King Berry

The motion was carried, the decree was to be executed with efficiency. All restrictions on the dukes were removed, as they teleported around the room. Shimmer's flames were largely contained, though it took effort. Peasants were taking the brunt to soften the blow, as other castes helped them. There would be no room for sympathy or forgiveness. The dragon wanted a fight, and by the goddess, Shimmer would feel our might.

Shimmer was easily three times the size of a fiend, the simple fact that this castle was my domain was what allowed me to adjust the sizes of the rooms. Fire erupted from her maw, her tail swiped with every movement. Even her wings were used as battering rams to crush my much smaller dukes. The dukes' swords might as well have been sewing needles now that she made herself as large as she could.

Fighting her made two things abundantly clear; she was more powerful and would win if we attacked directly, and she had no idea how to fight an opponent that was more than willing to feint, parry, dodge, and otherwise not take the brunt of her attacks. She was a dragon used to fighting other dragons. Mentally slamming herself against them until either one was brutishly beaten into submission. Shimmer wasn't used to her opponents using teleports and guile.

I watched the fight with every fiber of my attention. Direction was given to the dukes, letting them avoid a blow they hadn't seen, allowing them to cover each other. They talked to each other with direct links allowing no words to tip off the dragon. Each failed strike was frustrating to her, each strike left a thin red line on her scales. Each strike we landed only added to her anger, she was a dragon, how dare these insects challenge her? I knew all too well what was going on in that mind of hers.

Shimmer's rage was building, until she finally breathed down a massive pillar of flames to cover the entire floor. She was immune to her breath attack, but she also was aware that my dukes were not. The strain mounted, as she jumped forcing me to come to a decision. Claws in front of her she charged into the ceiling deciding to go up to the next floor. I could let the floor fall away and keep her trapped, or I could let her up. Under the fight was a good number of the lesser berries taking shelter.

The choice was obvious, Shimmer tore through the ceiling coming one step closer to me. Only two floors left, my dukes continued the fight leaving thin bleeding lines along her neck as she crawled through the floor. More fire forced them back to another room, teleporting to safety while the heat lessened. She was figuring out an effective way to deal with us. Brute strength is a crushing reality to contend with. The dragon crawled onto the floor, but I sealed it trapping the tip of her tail.

She didn't hesitate, immediately severing the trapped limb. Shimmer realized that this wasn't a playful bout anymore, but one between two entities trying to subdue the other. She heaved her mass into the door breathing more fire into the hallway. Each of the three dukes descended while I kept the second one in reserve. I needed him for my final plan.

Unfortunately, Shimmer was learning their patterns. Pain surged through me as the first duke fell to an ill-timed blow. He had teleported right in front of it, then was immediately cast into the smoldering fire that surged at her will. More power surged from my talent, securing the top of our pyramid. The pain and stress traveling down to the others. Not one of us complained, everyone had heard what was done to our Hive members. There was only victory or death, there was no division for the first time in far too long.

Shimmer let out a roar, before traveling to the stairs. The other two dukes struck at her flanks, cutting into where her tail had been severed. We were making her bleed, her size slowly diminishing. The dragon reached the third floor, letting out a pained grunt as the two dukes continued attacking her. She turned around to breathe fire down the stairs, before kicking her hindlegs and catching another duke. I grimaced as more stress struck me and the other two dukes.

The etchings were done, but I bid the second duke to stay. The first clenching his teeth and staring down the awful dragon. They were in a hallway that would lead to the fourth floor, the level that contained my throne room. A quick message was sent to the second duke telling him to hide above the ceiling. I had a terrible plan, but the trap was laid.

The first duke gave Shimmer a middle finger salute, before teleporting further back. I stretched the hallway for what he desired to achieve. Shimmer's fire traveled down the hall towards him, scorching the ceiling walls and floor. Duke Berry grinned, before teleporting down the stairs. He struck her tail, making the dragon jump and turn to face him. Duke Berry had learned her tricks as she learned ours. He teleported higher avoiding the kick and using his momentum to stab into her tail again. The wound was not allowed to clot, spraying more blood as her size diminished further.

Shimmer breathed fire, while Duke Berry stabbed at the top of her head. She headbutted a wall, but he wasn't there. He had moved to the ligament of her wing, stabbing at it. She flapped, trying to crush him between them, but he was a ghost. Duke Berry stabbed at her tail, teleporting once more to the end of the hall.

A snort escaped the dragon's nostrils as she glared at the duke with pure murder in her eyes. I stretched the hall more, forcing the walls and ceiling to start closing in around her. Hoping to limit her movement, while giving the first duke the chance to continue bleeding her. It worked until she made herself smaller and caught the duke's jaw with the tip of her tail. She was twice the size of a fiend, but I couldn't process that as even more pain and stress wracked my body.

