Wouldn't you like to use more than words?

[letsplayamod]

The last thing you recall is likely your own death. Whether it was fast or slow, it's over now. And you're... where are you?

One moment, you were among the living. The next - you may be one of the unfortunate ones who actually died. In which case, you've found yourself flowing in the lazy rivers of the river Styx, unfathomably deep underground. Just for a moment, mind you. It's not long before your consciousness is yanked from the waters by some scary monsters, shoved into a healed body, and pushed through a portal.

Or, maybe you were caught red-handed and sentenced to your doom. But, instead of a proper death, you were whisked down into the Veins of Tartarus. And there's really only one place that could lead to... Or is it?


You've been tossed down here by the will of the Titan, but what you find is A helping hand swooping you up - possibly literally, and potentially out of the grasp of the Titan himself.

Not a moment after, you're whisked through another rift, this one a shimmering gold. Into a realm of slightly more stable platforms and a lot more shit to look through. The area is practically littered with the ill-gotten goods of a thieving God (who is happy to note via pop-up illusion that you are touching his stuff). Here, however, you are safe; assured that Typhon cannot find or hurt you here.

For the moment, you can breathe before the next part comes.

Comments

cw: emoto

[markofnobility]

[ its a good thing he does because for a moment it looks like he might fuckin swoon. Weeks-

(More like five years)

-of guilt and stress crash into him all at once. He allows Alex to get him sitting before his head is between his knees in a foul sounding retch. If he was revived with anything in his belly it would have been acid and old blood and stale tea and rancid sweet horse grain. Thankfully his body is as clean as can be, so it's just spit and mucus]

cw: emoto, mentions of underage drinking

[rockymountaindie]

[ Alex wrinkles his nose but, dutifully, he's gone down to his knees with Ferdinand and starts gently patting his back—though, that may only be on his armor. If he pretends hard enough, maybe he can be 16 again, alternating between laughing at and taking care of Tod after he sneaked into his dad's liquor cabinet, buzzed out of his mind, dude you're such a lightweight—

But that is not this.

No matter how much he finds himself drowning in guilt and pushing what's only been directed inward out, he can't turn away from this. Not when he lead Ferdinand to it himself. ]

It's okay. Get it out.

...Sorry. But...I had to be sure you got it.

[markofnobility]

[ after a bit of this and gagging sobs, Ferdinand finally looks up through the curtain of his hair.]

You are a bastard, Alex.

[rockymountaindie]

[ Alex meets his gaze without flinching. ]

Yeah. I am.

[markofnobility]

...

[he wants to curse him more, and it's clear in his heated gaze. How dare he. How dare. But the fire is cut by his body shaking with grief and guilt and horror, eyes drenched with it. His pride, that last thing he had left to him, smashed under this man's foot so easily. Fragile, stupid thing that it always was.

Is it really Alex he wants to curse? He knows the truth of it]

So there's nothing left then.

[rockymountaindie]

[ To that, Alex lets out an annoyed huff. He leans back on his hands. ]

Wrong again. Look around, man. Despite every goddamn thing that's happened, we're up and breathing and not in that fucker's gross little pocket anymore.

[ ... ]

You fucked up. But you're in the very unique position of that...not just being the end.

[markofnobility]

But surely she will not forgive me. And even if she did-

[because he knows his Velvet is just as mad as he is. Even if she doesn't forgive him he certainly is not escaping her]

-Quark and the others very much will not.

[rockymountaindie]

Oh, yeah, you definitely screwed the pooch there.

But does that mean you're gonna stop trying to do what you can for them?

[markofnobility]

I-

[he closes his mouth, brow furrowed like he's actually thinking before he speaks for once.]

Well... no, of course not.

[But doing something without hope for approval or acceptance feels very odd to him. Of course he doesn't NEED such things. His love is for it's own sake. But he reaches for the ache he's been fighting to fill for his entire life and finds the edges oddly... numb. Not painless, but less so. Like scar tissue.

When had that healed? Did he not even notice, over the weeks?]

[rockymountaindie]

So, there's not nothing. They may be fucking pissed at you, rightfully at that, but...there's not nothing.

[ Alex...isn't looking at Ferdinand anymore. He's staring at the lack of a ceiling, into this new void. ]

Shit almost went really sideways here, before you showed up. Typhon got hungry and...our new friend had to pull some big bullshit to get us...wherever we are now.

I don't have a fucking clue what we're gonna do. But last time I died, that...that was nothing. Just this...empty, cold...blackness. I could barely think, if it wasn't about how much I...

[ ...No. No, that's too vulnerable. Alex inhales sharply. He lazily turns his head to look at Ferdinand. ]

We're still here. As long as we can move, as long as we can think... There's still something we can do. We just have to figure what. Together.

[markofnobility]

[Ferdinand listens, head tilting up to stare at the nothing above them too. Alex's words echo familiarity. And when he answers he is clearly quoting:]

'Once, there was a maiden...
... who lived in a tomb, and the tomb was made in her image.
Because she lived in a tomb, she became like the dead,
She slept, and dreamed,
And sometimes woke, and walked within the confines of her tomb.
"Why do you move?" her own ghost asked. "Why walk at all?"
"I am not trapped while yet I run," said she.'

...Velvet told me that poem. Before.

[Because of course he memorized it. She told him the scriptures were in the library. Of course he read them. Because it's him]

[rockymountaindie]

...Velvet's a real smart woman.

I'm...pretty bad at art. But, even I can get what it's trying to say. Can you?

[markofnobility]

She is the smartest person I know.

I didn't fully, at the time, fool that I am. But I do now, I think.

[rockymountaindie]

Then take a day to wallow in how stupid you are. And then get back up.

'Cause we're not done here. Not by a fucking long-shot.

[markofnobility]

Right.... right.

[he nods a few times. His eyes are still a bit glazed, but some of that manic rage has eased]

Thank you, Alex.

[rockymountaindie]

J-jeez, don't...

[ ... ]

Hold still, okay?

[ Alex readjusts and rests a hand on Ferdinand's arm. Even here, a gentle wind blows, as the injuries Alex himself inflicted on Ferdinand heal themselves. ]

[markofnobility]

Hm- oh.

[He knows healing magic when he feels it, though Alex's power feels distinct from Faith magic]

Ha... there is no need. I have taken much worse. In the last day especially!

[rockymountaindie]

Yeah, well, I'm the one who gave 'em to you and...

[ A bruise blossoms across Alex's cheek, but he doesn't react to it. ]

Sayo's right. It didn't make me feel any better.

[markofnobility]

[He raises a hand and tries healing the bruise with his own magic- his stores are low after the fight and healing Omega and whatever reviving meant for him. But something this small should be easy]

Violence rarely does.

[rockymountaindie]

[ ...Oh. Well, Alex blinks in slight surprise. The bruise clears up just as easily as quickly as it spread. ]

Did when it was Zvei...

[markofnobility]

Well I did say 'rarely', didn't I?

[he grins]

[rockymountaindie]

[ A humorous snort. ]

Don't make me laugh, I'm still pissed at you.

[markofnobility]

It is okay to admit you can not resist my charms!

[Sparklesparkle... oh it's been too long!!]

[rockymountaindie]

[ WRINKLES HIS NOSE. ]

Pass.

[markofnobility]

[gasp!!]

How rude!