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Chapter Text

The ground was stained with jam and crumbs, heavy breaths echoed against the dark walls of the catacombs. Silent Salt Cookie was down on his knees, defeated by White Lily Cookie, who now stands tall before him with full strength. A brand new pair of wings glistened on her back, reflecting the faint light that managed to find its way to the depths. His armor was cracked and his energy depleted. With her staff in hand, it was clear to him that this was the end of his reign. But perhaps this was all for the best, he has caused nothing but harm since corruption took hold of him. He looks up one last time to see the holder of the Light of Freedom and sees

... Pity...

... Pity?

She took a careful step forward and Silent Salt instinctively recoiled. What does she think she's doing?

"I know it was you who sealed the beasts." She begins speaking and Silent Salt Cookie stares at her with bewilderment. "The Guardian's power showed me everything."

"So it's you now... Of course it is..." Silent Salt spoke quietly, almost speaking to himself. His eyes scanned over her form, trying to see what exactly made her worthy of his power. Who was she to him?

"You're not like the rest of them, you fought for Cookiekind until the end. Until they took away your Virtue." Silent Salt's face was covered by his helmet, still intact, but below it his eyes were wide and staring right at her. He expected her to finish him off, to slay him. He wanted her to slay him. So why was she still talking??

She extended a hand. An offering. He could hear silent muttering of two cookies somewhere near the back of the room.

"Deep inside we have the same goal." No... "To defeat the beasts and restore peace on Earthbread." No, no no... "I do not want to slay you, because I believe you can still change."

His fingers gripped the handle of his sword tightly. What is she doing?

"Come with me. Join me and the other Ancient heroes, and we can both fix our mistakes."

Silent Salt rose to his feet with a shout and swung his sword in her direction. White Lily's quick reaction saved her from the blow, making her stumble back in surprise. Though judging by her face dropping she expected this outcome.

"Who do you think you are!?" He cried out. "Fight me, you coward! This is why you're here!"

Silent Salt quickly bridged the gap between them with newfound strength and swung again, but this time his blow was reflected by her staff. He kept swinging.

"You don't deserve your hope!" *Clash!* "You don't deserve solidarity!" *Clash!* Distracted by Silent Salt's relentless attacks, White Lily stumbled on a fallen piece of debris down onto the ground and Silent Salt took the opportunity to pounce right onto her, pinning her to the ground and raising his sword up high. "And you don't deserve Elder Faerie's power!!"

Silence falls upon the room once more. The sword shook in his hands, his knuckles turning white from how hard he was gripping it. And yet... it stayed still.

He couldn't do it.

Looking down at her, whether it was due to the power she now possessed or the wings on her back, he couldn't bring himself to deal the final strike.

She looks so much like him.

Tears begin to form in his eyes as he tries to get himself to finish it, and yet he stays still. "Damn you...!" Silent Salt speaks with a shaky voice. "Damn you and your foolish hope!"

A gentle hand reaches up to touch his arm and Salt flinched at the touch. "I know you never meant any harm." White Lily Cookie speaks. "You could be a very valuable part of our cause. With you, we have a much greater chance of taking down the other beasts and Dark Enchantress Cookie."

Slowly, surprising even Silent Salt Cookie himself, he lowers his sword. After a moment of silence he stands up and takes a few steps back.

"... I... I want to trust you..." He begins as While Lily Cookie gets up on her feet. "But I can't. Not after last time."

White Lily raises her eyebrows. Seeing his reluctance, she relaxes just a little bit. She opens her mouth to speak but Silent Salt cuts her off. "I'm too far gone, the others even more so. There is no hope to mend my mistakes."

"I made mistakes, too." White Lily argued. "Mistakes that will follow me for the rest of my life. And yet..." She paused. "When I returned to my friends, they welcomed me with open arms. And it is time that I pay this kindness forward."

She extended a hand again, and this time her expression spoke of confidence and hope. "I want to help you change your ways. And I can't leave knowing that I didn't at least try."

Silent Salt Cookie just stared. He was feeling so many things, surprise, confusion, he wanted to refuse but... In the back of his mind was a light. It had gone dim from the many years of suppressing it. And yet it never stopped trying to shine. His hope.

He raised his arm... and grasped her hand in his.

White Lily Cookie's expression immediately brightened. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go. "Thank you, Silent Salt Cookie. I promise to do everything I can to help."

"Do the other Ancients know that you're doing this?"

"Ah..." White Lily's smile faltered a little. "I'm sure once I explain the situation, they'll understand!"

Silent Salt let out a sigh, he was already regretting his decision. He heard that the new Virtues were compassionate and understanding, but he wouldn't blame them if they drew the line on forming an alliance with a beast. He had half the mind to change his mind and raise his sword again but he eventually decided not to.

"Umm... White Lily Cookie" A voice rang out from the back of the room, belonging to Pastry Cookie. "Are you.. Sure that this is a good idea?"

Silent Salt Cookie had nearly forgotten about the two cookies in the back, one of which was Charcoal Cookie but he didn't seem to recognise the other one. White Lily seemed to know her as she turned around to face her. "Everyone deserves a second chance." White Lily told her. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

"... Very well. In that case, I need to take my leave, there are still things I need to learn." Pastry Cookie said.

The other cookie was silent for a moment before facing White Lily. "If this is your choice, then I wish ye luck in... whatever you are trying to achieve, heh."

"Thank you for your help, both of you. I wish you safe travels." And with that, the two cookies departed, leaving only the two Soul Jam standing alone in the room.

White Lily turned to Silent Salt who stood there silently, expression unreadable. "Pure Vanilla Cookie is waiting for me in the Faerie Kingdom. I can talk to him, he is a good Cookie, I'm sure he would hear us out." She spoke. "Are you ready to depart?"

"Is it alright if I take a few of my belongings with me?" Silent Salt asked and While Lily gave him a light nod.

"Of course, take your time."

"Thank you"

Silent Salt Cookie didn’t really have many belongings, none that were worth preserving anyway. As Silent Salt walked into his quarters, there were only a handful of things that he would consider keeping that he could think of off the top of his head. Most of the things he brought were for Nox, maybe a memento or two, and some necessities. In the end Salt ended up with a fairly small bag, but that was enough for him.

They made their way outside to the stables where Nox resides. Silent Salt approached him first, although he seemed startled as soon as he saw White Lily Cookie behind him.

"Hush, boy, she's an ally. She is no threat." Silent Salt was quick to reassure him, reaching up to graze a gentle hand along his back which seemed to calm him down.

White Lily looked up at the large stallion in front of her, observing him with awe. "What a majestic animal!"

Silent Salt let out a light chuckle. "I take great care of him, keep him in top condition." He replied. "I treat him with care and respect like my fellow soldiers. He is... the only one I have left now."

"I see."

Silent Salt took his time to carefully put on his saddle and reins, noticing the way Nox observed White Lily as well. Finally, Silent Salt had everything ready and the two were ready to depart.

"Thank you for your patience." Silent Salt spoke as he led Nox out of the stables.

"Of course, let us depart."

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

The trek back to the kingdom was long and silent, the only noise that could be heard from the Great Barren was the steady galloping of Nox's hooves. The two cookies walked alongside each other in silence, none of them daring to speak. The atmosphere was tense, at least from Silent Salt Cookie's side, though White Lily still had her small hopeful smile on her face. But as they walked, Silent Salt couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt. He was up on his horse and White Lily was stuck walking on the ground. Maybe he should say something...

"White Lily Cookie?" Salt spoke up and White Lily turned up to look at him. "You don't have to walk all the way. You could ride on Nox with me if you'd like. It might be faster." He offered.

"Oh, I really don't mind walking." White Lily was surprised by the offer, but she didn't seem to be opposed. "But I suppose it might be faster if it is really okay with you."

Silent Salt gestured for Nox to stop and let Whity Lily get on. Nox was certainly a big horse, Salt himself sometimes had trouble getting on. White Lily Cookie was a fair bit shorter than him, so he reached his hand down to help her up. She took his hand and attempted to hoist herself up, but she couldn't quite get herself all the way up. 

"Woah, careful!" Salt reached with his other hand to catch her before she fell down, her wings instinctively flapping behind her. Eventually, White Lily managed to get up and settle behind Silent Salt. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you." She gave a soft relieved chuckle as her wings folded back down.

Silent Salt nodded, his gaze lingering on her wings for a moment too long before turning back. "Good. Hold on tight."

White Lily barely managed to wrap her hands around Salt's torso before Nox took off towards the Kingdom, her arms tightening around him at the sudden change in speed. Salt flinched in discomfort at the touch, but he didn't say anything, he didn't want Lily to fall off with nothing to hold on to.

Now that both of them were atop the horse, the rest of the trek to the kingdom was significantly faster. Silent Salt kept his eyes in front of them, occasionally looking back to see if Lily is still holding on okay. Salt still didn't let himself feel too hopeful. It was one thing for White Lily Cookie to be open to an alliance with him, it was a whole other thing to see if the others would be open to it as well. This Pure Vanilla Cookie that Lily mentioned seemed like an understanding fellow, but what about the others? For now, he gave White Lily's idea a try, but he did not expect it to go anywhere. It would hurt less if his expectations were already low.

Before he knew it, they had already reached the kingdom gates. Silent Salt urged Nox to stop before helping White Lily hop off. As Silent Salt got off as well, he heard the voice of a cookie somewhere beyond the gates.

"That sounds like Pure Vanilla Cookie." White Lily pointed out. "How about you stay here for a moment? I will try to talk to him alone."

"Go ahead."

White Lily walked through the kingdom gate, leaving Silent Salt out of sight from Pure Vanilla and the guards that he was conversing with. As he turned towards the gate, his expression quickly changed as soon as he saw White Lily.

"White Lily Cookie!" Pure Vanilla called out as he rushed towards her, pulling her into a tight embrace. "You've returned! And you've gained your new form as well! I hope the Great Barren hasn't caused you much harm. And your encounter with the beast? How did it go?"

White Lily Cookie chuckled at Pure Vanilla's barrage of questions, finding his concern endearing. "Don't worry, I am okay." She reassured him. "And about the Beast of Silence, there is something we need to urgently discuss."

Pure Vanilla's face turned concerned. "I see. Is the kingdom in danger?"

"No, no. Nothing of that sort. On the contrary, I bring good news." She began. "I have managed to convince Silent Salt Cookie to form an alliance with us." 

Pure Vanilla's expression changed immediately to one of shock. When White Lily said she had good news, this was not what he was expecting at all. "White Lily, my friend, I am aware that your ambitions are high, but are you absolutely sure that accepting an allyship with a Beast is a good idea?"

"I know how it might sound, but please believe me when I say we have nothing to worry about." White Lily took Pure Vanilla's hands in hers. "The guardian's power showed me what had transpired before the Beasts were sealed, what led Silent Salt Cookie to abandon his Virtue. He never meant to truly cause any harm."

Pure Vanilla was hesitant. He thought hard for a moment before eventually answering. "Lily, I don't know about this..."

"You do remember the day I woke up, right?" Lily asked him.

"I do... but-"

"You were among the first to welcome me back even after all that I caused. You managed to convince the other Ancient heroes to see me as White Lily Cookie and not as Dark Enchantress." Lily's eyes looked deep into Pure Vanilla's eyes. "It is a great kindness that I cannot possibly repay you, but I can pay it forward. After all the mistakes I have made, you taught me the importance of second chances. Please, Pure Vanilla Cookie."

Pure Vanilla has gone silent once again, but he really took in her words this time. "If all you say is true... If a Beast can truly forget their corrupt ways..." He began. "Then that gives great hope to Cookiekind. If we manage to convert all the Beasts back into virtues, then we may just be able to get the upper hand over Dark Enchantress."

"Yes! That is exactly what I was trying to tell you!"

"... Very well, I am willing to give Silent Salt Cookie a chance." Pure Vanilla finally said. "Although I can't imagine the others would be as easy to convince as I was."

White Lily Cookie smiled wide as she pulled Pure Vanilla Cookie into a tight embrace again. "Thank you! I promise you, you won't regret this." She then suddenly remembers something. "Oh, right! I actually brought him with me to meet you."

"Wait, you brought him here?" Pure Vanilla Cookie didn't get to finish his sentence before White Lily ran off towards the gate.

Silent Salt Cookie had heard the exchange. As White Lily Cookie ushered him to follow, he felt himself starting to get more hopeful. Slowly, he stepped fully into view, Nox following closely behind him. The two cookies stood silent as they observed each other, a sense of unease hung in the air.

"You must be Silent Salt Cookie, yes?" Pure Vanilla spoke up first.

"That I am." Salt responded. "It is... nice to make your acquaintance."

Silent Salt noticed the way the unease seemed to fade just a bit after their greeting. Now that he was seeing Pure Vanilla Cookie face to face, he sensed a calming aura around him. It was no wonder White Lily Cookie spoke so highly of him. 

"... I am aware of my past." Silent Salt spoke up again. "I was overcome by grief and vengeance, and in turn it cost me my Virtue. But..."

At this point, quite a crowd of faeries had gathered around them, waiting with baited breath. To the surprise of Pure Vanilla, Silent Salt goes down on one knee. "If you are truly willing to place your trust in me, I vow to do everything in my power to help you fix the mistakes we have caused to Cookiekind."

Pure Vanilla Cookie approached the kneeling knight. "I sense great grief in your voice." He spoke, and Salt raised his head to look at him. "White Lily Cookie was right to remind me of my compassion. While it might be hard to convince the rest of the Ancient heroes, I can promise to give them a good word for you."

"Thank you." Silent Salt said as he stood up again. "Truly, I do not deserve such kindness."

"Do not say such things. Every cookie deserves a second chance." Pure Vanilla reassured him. "We are leaving for the Vanilla Kingdom tomorrow for a meeting with the other Ancient heroes regarding our next steps, I would like you to attend." He added.

Salt's eyes widened. "The Vanilla kingdom? That is in Crispia, yes?" He questioned, his voice carrying a hint of nervousness. "I don't believe I've ever stepped foot outside of Beast-Yeast."

"No need to be nervous." White Lily cookie spoke up. "It is far away, but The Vanilla Kingdom and its surroundings are a sight to behold."

"Hmm. If you truly wish for me to attend." Silent Salt nodded. "I suppose a change of scenery could be nice."

White Lily smiled. "Good. We will depart early in the morning. Come, let me show you where you'll be staying."

"Are you sure I am welcome here?" Silent Salt spoke as he looked around at the crowd of wary Faeries around them.

"You are my guest." White Lily reassured him. "I have an extra bedroom that you can use, I can keep an eye on you there."

Those words were... familiar. Silent Salt remembered the day he first came to this kingdom, the way Elder Faerie welcomed him back then. It was as if the times were repeating. He had...  mixed feelings about this. "... Very well." He finally said as he followed after White Lily, Nox following closely behind.

When Silent Salt stepped into the house, he was met with a wave of nostalgia. This used to be Elder Faerie's home, most of his belongings still stood in their usual spot. Not everything was the same, it seems that White Lily gave a bit of her own charm into making it feel like home while still preserving the signs of Elder Faerie.

White Lily walked to the other side of the room and opened a door. "Here, you can stay in this room." She said. "If you need anything, feel free to talk to me." 

"Thank you." Salt replied. "Thank you, for... believing in me."

White Lily smiled warmly. "Of course, have a good nights sleep."

Silent Salt stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He looked around, surprised to see that this room had been relatively untouched, just as he left it. He walked over to the other side of the room where an ornate mirror was hanging on the wall. 

Salt observed the reflection for a moment, a tall Cookie in dark armor stared back at him, his face hidden under a helmet. He raised his arms up, grabbing onto his helmet and slowly taking it off. It has been a while since he looked in a mirror, and he could see why. He brushed a careful finger along the cracks in his dough, observing how the once proud and confident Cookie turned into this. How he let himself turn into this. He didn’t like looking at himself.

He turned away from the mirror and sat on the bed instead. He has laid in this very bed before, when Elder Faerie insisted he stayed the night because 'the trek back to the stronghold would be better after a good night's rest'. He laid down and looked at the ceiling and suddenly he was back there again, before he was sealed and when Cookiekind last knew peace. He imagined that his Soul Jam and armor were still pure white and the cracks in his dough were no more. He would walk out of the room in the morning and be greeted by Elder Faerie Cookie making the two of them some tea. Those were good days...

Silent Salt was startled by a knock at the door. He quickly sat up in bed and looked towards the door.

"Silent Salt Cookie?" White Lily's voice called out behind the door. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, I'm awake." Salt replied.

"We will be departing soon, meet me in the kitchen when you're ready."

"Will do." Silent Salt heard soft footsteps walking away from the door. 

Was it morning already? He must have fallen asleep before realizing, he got out of bed and rubbed his eyes. That's right, they were leaving for the Vanilla Kingdom today. He walked over to the mirror again, but he didn't shy away this time. He looked like a mess. He was about to go somewhere new, maybe he should at least make himself look presentable.

He opened a drawer in the nearby cabinet, remembering where the hair brush was usually kept. His hair was long and messy, he hadn't bothered to upkeep it in a long while. His hair pulled at his scalp as he worked to undo the heavy knots. It hurt, but pain was the last thing on his mind right now. He brushed the instrument through his hair again and again even after he realized that no one was actually going to see his hair under his helmet, until he could no longer feel the resistance. It took a while, but once he looked at his reflection again, he looked... better. Hell, he felt better. Way better. Funny how much fixing your hairstyle can affect one's appearance. He put on his helmet and the rest of his armor and went to walk out of the room.

Once he entered the kitchen, he was hit by a pleasant smell. White Lily was standing in the kitchen, carrying a tea pot over to the table.

"Good morning, Silent Salt Cookie. I hope you slept well." She greeted him with a smile. "I made us some tea before we leave."

She was just like him... She even has his sense of hospitality... He slowly walked over to the table and sat down. "Thank you." He took the cup of tea in his hand, admiring the porcelain dishware that Elder Faerie used to use. "I slept fine."

"That's good." Lily replied before taking a sip of the tea. "Elder Faerie used to make this tea quite often. Though this is the first time I dared to make it myself."

Silent Salt lifted his helmet up slightly and took a sip. The temperature was warm, the flavor soft on his tongue. Just as Elder Faerie used to make. "You did a good job emulating Elder Faerie's method."

White Lily's expression brightened. "Thank you! That means a lot."

"How did you and Elder Faerie Cookie get to meet?" Silent Salt asked.

White Lily's expression fell just a bit. She thought for a moment before answering. "When I first ventured into Beast-Yeast long ago, while I was searching for the truth to our existence, I had discovered the Faerie Kingdom." White Lily began. "After hearing of my search for knowledge, Elder Faerie offered me refuge here. He let me read through all the records at the kingdom's disposal... and that's where I found out about the Witch's Banquet."

Silent Salt gave a hum in acknowledgement, waiting for her to continue. "He warned me not to go." She continued. "But he knew I wouldn't listen, so he gave me a piece of Moonstone that would bring me back here if something were to happen... I should have listened to him, maybe then none of this would have happened..."

Salt was silent for a moment. It seemed as White Lily was carrying great regrets and guilt that was weighing her down, a thing that he could easily relate to. "And the Silver tree... Why were we unsealed?"

"I..." White Lily looked down. "When The rift was starting to open, Elder Faerie used his own life powder to wake me up from my slumber after the Moonstone brought me back... And then he got injured. He used the last of his power to try and prevent the seal from coming undone, but..."

"But it was all in vain." Salt finished her sentence, his eyes looking down at the now empty cup in his hands. "Such a cruel fate..."

"... You knew each other, right? Way before I came to be." White Lily looked up.

"We did. We were..." Silent Salt paused. "... close. He was a great ally to the Kala Namak Knights. He let us use his kingdom as refuge when we passed by and always welcomed us with open arms. Even when I came to him the last time, when corruption took over me, he still greeted me like his friend."

The room went silent again, the mood had quickly turned gloomy when the topic of Elder Faerie came up. Suddenly, White Lily stood up.

"If you are finished with your tea, we should get going. Pure Vanilla Cookie is waiting for us." 

"Ah, yes, let's go."

Silent Salt followed White Lily through the trees, Nox walking right next to him. She said that Pure Vanilla Cookie was waiting for them in a nearby clearing where they would set off for the Vanilla Kingdom, and Salt was getting ready for a long and tiring trek. But once they made it through the trees, Silent Salt was met with something unexpected.

On the clearing stood... a boat? A large structure with a giant balloon on top of it. Salt stopped in his tracks as he looked up to try and figure out why there was a boat standing on solid ground.

"Is that... a boat? Is this our mode of transport?" Salt questioned.

"It's an airship, it will fly us straight to the Vanilla kingdom." White Lily replied.

Fly? This enormous thing can fly??

White Lily could sense confusion from Silent Salt Cookie, tilting her head. "Have you never been on an airship before?"

"There was no such thing as an 'airship' before I was sealed." Silent Salt replied. "The mere existence of this is news to me."

"I see." White Lily was surprised to hear that Salt has never heard of an airship before. "Well, you don't have to fear. This airship will take us right over the Licorice Sea, so it's the fastest and most convenient way to travel out of Beast-Yeast."

"Hmm. Very well."

Silent Salt was still a bit hesitant. Judging by the sheer size of this airship, it didn't seem logical that it would be able to fly. But he had been sealed for quite a long time, maybe Cookiekind figured out how to make it possible. They approached the airship where Pure Vanilla was waiting and he greeted the two of them with a smile.

"Good morning. I hope you both slept well." Vanilla greeted them. "Are you all ready to depart?"

"We are. Sorry to keep you waiting, Pure Vanilla Cookie." White Lily answered.

"There is no need to apologize, my friend. I have not waited long." Pure Vanilla reassured her before looking over to Silent Salt. "We have prepared a place for Nox on the airship. Come, let me show you."

"Ah, thank you, Pure Vanilla Cookie." Salt was surprised by the gesture, but grateful nonetheless. He followed after Pure Vanilla and boarded the ship along with Nox and White Lily.

The place they have prepared looked... adequate. The room looked like it used to be a storage room, now converted into a sort of stable. It was clear that whoever prepared it had to improvise, but all in all it had everything Nox needed.

Nox seemed to be fairly calm. Salt decided to remain with him for the majority of the ride to keep him calm, he imagined that first time flying might be a bit intense for a horse. They were already in the air for some time, an hour or so, and so far everything was going well. Salt walked around the room, eventually stopping near the only window of the room. He looked outside and-

Oh, wow, that is very high up.

Silent Salt backed away from the window, a shiver running down his spine. He didn't expect that the unusual looking ship would have the capability to fly so high, he must ask Pure Vanilla Cookie on how the mechanism of this machine worked.

He walked back and sat down next to Nox, who was sitting patiently next to him. Salt rested his head against the wall behind him with a sigh, the realization sinking in that he's really going through with this, leaving Beast-Yeast. Was this really a good idea?

Sensing Salt's stress, Nox moved to rest his head on his lap, trying to give the Cookie some comfort. Salt raised his arm to scratch the horse's head.

"Things are going... suspiciously well for me." Salt spoke up and Nox raised his ears to listen. "It's... worrying."

"I mean... I want to believe what White Lily and Pure Vanilla are saying, but... what will I do when everything goes wrong again?" 

Nox blew air through his nose and Salt patted his head. 

