It was a calmer night in the Shadow World. Well, as calm as it could get for the place but it was enough to not be weary of your surroundings.
Maxwell found himself trudging through one of the thicker forest areas, arms wrapped tightly around himself, trying to keep warm. He was thankful for his coat but the cold still managed to nip at his body.
This… is… humiliating!
He sat down by a pond, deciding to rest for a moment, his legs feeling weak from all the walking he had done that day.
To think… within in a few mere MONTHS I've been reduced to this. I was a KING! A BLOODY KING! And now… I'm nothing. Absolutely nothing.
He gripped at his arms, growling a bit, his eyes narrowing in anger.
I won't let it stay that way though. I told them I would be back and oh I will be. I'll make them ALL pay. Especially Higgsbury. He has it coming the most. Yes… That's what I'll do. I'll gather up power again. I'll kill every last one of them and take my throne back and then… then…
… I'd be back where I started…
Maxwell lowered his head.
… Is that what I really want though…? Having power was great when it actually was something I had control over but… looking at how it has been…
He looked down at his reflection in the pond He looked nothing like he last remembered. There was no denying that he looked like a wreck. His suit was ruffled, torn in some places, stained with mud and still had the blood stain from his battle with Wilson. Most notable thing of all was his hair. He wasn't sure when it happened but instead of being the dark brown he and William shared, it was now silver in color and was wild and loose.
Maxwell's hand shook as he brought it to his hair, running it through the silver locks as he stared into the pond, eyes wide in shock as he took it all in.
"I'm aging…" He whispered, his voice cracking. "I'm actually aging…" Panic welled up in his chest.
I'm going to die of old age. Splendid. JUST SPLENDID. Thank you SOOO much for this, Higgsbury. I jump start your weak genes and this is how you thank me!?
He took a deep breath trying to calm himself down. No, if he was going to die by old age he would have by now, he reasoned. Surely it would've happened already, nothing but dust and bones.
Wonderful… is this how a king meets his end?
Maxwell cringed at that thought, looking at himself again in the pond, thinking back to it all.
… I was no king. I was a slave to the nightmare monsters. I always had to tend to their needs so balance could be kept. So they didn't give me a bigger headaches. So the world didn't come crumbling down because of Them… Guess that's just how it's always been. I never had control. That was my only purpose. Keep the nightmare monsters in line. Please Them. It was never me calling the shots. It was THEM.
Maxwell's shoulders shook as he gripped harder at his arms.
Hehe… Aahahaha… It was all one big illusion on myself… I was such a bloody fool. More of a fool than William was… Ahahaha… I was never meant to be anything more than damage control. That's all I ever was since I was created! Nothing more than that! Who was I to think I could be a king let alone a GOD!?
Maxwell laid down flat on the ground, arms spread out, small laughs escaping his mouth.
"Why do I ever want to go back there? Being king again sounds rather awful. No, it is awful, no more lying… Heh… I guess Higgsbury did me a favor then in separating William and I. It got me off the throne and broke the cycle. To top it off he gave me this form so he really did do me a favor-" Maxwell stopped short as he realized what just left his mouth. "... Wilson Percival Higgsbury did me a favor… I…" One of his eyes twitched. "... I actually OWE him!" He groaned bringing a hand to his face. "What has this world come to? I actually owe someone for once instead of the other way around! Unbelievable!"
I owe someone a favor. Great, now I want to kill him just to eliminate that.
But then he'd find a way to come back.
Always.
Ugh… What has happened to my life? What in all shadows IS my life now!?
"RAAAAAAAAUGH!"
CRASH!
Maxwell's ear perked up at the sound of a screeching monster. He knew that sound all too well.
"Deerclops?" He asked, getting up, hurrying over to the source.
It was quite the distance but he soon found the place, his eyes widening in horror at what he saw. The mighty beast's corpse was lying on its side, its single eye glazed over with death. Its fur was matted and torn, blood dripping from large wounds that had been inflicted on it.
"What… in shadows?" Maxwell looked at the wounds carefully. "No survivor caused this. The wounds are larger than any weapon they can make."
