Chapter 9: “Candy from Strangers”
As the sudden bright light broke across his eyes like fragmented crystalline glass, erupting in a rainbow of pattern and form in the deep gloom behind them all, Tharne could not contain the exclaimed gasp at the scene in front of him. A grand cavernous room towered above, its enormous arches spanning the walls and interconnecting in a mass of art and form in the dull grey of the stone. pure clear water trickled down from hundreds of miniature aqueducts, forming shapes and eddies in their flows through the structure’s many layers of intricate design. However, most surprising of all, having spent so many hours down in the lifeless depths of the dark city were the trees. Great spindly things like twisting black grey tendrils sprouted from the ground around the waters, their many branches reaching in crossing patterns and strange forms as they ventured almost seeking out into the gloomy greys around them. Sparkling leaves of a hundred colors at once played a symphony of light across the floors, reflecting in the many pools and rivulets draining through the roots and off into the depths of the tower to places unknown and delicate red and sweet smelling fruits
hung low from the branches, inviting them to eat and producing such a mix of complex emotions like physical waves of desire and relaxation emanating from each one that it was almost overpowering to stand and stare at them too long.
While they stood together in awe, Tharne saw something moving between the boughs of the stretching trees, and coming to his senses he watched as Ivy played a cheerful game, skipping over each of the trees roots and the tiny streams, spinning and laughing, she picked the fruits and, with an almost animalistic gleam in her eyes, devoured them whole.
him and he began to search for the source of the feelings of pure hope and familiarity, for beneath it, tickling at his mind, desperately clambering to escape whatever forgotten corner of his being it was trapped in, was a feeling he could not identify or remember, something important he should know, something urgent yet unknown and forgotten, as sheer silk billowing in the wind, always just beyond the reach of his thoughts.
Walking forward, his gaze drawn up, his thoughts and eyes focused on the source of this rooms familiarity.
Towering through the trees and the room itself stood the great Hourglass, just as it did in the grand hall above. Thirteen spiraling colors encircled each other, darting and weaving their complex patterns, yet here something was different. Fine cracks had appeared from some immense stress and the essences from the colors were dropping slowly, like liquid snowflakes to delicately waft between the trees in a never ending cloud of miniature particulates. As he watched carefully one of the droplets drifted down, its iridescent hues
sparkling and reflecting in upon themselves, and as he waited with expectation, a delicate tree sapling sprouted from the spot where the drop had touched.
A joy spread through him at the sight of this new life being born in the dark of this horrible place, and yet somewhere in the darkest place of his being, part of him was silently screaming an unknown message at him.
A presence jogged at his memory in its familiarity and its sudden difference and turning he found Ivy standing, her mouth and sensuous lips splayed in an alluring red from the ripe juices of the many fruits, dripping from the corners of her mouth red as blood. Behind her, the others were moving slowly finally from the doorway, their eyes glazed and faded with a forgotten serenity and joy as they moved forth into the grove of trees.
“Try some” whispered ivy, her dress now falling open slightly at the collar to expose her shoulders and neckline, her lips moving with a hypnotic grace as she whispered to him and only him, her hands reaching
forth as the branches of the many strange trees began to lower down around him, offering their candy red fruits to him, alluring him into their forgotten joys and desires.
Inside him somewhere, a voice of his own reason began a sound which could have been a slow sobbing, however, it paled in comparison to the incredible allure of the fruit and Ivy, their desire driving him forward towards their purity and essence.
Reaching forward for the nearest fruit, the gleaming of Ivy’s eyes showed a longing and care without any hint of hidden malice in their vicious hunger.
Movement dashed across his vision as a blur of purple and grey streaked past, knocking his hand backwards and kicking Ivy across the room. He watched as the delicate form of Ivy flew through the air and to his horror she landed with a horrific snarling gait like a demonic animal, her mouth full of vicious circling teeth and her now black eyes spiteful and intent.
Standing before him was a young woman, her hair flowing in hundreds of grey white braids, woven with rings of wildflowers at the end of each. A cloak of flowing scarves covered her form in a fluttering mess of fabric whenever she moved, and when she did move, each step was with precision and planning.
Suddenly that distant part of him was freed and he looked around at the sharpened tips of the branches, now reaching back to strike at them all, it screamed to be heard, It was a warning.
“Take back what is yours!” screamed the Woman before him and running from the arches nearby came a familiar form in white, beautiful hair billowing behind her, the form of Ivy.
Then the world came crashing down, frantically grasping his staff and deflecting the piercing horrors of the monstrous trees and they attempted to destroy him, he battled fiercely as, nearby, he watched the forms of his friends do the same.
Outside the rings of hungering trees stood Ivy, frantically struggling against the snapping maw of the demonic Ivy as they wrestled for control of the Orange Scepter. The strange new woman danced with the piercing branches of the horrifying trees, moving with a sinuous, fluid grace as she deflected stabbing blows from powerful and terrible slashing barbs, keeping the evil trees apart from the two battling Ivys. As she moved, the wild flowers in her hair rings grew and spread, shedding petals in a hurricane of color and blurring shades. growing larger and larger, and finally culminating in a creature of pure wonder, the trees nearby creaked in a ghostly chorus of fear and loathing as the beautiful floral Ent struck forth, tearing the trees to shreds.
Ducking and diving out of the way and under the sweeping blows of the great beast, Tharne leapt aside with petals erupting in a beautiful simplicity from every explosive blow of its powerful limbs.
If this Woman was on their side, He was glad to have her in his now weakened state.
Shattered Cosmos 
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