"I... want to get better. I want to bear the light of Solidarity again. But is that even possible for me?"

Salt had gone silent again, lost in thought. "You've been such a great friend to me." He finally spoke, brushing his fingers through the horse's mane. "You're the only one that stayed by my side even after all I've done. I don't want to lose you. I don't know what I would do if..." He didn't dare to finish the thought. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be thinking about things like this. This is an opportunity for me to prove that I'm not too far gone. Not just to them but to myself."

Nox only blinked, his eyes looking up at him.

"Sorry you have to keep listening to my rambling, I just wanted to get some things off of my mind. You are such a good listener after all."

He looked towards the window again, seeing the bright blue sky outside. "This is not going to be easy by any means, but I think I can allow myself to be hopeful for now."

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

The ground was covered in white flowers and scattered petals. The air was heavy, it was hard to breathe and Salt's footsteps dragged behind him. There was someone at the end of the road, but with each step he took they seemed farther and farther. He could barely see, his eyes wouldn't focus so their figure was merely a white blur at the end of the path ahead. Was he injured? He had to be, he could barely walk straight. He extended a hand, but it looked... wrong. He turned his palm towards himself and looked down, his body wasn't his own. He looked up just as the figure ahead turned to face him.

"Silent Salt Cookie?"

He blinked... was this...?

"Silent Salt Cookie, you're awake!" Suddenly, his surroundings changed, and above him was none other than White Lily Cookie. "We have arrived in the Vanilla Kingdom!"

Ah, right. So that was all a dream.

Silent Salt sat up, it seemed he had fallen asleep on the bed of hay next to Nox. He stood up to wipe the hay off of his armor.

"Thank you for waking me." Silent Salt said, then turned to Nox. "Come on, boy, let's go."

Stepping off the airship, he was met with the surprising revelation that the Vanilla Kingdom was also floating in the sky. Everything was so bright, the castle itself was white chocolate and wafers. There was also a considerable amount of flora growing all around him, trees and flowers were growing along the pathways. The whole place radiated a sense of comfort and warmth, it was so much different from anything he had seen back in Beast-Yeast. 

Pure Vanilla Cookie was already waiting outside by the time they got off the airship. He turned to them with that warm smile he always had on his face. "We have arrived earlier than expected, my friends should start to arrive in a couple hours." He explained. "In the meantime, I can get someone to take care of Nox for you while we show you around. Come follow me."

Silent Salt followed after the Cookie with Nox by his side. "I really appreciate your kindness." He spoke to him.

"You don't need to thank me, my friend. Helping others is just what I do."

Friend...? Is it really okay for Pure Vanilla Cookie to consider him a friend? He didn't protest to it though, Vanilla looked like a cookie of good values. He would be honored to be considered his friend.

Vanilla led him to a stable located next to a large field. It has long and healthy green grass and plenty of space, Nox will surely feel very happy here. But just before he was able to lead him inside, he heard the pitter patter of several small cookies approaching.

"Horsie!" He heard a small voice call out.

As he turned around, he was met with a group of children, five of them, looking up at Nox with childish wonder in their eyes.

"Your horse looks so pretty!" One of them called out.

Silent Salt Cookie gave a soft laugh. "Why, thank you, young one! I make sure to take great care of him." He said as he turned to scratch Nox under his chin. "Isn't that right, boy?"

"What's his name?" Another asked. "Can we pet him? Pretty please?"

"His name is Nox Black Salt. And yes, you may bet him." Salt answered as he gestured for Nox to lower his head down so the little cookies could reach him. "But be gentle."

"Woah!" The smaller cookies beamed with wonder as they all took turns giving Nox affection. Once they all finished, looked over at Salt with joy in their eyes. "Thank you mister knight!"

"You are very welcome." He said, waving them goodbye as they happily scurried away. It had been so long since children willingly approached him and asked about his horse, it brought a big smile to his face and worked to suppress his doubts for a while.

Pure Vanilla Cookie watched the exchange, he was pleasantly surprised at how good Silent Salt Cookie was with children. It made him hopeful that White Lily Cookie was right about her judgement after all. 

The two of them had met with White Lily Cookie before the castle entrance and White Lily was nearly bouncing with excitement. "It's been so long since I've last set foot in the Vanilla kingdom!" She said, "I think I still might remember the layout." 

"Would you be alright showing Silent Salt Cookie around?" Vanilla asked Lily. "I have some paperwork I need to deal with before our friends arrive."

"Of course! Come, I'll show you around." White Lily spoke as she led the way inside. 

The inside of the castle was even more breathtaking than the outside. Intricate stained glass murals turned the sunlight into an array of colours that danced on the floor of the hall. Though there were places that seemed to have taken some damage, cookies dutyfully worked on repairing what was broken.

"Is the castle getting renovated?" Silent Salt Cookie asked.

"The Vanilla castle was under the reign of Dark Enchantress Cookie near the end of the Dark Flour war. It had sustained some damage due to the battles fought here." White Lily explained.

"I see." Salt said as he continued to admire his surroundings. "It is still a grand structure."

"It truly is. Pure Vanilla Cookie did a great job making sure it was repaired to its former glory." Lily replied. "We had so many great memories here. It is good to finally be back."

"You speak very highly of him. Are you and Pure Vanilla Cookie close?" Salt questioned.

"Me and Pure Vanilla have been friends since childhood. We studied at the same school, learned the same subjects." She had a bright smile on her face as she recalled the memories of her and Pure Vanilla Cookie in their youth. "I consider him my greatest friend."

"And the others?"

"We didn't meet until much later on, shortly before we all got our Soul Jams. We have been inseparable since then."

"Hmm." He nodded. "Can you tell me about them?"

"The other Ancient heroes? Well..." White Lily thought for a moment.

"Hollyberry Cookie is incredibly passionate. She is very adventurous, she takes on entire dragons!"

"That is impressive."

"It really is!" White Lily agreed. "She cares deeply about her friends and family. She has a son and a granddaughter now. I haven't seen Royalberry and his daughter in so long, I hope they're doing well."

White Lily thought for a moment more, thinking of who to talk about next.

"Dark Cacao Cookie is a fierce warrior. He was able to tame a pair of dragons that were fighting on the land that is now the Dark Cacao Kingdom. He is strict and very protective of his kingdom and his loved ones. Sometimes it's hard for him to show emotions, but he is very caring at heart, even though he can lose his temper at times."

"He sounds like a reliable ally."

"He is a great friend. It is a shame what happened with his son, though..."

"His son?" Salt tilted his head with curiosity. "Did something happen to him?"

"I don't know the whole story, but..." She paused, her expression turning sadder. "I heard that Dark Choco Cookie came across a cursed sword that took over his mind, making him attack his own kingdom and Dark Cacao Cookie himself. Dark Cacao thankfully survived, but Dark Choco was banished from the kingdom."

"That is unfortunate." Silent Salt said. "Do you know what happened to him after the fact?"

"Dark Cacao told me that his son eventually ended up freeing himself from the curse, but he had not been seen since. Dark Cacao wants to try and see him again, to hopefully repair their relationship."

"I see. I do wish them luck."

"I do too. His son was a great Cookie, I hope things can get better between them."

"That just leaves Golden Cheese Cookie." White Lily's mood didn't seem to improve as she thought of her. "She is a proud and ambitious queen, a lot of people see her as greedy."

"Has she also conquered a dragon?" Silent Salt asks.

White Lily lets out a chuckle. "No, she hasn't. At least I don't think she did. Although she did build a very rich and powerful kingdom in the desert. She strives for a prosperous future for everyone on Earthbread, her great ambitions are what led her to bear the Light of Abundance. She is a great friend of mine, but... I don't think she trusts me yet."

"Is that because of your relation to Dark Enchantress Cookie?"

White Lily nodded solemnly. "I don't blame her, she lost everything in the war. Her kingdom, her citizens, it broke every one of us apart for years. I really hope she can find it in her to forgive me someday."

...

"You did what?!?!"

Meanwhile, Pure Vanilla Cookie had broken the news about Silent Salt Cookie to the rest of the Ancient heroes, who did not seem too thrilled with the idea.

"Now, I know how this sounds-"

"This sounds like a horrible idea!" Golden Cheese interrupted him.

"You brought a Beast into the Vanilla Kingdom! Did you not see what they are capable of when you visited Beast Yeast?" Dark Cacao Cookie questioned him.

"My friends, please, let me explain my reasoning." Pure Vanilla raised his hands up in defense. "I can assure you I am not naive enough to invite a foe into the kingdom without a good reason."

"Is there even a good reason?" Hollyberry spoke up. "The beasts are corrupted! They reign over beast yeast with an iron fist, each of us almost lost their lives when we went there."

"I have reasons to think that Silent Salt Cookie is not as twisted as the rest of the beasts." Pure Vanilla explained. "I could sense great grief when I met him. He was filled with regret over the actions that cost him his Virtue and showed genuine intention to return to the path of good. I assure you I wouldn't have invited him if I had even the slightest suspicion that his intentions were anything but pure!"

The other cookies looked between each other in silence. Their faces showed that they were far from convinced, though Hollyberry seemed to be somewhat considering it.

"... Can we meet him?" She asked.

"Of course. White Lily is showing him around."

"We need to have a meeting about this." Dark Cacao stepped forward. "And we need to have it now."

"Very well, let's all depart for the meeting room." Vanilla nodded.

"... And this is our meeting room." White Lily said as the two of them stepped into the room.

Silent Salt looked up to admire the colorful stained glass murals depicting each of the five Ancient heroes. The glasswork was truly remarkable. "Thank you for showing me around."

"Of course." White Lily smiled. "We will likely have a meeting here later regarding the-"

Suddenly, White Lily was interrupted by the sound of the doors to the meeting room opening, revealing the rest of the Ancient heroes standing in the doorway. The tension in the room suddenly increased exponentially as Silent Salt Cookie made eye contact with the other Soul Jam holders.

"Oh, good. You're already here!" Pure Vanilla Cookie clapped his hands together. "That means we can begin!"

The three Ancient heroes all looked at Silent Salt, quietly observing him. Looking at their faces, Salt sensed suspicion and concern, mainly from who he assumed was Dark Cacao Cookie. This is going to be difficult.

Hollyberry was the first to step forward, putting on a welcoming yet still wary expression. "You must be Silent Salt Cookie." She said, carefully extending a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance as well." Silent Salt replied. "Hollyberry Cookie, is it? White Lily has told me about you, she mentioned you spar with dragons."

Hollyberry's demeanor seemed to get a bit lighter. "That I do! Back in my days as queen, one would regularly cause trouble in my kingdom."

"Dragons are no easy enemy, it is impressive that you managed to defeat them all by yourself."

Hollyberry gave out a pleasant laugh, though behind her he saw the two Ancients eyeing them both now. "Oh please, a dragon is no match for me!"

Silent Salt turned to greet the others, he thought maybe he could continue with Dark Cacao Cookie, give a good first impression. As he was about to speak, he walked right past him dismissively.

"We should start. Take your seats everyone."

Right, White Lily warned him of his demeanor. He imagined this one might be the most difficult to convince. This really wasn't a great start. 'Expect the worst, it will hurt less'. He thought to himself.

Everyone sat down at the table, Silent Salt Cookie seated next to White Lily and Pure Vanilla while the rest kept their distance on the other side of the table. The room was quiet for a few moments before Dark Cacao spoke up.

"Let's start by addressing the obvious elephant in the room." He said, and suddenly every head was facing Silent Salt Cookie.

"If I may. " White Lily stood up. "It was my idea for Silent Salt to form an alliance with us, so I feel I should explain my reasoning."

Dark Cacao looked up at her with suspicion, but eventually nodded. "Go ahead."

White Lily took a deep breath. "While I was in Beast-Yeast, I managed to get a peek of what transpired before the Beasts were sealed." She began. "Silent Salt Cookie didn't fall into corruption on his own volition, even until the very end he fought for the cookies of Beast-Yeast!"

"And how do you know that exactly?" Golden Cheese spoke up.

"The Guardian's power, it showed me everything." She spoke solemnly. "The other Beasts were the ones who drove him into corruption. He could see that the beasts were driving away from the light and sealed them away into the silver tree!"

"Wait, hold on a moment. I thought it was the witches that sealed the beasts. It was him?"

"The witches haven't been answering our prayers for a while now." Silent Salt spoke up. "The only other person capable of the task was Elder Faerie Cookie, but he couldn't do it without my help. I... didn't want it to be known."

"I don't think you give yourself enough credit." Hollyberry spoke. "I mean, if it is true, then you're the sole reason we are even here to begin with. If the beasts weren't sealed, they would be causing havoc across the entirety of Earthbread by now!"

The ancients looked between each other, their faces uncertain.

"I still have one question." Dark Cacao brought the attention back to himself. "Why? You are a beast, are you not? Why do you want to work against the others?"

Silent Salt Cookie's expression darkened. "Because they don't deserve my solidarity." He replied coldly. "They couldn't stand that I refused to give into their sick ways, so they did everything in their power to turn everyone against me. They spread rumors, tainted the truth, and when that didn't work they acted with violence."

Salt's fingers trembled as he gripped the table. "My entire army, all of my knights, even the innocent downtrodden cookies, all gone. It was then that they finally broke me."

"So you wish to take revenge on them by working with us, their biggest enemy?" Dark Cacao questioned further.

"You are the new Virtues. You are here to stand in our place and fix what we have broken, what we failed to do." Silent Salt said, looking straight at him. "I want to help you bring peace to Cookiekind once more, it's the least I can do."

The room went quiet again. The other cookies seemed shocked at the revelation, yet no one dared to speak.

"If we are able to help Silent Salt Cookie regain his Virtue..." Pure Vanilla then spoke up. "Then that gives us hope of potentially converting the other beasts back as well. Not to mention having him on our side can tip the scales in our favor against our fight with Dark Enchantress!"

"I..." Hollyberry seemed hesitant to speak, but eventually her gaze turned serious. "I vote to give him a chance."

"Seriously?" Golden Cheese went wide eyed, Salt was just as surprised.

"I can see the potential of change in him. His selfless act of sealing the beasts and himself into the tree tells me that he is not that far gone as one might think. And as Vanilla said, Dark Enchantress will lose a huge part of her defense plan with one of the beasts gone."

"I agree with Hollyberry."

Salt couldn't believe their words, he stared at both Dark Cacao and Hollyberry with bewilderment. What are they saying? Do they truly believe there's a chance that he could be redeemed?

"What? But Dark Cacao Cookie-!"

"On one condition!" Dark Cacao raised his finger, silencing Golden Cheese Cookie. "White Lily, you brought him here so he's your responsibility. I want either her or another cookie accompanying you everywhere at all times. If I see the slightest act of malice from you, you are out. Understood?"

Silent Salt nodded. "Yes, u-understood!"

"So... I guess it's just up to me now..." Golden Cheese finally spoke. "I know I don't have the best relationship with trust, especially after having to deal with what happened to my kingdom and then the encounter with Burning Spice Cookie... But if everyone else votes to give you a chance, then..." She paused. "As long as Dark Cacao's demands are met, I will try to give you a chance as well."

Silent Salt couldn't believe it. He thought he didn't have a chance of convincing either one of them, let alone all three. He was at a loss for words, he looked between all of them to see if anyone changed their minds at the last second, but they were all set on their decision. White Lily beamed with joy as Pure Vanilla stood up.

"Thank you everyone. If no one has anything else to say, I think this meeting is finished."

"I... Thank you, truly." Silent Salt stood up. "I promise I will do everything in my power to help the cause."

"And now that everyone is on the same page, how about I treat you all to dinner?" Vanilla continued.

"Good idea, I am starving!" Hollyberry called out as she stood up from the table. "You always treat us so well when we visit, Pure Vanilla Cookie!"

As everyone was heading towards the door, Dark Cacao came up to Salt and placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked at him for a moment before taking his hand in a handshake. "It is good to have you on our side." He said before heading towards the door as well.

White Lily turned to Salt with a joyful expression. "That went so much better than I expected!" She said. "Come on, let's get something to eat to celebrate!"

As soon as they got to the banquet hall, Silent Salt was hit with a pleasant sight. The table was already full of various different dishes, some that Salt has never seen before. White Lily led her to sit with her near Pure Vanilla and the others. He hadn't eaten in a while, though that usually didn't bother him. But looking down at the plate in front of him, he now realized just how hungry he was. 

"Is it really okay for me to eat all of this?" Silent Salt asked.

"Of course you can! You are my guest after all, eat as much as you like, my friend." Pure Vanilla reassured him.

Looking back down onto his plate, Salt gently lifted his helmet and took a bite of the food. He was pleasantly surprised, the flavor was perfectly balanced and the texture just right. It was clear that whoever made this is a real master of their craft.

"Why don't you take off that helmet?" Hollyberry asked. "Isn't it harder to eat with it on?"

"It isn't a matter of convenience for me, I am more comfortable with it on." Silent Salt answered.

"You do not need to take it off if you're not comfortable." Pure Vanilla reassured him.

"Thank you."

Silent Salt was glad that they understood. His helmet was basically glued to his head ever since he got corrupted, only taking it off to sleep. He was ashamed of himself, ashamed of how bad he let himself get. He didn't want anyone else seeing him like this. 

Even after eating, the Ancients still stuck around in the banquet hall to continue with some celebrations. Silent Salt kind of stood to the side near White Lily while the others engaged in conversation. Hollyberry noticed the way Silent Salt couldn't quite bring himself to engage, she came over to him with a glass of some deep scarlet liquid.

"Here, have some berry juice!" She said as she handed him the glass. "It will help you loosen up a bit."

Salt took the glass, although he was a bit hesitant to drink. "Ah, I don't really drink."

"Come on, we're celebrating!" She said as she took a sip of her own glass. It looks like she was already getting a bit tipsy herself. "A glass or two won't hurt!"

"Alright then. Thank you, Hollyberry."

Holly patted him on the back. "Don't mention it, just have fun!"

Salt took a sip of the juice, the strong and fruity flavor burned his throat as it went down. Although he had to admit, the flavor was enjoyable. He hasn't had a drink in ages, so he hoped that the one glass wouldn't affect him too much.

But unfortunately for him, after so long of not drinking he had forgotten just how low his alcohol tolerance was. He wasn't even halfway finished with his drink and he was already swaying on his feet, and looking down at how the juice swished around in the glass was making him dizzy. Looking over, he saw Hollyberry was already downing her third glass and still managed to hold up a meaningful conversation with Dark Cacao Cookie.

"Are you alright?" White Lily asked, noticing the way Salt looked like he was having trouble staying on his feet.

"I... ah... I am fine, I think." Salt answered, but his words were coming out slurred.

"Awh, another one with no tolerance!" Holly nudged Dark Cacao with her shoulder. "Would you look at that? You already have so much in common!"

"Let me take you back to your room." White Lily said as she took the glass from Salt and placed it back on the table.

Silent Salt let White Lily take him by the arm and lead him away from the banquet hall, the sounds of music and chatter slowly growing quiet. Salt was having trouble walking in a straight line, but thankfully Lily was there to help keep him stable. Eventually they reached the room that Pure Vanilla prepared for him and Salt walked inside.

The room was just as bright as the rest of the castle. The sheets were neatly folded and arranged and there were vases of vanilla flowers on the table and nightstands. 

"Thank you for walking me here." Salt managed to say through wobbly speech.

"You're welcome. Have a good night." She said with a smile before closing the door.

Now that Salt was left alone, he went over to sit on the bed. He figured it would be easier to take off his armor without having to keep himself from falling over. He fumbled over the leather straps of his cuirass for a minute or two before he was able to remove it. After way too long for his liking, he was able to free himself from his armor and lay down.

He figured that this was just the juice talking, but he couldn't help but think this was the most comfortable bed he has ever slept in. It was warm and soft, it reminded him of someone else that was warm and soft... He quickly perished the thought from his head, he shouldn't be thinking about that, he should be sleeping off the juice. Tomorrow is another day.

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

It was the middle of the night, maybe around one or two AM as Silent Salt laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. He had woken up not too long ago, but was unable to go back to sleep. His thoughts were mixed, two sides fighting an internal battle. One side was hopeful, he was now an official ally of the new Virtues. It spoke of a bright future where he could pull his former friends out of their respective dark depths and restore peace back to Beast-Yeast. But the other was worried, it reminded him that high hopes always hurt the most when they are lost, it reminded him about the last time the other beasts fought against his resistance. What if they found out where he is? What if they found out he was conspiring with their biggest enemy? The lives of the new Vitries would be in danger.

Salt sat up, clearly he wasn't falling back asleep anytime soon. He needed to get up and do something, take his mind off of things. He got out of bed and looked around the room, spotting his bag with the little belongings he brought from Beast-Yeast. He walked over and crouched next to it, looking inside.

He didn't really bring much aside from a couple mementos and tools to take care of Nox, though one thing caught his attention.

A letter, he completely forgot that he brought this.

'To my dearest, Salt of Solidarity:'

The handwriting was fluid and elegant, unmistakably written by the hand of Elder Faerie Cookie.

'Spring has returned, and with it comes the season of bloom. The silver tree is growing steadily, I wish that you would visit me once more and gaze upon its glory with me. We have much to discuss, my friend.

I will be expecting you,

Elder Faerie Cookie.'

An invitation, one of many that Silent Salt had received from the Faerie King in his days as commander. He remembered this one, it was very dear to his heart, though it didn't help ease his troubled mind. He carefully folded the letter back and put it back into his bag and continued searching. There must be something-

"Ack-!"

Salt withdrew his hand from the bag as he felt something cut his finger, deep red jam already pooling up in the wound. He reached down with his other hand, slowly this time, and pulled out the culprit behind his injury.

A small ornate dagger. He remembered this one, it was a gift from one of his knights. They had given it to him as a sign of gratitude, they claimed they had made it themselves. It had been stained with his own jam many times.

Silent Salt pulled up his sleeves and looked down at the scars on his arms. They were scattered across his skin from his shoulders down to his wrist, some lighter and some darker than the others, the freshest had already sealed themselves with scabs. He looked down at the dagger again, his scars itched.

He quickly dropped the dagger and stood up to his full height. No, no, no, he shouldn't. This clearly wasn't working, he had to get some air, clear his head. He took his helmet and put it on just in case anyone was roaming the halls at this late hour, turning the knob on the door and stepping outside.

"Oh! You're still awake?"

Salt yelped, the voice startling him. Looking towards the source, he saw a guard standing right next to his door.

"So sorry for scaring you!" The cookie apologized. "The Ancient heroes wanted someone to be with you at all times so they assigned me as your official guard and escort!"

"I see." Right, he figured that they would send someone, but he didn't expect they would stand right outside his room.

"What keeps you up so late?" They asked.

"I can't seem to fall asleep. I thought that going outside to clear my head might help." Salt explained. "You wouldn't mind accompanying me outside, would you?"

The guard nodded. "Of course!"

The two cookies then made their way towards the castle entrance. The sky was dark, yet full of stars, it looked so different compared to the sky over at Beast-Yeast. He walked past the stables when he heard a noise coming from inside. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Nox.

"Nox? How come you are awake, buddy?" Salt said as he walked closer, reaching up to scratch his chin.

Nox stepped closer, rubbing his head against Salt's helmet.

"Why so nervous? You don't have to be worried about me, I'm just here to get my mind off of things." He reassured the horse. "Go back to sleep."

