Lowbloods.
How it had come to this, no troll knew. Only a select few actually anticipated the event, such as Eridan Ampora, Gamzee Makara, and Vriska Serket. Not a single low blood was excited about the upcoming war, most were dreading it. Such as their leader, Karkat Vantas. Vantas at the moment, was pacing back and forth in the low blood's castle, determining battle strategy.
"Why must it have come to this?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his thickly black-lined eyes. "I do not anyone to die, yet...the high bloods have gone too far." The second in command of the opposing side had killed the mother grub, dooming their entire race. Karkat was expecting a grub baby to be born after the war. Anger boiled up inside himself and he knocked the chess board across the room, the pieces splattering at the feet of his visitor in the door.
"Oh uh,,, m-my apologies sir..."
It was Tavros Nitram, his page. He carried a lance the size and length of twenty grubs with a blade attached to the tip. Over his muscle shirt and cargo jeans he wore a breastplate that was inscribed in caramel and orange the vows he'd made since his 9th wriggling day with the sign of the Taurus glowing in the middle.
"No, you're fine. What did you need?"
Tavros' ears turned down and beneath his black spiky mow-hawk his lamb-like eyes looked up nearly sorrowfully.
"They're here."
"If they have arrived then gather every low blood in this area."
"Oh sire, I did not mean the high bloods! I meant the heir and witch."
"Are they here to help?"
"I think they are here simply to discuss battle strategy, remember they are remaining neutral."
If not for the fact that Karkat desperately wanted to see his matesprit, he would have sent them away at once. With a sigh and a tired roll of the shoulders, the mutant blood stood and wandered after his page to the dining hall, fixing his hair in the process.
"Jade, John. It is nice of you to join us."
Jade looked up from her bowl of what looked like dumpling soup and her green eyes lit up through thick wire rimmed glasses.
"It is refreshing to see that you have not been killed. I have seen a certain navy-blood lurking in your rose garden with his bow and arrow ready. Who did he kill?"
This news surprised the friend-leader.
"Has Nepeta been seeing him again?" His annoyed eyes shot daggers at Tavros.
"I'm sorry, she made me promise not to tell anyone..."
In a swift motion he backhanded him.
"HOW DARE YOU GO AGAINST MY ORDERS? WHAT IF HE HURT SOMEONE? WHAT IF HE HURT YOU? YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"
He raised his hand to strike him a second time but John stopped his hand.
"Is this not the exact behavior you are trying to exterminate?"
Karkat's senses returned to him and he looked down at his page, who had a nasty bruise forming on his cheek and tears in his eyes.
"You're right." he apologized to Tavros and sent him to Aradia to heal his bruise. Then John kissed him softly, to tell him he forgave him as well and that he understood what a fire-storm temper he had sometimes.
"That was wrong of me. I should know better."
"You seem tired. This war is getting to you isn't it?"
The mutant blood nodded and bit his lip. "I...I can't believe I hit him..."
"Everyone makes mistakes..." Jade said, averting her eyes for a moment.
"So, Let's discuss, tactics." Karkat took a seat at the head of the table, touching his fingertips together and placing them at his mouth.
John sat across from Jade and sipped some of his soup.
"Ah yes, about that. We are remaining neutral."
"We're just here to make sure no one gets completely slaughtered." Jade smiled sweetly and smoothed out her black as night skirt.
"I would enjoy if no one has to die..."
Jade opened her mouth to say something, but a voice at the entryway interrupted her. It was Kanaya.
"Knight of blood, I apologize for my interruption, but the Mage and Rouge have returned from gathering troops." Her footfalls were graceful and clean in her jade velveteen slippers.
Vantas gave a sharp nod and waved his hand forward. "Very good, send them in."
The sylph of space bowed slightly in her silken robes.
"Right away sire."
Sollux Captor and Nepeta Leijon came bounding into the dining hall, Sollux holding his arm trying to stop the bleeding.
"Oh Gog, what happened Captor?"
"We...We were attacked by banditth. They came out of no where and apparently wanted uth two looth."
Nepeta nodded quickly in agreement, olive tears falling down her face and soaking into her pitch black dress. The green accents on it made her look absolutely electric.
"Go to Aradia, she will take care of it."
Sollux nodded quickly and ran down the other way.
"Enough of this crying Nepeta. It is pointless and there is nothing we can do right now."
