Lilybug: Shadow's Reign

Chapter 6: Breaking Free

Inside the mind of Ryder...

"Where... am I...?" Ryders' inside mind was saying to himself. "Did I... lose... to the corruption...?"

"You did. Fortunately for you, I'm here to help!"

"Who said that!?" Ryder asked, confused as to what was going on. "Me, your spirit!" Ryders' spirit replied. "So what am I supposed to do?" Ryder asked.

"Do you happen to know any songs?" his spirit questioned.

"Yea? Why?" Ryder replied.

Ryders' spirit threw a microphone at Ryders' face. Ryder winced in pain, the microphone leaving a mark on his face.

"Did you really have to throw the microphone?" Ryder asked, trying to stop the pain.

"Yes, I did. Because it was funny." Ryders' spirit stated. "Now listen, the only way to break out of this corruption is to be happy, to mentally rebuild yourself, and singing is a fun way to do that!" he exclaimed.

"Uh, okay.." Ryder replied, trying to make his face stop hurting.

The duo sang a few songs, ones that were familiar to Ryder. After a short amount of time, they both realized that progress was being made. The corruption was disappearing!

"It's working!" Ryder shouted.

Without warning, the ground and ceiling in the room turned dark red, with orange, magma-like cracks in the floor and roof.

Something was very wrong.

"Wait- W-What's going on?!" Ryder was beginning to worry. "J-Just ignore it, I'm sure it will go away," his spirit replied.

"Just stay focused."

They both attempted to sing more, to break the corruptions' influence on Ryder, but he was gradually starting to worry more.

"This isn't my doing! I don't know why this is happening!" His spirit kept trying to reassure Ryder that he did not cause this, and to continue focusing on breaking free of the shadow corruption.

Unfortunately, Ryder was becoming too worried, too afraid, to focus on singing. His own soul began to corrupt, which meant Ryder was inching closer to death's door, minute by minute.

"Hang on, I know what will stop this!" His spirit pulled out an electric guitar and played a guitar solo, bringing back Ryders' will to continue fighting for his life.

They were able to finish the song, when out of the blue, Ryder was sent to an unknown location in his mind.

...

"H-Hello?" Ryder asked, hoping to hear someone's voice. Ryder didn't hear anyone.

"Anyone there?" he shouted again, but to no avail. Eventually, he gave up, waiting for the corruption to take control of his soul, to kill him.

...

Ryder began to sing, hoping someone would hear. To his surprise, someone was listening, but it was not the person he was expecting, nor wanting to see.

"Why do you still try?" a distorted voice asked. Ryder ignored the voice, continuing to sing. 

"Corruption is the blessing you need." He ignored the evil being spoken and continued to sing.

"Just give up." The voice kept trying to break Ryders' willpower. Ryder continued singing, the voice quickly realizing why he wouldn't listen.

"STOP! THINKING! ABOUT! HIM!" the voice shouted, before disappearing.