"Oh, Morro, do you have a minute?" Acronix asked.
Morro sat up from the small monitor he was observing, quickly moving his hand to tap the screen and make what was on it disappear. Acronix seemed not to notice as he approached Morro with a cocky grin that seemed to never leave his face.
"What do you need, Acronix?" Morro asked, bowing his head slightly.
"I just wanted to come and thank you for your hard work," Acronix chuckled, "I know it can't be easy, having to manage all those snakes. But you're done a wonderful job!"
"... Thank you," Morro responded in confusion. Acronix laughed.
"Oh, don't be so tense! We know how to properly thank our subordinates," Acronix smirked, "And you've done a wonderful job here! Here, come with me."
Morro looked back at the computer he'd been typing in. Quickly, he moved and snatched a small detachable drive from the computer, stuffing it into his pocket once Acronix was turned around. The Chi user quickly followed after Acronix, being guided through the massive tower that stood at the center of this conquered world that used to belong to Harumi.
When the two made their way back into the throne room at the apex of the tower after a long elevator ride, Krux was already sitting in his throne lazily waving his hand. In front of him, a small, shimmering red fox was leaping back and forth in front of him. Morro immediately could tell from the color and the pupiless eyes of the creature it was none other than a Chi construct.
"We've finally figured out what our Chi can do!" Acronix laughed, "Go on, brother, show him!"
Krux smirked, "As you wish, brother," Krux opened his palm, holding it forward. As he did, the fox turned and suddenly split its tail into four separate ones. Krux turned his palm to face him, causing the fox to leap forward and jump into his body. The moment it did, Krux let out a loud gasp, his body filling with power and his eyes glowing a deep reddish-orange. From his tailbone, four massive fox tails spread out, each one swirling with power. Krux smirked, and suddenly, each tail sparked with power and shot around his body like a javelin, flying through the air and pointing a deep orange tip mere inches from Morro's neck. Morro held completely still until Krux sighed, letting the Chi animal free itself from his body and pop back out onto his arm, perching on it.
"So, you've mastered your Chi animals," Morro spoke calmly, even if inside he felt a pang of fear burn through him in a cold wave.
"Indeed," Krux nodded, "We wished to show it to at least one of our followers. And sadly, we've been unable to breed a Vermillion that can… appreciate the effort it took to master such a thing."
"It's more useful than you think!" Acronix smirked, "And since you've been nothing but a help to us, we figured you deserve the honor of seeing us grow stronger!"
"Then I am honored to have seen it," Morro bowed his head respectfully. Saying the words felt like his teeth had become wood to splinter his tongue, "Is that all you wished to show me?"
"There was, one other thing," Krux nodded, "About our last conversation we had, regarding Prime. We wanted to elaborate more on it."
"Our, last talk?" Morro asked. It had been some time since then.
"Yes, indeed," Acronix smirked, "You asked us if we would fulfill his request. We wanted to clarify ourselves."
Acronix directed him to stand in front of the thrones. Morro did as he was asked, putting his hands behind his back. Acronix hopped up into his own throne beside his brother.
"You see, we've come to understand you're under a certain… misconception about our motives," Krux bcgan, "You seem to think of us as only self-serving."
"And you'd be right!" Acronix laughed, "To an extent, at least. We will do anything to get what we want. But, we've come to learn something throughout our journey to get to this point."
"You see," Krux continued, "Our previous approach, that of scorched earth, meant we could never turn back. We realize now how foolish that was. And we have those pesky meddlers to thank for teaching us that error in our methods."
"Having allies is wonderful!" Acronix followed up, "But we cannot afford to lose them now that we have them. Ophiod and Prime did wonders for us! And even that Oni, as late as he was to the party, has done a good deed for us. So, we should reward them by giving them what they want."
"That makes sense," Morro affirmed, "But, once you give them what they want, doesn't that leave them at risk of leaving you?"
"On the contrary," Krux shook his head, "A man that has been given all he needs is the one you most wish to have. Do you know why, Morro?" Morro shook his head.
"Because that man will always remember that what he has been given can be taken away," Acronix grinned.
"And therefore," Krux grinned as he stood up from his own throne, "Will work to ensure those who gave him that gift are never led to wish it gone."
The two Twins walked past Morro, leaving him to turn and watch them leave. The words they spoke hung heavily on Morro's ears, leading him to find his breathing slightly elevated. As the two were about to exit the room, Acronix turned to him.
"We're off to oversee the Vermillion production!" Acronix waved his hand, "Think on what we've told you, Morro! It will do you good to remember all of this for later!"
Slowly, the two Twins left him alone. Even now, Morro felt disgusted at their methods. Even when they sounded like men capable of kindness, it always twisted back around to their own selfish ends like a serpent devouring itself. Seeing as their plan now involved thousands of serpents, Morro couldn't help but acknowledge they were perfectly suited for their army.
Once Morro was sure he was alone, he summoned his Chi animal. His hawk flew into the air, taking hold of the data drive and flying towards the small door at the base of their thrones. Morro checked the coast was clear before allowing the hawk to put in the sequence and open the door. The energy construct laid the data drive down in the small hallway, then rapidly closed the door for him again.
