It is time. Spring fast approaches. Affogato's Armies soon march upon the neighboring lands, destroying and killing thousands in their wake. This would not happen, not on your watch. Enough of this kingly folly. There will be victory or there will be death. You, Caramel Arrow, Taffy Belt, and Fox understood this without so much as a word to one another. Time to stop this once and for all, for the sake of everyone else. The small army you have all gathered would have to be enough to achieve victory. There was simply no more time left to gather more forces to even the odds a bit.
"I'm not gonna lie, our chances here are slim. If we win, I doubt we're all getting out unscathed, much less with only minor injuries." You stated to the other 3, with silent nods from all. "But... We have to try. This is our only chance to stop the Snake's ambitions before they grow out of control." You continued, thinking on the village you originally signed up to do all this for. Heh. You've come a long way since being a mere hunter for a village running out of food. And now, you must go on just a little longer for the sake of all the people you've met upon this long journey.
"Y/N's right. We have little time left. If we do not act now, we will lose our chance. Gather the troops, we head out immediately." Carrow said decisively, with Fox and Taffy belt giving a respectful salute before walking off. For a brief moment, you two were alone. "I must admit. I didn't think I'd make it this far. Maybe when this is all over, I'll revisit my home village, see how they're doing." You say with a sigh, looking out the nearby window. "I'm thinking of doing the same... assuming affogato hasn't destroyed it out of spite. He's a little too far up in the clouds to notice though. But that's for the future." Caramel Arrow admits herself, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. "Right. Right, we need to focus on now. There's no sense in much more talk. We have to go." You say, with the two of you quickly joining Taffy Belt and Fox.
You four gather the troops. It's nowhere near the kind of army that's ideal for an attack, not in size, not in training. But this is a band of people willing to fight for what they believe in. So they will have to be enough. This ragtag group moves swiftly through the snow at the break of dusk. You have until sunrise to kill affogato cookie. Otherwise, he will likely slip away and this whole ordeal will have been for nothing. Soon, you all come upon the Black Citadel. Funny, you would have to breach this supposedly unbreachable fortress in order to take it back. And you used to be one of the ones who would defend it. But all that experience within would pay dividends now. You remember the escape passage out of the citadel prison you and the first watcher initially took.
Sneaking around in the open snowfields was easy even with the kind of group you had. But now was the time to fight. "Go on ahead. I'll lead our people to keep the soldiers at bay. If I don't make it out... Dark Cacao Forever." Taffy Belt said, giving you a Fist Bump before gesturing to the rest of the people to follow him. Fox stayed close behind, his twin daggers surely capable of keeping him from perishing. And so, it was just you and Caramel Arrow to deal with Affogato. Hopefully, this would not take long.
Arriving at the throne room, amongst the sounds of a large fight brewing, you find him. The Snake who stole the kingdom right from under all your noses. "Ah... I appear to be in the presence of the source of all my problems as ruler. If you give in now, I will not kill you." Affogato stated calmly, taking another puff on his metallic smoking pipe. You and Caramel Arrow look each in the eye, insulted by such a brazen lie. "Like hell we'd take that offer, you'd sooner have our heads. No, your reign is at an end before it can begin." Caramel Arrow declares, swiftly readying her twin blades as you unsheath your katana. Affogato puts his smoking pipe down, stands up, and chuckles. "That's why you were always a thorn in my side, Caramel Arrow. You never fell for a single one of my tricks, even if they're better for the world. If you will not yield, then I shall strike you down."
With a wave of his staff, numerous weapons around the area sprang up and surrounded Affogato. It's never easy, is it? You give caramel arrow a nod and start tackling the weapons to try and give her an opening. But given they aren't operated by Cookie hands, their unnatural movements make them difficult to attack and defend against. Just as well, Affogato's Sorcery was being employed even more, clouds of purple mist started to blanket the area. Don't breathe, it'll poison ya. In addition, bolts of his brand of sorcery started flying, one of them even hitting Caramel Arrow dead on. As she recovered from the hit, you got in the way and protected her.
