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The Valley’s shimmering sunset would be the last thing Rhythm could see at this time in his life.
All alone, he had been standing on the edge of Hermit Valley’s famous icy peak above the clouds. Where the sky view was most spectacular at the break of dawn and nightfall.
Even with all of that beauty laid before him, Rhythm still felt his heart bore a hole, oozing with pain and guilt, for he had lost a precious friend and sibling—Performance, his twin brother.
“I don’t think this is the best way to cross the boneyard. Are you sure about this, Rhythm?”
“Of course—where else could we go? Just don’t stand in their way, and stay close to me. The Vault is just right ahead.”
As Rhythm stared out into the distance, one of his hands held a mask. It had an ash-black base color, followed by streaks of gold lining the curves. A long beak in the middle, and two gold tufts stretched out to the upper corners of the mask, resembling a crown.
The penguin mask was Performance’s, but he wasn’t here anymore. And wouldn’t come back forever.
All because of Rhythm’s stupid mistake.
“Rhythm—slow down! There’s one around the corner!”
“Be quiet! They won’t come this way, okay? I’m trying to—”
“WATCH OUT!”
He took a step forward. Snow and rubble fell off due to the motion. Tumbling down to the bottom, breaking through the sun-kissed clouds. Gone in a blink, never to be seen again.
Rhythm’s eyes were empty, devoid of life and light. The look in his eyes was hollow, as if his mind had wandered off to someplace that wasn’t here. Abandoning any common sense that was left.
The valley’s cold breeze turned his skin numb.
Rhythm slowly brought his late brother’s mask into his vision. Gazing at it longingly, scavenging any remnants of Performance. His thumb brushed gently against the surface.
His eyes started to burn.
“If … if it weren’t for me, you … y-you—”
He fell on his knees and doubled over, clutching Performance’s mask close to his chest in pure agony. Soft sniffles began to emerge behind his black mask, his body trembling ever so slightly. Letting out the guilt he had endured for who knows how long. Alone.
The air became still.
After a few moments, Rhythm got up and unexpectedly stopped crying altogether. He stared blankly at the half-swallowed sunset in silence, but the grip on his brother’s mask grew tighter as one of his empty hands reached up to his face.
“I’m sorry … for everything,” Rhythm said, slowly taking off his mask. He turned around and aligned both of their masks on the snowy ground. “I’ll see you soon.”
The wind suddenly blew hard towards Rhythm, as if trying to keep him at bay. It warned him off the edge of the cliff that began to meet the heels of his shoes. But even nature’s effort was useless in an attempt to change his mind.
His fate was sealed from the beginning.
Rhythm took a deep breath and closed his eyes. A faint smile could be seen on his swollen face. One more step, and maybe … maybe he’ll finally wake up from this nightmare.
After the sun had sunk to the horizon, Rhythm was nowhere to be found.
No trace of him was left behind except the two masks that sat neatly side by side next to his footprint, frozen after his fateful jump.