"B-But Karkitty you don't understand the h-high bloods-" The rouge of heart broke down sobbing and she crouched over, letting the tears pour onto her olive combat boots.
"Out with it Nepeta, this is war and you can't be crying in this matter when you see friends being killed on the battle field!"
That sent her into a fresh round of tears.
The leader's heart grew soft and her picked her up off the ground, giving her a hug.
"It will be the most painful thing any of us ever do, but I will not lie, we will kill our closest friends simply to win this war. And our freedom of prejudice."
Nepeta collected herself as best she could and wiped her eyes.
"Now what did you need to tell me?"
"I disobeyed your orders. I let Equius past the gate and we talked in the rose garden. I'm very sorry."
"I know."
Her eyes widened to the size of the milk saucers she drank from. "Y-You do?"
"The not-so-stubborn bull confessed..." Karkat gave a considerate look.
She felt no anger for the page, because life was literally too short to start things up with him.
"There's something else."
"What is it?"
"He told me...The high bloods are planning to attack. Tomorrow"
Highbloods.
Out in the distance the green sun began to set, leaving the sky to become as black as coal with twinkling diamonds shining through. She stood in the balcony of the tower with the soft tufts of her obsidian-colored hair cascading down her back and blowing in the gentle wind. How could the scenery be so beautiful when there would be so much blood-shed so soon? Feferi Pexies was quite distraught for more than just the reason of the war. A certain orchid blood was courting her day and night, and soon she would give in, her heart was like putty, and it was in that trolls' hands. He'd had silk dresses made for her by the finest spiders. They all would have been very lovely if they had not been the color they were. The raspberry color matched her blood and she knew he had dyed it with her lusus' blood. But she would wear them. She would wear them the day of war. The day of Armageddon.
"Ah so this is wwhere you'vve been hiding is it?" There he was now.
Feferi turned to him, her eyes near tears. He closed his arms around her in comfort, stroking her hair.
"There, there. You're alright. No need to cry. I knoww it's hard, but wwe'll get ovver it. Together."
With much needed force she shoved him away.
"No. Not together. I don't want to be with you! Besides. You've killed our life source." Then added silently, You killed Karkat's grub. "There's no reason for me to be your matesprit. It would serve no purpose."
The troll before her made his mouth a tight straight line. He licked his lips and cleared his throat.
"The human weaklings you requested are here. Although that serves no purpose either, since they insist upon being neutral."
Feferi pushed past Eridan and said not another word to him. She swept her arm gracefully along the silken curtain to move it aside and peer at her guests.
"Rose, Dave, I'm glad you could make it, is everyone here for discussion?" She sat on a tall chair, embroidered with the Earth's riches.
A large, round table was the centerpiece to the extraordinary room, that was filled with scrolls from ancient times, large baskets of the ripest fruits and vases filled with the finest flowers and best smelling incense sticks. Around the gray stone walls hung elaborate sheets that were designed only by the greatest weavers in all of Alternia. After all, Live rich, prosper long was what all high bloods seemed to live by nowadays.
Sitting up straight at the queen's arrival, Rose threw a tired look to Dave and nodded.
"Everyone with the exception of Equius Zahhak. I haven't seen him all day, the lazy-"
"You will not insult him. He has made us great protection and weaponry." Feferi's voice was sharp and her word was final. It was the only thing she felt she was able to do properly as a queen. She immediately wished she hadn't snapped, because everyone knew that her ancestor only began with a sharp tongue. Then it was a sharp knife ready to destroy anything she felt needed killing.
Dave shut up quickly and Terezi squeezed his hand gently, not sure if it was for his or her reassurance everything was fine.
Feferi cleared her throat and asked, "Where is he? Does anyone know?" She looked around the table waiting for someone to speak up. Her eyes finally landed on Vriska, who had her helmet over her eyes and her feet propped up on the table. She was snoring.
"SERKET." Her voice was poison this time.
The shout startled the blue-blood right out of her chair and she fell to the ground. Vriska peeked over the top of the table and found herself staring into Feferi's dagger eyes.
"P-Pardon me your highness, I was just-"
"Forget it." Feferi growled. "Do you know the whereabouts of Equius?"
The thief of light fiddled with her helmet for a moment in silence. She in fact did know, but promised the heir of void not to tell anyone.
"Well...?"
"He should be here soon..."