"You're both outmatched. My sorcery will bring you to your knees. Why continue fighting?" Affogato muttered, the poison mist soon covering the entire room. In defiance, you shout "Because we have a chance to stop you! Even if we die trying, we die for a cause! Something you would never understand!" Affogato delivers a heart chuckle before saying "As if I'm not a believer of my own cause. What a fool, you wouldn't have been useful to me after all." A bolt of his sorcery soon came at you from an unseen angle, stunning you before one of the puppeted blades connects, Severing your left arm. You take a knee as Caramel Arrow cries out in anguish. "Ready to surrender, dears?" Affogato playfully asked. "Never!" Caramel Arrow said as she charged at affogato full speed.
He was not ready for the kind of speed and power on display from the Watcher. She danced with an elegance and ferocity yet unseen by the Snake. Truly, the mark of one who bears Dragon Blood. You quickly rise to your feet, ignoring your lost arm. You notice a sword pointed at the Watcher's back, so you quickly deflect it away. Once again, Affogato is surprised at your resilience and resolution to defeat him if a severed arm is not enough to stop you. You once again cover Caramel Arrow's approach as she closes in again. Affogato tries to fling another magic bolt her way but she swiftly slices his coveted staff in two.
The orb at it's top shattered on impact with the ground, revealing the purple soul jam of dark cacao housed within. In a split second, you quickly lunge and grab it before affogato can, dropping your sword in the process. In the confusion, Caramel Arrow quickly stabs Affogato in gut. "Gah! Agh... Arrogant Fools... You'll bring only ruin upon this land... Only I know what to do..." Affogato croaked out, half begging. "The one who knew what to do was Dark Cacao, and it seems you've done a cardinal sin. This is for Dark Cacao, and for all the people you've harmed." Caramel Arrow spat at him before....
Slash
And so ends the Life and Times of Affogato, Kingly Impostor. You had caramel arrow the soul jam after she helps you up. "Y/N! Your arm!" She cried out as you looked upon your stump. You grunt and say "Could be worse. At least It wasn't the head. I'll find a way to live with it." You then head to a nearby brazier and use the heated metal to cauterize the wound. The Pain was nigh unbearable but it would be nothing compared to the initial shock of the arm's loss. "So... that's that. Sounds like the others are finishing up outside. If Affogato got involved, they might've all perished." You say as caramel arrow looks upon dark cacao's soul jam.
"You know Y/N... His majesty never let this thing out of his sight or grip. Affogato must've done something to him. I don't know what, but..." She says in despair, cut off as you place your one good hand on her shoulder. "If he is gone... that is most unfortunate but... we must press onwards. It is what he would've wanted, what he taught us to do in any circumstance." You tell her, being there for her just like she was there for you. She takes a moment to weep before shaking herself out of it. "You're right. If Dark Cacao is gone, then we must continue in his stead. But... who will take on this burden?" She inquired as Taffy Belt, Fox, and your ragtag band enter the throne room.
You all look at each other, and silently agree who should take on this position. You and all the others, save for Caramel Arrow, take a knee and bow your heads. "With Dark Cacao gone, we can think of no better cookie to take his place. All hail Caramel Arrow, Half Dragon Queen!" You declare with a bowed head, with everyone else barking the last line soon after. Caramel Arrow was reluctant to take the position but after a moment, she grabs the crown off of the dead affogato, places it on her head, and says "Very Well. I shall lead you all onward, so that Dark Cacao's will continue on after his disappearance. Dark Cacao Forever." She said as she placed the soul jam upon the crown's center. "Dark Cacao Forever." You all chant. For while tragedy may give you all grief, you will press on regardless. Truly, Resolution runs in all your veins.
YOU ARE READING
Kindred Spirits
RomanceA humble Villager, you were someone fairly unremarkable. When the cold biting winter of Dark Cacao strikes once again, you decide to take up a post as a watcher in order to provide for your people. It is there that you shall meet someone who would c...
