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Ancient legends spoke of the wrath of the gods, warning of the horrific faiths that awaited those that angered the divine. Tales of mortals whose lives were plagued with misery and misfortune as punishment for their wrongdoings. Many of these tales were blatantly false of course, mere stories written by mortals using the gods' names in an attempt to justify humanity's dark desires to hurt those who wronged them. To repay pain with more pain, an eye for an eye, to perpetuate the endless cycle of abuse that had begun when the first mortal wronged another millennium ago. Gods were not petty by nature, not quick to give into the childish desire to harm another for past grievances. The anger of the high divines did not express itself in a lifetime of misfortune, in loved ones having their lives ripped away or the loss of material possessions. When a mortal angered a god, they would not know of it until the day of their death, on which the deity they had caught the ire of would be their waiting, ready to enact whatever form of punishment they saw fit.
So as they landed in front of Pandora's Vault, staring up at the towering black structure, XD understood that what they intended to do was inherently ungodly and immature. It was childish to visit the man contained within the prison for the sole purpose of exacting some form of judgement for his wrongdoings. The man was simply that, a man, a mortal who would someday die and XD would be there waiting for him, all they had to do was be patient.
But one finds even a god's patience wears thin after seeing what the mortal in question had done to a certain young boy. A boy with blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes, once so bright and carefree, now barely holding it together. Each night, tormented by visions of the cruel man the Vault contained, of the pain and suffering the masked man put him through. The man who forced the boy's own friend to exile him from his home, threatening to destroy the nation they worked so hard to protect if he didn't. And once the boy was far from prying eyes, tormenting him every single day, manipulating him into being the man's "friend".
And that was just one of many things the man had done to the boy. Destroying his nation, nearly killing his best friend in front of him and planning to throw the boy in the Vault afterwards. Encouraging the boy's now dead elder brother's obsession with destroying the country he created and then lost. Not to mention the other people the man hurt, his two closest friends in particular, casting them aside in his lust for power. Just thinking of it made XD's wings shake with rage, tips of white feathers briefly fading to black.
So no, they didn't care that this whole visit was childish and petty. They did not care when they left Tommy's home in Snowchester after making sure the boy was comfortably tucked in bed, no nightmares plaguing him in the night. They did not care as they soared above the clouds, wings carrying them across the star speckled sky. They did not care as they landed quietly in front of the prison, and they did not care as they stepped inside the small building in front.
Looking about the building's interior, XD spotted the small button that alerted the warden that someone wished to visit the prisoner. Pressing it, they heard a faint "bing" sound, and leaned back to wait for the warden to arrive. The room was dimly lit, the only light sources a few lanterns hanging in the corners and the low purple glow of the Nether portal across from the button. After a few minutes of standing in silence, the only sounds of the portal as well as the low hum of XD's halo, a loud "beep" above rang out. Looking up at the small camera situated above the button, XD could imagine the confused expression on the creeper hybrid's face as he saw who had pressed the button.
"Um…" Sam's voice was a little raspy as he'd most likely been asleep, and the god felt a bit bad for waking the poor thing up at this hour. Clearing his throat, the warden continued, "Hello? W-who are you? Are you new around here?"
They shrugged, still looking directly into the camera. "Eh, I wouldn't quite say I'm new around here or anywhere, really. Sort of comes with the whole god thing you know? Kind of been about since the birth of the universe." If they could see the warden's face, XD would bet a stack of netherite ingots that his expression was the embodiment of "What the shit".
"Ah...okay uh…" sputtering in response, Sam said, "Okay Mr or Ms or whatever god person. What is it you need, exactly?"
XD was genuinely impressed that the hybrid was still able to remain somewhat professional after having learned he was talking to a literal god. No wonder he was the warden, the man had a handle on his emotions, probably a perk of being a creeper hybrid.
"I wish to visit the prisoner currently residing in the main cell of this prison." XD replied simply.
Another pause, poor Sam truly was too tired to deal with this right now. "Alright then. Please step through the portal behind you. Once you're in the Nether, enter it again and you will be inside the prison proper."
XD did as they were told, briefly pausing to inhale a breath of sulfury air before returning to the portal. As the whirls of purple faded from their vision, they stepped into the entry hall of Pandora's Vault, a large room with a high ceiling. At the small desk across from the portal sat a mildly terrified creeper hybrid, who was desperately trying to appear cool and collected even though it was 3 AM and he'd just woken up and now a nine feet tall god with four wings was walking up to him.