Thankfully Vriska would not have to explain herself to the irritated queen, because at that moment the brass door swung open and Equius trampled in, his navy armor clanking together every time he moved even a little. There were rose petals in his hair.
"Where have you been?"
"My lady I'm sorry I was tending to the rose garden," he lied.
"We don't have a rose garden. We have a lovely field of orchids however."
"You were with the low blood Nepeta weren't you?" Gamzee said, speaking up for the first time. His clown make-up seemed considerably darker than normal, giving him an eerie look as if he was holding a lit match underneath his face.
"How did you know...?" Equius said, distraught he'd been found out.
"I've seen the low blood's castle, they have a rose garden. I think I'll use the place as a storing room for Faygo. You know, once we annihilate them. When is that scheduled again?"
"Tomorroww at dawwn." Eridan said with an evil grin.
"I will not allow you to destroy the low bloods. Not all of them at least." Rose said.
"I thought you humans wwere planning on staying neutral."
"Well technically we decided that we would all supervise I guess, to make sure the troll race isn't entirely wiped out. I know this is hard on all- most of you. Gamzee will be going up against his own best friend, I'm sure Eridan is at least a little upset about the situation with his kismeses, and everyone here should know that I'm not very happy about my situation with Kanaya..." Rose licked her lips and continued with her speech. "I don't suppose Vriska is upset about her being able to destroy Tavros," Gamzee bit his tongue. "I also suspect you're all fine with Karkat's downfall, and aside from that I really am not sure who's going to win. Equius has constructed a wonderful collection of weapons, however while you all worried about artillery, the low bloods gathered other trolls that are tired of prejudice. Due to this, they have about three-hundred more soldiers than you do. Most high bloods want to keep to themselves and make sure none of their er...merchandise is damaged. I suggest gathering more willing trolls to fight with you."
The words Rose spoke were unsettling to near everyone in the room and left everyone rather...disturbed.
"Wwell wwe can't just not attack tomorroww, wwe already made that knowwn to evvery troll on our side."
"Should we try collecting more trolls?" Terezi inquired.
"Well...?" Vriska turned to Feferi, and everyone's heads turned to their queen.
Uncomfortable with being so put on the spot, Feferi squirmed and thought a moment.
"I do believe the odds are with us, not the low bloods'. Tomorrow, we will attack. Tomorrow we will conquer and be victorious. The low bloods will learn their place."
Armageddon.
The same green sun that had set what seemed like just minutes ago was now peeking over the skyline, making Feferi's eyes fill with tears. She was dressed in the blood-stained dress Eridan had gotten for her and a battle breastplate that was engraved with the Pisces sign. Her pink gloved hand gripped her trident tightly and the tears fell harshly as she looked over at her army, marching over the hills to the low bloods castle.
Today is the day.
Today would have been beautiful. The sky was pale and glowing with a shining sun peeking over the chess board-like hills, all black and white checked. Karkat blinked back tears and pulled on his glossy black armor. The Cancer symbol glowed brightly in the center and he lowered his helmet onto his sleek dark hair. This was for his unborn grub. All of this was for that grub. He would slice the troll who did this into ribbons. He would torture him and then leave him to bleed out and die.
Yes today would've been beautiful.
Except today was Armageddon.
Four chairs sat high above the battlefield, floating in a circle. Four people sat in them, looking down upon it. Each chair was unique in its own way, representing breath, time, space and light. Each of them kept their hoods over their eyes, as they did not want to interfere with the battle, no matter how many screams of pain reached their ears. If Kanaya cried out for help, Rose was to stay seated. If Terezi's blood splattered onto Dave, he was not to move. And if Karkat's voice ceased shouting orders, John had to stop his emotions and stay put.
They were there simply as witnesses, and Jade had to keep them all in check.
The battle was about to begin.
Over the hills they met in the middle, each with a plan to destroy the opposing team. It was a giant game of chess, but the losers died instead of a simple handshake and pleasant 'good game'. No this game was going to be different. This game would dye the black and white chess board in every color of the rainbow. This game would end it all. Neither side could afford to lose.
On a chariot of jewels pulled by two captive low bloods, Feferi rode into battle, right in the front. This was how it always had been; the leaders were never cowards and always rode in first. She met the eyes of Karkat with a solemn look. His expression matched hers as he rode in on his raven colored hoof-beast.