"If that is what you think of their motivations," Morro muttered to himself, "Then you truly know nothing about what it means to lead," With that said, Morro soon left the room, wandering back to the station and praying that the others could overcome the twisted motives these two had twisted into a force to rival worlds themselves.
"Where…" Prime whispered, "Where… where… where?!"
With a shout of rage, Prime swept his hands across the small workbench. Inside of that small room at the bottom of the facility, away from cameras and those who would even know it was there, a stack of pages and small supplies was scattered across the floor. Prime slammed his arms down on the workbench, his fists gripping tightly as he did.
"Where are you, Over?!" Prime shouted, "Where did you go?! Why aren't you here?!"
Prime looked up. The only light in the room was a small lamp, positioned above the workbench. Thus, Prime lay within the only small, yellow cone of harsh synthetic light burning down on his face. He looked up towards the various bits of pages on the board in front of him, blueprints and designs from times long since passed.
"Did he ignore me…?" Prime muttered, "Why hasn't he come, why can't he… why…?" Prime shouted, "WHY?!"
There was a noise behind him. Prime twitched, his training kicking in. He reached down and grabbed a mallet from the workbench, then did a backflip through the air and swung the mallet down towards where he heard the noise coming from.
Instead of hitting someone, the mallet struck something hard. Prime hissed, turning his head to see the faint glow of orange from behind the figure. His eyes flashing with understanding, Prime drew his arm back, and in turn Ophiod lowered his tail from the tensed muscles blocking the blow.
"Prime…" Ophiod sighed, "I apologize if I brought you worry. I assumed you would have expected my teleport."
"Warn me next time," Prime shrugged, his mood shifting near instantly, "Not that I could hurt you in the way your magic could, but I could at least give you a good punch!"
"I'm certain that I could take that, but I will remember that," Ophiod nodded, "I have not spoken to you in some time, Prime. Tell me, what have you been doing?"
Prime's small smile he'd gained from seeing Ophiod disappeared. The speed in which it did brought a level of confusion to Ophiod's face. Prime looked over at his friend, then he turned around and padded over towards his workbench again, replacing the mallet.
"Over hasn't shown up yet…" Prime shook his head, "He hasn't! He should have been here by now! I don't know what's going on… I have to take him down, I have to… I have to," Prime rubbed his head, "I don't know where he is!"
"Is he not with the others in the boy's world?" Ophiod asked.
"No… no. I attacked them not too long ago," Prime admitted calmly, "And I could tell Over wasn't with them. He must have run away after what he did…" Prime nodded, "But I left them with a message. I knew they'd find him. He was supposed to come here, or else…"
Prime took a long breath, trying to calm his nerves. In turn, Ophiod nervously slithered towards him, trying to figure out what he was hearing. Was that the reason why Over had been in this world in the first place? Why Oni was here? The thought left Ophiod with a sinking feeling he wasn't sure of how to place.
"Prime…" Ophiod shook his head, "Nevermind that, then. I… I am worried for you. You have not come to speak to me, you are alone here. You should not be at a time like this."
"I have to be alone… I'm always alone…" Prime inhaled, "I'm used to it by now, Ophiod. I… I just have to be. I'm used to being the one everyone looks up to. It is… is is what my role here has to be."
"Do you believe that?" Ophiod asked, slithering up and putting his hand on Prime's shoulder, "I had thought that for a long while myself. But you… you and Skales both have shown me there are many things I am unable to do on my own. My own strength must be supplemented with others. And… perhaps there is more than just battle that our strength can be good for?"
"... You're a rather optimistic person, Ophiod," Prime chuckled bitterly, "I used to be that way too. And… I'm sorry if I sound depressing," Prime shook his head, "I'm not trying to be. I just, have a lot on my mind right now."
Ophiod smiled, "Then, perhaps I may give you something else to think on? It is something that we must do, yes?"
Ophiod turned, slithering around the room. He wasn't sure of how to help Prime, but he knew thinking about Over right now wasn't going to help Prime. He looked around for something to find, and in turn he saw a large cloth he hadn't noticed before. It was perched over a small clump of something, and with it, Ophiod moved over and put his hand against the cloth.
"What is this?" Ophiod asked. When Prime saw what he was looking at, his eyes bulged
"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Prime shouted. Ophiod jerked his arm away, causing him to slither nearly a foot away from it. Prime panted hard, his entire body heaving with it.
"I… I am sorry," Ophiod shook his head, "Is this, something that I should not see?"
"No, it's... " Prime paused, "... I suppose. I guess. Maybe," Prime shook his head, "Here… come back over here, Ophiod. I'll show you something I haven't shown anyone else. I… I trust you."
Ophiod wasn't sure what had made him so angered, but he listened either way. He made his way, slowly this time, back towards where Prime stood. Prime reached under the workbench as he approached, slowly producing a disc with several buttons on it.
"I haven't shown this to anyone but… but I think you can hear it," Prime muttered, "I trust you, Ophiod. And, I think you need to understand how serious I am about this. And… and what's under that sheet over there."
Prime hit a button. A small hologram projected above the disc, showing a small bar. Prime hit another button on the device, and slowly, the bar began to move. A female voice that Ophiod didn't recognize began to speak.
