Chapter Text
With Martyn
You see, Martyn wouldn't consider himself not smart, but he really was not smart. He had just been in a tomb. Just looking for holy books as per usual. He wasn't expecting anything but those strange purple glowing books.
There was something strange though. The book he just found had a red tint to it. There was no title.
Odd, but he thought nothing of it, maybe he would show it to the others. Yeah, he would take it back to town and show it to Drift, she was an investigator, right?
He picked up his lantern and made his way back to where he came in from. He dislikes getting wet but hey, what can you do about it? Nothing but such it up and hold your breath.
He opened his eyes after he almost tripped trying to step away from the bubbling water.
He tried to find the path he made to get to the tomb, but it was gone. So, begrudgingly, he made his way through the overgrown grass and thickets. Once or twice, it seemed a branch was trying to grab at the book he held. He really should have lit up the path he had made earlier.
After what seemed like forever he finally came across the light from the town. Home safe. Not really safe, never safe when there were vampires around, but it was safer in town then it was walking in the forest.
He made his way through the gate and saw that almost everyone was in the square. That was strange in itself, but Owen, Shelby, and Pyro were all there as well, three of the four vampires they knew of.
“What’s going on?” He said, startling Apo who glared at him.
Pyro looked up, “well, we got this note that said ‘Meet in the town square, bring no weapons.’ There is also something else written but I figured that one of you might want to read it for yourselves.” He sighed, holding the note out for someone to take.
Legundo stepped forward, and held his hand out to take the note. “I’ll read it.”
He cleared his throat before speaking, “Greetings players. I do hope you are all fine and having fun. I hope Stars hasn't given you all too much trouble. I’m getting off track. I know one of you has found an enchanted book that has been placed by me. Whoever has it please place it on the beacon in the center of town.”
Martyn’s gaze dropped to the book he had clutched close to his chest.
Owen’s eyes had landed on the book Martyn held. “You found it?” he asked in a disbelieving tone. “I really don't give you enough credit Woodhurst.”
Martyn, to his credit, didn't respond to the insult and instead walked toward the beacon and laid the book on top of it. He opened the book to roughly the middle of it and stepped back.
A purple mist swirled around it almost immediately. From that mist came several pairs of wings with eyes all over them.
It spoke as if it was everywhere at once.
“Greetings. I see you all can listen to instructions. I am Xelqua, an old friend of ~Star's~ Scott's.”
“Why are you here?” He heard himself yell.
“To show you something that would have been shown to you either way if I had planted that book or not. But this way I can control what you see.
The creature, Xelqua, paused for a moment, before its eyes locked on to Martyn.
“Mars? No, not exactly. You are different. So, they did do it.”
A hand that seemingly came out of nowhere swiped across Martyn. He was suddenly aware of everything. He heard the faintest sound of Ren sharply draw a breath. He was aware of something on his back. He heard everything.
“What did you do to him!?” He heard it from everywhere. He knew it was Drift yelling. How would he know that? Her voice had been amplified to the point that it was unrecognizable.
"He will tell you when he remembers. I will see you all in the games soon.”
It clapped its wings together and they fell. Where? He didn't know. He felt a pain in his head as they fell through purple and black swirls, dotted with stars.
He remembered. He remembered an island. He remembered an hourglass, shifting from green to yellow, and then red. He remembered a mansion burning. He remembered betraying his one ally, his one friend ~his lover~. He couldn't remember who it was.
He remembered Xelqua, his oldest friend. He remembered a place called Limited life. A place he could feel nearby.