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'You know, it's weird writing a final letter. Almost as if I have to come to terms with...whatever this is.'
Derek stared at the words he wrote. Now that Minecraft wasn't open for him to stare at, it was even more difficult focusing on his keyboard. He would just have to hope he didn't mess up any of the grammar.
No. That wasn't right. Because he knows, if the words are correct. At least one last good thing that came from this whole mess.
'Why did I even record all this? I don't know.'
That's a lie. Why did he write that? At first, it was the curiosity, the excitement of his discovery pushing him to play detective and have some sort of proof of it. But then? He knew it wouldn't last. There was no way he'd be able to survive, that was something he didn't need infinite knowledge for. The moment he woke up from blacking out, it was apparent he couldn't stay like this for long. So...then his reason changed.
'I just don't want to be forgotten.'
A grunt left him in the darkness of his room.
'My head hurts like hell.'
And even those simple words couldn't properly describe the agony that coursed through his temples. It wasn't that intense yet, but it was growing stronger by the second, as wisdom beyond this realm solidified itself in his mind. Well, their mind.
'What a true shame it is. All the knowledge in the world and no way to use it.'
And it was. If he only had the time, he could see what the cure for cancer was, how to achieve world peace...how to save himself and find Avery.
But he didn't have time. And besides, it would sooner or later get used to do more harm than good.
It was probably for the better.
'We stumbled into a world we have no business in. This is just the cost.'
Humans were never meant to gain such knowledge, never meant to truly understand the secrets of the universe.
Although there was not a single route where he didn't end up at the gates, humanity would only destroy itself if the King reached them. He guessed they were lucky it was only him.
'Please don't think you failed, Avery. When you read this, don't think you let me down. You didn't.'
And it was the truth. Avery never had any control of what was happening.
The King dragged both of them there himself, and in the end, it was Derek who pushed him away in order to save his life. He could never blame him for it, not when he knows how amazing of a person he is.
And while this wisdom was mostly a curse, it was also a twisted blessing of sorts. He didn't just see the horrid, he saw the beauty as well. He never would have seen that, were it not for the man he never met, yet still knew better than he could have hoped for otherwise.
And the next words, he typed out with only the utmost of truth in them.
'You're capable of great things. You'll do great things. So believe in yourself. And I don't just say that because I saw it. It doesn't take a god for me to figure that out. I know it because I know you.'
And with that, his letter had nothing more to say. This it was, it was over.
'Goodbye my friend.
Whatever you do at the crossroads. Keep going forward.'
Derek thought through the pain about it a bit more, before adding something.
'Or something like that (I was never really good with endings).'
At this point, there were black dots dancing in his vision. He leaned to the side off of his chair, finally looking away from the screen, after days of waiting, of existing as this miserable being. He allowed himself to slump, harshly tilting to his left and collapsing to the ground, taking the seat with him.
He smiled to himself, not satisfied, but having accepted that this was happening.
"Goodbye, Avery..." he croaked out, his throat sore, not used to talking after being silent for so long.
And so, Derek lay on the floor, eyes slowly closing, the howling of sirens lulling him to eternal sleep.