"Have I not told you what I desire? If you attach the leg there, Kota will not run!"
"But how else are you going to turn around?"
"My machine is not made to flee from battle! Let us finish the prototype before we worry about such details!"
"Who is that?" Ophiod asked. Prime winced.
"That's her," Prime whispered, "That's Akita." Ophiod felt a pang of understanding, and went silent to listen more. Prime hit a button to fast forward slightly.
"What do you plan to do once we finish Kota?"
"To go into battle and avenge the people that those monsters have taken from me. There should not be doubt of my determination!"
"Do you think my father will let you? He makes the decisions about who goes into battle."
"If he does not, then I will fight regardless! You are alone at the moment. If I must, I will ride into battle as your only ally."
"When I met Akita," Prime elaborated as he fast-forwarded a bit more, "I was the only one they'd found that resonated with the cores. It wasn't until after my first deployment with Akita, we found the rest of my team."
"Lloyd, what is it that you fight for?"
"I fight to make sure everyone here gets the chance to live the life they deserve."
"Your words sound practiced. Do you truly stand behind them?"
"You fight for your people, I fight for all people. Doesn't that make sense?"
"Hmmph. I was not aware you were that selfless."
"You're pretty selfless too, don't you think? You're putting your life on the line to rescue your people."
"My motives are purely self-serving, Lloyd. I have no intention of saving those you fight for. I look only to find the people that those monsters took from me."
"Well… what if you found something else to fight for?"
"Oh? Speak your mind then, Lloyd."
"I mean…"
Prime mouthed the words, "What if you fought for us instead?"
Ophiod looked down. The recording sounded like it was something in the background. Prime reached forward with a shaky hand, tapping the button and causing the audio to stop.
"... I… I asked her to fight for us, Ophiod," Prime shook his head, "I asked her to fight for our love. And she did. I did too. I… I fought for the people, of course. But in battle, if I felt I was in danger, it wasn't their pleas I heard. It was her face, telling me how brave I was. And because of that, she's no longer…" Prime trailed off.
"I, did not know," Ophiod shook his head. He'd never heard of Prime's true conviction like this before.
"These are logs we have form when we built and refined Kota down here… that was her mech," Prime chuckled, "It didn't even have a core. It ran off of Invictus' power. If you've ever wondered why my mech has a slot in the back… it's because I would deploy her from Invictus," Prime inhaled, "She was perfect, Ophiod. An amazing fighter, an amazing person. Her people vanished from Ninjago during the first impacts. And I found her, fighting out there in the mud in a cobbled together machine for her life. I brought her here, and she repaid me by fighting with me. Back then, I couldn't imagine going into battle with her." Prime hesitated. Ophiod remained silent.
"She… she is my everything, Ophiod," Prime finished, "I love her. I love everything about her. And now she's… because of him," Prime's tone darkened, "Because of him, everything I ever worked for is gone."
Ophiod could feel it. The pure vile hatred that remained inside of Prime's words. He understood now why he hated Over so much. He had for a long while, but this moment brought a small bit of further clarity to him. He didn't hate Over, he hated the Overlord. He hated that half of that man, the Emperor. And Ophiod had been the one to split him.
Oni's words flashed in Ophiod's mind. The warning not to tell Prime of what he had done. But seeing Prime like this, life drained from his eyes, Ophiod couldn't help himself. His lips opened in a simple line:
"What if I told you Over was dead, Prime?"
The air stilled. Prime stiffened up. His hand moved over and gently tapped the disc that was playing the recordings, causing them to shut off. Ophiod blinked in confusion, unsure of what was happening. Prime took a deep breath, sliding the disc back under the workbench and shaking his head, as though what he had just heard wasn't getting through to him.
"That's not funny, Ophiod," Prime muttered.
"Funny?" Ophiod blinked, "I was not trying to make you laugh."
"What do you mean, Over is dead?" Prime asked in a hollow voice, "What?"
"I mean…" Ophiod felt something. An air of oppression, anger, rage from Prime. It left Ophiod to feel his resolve waver, "I-I mean. What if, what if Over was dead?"
"Then that wouldn't be good enough," Prime whispered.
"Good, enough?" Ophiod asked nervously.
"Not good enough," Prime shook his head, "It wouldn't be. I won't be… I can't. I can't let him go on. I can't! Nobody else can take him down! Nobody else has the power! If he's gone then… then all of this, all that we've fought for it's… it's…"
"Prime…?" Ophiod reached out for him.
"Don't… don't joke about that," Prime turned to Ophiod, "Don't!" His voice raised to a shout, "You can't fight him, Ophiod! I won't… I won't let anyone else risk their lives. Not even you! If Over took you out too, then you'd… then Skales would…" Prime took a hard gasp, a shuddering one that wracked his entire body.
"Promise me… promise me, Ophiod!" Prime shouted, "Swear to me that you will never attack Over if I'm not there! I couldn't handle losing you, I can't let you… I can't let you!"
"I will not!" Ophiod shook his head, "I-I will not! P-Please, calm down!"