"C'mere little fawn. I just want to play."
"Scree!"
Maxwell's head snapped towards the sounds, seeing a man cornering what appeared to be a much smaller and younger looking version of the deerclops.
The fawn cowered in fear, backing up against a tree as the man drew closer.
"That's right, cry out. Cry out for dear king or should I call him your father? Either way, cry for him. I want him to see you die at my hands so he can pay for everything he did."
Maxwell didn't need any further explanation. He knew exactly who the man was. While he knew many held grudges against him, there was only one who was this cruel and bitter. Who would go to such lengths just to get him angry.
And by shadows, Maxwell was SEETHING.
The fawn let out a shriek, cowering as the man drew back his hand, said hand covered in claws made of shadows.
"Now DIE!"
Maxwell rushed over, grabbing the man's arm before he could strike the fawn.
"So much as lay a finger on him and you'll lose your whole arm, Cato!" Maxwell hissed.
Cato sneered at him, a laugh escaping him.
"So, you finally show yourself eh, Your Highness?" He struggled. "Release me at once!"
"I don't take orders from scum like you. Especially scum that try to mimic me." Maxwell narrowed his eyes, taking in Cato's appearance. "So, you finally got the man?"
"I have you to thank for that." Cato broke from his grasp, facing him entirely. "It's quite a nice body, I must say. He was perfectly healthy despite being in an asylum for so long. Sure, had to do some grooming but little things."
Maxwell narrowed his eyes, seeing what he had done to the body. The man's hair was nicely smoothed back, some silver streaks being present in the dark hair. He had a small beard as well, nicely trimmed to the tip of his chin. He sneered a bit, seeing Cato was right about the condition of the body. It was perfectly tuned and young in every way.
"You made him that way." Maxwell growled. "You kept him young so when he finally broke he would be perfect. That's just unforgivable!"
"Oh, like you're any different." Cato spat. "You're just as bad! I've seen your other hosts. You do the same thing to every single one."
"I am not!"
"Bloody hypocrite."
"I only did it once I was in control! Not when they were still alive! I had some decency to not torture them with THAT!"
"Mm-hm… Right... So, your last host…" Cato narrowed his eyes. "A perfectly healthy young man just gave up his body like that? And you had no influence on his mind? Or locking up his consciousness?"
Maxwell wanted to respond but… he couldn't deny any of that. They were all correct. All he could respond with was silence.
I am a horrible person.
"And now you're here, protecting your demon spawn. I'd be doing the world a favor by killing him, just like how I'd be doing it a favor for doing you in." Cato moved to slash right at Maxwell's face.
Maxwell, however, was faster, dodging, growling at him, getting in front of the fawn, taking on a defensive stance.
"I'd rather not go out by garbage."
"Hmph. I prefer monster." Cato scoffed. "Regardless, I'm the result of you not handling your powers properly. I bet Tenebrae would be so disappointed in his creation."
Maxwell's eyes narrowed.
"Yes… He would. I'm not holding back the nightmare monsters. I'm not stuck to the throne like a trained animal. I'm everything I wasn't supposed to be and I hate myself for it. Are you happy about that?"
"Not enough, if we're being honest."
"Then what will satisfy you?"
"Your death, me taking the throne once I remove that hag and her grandson and finally, enacting what I had planned long ago."
Maxwell sneered.
"Well, hate to crush your dreams but none of those are EVER happening. I took a vow long ago that you would die at my hands, Cato. That vow still holds to this day." He narrowed his eyes. "I will end you and not lay one hand on the man you're possessing."
Cato threw his head back laughing.
"This man is dead! He's useless without me! And you don't even have your original power!" He gave a crazed grin. "I'll never die. Especially when I get rid of you."
"... Even if you got rid of me. Honestly, you should fear someone else more than me. That person being Higgsbury. He was the one to dethrone me after all and not you."
"Feh. He's not even half like my host. He only has power because of YOU."
Maxwell fought down the urge to cringe.
