Chapter Text
Once, there was a game. 14 players, 3 lives, 1 winner.
Once, there was a mountain in the desert.
Once, there was another. Sworn loyalty to him until the end of your life. (only your first, you had said.)
Once, there was sand. Sand that stuck to your skin, to your feathered wings (clipped and bound, the sky teared away from you). Sand that you had given up removing as it got in every crevice of the tower.
Once there was peace, calm, before war.
~
One day, he had asked you, gesticulating frustratedly. "Do you ever wonder about what it was like, y'know before all this?"
You had been trying to sweep the tower (it was useless, the sand was like a parasite), the blinding sun beating down on you even through the windows.
You had flinched, before letting the mask slip back in and turning to shoot him a questioning look. His yellow eyes reflected specks of emerald from somewhere, as if taunting you.
"I mean, there must have been something before," He supplied, walking outside, and gazing across the desert.
(before was meant to be left unspoken for a reason)
You followed. "I don't know.. why would it matter? We're here now," You had replied, and it was the truth. It didn't matter. The only things that mattered were the sand (you knew, even then, it would be painted red), and the two of you. (you always knew two would end up one, you knew it would be you, alone).
"I guess," He had said frowning, leaving it at that as he sat on the cliffs edge. You had joined him, in silence. You both stayed there, for a very long time.
~
Darkness.
1
2
3..
Light.
Why- why is there light? There can't possibly be light. Where are you?! Why are you here?
And just like that you're suffocating. Every breath is harder than the last. You're still falling, falling, falling, falling, and there are hot tears rolling down your face, and your losing control, and you cant-
Breathe. Just-- just breathe. You feel your body, your hands going numb, and the rush of cold that washes over you. You're okay (you aren't you're falling falling falling falling falling and it hurts, hurts, hurts)
Because your alive. (you weren't supposed to-)
Breathe. Where are you?
You look around through blurred eyes and realize you're in your nest, and your wings are unbound, and your poncho is gone which means you're on-
Oh.
~
You had sat there, staring at the edge. Sat, with your knees out beside you, as you felt the blinding light of the hot sun beating on you, and the thousands of tiny grains of sand climbing up your knees. (You hardly felt any of it)
Your thoughts had been a whirlwind. Consuming you, threatening to destroy you. Your thoughts had been silent, as you stared. You stared until the concept of time seemed unreachable.
Suddenly, you had felt his hand touch yours, gently. "-rian? G, Hey, are you back with me?"
Slowly you had turned around, to see him, standing there with a worried expression. You blinked, noticing the wetness on your cheeks. Had you been crying? Unimportant. You had looked at him more closely.
And he was still kneeling there, skin ashen and eyes swirling red, holding lilacs and poppies. His voice, sounding fragile, and oh so quiet, had said, "Hey ..can we still be friends?"
And for a moment all you wanted to do was scream becuase they took him and you failed and he's so close to being dead dead dead dead. And before he could start to doubt himself, you had thrown your heavy limbs around him, and your face into his tattered poncho, and pretended that it wouldn't end in tragedy.
Later, you had laughed and reminded him that is was your first life and not his, and his bittersweet expression made you reach over and hug him again. (it was a lie, an excuse)
The flowers had died quickly, an omen of what was to come.
~
Everything is fine.
Maybe there are tear stains on your face, maybe your breathe is still uneven, maybe-
It's fine.
You pick up your comm, check world chat, and read the announcements.
Oh. The rest don't remember. They woke up without memories of what happened (of what you did).
He doesn't remember.
He doesn't remember. (he's dead, dead, dead, dead)
He's back. The annoucements say that you're the only one yet to return. He doesn't remember, and that him is dead.
It's- it's fine.
Text Mumbo, that'll help. You open your dms only to find 18 new messages, growing increasingly panicked as he had realized you disappeared.
It's fine.
Text him letting him know you're back. He responds immediately, saying he's gonna come over. Panic a little, text him that you're tired and want to sleep. He says he's coming in the morning.
It's fine.
You realize you don't know the time, you can't find it within yourself to care. Your windows grow darker and you barely realize day has turned into night. It is eerily quiet. You don't even attempt to sleep, flashes of a different world drifting through your head, as you stare at the dim sky.