Prime looked deep into Ophiod's eyes. Ophiod felt like the mech pilot was trying to burrow through him with the strength of Invictus itself. Prime finally snapped his head around, shaking his head and putting his elbows on the workbench.
"I need to be alone right now," Prime shook his head, "I'm sorry. You need to leave."
"That's… that's fine," Ophiod gulped, slithering backwards from Prime, "I'll… I'll be around to ensure you are alright later, then…"
With a flash of magic, Ophiod entered a portal and was soon gone from the world. For awhile, Prime lay there on the table, getting his emotions back under control. His arms shook as he did, trying to parse the feelings inside of him.
Once Ophiod was gone for what felt like long enough, Prime stepped over and took hold of the cloth Ophiod had been touching. Slowly, he pulled the cloth backwards, revealing the scraps of a white and red mech underneath. A single leg, modeled after that of a wolf, remained there with other mangled bits of salvage. As Prime looked at it, the anger in his gaze refused to die down.
"I won't…" Prime gripped his chest, "I won't forget you, Akita…" Prime shook his head, "Ophiod understands. He knows what I have to do, he knows… he knows…" Prime took a deep breath, then he bent down and gripped a small piece of metal, pressing it to his body.
"I won't let anything stop me from getting all of you back."
In another world, in another moment in time, there was once again a calm silence.
Skales' chest slowly rose and fell as Ophiod looked over him. Even after all this time, the Hypnobrai was still asleep. The blanket that Ophiod had placed over him had been kicked off. Skales' body was half covered in sweat, half in residue from the various potions that Aspheera still used to stabilize him. The darkness of the room made Skales' body look smaller than it normally was, only making Ophiod's hand tremble as he saw the Serpentine laying there.
Ophiod wanted to say something. He'd once again snuck in with the cleaning staff, and now he had dared to drop his form as he looked over Skales. After the rattling Prime's words had given him, he'd come here on instinct. The sensation of Prime's anger had been hard enough he'd gripped the scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu without thinking. Even now, it remained in his hand without him truly knowing.
Ophiod's words failed him as he looked over Skales. His nightmares would never be freed of that horror that he'd witnessed. The first darkness of the Overlord, along with the pure fury of Overlloyd's emotion. All this while, he'd been thinking Over felt nothing over the loss of his world. That thing… that horror that crawled from the abyss to destroy the light, was what he'd been feeling since all of this had started. That was what the Twins had done to the worlds that they touched. And that had nearly destroyed Skales in front of him.
"...Skales…" Ophiod felt a tear roll down his face, even as his fangs clenched together in a painful scowl, "I made him pay, Skales. I showed him the pain of having someone you love torn from you. He won't do that again. Not if he wishes to feel my spell again."
For a moment, Ophiod felt like Prime. Prime was the one that was obsessed with destroying Over. He'd been inspired to even do the plan by Prime's fear in the first place. But now… now he felt like he'd made a grave error. Ignoring Oni's warning had brought a side of Prime out that made Ophiod feel as though he truly done something reprehensible. All he'd wanted to do was get revenge for what Over had forced him to do… was that, so wrong of him?
"I… I wish for you to wake up, Skales," Ophiod shook his head, "I need for you to wake up. Please… please. Please, come back to me."
Skales stirred. For a moment, Ophiod perked up, his eyes opening wide with hope. Then, after a few more moments of shuffling, Skales turned his head away and began to breathe heavily, his eyelids twitching. Ophiod looked down in sadness for a few moments, then turned away from Skales. Ophiod, his fists gripped, reached up to wipe away his tears and slowly slithered out from the room inside his palace.
"I… I must leave before they find me, Skales," Ophiod whispered, "Please… do not fade away from me now. I must… I must see you again."
The large halls of the palace rose up around Ophiod. Slowly, the Prince whispered an invisibility spell, his orange magic enveloping him and turning his body completely clear to blend into the large red and orange walls around him. The cleaning staff had already left by now, thus such a disguise would draw attention. The slanted walls showed moonlight casting rays across the floor. The torchlight was drowned out by the long rays of white across the brick flooring, which Ophiod slid in and out of without a hint of shadow.
Ophiod didn't need to even think of where he was going. His entire life had been spent in this palace. From the moment that he had been old enough to know of his past, he had been raised in these walls. He knew each individual tile, each piece of the wall, each window that would lead to the outside. Each passage, each secret door, and each place the guards would be stationed at. He knew the palace better than he knew his own city. Even if he could see the small orange dots of life that surrounded the city of his people, he knew little of what the layout was. In truth, he would be lost in those streets.
The Viper slithered his way into the throne room chamber. Across from the throne was the large opening that would lead his way outside. It would take little for him to slip out now. He'd delivered Skales here, and he'd ensured his mother had taken care of her. None, however, knew he'd been the one that brought Skales with him. As far as the world knew, he was still vanished, gone into the ether. Not that they cared. For many, that would be a blessing. Ophiod didn't think much of it as he moved to leave. It wasn't his place to stay here. Not after what he'd done.
