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“Woe is me, trapped in this frightful cage, woe and scorn, enslaved by thy goblins rage!”
Music dripped out of a cage, held above the gloom of shulk and despair. A poor, disheveled man continued singing his woes. From night to- whatever time it is in this dang cave.
“Oli.” Said man stopped singing for a second, opening his eyes to glance over at his one and only friend in this cruel world.
“Please. Shut. Up,” the other groaned at, magenta eyes glaring down at him.
Despite the venom in the person's words, and the equal murderous look, Oli smiled up at them.
“My dear, Xornoth, but this is the only bearable practice that I can perform.” Oli sighed dramatically, flinging a hand to his chest. “But what is a poor man to do in these circumstances when wrestling with the wrought and worries of this world. When a man is struck down by providence of gods and is beaten to subjecten!”
Xornoth rolled their eyes. “Not again,” they mumbled to themselves.
Oli sat up, flapping his arms everywhere. “What is a man to do! What dost thou expect me to do, huh?”
Oli shook his head, tsking. “You just want me to die, is that it? Begone of me, leave me, and be free of your burden.” Oli pointed a finger at them. “Is that the plot?”
Xornoth groaned, closing their eyes and messaging their forehead.
‘Exor give them strength.
And Pearl, if you're listening, give yourself strength, when I see you again. You'll need it.’
“I never said anything about leaving you-”
“But you thought it.”
That was true. Very true.
“And I don't wish you dead or gone.”
Oli raised an eyebrow. He moved to a crisscross sitting position and crossed his arms.
Xornoth stopped a second, watching Oli, before looking away shamefully.
“Okay- maybe… just….a little?” They gave a light smile. Oli shook his head, disappointed.
“You’re the worst god ever! Beside Pearl- I'll give you that.”
Well at least they're above Pearl ‘it'll be fun’ trickster. They have yet to forgive her for the fate she cursed upon them (albeit the fact that they did in fact agree and was not in any way forced to do this).
“And you won't even help me escape this blasted prison!”
That screaming goat was getting closer, and was suddenly very interesting.
“I can't fix all your problems.”
“You helped me with the Warden!”
“I slowed him down, you still escaped by yourself.”
“Yeah, with my precious, baby boy, Sausage! Who you heartlessly left behind.” Oli swept away a fake tear.
Xornoth clenched their hands, trying their best to keep their anger down.
“I wasn't going to let you die over a dog,” they growled.
Oli whipped his head around. “He. Has. A. Name- you knaive!
Xornoth groaned. “Okay, first of all, don't call me that, second of all, you had that dog for half a day, can it really be named at that point, and third of all- I'm not calling it- that.”
Oli tilted his head, his tail flicking. “Why not?” Before Xornoth could say something (a recurring event with this guy), Oli grinned, sharp teeth sparkling with mischief.
“What, you have history with someone?”
Xornoth's heart skipped a beat. Curse Oli and his space- time, dimensional traveling shenanigans.
“No,” they replied quickly, a little too quickly.
Oli's hazel-green eyes lit up. Before Xornoth knew it, Oli was on his stomach kicking his feet back and forth with his head perched on the back of his hands.
“Oooo, tell me more.”
Xornoth glared down at him. Oli smiled back.
“Oli-”
“Was it a forbidden love story?”
“Oli!” Xornoth kept themselves from wrenching from the very thought.
“Maybe a regaling tale of a hand and their liege.”
“That's the best guess you're going to get.”
Oli hummed. He looked as if he was holding a court case in his mind.
Xornoth knew that was far from what Oli was actually thinking- maybe he was already writing a song about that whole hand and liege thing.
‘Oh dear Exor no-’
“I got it!” Oli jumped up, vibrating with excitement.
If the railing wasn't stopping Xornoth, they would have moved away as far as possible.
“A grand story of two brothers, torn away by fate, and destined to war against each other for all eternity!”
Xornoth blood ran cold, their body shook their hands started to sweat, and their mind raced to countless memories.
Memories of-
“Oli.” The blood-curdling words froze the other, who for once had nothing to say.
The biting fury buried under precise preparation clawed its way up. An emotion Xornoth hadn't felt in decades unraveled from their heart.
Oli gulped, backing away. Even he wasn't dumb enough to not sense the danger that was caused.
In a quick second, Xornoth rushed over and grabbed Oli by his torn shirt, lifting him a few inches above the ground.
“I'm sorry! I'm sorry! For what I don't exactly know, but agh-” Oli wailed, trying to pry Xornoth's arm off.
Xornoth growled, forcing Oli closer.
“Don’t ever bring that up again.” They could feel the fear running off the man. “Do you understand?”
Oli vigorously shook his head up and down.
Without a second thought, Xornoth unceremoniously dropped him, earning a yelp from the guy.
“Glad we’ve found an understandment,” Xornoth said dryly, walking away.
“Yep, no problem, king,” Oli gritted out, rubbing his head.
While Oli walloped in sorrow (dear Exor he's rubbing off on them), a warning from from some of their vines flooded their mind.
Someone was coming.
No- two people were coming.
Xornoth grinned, glancing back at Oli. “Looks like you're getting a new friend- or enemy, we'll see.”
“Heh?” It took a minute before Oli put the pieces together.
“I'll be free again!” Oli rejoiced,jumping up and down, making the cage swing.
Xornoth grabbed the bars, trying not to fall. “I said people were coming not that you would be let out. Now quit jumping or this cage is going to fall and kill you before you ever get to see daylight again!”
Oli stopped, looking sheepish. “Just so excited! Rejoice! I'll be a free man come tomorrow eve!”
‘Or you'll be trapped in here forever, you never know.’
Despite the still burning anger towards the guy, Xornoth truly hoped Oli would be set free.
And not just because they too could leave this wretched cave (almost as bad as the crystal- almost).
Oli wasn't a bad person, just exceptionally annoying and foolish.
Well, it wasn't their problem.
“I'm sure you'll figure out something.” Xornoth started summoning their power.
Hopefully Pearl baked some of those nice cookies.
Oli gaped, watching the red mist engulf them.
“You can't just leave me. Not now!”
Xornoth grinned, enjoying Oli's misery.
“Like I said, figure something out. Sing a song maybe, I'm positive that'll fix all your problems.”
“No wait-”
“Goodbye, Oli.” With a wave of their hand, they teleported away, and back to Heaven.
Ahh, peace, quiet, and no Olis.
Now, about those cookies.
–
There weren't any cookies.
Curse that Moon goddess.
They can hear her laughing now.