"To the death this shall be?" The queen asked, choking on her own words.
"I will not let a single high blood live to see sunset." The friend leader vowed, pulling both of his sickles from his belt. "I will kill Eridan, slowly, painfully. He will bleed day after day after day for seven days and seven nights. For he killed my grub baby before it even had a chance at life. He is a vial creature and vial creatures that perform vial deeds will die a vial creature's death."
Normally, Feferi would have agreed with this statement, as she had wanted to have grubs of her own one day. However what kind of leader would she be if she was agreeing with the enemy?
"I will not let you touch him." She slammed her trident against the floor of the chariot.
"KILL THE LOW BLOODS!" A cheer arose in her army and the enemy charged.
"DEATH TO ALL HIGHBLOODS!" Karkat slapped the back of his hoof beast and rode straight into a thousand unforgiving souls.
"Equius, fire the arrows!" The queen screamed, stabbing a random olive-blood through the chest.
Red.
Karkat fought with all the strength of a thousand trolls, killing his own species left and right. Their lives meant nothing to him, they were useless, unimportant. These trolls were simply pawns. Dirt meant more to Karkat. He dropped a sickle and ripped a horn from an indigo blood's head, stabbing others through with it. No one could touch this knight of blood and he felt positively invincible. He hoped John was proud. But would proud be the right word? He thought back many months ago to a simpler time, when the war was just beginning to become even an idea. He'd had Gamzee over for some simple fun, to play a game of less dangerous chess. He remembered John rushing in, excited for the news of the baby grub on its way. Karkat had never experienced greater joy in his heart. Gamzee had begun to seem distraught at this news, but Karkat had been too happy to care. In an act of rage he'd flipped the table over and ran away. Karkat hadn't understood why at the time, but he hadn't really cared. Weeks later the news of the mother grubs' death made him experience the greatest sorrow he'd ever had. Then he understood the juggalo's rage. Gamzee knew what Eridan was planning, yet said nothing. It frustrated and confused the mutant blood and John had asked him what was going to happen. His answer was war, and John told him that the battlefield was no place for a troll seeking vengeance, for he would kill without a care, and eventually it would haunt him.
Karkat tossed the thought aside and continued doing exactly what John had predicted. Quickly enough, his hands were stained half a rainbow of colors. He liked that he was able to kill ruthlessly and feel nothing. He didn't like how long it was taking him to find Eridan in this mess. Karkat charged.
Rust.
What was Aradia's say in this war? Nothing. She wanted to be neutral as well, but no one had ever let her voice her opinion. She had sort of minded, but only for a short amount of time. She was proud to be fighting for a good cause, but….why was she not allowed to negotiate this cause? Karkat had said he was fighting for equal rights, but did that include the quiet girl with the oddly shaped horns? It should have, however Aradia did not feel this was true. In reality there is no such thing as perfect equality. There will always be prejudice. There will always be death. And there will always be the outcast of the group. The way Aradia saw it; there were two kinds of trolls. Those who thought the world could be perfect and those who knew better. Aradia was just waiting for the others to realize that. Until then, she was going to stay quiet, and not complain. After all, if she didn't know better, who would?
Brown.
Tavros shoved his lance through a teal blood's chest, poking his heart right out and letting it fall to the ground, where a hoof-beast nibbled at it curiously. Taking life was not something he could easily do. It just wasn't right to him. To him life was like a precious gem that should be kept safe, far away from robbers that wanted to steal it. Right now, he felt a lot like he was a bandit, robbing a bank filled with jewels. He made a silent prayer to every troll he killed and muttered a quick 'sorry…' before he turned to kill the next one.
He didn't want this at all. It was painful enough to have friend's fighting with sharp words, but having them fight with sharp weapons was even harder. His soul ached at the feel of his lance pressing though hard armor into a soft body. He saw Gamzee enjoying himself plenty, murdering every low-blood that got too close to him. That evil grin was lopsided on his face, the same one he wore whenever the slime-pie and Faygo ran dry.
Apparently he'd been studying Gamzee a second longer than he should have been because Vriska ran at him angrily.
"IT'S NOT NICE TO STARE PUPA!" She shouted at him, slicing up his chest with a long bladed sword. A long cut to his armor was the only effect on him. "Come now pupa, prove to me that there's more to you than just words. Teach me a lesson. Those vows inscribed in your armor aren't just for show are they?" Vriska raised an eyebrow and stared into Tavros' lamb-eyes. It surprised him really; he always thought Vriska had towered over him. But now that he was right next to her, he realized that they weren't all that different in height.