Ophiod was a few feet away from exiting the palace when the torchlight in the room suddenly blew out. Ophiod snapped his head around, looking back in suspicion. The moment that he did, the sound of rushing air alerted him that someone had entered the room. When he turned back to look at the exit, someone had slithered in front of it. The moonlight illuminated his purple scales and golden armor.
"Hello, my Prince," General Arcturus declared, "You may reveal yourself to me now."
Ophiod thought for a moment about whether staying disguised would work. Arcturus' gaze, however, was piercing. There was no room for doubt that, somehow, the Anacondrai had seen right through his ruse. Slowly, Ophiod muttered a word, causing the orange magic to shift down his body until he had revealed his blue and copper scaled form to the general.
"Arcturus," Ophiod narrowed his gaze, "Move aside. I am leaving."
"You should not leave without informing your mother that you have returned," Arcturus said calmly, "Seeing as it is you who have brought your companion back to us."
"My mother does not need to know that I have returned," Ophiod shook his head, "I am your Prince. I order you to stand aside, General. And to stay your tongue about speaking of this to my mother."
"...I am afraid I can't do that, my Prince," Arcturus inhaled, "If I cannot say that as your General, then I say this as your teacher. I have allowed you to leave more than once, but no longer. Step. Aside."
"I am no longer your student," Ophiod spat, "You trained me, and I have moved beyond you. You have no right to stop me as either teacher or General!"
Arcturus did not move. Ophiod felt his body heating up in anger. Why, however, he couldn't place. Why was he angry at his mentor? He felt his fists clench, unclench, and his eyes opened in anger. Without thinking, Ophiod went to draw his staff from his back. On the end of it, the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu lit up, the tips burning with magic as he did. He took a fighting stance with it, which caused Arcturus to narrow his eyes.
"So it was you who stole the scroll," Arcturus nodded his head, "Well, it has been a long while since we have sparred. I could do with an assessment of your skills."
"Assess what you want," Ophiod growled, "If you will not move from my way then… then I will move you!"
Arcturus kept his iron-like stare focused right on Ophiod. Ophiod didn't say a word. His hands trembled on his staff as he readied a magic word to use against Arcturus. For a few moments, Ophiod swore that he would need to unleash his magic. The air around them became charged, charged with power and regret between them. The student was facing his master.
"If that is what you wish," Arcturus reached to his hip, drawing an Anacondrai blade which he brandished proudly, "Then I believe that we are to fight. Do you wish to make this official, Ophiod?"
Ophiod felt his words slowly build up in his throat. He thought of what he wanted to say, what he could say. When it clicked to him what Arcturus was saying, those words in his throat went cold. Arcturus, seeing this, held his blade up in the air.
"So be it," Arcuturs pointed the blade in Ophiod's face, "I challenge you, Prince of the Serpentine, as your mentor, your personal guard, and your mother's most trusted ally, to a Slither Pit. If I am to win, you will not leave this palace!"
Ophiod's body shook, "I… I accept your challenge then, Arcturus. If I am victorious, then I will leave, and you will not speak of what has transpired tonight!"
Arcturus nodded his head once. With a blinding flash of speed, Arcturus' sword clashed right into Ophiod's staff. Ophiod was sent sliding backwards from the sheer force of it, his arms burning from the strength Arcturus had behind his strikes. The Anacondrai then slowly slithered towards him, his blade brandished.
"You know the rules of our sparring session, Ophiod," Arcturus tossed his sword away. Ophiod looked down to his staff, his mind suddenly hesitant. Arcturus frowled and shook his head, "To rely on a weapon means nothing if you are not to rely on yourself."
Reluctantly, Ophiod let go of the staff, tossing it aside. The moonlight from the exit behind them framed Arcturus, while Ophiod was shrouded in shadow and firelight. Ophiod slowly raised his tail up from the ground, his fists raised. Arcturus did the same. Both warriors waited for the first to make a move, waiting for the other to make the Slither Pit begin.
Ophiod struck first. He threw his body hurtling towards Arcturus, ducking down and slashing his tail out to try to destabilize Arcturus. The Anacondrai's own tail shot out and struck Ophiod's like a sword stopping a spear. Ophiod swung his elbow to attack, which was also caught by the Anacondrai. Arcturus threw Ophiod back, launching his own attack before Ophiod had even recovered.
Acting in instinct, Ophiod blocked Arcturus' blows with his tail curled up in front of him. His strong Viper scales were enough to repel Arcturus' fists. The General reached forward and grabbed Ophiod's tail with both hands before Ophiod could pull it back, forcing Ophiod to remain in place. Ophiod twisted his entire body to try to break free, managing to after the tip of his tail struck Arcturus' hands. When Ophiod slid away, Arcturus didn't even look the slightest bit winded.
Ophiod launched another attack, this time using his tail to throw him forward with faster momentum. The moment Arcturus braced for him, Ophiod used his tail to snap his body in a feint to the right. He crouched down and hurled his shoulder up into Arcturus' side, hoping to throw the Anacondrai off. When he collided with him, however, Arcturus barely moved.
"You are fast, my Prince," Arcturus shot his hand down and grabbed Ophiod's shoulder, "But speed is nothing without strength!" Arcturus threw his body in a quick snap, hurling Ophiod away from him. Ophiod snapped his tail out like a coil to let him land harmlessly.
