Song Bird

Corruption of the mind

Robin sits at a table in the Royal archives, Blake beside them. "Ugh, still nothing," Fae says, walking up to the table and noticing how Atticus can barely keep his eyes open. "Hey Atticus, ya okay there," Fae says, sitting down next to him, putting a hand on his back. "What? Oh yeah," He answers with a yawn. "Okay, enough," Cyrus says, looking at Fae and Atticus. "If he can't even keep his eyes open, he needs to rest," Cyrus says, walking up to Atticus. "Huh?" Atticus says, looking between Fae and Cyrus. "I'll take him to his room," Cyrus says, reaching out to Atticus but leaving the room together. "... what was that about?" Blake says, looking at the door. "Have you not noticed? Cyrus has a massive soft spot for Atticus. It feels like he's the only one Cyrus can stand anymore," Robin explains, leaning on Blake's shoulder. "... I don't like it... Atticus is an easy target to manipulate. He's far too trusting," Fae says, staring off into space, her voice low, slightly louder than a whisper, as if she was only speaking to herself. "Hey, Fae?" Robin says, looking at her, "Huh! Oh yeah?" Fae says, snapping back to reality, "What can you tell us about Atticus? You're protective over him, so you've gotta know a lot, right?" Robin asks, "You can't tell Atticus I told you, but... when Blossom, the previous medical director of the spire, found him, he was alone looking like a skeleton, but she took him in, raising him like her own but... she passed quickly after finding Atticus most blamed Atticus for coming from the depths but ... Blossom's dying breaths were spent asking me to keep him safe so... I'm keeping her will" Fae explains holding herself "They blamed him... WHY?" Robin says, slamming their hands on the table they sit at. "the people of the depths are dirty, and most are starving. Atticus looked like death, like a skeleton... they thought Atticus either killed her or had a disease that killed him," Fae says, her voice slightly upset.

Atticus walks through the halls, leaning his head on Cyrus's shoulder. Cyrus wrapped an arm around Atticus's side, opened the door to Atticus's room, and rested Atticus on his bed. "Sleep well ... medic," Cyrus says, leaving Atticus alone.

Hours pass, and the three left in the archive, having given up on figuring out what the gifts are hours prior, Ophelia stands outside the archives, Cyrus beside her. "Well, Ophelia... they're in there," Cyrus says. Ophelia is just staring. "Oh... these gifts are always so fun to see fail repeatedly," she says to herself. "Ophelia?" Cyrus says confused Ophelia is just walking away from the archives

Ophelia walks through the halls, entering a room with a rotting apple. "She wants to interfere with my world; then I'll unleash the corruption she has attempted to seal away."

END OF EPISODE 9