~ 𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 ~ [𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑥 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟]

15.5

"You have no place here."

The entity laughed, the remains of Lustswap still hanging on its fingers. "?ɯɥ ,uɐıpɹɐnƃ ʇɐɥʇ ɥʇıʍ lɐʇuǝɯıʇuǝs ...ƃuıʇʇǝƃ ǝɹǝʍ ʎllɐǝɹ noʎ .pǝsıɹdɹns ɯ'ı"

Quetzalcoatl held up their sword higher, ears pointed back. "Do not mock me. I was assigned to protect the Tree of Life, and I will hold that position."

It tilted its head at a sickening angle. "?ǝsoddns ı ,ʎpoq pɐǝp ɹnoʎ ɹǝʌo" A smile full of sharp teeth dawned on its face. ".pǝƃuɐɹɹɐ ǝq uɐɔ ʇɐɥʇ"

The dark clouds advanced forward. The guardian fenced off a few small ones, saying, "I am not afraid of you or any of your 'friends.' There is nothing inside of you except shadows and—"

"?ʇnoqɐ ǝɯ ploʇ noʎ ʇɐɥʇ ƃuıǝq ǝɥʇ sıɥʇ sı"

Quetzalcoatl's blood ran cold.

The shadows swiftly twisted and turned around each other until it created a vaguely human form. Of course, this was anything but human. A single black eye darker than all of the shadows around it glared at the tree, giving it such a glance that even Quetzalcoatl shrank back a little. ".pɐǝp ʎpɐǝɹlɐ ʇou ǝɹɐ ʎǝɥʇ ɟı ,sʎɐʍʎuɐ ƃuıʎp ʎpɐǝɹlɐ ǝɹɐ ʎǝɥʇ .ʇɹoɟɟǝ ǝɥʇ ɥʇɹoʍ ʎlpɹɐɥ sı sıɥʇ"

"No," Quetzalcoatl whispered before holding the sword higher. "No. I forbid you." The shadows recoiled slightly against the amount of light that the guardian gave off before stronger shadows continued forth.

The two entities watched with bored gazes. Together, they made a pair of eyes. ".ɥƃnoɹɥʇ ʎɐʍ ɹno ǝɔɹoɟ ʎldɯıs llıʍ ǝʍ os ,ssɐd oʇ sn ʍollɐ ʇou llıʍ noʎ .ʎlǝsıɔǝɹd"

The universe shook as the shadowy figure reached out a hand. It was suddenly beside Quetzalcoatl, stroking the bark of the tree. Corruption branched from the fingers, making. a good amount of progress before Quetzalcoatl slashed through their form. It laughed, a chilling sound that made the guardian's knees give out.

".ǝsɹnoɔ ɟo ,noʎ ɟo pıɹ ʇǝƃ puɐ—ǝlıɥʍ ɐ ʇıɐʍ sı op oʇ ǝʌɐɥ ı llɐ .ssıɯ oʇ ƃuıɥʇou ǝq llıʍ ǝɹǝɥʇ ,uoos .ɥʇɐd ɹǝɟɐs ɐ uʍop ɯǝɥʇ ǝpınƃ ll'ı ,uıɹɹoɔ ,ʎɹɹoʍ ʇ'uop" Quetzalcoatl's chin was wrenched upwards as it smiled down at them.

They screamed as darkness filled their lungs, their bloodstream, their heart, their everything—

And the feeling was gone.