Sam sat up straight as XD stood before him, who was trying their very best to appear as friendly and non-threatening towards the warden as they possibly could. Clearing his throat, he looked up to meet what he could safely assume was the god's eyes, but then again he couldn't fully tell because of the mask they wore.
"Welcome to Pandora's Vault," he said, voice as controlled as he possibly could manage. "Please read the book on the stand in front of you out loud, then sign it with your name."
XD nodded and did as he asked, reading the paragraphs of warnings about how the prison was absolved of all responsibility in the event of any harm coming to a visitor. It was all formalities, really. Nothing could harm them in this place, not prisoners or neglectful guards or malfunctioning machinery. But they'd do what the warden requested of them, to make this whole ordeal easier on him. After they finished reading, XD signed their name into the book, the lettering glowing a brilliant gold as they handed the book to the warden.
"Alright, thank you," Sam paused, looking into the book briefly. "XD?" They chuckled softly, looking down at the hybrid. "That is the name I currently use. My true name is impossible to pronounce in any mortal tongue, let alone write down. I hope that won't be an issue?" Shaking his head, Sam clicked a button under his desk, and the wall to the left of the pair opened. "Not at all. Now, I'm gonna have to ask that you drop any items you have into the locker room."
XD reached under the green cloak they currently wore, rummaged around for a bit before shrugging. "Don't have anything on me, currently. If it makes you more comfortable I could, I dunno, summon some weapons to stuff in there. Don't want to mess with protocol, hmm?"
Despite the gas mask he wore, XD could tell that the warden was wide eyed, bewildered at the god so casually saying they could summon weapons from thin air. Sighing, Sam clicked the button again and the locker room closed. He leaned back in his chair. "Alright, so now I'm going to have you answer some questions. Answer truthfully, and if I don't like your answers, I will have to ask you to leave. Is that alright, XD?" They nodded, and Sam pulled out another book, quill in hand.
"First question. When was the last time you visited the prison?"
XD replied calmly, "This is my first visit to the Vault."
Sam scribbled in the book, then said, "Where is your place of residence currently located?"
"My home is in a realm with no name, a place no mortal can hope to comprehend," they then added simply, "But I currently spend most of my time at Tommyinnit's home in Snowchester."
Sam paused for a few seconds, huffing as he wrote in the book. He did not get paid enough for this. He didn't really get paid at all actually, he just did this to make sure Dream stayed locked away.
"Okay," he said, "Next question. Do you think that the prisoner is deserving of being locked up?"
XD straightened, wings shaking with barely contained rage. Of course they thought Dream deserved to be locked up, he deserved nothing, no sunlight, no fresh morning air. He did not deserve to walk freely on the green spring grass, or swim in clear ocean waters. He'd hurt a child, a small little boy who just wanted his friends and his music discs and his country. Dream had tried to take all of that away from Tommy, and he deserved every bit of suffering that XD intended to put him through once they got to that cell.
"Yes, absolutely, it is an objective fact." If Sam noticed how the god's voice seemed to glitch and distort around the edges, words laced with rolling waves of divine fury, he did not show it as he wrote in the book again.
"Okay, what are your prior relationships with the prisoner?"
They thought for a moment before responding. "Distant but indescribable hatred." XD heard the warden whimper, a soft sound, nearly inaudible, and felt a small pang of pity for the poor man they were putting through this whole debacle.
"A-are you willing to submit to any and all physical searches?" "Certainly."
"Do you acknowledge that you may not bring anything into the prison with you?" "Of course."
"Do you recognize that I, Awesamdude, am the ultimate authority on the grounds of the prison?" "Yessir."
Nodding and shutting the book, Sam sat up and pulled a lever behind him, the wall to the right opening up to reveal a large hallway. XD silently followed after the warden, and after several physical searches, more waivers, they were finally standing in front of the main holding cell. The heat from the curtain of lava rolled over the god, a cool breeze compared to the storm of red hot rage swirling inside their mind. They were so close to Dream, so very close to the man that hurt their little one. They could simply fly across the lava now, the orange liquid wouldn't affect them at all. But no, they could wait.
Suddenly, XD had a brilliant idea.
Before they'd started living with Tommy, the young boy had visited Pandora's Vault one final time, to see Dream one last time. It was so he could have closure, so he could see once and for all that the wicked man was locked away and that he was safe from him. He'd been insulting Dream, who was so outraged that the child he thought was his plaything had the nerve to speak to him that way. So the man tried to kill Tommy, attempting to beat the life from his small form. But Sam stopped him, and left the evil man with a scar and a blind eye.
