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The truth never feels right. In fact, the entire concept of “truth” is completely abstract! Truth is merely the collective agreed upon narrative. Once, heliocentric theories were seen as lies, when in reality they were truth! Using dirty surgery tools was the common method before better methods were found!
Truthless had been alive for these years of discovery, helped with many of the research projects as Pure Vanilla Cookie, but after the incident, he couldn’t go back to being that cookie. Never.
Until he showed up.
The Sage of Truth was loud, obnoxious, and incredibly inconsistent. He would speak about one so-called truth, but switch up after he learned something new.
And his students loved him for it.
The few times Truthless Recluse went to his lectures (forced), he saw their faces, felt their excitement through the bursts of harmless magic in the air when they spoke to him, freely expressing their emotions.
It was an environment of compassion and exploration.
Truthless calmly sat in his plush chair by the window of his tower, unspoken emotion rising in his chest. Yet again, he shoved everything down, refusing to succumb to feelings while the Sage of Truth’s presence was nearing.
He’d ask too many questions.
Like always.
Truthless sighed softly, leaning into his hand which sat on the edge of the arm on the chair. He knew the Sage would just burst in, no need for him to move.
CRASH
Point proven.
There was the sudden shift in the air as the Sage’s sparkling magic lit the dreary tower up in shining light.
“My dear Recluse!”
Floating slightly off the ground, the Sage of Truth hovered over Truthless with a gleaming grin that twinkled like fairy lights.
He spun over, facing the Recluse with his face upside-down, “You seem extra recluse-y today!”
Truthless huffed softly, tilting his head in confusion. The Sage giggled, shaking his head, “No worries, I’ll do all the talking!”
He settled into a chair across from Truthless, hooking his leg over the other as he took a deep breath, and began to fill the quiet with his enthusiasm.
“Well, as you know I take so much inspiration from the old Virtues, especially Pure Vanilla! You’ve mentioned going the Vanilla kingdom in the past, so I thought you’d like to hear about my new plans!”
Truthless’s heart nearly stopped as the Sage prattled on.
“I’m leading a small expedition to find the old kingdom with some healers! With the death of the kingdom, many of its advanced healing methods and magics were lost to time! So, I feel it is my job to go find it, to help my students and the others!”
He was glowing, both figuratively and literally, as he spoke of the sponsorships he got and the healers he was bringing.
Truthless couldn’t hear him at all. His heart raced, the beating filling his mind and ears with static.
He can’t- if he finds out-
“Truthless?”
The Sage’s voice was soft as Truthless blinked back into reality.
“Are you okay?”
Truthless froze, then nodded slowly. The Sage paused, then sighed softly, “I may not be the best at feelings, but I know you’re lying.”
“Nilla, if you’re uncomfortable I don’t have to go-“
He stopped abruptly as Truthless Recluse rose, magic cutting through the air as the scholar was dragged toward the other.
“What did you just call me?”
The Sage spluttered, “I- I didn’t mean- Truthless I’m-“
His voice was low and threatening as he whispered, “How long?”
“… a few months.”
Truthless’s jaw went slack, and Sage frowned, “I thought you’d be mad I found out-“
“How?”
“Your birthmark… and the soul jam.”
Truthless bristled, “I’ve never-“
The other hesitantly spoke, “I could feel it, Recluse. I saw an old photo of you… with the soul jam… it took me awhile to connect the dots though…”
Truthless grumbled, “Well congratulations, you figured out the mystery. Want another award to hand on your glittery shelf in your perfect fucking academy?”
“Or maybe validation for your years of dedication to my old virtue?”
Truthless let out a humorless chuckle, “What did you expect?”
“This.”
Sage was quiet as he glanced upward, his shoulders set as he smiled softly, “You hate the truth so much, I knew that finding out about your past would hurt.”
“But I won’t press.” The other giggled softly, “It will be difficult, but I’ll try for my dearest.”
“You should hate me, hate what I did.” Truthless growled.
“You want the truth?”
“Fine.”
Truthless raised his hand to the Sage’s forehead, aggressively poking the mark upon it.
With that simple touch, Sage’s vision faded into darkness within seconds. Before he completely lost control, he could feel gentle hands around his shoulders, guiding him downward.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
“You’re a monster!”
“You liar!”
“Asshole!”
“You complete bastard!”
The Sage quietly studied the scene before him, the loud voices of the cookies echoing through the hall he currently stood in. Without even looking down, he knew Truthless had thrown him into a past memory, his soft brown hands shaking.
His heart was racing as he spoke in Pure Vanilla’s soft voice, undoubtedly his Truthless Recluse, “I didn’t lie! It was a new discovery-!”
“You’re all knowing!” A cookie yelled, throwing a ball of magic in his direction.
A shield of yellow magic burst in front of the Sage without warning, Pure Vanilla’s hands stretched out to cast it.
“Coward!”
Pure Vanilla shook his head, tears welling as he spun around, only for more cookies to approach him, voices growing louder.
One in particular, was louder than all of them.
“You’re finally ready to join me, Nilla!”
Wilted Lily (how Sage knew her name… was unknown, but he pocketed the information for later) smiled in front of him, dark magic swirling around her like Saturns rings. Everything in her demeanor made his mind whir with unspoken danger signals, but he was trapped.
“I won’t…” He whispered softly, but she was already next to him, hand pressed to his soul jam with a sickly sweet expression;
“Oh darling Nilla, you don’t have a choice.”
The last thing he saw of his kingdom was the fires burning in his beloved home as Wilted Lily carried him away, darkened robes billowing in the artificial wind of her creation.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Sage shot upward, back in Truthless’s tower, with the aforementioned cookie sitting with a small cup of tea, staring out the window once again.
“It wasn’t your fault!”
“It was.”
Truthless lazily shifted, his eyes lidded as he sighed heavily, “I gave her control of my magic once during school. Gave her a way to access my powers whenever. I was aware of this when she corrupted, yet I did nothing.”
“I can help you shut the pathway!”
The Sage beamed, “I’ve done it before!”
He paused, “But… you’d have to come with me. And stay with me… possibly in my bed… because I don’t have another…”
“I’ll do it.”
There was something in Truthless’s face as he shot up, almost too desperate.
“Really?!”
Truthless blinked slowly, surprised at his own reaction, “Yeah…”
The Sage bounced up, grinning wildly, “Let’s go then!”