I may have given him some but he had something innate. Something I couldn't even bestow. That was his genetics not my work.
"Regardless, even he has his weaknesses. One of them being this man standing before you." Cato chuckled. "One look at me and he'll start to crumble. I can see it now. "Father… Father, please, stop it!" Ha! I look forward to breaking his mind. Come on Maxy, you know that's something you would want to see. See him squirm after all he did to you. Wouldn't it be great?"
Maxwell was seeing red now.
Before Cato knew it, Maxwell struck him HARD across the face, his head snapping to the side.
"Silence. You're a disgrace to terrorbeaks and to Shadow Beings when you used to be one."
Cato was silent, looking at Maxwell shocked.
"... What did those survivors do the vile King Maxwell I once knew?"
Maxwell gave him a serious look.
"They freed me. Something you clearly forgot existed."
Cato stepped back, crossing his arms.
"Heh… you've gone soft. Well, this is quite the development. That aside, I guess I'll leave you alone for now. But know this, I'm far from being done. The deerclops was only the start. Your other children will soon be crying for their dear daddy to come save them."
Maxwell glared, a growl escaping him.
"And I will be there every time. You attack my young I'll kill you. Maybe I'll even skip separating you and allow you to feel everything that man would feel."
"Tsk, tsk, Let's not be brash now."
"LEAVE!"
"I will but I have… one last thing to give you." He snapped his fingers, nightmare monster materializing behind him, carrying some kind of form on their back. "The new queen has been neglecting this poor thing. Well, I mean, she has a will of her own, but she certainly isn't strong like she used to be. She tried picking a fight with me but let's say it didn't end well for her." He took the form off the nightmare monsters, tossing it before Maxwell's feet.
Maxwell's eyes widened as he realized what it was.
It was the Grue.
"Oh, shadows…" He knelt to them, bringing the form into his arms. "My Grue… My only companion after all these years…" He looked up at Cato, hatred in his eyes. "Why…? Why!?"
"Because the look on your face is so satisfying." Cato threw his head back laughing. "Don't worry, she's still alive, if only barely, but I thought I should return the dog back to her master."
Maxwell held the Grue closer, snarling at Cato.
"Call her a dog again and I rip your throat out."
"So brash. It's beautiful to see how far you've fallen from grace, Maxy. It pleases my darkened soul." Cato stepped back, turning on his heel. "I'll leave you to tend to your shattered life now. I'm sure we'll meet again. We're far from finished."
"The next time we meet I'm going to behead you! I'm sure I can recall how it was done back in the day!"
"Mm-hm. Sure… Sure… Till then, farewell."
And like that, he was gone.
Maxwell growled a bit before relaxing, looking at the collapsed form in his arms. She shared some likeness to Charlie in her face, but he knew for fact it wasn't her.
Just the side effect of being bonded to her.
Her black body was cut up all over, her face bruised. Her breathing was shallow, but it was a sign of life. She shifted a bit in his arms, huddling closer to him.
"My poor Grue…" Maxwell held her closer. "Please forgive me for being so stupid."
"Squeak."
Maxwell looked down, seeing the fawn was now at this side, tugging at his coat, giving a pleading look.
"I got you." He scooped him up into his free arm, cradling him close. "I'm here, my child. I'm never going to let this happen again."
The fawn huddled closer, relaxing, churring a bit. Maxwell churred in response, nuzzling them as the fawn buried his face in his coat.
"There we go. We'll save your siblings too. Right now, I need to focus on you and the Grue."
He shifted the Grue a bit so the fawn could be put into her arms, Maxwell being able to carry them both now.
The fawn curled up against the Grue, a yawn escaping him.
"Rest now… We're safe… You're safe."
The fawn nodded, closing his eye.
Maxwell gave a gentle smile, keeping them both close to him.
I may not be king anymore but at least I haven't lost everything.
His look darkened as he looked out to the landscape.
And I'm most certainly not letting Cato take it all away. I don't care what it takes or that I'm helping those survivors by trying to take him down.
He's gone too far now and it's time he paid in full.