Dream thought Tommy was never going to see him again, so how would he react to seeing what appeared to be the boy he'd tried to murder return to see him? To see the child he'd torture and left frail and drained, back to his bright and cheerful self, back to mock him again. Why, just the thought of the man's face twisting in anger delighted XD so greatly, that they completely ignored the gasp that came from Sam as their physical form began to shift. They shrank, green cloak transforming into a white and red shirt. Their blonde hair lightened a bit, and their mask vanished to reveal bright blue eyes.
"What the f-" Sam started, hand still on the lever that lowered the lava surrounding the central cell, back pressed against the black wall as XD looked at him and smiled.
"Oh, I'm sorry." They said, voice a perfect mimic of Tommy's. "Just had a brilliant idea just now, is all. I hope there's no rule against shape-shifting into young boys that the prisoner tormented as a form of physiological torture." Sam shook his head, now convinced that he had either gone insane or was dreaming. But dreams don't usually make the air around them warp into faint swirls of black and red while they stand with their arms crossed, a malicious smile on their face as the lava dropped.
"...m-move with the platform, please…"
Dream looked up from the desk tucked in the corner of his cell, a single green eye widening in shock as he saw what appeared to be Tommy stepping into the small chamber. Tommy seemed different, seemed almost lighter. He stood straight, a bright smile adorning his face, eyes light and carefree. Dream set down the book he'd been writing in, staring at the boy as the lava dropped behind him. Seeing the kid he'd spent so long wearing down, who he'd nearly killed because he was being an annoying piece of shit, just standing there like he didn't have a care in the world. To say it immediately pissed Dream off was an understatement.
"Hey Dream!" XD smiled at the man, who seemed both pleased yet simultaneously infuriated to see "Tommy". The blonde stood up, towering over them in their shrunken form. After a moment of simply staring down at them, the man smiled, slipping into his sickly sweet facade he always used when torturing Tommy in exile.
"Tommy! You came to visit me again, I knew you would." Dream said happily, face an obnoxious smile. XD was currently screaming internally because how dare Dream act so chummy to what he thought was the boy he had tortured. The boy he'd beaten and insulted, the boy whose nation he destroyed. And like Hell he "knew Tommy would come back" bullshit.
Pulling themselves together, XD replied, "Yeah Big D, you know I couldn't stay away from you!" Dream seemed pleased to hear that, happy that his manipulation still stuck even after so long. The blonde chuckled, having walked behind XD, now standing in front of the lava. One would think it was a meaningless thing, but XD knew. XD knew that Dream had just purposefully put himself between "Tommy" and the only exit as a silent way of saying "I am not letting you escape me this time."
"Of course you couldn't stay away, Tommy." The man replied, voice cold like freezing rain yet sweet like honey. "We're best friends, after all. You and me, Dream and Tommy. Is there any reason you came back? Besides just wanting to see me, of course."
In the orange light from the lava, Dream's green hoodie looked almost black. A dark shade of green that haunted Tommy's mind, swirling in a blood red sky as a vile laugh filled the air. Every inch of XD's being was screaming, they wanted to rip that smug smile off of Dream's face, wanted to render him completely blind, wanted to make him scream and beg for mercy, just as their little one had done so many times.
"Well," XD replied, grinning from ear to ear. "Kind of missed calling you a little bitch."
That caused Dream's smug grin to falter, his single green eye narrowed in disapproval. "Tommy," he chided, in the same tone he always used when the boy disobeyed him. "Remember what happened last time you made me angry? I don't think Sam will be able to save you this time. So be a good kid and don't get on my nerves, alight?"
XD laughed, a ragged sound, shoulders shaking as they wrapped their arms around themselves. Dream seemed both aggravated and confused, face now contorted in rage as he growled at the god. "Why the fuck are you laughing? I know your brother was a nut job, does craziness run in your genes or some shit?" XD wiped a tear from their eyes, looking up at the man, still smiling. He got riled up so easily, it was fantastic. Seeing the cold calculated Dream throwing a fit because a child laughed at him? Priceless.
"Oh Dream," they said, still snickering as they looked him dead in the eye. "You can't do anything to me anymore. You're not able to hurt me, or scare me, or control me or anybody else on this server. You lost, Dream!" That was the honest truth. Tommy would never be hurt by Dream ever again, who would one day be but a dim memory in the boy's mind.
