Starving isn't so bad anymore (Don't Starve Together Fanfiction)

Chapter 17: Human

I groggily looked around as I regained my vision. Once I was no longer seeing white I braced myself against a tree, the bark warm and blackened a bit by the light. Somehow the light only burned the environment and not humans. I looked to where Maxwell had stood upon the pyramid. 

The top of the pyramid was blown off, jagged stones still falling to the ground, but Maxwell was still there. He was on his knees in the cratered top of the pyramid. But he was different. 

As I approached him I was that there was no longer a black mist wafting off of him and his skin was no longer a deep gray. Before him the book was opened to some page full of ancient runes and depictions of shadow creatures I'd never seen.

"Maxwell? Are you dead yet?" I asked as I walked around him.

He mumbled something I couldn't quite hear.

"What?"

"It... Wasn't... Supposed... To... Be... Like... This..." he said with an annoying slowness.

"What wasn't supposed to be like what?"

"I was supposed to..."

"Supposed to what?"

"I was supposed to die!" he yelled as he jumped to his feet and snarled at me. It was then that I noticed his eyes were no longer black but a deep blue and his suit actually showed a bit of wear and tear as opposed to the pristine appearance it had only moments ago.

"No, you though you were going to die because of this book. If had actually given it though you'd realize cutting your ties to the throne would just rid you of your shadowy appearance and remove the remnants of your powers." I said as I rubbed my temple with my forefinger.

"What the hell are you trying to say?!" he yelled, grabbing the sides of his head and the book on the ground shook a bit.

"I' saying your nothing anymore! You're just a human like the rest of us, or most of us at least."

"A joke. A joke?! You dare make jokes at a time like this?!"

"Yes, yes I dare. Because I am free of all danger now! You no longer have any powers! And head up, you imbecile, I'm stronger than you! I've spent nine years killing hounds, Tallbirds, and spent three killing those giant monsters of yours all alone! And what were you doing all that time? You were just sitting in the shadows laughing and giggling not lifting a finger! Any strength you had was from that throne!"

"SHUT UP!" He yelled as he tore his hands away from his head, a film of shadows covering his hands.

As the film of shadow faded the book began shaking violently, shadows spurting out of it in a chaotic fashion. The book settled a but before a pillar of darkness exploded out of it. 

I took a shocked step back as a shadow duplicate of Maxwell stood before me, a sword in hand.

"... Apparently not powerless..." I said as I prepared to grip my axes.

"It would appear not. Now why don't you take back what you just said and maybe I won-" 

He was interrupted by Winona punching him in the face, sending him a good few feet away. The shadow clone whipped around and prepared to swing at Winona but it stopped once Maxwell raised his hand.

"Well that was humbling..." Maxwell said as he got up, holding his jaw.

"Getting punched in the face?" I asked as I relaxed a bit.

"Yes... First time I've ever felt a real pain. At least one that I probably deserved."

"Trust me, you deserve much much more for putting me and the others through hell. And now we can hurt you without this cane."

"And I fully intend to cash in on all you did to my sister." Winona said as she cracked her knuckles.

"I'm sure you can just tell her you missed her." Maxwell said as he finally stood up with the help of his shadow clone.

"What are you talking about? How would I tell her?" 

"Oh well... I would have told you earlier but uh..."

"Uh what?"

"There is a way to get to the Shadow Realm."

Winona beat him unconscious quicker than I could begin laughing.