Nox seemed to ease a little bit after seeing Salt, retreating back into his stall. He could always somehow tell when Salt was feeling down. 

Salt continued to walk, no specific destination in mind. Eventually, he ended up near the edge of the floating island, resting his arms against the railing that prevented him from falling down. He looked past the edge of the island, looking down at the ground below them. They were quite high up, the distance made him lightheaded.

"What are you doing here?" 

A voice rang out from behind him, looking back, he found Dark Cacao Cookie standing there. The guard bowed before him.

"I just needed to clear my head. I'll be heading back to my room shortly." Salt explained.

"Do you have problems with sleep?" Dark Cacao asked him as he approached, stopping by the railing next to him.

"Sometimes." Salt admitted. "What brings you out here?"

"Similar reasons as you, I assume." Cacao replied. "My regrets tend to keep me up at night."

Salt nodded. "I... wanted to thank you for accepting me."

"You don't have to keep thanking everyone." Cacao looked at him.

"Ah. My apologies."

"What for?"

Salt... couldn't quite answer that. He opened his mouth, but closed it again once he realized he didn't have an answer.

"There is nothing to apologize for." Cacao reassured him. "I actually wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"Turning away from the path of darkness is no easy task." Cacao explained further. "The choice to stray away from evil itself brings many hardships, the biggest of which is repairing the trust of those who you have wronged in the past. If you have what it takes to reclaim your Virtue, we will walk alongside you. Your help is greatly appreciated."

Salt went quiet as he tried to process the words. From White Lily's description, he expected Dark Cacao Cookie to be cold towards him, he wouldn't be surprised if he acted hostile, but all he could hear were welcoming words. He was glad that he chose to wear his helmet.

"I... I don't know what to say..."

"No need to say anything." Dark Cacao turned to look into the distance again. 

Silent Salt kept looking at him, trying to see what the Virtue saw in him that Salt himself didn't. He caused so much harm, so much despair, and he of all cookies had so much faith in him.

The two Cookies stood silent for a couple minutes. He expected that an encounter with Dark Cacao would be tense, but his presence brought a strange sense of comfort. Though he could tell that the other was still paying close attention to him, he saw his eyes watching him from time to time. The air was chilly, but still warm enough not to make one shiver. The sound of crickets filled the silence of the night.

"I should head back." Salt spoke up, taking a step away from the railing. "I will see you in the morning."

"Sleep well." Dark Cacao said, staying put as Salt walked away with his guard.

Silent Salt made it back to his room, closing the door behind him before removing his helmet. He looked down at the piece of armor, it was vastly different from what he used to wear, both in shape and color. There was a strange new feeling when he held it that he couldn't quite describe. He placed it down onto the dresser before returning to bed.

As he laid there, his mind was brought back to the conversation he had with Dark Cacao just now. Though he managed to brush away the previous mixed feelings he had, Dark Cacao's words only replaced them with new ones. He thought this guy was supposed to be strict and cold and 'bad at showing emotions'. But that wasn't what he was hearing at all. How come he was so welcoming towards him? That didn't mean that Silent Salt didn't appreciate it, but he just didn't expect it.

Either way, he should sleep, it was getting late.

The morning came earlier than he expected. The sunrays beamed through the curtains, stirring Silent Salt out of his slumber. He sat up in bed and rubbed his sore eyes, perhaps his late night walk was not that good of an idea after all. He reluctantly got out of bed and stretched out his arms above his head, then headed to the bathroom. The room that Pure Vanilla had provided for him had a bathroom attached so Salt didn't have to go anywhere, for that he was glad.

Salt did what any cookie would do in the morning, brushed his teeth, brushed his hair, the works. He didn't even need to force himself to do it, he just did it. Once he was done, he looked at himself in the mirror. He was surprised to say it, but he actually didn't hate what he was seeing. He looked... normal. Then he got an idea.

What if he... didn't wear his helmet today?

When Salt was still commander, he wore his helmet a lot due to the fact that he would get into battle more often, but would take it off if asked. But after his fall, he used it as a mask so that the other cookies won't see how low he had fallen. He hated himself, especially how he looked. But now that he didn't flinch at his own reflection...

No, it's too soon. Maybe tomorrow. Silent Salt left the bathroom, putting on his armor and headed for the door.

It turned out that Nox wasn't all that fond of anyone other than Silent Salt tending to him, so he thought he could groom him today while he slowly gets used to the new environment. He was immediately way calmer now that he was with Silent Salt Cookie, waiting patiently as he tended to him. 

While Salt was busy brushing out Nox's thick black coat, he started to think. Things were going well, very well actually. Almost too well... Salt was getting worried that something will go wrong soon, there's no way things will just continue being good, right? It was just too good to be true, he thought. 

"There you are!"

Salt was shaken out of his train of thought by a voice, he turned around to see a surprising sight. Golden Cheese Cookie was standing outside the stables.

"Good morning, Golden Cheese Cookie." Salt greeted her. "Is there something you need from me?"

Golden Cheese shook her head. "White Lily is busy, and since I have nothing better to do today, I've been assigned watch duty."

"I see. And by 'watch duty' I assume you're here to watch over me?" 

"That is precisely right." She answers, though Salt could tell that she might not be too thrilled to be assigned this job.

Salt nodded. "Well, I still have to finish tending to Nox, so feel free to watch all you like."

"Hmm." Golden Cheese hummed. "You seem to be in a good mood today." She pointed out.

"I am. It is a nice day outside." Salt told her. "I'm trying to think positively, although I must admit I am quite nervous. This is the farthest I've ever been from Beast-Yeast."

"Is that so?" Cheese tilted her head. "Didn't think you, of all cookies, would be nervous."

"You'd be surprised." Salt replied as he put the brush away. "Well, I'm finished here. So, what do you want to do?"

Golden Cheese was a bit taken aback by the question. "Me? I'm supposed to be watching you, so I thought you had a plan in mind."

"Ah, I was going to try joining in on what someone else was doing..."

The two stood silent for a moment before Golden Cheese took something from her pocket. "Hmm. Let me ask Dark Cacao what he's doing."

"What is that?" Salt asked, pointing at the object in her hand.

"This?" Cheese gestured towards the device. "It's a phone. Do you... not know what a phone is?"

"I have been sealed for quite some time." Salt explained. "The idea of a 'phone' is news to me."

Cheese raised her eyebrows in realization. "Oh. Okay, right. Well, a phone is a portable device that lets you do... basically anything."

"Truly?"

"Well, not anything anything. But you'd be surprised at how much this little thing can do." Cheese put the phone back in her pocket. "Come with me."

Silent Salt followed after her back into the castle all the way back to her room. The inside was way more decorated than his own, various trinkets sat on every surface from little statuettes to jewels and items he had never seen before. He sat down onto a chair as Golden Cheese rummaged through a drawer.

"Let's see, where did I put it... Oh, there it is!" She walked over to sit next to Salt as she handed him what he assumed was a phone, but it was smaller and thicker than the one she had.

"This one is one of the older models. While it doesn't have nearly all of the features as the modern ones, it is perfect for someone that has no idea what a phone even is so they don't get overwhelmed with everything." She explained as Salt inspected the device. "Here, you can keep this one until you feel confident enough for a proper phone."

"You're giving it to me?" Salt's eyes widened. "I can keep this?"

"Of course you can. It's practical for you to have one so you can contact us when we're not around."

"This device can converse with people over long distances?"

"Precisely! Let me show you." Cheese reached over to press a button on the device. "Here you can see your contacts. This one is empty, so I'll add one for you. You need a person's phone number to be able to contact them."

Cheese typed a series of numbers into the phone then handed the phone back. "Try it."

Silent Salt reluctantly pressed the 'call' button on the device. It let out a couple of beeps before a voice could be heard.

"Hello? Who is this?" Salt recognised the voice, it was Dark Cacao Cookie.

"Hello? This is Silent Salt Cookie." Salt answered.

"Silent Salt? We're in the same building, why are you calling me?" Dark Cacao questioned.

"I'm showing grandpa how to use a phone!" Golden Cheese spoke into the phone. Grandpa??

"I see. Very well, if that is all, I'm going to stop the call now." Dark Cacao said before the call disconnected.

"Fascinating. What a convenient device!" Salt said as he turned back to Golden Cheese Cookie.

"That's not all it can do. If you don't want to call someone, you can just send them a message." Golden Cheese said as she showed him how to access the messages. "Let me type in my number so you can try it out. Here."

"Hmm." Salt looked down onto the buttons on the device. Under each number there were letters, he figured if he pressed them, he could make words. He pressed the button with 'h', but it wrote 'e' instead.

"You have to press it multiple times in a short time. Each button can type multiple letters. You can erase the message with this button." 

"Ah, I think I got it." Salt proceeded to keep pressing the buttons until he spelled out a simple 'Hello.' and pressed send.

Cheese's phone made a noise. "I got your message!" She typed for a moment before Salt's own phone made a noise as well. Her message read 'Hello!'.

"Thank you for showing me this!" 

"One last thing." Cheese said as she took the phone from Salt's hand. "You can take photos with this. It will capture what you see and you can keep it forever. Like this." She raised the phone up and pointed at the two of them. "Say cheese!"

"Cheese?"

The device made a flash of light before she showed the screen to Salt. On it, he could see the two of them, Cheese was smiling at the camera while Salt looked a little confused.

"You can take photos of anything. Just make sure you ask before you take a photo of other cookies, some are not too fond of getting their photo taken. Let me also add the numbers for the rest of the Ancients."

Salt nodded. "This is incredible. Thank you!"

"It has a couple more features like games or playing music, but I'm sure you can figure that out on your own." She said as she stood up from the chair. "Now come, let's get something to eat, I'm starving."

"Your mood seems to have improved." Salt pointed out.

Cheese seemed surprised as she herself noticed. "Oh, I guess it did."

"I do hope we can get along. I enjoyed our interaction."

Cheese put on a soft smile. "I must say you're not as bad as I imagined."

Salt took that as a good sign, following in her footsteps as they left Cheese's room. 

As they made their way towards the banquet hall, they saw that Hollyberry was there as well. She was standing next to a table full of sweets, and Salt recognized some of them from last night. These must be leftovers from the celebration. Holly turned around, smiling as she saw the two of them approach.

"Morning you two!" She said as she picked up a pastry from the table. "There are a bunch of leftover sweets from last night. Here, have some!"

Hollyberry walked up to Silent Salt. Before he could react, Holly lifted up his helmet and shoved the pastry in his mouth.

"Holly!" Cheese called out as Salt instinctively recoiled.

Once Salt actually bit down on the pastry, he could sense the flavor melting on his tongue. A delicious raspberry tart. His mouth was full so he gave Holly a thumbs up.

"See? He likes it!" Hollyberry told Golden Cheese. "Have some more! I haven't seen you eat since yesterday, you must be skin and bones under that armor."

Salt let out a giggle. "But I haven't finished chewing!"

"Then hurry it up! And you too, Goldie!"

Salt wasn't expecting for the visit to the Vanilla kingdom to be so fun. It seemed like the others were starting to get comfortable with his presence and Salt himself just generally felt happier. It was strange and unexpected, yet he liked it. Maybe he could just take off the helmet like he was thinking.

White Lily ended up joining them a few minutes later to snack on the sweets. She walked up to Salt as she took a piece of caramel candy from one of the bowls.

"So, how are you faring?" White Lily asked him before putting the candy in her mouth. 

"I am faring very well!" He replied, his voice cheerful. "Golden Cheese Cookie taught me how to use a phone this morning!"

Lily's smile widened as she heard that. "I am glad that you're getting along with everyone!" She then turned to Golden Cheese. "Golden Cheese Cookie, can I ask you something?"

Golden Cheese turned to face her, she seemed a bit hesitant, but she still tried to put on a smile. "What is it."

"Well, since I have wings now, I realized that I don't really know how to use them." She explained. "I just wanted to ask if you'd be willing to teach me how to fly?"

Cheese raised her eyebrows in surprise, she thought about it for a moment. "Hmm, your wings do have a different shape than mine, but the basics should be the same..." She seemed hesitant. "Sure."

White Lily smiled brightly. "Thank you so much, Golden Cheese Cookie!"

Cheese seemed to smile a bit more genuinely now as she led White Lily outside. Salt was happy for them, maybe White Lily can manage to repair her relationship with her. Now that they had left, Salt was left standing in the banquet hall alone with Hollyberry.

"I guess it's my turn to watch over you now." Holly spoke up. "How about you help me put away the leftovers?"

"Of course."

After Golden Cheese was done explaining the basics in theory, it was time for White Lily to try flying in practice. White Lily watched as Golden Cheese flapped her wings in the air, flying up high above her. She saw the way her body moved to allow her to change directions effortlessly before she showed down and perched on top of a balcony on the Vanilla castle.

"There, now you try!"

White Lily was a bit hesitant. She remembered how Cheese explained it: Just jump and flap your wings at the same time, easier said than done. She took a deep breath before she leaped off the ground, her wings moving rapidly to keep her airborne. But it worked, she was flying. She looked up at Cheese, who was watching her with anticipation. She focused on gaining a bit more height before attempting to fly forward. Her flight was a bit unstable, but she eventually made it onto the balcony, although with a bit of a hard landing. She stumbled over her feet a little, but Cheese was able to catch her.

"You still need a lot more practice, but you did great for your first flight!" Cheese praised her.

"Wow, this is incredible! Thank you!" White Lily beamed as she took Cheese into an embrace.

Golden Cheese froze for a moment, not knowing how to react, but eventually she returned the hug.

As realization hit, White Lily pulled away from the hug. "Ah, I'm sorry, I got carried away."

"It's... alright."

White Lily could sense that the tension was high at that moment, maybe it was time for Lily to talk to her properly.

"... I'm really sorry for your kingdom."

"You don't need to apologize."

White Lily was surprised, she was about to say something but Cheese continued to speak.

"I... I do realize that Dark Enchantress Cookie's actions aren't your own, although it's hard to remember sometimes." She began. "But... I don't want our relationship to be sour forever. Even though I might seem distant, I wanted to let you know that I want to try and be friends again, like we were before."

White Lily's expression softened. "I want to be the way we were before, too."

Golden Cheese finally smiled, pulling Lily into another hug. "I missed you..."

"I missed you, too."

Today was fun, really fun. He was glad that the new Virtues didn't seem as nervous to be around him as they were before, he was actually starting to feel genuine hope that this might just work out.

The others were all busy, so he thought that he would go back to his room and do some writing. He almost forgot how he enjoyed writing back before the corruption, whether it was for letters, paperwork, or just for fun. He was walking through the halls accompanied with a guard, the sun had already set and the palace had gotten a bit dark. Spooky.

"The others seemed to have warmed up to you." The guard cookie spoke up.

"I noticed. I am happy they gave me a chance." Salt replied.

The guard smiled. "I've heard Pure Vanilla Cookie talking about you, he said that-"

Suddenly, the guard cookie was hit in the face by a strange object that was flung at them, exploding into a yellowish-green powder that made them cough. Salt's eyes widened, but before he could see the culprit behind the attack, he was hit as well.

He gasped, the power invading his mouth and nostrils. It burned, he clawed at the holes in his helmet as he coughed, trying to wipe it off.

Ugh, screw the helmet!

Salt pulled off his helmet and threw it on the ground, desperately trying to wipe off the powder as it seeped into the cracks in his dough. He felt his lips and the tip of his nose loose feeling, what on Earthbread is this? Then he heard footsteps in front of him, but the powder had already got into his eyes and made his vision blurry. Then the unknown perpetrator pounced on top of him, knocking him off his feet.

As he fell onto his back, his head hit the floor hard. A loud ringing overtook his hearing as he desperately tried to get the attacker off of him. He grabbed their wrist as they reached for his Soul Jam, but his grip was already getting weaker, he didn't know how long he could defend himself for.

Through his blurry vision, he saw a flash of pink and the attacker got off of him. Was that... Hollyberry? She had managed to ram into them and made them scurry away. As they ran, she turned around and said something to him, but at that time his vision was already turning back. He felt her grab onto him as he slipped into unconsciousness...

Crunchy Chip Cookie got woken up by a strange noise. He immediately got up and ran out of his tent, searching for the source of the noise. It was Nox, he was awake and moving around erratically inside his stall. He ran over to him, was something bothering him?

"Hey, hey!" Crunchy chip walked up to the horse. "What's wrong? What's going on?"

But Nox didn't calm down, he kept neighing and pacing from one side of the stall to the other, but Crunchy Chip couldn't see anything that could cause such a reaction.

He looked around, trying to see what could possibly be wrong, but then something else caught his attention.

The guards that stood in front of the gates were just laying on the ground.

"What the hell?" Chip ran over to them, but then he saw the strange powder on their face.

Oh no, someone was in the castle!

"Crunchy Chip?" Caramel Arrow was also woken up by the noise. She was peeking out of the tent. "What's going on?"

"Someone is in the castle! Wake up Dark Cacao Cookie!" Crunchy Chipp yelled before running into the castle.

Chip ran as fast as he could through the halls, searching for any sign of the intruder. Then he heard it, a female voice from around the corner. As he approached, the figure finally came into view.

"Queen Hollyberry Cookie?" He saw the queen kneeling down on the floor above two laying figures. One guard and Silent Salt Cookie. "What on Earthbread happened??"

Hollyberry was panicking, she was trying to shake Silent Salt awake but it clearly wasn't working. "Go and get Pure Vanilla Cookie! And wake the others!"

"Got it!"

As Crunchy Chip ran towards Pure Vanilla Cookie's room, Holly turned her attention back on the fallen cookies. The guard seemed to still be awake, but they looked like they're seriously out of it. But it was Silent Salt that she was more afraid of. She really didn't like the way he fell, the guard was awake but he wasn't, she really hoped he didn't get some sort of brain damage from that.

"Holly!" Dark Cacao had managed to catch up, his eyes widened as he saw the scene in front of him. "What happened?"

"They got attacked!" Holly yelled. "They ran away but Salt hit his head as he fell and now he's not waking up!"

This isn't good, he has to get him to Pure Vanilla Cookie as fast as possible. He dashed towards them and scooped up the unconscious Silent Salt Cookie. "Get the guard and meet me at the infirmary!"

Dark Cacao Cookie raced through the halls, his eyes scanning his surroundings just in case he saw the intruder. They must still be in the castle, he must warn the others, sound the alarms, but right now the most important thing right now is to get Salt to the infirmary.

Pure Vanilla had woken up amidst the chaos, looking around the halls to find out what's going on when he saw Dark Cacao.

"Pure Vanilla Cookie!" Cacao yelled. "We need you in the infirmary, there are several injured!"

Vanilla's eyes widened as he saw the unconscious form in Dark Cacao's arms. He didn't even have time to ask what happened before they both took off for the infirmary.

Several other cookies have woken up already and everyone was on full alert now that the news of an intruder spread out. Dark Cacao followed Vanilla into the infirmary, Hollyberry catching up to them a few seconds later. Cacao placed Salt on a bed as other healer cookies tended to the rest of the injured.

"What happened?" Pure Vanilla questioned them as he started assessing Salt's injuries.

"They were attacked! They threw some strange powder on him and he hit his head as he fell down!" Hollyberry explained. "I tried to wipe the powder off, but my fingers went numb."

"This isn't good. We need to get the powder off of him fast!" Pure Vanilla called out and Holly quickly moved to grab a damp cloth.

"I'll search the castle for the intruder! They might still be inside!" Cacao said as he ran out of the infirmary.

Vanilla tried to shake Salt awake, but nothing happened. "I'll start an IV, help me take off his armor!"

Pure Vanilla grabbed onto Salt's arm and pulled off his heavy gauntlet, he pulled up his sleeves to-

Pure Vanilla's eyes went wide at the sight. His entire arm was covered in scars, a lot of them looked deep, some turned into keloids. The freshest were covered in scabs, these couldn’t be older than a couple days.

"Holly, pull the curtains." 

Hollyberry turned and saw the same thing that Vanilla was seeing, quickly running over to isolate the room with a privacy curtain.

This was going to be a long night...

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

Silent Salt woke up to a pounding headache and the rhythmic beeping of a heart rate monitor, his body was weak and he felt ill. Looking around, he had found himself somewhere unfamiliar to him, but there were various strange machines around him. He looked down, there was a thin tube going into his right arm and... wait, why were his arms bandaged up?

Oh...

Salt gave a defeated sigh as the realization hit. They saw them.

Salt felt horrible, both physically and emotionally. He was sure that Pure Vanilla will be very interested why there were so many obviously self-inflicted scars on his arms. It was then that he also realized that his helmet was nowhere to be seen. Did they also see his face? He tried to remember what happened, but his mind was hazy and his head was pounding. He remembers being attacked by someone, but he couldn't recall their face. 

Then he heard the door open, followed by footsteps getting closer. A figure peeked over the curtain, it was Pure Vanilla Cookie.

"You're awake!" Vanilla smiled as he approached him and sat down on a chair next to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel sick." Salt replied, his voice weak.

Vanilla nodded. "You have a mild concussion from when you fell down, you might feel some nausea, fatigue and headaches for the next couple of days. If you feel the need to throw up, there's a bucket next to your bed. Now, do you remember what happened yesterday?"

Salt thought for a moment. "I got attacked, I think... They threw some strange powder in my face. I think they were here for my Soul Jam." He told Vanilla. "Wait, what happened to them? They didn't hurt anyone, did they?"

"Golden Cheese Cookie cornered them, but they jumped out of a window and we lost sight of them. Some other cookies have been attacked with the substance, but there were no major injuries and nothing was reported stolen." Vanilla explained.

"That's good."

"White Lily Cookie is still analyzing the substance, but in the meantime I wanted to talk with you about something." Vanilla added and Silent Salt feared he already knew what he wanted to talk about. "... About the scars on your arms."

Salt sighed, he really didn't want to have this conversation. He thought out what to say to the healer that would satisfy him and drop the subject as early as possible. "I... harbor a lot of guilt and regret. I think you can imagine why."

"I have heard about your story." Pure Vanilla spoke softly. "Do you need anyone to talk to? We have people here that can help you."

"You really don't have to worry about me." Salt tried to reassure him. "My Soul Jam makes me completely immortal. Even if I wanted to end my own life, I physically couldn't."

That didn't seem to ease Pure Vanilla's worries, it actually made him look more concerned. "... That doesn't make your pain any less valid."

"But... I am getting better, I think." Salt then said. "I wanted to get better even before I came here, and you gave me that opportunity. I really appreciate that."

That finally managed to make Vanilla a little less concerned. He put on a soft smile. "That's good, I'm glad."

"Who else saw them?" Salt questioned. "The scars, I mean."

"Aside from me, only Hollyberry Cookie." Vanilla told him. "We bandaged them after we treated you to prevent infection."

"I see." 

Pure Vanilla seemed to want to say something else. He paused, but before he could find the words, he heard a knock on the door. "Give me one moment, I'll be right back." He said as he stepped outside the privacy curtain.

Salt couldn't see who he was talking to once he heard the healer open the door, but he could recognise the voice of White Lily Cookie. He couldn't quite catch what they were talking about, White Lily's voice was naturally fairly quiet, although he could catch some words like 'intruder' and 'substance'. Vanilla mentioned that she was working on analyzing the powder that was used during the attack, he assumed she was back with the report.

"Can I see him?" He heard White Lily ask.

"One moment."

