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Before the mist dome exploded,
Amerie and Isaac as well as Peacock finally have the chance to get out of the cabinets. Yes, they were stuck in there for more than a day. All because Peacock kept telling them to stay as he was able to snatch food from the kitchen unnoticed. A crazy ability of shrinking and enlarging that affects anything in his feathers. Which Amerie asked if they can also be shrunk and the idea of having them underneath his feathers was…and is still, disturbing his thoughts.
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“Peacock, get out in there.” Isaac murmurs at Peacock’s cabinet and the bird finally gets his feathers together
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“No more guards out there boy?”
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“They have all gone up, but there are royals and nobles running around,”
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“Saw a dead body, earthquakes, loud monster roars, now this, Wild day it has been” walking out of his cabinet and gesturing for the boy and Amerie to wait. He shrunk to dust sized before peeking out of the prison cell bars. Seeing wealthy garments and blings of jewelries. He flies, following the hallway and recognizing well known high royals from Fa’Yore and Djahatis in their own cells. High Royals in prison! “What is happening up there?” asking himself as he perches on a soldier’s armor. “Onwards!” He orders but then the soldier’s gloved hands almost crushed him flat—thankfully he is fast enough to go under the armor. “You are just hearing things~”. Then the armor starts moving, left and right bobbing.
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He peeks behind iron walls, watching the outside which the soldier is climbing up a flight of stairs before stopping in front of what seems like an iron gate. Stopping indoor sardines—common folks crowded in a mess and yelling about how they need help. But the soldier simply stands by the side and have his back facing them. Peacock climbs out of the armor and flaps his wings again.
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Surveying the area before the air suddenly shook and a loud roar rattles his tiny ears. Fortunately, he shrunk them in time they burst but that loud monstruous roar. He flies in a hurry, towards a window of the fort and---“COOCK!?” A FALLING POMEGRANATE ALMOST CUT HIS HEAD OFF. “Tha---That was close…”
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Wailing and frowning is the sky that somehow reminds him of Amerie’s frown. Thick clouds that have no form but seems to look like its reaching out and searching for something. Marvelous, it is, but the falling Pomegranates will kill him instantly if he would have flown past the window. Flapping his wings again for the second level of the fort. And here is crowded as well. Children are even being held up and carried like boxes for delivery. Then, to the third level where it is still crowded. Everything in and on the courtyard of the fort is crowded.
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“WHAT IS THAT!?” The people shout, pointing and facing the giant undead striding towards them.
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“WHAT IS THAT!?” Peacock wastes no time gawking as he flies back for Amerie and Isaac at mach speed. Arriving at the duo in less than five seconds before enlarging himself and fluttering his tail feathers to cover them all.
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“W-wha, Peacock what’s happening?” Isaac asks
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“Hold on you two” Peacock says, bracing for something and the two braces as well. Curling themselves for…three, ten, twenty seconds later, nothing happened other than something monstruous screaming in agony. “I—I was for sure we were to get crushed”
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“That sounds terrible!” Amerie says, “Don’t say that”
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“But it is true!”
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“So can we get out?” Isaac asks again which Peacock shakes his head,
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“It is raining ice! And a downpour at the same time. Plus, there are undead around so I do not know how we can get out safely. Even if I snug you two in my feathers.”
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“But you musn’t get scared. You have to try!” Encouragingly spitting at the Peacock’s face, “We have to get out of here”
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Which Peacock does not bother since it has been a while for this princess to speak, “Thank you for your words princess but…”
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“I am siding with the princess” Isaac says,
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“There is no taking sides here boy,”
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“I can feel it though” Amerie says, placing a hand on her fist, “Mægfæge coming to an end which can’t be ended on a cold weather! And this is coming from a princess who have lived through fifteen Mægfæges. It should end on a warm and happy note! With the Nautrens happy and everyone merry!” Her determined eyes already speaking much for Isaac and Peacock.
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“Mægfæge celebrates for the spirits” Isaac adds, guessing to Amerie’s point, “But when we arrived, we just saw that they are giving thanks to the princesses…will the spirits get mad at us?”