"My vows are not for show. They are vows. I promised to do them. I will."
"Read them to me dear pupa. Read to me what they say, I wish to know. My eyes are so tired, please read them pupa."
Tavros sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes as Vriska circled around him like a vulture.
"I will cut you to pieces, I will destroy your very being, you will bow down to me for I am Tavros Nitram and I am not afraid to kill you." There were many more vows all over his armor, but that was the only one he felt like saying to this thief of light.
He felt her cold breath against his ear as she whispered, "I'd like to see you try."
The page glared and lit his lance on fire. "My sick fires are better than whatever you can throw at me. You won't be able to do much damage. I swear."
Vriska's lips curled into a wicked smile and she drew her spatha.
"You will be a pile of bones before you can say Pupa Pan."
Tavros smirked. "Pupa Pan."
Yellow.
Even through blind eyes, Sollux knew exactly who was coming when. Using sensors on his visor and feeling a bit like the character Cyclops from the X-men, he was able to shoot blasts of mental energy straight into the hearts of high bloods. Or at least the gaping hole in their chest cavity where their heart should have been. Truthfully he didn't mind the thought of destroying life, after all is a mage of doom supposed to care about that kind of thing? Of course not.
There was the problem of his kismeses running after him every so often. He'd scream like a banshee and the sensors would become messed up, causing Sollux to be thrown into the darkness. It made him angry and so frustrated that his sight could be taken away with such a simple thing as a screech. If only he didn't have this particular handicap maybe then this high blood would be easier to kill.
"Sol~ Come here, I just wwant a nice brutal punch from my favvorite enemy!" The prince of hope aimed his harpoon gun for Sollux's head. The yellow blood heard it click and back flipped out of the way, making the harpoon stab an indigo bloods' brains out.
"Ha, mithed me, mithed me, now you gotta— WHOA!" He quickly avoided a flaming arrow that rained from the sky.
"Eq let me handle my own problems!" Eridan hollered angrily.
That little distraction was just the opening Sollux needed, and he charged at the prince, ready with a sword staff in hand. He was so close; he just needed another milli-second of perfected fighting grace and the troll would be dead. However the high bloods were never known for playing fair.
Eridan side-stepped him in a single sweep of his feet and gave a nice big screech, frying the mage's seeing unit. Blinded and vulnerable, he hit the ground, the weapon still raised above his head.
Taking the opportunity, Eridan jumped on him and stabbed him through the stomach with his own weapon.
Mustard colored liquid began to seep into his shirt and drool out his mouth as Sollux squirmed beneath his kismeses. He was speared through again.
"Don't movve Sol, you're only goin' to make it wworse~" Eridan flashed Captor a mouthful of perfectly pointed teeth like stalagmites and stalactites all fitting into one another. Once satisfied that the low blood would never stand again, he got off him, enjoying the yellow puddle surrounding him. He turned to continue enjoying in his merriment of slaughter.
"I…..I will live to thee you die…." Sollux breathed out. Eyelids fell over blank slots and the mage slept.
Olive.
Tuck. Roll. Stab.
That was all she had to do. Then she would survive. As long as she was able to live through the war- Nepeta stopped herself. What would even happen when the war was over? Where would she go? She painted a dreamy picture of herself and Equius together living peacefully in the country, raising little kittens and robot grubs. How nice it would feel to let go of the insanity of the war and relax. It was a silly thought because she knew one of them was going to die; she just wasn't certain who yet. The battle was still going strong even an hour in and neither side seemed to be completely dominating or totally faltering. It was still anybody's game. She thought that the children so high in their chairs were utterly rude to sit and listen to trolls die and do nothing to help anyone. She hoped the screams of those same trolls stayed with them for the rest of their lives. Then she felt guilty for wishing such an awful thing. Then she realized she didn't feel guilty at all.
Jade.
The revving of a chainsaw in Kanaya's hands always felt as good as it did the first time she did it, and she assumed that it would continue feeling excellent each time she pulled back and started it up. Killing these high bloods really got her blood pumping through her green veins and her bursts of adrenaline never seemed to run out. Perhaps it was the radiant sun that's color matched her blood that gave her such power. Be-heading so many enemies at one time felt especially wondrous, glorious even since Rose was watching her. The fact that her love was sitting just above her listening to how well she was doing made her smile. Nothing could affect her. She was invincible, unbeatable and perfectly untouchable.