The man practically growled at them, shaking with rage. How dare this little kid talk to him that way, him! Dream, ruler of the Dream SMP, the one who destroyed L'manburg. The same kid he'd spent months wearing down after finally getting him all alone was now laughing at him! He should've just killed Tommy in exile, but it was just so much fun to see the little bitch squirm, to see his cocky attitude dissolve into obedience to Dream. Because Dream was in charge, Dream was the only real person on the server. Everyone else was just a toy, just a pawn for him to bend and twist and mangle to appease his own desires. That's why he'd commissioned the prison, to lock up the toys who made him angry. And now his favorite plaything had the nerve to tell him he lost?
Still smiling as the man stalked over towards them, XD looked up at his beet red face as Dream pushed them against the obsidian wall, holding onto their wrists. If they were mortal, the man's iron grip would hurt, possibly even leave a mark. Dream growled lowly, hissing in their ear. "You listen here, you little shit. One of these days, I am going to get out of here. And when I do, I am going to spend every goddamn second of my life torturing you and everyone you love." XD simply stared up at him, the man's threats washing over them like water over a smooth river stone. "You thought exile was bad, Tommy? When I get out, you'll be begging to go back to that shitty little island. You hear me?"
Dream's enraged expression turned to one of fear as their hands effortlessly slipped out of his grasp, moving up and grabbing him by the neck.
XD began to grow as their body darkened, now towering over Dream as four wings sprouted from their back, not the snow white wings that they protectively wrapped around Tommy, but jet black wings with feathers as sharp as knives. Their hands became talons, razor sharp claws digging into the flesh of the pitiful man's neck. Their cloak returned, thrashing around their body like a cloud of crimson. A loud shriek rang through the room as their halo returned, blazing a bright red. Their face was but a smooth black surface, a burning red "X" where their eyes would be, and underneath is a maw of gleaming white teeth, from which dripped dark tar and bile.
They hissed, tightening their hold on Dream's neck, reveling in the small spurts of blood that leaked from where their claws punctured soft flesh. They wanted to paint the stars with this man's blood, the cosmos singing in joy at his agony.
"You," their voice was everywhere all at once, a distorted glitching ringing in Dream's ears, dark and hateful and wrathful as it squirmed into his brain. "You are by far the most PATHETIC and VILE little creature I have ever seen." They lifted the whimpering man up effortlessly, holding him up for a few seconds to see the tears well in his eyes, before slamming him back down. The crack of his skull hitting the blackened floor sent a wave of glee through XD's wings, and outside of Pandora's Vault a hundred wither roses sprang up.
XD began to tear their way into Dream's mind, not even a billionth of a fraction as delicate as when they entered into their little one's dreams. They clawed at the man's thoughts, slashing and tearing at his mental borders. Dream was unable to scream, the god's hands practically crushing his windpipe.
All of the man's thoughts now lay bare before them, just as twisted as they suspected. There was no guilt in Dream's mind, not an ounce of regret for all that he had done. He truly in his heart of hearts thought himself in the right for everything he did. Helping Wilbur destroy L'manburg? It was his server, no countries allowed. Stealing Tommy's discs? Brat needed to learn who was in charge. Exiling and torturing Tommy? Oh, it just delighted Dream to see the dead look in the boy's eyes, stroked his ego with every "Yes Dream" that left the poor thing's lips.
He didn't feel bad for destroying L'manburg, and ruining countless lives of those that called it home. He didn't regret stealing everyone's possessions, they were on the server therefore belonged to him really. Trying to kill Tubbo? Dream felt he was doing the world a favor, getting rid of one more whiny little shit.
Any dim doubts XD had about Dream deserving this torture were gone, only the hate and fury remained.
They stood up, pinning Dream to the floor with a clawed foot on his chest, growling down at him. "Your mind is an incredibly sickening place, thought I guess I really shouldn't be surprised." Panting, Dream weakly choked out, "W-why...what are you…?"
XD spread their wings, which seemed to absorb the light in the room the way a black hole swallows the light of distant stars.
"I am the god of this world, worm. I am creation and all that it entails. I am the beginning and the end, the sun and the moon. The stars are my children, and death is my son." Holding up a talon, XD now seemed to hold galaxies and nebulas in their palm as they continued. "I have seen planets form from fire, I have witnessed and mourned the death of each and every star. Each galaxy comes at my beckon call, and I am the one who sends comets sailing through the vast abyss of space." Now images of plants and animals sat in the god's hand. "Every creature on this earth belongs to me and I belong to them. The grass grows on my command, and I paint every fruit on every tree. Flowers grow with my laughter, and wilt with my tears. I have seen nations rise and fall, wars and plague and famine sweep the land. I've seen children go hungry, and I have seen mighty rulers die peacefully in their sleep."