Salt heard a couple soft footsteps before the curtains got pulled to the side.

"White Lily Cookie would like to visit you. Do you want her to see you?" Vanilla asked, peeking from beyond the curtains. 

"Sure." Salt nodded, slowly attempting to sit up.

Vanilla pulled the curtain to the side, revealing White Lily Cookie standing behind them holding Silent Salt's helmet. She seemed surprised to see him, her eyes investigating his features for a moment. "Silent Salt Cookie! I hope you're feeling better." She said as she placed the helmet on Salt's lap. "I cleaned your helmet while I was analyzing the powder."

Silent Salt looked at the piece of armor sitting on the blanket draped over his lower body, clean and pristine. There was this... strange feeling about it. He thought about picking it up and putting it on, but a part of him was stopping him, telling him he doesn't need it anymore. "Thank you White Lily Cookie." He said as he placed the helmet down on a table next to the bed.

"We need to have an urgent meeting about the attack." Pure Vanilla spoke up. "We'll have it as soon as Silent Salt Cookie feels ready to get out of bed."

"Could we perhaps have the meeting here?" Silent Salt offered. "It is an urgent matter, you don't have to wait for me."

"You would be alright with that?" Vanilla questioned. "You just woke up, and you're still recovering."

"I really don't mind." Salt reassured him. "We should discuss this as soon as possible."

"Well then, I will fetch the others." He said before turning to White Lily. "Keep our friend company, will you, White Lily Cookie?"

Lily smiled and nodded as Vanilla walked out of the room. Salt laid back down on the bed with an exhale.

"Are you feeling alright?" Lily asked him.

"I'm alright, I'm just a little tired." Salt reassured her as he turned his head to face her. "Did you see who the intruder was? What did they look like?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't see them." Lily replied. "Maybe Golden Cheese Cookie had a good look at them? She was the last to see them."

Silent Salt hummed as he closed his eyes for a moment, though even with his eyes closed he could sense Lily's eyes scanning his face. He wondered if he looked like she expected or if she was surprised, hopefully she wasn't disappointed. He wasn't completely ugly, at least he didn't think so, but time and the stress had taken a bit of a toll on him. 

Long black locks flowed freely against his grey skin, his eyes were almost completely white like grains of salt. Light freckles were scattered across his cheeks, nose and forehead along with a sizable crack in his dough spreading from his cheek to the other eye. He had quite a bit of facial hair, Salt used to pay more attention to the upkeep, but he lost the will after his corruption. White Lily didn't quite know what she expected him to look like, his soft spoken voice suggested that he would look a little younger. She wasn't complaining, though.

"Does my appearance surprise you?" Silent Salt said as he opened his eyes, meeting Lily's gaze.

White Lily was caught off guard, looking away sheepishly. "I'm sorry. It's just... it's the first time I'm seeing your face and..."

"It's fine, it doesn't bother me. Feel free to look." Salt reassured her.

There was a slight blush on her face as she hesitantly looked back, but her stare didn't linger for too long when she heard footsteps of multiple cookies approaching. When the door opened, Pure Vanilla Cookie stepped inside followed by the rest of the Ancients. Salt sat back up in bed, noticing the surprised expressions on their faces seeing his face for the first time. Hollyberry was the only one that looked more worried than surprised, she approached his bedside.

"Are you doing better? That fall yesterday looked really nasty." She said as she sat down on the edge of his bed.

"I'm alright, thank you for helping me."

"We should discuss the attack on the castle that happened yesterday and how we can improve our security going forward." Dark Cacao spoke up. "Golden Cheese Cookie, you were the last one who saw the intruder before they fled. Did you see their face?"

"They had a long cloak, and their face was covered by something, maybe a mask?" Golden Cheese replied. "They were extremely fast and agile, so I unfortunately couldn'tget a good look at them."

"Pure Vanilla said he jumped out of a window. Where did they flee to?" Silent Salt questioned. 

"Out of the window is a drop straight down to the surface, but it seems it was accounted for. We found a discarded parachute down under the palace." Cheese explained.

"Did you get to see their face, Silent Salt Cookie?" Dark Cacao turned his attention towards Salt.

"I don't remember... My vision was really blurry. I'm sorry." Salt told him.

Dark Cacao nodded. "We need to consider additional safety measures. Everyone keep your Soul Jam on your person and don't let it out of your sight. I would also suggest appointing someone to patrol the palace grounds during the night." He suggested.

"I could do it." Hollyberry spoke up.

"I volunteer as well." Golden Cheese added.

"What if we all take turns?" Silent Salt suggested. "The burden shouldn't fall on one cookie alone."

"Good idea. Hollyberry, you can start tonight and Cheese will take your place tomorrow." Pure Vanilla said as he turned to White Lily. "White Lily, would you share your findings regarding the substance used in the attack?"

Lily nodded. "As I was analyzing the powder, I realized it looked familiar." She began. "It originated from Beast-Yeast. It's spores with paralytic properties produced by one of the carnivorous plants native to the continent."

Hearing that the substance was from Beast-Yeast, a sudden realization hit him. He had seen this before, this has happened before.

"The Beasts sent them." Silent Salt said. "This wasn't an attack, this was a warning. They know I'm here."

Dark Cacao raised his eyebrows. "What made you come to that conclusion?"

"The same thing happened with my knights." He explained, his fingers gripping his thighs through the covers over him. "At first, they send a weak attack, not to hurt but to let you know that they are aware. They will escalate and escalate until they break me again. You're in danger, the whole kingdom is in danger!" He was getting more and more panicked as he spoke, his shoulders trembling as memories of the Kala Namak Knights flooded his mind.

"Hey, hey, settle down." Hollyberry tried to comfort him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "There's five of us here, we can handle anything that they'll try to throw at us!"

"Hollyberry is right. We all faced our respective Beast before and came out victorious." Dark Cacao added. "Your absence has certainly agitated them, but we have strength in numbers." 

"You don't understand!" Salt argued. "I know first hand what they are capable of, they will destroy everything in their path to get what they want, even innocent cookies!"

"And we won't let that happen!" Dark Cacao raised his voice assertively. "We have fought in many wars, faced great danger, and we are all still standing. You know what they can do, which means we can figure out how to counter them."

Salt was about to speak before Pure Vanilla stepped between the two of them. "I think we should let Silent Salt rest." He interjected. "Thank you all for participating and remember to keep one eye open for anything suspicious. We will continue this meeting on a later date."

"Very well." Dark Cacao nodded as the others all got up to leave. "But someone should stay here to look after Silent Salt Cookie."

"I will watch over him, don't worry." Pure Vanilla replied.

"Didn't you say you had urgent paperwork to take care of?" Cacao questioned him. "I can watch over him while you finish it."

"Are you sure? Alright then, I'll be in my room if you need me." Pure Vanilla said as he got up to leave with the others. "Thank you Dark Cacao Cookie."

"Of course." Dark Cacao sat down on a chair next to Salt's bed.

Silent Salt couldn't help but think it was strange that Dark Cacao volunteered to stay, he wondered if the king wanted something to say to him. The room was quiet for a couple moments, both of them sitting still and silent. Dark Cacao looked over at Salt, his expression unreadable, and Salt met his eyes.

"... Does your horse have a name?" Dark Cacao finally asked.

"Ah, yes, he does. His name is Nox Black Salt." Salt replied. "Why do you ask?"

"He made a ruckus and woke us up when the castle was attacked last night." Dark Cacao explained. "If it weren't for him, we might not even have realized we were under attack until it was too late."

"I see."

"Although he seems a little stressed lately." Dark Cacao added.

Salt perked up at that information. "Stressed? How so?"

"He doesn't really let the handlers come close to him." Dark Cacao explained. "We thought that something might have happened to him in the attack, but he thankfully appears unharmed."

Silent Salt gave a low hum. "Nox always knows when something has happened to me. I think he might be stressed that I got hurt." He said. "He might calm down when he sees that I'm fine. Could you take me to see him?"

"Are you sure you are alright to walk?" Dark Cacao questioned him. "Pure Vanilla told you to rest."

"I will come right back to bed, I promise." Salt reassured him. "Nox doesn't always handle stress very well, I wouldn't want him to put his health at risk."

Dark Cacao thought for a moment, then he sighed. "Alright, but I'm taking you right back."

"Thank you."

Salt slowly got out of bed and stood up to his feet with Dark Cacao's help. He was still a little dizzy but he was completely capable of walking, and the stables weren't that far anyway. Nevertheless, he should make this quick, Pure Vanilla Cookie surely won't be happy seeing him out of bed.

It was a bit strange walking through the halls without his armor, it made him feel... vulnerable, he was still paranoid of any potential attacks from the Beasts. But the way Dark Cacao Cookie walked next to him with such confidence, gripping his blade that held the Soul Jam of Resolution, it made him feel a little less uneasy.

They soon passed the palace gates and stepped into the bright sunlight outside. Salt quickly covered his eyes as the harsh light was giving him a headache. Hopefully the sun will get covered by a cloud soon. The stables were relatively close to the palace and Salt could already see the large black steed grazing far in the field, keeping distance away from the other critters. Salt stepped closer and rested his arms on the fence separating them. 

"Nox!" Salt called out to him. "Come here, boy!"

The horse raised his head, his ears perking up as he heard the unmistakable call of his rider. After a moment, he turned and galloped right over to the cookie. Salt gave out a warm laugh as the horse stopped right in front of him, reaching up to give his chin a good scratch.

"You did such a good job yesterday, Noxie!" Salt spoke. "I'd give you a mint, but I'm afraid I don't have one on me right now. I'll bring you one as soon as I get better, I promise."

The horse continued to nuzzle against Silent Salt Cookie, he seems much happier now, both of them do. Nox raised his head and started to lock Salt's face.

"Ack-! Nox! Not this again!" Salt said through giggles, trying to get Nox to keep his head down.

Cacao couldn't help but crack a tiny smile as he watched the two of them, finding the situation both endearing and slightly hilarious. "You two seem to have a strong bond together."

"We do." Salt replied as Nox finally ceased the licking and returned to nuzzling Salt's face. "He has been with me since the very beginning. I regard him as one of my most loyal knights."

Dark Cacao nodded. Silent Salt let out a quiet groan as he brought his hand up to his forehead. "Are you alright?" The king asks him.

"My head is starting to hurt, I should go back to bed." Salt answered as he turned back to Nox. "Be good, okay? I'll be alright, I promise."

Salt followed Dark Cacao as he led him back to the infirmary. He was starting to feel tired again and all he wanted to do right now was lay down. He pulled the curtain closed as he sat back down on the bed. "Thank you for bringing me to see Nox." He said to Dark Cacao. "I think I'm going to get some sleep."

"Of course, rest well, you need it."

...

Silent Salt Cookie was allowed to leave the infirmary later that evening, allowing him to have a much better night's sleep in his own bed. He was feeling better than yesterday, although he still got headaches every now and then. He was surprised to see that he slowly lost the need to wear his helmet around the new Virtues. They told him that they were glad that he felt comfortable enough to show his face around them, and Salt himself was glad too.

He felt better, hopeful. The thoughts that plagued his mind before he fell asleep each night were growing quiet, now only a quiet whisper. 

Silent Salt thought he could try to properly take care of himself this time. He stepped into the shower and washed his hair. When was the last time he did that? He wasn't sure. The shampoo provided to him smelled really nice, unsurprisingly the fragrance was vanilla. He figured that was the norm here. It was then that he discovered the massive and painful bruise on the back of his head, likely from the fall. 

He wrapped the towel around his waist as he stepped in front of the mirror. With his hair now being dry, he was surprised to see how silky and smooth it was. His hair was still black, he figured there was no changing that. He turned his attention to his facial hair next, it was messy and unkempt, time to change that.

Salt looked down into the drawers under the sink, pulling out a small pair of scissors. He wasn't going to cut all of it off, but he thought the tips just needed trimming. With the help of his fingers, he carefully snipped along the edges of his beard and mustache, trying to reshape it to be more neat. Tiny black hairs fell into the sink as he worked.

Splashing water on his face, he raised his head again and saw that he looked... so much better than before. He looked great, Salt didn't hate what he was seeing. He couldn't help but crack a slight smile as he finished getting ready.

With his armor on, his Soul Jam glistening on his cuirass, he headed for the door. He expected that a cookie was already waiting for him outside. Who would it be this time? A guard? One of the Virtues? Only one way to find out.

He stepped out of the room and saw... Crunchy Chip Cookie? He was one of the Cookie's that Dark Cacao Cookie brought with him, right? Why was he here?

It took the shorter cookie a moment to notice Salt's presence, quickly straightening his posture as he addressed him. "Good morning, Silent Salt Cookie! King Dark Cacao Cookie assigned me to be your guard and escort for today." Crunchy Chip spoke.

"I see. It's usually one of the Vanilla castle guards that escorts me. Is there a reason they sent you specifically?" Salt questioned.

"The guards are all busy with the new security measures." Chip explained. "Anyway, where will it be today?"

The cookie seems confident and determined to do his job as he waited for Salt to speak. He thought for a moment. "It is a nice day outside, how about we take a walk through the town?"

"Very well." Chip nodded as he followed Salt through the halls.

As they walked, Silent Salt would catch the cookie regularly looking over at him, making sure he was still walking in the right direction. This cookie was serious about making sure he fulfilled his duty.

It was, indeed, a very nice day outside. The birds were chirping as the two of them walked steadily through the streets of the Vanilla kingdom. He observed how the citizens went along with their daily lives, hanging out fresh laundry, taking care of livestock, unaware of all evils, everything was so peaceful. They stopped by the edge of the kingdom where a fence stood right by the edge of the kingdom. They were still so high up, sometimes he wondered how come the kingdom was able to float this steadily for so long.

He looked down, a forest covered the ground around them, a wide clearing full of lush green grass covered the ground right under the castle. He could see birds flying above the trees, colorful patches of flowers growing on the forest bed, and...

Is that a cookie?

Suddenly, someone emerged from within the trees. Salt couldn't see very well this far down, but he could tell they were injured. They were limping, their pace was fast, but after a while they started to slow down. They stood still for a moment, then their body fell to the ground.

Salt's heart skipped a beat. This cookie was clearly injured, hoping to seek refuge in the Vanilla Kingdom, but their strength has left them. He looked around to see where Crunchy Chip had gone, but he saw him conversing with another cookie. There was no one else around that could help, there was only him.

He shouldn't do this, by Dark Cacao's orders he wasn't allowed anywhere alone. But there was no one else that could get to the cookie in need in time. He made a bold decision.

"Hey! Wait! Where are you going?!" Salt could hear Crunchy Chip Cookie shouting after him, but by that time Salt was already far away.

He saw that cookies used this strange teleporter pad to get down to the surface, that seemed like the safest way to get down. He stepped out on the pad, turning back to see Crunchy Chip running after him just as he was enveloped by a bright light. Salt blinked, and suddenly he found himself down on the ground. He wasted no time and took off towards the place where he saw the cookie. They weren't hard to find, their brown hooded coat was a stark contrast to the green grass they were laying in. He crouched next to them pulling their hood down so he could see their face.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" Salt called out, but he got no answer.

A single red eye looked up at him, their breathing was labored but they were still awake, although barely. There was jam trickling down his face and covering his chest, clear battle wounds were visible. Then he saw his hair, black locks with white streaks. Oh Witches, he knew who this is, this was Dark Cacao Cookie's son!

Salt quickly scooped up the boy in his arms and ran back towards the teleporter. As he appeared back at the kingdom, the first thing he saw was Crunchy Chip Cookie leading a guard towards the teleporter. He paused, then went wide-eyed as he saw who he was carrying. Salt paid him no mind and continued running.

He ran, ignoring the stares from the passing cookies, ignoring the guards at the castle gates, ignoring the pain forming in his head. He ran through the halls until he heard the familiar voice of Pure Vanilla cookie. As he rounded the corner, he saw Pure Vanilla along with Hollyberry and Dark Cacao cookie. Cacao turned towards the sound of the footsteps, his face turning into one of pure terror as he saw them.

"Choco!!" He called out as he sprinted towards them, wrapping his arms around the cookie in Salt's arms. "What on Earthbread happened?!"

Salt let Cacao take the boy from his arms, panting. "I found him outside of the Vanilla Kingdom!" He spoke through heavy breaths. "He was seeking refuge but collapsed before he was able to reach the gates. I ran as fast as I could!"

"We need to get him into the infirmary! Quick!" Pure Vanilla called out as he led Cacao into the infirmary. Salt was about to follow after them, but his knees buckled as a massive headache hit him. Fortunately, Hollyberry caught him before he was able to fall.

"Salt! Are you alright?"

"Aagh, my head!" He groaned, clutching his forehead with his hand.

"Did you run all the way here?" She questioned. "Pure Vanilla Cookie told you not to strain yourself!"

"I had to!" Salt argued. "There was no one else around to help!"

Hollyberry helped him get back up to his feet, leading him towards a side room. "Come, you need to sit down." 

Holly led him to a common room with an armchair that she sat Salt down on. His head was pounding and his mind dizzy, he just hoped he didn't make his concussion worse. Holly came back with a glass of water and handed it to Salt.

"Here, drink up." She sat down on the armchair next to him, and Salt did as he was told.

"I'm sorry." Salt spoke up, still holding onto his head. "I ran off and left my escort behind."

"Hey, it's alright, I understand." Hollyberry reassured him. "You did a good thing bringing him in."

"But will Dark Cacao Cookie understand?" Salt questioned her.

Holly let out a short chuckle. " You saved his son. I wouldn't be surprised if he lifted the whole 'on parole' thing all together."

Silent Salt let out a sigh as he laid back against the armchair, feeling the headache slowly going away. He finally lowered his hand back down to his side, Hollyberry raises her eyebrows.

"Did you do something with your hair?" She asked him.

"My hair? I washed it this morning." He answered. "I also trimmed my beard."

"No, no, not like that! I meant to ask if you dyed your hair?"

Salt was confused. "I've never did anything with my hair color. Why do you ask?"

She raised her hand and pointed to his fringe. "There's a streak of white in your hair. You kinda look like Dark Cacao Cookie right now." 

"What?" He tried to look up and brush his fingers through his fringe, but it was too short for him to see.

Hollyberry reached towards the table, grabbing a hand held mirror that was left there. "Here, see for yourself." She said, handing him the mirror.

Looking into his reflection, he saw that among his locks of black hair was a single strand of white. He touched it, thinking maybe it was a stain, but it stayed white. He couldn't believe it , this was real white hair.

"... My hair used to be completely white before my corruption." Salt admitted.

"Your light is coming back to you!" Hollyberry beamed. "Oh, this is good news! We need to tell the others and-"

Suddenly, the door opens and Dark Cacao steps inside. "Silent Salt Cookie." He spoke, his expression unreadable.

Salt stood up as Dark Cacao approached him, unsure of what his inte tons were. As soon as he opened his mouth to speak, Dark Cacao brought him into an embrace.

"You saved my son's life..." Cacao finally said, his voice shaky.

After a moment of hesitation, Salt returned the hug, giving the king a pat on the back.

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

That evening, Silent Salt Cookie stood in front of the mirror, eyes fixated on the lone strand of white in his hair. He traced his fingers from the roots down to the tips, as if trying to see if it would turn back to black if he rubbed it hard enough. But it never did, it stayed white. He couldn't believe it, this was solid proof of his progress towards the right path. It felt good, he felt good about himself. Salt thought about Choco again, he looked horrible. It was obvious that he was attacked, left to lay down in the grass and accept his fate. He hoped that the boy would be okay. But Dark Cacao did say that he saved his life, so he should be alive at least.

His fingers traced over the edge of his Soul Jam. It felt the same, still as quiet as ever, but he couldn't help but think that it seemed brighter? Though that could just be the lighting. It was if, deep inside, he wanted his Soul Jam to show him more proof that redemption is truly possible.

Salt heard a knock on the door, shaking him out of his train of thought. He walked away from the mirror and went to answer the door. Once the door creaked open, he was surprised to see Dark Cacao Cookie standing outside.

"Oh, hello Dark Cacao Cookie. What do you need of me?" Silent Salt asked as he came face to face with the tall cookie.

"I wanted to thank you again for saving my son." Dark Cacao began. "Pure Vanilla said that he lost a lot of Jam, he would have for sure crumbled if you hadn't interviened."

"You really don't need to thank me,  I was only helping a cookie in need. Is he feeling okay?" Salt asked him.

"He is going to make a full recovery, thanks to you." Cacao nodded. "I actually came here because I want you to meet him."

"You want me to meet your son? Alright then." Salt nodded and Dark Cacao stepped aside to allow him to exit the room and follow. He thought it was a bit unusual, but he supposed that Choco wanted to know who saved his life.

"And by the way, are you feeling well?" Dark Cacao asked him. "I heard from Hollyberry Cookie that you became unwell after you brought Choco to the infirmary."

"I'm alright now, it was merely a bad migraine." Salt explained.

"Still, you should have Pure Vanilla Cookie have a look at it." Dark Cacao then went quiet, his eyes looking up at Salt's hair. "Why do you have that white strand in your hair?"

"Oh, this?" Salt reached up to brush his fingers through his fringe. "My hair used to be all white, but was tainted black during my corruption. I suppose the selfless act of saving your son brought out some of my past colors."

"I see." Dark Cacao gave a light chuckle. "Choco might get a little confused, we look like we're related. You fit right into the Dark Cacao Kingdom with that look."

Salt chuckled at the comment. "I suppose you're right."

The two of them continued to walk through the halls for a bit longer until they reached the infirmary doors. Dark Cacao stepped forward, slowly opened the door and walked inside. 

Choco was sitting up on the bed, his head and arm covered in bandages. He looked up, surprised to see his father enter.

"I want you to meet someone." Dark Cacao Cookie spoke, stepping aside to allow Silent Salt Cookie to enter. "This is Silent Salt Cookie, he's the one who saved your life."

Choco observed Salt's form for a moment, nodding. "I see. I extend my gratitude." He spoke, his voice deep and slightly raspy. "I was told if you wouldn't have interveined, I would have crumbled from loss of jam."

"I am glad that you're feeling better." Salt said as he took a step forward. "May I ask what happened to you? You were in quite a rough shape, it seemed like you were attacked."

"I was..." Dark Choco Cookie gave out a sigh. "... I used to be part of the Cookies of Darkness. Only recently have I managed to free myself from my... personal curse... and leave them for good." He explained, fidgeting with the blanket. "I have important information about their defenses and strategies, they don't like that I'm no longer on their side, so they sent a couple Cookies to try and... take care of me so that I don't compromise their plant."

Salt couldn't help but think that story was familiar, it reminded him of how he himself got here. He saw Choco's eyes drift to him again, stopping at his Soul Jam. "Wait, you're one of the Beasts, right? What are you doing here?"

"Ah, I suppose my story is just about the same as yours." Salt replied. "I do not associate myself with the other Beasts anymore, I have decided to work against them. Though, just like the Cookies of Darkness, they clearly weren't too happy with my betrayal."

"I imagine they aren't." Choco nodded.

Dark Cacao turned to Silent Salt, a content expression on his face. "Would you mind giving us a moment to ourselves?"

"Of course." Silent Salt stood up from the chair and headed for the door. "I will see you at dinner."

Salt closed the infirmary door behind him, but just as he was about to walk off, the door opened again. "One more thing."