That is until the hatchet snuck up from behind and split her gorgeous head into two. Kanay tenderly thought of Rose and the rainbow drinker flew to her in a dream bubble far away.
Teal.
She couldn't even begin to believe what she just did. Terezi Pyrope was NOT a killer. She was a bringer of justice, and in her role-playing days, a lawyer. Now she found herself back in the courtroom, but instead of interrogating her stuffed scale-beasts she was getting a pair of hands cuffs latched onto her wrists and thrown out the window. Killers were hanged. Terezi was not a killer. Not by heart anyways. But there in her hand was a hatchet covered in blood as green as an everglade forest. And there at her feet was her victim, Kanaya Maryam. She wondered if Rose would forgive her.
Before she could dwell on that thought, she felt the sharp pain of a curved knife slitting her throat, as a sickle made blood spray from her neck. She screamed out in pain and it reached the ears of Dave Strider, making him twitch in his throne that was built from clocks through the ages.
"Do not move Dave." Jade spoke calmly without any other hint of emotion in her voice.
Karkat swung again, slicing off her ear.
"She's begging him to stop. Why won't he show her mercy?" It took every ounce of his willpower to stay seated.
"Dave if you look now you will die," John prophesized. "A man who is filled with vengeance and given a thousand souls to destroy will not stop until they are all dead. Then he will feel all of their pain at once, and his grief will be his downfall."
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" And all at once, Dave thrust himself into the battle, killing every troll he saw, no matter whose side they were on. It didn't matter to him, on every troll's face he saw Karkat. Suddenly he realized that there was something more important than revenge. Saying goodbye.
Blue.
"You've grown into a beautiful warrior pupa." Vriska was nearly becoming out of breath.
"My name is NOT pupa." Tavros snarled, lunging at her again. She easily sashayed to the side, letting him have an opportunity to fall. He turned with swift agility and brought his lance down on her head. She laughed heartily as it smashed into her helmet, leaving a ringing in her ears.
"Good one pupa! Very strong!"
Tavros lashed out and sliced up her cheek, defiantly leaving a scar. Vriska simply laughed again and licked the blood away.
"Quite good pupa, what a nice scratch! Oh my does it sting!"
He gave her a upper-cut to the jaw and he saw a tooth pop out and fly off to Gog knew where.
"Amazing! Pupa if you keep this up I might have to TRY and move out of the way!"
Tavros was done with Vriska, sick and tired of the way she treated him. He lit his finger up with a sick fire and did a double back-flip straight to her.
"My name is not pupa." He growled with such force that Vriska was frozen in place. "I am Tavros Nitram and you will bow before me. He lifted his finger to her eye and shoved the flaming tip through her glasses into her last good eye.
The thief of light had just been robbed of the very thing she stole. Now darkness greeted her as she fell to her knees.
"I won't ask that you spare my life," Her voice was unbelievably steady. "If you are to kill me do it quickly."
There was a pause from the other end, like she was talking on the phone in a dark room.
Then she heard a 40 foot lance drop in front of her and footsteps pounded away.
"You just don't have the guts. Pu~pa."
The footsteps turned and got closer until-
There Vriska sat in a pool of sweet blue. She smiled.
"My pupa. You've grown."
The theif was dissmissed from her life, as she entered the next, dwelling upon her regrets.
Navy.
Firing arrows may have been boring, but it was also quite safe. Equius would rather be up here than down there fighting the bloody fight.
Perhaps it would be even better, enjoyable even, if Nepeta were up there next to him, cuddled at his side. They could look at the clouds together and maybe he'd work up the courage to kiss her. He sighed as the fantasy mixed with reality and he was on the edge of becoming delirious. The queen's ferocious shout broke his thought and he immediately shoved aside the happy joyful thought.
His arrows left many wounded, yet there seemed to be more Low bloods than High bloods still standing. It made him wonder if all this that he was fighting for was real or not.
Indigo.