They looked down at the trembling man, who then asked a simple question. "Why? Why are you doing this to me?"
XD stared at Dream, all their rage and fury fading away for just a moment. A brief moment of stillness, the calm before the storm, as the god gently placed a hand on the man's tear stained cheek. In a nearly loving voice, XD said softly, "Because you are by far the most indisputably wicked, twisted, evil creature I have ever seen in my eons of existence."
And in that moment, for exactly 30 seconds, Dream felt every ounce of pain and suffering he had inflicted on others in his life. He felt swords and axes cutting his flesh, his body being blown apart in a shower of color. He felt arrows puncturing his skin. He felt his own father stabbing him through the chest, he felt explosions ripping him apart as TNT rained from the sky. He felt the poison of Withers coursing through his veins, he felt freezing cold rain tearing at his flesh as he was beaten.
And his brain oh the pain is his mind was so much worse. Obsession, betrayal, fear, sorrow and anger all ripped at his mind, shredding his thoughts like tissue paper. He felt so trapped, not allowed to speak up or question without fear of punishment. The agony of your closest friend casting you aside so he could pursue power rattled through his skull. And he felt cold, so terribly cold, as though he were laying in bed at night sobbing as he awoke from a hellish dream.
XD simply watched as Dream screamed on the floor, hands pressed against his temples as he writhed in pain. It was a lovely sight really, to see the man that had hurt so many so very helpless. So powerless so weak, no control whatsoever. In this moment, Dream was without that which he had desired most. And it broke him.
After those wonderful 30 seconds, XD leaned down, grabbing Dream by his left arm and lifting him up to look him in the eye. The man's remaining eye was blown wide, dull and void of anything except for pain and fear.
"That just now was merely a taste of what I have in store for you." They said cooly, suddenly smashing the broken man against the wall of his cell while still holding on to his arm. They were pretty sure that suddenly movement may have dislocated it, but oh that didn't bother them. The glorious sound of bones cracking thrilled them, and they walked over to the blonde, stomping down on his legs. A crack, a scream of pain, and more black roses blanketed the fields outside Pandora's Vault.
Dream was silent now. Still alive of course, barely, as the god grabbed him by the neck once more, dragging his limp form towards the cauldron near his desk. Even if the mortal died, XD would simply bring him back, and do this over and over until their lust for punishment was satisfied. They began to slam his head against the edge of the cauldron, over and over until the rim was dripping with red, blood spreading over the water's surface. Red was Tommy's favorite color, probably because of how bright and passionate it was. Passion, the same thing Dream had tried to crush out of the boy, to turn a happy little boy into an obedient plaything to toy around with for his own amusement. A wave of anger pulsed through them as the god slammed Dream's head against the black metal of the cauldron, cracking the man's skull fully, killing him.
Breathing in the coppery smell that filled the air, XD dropped the man's body, taking a break before they revived him. Not only because they needed a moment to collect themselves, but because Dream was currently waking up in the afterlife, confident that he'd escaped his torment. Confidence, smug nauseating confidence that XD wanted to rip away from him.
They thought for a moment of how Dream had thought himself some manner of god towards the end, when he had Tommy and Tubbo trapped with him in his bunker. He'd been riding on a high from the boys' fear, only to come crashing down when the rest of the server came to save them. And then Tommy in such a wonderfully well earned moment of revenge took two of Dream's three lives. Oh, XD had been so very happy for their little one that day. And grown immediately so very fond of the warden when he suggested locking the man up forever.
Sighing fondly at the memory, they turned away from the man's corpse, waving a talon to revive him. Bones mended, tissue stitched itself up, muscle and organs healed, and a loud gasp informed XD that Dream was back. As the man began to panic, blabbering and hyperventilating as he looked around wildly whilst begging for mercy, they sighed again. With a snap of their fingers he was silent, mouth sealing shut.
"I think that is enough from your filthy little lying mouth."
They simply stood there for a few minutes, Dream silently panicking behind them as they stared into the curtain of lava. Tommy had stared into lava while in exile, so completely broken and worn down that he saw it as his only possible escape from his misery. And Dream wouldn't let him escape, wouldn't allow his toy to break himself.
