Ribbon (Mindcrack FF)

Chapter Fifteen - What's Left

Sevadus opened his eyes. He was in the middle of what used to be Guudeland. Everything was burnt down. Great. He thought. Just great. Sev put his hand to his chest. No heartbeat. "Pause!" Sevadus yelled in frustration. There was the echo of laughter in the distance. Sevadus turned. Behind him was a patch of grass, right where the mindcrackers had been when he died. Flowers were littered throughout the tiny field. The one in the very center was lavender. The echoed laugher got softer. It wasn't sinister, but kind and happy. The laugh of a small child. There was a shuffling sound from behind he corner of a burnt building. The glass window was shattered. Sevadus crept towards the source of the sound. The wall of the building was covered in vines, even though the area around them was burnt, just like the grass. It was dotted with small flowers as well, and in the center, a large lavender flower, just like the one on the ground. Someone had died here.

"Go away" The voice was quite raspy.

Sevadus stopped before rounding the corner, and looked around. Everything was peaceful, calm. Sev took another step. He couldn't make out exactly what the creature talking to him was, but it differently wasn't a humanoid one. It was the size of a ten year old child. It was jet black, yet it's scales reflected the little sunlight in the small alleyway with incredible radiance. It had a chunky tail, purple spines flowing along its back, and stunning wings, ones that, even though they were folded shut, were magnificent, and beckoned Sevadus closer. "I always wanted to be a dragon." The creature sighed, not bothering to give context. "I got my end of the deal, not exactly what I imagined though." The creature turned its head, revealing it's snout, sharp horns and bright purple eyes. Sevadus recognized it now, even though it looked nothing like who the creature once was. "I didn't give him a chance to tell me the catch before I transformed. He then laughed, and told me that I got what I asked for. I could turn into a dragon, but couldn't turn back."

"But you're supposed to be alive? Last I heard you were perfectly fine."

"That imposter is. Not me."

~

"Stay back!" Alt Etho grabbed the back of Etho's vest. Etho responded by unzipping it, slipping his arms out and then running up to the castle. He stopped below the balcony. Just as he looked up, the sound stopped. Etho clenched his fists, then ran inside, towards the stairs. What he saw wasn't what he expected. Vechs was fighting a duplicate of himself with just his fists. Alt Vechs dogged Vechs's attacks with ease, taunting him with silly faces in between.

"It's silly you know, fighting someone who knows all your moves. Those really were some lucky shots you got back then." The the sun was setting, turning the clouds above shades of red and orange.

"We may both be gods, but we can still feel pain." Vechs panted, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "And no matter how much I have to take, I'll make sure you feel it too."

Alt Vechs laughed. "I made a boy scream so loud he died. Can you do that Davion?"

~

Nebris's heart jumped the second he saw that there were two Ethos before him. One grabbed the other, but they managed to run off. The one left standing there then turned his head. He stared straight at Nebris, who then laughed. "Hello, old friend." Nebris stepped forward, not caring about the other, extremely confused mindcrackers around him.

"Die." Etho didn't move. "I've seen what you've done, even when you try. Know you're just playing a game of what if. This isn't like just going back in time."

"You think I don't know that?" Nebris continued to get closer, a smile on his face. The light breeze throughout the area started to pick up speed.