Chapter Text
Derek looks around seeing hundreds of yellow eyeballs staring at him, and focuses on the one the giant one creating itself in front of him.
You’ve returned. But your return is too late.
”Why Avery?” Derek asks.
Silence. In mere hours, I will be ready to fuse with the vessel.
”Why Avery?” The knight simply repeats.
“Why is Avery the vessel? Why him!?” The knight begins to shout.
It is time that you leave. Your time in this domain, is over.
”I already closed the door. I read the book in the library! I know how to seal you! The doors are closed you’ll never reach Avery! Your plan FAILED. He’s GONE. I sent him away and he won’t come back I’m sure of it” He says
Fool. How pitiful to see one so smart… be reduced to so little. Do you truly believe I be such a fool to leave the instructions to my own ruin, in my domain? The doors are meaningless. There is no power in closing them. I HAD you find that book. I FABRICATED the “TRUTH”.
I gave you false hope. I’m surprised you even returned. It is in vain that you are here. In mere minutes my form has finished constructing. I will bring the stupid vessel here and we will combine. It will recite the spell and the door to the physical world will open and I will finally leave this retched place to rule over what is mine.
However you little knight will not be lucky enough to live to see my reign. You will be disposed of painlessly as a thank you for bringing the vessel here to me.
Do you have nothing to say little knight? If not then perish
Derek breathes in what might be his last breath and begins the ritual.
YES TO YOU. ONE BY ONE. SHADOWED SHORE FAR UNDONE TO YOU I POUR, CORRODED SUN. WAKE ME AS ONE.
What? You dare invoke the spell? Why? How?
“My apologies, could you repeat that?” He asks “innocently”.
SILENCE MORTAL. THIS CAN’T BE. WHY DO YOU KNOW THAT SPELL? WHY WOULD YOU INVOKE IT? THE MIND MUST BE CLEAN. WHY WOULD YOU INVOKE IT? WHY? YOU ARE RUINING YOURSELF!
”Your universe is looking a bit… unstable, King”
SILENCE I REFUSE TO BE SPOKEN TO LIKE A FOOL! YOU INCOMPETENT KNIGHT! DON‘T YOU REALIZE YOU ARE DESTROYING YOURSELF? YOU ARE DESTROYING YOU MIND! YOU WILL CEASE TO EXIST IF WE MERGE! THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT OF YOU! CANCEL THE SPELL! RELEASE IT! REPEAT THE WORDS! YOU MUST BE CLEAN! THE VESSEL MUST BE CLEAN! THEMINDMUSTBECLEANTHEMINDMUSTBECLEANTHE MINDMUSTBECLEANTHEMINDMUSTBE-
Silence. Pure unfiltered silence.
Derek takes a breath and looks around, and relaxes.
He’s gone. Derek thinks. Now I just need to make an excuse for-
“D3rlord?”
…
Fuck
The Eyes come back the moment Avery says his name, and Derek turns around to see Avery at the other side of the platform. Avery in all his beautiful, slime self.
“Avery” He responds, eyes softening.
“Avery what are you doing here? Why aren’t you at the tree?” He questions softly.
“What am I doing here?” Avery chuckles.
“What am I doing here? What are YOU DOING HERE? YOU LIED TO ME! THERE WAS NOTHING ON THAT TREE, D3RLORD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WHAT IS THIS PLACE??”
“Avery I need you to leave. Now.”
…
“I’m not leaving until you talk to me.” The slime says
“I’m not talking. Avery please, you have to go.” The knight replies softly, approaching the slime lifting his hands to cup Avery’s face.
Avery slaps the hands away in rage.
“WHY?”
“I’m finishing the job Avery. You need to leave.”
“…What do you mean by finishing the job? What is this?”
“Avery I need you to leave. I promise I’ll explain. If you leave I promise I’ll explain after okay?Leave right now and I’ll tell you after. Go back. Run like your life depends on it and don’t look back. I’ll tell you what’s going on soon okay?
“You know what? NO! I WONT LEAVE! TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON NOW!”
”I will after, Avery please.”
”I DON’T BELIEVE YOU!”
“Avery I need you to leave or this will all be ruined.” He begs.
”I’M NOT GOING UNTIL YOU TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON” Avery answers back angrily “WHAT IS THIS PLACE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
”Avery im not asking. If you don’t leave, I’ll kill you” The knight threatens, pulling out his wooden axe.
“WILL YOU?” Asks Avery sounding delirious. ”THEN I’LL KILL YOU FIRST! TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON!”
“Avery” Derek begins quietly, saying his name like it’s a prayer. “The only way to stop this thing is to have it merge with someone whose mind is already gone. If I force it to enter my mind as it deteriorates, it’ll go down with me okay? It’ll be trapped and we will win! But I need you to leave this area or it won’t work. It’ll all fall apart. I have this under control i promise, please just leave”
“And what’ll happen to you?” Avery asks quietly
“I-I don’t know”
“Don’t lie to me Derek.”
“GOD I SAID I DON’T FUCKING KNOW AVERY! MY MIND IS GONE ANYWAY! I CAN’T LEAVE THIS GOD FORSAKEN PLACE WITHOUT FEELING LIKE MY HEAD IS BEING IMPALED! SOON I WON’T EVEN BE ABLE TO THINK! AND IF YOU STAY HERE IT WILL MERGE WITH YOU TOO! THAT’S WHAT IT WANTS. IT’LL BE OUT IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD. DO YOU WANT THAT AVERY?” He shouts throwing his axe across the platform.
“I don’t care. I’m not letting you do this. There has to be a better way!”
“Avery we don’t have the time-”
“YES WE DO! Please… there has to be another way.”
“Avery you can’t stay here! You have so much life to live!”
“AND I OWE IT TO YOU”
“NO YOU DON’T! THAT’S AN INSANE THING TO SAY! YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ME!”
“YOU WARNED ME DEREK! YOU’RE ONLY APART OF THIS ‘CAUSE IT WANTED ME! I CAN’T LET YOU DIE FOR ME!”
“AVERY IF YOU DON’T GO WE’LL BOTH DIE!”
…
“I-well-it’s ok Avery. You might not even remember me when you’re out of here. Who knows how this works. Avery please” The knight begs, “Avery please leave while you still can”
“No. I’m staying with you. You can’t stop me Derek. You warned me. You SAVED me. If you choose to do this, we’ll do it together. I don’t care if i die Derek.”
“You’re staying?”
“Yes.”
“You won’t leave?”
“No.”
“Avery, what’s in your inventory?”
“What?”
“What’s in your inventory?”
Derek waits a beat, then steps forward to push Avery off-
But he dodges.
He fucking dodges and instead pushes Derek into the void.
That’s not how this was supposed to go
~AVERY POV~
“Derek did you seriously think I would fall for the oldest trick in the book?”
A beat.
“…Derek?”
Then Avery’s head starts hurting.