Arcturus was the one to press his assault. The Anacondrai raced forward and snapped his tail out in front of him to deliver a powerful blow to Ophiod's chin. Ophiod snapped his own tail forward, catching Arcturus' own. The two Serpentine shot around the floor, throwing their tails out to strike out at the other in perfect rhythm. The sounds of their scales clashing with the other was all that filled the air with an almost primal, rhythmic melody. Master and student attacked the other in lightning fast slashes, each trying to destabilize the other.
Ophiod caught Arcturus' tail with his own, then reached out and grabbed hold of his own tail to throw himself forward. He brought his head into Arcturus' own in a massive headbutt, causing them both to explode with pain. Ophiod reached out with his hands to grab Arcturus' shoulders, yanking him forward and striking his tail into Arcturus' chest. He let go to send Arcturus onto his back. Ophiod put his fists up, huffing hard as he did.
"...Why did you leave us, Prince?" Arcturus asked as he hefted himself upright, "Do you know what anguish your mother has gone through, knowing this?"
"...I have my own mission now," Ophiod lowered his head, "My own charge. I must fulfill it."
"I have known your mother from before you were born, since before she was to be Queen," Arcturus sighed, "I was her friend from the moment we shared our ambitions to become powerful Serpentine. I was there when she met your father. And even when you were born!"
Ophiod shouted and hurled himself forward, throwing his tail at Arcturus. Arcturus wrapped his tail around his left arm to take the attack, while his right arm shot out to strike Ophiod's chin. Ophiod's world lit up for a moment as he jumped backwards, cradling his face. Arcturus began to slither around him, forcing Ophiod to do the same.
"...I have one regret in my life," Arcturus placed his hand to his chest, "When you were barely old enough to cry, your mother found an assassin in your room. Do you know the horror she felt, watching someone hold you as a young snake, crying as they declared no half-breed would rule the throne? It was my charge to stop them. It was my fault that she was forced to see that. To see the hatred that we Serpentine harbor for humans, even the one that helped us win the war!"
Arcturus lashed out at Ophiod. Ophiod could only throw his arms up as Arcturus lashed out against his guard. Ophiod was beaten backwards, hiding his head behind his forearms and tail as Arcturus continued to speak.
"It was my fault you were raised in this palace for all your life!" Arcturus shouted, "My fault you grew up isolated from the world! When your mother asked me to be your personal guard, I knew that it was my duty to ensure your safety. I was not able to protect you from the hatred that the Serpentine had for you. And I dedicated my life to ensuring that you would never face it again so long as I was there to protect you!"
Arcturus broke Ophiod's guard with a sharp slice of his tail. Ophiod was thrown backwards onto the stairs to the throne. Arcturus launched onto him to drive him into the ground. Ophiod threw his arms up and caught Arcturus' fists, barely holding him back. As the two snakes struggled, Ophiod drew deep breaths to hold him back.
"Why… why must you tell me this!?" Ophiod growled, "What reason do you do it?! I am grateful to you, Arcturus! You do not need to hear that from me!"
"Because you have left us!" Arcturus shouted, "You have forced us to wonder for your safety, to rely upon others to see to it that you live! Do you know what feeling that brings upon us?!"
Ophiod's tail reached out for something, hooking on the lip of a stair leading up to the throne. He used the perch to yank himself out from under Arcturus. He violently twisted his body in a roll to get away, launching himself upright just as Arcturus beset him again. Ophiod weaved around his attacks, looking to face the general head on.
"I left so that my mission would not involve you!" Ophiod shouted, "It is a mission I must do alone! I only permitted Skales to accompany me for reasons you would not understand!"
"You are only able to fight because I trained you!" Arcturus growled, "I am the one that gave you every skill you know. I was the one that spent hours showing you how to see your opponent, to read them, to counter them! When you asked me to learn to fight, I agreed knowing you had the spirit of a warrior. But a warrior does not leave his people without reason!"
Ophiod caught one of Arcturus' fists. Arcturus' tail lashed out and wrapped around Ophiod's neck, strangling him. Ophiod felt his world go blurry as the sheer strength of Arcturus' arm was too much for him. In desperation, he racked his brain for what to do. Sensing it, Arcturus let go just as Ophiod twisted his body into Spinjitzu, throwing himself away and racing right towards the snake. His blue and copper tornado raced across the floor with force and power.
Arcturus narrowed his eyes, watching the tornado closely. Just as it was about to hit him. Arcturus whipped his tail out and struck several times, each one sliding into and hitting Ophiod. Ophiod's form was blown apart, and within seconds, Ophiod was thrown backwards from his Spinjitzu. As Ophiod's world spun from shock, Arcturus launched himself onto Ophiod again. Ophiod tried to put up a guard, but Arcturus grabbed his arm and hefted him up.
"You leave us for reasons you claim are just, Prince," Arcturus spat, "But what are they, truly?! Do you think running away, leaving us behind for reasons that cannot be anything more than selfish, will benefit us?! Do you feel some obligation towards us?!"