The joy of killing had consumed Gamzee's entire being. He wanted nothing more than to sit and dwell in the evil things he had done, bathing in the blood of the ones he had killed. How luxurious it would be to drink vials of their blood, to break their bones and turn it into a loaf of bread. Of course he had every intention of keeping Tavros out of harm's way. Once the high bloods won, and he had every ounce of faith that they would, he would take the brown blood to the castle. It would be great. The little troll would get food and love and Gamzee could pail him everyday. His thoughts turned to that, imagining pounding into him and kissing him all over until he came again and again. Just imagining the mudblood moaning beneath him as he fucked him everywhich way got him hard. Sure he'd be chained up, but it would be better than death. It certainly would be better than lying on this slaughter ground to bleed out. He'd been so proud when he saw Tavros skewer Vriska like a shush-kabob with his massive lance. Although, now that he looked around he really didn't see the sweet little bull anywhere. Perhaps he was enjoying a drink of Vriska blood.
Purple.
"WWHO KILLED MY GLUBBIN KISMESES?" Eridan sobbed into Sol's chest and let the purple of his tears meld with the yellow of the mage's blood. "I just don't understand...wwhy'd you havve to leavve me all alone sol?" He talked to Sollux (who was keeping his vow well and had not completely passed yet) in a manner of care and stroked his cheek.
"Wwhy don't you talk back...?" He cried desperatley into his counterpart's neck. "Wwhat wwill make you talk to me...?" He wondered aloud. Ampora kissed him on the mouth tenderly and full of love, hoping he'd jump back up and shout nasty words at him, or better yet, kiss back.
"wwhat has this wwar done to us...? I just...I just wwant-"
With his last breath, Sollux watched as Karkat slid his sickle through the scarfed neck of his ex-lover. The prince fell.
Raspberry.
There were a mear fifty trolls left.
Feferi was not glad to be one of them. If it were her way she'd be peacefully dead. If she had her way everyone would be safe. If she had her way there wouldn't be a war. However for once in her royal life it was not her way and the troll population had decreased by eighty percent at least. Maybe...Maybe if she just laid down for a little while and slept, all of this would just go away...Yes that would be quite nice...
Feferi laid in the grass next to a few bloody trolls. They're just asleep. They'll wake up in the morning. The queen closed her eyes.
Everything will be better tomorrow.
The Afterward.
Lips red as a rose.
Hair black as the raven's wings as it takes off into the night.
Skin, turning white as alabaster, still hinting gray.
Karkat struggled to stand as he looked around. It looked as if death had run rampant through this field, touching as many people as possible. Three low bloods gathered around a single Indigo blood. The troll had his head in between his knees and he sobbed out as the others kicked him mercilessly, "Mercy, p-please!" His face looked as if a fleet of angels carved it from solid gold and used bright topaz for his eyes. "You're hurting me! I surrender!" Karkat looked at his horns. They were the smallest he'd seen on such a high blooded troll. "I'll give you treasure, just please, s-stop this!"
"ENOUGH!" Karkat shouted to the three low bloods surrounding the Capricorn. Seeing their leader vouch for him made the other three look away and wander off. Vantas offered a hand to the wounded troll and helped him up.
"Thank you so much sire..." He bowed on one knee.
"Get up you incompetent fool." Karkat snapped. "You should be SO gracious that I made them stop! I could have let them carry on, if not for your small horns."
The indigo-blood blushed with embarrassment and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I know they're eh...small, I've been pushed around for it for quite some time...May I sit next to you?"
What an odd character... Karkat thought to himself. "Perhaps..." He said slowly.
With a smile he sat next to Karkat and glanced around at the scene and the smile turned to a grim frown.
"Where do you think they all went?" He asked in that melodious voice he had.
"What do you mean?"
"The dead trolls. Where do you think they went to?"
The question surprised the friend leader, as he did not expect it. He could have said a million different things. He could have lied and said he thought they would be reborn into humans. He could have shouted how stupid this troll was. Doesn't everyone know all trolls go to the dream world? He even could have simply left.
Instead he swallowed and said fearfully, "I...I don't know..."
The troll gazed at the darkening sky. "I think that's the best answer I've ever heard anyone say."
"What's your name?"
The handsome troll stood and began to walk away.
"I think it's best if we didn't exchange names. The next time we meet may not be so pleasant."
There was a blinding flash of light and the troll disappeared.
Not more than five minutes later did John hover down and he looked at Karkat's hunched form, his head in his hands.
"Karkat...? Are you okay...?"
