pearl stepped down to his level, taking his hand in her own smaller, colder ones. "I've tried that. It's not real."

Grian took a deep breath, searching for the right words. "Pearl, I'm here because I care about you. That's real. Let me in. Let me help."

Pearl dropped his hand.

"Oh Gri, I've heard that before." Pearl laughed again, softly. "Please leave."

Tilly's growls intensified, a warning that reverberated through the tension-laden air. Pearl's eyes, however, remained fixed on Grian with a chilling determination.

"I'm not going to let you in, Grian. This tower is my haven, and I'll do whatever it takes to protect it," Pearl declared, her voice unwavering, the warning now clear.

Grian, realizing the gravity of the situation, slowly backed away. "Pearl, I can't force you to accept help. But you're not okay."

Pearl pressed a button. The ground right next to Grian gave way.

"Agh, the sand wasn't fully rigged." Pearl cursed, looking at the still-intact sand beneath Grian's feet. Grian peered over the edge of the hole. Hot, steaming lava. Grian quickly backed into the doorway. He was... terrified. He hadn't expected her to actually... just like that... she tried to kill me. Grian gaped.

"You got lucky, but you best be gone." Pearl chuckled.

"...If you ever change your mind, I'll be there for you," Grian spoke finally, with a heavy heart. Something changed in Pearl's expression. The door slammed in his face.

He was too late. She was gone, fully slipped over the edge. No amount of his abilities had any effect on her. She was beyond reach. Grian trudged back into the forest, and the echo of Tilly's growls lingered. He tried to think of something, anything he could do.

For once, Grian had drawn a blank.

. . .

As Grian retreated, Pearl watched him with a stoic expression, the fortress's walls closing in around her. Once she had affirmed that he was well and truly gone, she turned away from the edge, her eyes scanning the moonlit platform for any signs of intrusion.

Ensuring Grian had left, Pearl cautiously stepped outside, Tilly at her side. The night air was cool, and the rustle of leaves whispered secrets that only the forest understood. Pearl's senses were on high alert, the solitude that had once felt like a sanctuary now bordering on an isolating abyss.

A sudden chill ran down her spine, a premonition of danger. A shadow detached itself from the surrounding darkness. Pearl's eyes widened in alarm as three figures emerged from the shadows.

"Who are you?" Pearl's voice held a mixture of defiance and fear. Tilly, sensing her owner's unease, growled menacingly at the intruders.

The figures remained silent, their intentions masked by the anonymity of the night. Pearl's hand tightened around the hilt of her axe, adrenaline coursing through her veins. In that moment, the fortress that once seemed impenetrable felt like a cage closing in. She had nowhere to go, nowhere to run.

The leader of the trio stepped forward, a malicious glint in his eyes. "We heard whispers of a tower in the trees. Thought we'd come to see."

Pearl's instincts kicked into overdrive, and with a swift motion, she swung her weapon at the approaching figure. The blow connected, but before she could draw it back, the other two figures closed in, each one grabbing one of her arms.

Tilly barked and latched onto one's leg.

"Agh! Don't do that!" The man jumped. In his moment of weakness, Pearl detached herself from their clutches and swung her axe at the bitten man. Thwack. His head rolled to the floor, but his body didn't vanish. He was gone.

"You witch! You killed him! Oh, Mumbo..." The second figure who'd grabbed her cried. Tango. Pearl realized.

"Kill her." The first woman spoke, her voice icy.

Desperation fueled Pearl's resistance as she fought against the assailants, but the odds were against her. Tilly barked furiously, trying to protect her owner, but the women struck the wolf over the head and Tilly whimpered, keeling over.

"Tilly!" Pearl shrieked, distracted.

The man took this opportunity to grab her arms, confining her.

"Well look at that, she's a little yellow life." The woman stepped forward to examine Pearl. Pearl struggled but it was of no use. "Once she dies wait up by her bed, Tango. I'm sure that's where she'll respawn. We'll end her once and for all."

"...False?" Pearl recognized the voice.

"It's nothing personal, Pearl." False gave an apologetic smile before raising her blade.

Then there was cold, dark black once again...