Tommy was so very broken, his mind a constantly swirling storm of fear and sadness. Dream had done so much to hurt him, so much to shatter the child. Part of XD wanted to yell, wanted to scream at the monster behind them, to tell him what he had done to an innocent little soul. But they knew that would just make Dream happy, he'd be happy to know the effect he'd had on the boy. It would delight him to know that Tommy was kept up nearly every night with nightmares of what Dream had done to him. If Dream knew how Tommy would panic when he saw the color green, or how he once broke down because he saw a sheep moving out of the corner of his eye a thought it was a white mask, he'd smile. He'd smile that stupid smug smile that made XD want to tear his jaw off.
Their thoughts wander to a pleasant memory, the day they were looking over the SMP with Tommy from atop a large cliff. The sun was slowly dipping below the horizon, painting the sky a beautiful gradient of pink and orange. Tommy had sat on the ground behind them, watching a chubby caterpillar munching on a blade of grass. He had been having a very good day that day, spending it walking around the fields and woods gathering resources, XD watching over him all the while. They recalled what they had said to the boy that day as they spoke to Dream.
"Dream," ("Tommy, my child,") "Have you any idea how much I despise you?" ("Do you have any idea how much I love you?")
They turned to the man, who's single green eye was wide with fear, pleading. "The stars themselves desire nothing more than to crash from the heavens, just to crush you like the bug you are." ("Do you know how the stars would fall to earth, just for a chance to meet you?")
They began to walk towards Dream, who attempted to scramble away, going limp as they lifted him up once more. "Every flower, every tree, every animal of the air, land and sea, all hate you so very much" ("All of the plants and animals of this world adore you.")
The room was darker than the deepest abyss, the only light that of the blood red of XD's halo. "Even if you did manage to escape this place, and believe me, you won't. But if you did, I assure you that the earth itself would open up to swallow you whole." ("If you were to get lost far from home, the earth itself would move to get you back to where you feel safe and loved.")
XD growled, voice so heavily distorted by rage and fury it was barely compressible. "I am the universe, and I abhor you."("I am the universe, and I simply adore you, my little buttercup."
As XD tormented Dream, smashing and breaking his body over and over, pulling him back to the living world each time he died, one would think Sam would hear the sobbing and wailing from across the curtain of lava. But no, all Sam heard was the machinery of the Vault and the bubbling of lava.
XD lost track of time, fully engrossed in the violence. They turned Dream's flesh into bleeding ribbons, they turned him inside out, crushed his head between their claws like a melon. Drowned him, held him under the lava, shattered every bone in his body to dust. When they finally stopped, their rage sated for the time being, the black obsidian walls of the cell were now painted crimson, and Dream was a whimpering pile curled up in the pool of water in the corner.
With a snap of their fingers the room was clean, and Dream healed fully, physically at least. They looked over their shoulder at the man, pleased now that a wave of rage no longer overtook them when they stared at him. "Do you want to know something interesting, Dream?" No response, which was alright. They didn't want to hear him talk, anyway. "That afterlife you keep going to, the big black void? That isn't where you're going to end up when you pass away naturally." Dream lifted his head slightly, listening. "I've carved out a little hole in creation, just for you. A place where you and I will spend eons together, just like we've been doing here."
They looked at him, taking one last good look at the man who'd hurt so many and lacked any remorse. "So live Dream. Stay nice and safe and healthy in this box. Because next time you die, I'll be waiting. And do you wanna know something else utterly fascinating? When Tommy passes away after living a long, happy, beautifully free life, I'll offer to turn him into a god. I shall allow him to sip from a golden chalice of the sweetest ambrosia, and he will be eternally more powerful than you ever were."
With that, XD left the cell, stepping through the orange curtain and utterly terrifying poor Sam. They returned to their regular form, turned to the shivering hybrid, and happily said, "Terribly sorry for not waiting for the platform, Sam, but I've a little one at home I need to get back to!"
---
As they said farewell to the warden, who was probably going straight back to bed after the whole ordeal, XD gazed over the grassy plains that spread out in front of the prison. The grass seemed almost royal blue in the moonlight, and hundreds of black roses had grown in front of the prison over the course of the god's visit. If the citizens of the SMP began to complain about the flowers, XD would remove them, but for now they thought they looked rather lovely.
With one flap of their now snowy white wings they lifted up into the night sky, heading back to Snowchester.