The Pixl Queen
A Tragedy
The divine light bathed everyone present in the garden in resplendent beams of white. Drowned out by the blinding beams, no one could see or hear anything for several long moments, but then the quakes subsided and their vision slowly restored itself.
Blumiere was immobilized. As a member of the tribe of darkness, this harsh exposure to light caused his skin to prickle and his heart to race. His legs felt encased in lead, as if he couldn't move at all no matter how hard he struggled. His breath came out in rapid and uneven bursts. He felt nothing but fear worm its way into his heart, and once it took hold, he felt as if there was no escaping it.
The others present, Timpani, Merlumina, and Merloo, recovered much faster than Blumiere. Ancient blood coursed in their veins, and their civilization was fueled by a purpose to do good and bathe the realm in light and goodness. Their righteous vision allowed them to recover much faster than Blumiere could, and Merloo would have taken advantage of this opportunity if he hadn't spotted the divine figures stationed in his garden.
"M-Merlight?" Merloo asked quietly, stunned by the presence of the old man. Clothed in billowy green raiment, Merlight and his wife, Merlimbis, occupied the garden. They had descended from above to intervene in the chaos that was swirling around in this space at present. Shocked that the ancients had intervened, Merloo was unsure what to do. These elders were the chief deities of the Tribe of Ancients, and while he and Merlumina held power…the word of these two was final.
"My son," Merlimbis said slowly. "Why do you draw your blade against this poor creature?" She gestured to Blumiere with a kind hand.
"He's a member of that foul tribe!" Merloo yelled. "The Tribe of Darkness! He means to harm my daughter!"
"He means no such thing!" Timpani shouted, rising to action the moment her father uttered those words. Blumiere could still not move. He was petrified.
"Silence, Timpani!" Merloo yelled.
"Father! Stop! I just want to be happy with Blumiere!"
"You don't know what you want!" Merloo shouted back. "How can you know? You're just a girl. You haven't seen what ruin the Tribe of Darkness brings with themselves. You know nothing, my sweet, innocent daughter! Do not endanger your way of life, our way of life, by throwing yourself at this…this demon!"
A demon? Is that what they think of me? Blumiere thought to himself. He could think…but speaking and moving were still impossible.
"Father! He is no such thing!" Timpani spat, defending Blumiere. "Take that back at once!"
"I shall not!" Merloo bellowed back at his daughter. "That boy…is not even a boy! He's a nothing! He's just darkness! Nothing but trouble!" He raised his sword now as if to finish off Blumiere, but Merlight put a hand against the blade.
"You will do no such thing," said the old shaman. "You shall not harm a hair on this boy's head. For he is a boy, just like your son. He has parents and a family of his own. He is loved, he is cherished, but above all…he has feelings. Just like any other living creature, he is the most important thing on the planet."
Merloo's lip trembled. "H-how…how can you believe such a thing?"
"We taught you to be kind to all," Merlimbis said, her eyes watering. "Has your nobility and pride for your ancient blood really turned into prejudice? Yes, the Tribe of Darkness dabbles in terrible things…but that does not make them lesser than us. You are not capable of passing judgment."
"But we are," Merlight continued. "Which is why we have come. You may set any boundaries you wish against Blumiere…but you shall not harm him. However, we also have one more thing to mention." He turned his eyes to Merloo and regarded him rather severely. "Where is Malvolio?" the ancient demanded to know.
"Malvolio?" Merloo asked. "H-he should be nearby somewhere…son! Son, come out, if you can hear us!"
Nothing at first…but then suddenly, Malvolio's singsong voice could be heard.
"Yes, father? What is it?" he asked innocently, coming out.
"Malvolio," said Merlight sternly, giving Malvolio a look of deep disappointment. "You have broken a pact sworn upon the ancients."
"N-no!" Malvolio stammered. "It isn't true! Tell them, sister!"
But Timpani did not save him. She moved over to Blumiere's side, rubbing his arm tenderly. At that moment, her touch seemed to rekindle the warmth in his soul. Blinking slowly, Blumiere finally found himself able to move. He let out a tired sigh, a quite loud one at that. He nearly collapsed into Timpani's arms.
"You broke your promise," Timpani said, regarding her own brother with hate in her eyes. "You promised me you wouldn't tell mother and father about Blumiere and me! Do you enjoy causing strife so much? Does discord please you so, Malvolio?"
"I-I…I didn't know! I thought it wasn't all so serious…" he said, sounding like a shell of his former jocular self.
"You swore upon the ancients," Merlight said, "and you failed to uphold your promise. For that, you shall be punished!"
"My son!" Merlumina cried. "W-wait! Surely we can come to some agreement! You two taught us everything! You're our closest friends…please do not do this to us!"
But Merlimbis could only shake her head.
"I am so terribly sorry, Merlumina," she said. "But the rules are the rules. For breaking such a pact…Malvolio must be punished. He will be given a load fit for his shoulders to bare."
Merlight nodded, his sage green eyes piercing the quivering black one's of Malvolio. The mischievous boy's humor was gone. He looked so horribly afraid in this moment. He was afraid of what was to come.
"Malvolio," Merlight said, his voice adopting a deep and stern tone. "For severing your ties upon a pact with the ancients, from this day hence forth…you shall have no home. No corner of the world shall harbor you. You will be punished to wander the dimensions for eternity until the day you die. No love may come your way, for love must have a home to grow. You have destroyed your home by revealing your sister's secrets…and you shall never find one again."
"N-no!" Merlumina shouted, but the moment the final word escaped Merlight's lips, a transparent square enveloped Malvolio and he blinked out of existence. "My…my son…"
Timpani looked stunned. Blumiere tried to give her a comforting hug, but he received a forceful glare from Merloo.
"Go," he said to Blumiere. "Because of you…I have lost my son. Be gone, demon."
"F-father!" Timpani protested.
"BE GONE!"
And so Blumiere went. With one last look at Timpani, he sulked out of the garden. As it had before, the darkness surrounded him, and he too disappeared in an instant. Merlight and Merlimbis wordlessly took their leave, their divine judgment passed.
Timpani and her parents were alone in the garden…and everything felt wrong. Merloo and Merlumina had lost their son at the hands of their mentors…Timpani had lost her love at the hands of her brother…and Malvolio had lost his home…and the chance to ever feel love…
Timpani sunk to her knees, letting out a desperate wail.
She screamed until her throat could do so no more.
Then she cried until her tear ducts were devoid of tears.
Then she fell asleep on the cold marble walk of the garden. Her nightmares had become reality, and she faded into her dreams…