Prodigy Dreams and Nightmares: ROOTS

Chapter 10 The Dark Side of the Mind

Puppet master's POV:

What the...what just happened? Pilot? Pilot where are you? Gah-!! My head...
Puppet master: Pilot! Where did you go?
One moment Pilot is here the next she isn't! Why does this keep happening? Hh...did she teleport away because I was yelling? No she wouldn't...at least I think she wouldn't...hhh, my head feels like it's pounding...
Welp it seems as though I might have to head to the Academy now, seeing as how Pilot is pretty much dislocated, oh Alenia is not gonna like this. Why does one tiny mishap have to happen and it makes everything go sideways? Heck, why do I even trust Pippet to wonder around on his own anymore? First he gets transported to another island and now he's god knows where with Pilots map going haywire. Stuff like this only ever happens every time someone goes down into the Academy's archives, Gale really has to start learning to lock up that door when nobody is in there.
...
Hhh...my headache...
It's getting worse...
Later down the trail back to the Academy I see a group of wizards all standing around in a circle. I normally don't really ask for help but perhaps they've seen Pilot.
Puppet master: *ahem* Hello wizards.
Upon getting over to the group of wizards they all stopped talking to each other and just looked at me, slack jawed. Okay nothing weird about that.
Puppet master: ...um-
The silence of the wizards broke abruptly when one of the female wizards screamed, some of them ran away from the group while others got their wands out.
Puppet master: Hey w-what are you all doing-
I felt something hit my back, it was an icicle, a small one but it still hurt a little. I looked up and someone had casted Spearicle Crush. I hardly had time to move out of the way. I was able to avoid getting stabbed by ice but I was hit with the shockwave that came when the spell crashed down onto the ground. I fell over and hit face-first onto the dirt. I got back up but I had dirt in my eyes now which made some things rather difficult to see. When my vision cleared up enough I caught a young wizard looking up at me, terrified.
Puppet master: Hey what the hell do you think your all doing...!? And why are you looking at me like that.
I saw the boy's lips trembling, unresponsive, I looked behind me and I saw a bright light come out of nowhere. Something had hit me in the face again, but this time...I blacked out.

...
I'm not sure how much time had passed since I was last awake...but I had woken up...somewhere...
Puppet master: h.....Hello....? Is anyone there?
I don't recognize this place, its cold and dim in here, the floor here felt like stone...I tried getting up but I soon realized that wasn't going to happen. Both of my "hands" were cuffed together and the ends of my robe were chained to a wall.
Puppet master: What is this place? It looks like a prison cell.
"That's because it is you insufferable snake."
I heard a very familiar voice speak, too familiar, it was female and sounded a bit ghostly.
Puppet master: Mira Shade.
Mira: I'm surprised to see you actually here, behind bars. Didn't think I'd live to see the day. But yet, here we are.
Puppet master: What's going on? And why am I here?
Mira: Don't play dumb you know why your here.
Puppet master: Uuhhh-No, actually I don't. One moment I was talking to Pilot and the next I get hit in the face with a light.
Mira: Who in the world is Pilot?
Puppet master: You know who Pilot is you met her before...
Mira: Hm, must have been one of your members, been seeing them quite often.
Puppet master: h-What? You....
Mira: Today you shall finally be judged for your crimes. This land has been tormented by you and the rest of the Order for long enough now. It's time.
Puppet master: What the-What is going on??
Mira: Save your questions and babbling for the judge.
Puppet master: The Judge???

Meanwhile...
Alenia's POV:
Alenia: So Florian, where did you even find Flowey anyways?
Flowey: Finally someone acknowledges my existence.
Florian: Oh well you see I sorta kinda just...found him one day, in the Academy's castle. Hob told me to keep an eye out for this guy and I've kept him with me ever since.
Flowey: And you still won't let me out of my pot.
Alenia: Hm, hey there Gale. You alright buddy? You've been awfully quite this whole time.
Gale: Oh, I'm fine. I'm just a little worried, that when we get back to the Academy something will be missing.
Alenia: So your getting that kind of bad feeling in your gut?
Gale: Sort of...
Alenia: What are you worried will be missing?
Gale: I don't know, something important...li-like the.....the....bridge....
Alenia: Huh? Oh what in the-
We were at the foot of the Academy, the structure's shadow loomed over us. But something was missing from it. The bridge to cross over into it, was gone.
Florian: The bridge!! It's gone!?
Flowey: What a twist.
Gale: What happened to the Academy's bridge!??
Alenia: Did it collapse again???
Gale: B-But that can only happen if....if....wait a minute-whose that over there....
On the other side of the field where the bridge should have been, there was a man wearing a mask and a cloak walking towards us. He looked a little familiar, like I've seen him before. But then we all noticed that walking just beside him was Pippet and Hob.