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Weeks have passed, and he finally found her again. Salt slowly makes his way through the trees, stopping once he enters the clearing to be greeted by her staff pointed at him.
"You know, you're quite hard to find."
"I don't want to be found."
White Lilly responds bitterly, her grip tightening on her staff. The virtue sighs.
"You shouldn't be out here alone like this, especially when it's obvious you need help."
He begins to say, taking a step forward before pausing, he eventually settles on just extending a hand in her direction.
"Just let me provide you with assistance. The gates to my kingdom remain open."
The girl thinks about it for a few minutes. The silence stretches on between the two cookies.
If I go with him, I can possibly weaken him, take out at least one of them...
White Lilly thinks to herself as she slowly lowers her staff. Carefully keeping her plans to herself as she sighs and nods.
The knight relaxes ever so slightly as he nods. He turns to lead the way back to his kingdom, and she follows.
After some time, they walk through the gates of the Salt Kingdom. No one bats an eye when the Virtue walks by with her, guessing that she's a refugee. It wouldn't be the first time their king has personally brought someone to the kingdom after all.
The knight simply walks past, though when he's waved at by a red looking Cookie and a cookie with long white icing, he falters for a moment before waving back, the edges of his lips upturning before returning to his neutral expression and he keeps walking.
White Lilly gives the virtue an odd look, glancing back at the two he'd waved at suspiciously before continuing to follow. They eventually reach the knights palace and he carefully opens the doors, allowing the girl to step through first.
The doors shut heavily behind them once he lets go, though they're surprisingly quiet. Salt of Solidarity nods as he walks past her, taking the lead again.
"I have quite a few rooms you may stay in. If you are not comfortable here, I can arrange a room for you in one of the inns."
He explains, the girls nodding along. When they pass his chambers he motions towards the door.
"These are my chambers, if you ever need something or to talk with me, and you cannot find me, I suggest looking here."
White Lilly's eyes linger before nodding, formulating a plan in her head as she says her goodbyes to the Virtue and goes to one of the offered rooms.
The virtue suspects nothing is wrong. The sun begins to set as he locks the door to his chambers before beginning to take off his armor. He's slow and delibirate in which pieces he takes off first, careful not to damage any of it.
A small grimace forms on his face as his dough is exposed, including the sea of scars covering him. He quickly finishes changing into his pajamas, not bothering to put his hair into a bonnet.
Why bother if it'll just get messed up later anyways.
The knight climbs into bed and after some time, drifts off to sleep.
Hours pass, and when the moon is high in the sky, there's a rattle at the door as someone fiddles with the lock. After a few minutes, they successfully open the door and step into the room of the sleeping Virtue.
White Lilly feels her heart thrumming in her throat.
What if he wakes up?
What will the other Virtues do to me?
She shakes her head to rid herself of these thoughts, she's come this far, she needs to show the world that these 'gods' aren't as powerful as they seem.
White Lilly approaches the bed and brushes the hair away from the Knight of Solidarity's face. The soul being exposed, just right there. She reaches out and her fingers slowly find purchase around the edges.
Salt moves slightly, his face contorting as he slowly blinks himself awake. Though not quite aware of the situation yet. It even takes him a moment to recognize the cookie before him.
"Miss Lilly...?"
Her breathing hitches for a moment in fear as he wakes up, but then her expression darkens and she pulls as had as she can, actually stumbling backwards as the embodiment of his soul comes free easier than she thought it would.
Salt gasps in pain, his eyes opening wide. He quickly tries to reach out to her, but it results in him falling off his bed. He winces as his breathing comes in weak and fast, desperately trying to stay alive.
His eyes dart around before landing on the device Fount had given him some time ago now. He quickly reaches over, straining but he eventually reaches it.
White Lilly steps back, frowning at the false gods panic. Her eyes drift to the soul jam in her hands, feeling the surge of power from it.
Salt's hands are shaking as he desperately begins to type into the group chat with the other Virtues.
------
@_SaltySalt1
H
hepl
'waterFOUNTin is online'
@waterFOUNTin
Salt?
'PureandSifted is online'
'GREATEST_SPICE is online'
@GREATEST_SPICE
?
@_SaltySalt1
hlep
@PureandSifted
Salt what are you trying to say..?
@GREATEST_SPICE
Does anyone know where he is right now?
@waterFOUNTin
He should be in his palace resting...
-----
Before Salt can continue trying to respond, his phone is kicked out of his hands. He wheezes as he quickly tries to grab it, only to fail and end up sprawled across the floor of his chamber.
His eyes turn to the woman above him, scared as she holds his soul in her hands. He can feel himself fading fast the longer he's separated. Salt hears the buzzing of his device as the other Virtues continue to ask him what's wrong... Or try to.
White Lilly shakes her head before stomping on his phone to make it stop. The woman's gaze turns back to him slowly. Watching in satisfaction as he slowly goes limp and cold.
She slowly turns and leaves, pocketing the soul jam and leaving the palace quickly before the other Virtues arrive.
----------
Herald of Change bursts through the doors of the palace, Fount, Sugar, and Flour following shortly behind them. When Salt had suddenly stopped responding they'd all gotten worried, this isn't like him at all.
They all scatter as they quickly begin to check all the rooms of the palace, Flour making her way to Salt's chamber first.
She carefully pushes open the door, her eyes scanning the room. She sees nothing but the messed up bed and Salt's armor stacked where he usually puts it at night. She's about to turn around to continue looking before something catches her eye, Salt's phone, crushed on the ground just a few feet from the bed.
Flour frowns as she walks further in before gasping as her eyes land on her baby brother, staring lifelessly at the wall, fear etched onto his face. She screams as she rushes to his side, falling to the floor and pulling him in close.
The other three Virtues came running when they heard Flour scream, Spice reaches the door first as he rushes in.
"Flour what's-"
He stops short as his eyes land on the sight in front of him. He quickly joins Flour's side.
"Shit..."
Fount and Sugar join them shortly after, all of the remaining virtues in shock. Fount brushes the hair away from Salt's face, only to find an indent where his Soul jam should've been.
"He's gone..."
Fount whispers the answer that none of them wanted to hear.
"Who could've done this? I didn't think he had any enemies..."
Sugar murmurs as she clings to Flour, trying to calm the oldest's sobs. Spice growls under his breath before turning to Fount.
"How long does he have until we can't save him?"
The virtue of knowledge slowly shrugs, the four of them remain in the chambers with Salt until morning. Then... They'll find who did this to their brother.