Ophiod opened his mouth to whisper a magic word. The moment he did, Arcturus hurled him down onto the ground. The wind was knocked from his body. Arcturus growled as he planted himself on top of Ophiod, his tail lashing out to strike him.
"The Queen worries each day of your life!" Arcturus shouted, his tail striking Ophiod with each declaration, "You, her only son, the one that has spent his life under threat, under duress, has vanished from her life! And now you return, only to slink out before anyone other than I can find you. Is that not the behavior of a coward?!"
Ophiod gasped in pain as Arcturus' tail struck his ribs. Arcturus yanked him upwards again, putting them on eye level. Ophiod whispered a magical spell in those few seconds, his body hardening. Arcturus simply narrowed his gaze and growled at him before throwing him down again.
"Is this about your lineage, Ophiod?" Arcturus shouted, "Do you fight for that reason, like you did Slithraa? Do you fight to show you are as strong as any Serpentine, to prove to us that you are a Prince? Tell me, Ophiod, what is your reason for leaving us?!"
Arcturus' tail struck his hardened body. Ophiod shouted in pain. Somehow, even with his spell, it hurt. He tried to get a defense up, but now Arcturus had gotten on him. His mind flashed to other memories. Of feeling Slithraa doing the same to him. Of the derision of the others. Of the pain of seeing himself unable to stop the others as they attacked Invictus. Of the look of Skales as his shadows tore him apart.
"I fight for myself!" Ophiod wheezed out, weakly grabbing Arcturus' tail to try to stop the pain, "I fight… I fight for reasons… reasons that I… that I must fulfill!"
"..." Arcturus simply yanked his tail back and gave a hard smack to Ophiod's head. The spell immediately faded as Ophiod's concentration was broken at once. Arcturus launched himself forward and reached down, grabbing Ophiod and slamming him onto the ground again. The Anacondrai slithered over and planted himself on top of Ophiod. Ophiod's body burned from each strike Arcturus had landed on him. He couldn't focus enough to use his magic. Arcturus stood over him, a victorious Serpentine.
"Then… I will keep you here by force," Arcturus raised his tail, "...Forgive me, Prince!" Arcturus brought his tail down. Ophiod shut his eyes.
The sound of something impacting Arcturus caused Ophiod's eyes to fly open. Ophiod raised his head to see Arcturus climbing upright from the floor beside him. A shadow was resting over Ophiod's head. Slowly, Ophiod turned his face to see who stood there. In his ally's hand was none other than a golden blade, pointed towards the Anacondrai.
"S-Skales…?" Ophiod coughed out, pushing himself upright. Skales slowly stepped over him. Just him taking the stance that he was, holding his special blade forward, showed the effort it took for him to be moving at all. The hypnobrai huffed heavily, his left arm holding the sword. His right dangled at his side, unable to move. Even as his body shook, though, his eyes were open, and his red swirls were lit with a fierce determination.
"Skales…" Arcturus slowly brushed himself off, "Why have you interrupted our Slither Pit?"
Skales said nothing. He lowered his head, letting the shadows of his flaps slowly take over his gaze. He took a long few breaths, then took a step forward. His leg locked into place just so he could remain upright. Ophiod starred at Skales in shock as he took another step forward, and yet another still. Arcturus remained in place as Skales slowly made his way over to him. When Skales reached Arcturus, his right arm twitched, then shot out to grip hold of Arcturus' shoulder. The touch was as much to stabilize Skale as it was to let him raise his face to meet the Anacondrai's gaze head on.
"I have… said this before... " Skales growled out, his voice hoarse and rough, "And I will say it to any that mean him harm…" Skales let out a long hiss, "So long as I draw breath… in my body, I will never allow harm to come to Ophiod!"
"And you believe that I meant harm to the Prince," Arcturus stated back.
"Ophiod's mission is one that he must… must see through," Skales growled, "And if you stand in his way, even now… even if you are the one that was by his side before me… I will see to it that you no longer are able to stand."
Arcturus remained silent. Ophiod slowly got his way up to his hands and tail, looking down at the ground. A feeling of shame pulsed through him. A deep shame that burned through his core. One that made tears begin to trickle down his face, no longer from pain, but from his own anger at himself. Skales had come to rescue him, again. He'd come to protect him… again. Even with the scroll, he wasn't strong enough.
"I did not request your presence, Skales!"
Ophiod's eyes widened. He looked up to see Arcturus reach out and grab Skales by the throat. Ophiod's body went cold. Arcturus slowly closed his fist, causing Skales to choke. The Hypnobrai thrashed in the air, but he could do nothing with his weakened body. As the sight was burned into Ophiod's eyes, Ophiod's body began to flare with magic.
"NO!" Ophiod shouted, grabbing his staff. The Scroll, at once, flared with a powerful magic, firing back into Ophiod's body as his desire peaked. Arcturus turned just in time to see Ophiod raise the staff and throw it forward, a massive bolt of orange power firing at Arcturus. Arcturus was too late to put up his guard as the magic struck him in his chest, sending him flying back until he struck Aspheera's throne. The moment he did, the lightning broke apart and wrapped around him, tying him to the throne as pure magic was sent coursing into his body. Arcturus let out a silent scream as his body was wracked with power, draining him of his strength. By the time that the magic faded, the Anacondrai fell to the floor and rolled down the stairs, coming to a rest at the base of them, his body slowly rising smoke and not moving.