Salt turned around, surprised to see Cacao again. "Yes?"

"I am lifting your 'parole'"

Salt's eyes widened, he wasn't sure he heard the king correctly at first. "Truly?" He asked. "Does that mean... I'm officially part of the team?"

Cacao nodded. "That it does. You can roam the halls without supervision from now on. Within reason of course."

Salt couldn't help his lips curling into a smile. "Thank you. I am eternally grateful."

Cacao smiled. It was small, but he could tell it was there. "I'll see you at dinner." He said before closing the door again.

Salt stood silent in the hall, processing the words that were just said to him. He looked around, he was completely alone. He wasn't sure what to do with his newfound freedom, he didn't really have a specific place that he wanted to visit. He decided to just take a walk and see where it gets him. 

He wandered aimlessly through the halls, his eyes wondering the intricate details in the pillars and stained glass. It was really easy to navigate, much better than the borderline maze that was the catacombs of the Kala Namak stronghold. 

As he turned the corner of a hall, he was hit with a pleasant, floral scent. The sound of two Cookies talking could be faintly heard as well. As he got closer, he recognised those voices, it was White Lily Cookie and Pure Vanilla Cookie. 

They were both sitting in a large greenhouse, the floor covered with various plants, mostly flowers, the whole place smelled heavenly. White Lily noticed his presence first. She turned around, smiling brightly as she saw him.

"Silent Salt Cookie!" She stood up and walked over to the knight, her eyes locked onto his hair. "I heard what happened! Oh, I'm so proud of you!"

Silent Salt Cookie was surprised to hear such excitement from her. To be completely honest, he couldn't remember the last time someone told him those words, not even before his corruption. He wasn't sure how he should react, it made him feel strange... but good strange. Everyone was so happy with how much he had progressed, he wondered if Elder Faerie would be just as proud if he saw him today.

"That was quite the selfless act, my friend." Pure Vanilla Cookie added, approaching the two of them. "Although, I can't help but worry that your concussion might have worsened."

"I actually feel better than before. You do not need to worry." Silent Salt insisted, Vanilla nodded.

"I am so happy that you let me give you a chance." White Lily spoke up. "At this rate, you'll earn the trust of the other Ancients in no time!"

"Actually," Silent Salt interjected. "Dark Cacao Cookie had already revoked my 'parole'."

"Has he?" Pure Vanilla smiled. "I had an idea he would. Despite what happened, he holds Dark Choco Cookie dear to his heart."

"So, what will you do now that you're free to explore?" White Lily asked him.

Silent Salt thought for a moment. "... I am not sure, I never really thought about it. I've just been walking around until something got my attention." He explained. "This is a beautiful greenhouse, do you two tend to it?"

"We do." Pure Vanilla replied. "I had it built around the time the Vanilla Kingdom was first declared. Later on, White Lily Cookie made her own contributions to the flora here."

"Speaking of which..." White Lily walked over to a small patch of disturbed dirt in a planter. "I have recently planted some seeds I brought from Beast-Yeast. The flowers that grow in Faeriewood are truly breathtaking, I just had to bring some to show the others."

Silent Salt looked down at the planter, a couple of sprouts were already starting to emerge from the ground. "Which ones are these?"

"I am not sure of their exact name, but the locals call them Butterfly blooms." 

Butterfly blooms... Those were Elder Faerie's favorite...

"Did you use a garden when you were in Beast-Yeast?"

Salt was shaken out of his train of thought by the question. "Ah, I don't believe I have. My duties took over most of my time." He paused. "But I always wanted to try, I do have a liking to flowers."

White Lily smiled. "Why don't you try now?" She asked him. "There should be some empty pots and planters in the storage shed that you can use."

"Are you certain?" Salt asked with surprise. "You have been cultivating this greenhouse for a long time, I do not want to intrude on your work."

"You are no intruder, my friend. The greenhouse is open for everyone that wishes to grow plants of their own." Pure Vanilla reassured him. "Please, feel free to come here whenever you like."

"Very well. If I find the time, I will take a look. Thank you, Pure Vanilla Cookie."

Vanilla smiled, that soft smile he wears nearly every waking moment. Salt wonders how he can stay so positive all of the time. "You are very welcome."

"It's getting late. How about we go get something to eat?" White Lilly offers, and Vanilla nods."

"White Lily Cookie?" Salt called out as the two of them were about to leave.

She turned his head to face him. "Yes?"

"I just..." Salt hesitated, he used to be better with words, but now they are starting to fail him. He took a step forward, deciding to go with a more direct approach of showing gratitude.

Salt wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, resting his head on her shoulder. Lily was a bit caught off guard, but returned the hug nonetheless. "Thank you..." He said finally. "For giving me a chance. For... everything."

"Of course. We are happy to have you here."

They stayed together for a moment longer before Silent Salt pulled away, a sheepish blush on his face. "I apologize, I didn't mean to be this... direct."

White Lily gave a soft chuckle. "It's okay. No need to apologize." 

When Silent Salt Cookie went to sleep that night, it was with a good feeling. It was also the first night in quite a long time that his sleep wasn't plagued with nightmares.

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

Silent Salt Cookie walks through the halls of the Vanilla castle with a destination in mind. 

He made his way towards the greenhouse, the sweet smell of flowers could be sensed long before he got there. Salt remembered what Pure Vanilla Cookie told him about the greenhouse. After thinking it over the night before, he decided to try and plant something, even if it's just a single flower.

Salt stepped inside the greenhouse, taking a good look at all the flowers again. The majority of the ground was covered in vanilla and lily flowerbeds with a couple of different types of flora scattered in pots and planters. The little sprouts that White Lily Cookie had planted yesterday were growing steadily, he could almost see the salmon petal buds forming. It looks like White Lily knows a great deal about cultivating flowers.

The ex-commander walks into the storage shed, surprised to see how clean and organized it was. Everything has its own place, planters, tools, seeds. He figured he should pick up a planter first.

In one corner, there are several planters and flower pots of different shapes and sizes. After a moment of thinking, he decides to pick one of the smaller flower pots to start with. After picking up a pack of dirt for planting, the next logical step would be actually deciding what to plant. 

There was a shelf full of seed packets, neatly organized by purpose and origins. Decorative flowers, medicinal herbs, even some crops, all from different parts of the world, Beast-Yeast too. Silent Salt was a bit indecisive. He thought about trying to cultivate a flower from Beast-Yeast, but another part of him wanted to try something from Crispia instead, something new. Exam Cheese lotus... Vibrant pink roses... nothing really catches his eyes, until he sees one.

Star Jelly flowers from the Dark Cacao Kingdom.

Salt wasn't sure if it was the name or the small drawing of the flower that caught his attention, but out of all the flowers he could choose from, this one spoke to him the most. He took the small packet of seeds and made his way back to the main greenhouse area. 

Kneeling down on the ground, he arranged all his tools in front of him. He starts with the dirt, pouring a generous amount into the flower pot. With a finger, he digs out a couple of holes in the dirt and places one seed into each hole. He gently covered the seeds up and... well, that was quick, he's done. The seeds have been planted. 

He looks at the flower pot, which is still just a pot full of dirt right now, and feels just a little bit of accomplishment. He gets up and puts the rest of the dirt and seeds he didn't use back where he got it, that's when he remembered that he should probably water it. Grabbing a watering can, he filled it with a bit of water and went back to the flower pot. Now that the seeds have been watered, all he has to do now is wait. So... he supposed that this was his cue to try and find something else to do.

Walking back through the halls, he heard two sets of footsteps echoing through the halls nearby. Turning a corner, he found Dark Cacao cookie and his son walking his way.

"Oh, Silent Salt Cookie, what brings you to these parts of the castle?" Dark Cacao asked him.

"I have just returned from the greenhouse." Silent Salt replies, it seemed like he was in a good mood.

Cacao's brows raise. "Have you? I never took you as someone that is interested in flowers."

"Pure Vanilla Cookie recommended that I'd try it." Salt explained. "I have always been fond of flowers, though I never quite had the time to cultivate them myself. I hope to remedy that."

Cacao nodded, satisfied at the explanation. "Very well, then. If you are not busy, would you mind keeping Dark Choco Cookie company? I have important paperwork I need to tend to."

Salt nodded. "Of course, I was just about to take a walk through the kingdom to get some fresh air."

"Good, I'll be in my tent if anyone needs me." Dark Cacao said before departing, leaving the two of them alone.

There was a moment of silence before Salt spoke up. "I assume you are required to be supervised at all times, yes?"

Choco nodded, his stance gave the impression that he seemed nervous or unsure. "I am." He paused. "... What kind of flowers do you grow..?"

Salt gave an amused huff at Choco's awkward attempt at small talk, the two of them walking towards the castle gates. "I have only managed to plant one flower so far. I am afraid I am not nearly as experienced as Pure Vanilla Cookie or White Lily Cookie." 

Choco nodded, though he didn't give a verbal response.

The two walked awkwardly through the halls until they reached the exit. Salt winced and gripped his forehead at the sudden change in brightness, the direct sunlight was making his head ache.

"Are you alright?" Choco asked, looking up at him.

Salt blinked as his eyes adjusted. "I am fine, my eyes are just a bit more photosensitive." He rubbed his sore eyes, looking around. "It is quite a nice day today, isn't it?"

Choco hummed in response. "It is. It's almost always bright in the Vanilla Kingdom."

"I take it this isn't your first time here?"

"I used to visit the kingdom often with my father when I was young." Choco explained. Pure Vanilla Cookie and my father have been friends long before I was born. I assume this is your first time?"

"It is." Salt replied. "It's a big change from the environment I was used to in Beast-Yeast."

"I have actually never been to Beast-Yeast." Choco told him. "How is it there?"

"That depends where you look." Salt explains. "The landscape varies greatly from each part of the continent. The Great Barren is, as you might assume, mostly barren. There's spice desserts and tall mountains that reach above the clouds. But most of the continent is covered by vast forests."

"You speak fondly of the lands." Choco points out and Salt nods at the comment.

"It is my birthplace. I have many great memories from Beast-Yeast. Although..." Salt paused, his expression turning a bit more gloomy. "I can't help but feel a little... sour about the place. The place that once brought me great joys has also brought me great sorrows."

The mood quickly turned sour and the two cookies continued to walk in awkward silence. Salt had stopped at the railing that prevented them from falling down from the kingdom onto the surface, looking into the distance.

"I enjoy the view that the Vanilla castle provides." Salt broke the silence. "It's a nice place to think."

Choco nods silently, though looking at him, Salt can't help but think he has something on his mind. The two of them looked towards the vast forest in front of them in silence, the atmosphere so thick it could be cut with a blade.

"... How did you do it?"

"Hmm?" Salt turned to Choco, confused. "Did what?"

"Win them over?" Choco clarified.

"I... I do not think I have quite 'won them over' just yet." Salt replied. "I still have ways to go in terms of trust."

"You won over my father." Choco insisted. "You managed to gain his trust."

"That might be just because I managed to save your life."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, nearly everyone speaks fondly of you. Even Golden Cheese Cookie says that you're 'not that bad'."

Salt was surprised, Choco's words made him think for a moment. "... I suppose the only thing I did was abandon the dark path I was taking, prove that I was serious about my redemption and stuck to the right path." He said finally.

Those words made Choco go quiet for a long moment. "Me and my father had a long talk yesterday." He said. "One of many, I'm expecting. But I'm surprised at how... willing he is to fix things between us."

"You are his son." Salt tells him. "I have heard he holds you dear to his heard."

"Even after all I've done? I can hardly believe that."

Salt could see the conflict in his mind. He wanted to reach out, give the shorter cookie the same comfort that White Lily gave to him. His arms wrap around his chest.

"I want to change." He said finally. "I want to go back to the way we were, but... I just don't know if that's even an option for me. I caused so much pain and suffering, I don't deserve his forgiveness."

Salt couldn't help but smile at just how similar their stories were. "You sound just like me when I first came here."

Salt turned to face him fully, placing a hand on the ex-prince's shoulder. "If you truly wish to seek redemption, all you need to do is stick to it. It might take a long time, there might be obstacles in the way, but if your intentions are pure, the light will follow you wherever you go."

Choco looked up at him with stunned silence, processing the knight's words. Then slowly, the corners of his mouth curve upwards. "Thank you. I needed to hear that."

"Of course." Salt's hand returned to his side.

"You know, the Cookies of Darkness spoke of you very differently than who you actually are." Choco mentions.

"I can't imagine they say any positive words when talking about me." Salt huffs.

"I only heard of Dark Enchantress' retelling of the legends." Choco clarified. "They called you cruel, they said you show no mercy. I can't help but think they had no idea who they were talking about."

That made Silent Salt laugh. "I would take anything that Dark Enchantress says with a grain of salt."

"I stopped believing her a long time ago." Choco nodded, his smile widening. "Huh, look at that. It seems you won me over as well."

"Ah, I suppose I've been told I have a silver tongue." Salt shrugged.

"That you do."

Unfortunately, their fun talk was interrupted when Golden Cheese Cookie landed a couple feet away from them. "There you two are!" She said as soon as her feet touched the ground. "We're having a meeting."

"A meeting?" Silent Salt repeated. "I was not made aware we had a meeting today, did something happen?"

"No, no, nothing happened. But White Lily said she wanted to discuss something important with all of us." Cheese explained.

"I see. Lead the way, then."

Each Ancient was already in the meeting room when Salt and the others got there, patiently waiting for their return. Everyone took a seat, Salt being the first to speak.

"May I ask what this is about?" He asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about something important." White Lily stood up. "As much as I enjoy your company, I have a kingdom of my own now, one that is the most in danger as It's located in Beast-Yeast."

"You wish to depart back to the Faerie Kingdom then?" Dark Cacao questioned.

White Lily nodded. "I still need to finish some important research and most of my notes are in the Faerie library. But I am optimistic that after all is finished, we can devise a proper plan to defeat Dark Enchantress Cookie. I just need more time."

Silent Salt stood up. "I'll go with you." 

All eyes turn to Silent Salt Cookie. "Are you sure? You still aren't fully recovered." Pure Vanilla Cookie speaks.

"I have been away from Beast-Yeast for far too long. I am certain that the Beasts are planning another attack. My presence here puts the kingdom in jeopardy." He explains. "Another reason for wanting to return is... I want to renew my vows at the Kala Namak lake."

"That is... Very honorable of you." Dark Cacao spoke.

"Then I will come as well." Pure Vanilla decides, standing up as well. "Beast Yeast is a dangerous place. While I do not doubt your ability to defend yourself, I still things that more hands can be useful."

"Pure Vanilla Cookie, what about your kingdom?" White Lily asks.

"We will defend it." Hollyberry speaks up. "The Beasts still thinks that Silent Salt Cookie is still here. We will keep the kingdom safe if another attack were to occur."

"My friends, I can't thank you enough for your kindness."

"There's no need to thank us." Cheese reassures him. "We are allies, we take care of each other."

"Thank you all for your kindness. If no one else has anything they wish to discuss, we shall depart in the evening." White Lily speaks before sitting back down at the table.

With that, everyone slowly began to disperse. Silent Salt Cookie figured that he should go back to his room and prepare before they depart.

The evening came sooner than expected. Silent Salt was still in his room, standing in front of the mirror. He was finishing up after a shower and... Witches, he really does look like Dark Cacao Cookie. Then he notices something.

There's more white strands. He swore that there was just one until not long ago, this new one went all the way down at the back of his hair. What brought this one out? Was that from the pep talk he had with Dark Choco Cookie? He figured it doesn't matter. He put his clothes and armor back on, grabbed his bag, and went outside.

Everyone was already gathered by the airship by the time Salt arrived. Hollyberry, Dark Cacao, and Golden Cheese stood by to watch them depart.

"I apologize for the wait." Salt said as he approached White Lily and Pure Vanilla.

"No need, I got here just now as well." Lily reassured him. "We are ready to depart now."

The rest of the ancients waved the three of them off, wishing them safe travels. The ramp to the airship retracted and the doors closed, the airship lifted off of the ground a few minutes after. Salt Stood next to the window, looking outside as the ship moved through the air. 

"I still can't quite get used to how high the airship flies." Silent Salt spoke as he saw White Lily walking towards him. 

"I am not a fan of heights myself." White Lily replies. "Although I will have to get used to it eventually now that I have wings."

Salt nods, a shuddered running down his spine as he stepped away from the window. "I am going to lay down, the view is making me ill."

"I will get you when we land."

With the rising sun, the land of Beast-Yeast cane to view. Silent Salt had woken up not too long the ship began to descend, he looked out of the window over Faerie wood. He had... mixed feelings about being back here, but he hopes that visiting the Great Barren would bring him some peace.

The airship had met the ground again, the large doors opening to let the cookies walk out onto the ground. The fresh air hit Salt's nostrils, filling him with a sense of nostalgia. Strange, he hasn't been gone for that long, was he?

In the distance, he saw a Faerie Cookie standing at the edge of the forest clearing. They seemed really excited, bouncing from leg to leg with their wings twitching. As soon as they saw the three cookies emerge from the airship, they flew right over to them.

"Queen White Lily Cookie! Joyous day, I bear great news!" The cookie beamed with excitement. 

This peaked their attention, what on Earthbread could have happened?

"Great news? Whatever do you mean?" Pure Vanilla questioned further.

"King Elder Faerie has returned!"

Silent Salt's heart dropped. "What?"

"We don't know how it happened! Some cookies saw a flash of light and then Elder Faerie Cookie appeared right in front of the silver tree! It's a miracle."

Salt suddenly bolted towards the Faerie Kingdom, not caring about White Lily Cookie calling after him. He ran faster than he had in ages, running through the trees, thick bushes, and thorns. He ran until he could see the gates to the Faerie Kingdom.

In the distance he could see a hoard of Fae gathering near the tree. He made his way through the crowd, still careful not to push anyone even through his increasing panic.

Then he saw it.

As he emerged from the crowd, sitting in front of the silver tree, he saw... him.

The same periwinkle hair that flowed down his shoulders, the same beautiful wings that sparkled when it reflected the sunlight just right, the same arms that welcomed him with every visit, the same cookie that still greeted him even after all that had happened.

He was sitting in the grass, hunched over and facing away. It seemed like he woke up not too long ago. Silent Salt took a careful step forward.

"Elder Faerie Cookie?"

The figure lifted his head ever so slightly up, then turned his head. And smiled.

"My beloved, you've returned to me!"

Salt was confused. He has never called him that, not in public at least. Something about him was... off. The way he smiled so warmly with his eyes closed, the way he stood up so fast, and yet physically, nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Elder Faerie-?" Salt was interrupted when Elder Faerie suddenly bridged the gap between them, hands resting on his shoulder.

"My deepest apologies for keeping you waiting." He spoke, his voice soft. Maybe too soft. "I hope you didn't get too lonely in my absence."

"Elder Faerie, what is this?" Salt questioned. He tried to take a step back, but the Faerie King kept him in place. 

At this point, White Lily and Pure Vanilla have caught up to him, witnessing the unusual sight. Salt  looked back at them, concern evident in his expression. 

"Elder Faerie? Is that really you?" White Lily called out, but Elder Faerie paid no attention to her.

"You must tell me all about what happened while I was gone, beloved." Elder Faerie said, circling around Silent Salt a couple of times. Eventually stopping in front of him, tracing the edge of his Soul Jam with his finger. Salt shuddered at the touch

Something clearly wasn't right here. Why was Elder Faerie acting this playful? Why was he only addressing Silent Salt Cookie and nobody else? A part of Salt's mind was screaming, the Faerie in front of him didn't act like he remembered at all. There's no way that he's this happy to see him? And why are his eyes still closed?

"Did you not miss me?" Faerie asks, his smile dropping. "You don't seem happy to see me."

"I-I just..." Salt stutters, his head still trying to wrap itself around the situation. "I wasn't expecting you to come back."

"Shock is an understandable reaction, I suppose." Faerie replies, his expression warming back up. "I've been gone for quite a while, haven't I?"

Something in the Cookie's words soothed him, he was starting to believe him, then Faerie gripped his shoulders tight, pulling him forward.

"Come, we have much to discuss, I am sure." The king says, then Salt sees Faerie's eyes open.

No...

This wasn't Elder Faerie.

One light blue and one dark blue eye stare back at him and Salt wriggle out of Faerie's(?) grasp in horror.

"You!" All of Salt's shock was replaced with rage. "You are not Elder Faerie!"

The crowd of Faeries gasp, White Lily Cookie takes a step back. Elder Faerie- No, Shadow Milk Cookie flies up, staying suspended in mid air just a few feet off of the ground and lets out a laugh that scratches at Salt's nerves.

"Why, of course, I am!" He says, his tone of voice changing completely. It seems he is finally dropping the act. "Can't you see? I look just like him!"

"You dare take the form of the noble Elder Faerie!?" Salt yelled. "Come down this instant and face me!"

"How rude! And I thought you'd be happy to see me!" Shadow Milk pouted dramatically. "Most people would be ecstatic to see their dead lover return to them."

"I- What!?"

The crowd gasped once more, Salt's expression returned to one of horror.

"Now, I know that my specialty are lies and deception, but here's the thing." Shadow Milk crosses his hands behind him as he leaned down. "Everybody here knows."

"W-we didn't- ... That doesn't-!" Salt stammered, then a black tendril rose out of the ground in front of him, pressing its tip to Salt's mouth.

"Oh, come on, don't deny it! A royal affair is one of the spiciest pieces of drama one can find!" The false Elder Faerie's form danced in the air in front of him, nearly lustfully.

Salt smacked the tendrils out of his face. "This isn't one of your twisted plays, you cursed Beast!"

Shadow Milk paused, a sinister idea forming in his head. "It's not? Then why don't we make it one?"

The ground shook as several black tendrils shot out of the ground, the Cookies in the crowd screaming as the black started to take over the kingdom. Before any of them could react, the tendrils have already gotten a hold on White Lily Cookie and Pure Vanilla Cookie.

"White Lily Cookie! Argh!" Salt ran after her, but a tendrils wrapped itself around his arm, pulling him backward. Soon his entire vision was taken over by black tentacles, the last thing he could see was the false king's unnaturally wide, teethy grin.

The ground shook below him. Covered by darkness, he was disoriented, not knowing where is up or down. The only thing he could hear were the muffled screams of the Fae, which eventually went quiet.

When Salt saw the light again, he found himself lying on the ground in front of the gates to the Faerie Kingdom. He looked around, everything seemed exactly how it was before, but then he heard it.

Music, one that was commonly used for celebrations. Silent Salt quickly got up, running through the gates as fast as he could. He ran for a while before he saw something that made him immediately come to a stop.

There were Faeries everywhere, those that were clearly taken over by the beast of deception. They were carrying decorations, flowers, ribbons, all mainly white. That was when he saw the floral arch above the main path towards the Silver tree.

There was a hanging banner with the words 'The Royal Wedding.'

Salt stared up at it with wide eyes, but before he could fully take in what he was seeing, he heard more voices behind him.

"The groom's finally here!" A Faerie in purple beams, pushing him forward along the path.

"My, my, you're not properly dressed at all!" A Green Apple Faerie adds as she ties a bow tie around Salt's neck before joining the other Faerie in pushing Salt forward.

Salt could hardly defend himself at all, before he knew it, he was already standing in front of the altar.