The first Duke gave a bloody grin, as his life was fading. "FOR THE GLORY OF THE HIVE!" He shouted, doing the unthinkable. He sacrificed a large portion of his section to the ritual alter. All of them were forced to comply with his insane order. It stabilized the pyramid a little, but I was only supported by one duke now. The talent shoring up the others, holding it all together. Just barely keeping it together. I spat out blood, as more came out of my eyes. I no longer had to worry about the trump card being too weak.

It was painful waiting for Shimmer to make herself towards my throne. She was tiring, while I was struggling to keep everything together. I made the doors wide for her to enter, sitting on my throne. Black blood wept from my eyes, every breath shallow and wet. I could only channel a connection through the duke, who then could only channel the pain and stress to the others through him. Every part of my body felt as though it were tearing at the seams. It would be all too easy to just slip away, to let it all go.

Shimmer hesitated on the threshold before a cruel smile crept over her maw. "You were surprisingly entertaining, but it seems you needed the other four to fight back." She took me in, even as I held my head up defiant against this tyrant. "Any last words before I cook you?"

I smirked, "You're a coward that can't do it with your claws. You aren't even worth my words."

All amusement fell from her features, as she lunged towards me. Silk threads rose from the ground, as she stopped herself. She broke them with her momentum. The first part of the ritual; breaking free from the bindings with minimal force. The surprise had made her cautious, now she was furious after seeing the bindings break so easily. "I'LL SLAUGHTER YOU!" She roared

Then thick chains of iron launched themselves over her. "I'd like to see you try, you're pathetic and weak compared to Bral." The chains groaned after wrapping around every inch of her. The second part of the ritual; breaking free from the bindings with all the strength that can be mustered.

Shimmer roared, attempting to free herself from what was holding her. She blew fire towards me, doing everything she could to kill me. I rose from my throne, using my wing/cape to defend myself as much as I could. The pain was intense, but only a little worse than my talent tearing at my being. The second and final duke descended, as we switched places. He gave his life valiantly, all for this moment. Agony filled me as I was falling from above the dragon. The chain links shattered into thousands of glittering shards.

I was falling as Shimmer's breath attack finally relented. All the pain, all the stress on my shoulders. What was left of my duke teleporting atop her back as I drew out my sword. The final part of the ritual; a sacrifice, a strike against the more powerful enemy. What was left of my final duke was run through with all the momentum I had. My sword buried deep into the dragon's scales. Landing almost killed me, as darkness crept closer from the edges of my vision.

"BY MY DECREE! THE RITUAL IS COMPLETE! BINDINGS OF ETERNITY!" Silence filled the room as I finished, the ritual happily drinking what was left of my final duke. I stumbled as I teleported to the side, forced to carry the stress of keeping my pyramid intact by myself. Blood was oozing out of every pore, but my talent forced it to work, kept me awake, forced me to stay alive despite the sheer weight of it all.

Shimmer screamed as the glitter exploded in countless novas a silver barrier erected around her. She used all of her strength to try and break free, as chains forged from the countless stars tore through space and time itself. Massive harpoons cleaved through her muscles and joints, forcing the dragon to no longer move. Threads spun the cosmos bound her muzzle to the point she could barely speak. The dragon was brought to the ground, her stomach, tail, wings, and neck all wrapped in nebula chains.

I wobbled, as the wall folded in on itself, transparent silver growing smaller and pressing down on her from all sides. The cosmic threads stretched her so she could not move even a millimeter. The dragon let out a panicked cry as I took shaky steps towards, bloody footprints left with each one. I was going to die here, but not before the experiment was completed.

Shimmer let out a desperate plea, "Please master! Don't hurt me, my king! I lied, to my knowledge no one has harmed the two you asked me about! I don't want to die! I'll do anything!"

My sheath clattered on the ground as I tossed it around. My sword carved into her scales as if they were paper, making her scream as she did everything she could to try and free herself. I twisted the weapon, "You shall fear all bugs, you will not harm a single one of my kin!" She nodded frantically. I made more precise cuts, carving what our Hive had gained from our goddess. "You will seek Beru out, you will give him these ideas without alteration!"

"YES! I WILL! SPARE ME!" The dragon cried out, knowing all too well her fate was at my mercy. She was sending out a connection, desperately trying to call someone to her aid. I was in no position to stop it, if another dragon came, that was it. I sent out a connection to my goddess, hoping she would heed my plea. My eyelids were so heavy, the weight was so much.

