Shattered on The Ground (But Still I Find You Next to Me)
Words: 2480
Summary: Lady Katherine of House Blossom abandons the Overgrown for good once it was destroyed by the Great Explosion. In her despair, she goes on a quest to find her last remaining friend. But Shrub is off on a quest to find the gnomes, and Katherine, void of hope, follows her into the Nether, seeking answers.
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The burning air, still carrying molecules of dust and despair as a result of the explosion, burned Katherine's lungs. It became more intense as she walked through the jungle, where the humidity made the sensation even worse. She squinted as she pushed through the leaves, coughing occasionally. It was hard to tell whether her tears were caused by the extreme conditions surrounding her or by the recent turnout of events. Somewhere to her left, smoke lingered upwards, tracing the remains of the Jungle Empire - although the name "Lost Empire" seemed more befitting in those conditions.
It had been almost a day since Katherine had departed from House Blossom, following the path back to Spawn and from there she continued through the jungle. She didn't dare use her bee wings, for she was afraid that they would be destroyed under the sudden harsh conditions, and so she walked. Everywhere Katherine went, there was only fire, destruction and death. Katherine's heart ached at the view of the burning mountain where Rivendell laid and at the sight of the Gilded Helianthia being devoured by fire too. Rumor said that the Farmer Queen had burned to crisp alongside her kingdom. Katherine didn't want to believe it. Although, a lot of things she didn't believe could happen had occurred and now... Now they were left to pick up the pieces.
Eventually, Katherine reached the edge of the jungle, but that could be counted as anything but a blessing. The view before her was heart-wrenching; a giant hole to the ground and an enormous cloud that hadn't completely dishevelled lingered in the sky where once the town of Eastvale stood. Katherine clenched her shirt, already tarnished in different spots. Her feet slowly dragged her to the spot where she remembered the entrance of the town was located. Nothing had remained of Eastvale. Not even the wither roses that prospered on the lands of Count fWhip had escaped. All was devoured and gone. The Protector of the Overgrown stood still for a moment at the edge of the hole in complete silence, murmuring something of a prayer. She kneeled and placed her palm on the ash-woven ground. A lily sprouted, looking like snow in the summer, but Katherine had never produced a wither rose before. She hoped this would suffice.
She turned to leave. There was no point in standing there, it was quite dangerous, and she still got some way to go. Katherine was determined not to rest until she reached her destination. It wasn't too far away from Eastvale. She quickened her pace and soon she was crossing the small bridge that connected the Grimlands to the Undergrove. Over the tall series of sugar cane, Katherine finally got a glimpse of the Undergrove, but the sight offered her none of the expected comfort. As she drew closer, it became apparent that whatever hope Katherine seeked to find there had been burned. The fire had swept across the Undergrove, leaving nothing behind. All the big, colourful mushrooms were now a sad shade of grey and all the buildings were covered in a thick layer of ash. Katherine's heart sank. Without the mushrooms and without the pack of wolves giving life to the place, the Undergrove felt entirely empty.
"Shrub?" Katherine called out, her voice faltering. "Shrub!"
The only response she received was that of the wind blowing ash in her face. She coughed several times, wiping her face with her sleeve. Through her blurry vision, Katherine spotted a glow. A glow of dark purple was easy to notice through all the grey-ness; an active Nether Portal. Katherine scratched her head. She recalled that Shrub had deactivated her portal some time ago, although she hadn't made it clear why - Katherine assumed it had something to do with Xornoth and his temptations. Then why was it activated now...? It clicked immediately.