White Lily, Pure Vanilla and a few others were standing by the altar, a crowd of cookies watching and cheering from the sidelines. Tendrils were keeping them in place as they struggled, White Lily was standing in the place of the maid of honor and Pure Vanilla as the officiant. And of course, in place of the bride was the clown himself.

He hated himself for even thinking it, but he can't help but think it looked beautiful. His form imitated Elder Faerie exactly, down to the last detail, wearing the most exquisite of robes he's ever seen him wear. It made him sick just looking at him.

"Have no fear, my beloved." The false king spoke, a soft expression on his face. "After all you've been through, you have finally been granted your happy ending!"

Tendrils pulled him forward until Salt was standing right in front of him, his wrist gripping his beard so Salt would look at him. He tried to resist, but tendrils wrapped around his wrists.

"You've always dreamed of this outcome." Shadow Milk continued. "You wanted to marry him. You told me yourself, remember?"

A tendril came up and pulled Salt's leg down, making him go down on one knee with a yelp.

"Here it is, your one and only chance." The false king cupped Salt's face in his hands, smiling a sick and sinister smile. "Go on. Say it, say those magic words, and all that you wish will come true."

Salt stared up at him with hatred in his eyes. He was still, not because he was surrendering, but because he was calculating, waiting for the perfect moment. As soon as he felt the grip on his wrists loosen ever so slightly, he reached for the sword holstered on his back...

... and swung with full force.

Shadow Milk Cookie was tossed backwards by the blow, kneeling on the ground. All went quiet, everyone staring at the beast with suspense. At first, he was shocked, but then he was enraged. With a flap of his wings, he flew back up into the sky, looking down at Silent Salt Cookie with pure hatred in his eyes. His disguise had faltered, he could see clearly that it was truly Shadow Milk who was in front of him. His wings were black with blue eyes scattered across them, his signature facial markings were now visible along with the gash across his face. 

"You traitor!!" He yelled after Salt, the ground shaking as more tendrils emerged from the earth. "You could have had it all! All you had to do was stay here!! I was all for indulging in your little delusion with Elder Faerie!"

Salt kept his grip on his sword tightly, his eyes locked onto the beast in front of him. "I do not need your deceit! You will face me at once, or I will come up there and strike you down myself!"

Shadow Milk got ahold of Elder Faerie's sword, Witches know where he got that from, and lunged at him. "You think you can just leave us!?" He struck, but Salt partied the attack. "You are a Beast, just like the rest of us! You can't escape what you are!"

Faerie's body contorted, twisting in a disgustingly unnatural way. Even with the disguise fading, there was still enough of Elder Faerie visible to make Salt flinch at the sight. Shadow Milk didn't wait to strike once again, but even then the blade didn't connect.

"That Pure Vanilla Cookie has gotten into your head! Filled it with lies!!" He yelled through Elder Faerie's voice.

"How ironic that those words are coming from you of all cookies!" Salt yelled as he struck back, hitting him in the shoulder.

Shadow Milk yelped and Salt could hear the crack of bones snapping beneath his skin. Silent Salt physically cringed at the sight of his mangled shoulder, even more so when he saw Shadow Milk crack it back into place. Taking advantage of Salt dropping his guard, Shadow Milk lunged forward and struck, aiming for his Soul Jam.

Salt crossed his arms over his chest, his gauntlets absorbing the blow. Silent Salt was lucky, Shadow Milk has never actually fought anyone head on, always sending his goons to fight for him. His arms were weak and his body frail. In comparison to Silent Salt Cookie, Shadow Milk has no chance of winning even with his terrifyingly accurate disguise taking a toll on Silent Salt's psyche.

"That pathetic attempt at redemption will get you nowhere!!" Shadow Milk screamed as he struck again. "You are too far gone! All of us are! This is why we were sealed!"

Another hit, which connected with Salt's side. Salt was losing himself, the cruel image of Shadow Milk in Elder Faerie's skin was digging its roots into his brain. That was when Silent Salt truly had enough. With a loud yell, Silent Salt struck, knocking the false king down to the ground. Before he could get up, Silent Salt pounced on top of him and raised his arms high, preparing to strike one last time.

But then Shadow Milk pulled out his final trick.

Suddenly, Salt wasn't looking at Shadow Milk Cookie, nor was he looking at Elder Faerie Cookie, he was looking at the Fount of Knowledge.

He hesitated for just a moment, eyes going wide as he saw him. Below him was the frail and afraid form of the one he used to call his friend, his ally. The beacon of truth and honesty. Suddenly, the memories start flooding back. He remembered their meetings with the other Virtues, he remembered the many times he sought advice from him. He respected him so much. He knew it was a trick, this was still Shadow Milk Cookie. But by the time he snapped out of it, Shadow Milk was already gone, his sword hitting the dirt he was lying on.

The tendrils all receded, lifting the layer of deceit from the Faerie Kingdom and letting go of White Lily and Pure Vanilla. Silent Salt just stands there, looking down at the dirt with empty eyes as the events coming up to this moment rooted into his memory. He could already feel a migraine coming, his stomach feeling like it was in a vice.

"Your majesty!" Mercurial Knight Cookie emerged from the crowd, flying over to White Lily Cookie and Pure Vanilla Cookie. "Are you two alright?"

"Is anyone injured?" Silverbell chimes in, flying just above them, scouting for injured cookies.

"I am okay! Please, go help the injured!" White lily replies and Mercurial Knight flies off towards the nearby crowd. She was visibly shaken. She looked around, her eyes falling on Silent Salt Cookie. "Silent Salt Cookie? Are you alright?"

Salt doesn't respond right away. He presses his palm into his forehead with a groan, slowly rising to his feet. His stance was unsteady, he was clearly in pain. "I... I need to leave."

"B-but you said you wanted to-"

"I-I can't stay here!" His frame shivered, one hand holding onto a nearby tree to keep himself standing.

Silent Salt's state made Lily feel concerned. She got up on her own feet, helping Pure Vanilla up as well. "... I think it would be best if you take him back to the Vanilla Kingdom. I will stay here for a while, I need to assess the damages."

Pure Vanilla was still shaken by what he just saw and heard, but he gave a shaky nod. "Alright, but..." He grasps Lily's hands in his own. "Please, White Lily Cookie, take care."

"I will. I will write to you with my findings. Now, please, it isn't safe here."

Silent Salt and Pure Vanilla boarded the airship again not long after, and Salt spent nearly the entire trip hurling into a basin. His headache has developed into a full on migraine and he was hit with extreme nausea. Coupled with the images of Elder Faerie Cookie's mangled form under Shadow Milk's control, he felt as if the entire world was crashing down on him. One hand was wrapped around his stomach while the other was planted into the floor, supporting him.

Pure Vanilla was kneeling right next to him, great concern evident on his face as he tried his best to ease the pain with his healing magic. His fears have unfortunately come true, his concussion has worsened. He feared that Salt would have to go through the whole recovery all over again, possibly longer than it was initially. His hands rested on his back as he focused his magic on his entire person, Salt flinched under his touch.

"Please..." Salt croaked, voice hoarse from all the vomiting. "Don't touch me..."

Vanilla reluctantly pulled his hands back, opting to try and use his magic without needing to make physical contact. 

When they returned back to the Vanilla Kingdom, it was already dark. Everyone was confused as to why they had returned so early, the rest of the Ancients gathering by the airship once it landed.

"Pure Vanilla Cookie? Why are you back so early, what happened?" Golden Cheese Cookie questioned him as soon as they stepped out of the airship.

"Oh my Witches!" Hollyberry's eyes went wide as soon as she saw Silent Salt Cookie, pale and lethargic. "What on Earthbread happened out there?"

"I... need to lie down." Salt replied quietly, his throat burning from the stomach acids. "I will be in my chambers..."

"Let me walk you there." Dark Cacao spoke up, attempting to hold his arm so he wouldn't fall over, but he flinched away from his touch. He was confused, how come that Salt left in such high spirits and returned like this not long after? Nevertheless he walked the knight back to his room, making sure he made it to bed in one piece.

They would all talk further over dinner later that evening.

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

The four Ancient heroes were sitting at a table in silence.

Pure Vanilla Cookie looked shaken, holding a hot mug of tea in both hands. He doesn't drink it, just stares into the steaming liquid. The rest of the ancients were unanimously concerned, especially after Vanilla explained just what happened in Beast-Yeast. It was late, too late, they were supposed to be having dinner, but no one really had the appetite for it. Not to mention, they were missing someone.

"Something is not right." Dark Cacao Cookie broke the silence, fidgeting with his fingers nervously. "He has been in his room for too long, he should have met us here for dinner an hour ago."

"He is ill, he is resting." Pure Vanilla told him. "I wouldn't blame him if he had completely lost his appetite."

"But still, I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong." Dark Cacao insisted. "I am going to check up on him."

"He's a big guy, he'll get through it, I'm sure." Golden Cheese stood up. "I'm going to get some sleep. If you feel like you need to check up on him, I won't stop you."

Dark Cacao stood up from the table. "I will be right back." He said, heading towards the door.

...

Silent Salt Cookie gripped the edge of the sink tightly, tears and jam dripping into the basin. The whole room was spinning. He breathed through gritted teeth, trying his damn best to keep the tears from slipping, but it was futile. His arms burned, scarred from his shoulders to his wrists by self-inflicted wounds. 

He hated this, he promised himself he wouldn't do this, but those images of Shadow Milk in Elder Faerie's likeness have rooted into his mind like a parasite. The way he moved, the way he looked, those words that he spoke through his voice. Those words stung despite trying his best not to take them to heat in the moment.

He was getting better, he was able to go the entire day without even thinking about it. The Ancient heroes were so kind to him, they helped him through his worst and helped him get better. Witches, if they saw him like this...

In one hand, Salt held the ornate dagger that was gifted to him, now stained with his own jam. This wasn't the first time, and he feared this might not be the last either, but he hoped it was. His eyes were shut tight, he couldn't look in the reflection, couldn't look at himself.

The door creaked open and a soft gasp could be heard somewhere behind him.

Salt turned his head quickly towards the source of the noise. No, no, no, did he seriously forget to close the door?

In the doorway stood Dark Cacao Cookie, eyes widened with shock and staring right at him. This was the last person Salt wanted to see. 

Salt tried to hide his arms with his hands and turned away. "Don't look at me!"

Salt couldn't look the king in the face, he just took a step back.

"Salt..." Cacao's voice was quiet and soft, something Salt never heard from the king. He heard him take a step forward.

"Please, just... leave me!" Salt sobbed, backing up from the other cookie.

"Salt, drop the blade."

Silent Salt didn't realize he was still holding onto the dagger. He dropped like it burned him, it cluttered loudly onto the floor.

He looked down, seeing the jam-stained dagger on the ground, seeing the jam covering his arms. Suddenly, Salt couldn't keep the tears from slipping and his knees gave out from under him. He fell right into Dark Cacao's arms, his hands grasping at him like a lifeline.

Salt cried loud, ugly sobs into his chest as his hands stained the king's armor. He felt arms wrap around him, a hand rubbing circles into his exposed back. He has never felt more horrible than at this moment. Salt never allowed himself this vulnerability, never allowed himself to cry, to properly grieve. It was as if all the sorrow from all those years had finally spilled out.

"I'm sorry!" Salt cried. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"No, please... There is nothing you should apologize for." Cacao tried to comfort him.

"I-I was getting better! I promise, I was getting better!"

"Hush, please. No more speaking."

Salt kept his head buried in the crook of Cacao's shoulder as he kept crying. Cacao raised his other hand up to rest on the top of the knight's head, brushing his fingers through his hair. 

"I can still see him. I can... I..."

"... Salt?"

Salt's body suddenly felt heavy, it was getting hard for him to breathe as dizziness settled in his head. Cacao noticed right away that something was wrong, pulling away to take a better look at him. His face was pale, and his form was unsteady, Cacao's heart dropped. The king took a hold of Silent Salt's wrist, the skin stung where his hands came in contact with the cuts, but Salt had no strength to resist.

On Salt's wrist was one particularly deep cut that was leaking jam significantly more than the others. It looked like he nicked a major vein. How long has this been leaking jam for?

"No, no, no. What have you done?" Dark Cacao's voice was thick with panic as he looked down at the wound.

"I... I didn't mean..." 

Salt didn't get to finish his sentence before Dark Cacao lifted him off the ground in his arms. He felt himself get carried out of the room, the king's footsteps fast as he ran through the hallway. His consciousness was slipping from his grasp, he was finding it harder and harder to stay awake.

"I'm sorry..." Salt croaked weakly.

"No! Don't say that!" Dark Cacao yelled in panic. "You will stay awake, you hear me?!"

Hearing the sheer fear in Cacao's voice made Salt feel immediate regret. He believed in him, Pure Vanilla believed him when he promised he was getting better, he felt like he let them down. 

He knew this wouldn’t kill him, it never did, but Dark Cacao probably didn't know that. He had no more strength left, he just rested his head against his chest and let himself be carried.

Salt could barely hear the king's hurried footsteps against the floor, he could barely hear his panicked yelling as the other ancients came into view. He was placed onto a bed in the infirmary, feeling the hands of several different cookies working on him, but at this point he could no longer hold onto consciousness. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was Dark Cacao Cookie's face.

Hollyberry pulled Dark Cacao out of the infirmary, letting Pure Vanilla and the other healers have more space to work. He was panting, hands shaking as he spoke.

"I knew that something was wrong!" His voice was shaky. "How did I not notice it sooner?!"

"Hey! Look at me!" Hollyberry cupped Dark Cacao's face roughly, making him look at her. "He's alive! He's stable! He will be fine, you did all that you can."

"What's going on here?!" Golden Cheese Cookie finally got to the infirmary along with Dark Choco Cookie.

"Father?" Choco's eyes were locked on Dark Cacao, whose hands and armor were covered in jam.

Hollyberry looked between Cacao and the rest before ushering Cacao back away from the infirmary. "Go! Take a shower! I will update you when he's awake."

Dark Cacao listened to her and, though reluctantly, made his way back to his quarters.

... 

When Salt opened his eyes again, he found himself in that same dream he had many times before. He was laying on the ground, a pathway in front of him. The air was heavy and the grass was filled with white flowers and scattered petals. He sat up, looking into the distance. Just as he expected, a glowing white silhouette stood at the end of the path. He reached his hand out to them, but something else caught his attention.

His arms were covered in glowing white butterflies, one resting on each of his fresh wounds. When he looked up again, the silhouette was gone.

Salt was left with a strange feeling of emptiness, but then he felt a hand on his own. Turning to look at it, he found the white silhouette now sat at his side. Now that he saw them up close, he found that they had no discernible features, they were all white. And yet, he felt deep in his soul exactly who this was.

"Elder Faerie..." Salt reached his other hand out, gripping the silhouette's arm as tears pool in his eyes. "I beg of you, please, take me with you!" 

The silhouette did nothing, they simply sat there holding his hand. That was when Salt noticed the small vial tied around their neck with a light silver chain.

Salt remembered this. Back before his corruption, he and Elder Faerie gave each other a gift. A small vial of each other's jam, so that they would be together even when they were apart. What the silhouette wore was the vial of his own jam that Salt gave to Elder Faerie. He reached down to his own neck, feeling the chain that was tied to his own vial, the one filled with the Faerie's jam. He put it on as soon as he found out about the Faerie king's death after being unsealed and he hadn't taken it off since. Is that how he was able to find him here in his dreams? He could already feel the dream slipping from him, he didn't want to wake up. He would do anything to stay with Elder Faerie just a bit longer. But he had to wake up eventually.

Salt was laying down, all he could hear was the steady beeping of a heart monitor. He felt a blanket over him and a soft pillow under his head. The air no longer felt heavy, and yet one feeling still remained.

Someone was still holding his hand.

Through the throbbing pain in his head, he opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry, but he could clearly see someone sitting at his bedside. He blinked a couple times until his vision cleared and saw...

Dark Cacao Cookie.

His expression was unreadable. His eyes locked in with Salt's as they stared at each other in silence for a moment. Salt was the first to look away, shame slowly creeping up on him. "Why are you here?" Silent Salt asked him, his voice still a little hoarse.

Salt felt the king give his hand a light squeeze. "I figured you'd want someone with you when you woke up."

Dark Cacao was half right. A part of Salt was glad that he was there, the comfort of Cacao's hand holding his was pleasant. But another part of him was ashamed, ashamed that he saw him like that.

"I'm so-"

"Don't." Dark Cacao stopped him before he could finish, his expression stern. "There's nothing to apologize for. It's us that should be apologizing."

"What? No, you did nothing wrong!" Salt argued. He tried to sit up, but Dark Cacao placed his hand on his chest to keep him down. "Listen, that was an accident, I didn't mean to go that far."

"So those cuts were an accident, too?" Dark Cacao's eyes narrowed.

Salt couldn't answer that, his eyes not meeting his face. Cacao quickly realised that his tone might have come across the wrong way and his expression softened.

"I realize that my tone of voice may imply that I'm angry at you, but I'm not." He began. "I was just... afraid. You lost a lot of Jam, you nearly died."

"My Soul Jam prevents me from truly dying."

"I found that out the hard way." Dark Cacao's frame slightly shuddered recalling it. "If it weren't for your Soul Jam, you wouldn't have survived this."

Salt was surprised at Cacao's words. "I... didn't realize it was that bad."

Dark Cacao didn't respond, so the two of them sat there in awkward silence for a moment longer.

"We will get you someone to talk to. The Vanilla Kingdom has some great resources in that department." Dark Cacao finally said. "I'll arrange for someone to be your escort for a while."

"Am I back on parole?"

"No, you're on suicide watch."

"Oh."

Yikes. How long did he last without supervision, barely two days? What an embarrassment. He didn't want to seem like he couldn't be trusted to be on his own, he felt pathetic. He looked around the room once again, spotting the vial on a table next to his bed. Dark Cacao followed his gaze, reaching out to pick the pendant up.

"You were wearing this when I found you, I held onto it so it didn't get damaged while they worked on you." He said as he gave the vial back to Silent Salt. "I figured it meant a lot to you."

Salt took the vial and looked down at it, watching the crimson liquid swirl beneath the glass. "Thank you. And yes, it means a lot to me." He said as he put the pendant on.

Cacao hummed. "Is that someone's jam?"

"Elder Faerie Cookie's." Salt replied. "We gave each other a vile of our jam so that we could be together even when apart."

"It seems that you two were very close." Dark Cacao pointed out.

"We were more than close." Salt admitted. "Our secret has already been outed, so I suppose it's futile to try and hide it now."

"I see." Dark Cacao nodded, his expression solemn. "Pure Vanilla Cookie told me what happened in Beast-Yeast."

"Is he okay? He seemed shaken." Salt asked.

"He says he's fine, but it's clear that it's taking a toll on him." Dark Cacao replied.

"I am worried about White Lily Cookie as well." Salt added. "She and Elder Faerie were close, too. I hope she is alright, I should have stayed in Beast-Yeast a little longer to make sure."

"I think it's best that you left that place. Beast-Yeast is full of evil."

Salt took a deep breath in, letting it out with a heavy exhale. "Is it alright if I sleep a little more?" 

Dark Cacao nodded. "Of course. I'll keep you company."

"Thank you."

Silent Salt closed his eyes again. His head was still pounding, he figured that some more sleep should ease it. He didn't want to think too much right now anyway. Tomorrow is another day.

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

It's been a week and White Lily Cookie felt like she made no progress at all.

She was sitting at her desk, papers and books scattered all over it. She searched the entire library for anything that could help her come up with a plan, but she hit a dead end. She has to come up with something, she promised them, they are counting on her, but she just can't stop thinking about the incident with Shadow Milk Cookie. It made her sick just thinking about it, she hoped that Silent Salt Cookie was alright. Lily rested her face in her hands, she was so tired.

A knock at the door brought Lily back to reality. She got up from the table and approached the door, rubbing her sore eyes before opening it.

"Your majesty, you have received a letter." Mercurial Knight Cookie stood behind the door, an envelope with intricate golden details in his hand.

"Thank you, Mercurial Knight Cookie." She said as she took the letter. "Who is this from?"

"The letter was handed to me by a Cookie who did not share their name. The envelope doesn't have a name signed either." He explained. "They might have signed the contents, but I did not want to look inside, it is not my letter, after all."

"I see. Thank you for bringing this to me. You are dismissed."

Mercurial Knight bowed lightly before flying off, White Lily closing the door and retreating inside with the letter.

The envelope was fancy, though it didn't have a name, or any text written on it. She carefully opened the envelope and took out the folded paper, to her surprise, another paper fell out and glided onto the floor. Lily bent down and picked it up, it looked like a map of sorts, but the instructions were unusual. The pathway to the destination was unnecessary long, there are multiple places where one could take the shorter way to reach it. The 'x' on the map seemed to be in a completely random location in the middle of Faeriewood. This piqued her interest.

Picking up the folded paper, she started to read.

To the Faerie Queen White Lily Cookie:

I have been made aware of some great feats you have made. I am impressed. I am also aware of your ongoing efforts to bring down Dark Enchantress Cookie.

Let me get straight to the point; we both share the same goal, that being the downfall of the Dark Enchantress. I have many books and scrolls in my possession that I believe may be of use to you. Along with that, I also offer my personal aid, although I require something from you first. You can call it a test, an initiation.

In the envelope, I have included a map to find our colony. Please, make sure to follow the instructions thoroughly, or else you will not be able to find me.

I will be expecting you,

The Horticulturist of the Golden Lotus.

...

The Golden Lotus... She has heard of them before.

Elder Faerie had told her about them. He said that long ago, Cookies from different parts of Beast-Yeast formed a cult that believed a savior will come to rid Beast-Yeast of all evil. They said that a Cookie who called themselves The Horticulturist will come to Beast-Yeast and become their leader who they will worship and help free the land.

White Lily always thought that the Cookies of the Golden Lotus were a bunch of lunatics. She figured that some malicious Cookie was taking advantage of them, claiming to be the Horticulturist. But they did say they had books and scrolls that may be useful, which made White Lily consider accepting the invitation. Though the mention of a 'test' made her a bit weary. 

Lily eventually made up her mind and decided to try and see what The Horticulturist wanted. At this point, she was getting desperate, she needed progress.

The trek through Faeriewood was long and full of obstacles, Lily was starting to think that all those detours were totally meaningless. Though it was nice to take a long walk through the forest once in a while, so she decided to humor the mystery Cookie. She followed the instructions on the map, taking turns at the correct landmarks and cutting through thorny foliage. 

Lily was starting to lose hope, maybe the letter was just a ruse by the Cookies of Darkness, but then she saw something in the corner of her eye.

Through the trees, she spotted a clearing, one that wasn't drawn on any map. Could this be it?

Stepping out of the woods, she was surprised to find a small village in the middle of the woods. The whole place had a magical feel to it, perhaps this place was protected by magic against malicious eyes. Was that why it was so hard to find?

Cookies of all kinds walked through the streets, centaurs, Faeries, regular cookies, too. All wearing the same kind of brown robes.

A robed Faerie noticed the queen standing by the gates. They smiled, approaching her gleefully. 

"You're here! We were expecting you!" They say with an unusual amount of joy. "Come, The Horticulturist is waiting."

White Lily followed after the Faerie through the surprisingly busy streets. Just how big is this cult? They seemed to be thriving here in their isolation.