An advisor came, and Shimmer gave up trying to defend herself. Desperately pleading and clawing out for someone to help her. "You will obey us! You will harbor one of us within your subconscious and obey them, otherwise, you shall die!"

Shimmer froze, still desperately reaching out. I stabbed repeatedly until she broke down and accepted, "I WILL!" My advisor rushed to her side, merging just below her ribs. All the necessary things needed for Beru to make a tier-three bug in there with him. I regretted not being able to help him more, but wherever he was if he was still alive he needed all the aid he could get. My body betrayed me as I wobbled, taking a step back. My time was almost up.

Bral suddenly appeared in my mindscape, my castle. His arms were crossed, the silver stud of his arm carried with him. It was an impressive curse to make even his perceived self need that stud. He tilted his head back with a smirk, "What do we have here?"

"BRAL! Please save me! Brilliant rising star! Dawn of the heavens! I will beg for your life! They will listen to me, please!" Shimmer still couldn't move. Bral gave me a 'light' kick to the chest, making me fall back. I could hardly get myself up, kneeling on one knee sword tip on the ground for support. I spat out more black blood, unable to raise my head as I coughed.

"You let this thing kick your ass this bad?" He sneered, looking down at the dragon beside him. "I don't need you, because everything is going as planned."

Shimmer tried to shudder, but couldn't move. Desperation filling her voice, "W-what? What do you mean!? The elders wouldn't let a female be slain! Have you lost your mind! IT'S YOUR DUTY TO PROTECT ME!"

Bral tilted his head towards me, "Such a shame, I arrived after an unsolicited attack. Only to find the female offered to the king of Eclipse had been fractured. You'll be so much prettier broken, unable to form coherent thoughts. I was so, so lucky, that the elders decided to send us both. That no one else had the same ancestor to use mind magic as we do. No, you were born with mind magic. You are useless as anything other than an egg layer." His hand punched into her side.

Shimmer screamed, unable to free herself. "I'LL DO ANYTHING! PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!" Bral was having none of it, as he tore more and more of her. "MASTER BERRY SAVE ME!" I wasn't in any position to do that, but it did have our nemesis tilted his head towards us. He only stopped when she was constantly whimpering please repeatedly.

Our nemesis flashed a grin at me, wiping the blood on his cloak. "That was refreshing, don't worry I didn't fuck with whatever you merged with her. She might recover," he looked at her for a second then shrugged, "or she might not. Either way, not our problem. Mind getting your Queen or whatever the fuck she is? Got a message for her."

I wanted to say something, but the goddess took the connection I had reached out towards her. Immediately power surged, the sky that had been brought by the dragon was engulfed by a starry night. The presence of my goddess was enough to ease the agony I felt, to lessen the weight and stress. Without any prompting, she appeared in all her splendor. I kept my head bowed in reverence to the one true Queen.

Bral took a step back, realizing he was out of his depth against her. Not in a foreign mindscape, not when these kinds of battles were what she excelled at. A request was given, and I let the goddess see every memory I had of what transpired. Her control was so fine that she allowed time to slow further in a bubble around us, then pulled it on herself to process everything. Bral wouldn't be able to lay a finger on her.

Mimi idly looked over the whimpering dragon, Shimmer. She was not pleased with what she saw but gave me silent approval for all that we had managed, all that we had done. Bral had his hands up, "I'm not here to fight, I have a message."

The goddess let out a low hiss, "You said this was going according to plan. It better be damn good, otherwise, I won't allow you to leave."

"What the fuck did I just step in?" Bral muttered under his breath but forced a smile. "Cynthia is fine! Beru is fine! Both of them are in my den. No, I'll do one better." He put his hand over his heart, "Oath of truth!" He grinned, "Cynthia is fine, as is Beru. They were both in my den when they l left. I was playing along with her plan, hoping to not be executed." Bral quickly explained.

Mimi tilted her head, as I felt the words were completely true. He opened a part of himself to us, making it clear he had no intention of fighting the goddess in her domain. "Your companion has damaged Berry to the point he won't live past today." Her words were true, I was only being held together by my talent and the goddess at this point. I couldn't even bring my body to rise.

Bral waved his hands, "Mistakes happen, it's only been three seconds outside! No one has noticed, by the hells, I didn't even notice this was happening! I'm the only other dragon present that can use mind magic and enter a mindscape! Everything, as it is right now, is perfect." He frantically waved at the broken dragon, "She isn't dead, her body can be used for breeding until she recovers, if she recovers. We can blame all of this on Charles, I get to live and help Cynthia and Beru. You get the satisfaction of knowing they are alive."