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“Good and smart little Isaac. That’s what I was thinking as well when I saw how Mægfæge has changed. Before, the Nautrens would just be sulky and we’d fix that with a better Mægfæge. But this…I wouldn’t even call this a Mægfæge. It’s just a big celebration which is fooling everyone!”
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Another loud roar cracks through the air and Peacock, seeing how Amerie’s eyes wet just like the searching clouds he saw, enlarge himself for his feathers to cover both. Then quickly shrinks and flying out of the cell. Amerie and Isaac holding on tight. Though it is indeed uncomfortable, feeling like two headlice keeps scratching on his underbelly.
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They fly, “Where do we go!?” Peacock almost forgetting the important question,
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“I doubt Oby guessed the Mægfæge nor haven’t he talked about past Mægfæges seeing how there was none at all!”
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“Best get to the point princess”
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“A-ah right, sorry. Maybe an open space and on the ground?”
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And Peacock flies above the heads of the messy sardines. Flowing through the heated and suffocating air of the fort before diving outside. Countless pomegranates threatening to squash him dead.
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CRACK, did the dome mist before---Exploding
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At the same time, Peacock enlarges himself on a space between the undead and the fort. “Gaah, what just happened?” Furling his feathers open and the familiar red mist shrouds them. Guttural moans and rotten scent of undead surrounds their senses.
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“This was a bad spot Peacock…” Isaac says in a quiet voice, holding onto Amerie’s hand and fearing that something might pop out at any second. But then, balls of light peeks from the ground. Though refusing to jump up.
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“Little ones” Amerie kneels, letting go of the boy as she tries to scoop them. But the littles shake themselves, eyes frightened by something, “Okay, okay,” nodding with her ears leaning close to them as possible, “Your Mægfæge…of course, of course. Mægfæge is yours as always…just that, now Mægfæge, is not Mægfæge -----”
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An undead pounce at Amerie but Peacock quickly whips it away with his tail of feathers.
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Isaac utters silent words, remembering how Ober would mouth it then a blue ball of light hovers above his shoulder. Only to attract the loud screeches of the dead. “A—ah… this was my mistake as well…”
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“They’ve gone…?” Amerie utters low and soft, furrowing her brows, “Please tell me?”
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Whipping undead left and right, Peacock has gotten so used to it that he opens his tail train and tries to fan the fog away. But his overconfidence blasts a bomber against his feathers, grunting himself with the pain as he shortens his bleeding tail. “Those hurts…”
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“Princess Amerie, are you done?” Isaac asks who has done nothing other than keeping an eye for something and truly, something appears before the boy, surprising him with its ghoulish, head sized rows of mandibles. Spitting black bile at its face and vomiting down the boy’s mouth.
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“Isaac!” Peacock whips the zombie off the coughing boy, hooking and pulling him by his wing. “Princess, we have to go now. There is too many of them.”
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Guttural grunts of the dead, screaming of the pained, yelling of the lost, and wailing of the living. The scent of rot overwhelms their noses with Isaac being drenched and drunk of that zombie’s bile. Peacock worriedly asks if the boy is okay, not knowing what to do himself. Other than to look out and whip any coming undead. Then, Amerie finally stands.
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“Princess!” Peacock and Isaac calls, their heads craning up the giantess, “We have to get out---” catching their breaths,
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Slowly waking herself to a reality that can only be shrouded with a red fog, thick in the stench of death rather than waking in the embrace of caring Nautrens. Her eyes smolder green, solemnly so that her veins and ends of her hair simmer verdant. “The moon has past” muttering in echoic divine, “So hast Mægfæge’s final hour. I realized too late, and the children…spoke too late.”
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Isaac and Peacock dare not to speak, only that they have to keep the undead awa—the earth devours it. So, with the rest that comes near them. “I can’t blame. None can be blamed.” Amerie utters as they hear the clouds crackle, “Blame no one, children.” She says before the downpour pierces through red fog. Dispersing it and replacing with grey breaths. Every hail become giant droplets, striking heavy down onto her shoulders. Heavy…so heavy that no one can hear them from the clouds. And Amerie herself, wishes not to hear them, not until the final words of this Mægfæge are uttered.
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