"No..." He admitted, light tears of red streaming down his face. "I don't think I'll ever be okay again..."
John's concern deepened and he stepped over a jade-blood, walking over to where Karkat sat. He buried his nose into his matesprit's back and wove his arms around him in a hug.
"How many survived?" Karkat asked.
The heir looked around. "As far as I know six low bloods, excluding you, and four high bloods. and...three humans."
Karkat sighed heavily. "We were too evenly matched. Out of the twelve of us, did any survive?"
Taking a big breath, the heir spoke calmly, as he did not want Karkat to get too upset. "Of course, you're still alive. Then I believe Aradia is taking care of Feferi's wounds right about now. I did not see Nepeta or Equius be killed, but I don't know where they are either. Jade spotted Tavros running towards the land of snow and frost with Gamzee trailing him."
"Well I'm just glad at least one of my greatest friend's managed to keep themselves alive." Karkat's gaze slid to Sollux's pale form. He stood, letting John's arms fall to his sides and knelt beside his dearest friend. His once bright red and blue kaleidoscope eyes were now a pale white color, lifeless and sad. His gaze slid down Sollux's left arm to his gloved hand and gasped quietly. Someone else's hand was wrapped into it. His eyes followed that sleek fined hand, up it's arm and into the eyes of the troll. They were the same white color as the mage's and were framed with cracked hipster glasses. Every so often the fins on either side of his head and catch in the wind, fluttering upward as they did whenever Feferi acknowledged his presence or when other trolls asked him to join them, or when his kismeses would slap him silly following up with a session of soft kisses.
"He was a great fighter." John said, trying to make things better.
"He would be alive if not for his blindness. If not for his IDIOT KISMESES." In a flash of rage Karkat raised his sickle to cut off Eridan's wrist so he wouldn't be allowed to touch Sollux ever again or anymore. John blew it from his hand.
"Do not let your anger over come you again. Remember what happened yesterday?"
Yesterday.
Was it really only yesterday that Karkat had slapped Tavros?
"Yes, it is best to leave them as is. Sollux...Sollux would want this." Something clicked inside Karkat's brain. "That can't be right...you must have made a mistake."
"A mistake in what?" John asked.
"You said that only three humans survived...you all stayed seated above did you not?"
John's throat closed up as he attempted to swallow tears. "Not long after you killed Terezi... Dave came down to reek revenge upon all trolls. I warned him not to. He didn't listen and...a flaming arrow struck him in the back."
"Oh John...I'm so sorry...can...can I kiss you...?" He asked.
"You can always kiss me Karkat..." They did, but it wasn't as deep as normal. This kiss was loving, but neither one was really into it at the moment.
"Rose is a mess..."John said quietly. "Jade is somehow able to stay calm..."
"What about you...?"
"Upset beyond words, but also glad you are alive."
"I am glad too..."
Karkat looked up at the sky. Suddenly rain of every color blood came down in a gentle drizzle.
"Oh oh my Gog, is it raining blood?" John whimpered.
"It's not uncommon." Karkat said plainly. He looked up into the storm clouds and the dark sky where no sun shone in the night. His eyelids shut and he began to dream.
He dreamt that Nepeta and Equius were safe far away together. Nepeta would care for their grub babies and Equius would build robots that made their lives easier. They'd be so happy together, but would never forget this day.
He dreamt that Gamzee would confess his red feelings for the Taurus and that he'd be nice to him for as long as they were matesprits. Tavros and him would live in the warm caverns of the land of frost and snow and have a nice happily ever after.
He dreamt that he and John would be able to have their grub baby yet.
Even though he dreamt these things he knew his friends too well. Equius would be too afraid to even kiss his matesprit and their dead-end relationship would continue without growth. He knew that Gamzee was not following Tavros to confess his red feelings, but to kill the page he loved so. He knew that there was no possible way for them to have a grub anymore.
Karkat came back to reality. The reality that his friends had too many negative emotions to ever do anything they should.
A question began to tug at his mind.
"Hey John...?"
"Yes Karkat?"
"Where do humans go after they die?"
John thought a moment. He could have said many things that would have been lies. But he settled for the best and most truthful answer.
"I don't know."
Karkat smiled as the rain stopped. He looked at John and burst into joyful tears. The war was over.
Once he calmed down he looked to the rising sun.
It was the day after Armageddon.
"I like that answer."
~~Fin~~