"You will tell me how to find your isles, you will tell me everything that the two suffered through while in your den. Then I will let you leave, if they are fine when I find them. I will free them, and leave you alone. Do not betray me, for I will have no mercy the next time we meet. Am. I. Clear?" She glared down at him.

Bral quickly explained how to find the isles, and how he protected the two. He hurriedly mentioned how he hadn't forced Cynthia into his bed, reluctantly admitting it was because she hadn't told him everything and he needed her to survive his execution. Bral was allowed to leave before the goddess slowed time once more. She made certain that Shimmer had everything she needed to give to Beru. The dragon's mind was wounded, but it could recover. Her sense of self struggling against everything presented before her.

After the goddess was certain Shimmer had everything, she was cast out. I kept my head bowed in reverence, as she stood before me. I felt a mixture of pride and sadness coming from her, "You didn't have to do this."

I closed my eyes, "I did, and I have no regrets. I am the only one with a mindscape strong enough to sustain this much damage. Argus is second, but even she would have struggled." I started coughing.

|"Use your link, you don't need to force yourself to talk."|

|"Thank you, we were up against an unknown enemy. The risk was too great, but we needed to know if Beru was fine. I merely failed at being fine myself."| The goddess knelt, pulling me into her embrace. I felt awful for being unable to stop my blood from staining her, that I had marred her beauty for even an instant. |"At least we know how the other two are doing."|

She nodded, warm bitter tears landing on my back. |"So many of you died, you have died so many times to my experiments. I'm sorry for putting you through so much."|

|"It had been necessary, my Queen. The Hive needed to be strong enough to fight anything, it was just the most efficient way to do it. I harbor no resentment, as those same tests went to my copies. I forgive you, just as surely as each of them will in time. These experiments were what allowed us to fight a dragon in the end. They allowed us to save two hive members for the price of one."|

The goddess rubbed my back in a soothing motion, |"I got your requests, the favors you have asked. They are the same thing, so you may ask me anything here and now."|

There was only one thing I could think of asking, |"May I call you a goddess? Calling you a Queen feels wrong, then I will go peacefully."|

She let out a deep reluctant sigh, |"You may."|

I smiled to myself, |"My orb, please... I want everyone to hear this."|

She gently helped me sit back, and pressed the orb to my chest. I was grinning as much as possible, |"Your king has fallen, my loyal subjects. I am to be taken by death and pass on. I have been given permission to call the Queen by her rightful title, since we are all Berries, we may now call her what she is. The Goddess will bring us a new prince. The perfect Berry!"|

Mimi huffed, giving me a wilting glare. It didn't matter, she wasn't going to say no. It was my favor and it would make all the Berries happy. I let the orb roll away, falling back into the embrace of my goddess. All the pain lifting away, all of the weight, everything. I was the first member of the Hive to truly die, the first personality to fall in battle. We defeated a dragon, in a war of minds. There was no better way to go.

Mimi

The first Berry succame to his wounds, and the soul burn from his talent. I grabbed onto it, taking every other Berry that was on the cusp of turning to nothing. It stung, knowing that the original personality was gone. It hurt that it cost a third of his kingdom to subdue a dragon, while a fourth was simply missing. I entered the room with a large vat. The fluids were drained, as I used the choir to restructure the pyramid, his network.

A mind without a soul, one holding everything that the true Berry knew. A perfect copy, with his perceived flaws removed. He had spent weeks on them before this mess started. The perfect Berry twitched as he was exposed to air, then I pressed souls into his being. All of them merging, becoming what they always were, one Berry. Finally, the talent was pushed into their being. It took, quickly as the new Berry opened their eyes. "I'm alive?"

I gave a small nod, "You are the perfect Berry, the prince come to claim his rightful throne. In these dire times, a third of your Hive had perished from a foul dragon's attack, another fourth has disappeared to a location we cannot perceive. Corpses litter your kingdom, your people are without guidance. The Underground and other personalities are under siege by the Guards of Eclipse. Dragons are knocking on the gates of the same kingdom outside this mindscape. Are you ready to lead?"

They looked down, letting the information wash over them. All the reports I had been getting from the others. Wyatt seemingly lost it, as he sailed along the East side of the Underground, his talent demolishing everything, slaying monsters and people left and right. Just what are you thinking Charles?

Prince Berry raised his head, "I am not ready, but the world will not wait for me to prepare myself. With your guidance, I seek to aid the other personalities. We shall serve you, our goddess." They put their hand over their heart and bowed.

I politely smiled, telling them to get to it. All while quietly wondering where I went wrong. What had I done to make the Berries into zealots? Why couldn't I get away from worship? This was going to be a very long day.