LU 73 - Tori 9

*"I don't want to hurt you, Echo..."*

A solemn silence hangs in the air of Tori's cave, the only sound coming from the bird's soft steps as he paces in his kitchen. Downstairs in his "collection room" sits the unconscious druid he collected the day prior. He hadn't planned for this to happen. He never thought out what he would say, what he would do, or what he wanted with this new person. He wasn't sure how he would get them out of his house without them seeing where he lived, his actions now confirming Mira's hysteria came from reality rather than something of her caffeine-addled imagination.

*"Tori?"*

Looking back on the circumstances that led up to this moment, one would think the bird would have developed a sense for plans he's set into motion going wrong or at least plan for the worst. Unfortunately for him, some dangerous mixture of pride and a lack of thinking ahead has allowed beings of all realms to ruin Tori's life and time again.

*"Promise you won't be mad?"*

A moment of heavy silence hangs between them before Echo lets out a heavy sigh, tired of Tori's antics, as they follow Tori down the long hall to the observing room that overlooks the bird's newest treasure. In a room with walls and a floor devoid of color, the emptiness drawing its prisoner's eyes to the blood splattered across the otherwise pristine space, Chizzy wakes up and quickly recovers from her "nap," trident at the ready.

*"Are you from one of the druidic tribes?"*

Ignoring Tori's hushed objections, Echo steps up to the glass and speaks to the druid, promising to let her go if she answers their questions. Untrusting and on edge, Chizzy refuses as she glares at the decaying bird staring down at her, seemingly uninterested in the conversation at hand. Upon the druid's rejection of their offer, Echo steps into the room on the other side of the glass, lowering their voice as they explain their situation and other words lost on Tori as he steps away from the glass, bored.

*"Tori! I'm letting the druid out now!"*

Probably faster than he's moved since he left his home realm, Tori flies down to the Floran; feathers ruffled as he frowns and spreads his wings across the doorway. Once friends turned enemies, now just parasites leeching off of one another's' efforts under the guise of forgiveness, like singing to a deadly snake, Tori and Echo face each other, both realizing what their relationship has become. They were friends once, and perhaps they could have made a powerful duo under different circumstances. A liar and a hypocrite, once standing side by side; now blade to blade.

*"Stand down, Tori."*

A mere moment of hesitance to hurt, if not an ally, a valuable source of information, and someone willing to cross the lines Echo won't, was all Tori needed to gain the upper hand, knocking the Floran out without too much of a fight.

*"I'm not going to hurt you.."*

Tori stares at the druid pointedly through his mask, the body of Echo at their feet. His hand still grips his sword, though now positioned to strike with the blunt handle rather than the blade.

*"Don't come any closer."*

Chizzy shifts her stance, holding her trident tightly and using Echo's body as a shield as she readies herself to strike without hesitance after watching her captor do the same with his supposed ally. Faster and desperate with far more to lose, the druid attacks Tori as he steps towards them, knocking him out with ease. Their eyes widen as the bird slumps against the wall, unconscious, the sight of it almost enough to make her sick if she had the time to spare.

*"RUN!"*

Chizzy shakes Echo awake, helping them to their feet before the two flee the soul condor's home. At the mouth of the cave, they run into a heavy downpour, rain falling in hard, heavy drops around them and soaking through their clothes as the escapees pause to gather themselves. Tori sits up, his undead body able to survive in harsh or violent conditions and adjust or recover quickly now aches as he staggers to his feet. A sharp screeching of a sword scraping along the ground as its wielder drags it behind him signals the escapees that it's time to flee again, sending them soaring into the air with the help of their tridents. Making it just to his doorway as Echo and Chizzy disappear into the thick fog rolling in across the horizon, Tori frowns. Wielding his sword in one hand and trident in the other, he takes flight after them. More comfortable in the open air, the bird catches up to the escapees as they struggle to find their way through the heavy rain and fog, the three of them landing in the center of Spawn-town at the same time.

*"This isn't what I wanted, Echo."*

Disregarding the distraught druid, Tori pursues Echo, chasing them through the streets of Spawntown. Their desperate footsteps pound across the concrete like lightning as they run through the shopping district, pausing for only a moment to make a quick purchase at a humble potions store before running back into the center of spawn.

*"Thanks for the help, Chizzy!"*

With enough space between them and the bird, Echo pauses to call out to the druid. As Tori closes the gap between them, readying his sword to strike, no longer willing to hold back for a friend, the Floran downs the potion they bought and dives through the purple, swirling portal at Spawn, the soul condor flying through soon after.

*"I never wanted to hurt you..."*

Almost unbearable heat to beings not native to the Nether surrounds Tori and Echo as they step into the fiery realm. Facing each other once again, this time in Tori's domain, the bird lowers his weapon as he speaks. *Is it true that he never meant them any harm? What was this endless hunt for, if not to draw blood?* The tip of Tori's blade taps against the ground, wings folded, almost relaxed as he stands in front of Echo. *How much has changed since we met? Around the safe room where they stand, predators undoubtedly circle, the scent of death and blooding on both being's ledgers thick enough to attract the entire realm. I have become one of them. Spilling blood has become a habit, if not a hobby, like every condor before me. I am no different than my family's killer, and that doesn't seem to scare me.*

*"We have you surrounded."*

Three familiar figures step through the portal, two tense and ready for the fight. And the third? The third showed up; that's something. Taking in the situation and considering his odds, the soul condor frowns, sheathing his sword before taking off into the Nether.

*"Who's there?"*

After Tori flies away, Echo leaves the remaining three to continue their mission. They make their way through the treacherous Nether alone, fire dancing at their feet and threatening to burn them the moment their potion wears off until they find a tunnel across a basalt delta. Inside the tunnel, the air is cooler than the scorching, dry, and relentless heat out in the open, giving the Floran some time to recover as they wander down the long hall. Faint noises echo along the tunnel then a familiar voice mutters to itself quietly as a figure emerges from the shadows, appearing in front of Echo.

*"Shroom?"*

Whatever discomfort from the heat lingering in Echo dissipates as their lost partner cups their cheek in disbelief before pulling them into a tight hug, tears evaporating as they fall.

*"What a touching reunion..."*

A slow clap rings through the moment, followed by a winged figure stepping out of the shadows, grinning. Tori's heart races as he makes eye contact with Shroom, almost giddy that he's gotten this far.

*"Now I have everything I need."*

Echo turns to their partner, explaining their goal of restoring the efflorescence and how Tori wanted to "help." Quiet lingers as Shroom suddenly struggles to make eye contact with the Floran for a moment before clearing their throat and speaking.

*"The efflorescence isn't real."*

Tori and Echo stand staring at Shroom, silently stunned as they struggle to process what they said. "You're telling me... your stupid god... isn't even real?"

Tori chuckles to himself, muttering about family and gods and lives as his eyes widen with realization. "And... and now... you have your family back..." And he laughs. ***"And I don't have ANYONE!"*** The bird's laughs echo through the tunnel as he makes eye contact with Echo, drawing his sword. ***"What makes YOU more worthy?"*** Tori drags his sword behind him as he stumbles towards Echo with pure, blind rage. *"All I want... is for you... you to get what you deserve..."*

As Tori raises his sword, Shroom runs past him, down the long tunnel to the portal Echo told them about when begging them to run.

*"Goodbye Echo."*