The Cookie led her towards a house in the center of the clearing, one that was overgrown with strange plants she had never seen before. They made their way inside.

The interior was dark, only illuminated by soft candlelight. It was actually kind of cozy, although empty. There was a single low table in the center of the room with cushions on either side where one would sit.

"Take a seat, my lady, the Horticulturist will be with you shortly." The Faerie Cookie said before abruptly departing, leaving White Lily Cookie alone in the dimly lit room.

Reluctantly, she walked forward and took a seat, the plush seats were quite comfortable to sit on. Taking a good look at her surroundings, she noticed that there was quite a lot of plants in the room. Well, they do call this person the Horticulturist after all, so she figured this isn't so unusual. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm her weary heart.

"Greetings."

White Lily's eyes shot open as she heard the low and slightly raspy voice. In front of her was a tall hooded figure, wearing the same kind of robe as all the others, except his had much more gold detailing. There were long purple mushrooms growing from the top of his head through the holes in his hood, his eyes were covered by a black veil. There was a strange aura of Deja vu about him, she can't shake the feeling that she saw him before somewhere, yet she can't put a finger on where specifically.

"Greetings..." White Lily greeted as the figure sat down across from her. "I take it you're the Horticulturist, yes?"

"I am." He replied, tilting his head. "But... you're alone? I expected Silent Salt Cookie to accompany you. I can't see him anywhere in Beast-Yeast. Where has he gone?"

"He went back to the Vanilla Kingdom after an... incident with Shadow Milk Cookie."

"Well, that's not ideal." The Horticulturist's face was unreadable. "I was planning on his attendance." He thought for a moment before standing up again. "Stay here for just a moment longer, will you? I will return shortly."

Suddenly, Lily felt a strange pulse of magic. As the figure raised his hand, a circle of flowers emerged around him. Before she could even realize what was happening, he was gone. She stood up, looking around to try and search for him. Where on Earthbread did he go?

...

Silent Salt Cookie stared at the orange bottle in his hand, a prescription of antidepressants.

"While it isn't a cure, these pills should help you feel better while we continue our sessions." A cookie with a warm expression sat in a chair in front of him. "Mood stabilizers tend to be a little finicky, so expect some minor side effects. Though if they make you really ill, we can switch you to a different one."

"Thank you." Salt said as he opened the bottle and took one small white and green pill. Picking up a glass of water, he swallowed the pill and washed it down. 

The Cookie smiled. "Unfortunately, that is all the time we have in this session. I will be seeing you next week." She said, standing up.

Salt stood up as well, reaching out to shake her hand. "I will be looking forward to it."

"That's good to hear. Take care."

Salt walked out of the therapist's office, closing the door behind him. Pure Vanilla Cookie was already waiting for him outside, smiling as he saw him. 

"How did the session go?" He asked. "Smoothly, I hope."

"It went just fine." Salt replied. "I think I'm already starting to warm up to her."

"That's great, I am glad that it's helping, my friend." Pure Vanilla said as he turned to walk alongside the knight. "Care to join me for some tea?"

"I'd be delighted."

The two of them walked towards the garden, talking about the little things going on in the kingdom as they walked into a cozy gazebo in the middle of the garden. Silent Salt sat at a bench as Pure Vanilla heated the kettle. He could hear the birds chirping around them. Smelling the pleasant smell of the tea carried by the morning breeze, his lips curled upwards ever so slightly.

"Which one is it today?" Salt asked.

"A special fruit blend I had discovered recently." Vanilla answered. "A mix of forest fruits from all over Crispia."

Salt hummed and leaned back on the bench, patiently waiting for the tea to finish. He closed his eyes, taking in his surroundings with his remaining senses. The sweet fruity scent of the tea mixed with the fresh spring air, the sound of wind whistling through the trees, and...

There is an odd unfamiliar magic in the air. Faint, barely noticeable unless one concentrated hard enough. His eyes opened again, looking around. It wasn't Vanilla's magic, he couldn't quite put a finger on who it might belong to, but what concerned him most was that it was growing stronger.

Suddenly, a quick flash illuminated their surroundings. Turning towards the source, both cookies saw a hooded figure standing in the middle of a circle of strange flowers. They made eye contact and the figure smiled.

"There you are." His voice was low and lightly raspy as he took a step forward, a slight limp in his step.

Salt stood up, alert. He was about to reach for his sword, but he remembered that he left it in his room that morning. "Who are you!?" He spoke instead.

"They called me the Horticulturist." The figure replied, continuing to approach the knight. "And you are important to the story."

The name 'Horticulturist' immediately rang a bell in Salt's mind, his eyes widened in shock. "Of the Golden Lotus?"

Salt could barely believe what he's seeing. He knew about the cookies of the Golden Lotus since their conception, yet he thought that their beliefs about some savior Cookie was nonsense. Yet this cookie stood before him just like their prophecy said.

He radiated strange magic. Overgrown in flora, he gave off a sickly sweet yet bitter scent that seemed strangely familiar to Salt. But most of all...

He reeked of mold.

Vanilla turned to Salt. "Do you know this person?"

"You may not recognize me, but you both do." The Horticulturist replied for him, turning to Vanilla. "You will know my name soon enough, I assure you."

Pure Vanilla held his staff tight and pointed it towards the figure, yet he seemed... somewhat hesitant. "What do you want from us?"

The Horticulturist didn't react to the staff pointed at him. "You do not need to point your weapon at me, I am your ally."

Vanilla's staff lowered just slightly. "Ally?" He repeated, though not entirely convinced.

"We both have the same goal, do we not?" The Horticulturist continued. "To defeat the Dark Enchantress. I offer my aid in your cause."

"I see..." Silent Salt's muscles lost some of their tension, but his guard remained up.

"I just need to... borrow you for a bit." The Horticulturist turned to Salt.

"Borrow? What do you-"

Suddenly, the ground below him shook slightly, a ring of flowers surrounded him as well as the Horticulturist. Before he could react, Salt's vision turned white. 

Salt tripped over his feet as the ground below him changed, falling to the ground. He found himself somewhere unfamiliar, a dark house full of plants. His head was spinning, where did he take him?

"Silent Salt Cookie!" 

A voice reached his ears, one that Salt knew very well. Lifting his head, he saw White Lily Cookie coming to his aid.

"White Lily Cookie?" Salt quickly got up to his feet with her help,  looking around again. "Where on Earthbread am I?"

"You are in the Golden Lotus colony." The Horticulturist spoke behind him, making Silent Salt take a startled step back. "Now please, sit."

Golden Lotus colony... that must mean he took him back to Beast-Yeast. Salt was not happy with the predicament, he'd rather be anywhere than here, but he cautiously did as he was told anyway. Once everyone was seated again, The Horticulturist spoke.

"As I previously mentioned, I want to offer my help in defeating Dark Enchantress Cookie. But under one condition." He began.

"Hidden in the confines of this colony is a hidden truth. A truth that aches to be known, to be spread. It had buried itself deep, away from the light, since the very first day I got to this continent. And that truth... is my name. Find that truth and take it to me. Then I will know that you truly have what it takes."

"Your name?" White Lily repeated, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

"I assume your real name isn't the Horticulturist?" Salt asked him, though he felt like he already knew the answer.

"Precisely." The Horticulturist nodded. "I give you three days to find it. If you succeed, you will have me as your ally."

The sound of a door opening caught their attention. Turning around, they saw a cloaked cookie in the doorway. The Horticulturist's smile fell.

"Ah, just in time." The Horticulturist quickly found his smile again and spoke. "Please, would you show them where they'll be staying?"

The cookie nodded. They opened the door fully, stepping aside to let Salt and Lily through. "Come! Let me show you to your sleeping quarters!"

Salt and Lily were a bit hesitant to follow them, but when they turned back to look at the Horticulturist, he was nowhere to be seen. Seeing nowhere else to go, the two of them followed the cloaked cookie outside.

"Did that cookie take you here by force as well?" Salt asked Lily as they walked.

"No, he sent me an invitation through a letter." Lily explained. "Though he expected you to accompany me, he didn't tell me why though."

"Do you have any idea why I need to be here?" Salt questioned her. "He told me I was important to some story, but didn't elaborate further."

Lily thought for a moment, her brow furrowing. "I have no idea." She said finally, then paused. "Do you also feel like you saw him before?"

Salt nodded. "There is a strange familiarity about him. He mentioned that he and Pure Vanilla Cookie knew each other, though he didn’t seem to recognize him."

Lily nodded slowly, taking his words in. "Do you think he's someone we know?" She asked him.

"It could be." Salt replied. "Or he could be playing a trick on us, keep your guard up."

They walked for a while longer until they reached a small house near the edge of the colony. The cookie unlocked the front door and led them inside. "You should have everything you need for a comfortable stay. Please, do say something if there's anything you need." As they finished, they left the keys on the cabinet by the door and happily jogged away, leaving them alone in the house.

The two cookies walked around the house. The house was fairly small, but quite cozy. It had a living room and kitchen, one small bathroom, and one bedroom with two beds. Each room had at least one potted plant, paintings of various landscapes hung on the walls. The interior was only illuminated by the outside light and a couple of lanterns hanging from the ceiling. It was nothing luxurious, but it will do well as shelter for a few days.

Salt walked around the living room, his frame uneasy and unable to decide what to do with his hands.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked him, recognizing his unease.

"I shouldn't be here." Salt replied, turning to face her. "I don't have my sword or my helmet, he didn't even give me a moment to get my things. I'm not even supposed to go anywhere before telling someone, and I barely know where I am myself!"

"You still need supervision? I thought Dark Cacao Cookie said you can be trusted to be on your own."

Salt paused, realizing that White Lily wasn't aware of what transpired. He signed, sitting down at a chair by the dining table. "The incident with Shadow Milk Cookie... It got to me more than I wanted to admit." He explained. "And I... did something... to myself that I now regret."

Lily's eyes widened as she listened to his explanation, a wave of guilt washing over her. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let you two go alone."

"None of this is your fault. Please, don't apologize." Salt tried to reassure her. "If you want someone to blame, then blame Shadow Milk Cookie. He is the root of all of this."

The room felt silent once more, the mere mention of the beast made the room fill with tension.

"I have been given medication to help me." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bottle. "Luckily, I had them on my person when I was brought here. I am also seeing a therapist. Or at least I'm supposed to, I fear that's going to be difficult in this predicament."

Silence fell upon the room once more. It was clear that White Lily wished to say something, but she didn't have the words. Though the pity in her expression made her feelings clear.

"You don't need to say anything." Salt spoke up again. "I would rather not dwell on it for too long anyway. How about we try to focus on finding this 'truth' that the Horticulturist was so adamant about instead?"

"I... Alright then." Lily finally agreed, then she spotted something in the corner of her eye. "What's this?"

She walked over to the table Salt was sitting at. In the middle was a single potted flower, under which was a folded piece of paper. It read:

Welcome to your home.

This shall be your little sanctuary during your stay in our little colony. Be it mere days, weeks, or even months, you are more than welcome to stay as long as you like.

You are free to browse the contents of our grand library and borrow any book you may find to read at home, but please remember to return it before departing. If you have any questions, you may seek me in my own dwelling.

Have a good stay,

The Horticulturist 

White Lily read the letter a couple more times, trying to see if the letter held more than it seemed at first glance, but it seemed to be no more than a simple welcome letter. She set it back onto the table.

"I guess the first logical place to look would be the library." White Lily suggested. 

"Right, let's."

The walk through the small town was like taking a trip into the past. This little colony didn't seem as technologically advanced like most civilizations these days, but a lot of what they lacked was substituted by magic. They seemed to have a strong connection to the earth and the flora around them, a lot of their religious imagery included plants in one way or another.

The grand library was not as big as the one in the Faerie Kingdom, but the size was nothing to scoff at either. Stepping inside, they saw a couple Cookies in the same brown robes that everyone else wore, either browsing or reading with an eerie silence. White Lily knew it was expected to be quiet in a library, but no library was ever this quiet. They stood in the middle of the main hall, looking around the tall bookshelves.

"They should have some books about him." Silent Salt whispered to White Lily. "Let's start from there."

It turned out that there was a whole shelf dedicated to the Horticulturist. It held books meant for cookies of all ages, from freshly baked to elderly. Salt expected no less from them. 

They started picking up books, starting with the simple smaller books for the younger ages. White Lily sat down onto a table next to the window, opening the book on the first page.

The story of the Horticulturist, the savior of Beast-Yeast

There is an old legend passed on since the beginning of time, one that spoke of a great tragedy upon the land.

It is said that as the land of Beast-Yeast falls into corruption, a cookie will rise to pull the land back into the light. The land will grant them power of the flora with which they will defeat all evil and bring upon the time of peace once more.

Once upon a time, long long ago, a cookie in need appeared on the shores of Beast-Yeast. Battered and wounded, he sought aid from the cookies of the Golden Lotus.

"My kingdom! They attacked my kingdom!" The boy cried. "The dark forces of the Dark Enchantress attacked us and threw me into the sea, it is a miracle I survived!"

The kind cookies of the Golden Lotus colony took the distraught boy into their care, tending to his wounds and easing his worries. He was far from home with nowhere to return to. His kingdom was out of reach and so was his family.

The land seemed to tremble beneath his steps, flowers blooming brighter under his touch. The cookies of the Golden Lotus knew that this cookie was the one, the one who will bring peace upon their land.

Under the light of the blue moon, the boy received the blessing of the land. From then on, he would promise to guard Beast-Yeast and work to banish all evil from this world. With the flowers, plants and grass as his watchful eyes.

There were several hand drawn illustrations in the book, but one in particular was drawn with greater precision than the rest. A simplified image of the Horticulturist himself. He was drawn with long and wavy black hair, dark skin and flowers where his eyes would be. He bore a crown of tall purple mushrooms, two pairs of arms made of vine growing out his back. 

Closing the book, Lily locked her eyes on one interesting looking book at the top of the shelf. Salt had finished reading his own book when he saw White Lily trying to reach for a book up top. He got up and walked over.

"Which one are you trying to reach?" Salt whispered.

"The brown one at the top shelf, the one with no title." She replied, though she worried that not even Salt, who was only a few inches taller, wouldn't be able to reach it either. 

To Lily's utter shock, Salt jumped up high, staying suspended in the air right in front of the top shelf. He took the book that Lily wanted and dropped back down.

"Since when can you float?" She questioned in a quiet whisper.

"I've always been able to, I just don't do it often." Salt explained as he handed her the book.

White Lily took the book from Salt's hands and sat back down while he picked out another book to inspect. This one was small and looked old. The spine had a symbol of the golden lotus engraved with gold dust. There was a spark of hope in her eyes as she opened it and found it...

Blank. The book was entirely blank. She flipped through the whole book from cover to cover, both confused and disappointed when she couldn't find a single word on any of the pages.

"This one is entirely blank." Lily spoke to Salt, looking closer at the leaves to see if there was anything that she could discern.

"Are you sure?" Salt said as he looked up from his own book. "Maybe the words need magic to be seen?"

"Hmm..." 

White Lily tried Salt's suggestion. She tried various different kinds of magic she knew, light magic, floral magic, anything that gave out any sort of aura that could make the words visible, but nothing happened. Not even the cover had any words, no title nor its author. White Lily couldn’t accept it, there must be more to this book!

"Perhaps you can keep this one aside and focus on another book?" Salt suggested. "There is still enough time to browse more, no need to waste time on a book that doesn't wish to be read."

Lily sighed, realizing there was no use trying to decipher it with her current knowledge. She put the book on a lower shelf where she could easily pick it up later.

Meanwhile, Silent Salt Cookie moved to another shelf and picked up a book that caught his interest when he passed by. The title read 'Life Magic and ways to use it'.

He sat down, opening it to the index. He saw the usual things one would see in a book, the introduction, overview, then the next couple of entries looked like the names of some rituals. He then realized that this book wouldn't give them anything important, but just as he was about to close it, one line caught his eye.

The Rite of Revival

Salt paused, looking down at those words for a moment. He noted the page number and flipped through the book, finding the entry.

It turned out that it was a real ritual, one that would bring a cookie back from the dead. It was forbidden magic and required a great deal of power to complete. He read over the instructions and was caught off guard by the requirements.

First, something connected to the crumbled Cookie, a piece of their dough, hair, jam, something of that sort. That part was reasonable enough, but it was the other requirement that unnerved him. The other important ingredient was a heart, a real beating heart from a living Cookie. The book justified it as a 'life for a life' sort of exchange.

Keeping it in the back of his mind, he closed the book and returned it where he found it, choosing to stick to their original task.

The rest of the day was spent with White Lily and Silent Salt continuing to browse the books in search of anything that would point them to who the Horticulturist was, comparing notes along the way. Some of the books had more details then others, and some even contradicted another. One book said that his kingdom had fallen, but another said that his kingdom had moved on without him. Some say the the boy came to Beast-Yeast blinded, but other just say that he was injured. But most importantly, there was no information anywhere that would even hint to what his kingdom was. 

The sun was setting, and White Lily felt like they had no progress at all. She had gone back to the blank book, trying every trick she knew about hiding text, yet nothing worked to decipher it. Salt looked out of the window, the sun had almost set and cookies were returning to their homes.

"Lily, it's getting late." He said, standing up. "How about we get some sleep? You look like you're need it."

Lily's was holding the blank book again, her brow furrowed in frustration. "There's no way that this book is just blank, there has to be something that I can decipher from it!

"We can come back to it tomorrow. Perhaps there are some books here about magic that can help?"

White Lily's shoulders slumped in defeat. The exhaustion was getting to her, she really should get some sleep. Reluctantly, she got up from the table and followed Salt back to their house.

"Don't you find it strange how contradictory some of the books are?" Lily asked Salt as they walked.

"I am reluctant to believe any of it, to be honest with you." Salt replied. "I've been here since the Golden Lotus' conception. In my opinion, it's all just delusions and manipulation."

"Hmm. Maybe." Lily paused for a bit, thinking. "But still, let's say that it's real, do you know of any kingdom that might fit the description?"

"I'm afraid I do not. There is barely any information about where he came from, it doesn't really give me much to go off of."

"It must be somewhere in Crispia." Lily thinks aloud. "And one that sits next to the sea, it did say he was thrown into the ocean."

"That makes sense."

As they approached the house, they noticed a centaur cookie waiting by the door. Their back was turned on them, raising their hand to knock on their door.

"Hello. What do you need?" White Lily asked as she approached them.

The centaur was a bit startled when they heard her behind them, but they quickly recovered their composure. As they turned around to face the two cookies, they revealed that they had a basket of berries in their hand.

"Oh, hello! I didn't realize no one was home." The centaur chuckled, holding up the basket so that they could see it. "The Horticulturist sent you some berries as a welcome gift!"

"That's very kind of him." White Lily said as she took the basket from their hands, examining it further. "Please, extend to him our thanks."

"Will do! Enjoy the fruit of our land!"

The basket was filled with berries of various types and sizes arranged neatly within the straw basket. They were all ripe, the skin shiny and glistening against the sunlight. White Lily didn't realize how hungry she was now that she was seeing the delicious fruits in front of her. Then she realized something, the Horticulturist's subjects might know something the books don't.

"Wait." She called out to the centaur who was already walking away. "Can I ask you something?"

They stopped in their tracks and turned back. "Yes?"

"What do you know about the Horticulturist? What is he like?" She asked.

"Hmm..." The centaur paused, thinking. "He's our great leader! He is the reason we can coexist with the flora of the land. Although, sometimes he can be a bit... unpredictable if I'm honest."

White Lily raised her eyebrows. "Unpredictable how?"

"His mood can change really fast." They explained, their mood turning solemn. "One moment he's kind and gentle, but another he can become completely walled off, refusing to speak."

"Oh? How come?" White Lily questioned further.

"The flora, it takes just as much as it gives. The power of the Horticulturist has its price even if it's used for the greater good. Throughout his short time with us, his sanity had taken a toll."

"I see..." Silent Salt spoke. "None of this was mentioned in any of the books we read."

"Many things aren't, the cookies here don't like to talk about it."

Not all the things are mentioned in books... perhaps they knew his name too. "Do you know his name?" Lily asked.

The cookie smiled. "Horticulturist Cookie."

Ah, perhaps not. 

"Does he go by any other names?" Silent Salt asked.

"Well... I guess the 'Savior', the 'Messiah'... we used to call him the 'lost boy when he first came here."

"He never told you his name?" Salt questioned.

"I don't know, I never interacted with him back then."

"Thank you, that is all I wanted to ask." White Lily said and the centaur took a light bow before running back.

Silent Salt walked towards Lily, looking down at the basket of berries in her hands. Hesitantly, he reached out and picked up one small black berry. He put it in his mouth, pausing to assess the flavor.

"... Elderberries." He said finally. There was a hint of surprise on his face. "I don't sense anything that would indicate they were tampered with."

"I don't believe the Horticulturist would do something to harm us." White Lily argued. "There must be a reason he wants us to figure out his name."

"Still, I would be cautious." Salt advised. "One must expect anything in unfamiliar environments."

The two cookies walked inside with the basket in hand. The sun was starting to fall and they still didn't have any substantial leads, but White Lily was already exhausted by the time they made it home. Maybe it would be better to get some sleep.

-------To Be Continued-------

Chapter Text

White Lily Cookie lays awake at night, the sleep won't take her. She woke up a bit ago, but she couldn't fall back asleep. She can't stop thinking about the book in the library, the one with no words on its pages. There had to be a reason it was there, who would keep a blank book in a library unless it could be somehow read? There has to be a way to decipher it, but how?

She turns, the sheets rustling quietly with her movements, and looks forward. Silent Salt Cookie was sound asleep in the other bed, he looked peaceful. Lily frowned, it seemed as if the only moments of peace he had was in sleep, she hoped he was having a nice sleep. Lily on the other hand, was not at peace at all. It was getting late, or was it early? Lily couldn't quite tell as there wasn't a clock in the room.

She looked towards the window, seeing only darkness and... what is that?

Lily sits up in bed, trying to focus on that strange white dot moving about outside. It floats towards the window and lands on the windowsill outside.

It was a butterfly. A white, glowing butterfly.

She has seen one like this before, but only in her dreams, is it calling her? It flew away as soon as she got close. That was when she decided she had to figure out what was in that book.

As quietly as she could, she got out of bed and put on her dress, watching Salt's face to make sure she wouldn't wake him. Closing the door behind her, she broke into a sprint towards the library. It was dark, but glowing mushrooms lit up the streets so no one would get lost. 

Lily gently pushed against the large library doors, relieved when she found them unlocked. Stepping inside, it was dark and empty. The only source of light was the gentle moonlight shining from the window. She walked slowly over to the shelf and picked up the book, opening it to the first page.

As much as she hoped that the text would magically appear there, it didn't. Although that wasn't too disappointing. She sat down at a table with the book in her hands, tapping her fingers on the wood as she thought about how to even begin to decipher this. There was literally nothing to go off of. She looked up at the window, the curtains were drawn and only a small gap between them let moonlight seep into the library. As Lily looked at it, she couldn't help but think that there was something unusual about it. That's when she saw it.

Through the small gap, she could clearly see the flutter of wings fly past outside. 

She quickly got up and pulled away the curtains, exposing a stained glass window picturing the Golden Lotus. The moonlight glittered as it passed through the glass, colors simmered across the surface. This glass... is enchanted.

