Unfortunate Royal (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter Twelve

"Here," Moondrift said, handing Snowstorm a vine of grapes as she sat beside him on the platform. Snowstorm laid down and closed his eyes, trying to stop seeing his or Moondrift's scales sparkle too bright in the sunlight. He opened his eyes and looked at her and reluctantly took the grapes. "They're good for you when you have sore heads. Eat some."

Snowstorm looked at them for a moment, but all he could see were small, purple furry balls that didn't really look like grapes from what he could see. "Thank you," he said, eating a grape. "You seem to know you're fruits."

"My mother was the one who taught me most of the things I know," Moondrift explained, "including which fruits to eat and which not to eat. Now, don't eat too much or your headache will get worse. And if you are hungry, don't eat any citrus fruits."

"Why are you doing this?" Snowstorm asked quietly, closing his eyes and trying to rest.

"Doing what?" Moondrift said.

"Why do you care so much about my health? I mean, it's only a small headache and you really are taking this very seriously. I just don't understand why."

"Why else?" She said, wiping the dirt off of his face. "Because I care about you. It shouldn't be that hard to understand. Why would you think that I wouldn't take care of you when you're not feeling well? Because I've killed dragons?"

"No, that's not it," Snowstorm said. "It's just that there's been no dragon that actually does care about me, or get worried about me if I wasn't feeling good."

"Well," Moondrift said, laying down beside him and whispered in his ear. "Now there is," she closed her eyes. "Now, just rest and go to sleep...even if it's still morning. You might feel better later."

"Thanks, Moondrift," Snowstorm said softly, "for all that you've done for me."

"That's alright," she said. "Now go to sleep."

"You sound like a mother," Snowstorm chuckled, curling his tail in and letting himself fall into a void of his dreams.

***

'   Snowstorm woke up again, only to find himself lying on the ground and surrounded by red walls that towered over six large entrances that were too dark beyond it for him to see what was through. Torches lit the area, making everything look like there's been a ritual being performed on him.

He stood up, feeling glad that he didn't have a headache anymore. Looking around him, he could see that each entrance had a small symbol carved at the top. He didn't know what they meant, but he figured they might be important.

The first entrance had a crescent moon at the top of it, looking so beautiful and majestic as it is, with twinkling lights that appeared like stars around the moon and everywhere on that entrance.  Behind the moon, was a graceful silver flute that looked like it was playing itself a harmonious tune.

The second entrance was very different from the first one; it was covered in solid frosty blue ice, with a weird looking beast with flashing red eyes over above the entrance. It made Snowstorm want to walk through there, like he'd feel safe. But he didn't trust what would happen to him if he went through there.

The third entrance looked nothing like the second one. This entrance was wrapped in lush, green vines with small, beautiful flowers blooming from the greenery. There were flowers of all kinds; daisies; roses; hibiscuses; dandelions, and chrysanthemums. It was all floral and nature, but the symbol on the top was a sword crossed with a flower. Snowstorm thought they were pretty, but looked at the next entrance.

The fourth one didn't seem to look like anything Snowstorm could think of. All he could see was claw marks along the edges of the entrance that dripped with blood. There was a strange small puddle of water on the floor and a peculiar floating cloud above it. A symbol of a dragon looking like he was in pain was at the top of the entrance.

The fifth entrance was covered with dirty bones and dry sand. Small beetles and unfamiliar scorpions crawled around the entrance with ancient artifacts placed in front of it. Snowstorm didn't understand, but the symbol at the top was a representation of something that looked like a scarf flowing around a scorpion's tail barb.

The last and final entrance was oozing with warm, soft mud. That was all that was there for that. But the feeling of seeing it, made Snowstorm feel safe and protected and more loved than he had ever felt. He could smell roasted chestnuts and a warm fire flaming up the dark opening of the entrance.

Snowstorm didn't know what to think of all of them. They looked like long tunnels that lead to something if one was brave enough to go through it and find out for themselves. At the very top that was carved over all the entrances were six words that were written in a whole other language that looked ancient and old. He wished he knew what those words meant and how they're important...if they are

He turned around and saw an exit, which was blocked by silver metal bars. He didn't plan on leaving the red room anytime soon right now, but looking at the bars, he knew that this wasn't good at all. Snowstorm's heart was beating faster and faster, expecting something to jump right out in front of him and attack him in some way. In which the demon would be really useful in that situation.

Then he realised where he was.

He was at the entrances to the underground maze.

He turned back to the entrances and gasped, jumping back. There in front of him, was his evil, possessed, demon-full self standing there wide red and black eyed with a large, malicious grin on his face. Snowstorm could really see that bloodthirsty look on the evil Snowstorm's face.

"A-are you going to kill me?" Snowstorm asked worriedly, slowly backing away from himself, but remembered that there were metal bars on the exit. 'Now I can't escape myself,' he thought with a sigh.

"No," the other Snowstorm growled. "How could I possibly kill you if you can't even let me out to do so?" He hissed with a strange, slithering red tongue. "If I do kill you on the inside, I won't survive in your body, I'll die along with you."

"So then what are you doing here?" Snowstorm questioned, feeling more braver this time. "If you're not here to kill me, then what do you want with me?"

"Why," he hissed with a bigger grin, "to help you. If I'm going to be stuck inside you, I want to at least make myself comfortable, make myself at home, wouldn't you agree?"

"What if I don't WANT you inside me?" Snowstorm snapped. "I don't want to be living with a demon for the rest of my life, suddenly getting off track going insane; murdering innocent dragons who haven't done anything wrong!"

"Perhaps," the demon said, "if we could just GET ALONG, I won't try to take over you, letting you have no control over yourself or forcing your subconscious to murder the dragons you care about. I can help you."

"Why in all the moons would you want to HELP ME?" Snowstorm demanded. "You're evil! If Wither's bad, then I bet you're worse, considering what Moondrift told me and that you're his 'evil twin', obviously you're the most evil dragon—demon— or shadow dragon, whatever, out there!"

"Oh, so this is what it's all about?" The demon scoffed. "I'm not evil...I'm wickedly fair."

"Well, I'm tired of having you take control over me," Snowstorm snarled. "I'm taking back my body and I'm going to use you to stop you from controlling me."

"You know you can't do that," the demon replied. "I'm trapped inside you for all eternity. No magic can free me from you. But I'll admit, I made the right decision to imprison myself inside you instead of any other dragon. Don't you see? I'm stuck with you for the rest of your life, can't you at least try to make the most of it?"

Snowstorm thought for a moment. He still remembered what Moondrift had said to him. 'Become one with the beast.' It sounded odd saying that from Snowstorm's perspective, though it did make sense. He wondered if he was able to let the demon out while he can still control himself, if he just gives in and focuses on himself.

'I could control the demon and use his power to an advantage,' he thought to himself. 'If he can't get out of me, then I'll have to make the most of the misery in my life.'

"Do you have a name?" Snowstorm asked him. The other Snowstorm's eyes glittered devilishly.

"It's Menace," he answered. "And it's nice to finally meet your acquaintance, Snowstorm."   '

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