"Skales!" Ophiod didn't care to see if he'd won. All at once, the injured Viper raced over and grabbed hold of Skales. The Hypnobrai coughed several times, his eyes fluttering as he looked towards Ophiod. His left arm still gripped his blade in a death grip, while his right was limp again. Slowly, Skales coughed.
"Ophiod…?" Skales groaned, "...You should… leave… the palace guards will see you…"
"Skales!" Ophiod hugged Skales hard, "You… you, you are alive, you…!" Ophiod sputtered out, "I, I must apologize I am, I am sorry! I am sorry, hear me! Please, do not leave me, you cannot leave me behind… I love you, I love you! You must not leave me…"
"I won't ever… leave you…" Skales whispered, "Not even… death will part us…" Skales pressed his head into Ophiod's shoulder, "You… you are everything in my life… you are the Prince… I love you… and will stay by… your side…"
"I-It is alright, you need not talk!" Ophiod fully stood up, cradling Skales in his arms, "Don't… do not worry, don't worry about me. I'm… I'm…" Ophiod just held onto Skales for a few moments, letting his hearing slowly listen for it. The sound of Skales' breathing. It was evening out. Ophiod held Skales tightly, leaning down to press his chin to Skales' head.
"I… am… your… knight…" Skales whispered, his mind slowly fading from exhaustion, "And I… will always… be… yours…" Slowly, Skales' eyes flickered shut, his energy spent and his body fading back into an unwanted rest.
Ophiod held onto Skales for a few more moments, cherishing the feeling of his body. Letting Skales relax into his warmth. Letting him simply rest in his arms, knowing Ophiod was relieved of his worry over skales refusing to wake up. Everything was okay. He was okay. Ophiod hadn't lost him. After he had gathered his thoughts, he turned to where Arcturus was laying on the ground. The Anacondrai had stirred.
"Y-You…" Ophiod slithered towards him, picking his staff up to point at where he lay, "You would hurt… him. I… I would…" His worlds faded.
"Did you… did you believe for a moment I would hurt the one that you care for most?" Arcturus coughed, "I was the one… that sent you to the Frozen Wastes where you meet him," Arcturus turned his head to see Ophiod's stare had hardened. A moment of familiarity echoed in Arcturus' eyes before he slowly laid down on the ground.
"...I see," Arcturus groaned, "You truly are… your mother's child."
"...I have won," Ophiod declared, "I win. I will, I will leave now. You will uphold our agreement. You are not to speak of this to my mother. Do you understand?"
"I would not violate the sacred tradition of the Slither Pit," Ophiod starred in shock as Arcturus slowly stood up and bowed to him, even with his pained body, "You have my word, Prince. I wish you luck on whatever adventure that you embark on. I will ensure that Skales is healed, and then send him to you."
"...When Skales is healed, you will send him to the Oasis," Ophiod declared, "The point between our city and Caduceus. I will place a spell on his weapon so that I will know when he arrives there. He will join me then."
"As you wish," Arcturus bowed, "You have proven to me that your strength is not yours alone, Ophiod. You and Skales, together, will grow into warriors that will surpass any of the deeds that I have done. I will offer you once piece of advice, however," Arcturus frowned, "To rely on another for your power is a deed that takes a path of great sacrifice. You must walk that path if you wish to be with him. Do not let your feelings sway you from that path."
"I will not," Ophiod looked down at Skales, "I will return him to his chamber. After that, I will leave. You will not see me again for some time, Arcturus. You may have Skales inform her that I am safe, to… to ease her mind."
Arcturus said nothing more. Ophiod slowly slithered away from the throne room, carrying Skales in his arms. As he did, his mind was racing with emotions that he didn't understand. Feelings he couldn't comprehend. Things that he didn't know what they meant. Even as he slithered away, he knew that he'd won. He'd proved himself to Arcturus. He'd shown his determination and won. So why did it not feel like a victory?
Ophiod didn't want to think about that now. All that mattered was his resolve. He'd proven that resolve to Arcturus. He'd prove it to Skales. The Twins believed in him. Even if he had his doubts, even if he had his worries… he would push on. It was for the best for the Serpentine. For himself. For Skales. Ophiod carried Skales down the moonlit halls of the palace, readying himself for whatever his future would bring, and whatever his stand would now mean.
Author's Note:
So! A bit of explanation. First of all, I was incredibly busy this weekend, hence why this chapter has gone up so late! I initially wrote everything with Ophiod and Arcturus a long time ago after the idea struck me, and now was the only time I found I could feasibly insert it. I went back and forth as to whether or not to include the beginning with Prime, but it finally let me get out some good information, so I'm happy I included it!
Once again, I'm incredibly thankful for yet another piece of fanart that I have to make sure I feature! Please go and support ninjagoxart on Tumblr, and thank you so much for your piece!
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I also have to do the same again for hwompy! Your fanart is amazing and honestly I'm spoiled to have so much of it! Thank you so much! The new cover art for both and Wattpad is courtesy of them!
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