She looked down, noticing a glowing outline of a rectangle suddenly appeared on the table. In the middle was the Golden Lotus again and Lily was quick to realize that the same symbol was on the book. She placed the book on the rectangle and, to her shock, the words appeared.

The Tale of the Split Prince

the Horticulturist

White Lily didn't give herself time to ponder on the title and opened the book, too invested and curious to let the title distract her. She began reading...

They say to not bite the hand that feeds you, but how can I not when the food is laced with poison?

The people of the Golden Lotus have been the sole reason for my survival. They came to my aid when I washed up on the shores of Beast-Yeast, they gave me food and shelter. And yet I can't help but resent them.

It was the second time that I was punished for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They said that I fit the description of their Messiah, one that would save their land. They said that I had to accept the gift of the land, the power of the flora. Of course I agreed to help them, why would I not? They were so kind to me and I had no place else to return to. How naïve I was. But perhaps the only person I can realistically blame is the Dark Enchantress, for it is her fault that I even got to this situation to begin with.

It was her who sent her goons to my kingdom, it was her that ordered them to ambush me that fateful day. I was doing my daily patrolling, choosing to take a different route than I usually would. Perhaps that was my first mistake.

With a spell, they split my mind and body in half. As I stared at myself, I saw the momentary spark of that malicious red glint in my half's eyes. As I looked down at the sword clutched in his hand, my world was plunged into darkness and hot red jam poured down my cheeks. My eyes burned against the cold mountain air and suddenly I could no longer feel the ground under my feet. I begged him to let me go, I begged him to let me live, but it was all for naught. He dropped me into the sea.

I learned what became of him much later, and it was then that all my hope to return home truly faded away. Even if I tried to go back and explain what happened, no one would believe me and I would be executed on the spot. That is the law for the crime of treason. It was because of that hopelessness that the cookies of the Golden Lotus were able to persuade me into becoming their savior.

 They took me to the sacred ritual grounds, made me kneel in the grass right in front of the golden bloom as I drank the sickly sweet nectar. 

One moment I could see nothing, and the next I could see the entirety of Beast-Yeast at once. Every part of the continent, every nook and cranny. In that moment, every tree, every bloom, every blade of grass became my eyes. I writhed on the ground, my senses overwhelmed by knowledge.

The next couple of months I would constantly feel as if someone was talking to me even though they were nowhere near. It took me a long time to learn to differentiate what is right next to me and what is right across the continent. The power had taken a toll on me, eating away at my sanity until I broke.

At that moment, I became the Horticulturist and every single trace of my former self had vanished. The cheerful prince that jumped on the opportunity to help others was now replaced by an empty husk overgrown by plants, fungi and mold. The cookies of the Golden Lotus worked to erase and rewrite everything that even mentioned who I used to be, I worked so hard to make sure that this book remains unseen so that I could leave even a small bit of my story for you to find, White Lily Cookie.

White Lily was taken aback when the writer addressed her, he must have written this book just for her to find. There were still many pages left to go, and Lily felt as if her heart beat quicker with every word she read. Then she felt that same feeling of Deja vu again. She feels as if she knows this person, she has to. This person was split into two, much like herself when she came to the Witch's Banquet. Did Dark Enchantress Cookie perhaps try to replicate her creation with this Cookie? Finding more questions than answers, she read on.

The Ancient heroes came to Beast-Yeast about a while ago and I was able to watch them from afar. I saw the moment that White Lily Cookie was awoken and the moment the Beasts were unsealed. I saw the death of the noble Elder Faerie Cookie and how his kingdom mourned him. 

I could hear the tearing of Golden Cheese Cookie's wings as the great destroyer tore them off, but that did not stop her from defeating him and unleashing her true power. I saw Pure Vanilla Cookie overcome Shadow Milk Cookie's deceit and rise above him. I marveled at how he was still able to give the Beast a chance after all that he has done. I saw Hollyberry Cookie confront the Bringer of Happiness and make her way out of the false paradise with her passion intact. I saw the trials that White Lily Cookie took in order to reach Silent Salt Cookie, and I was glad when I saw him accept her offer of redemption.

And then I saw him.

Of course he was here, he had to come here. I wasn't sure what I was feeling when I watched him climb the stairs to Mystic Flour Cookie's domain, but I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. 

I watched him take on the tall peaks of the mountain, exhausted and starving. There was another cookie there, Peach Blossom Cookie I believe was his name. I focused all my senses into the peach tree under which they were standing, watching them from above. The cookie picked up a peach and offered it to him, but he was hesitant. I watched through the eyes of the peach as he eventually accepted the fruit, holding it in his hands. His hands were cold, just like they always were, but feeling them against my skin felt warmer than anything. Tears were pooling in my eyes as I let myself enjoy the feeling of his embrace again. 

But then I felt him bite into the peach and I felt as if he had bitten off a chunk of flesh in my neck. I don't know what I was expecting. If you give food to a starving man, he's going to eat. I was frozen, unable to look away even through the feeling of teeth tearing through my flesh. It only took a moment for the peach to disappear and my consciousness was sent back to my body. 

I woke up on the floor of my room, not knowing how long I've been laying there. I almost expected that my neck would be missing a chunk of my dough when I brushed my hand against it, but I was still in one piece. I don't know why I kept my consciousness tied to the peach, perhaps it was the desperation to feel his touch once again. I suppose it's useless to argue the reasoning of a madman, especially when the madman is one's self.

I returned to watch him a moment later after I regained my bearings. Watching him stand before Mystic Flour Cookie, I had no doubts that he would walk away victorious, and so he did.

When his ship started its journey back home, I quickly ran to the beaches to watch the boat disappear beyond the horizon. I don't think he saw me, but I saw him. When I returned back to the colony, I felt a strange feeling of emptiness within me. It took me until the end of the week to get out of bed through the pain in my heart.

As White Lily read, she noticed out of the corner of his eye that the morning light was starting to shine. She quickly read through the last couple of pages before the words disappeared.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to reunite with him, but what would I even say? What would he say when he found out what truly happened? I heard that my other half is doing well, managing to rid himself of that cursed sword. Perhaps I'll let them live their lives in blissful ignorance, it would be easier that way. Hopefully he doesn't notice that my other half has only one of the two markings he is supposed to have.

Now the only thing that I have left of my home is the marking I have inherited from my father, the marking of the White Dragon of the South on my arm, though where the Black Dragon of the North should be there is only mold. But I won't die like this, soon enough they'll know my name...

Just as White Lily was about to read the name, the last of the moonlight disappeared behind the light of the morning sun, leaving the book blank once more. As she sat there with the now-blank book in her hands, everything seemed to fall into place like a puzzle. She didn't get to read the name, but she didn't need to as she already knew the identity of the Horticulturist. She quickly got up and put the book back where she found it before running back home.

She burst through the front doors and went right into the bedroom.

"Silent Salt Cookie! I... Salt?"

As Lily looked towards his bed, she found it empty. She looked around the house, surprised to find no trace of the commander anywhere. Maybe he noticed that Lily was gone and went looking for her?

She stepped back out of the house, looking around just in case she was able to spot him somewhere. Then she heard a voice, his voice. She hurried towards it, finding him standing right in front of the Horticulturist in the middle of the town square.

"There is no reason for me to be here!" Salt said, his voice sounding frustrated. "I assure you, White Lily Cookie is perfectly capable of figuring it out on her own."

"It is not a matter of whether she is capable or not..." The Horticulturist tried explaining, but Silent Salt wasn't listening.

"I have important things I need to deal with, I don't have time for this cryptic nonsense!" Salt turned around, heading towards the exit gates of the colony. "If you won't take me back, I will find my way there myself."

"Silent Salt Cookie, wait!" White Lily called out, but he only momentarily looked at her before continuing to walk away.

The Horticulturist stood there, unmoving, for but a moment. His expression was unreadable, it seemed he was lost in thought. Before Salt could walk too far away, he finally spoke.

"I can revive Elder Faerie Cookie for you."

Silent Salt stopped in his tracks, slowly looking around to face him.

"I saw you looking into that book." The Horticulturist smiled seeing that his words had caught his attention. "If you agree to stay just a little bit longer, I will perform the Rite of Revival."

Salt just stood there, looking at the tall cookie. He seemed like he was heavily considering it by the look on his face.

"You... really can bring a crumbled cookie back from the dead?" White Lily said as she walked up to The Horticulturist.

"Of course. I would not have told you if I had any doubt in my abilities." The Horticulturist answered her. "It is forbidden magic, but since we are so heavily isolated here, I am sure no one would mind. I only need just two little things from you."

"Anything!" White Lily cried out, excitement bubbling up inside her at the prospect of seeing Elder Faerie again.

The Horticulturist smiled seeing that at least one of them is interested. "First, I need something that ties back to the crumbled. A hair, jam, a piece of their dough, anything of that sort."

White Lily's smile immediately dropped, realizing that she has nothing like that to give. "... Elder Faerie's body dissolved into the wind, I am afraid I don't have anything like that."

"Wait." Salt suddenly spoke up, walking towards the Horticulturist. He reached down under his cuirass, pulling out a vial tied to a string around his neck. "Back before my corruption, me and Elder Faerie gifted each other a vial of our jam. This is his jam."

White Lily perked up as she saw the Horticulturist take the vial, inspecting it closely. "That's great! We have the first thing. Now, what's the second?"

The Horticulturist raised his head, looking at Silent Salt Cookie wordlessly, but it seemed that Salt understood exactly what was needed. 

"You want my heart..."

"Precisely."

There was a hesitation in Salt's voice."... I'll do it.

"What!? No!" White Lily's heart skipped a beat as she heard their exchange. "Salt, that will kill you!"

"It won't, I promise." Salt tried to reassure her. "My Soul Jam will keep me alive no matter what."

"But still, there has to be another way!"

"The ritual is supposed to symbolize how one cookie would give up their life to save another." The Horticulturist told her. "There is no other way."

"Lily, please, have faith in me." Salt placed his hands on her shoulders. "We need Elder Faerie alive. I need Elder Faerie alive..."

"Salt... I-"

Just as Lily was about to speak, one of the Horticulturist's vine arms wrapped around Silent Salt's waist and pulled him towards him. "Very well then, we have all that we need, so why don't we begin?"

"Wait! Ngh...!" White Lily was pushed back and a circle of flowers surrounded the two figures. There was a strange aura about them that wouldn't let her cross.

Suddenly, more cookies gathered around them, excited to watch the ritual commence. Salt was pulled down to his knees as more magical flowers sprouted from the ground around them, looking around as the realization of what was about to happen just sank in. He locked eyes with White Lily who looked at him with wide eyes and he tried to give her a reassuring smile.

His gaze was grouchy back down as he felt vines undo the leather straps of his cuirass. He tried to reach out, but his arms were held down and restrained by more vines. The Horticulturist focused magic into the circle as he watched the first step of the ritual unfold, a look of anticipation on his face. The armor clattered onto the ground and the vines tore open his tunic, exposing his bare chest to the cold air. His breathing was frantic, as he saw the vines preparing to pierce him.

In the blink of an eye, the vines bridged the gap between them and tore into his chest, making Salt cry out in pain. Hot jam poured down his chest as he felt the vines tear through his ribs and wrap around his heart. He managed to look at White Lily one last time just in time to see her turn away and cover her eyes before his heart was torn out of his chest. The vines let go of him and he collapsed onto the ground, weak and in pain. His vision slowly turned darker and the last thing he saw before sinking into unconsciousness was the cheering of the cookies around him.

White Lily was hesitant to look up, peeking through her fingers as she heard Salt go silent. She saw him limp on the ground with the Horticulturist standing right above him with his heart in his vine hand, still beating. He undid the seal on the vile and poured the contents over the heart, a soft glow emanating from it just as it made contact. He took a step back, watching as the light grew brighter and brighter, eventually taking shape. A bright flash of light enveloped the surroundings and when Lily opened her eyes again...

She saw him.

The figure of Elder Faerie Cookie laid on the ground, eyes closed in a peaceful sleep before they suddenly opened. He sat up, looking around in confusion before locking eyes with Lily.

"Elder Faerie!" White Lily cried out as she stepped into the circle, feeling the magic from the ritual slowly fade away. She ran up to him, cupping his face as she looked into his light blue eyes. After a moment she took him into her embrace, much to the surprise of the faerie. "It's you! It's really you!"

"White Lily Cookie? What on Earthbread happened?" He questioned as he slowly regained his composure. "Where am I?"

White Lily was about to speak when she noticed Silent Salt was still lying on the ground behind Elder Faerie. Her heart beat fast as she waited for him to get up, but nothing happened. She didn't know where to look first between the newly revived Elder Faerie Cookie or Silent Salt lying unconscious, or likely dead, on the ground.

"You are inside the Golden Lotus colony." The Horticulturist replied for her, walking forward. "You have been brought back from the dead through the Rite of Revival. Welcome back, Elder Faerie Cookie."

Elder Faerie pulled away just enough to look at her. "You... revived me?" He asked, his eyes widening at the realization. "Wait, who did you-"

A sudden gasp for air followed by a wet cough could be heard behind them. Turning around, they saw Salt had finally woken up. He tried to get up to his knees, supporting himself with one hand while the other clutched his chest, jam seeping from the wound.

"Salt!" Elder Faerie gasped as he saw him. His heart dropped as he quickly got up on wobbly legs and ran over to him, White Lily in tow. He caught Silent Salt in his arms as he was about to collapse again, bringing his hand to cup the commander's cheek. "Salt? Can you hear me?"

Salt's vision was blurry, eyes wet with unscheduled tears from pain as he looked up at the figure. As his vision cleared, he smiled and brought a shaky hand up to his shoulder. "... You've returned to me..."

Faerie's expression softened as he brought him close into an embrace, being gentle enough not to hurt him further. After a moment, Faerie and Lily helped Salt up to his feet. He was weak and dizzy, feeling a steady magical pulse where his heart would be as his Soul Jam kept him alive for now. He turned to the Horticulturist, giving him a weak smile as he tried to croak out something that sounded like a 'thank you'.

"We need to get him inside and lay him down." Lily said, leading them towards their temporary house.

Before they walked out of view, Lily turned around one last time to see the Horticulturist watching them with a soft smile on his face.

Silent Salt groaned as he was laid down onto the bed, Faerie immediately coming to inspect the wound.

"Will you be able to heal him?" White Lily asked him, bringing bandages from the bathroom.

"... I believe I can, but it's going to take a while, this kind of damage would be lethal to an ordinary cookie." Elder Faerie replied, focusing his magic into the wound.

"You should know by now that I'm no ordinary cookie, Faerie." Salt spoke, his voice hoarse.

Faerie gave him a pained smile. "I see that your stubbornness has not changed since I last saw you." As Faerie was about to take the bandages from White Lily, he took a moment to properly look over her. "You look... different."

White Lily smiled. Of course, Elder Faerie wasn't there to witness her awakening. "I suppose I have changed a bit." She replied. "I have gone a long way in the past couple of months. So did Salt."

Elder Faerie looked back onto Salt, brushing his fingers through his hair as he saw the white streaks. "Your hair is turning white again."

Silent Salt noticed the way he was looking at him and spoke up. "White Lily has been helping me redeem myself."

Elder Faerie's expression lit up. "Has she?"

White Lily nodded. "We hope to try and convince the other beasts to be on our side to fight against Dark Enchantress as well." She added.

"Although that is very unlikely to work."

Elder Faerie locked eyes with Salt, he looked... proud, and in turn it made Salt feel proud of himself as well.

"We should get you to the Faerie Kingdom once you regain some of your strength, we have better resources there." Faerie spoke.

"But... What about the Horticulturist? He told us to figure out 'the truth' before he becomes our ally." Salt argued.

"I already figured it out." White Lily spoke confidently. "That book I showed you yesterday, I was able to decipher it!"

"You have?" Salt was surprised to hear it. "How?"

"It turns out that the letters were only visible under moonlight passing through enchanted glass. I sneaked back to read it before the sun came up." She told him. "The true identity of the Horticulturist... is Dark Choco Cookie!"

Salt just stared at her in confusion as he processed what she just told him. "Lily, that's impossible. I just saw him yesterday morning."

"Let me explain." She said. "In the book that I read, he claimed that he was split into two by a spell. One half was given the cursed sword that he used to attack his kingdom, and the other was thrown into the sea and washed up in Beast-Yeast."

"And you are sure of that fact?" Elder Faerie asked her.

White Lily walked over to the desk, picking up a pen and paper. "There is one thing that can confirm my theory. Dark Choco Cookie is supposed to have two distinct markings based on the two dragons from his kingdom. If he has only one, that would mean that my hypothesis is correct." She said as she started writing. "I need to write a letter to Dark Cacao Cookie."

Salt thought for a moment, although the pain was making it hard to think. "This is... quite a theory indeed." He said finally.

White Lily quickly wrote down the contents of the letter, sealing the folded paper inside an envelope. "I will go find the Horticulturist and ask if he can send this letter, I will be right back." She said as she quickly hurried out of the house.

Elder Faerie and Silent Salt were left alone in the bedroom, a pleasant quiet falling upon the room.

The king moved on to bandage Salt's chest so it wouldn't leak jam or get infected, using only delicate touches as to not make it too painful for him. "This was incredibly reckless of you." He finally spoke, his sigh piercing the silence.

"I know." Salt replied. "And I would do this again if it meant getting you back." 

Elder Faerie gave a breathy chuckle, shaking his head slightly. "Of course you would, I would expect no less from you." He said as he finished applying the bandage. "What were you up to when I was gone?"

"I have made an alliance with the Ancient heroes." Salt answered. "They've been helping me get on the right path. I am still surprised that White Lily was able to convince them to give me a chance."

Faerie smiled as he listened to him. He put down the rest of the unused bandages and leaned down, wrapping his arms gently around Salt. "I am proud of you."

Salt was taken aback by the gesture, but he eventually wrapped his arms around him as well. He buried his head into the crook of Faerie's neck as he gave a shaky exhale. "I missed you so much, Fae..."

Faerie rubbed gentle circles into Silent Salt's back, soothing him. "I missed you, too."

They laid in each other's arms for what seemed like an eternity. Somehow, the warmth from Elder Faerie's body seemed to seep inside him and fill the empty space in not only his chest but his soul. He hasn't felt this peaceful in so long, it was as if the world around them ceased to exist. He placed a hand on the Faerie king's chest, feeling the gentle thumping of the heart beating in his chest. His heart. 

Silent Salt could feel something hard under his hand and Faerie pulled away to reach down, pulling out his own vial of Salt's jam.

"You still have it?" Salt said as he looked down at the crimson liquid shimmering inside the small bottle.

"Of course, I never took it off." Elder Faerie answers. "I assume you still have yours."

Salt frowned. "I am sorry, I used your jam in the ritual."

Faerie laid Salt back down onto the bed, his smile never wavering. "That is alright, I'll make you a replacement later."

"Perhaps you could give me one of your other organs so we're even?" Silent Salt joked.

Elder Faerie let out a soft laugh, bringing his hand up to his mouth. He quickly regained his composure, looking down at the commander. He reached out, placing a hand on Salt's cheek as he leaned down to capture Salt's lips in his. The commander's eyes widened, not expecting the kiss, but he melted right into it.

It felt like neither of them wanted to pull away, but they did eventually, their eyes locked.

"Why have you not moved on after I was sealed?" Salt questions him.

Faerie's smile softens. "I always hoped that you would return to me. You weren't dead, just far out of my reach." He explains. "But I was. You had a much better reason to move on than me."

"How could I possibly move on?" Salt spoke, tears threatening to spill. "You were my everything. You are my everything."

Faerie brushed Salt's tears away with his thumbs, sitting back upright. "How about you take a moment to rest? I will be right here beside you."

"Before I do that, I must ask." Salt says as he looks up at him again. "Was it you who kept visiting me in my dreams?"

Elder Faerie raised an eyebrow at the question. "I am afraid I do not remember anything from when I was dead. Perhaps it was, who knows." Elder Faerie moved to pull the sheets up over Salt's chest. "Now rest, you need to get your energy back."

Salt nodded, closing his eyes as he felt the comforting presence of Elder Faerie by his side. It must have been decades, centuries even, since he last felt this peaceful while laying in bed. Perhaps sleep won't wait so long to take him tonight.

...

When White Lily walked towards the lake, it was then that she found the cookie she has been looking for. Sitting by the lake and looking down into the water was none other than Horticulturist Cookie, but that wasn't his name now, was it?

"Dark Choco Cookie..."

As she spoke, the Horticulturist raised his head. His hood was pulled down and his veil was laying in the grass beside him, revealing his incredibly long black hair with white streaks. He turned his head to look at her and White Lily was able to take a good look at his face.

There was a large scar from one side of the face to the other right over his eyes, which he seemed to lack. Where Lily expected two large crimson eyes to sit were only empty sockets and slightly cracked dough. But other than that, it was unmistakable who this cookie was.

As soon as he registered that it was White Lily who spoke to him, his frown turned into a smile. "You've figured me out. Congratulations." He said, watching as she sat down next to him. It sounded as if he was changing the sound of his voice when they were talking prior, now sounding more like his real self. "I am impressed, you managed to complete the task fairly quickly."

"We are allies now, yes?" White Lily asks, unable to tear her eyes away from his face.

The Horticulturist lets out a breathy chuckle. "I would have been your ally even if you didn't complete my task."

This surprised White Lily Cookie. "Then... Why have us search for your name?"

He looked back towards the lake, his face turning solemn again. "Because I didn't want my true self to be completely forgotten. I know that I wrote down that it would be better if my father and everyone else lived in blissful ignorance, but a part of me can't stop wanting to be known. It's a paradox that I can't seem to solve."

White Lily pauses, looking down at the letter in her hands. "I think we should tell them who you are. At least tell Dark Cacao Cookie."

"But what good would that be?" The Horticulturist retorted. "My roots don't reach well across the sea to Crispia, but last I heard he and my other half are doing just fine on their own."

"But don't you want your life back?" Lily questioned him. "You said it yourself that you don't want this role, I could help you reunite with your father. Don't you want your freedom back?"

The Horticulturist was silent, looking down at the letter in Lily's hands. There was a certain longing in his expression, a pain that he carried with him for years. After a moment, he finally spoke. "... I don't want to die a Horticulturist..."

"You don't have to." Lily said, smiling at him reassuringly.

He raised his head up, meeting her eyes. "Give me the letter."

Lily did just that, handing the neat envelope over into the Horticulturist's hand. He held it for a moment before a ring of plants grew from the ground, emitting a strange magic. The letter briefly floated in the light before disappearing. "It is done. They shall find the letter shortly."

Lily nodded. She reached out to take one of his hands into his own, but he pulled away.

"Please, do not touch me." The Horticulturist warned her. "I do not wish to spread the mold onto you."

Lily frowned. "I could help heal you if you'd like."

"No need, I am already treating it myself." He declined, then after a pause. "Thank you."

"Of course." White Lily smiled at him, though there was still a hint of pain in her expression.

"How is Silent Salt Cookie doing?" The Horticulturist asked.

"He is doing fine." Lily replied. "Elder Faerie Cookie is helping heal his injury."

"That's good." He smiled. "I am going to stay here for a while longer by myself if you don't mind."

Lily nodded, standing up. "Of course, I am going to check up on Salt." She said as she turned to walk away. "Take care."

"You as well."

-------To Be Continued-------