week 4

[stagemanagers]

[Another week, and two more dead. King Richard and Red are both gone, and once again, it was through nothing more than an accident in the heat of the moment. Maybe if you all stay calm and collected, nothing bad will happen again?

Well, maybe not.

When you wake on Sunday, you'll find that you've recovered another one of those memories - or had another dream, if you still wanna be in denial about it. The grounds remain as they are, but this time, the door blocking the stairwell has been unsealed. You can now venture up to the second floor! This is the second time that's happened; it's almost as if you get more space every time someone dies. Or maybe the whole place just seems quieter.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday


(( Welcome to Week 4! Please remember to submit your AC and your memory regains, as well as your coins! You can also still contact the Phantom. ))

Comments

[mcfife]

A library. Computers, but they don't have anything useful. [He comes from a high-tech world. Thankfully he knows how to go check what they are capable of.] Better ways to entertain ourselves.

[37773972]

And keep us busy.

[For better? For worse, probably. Angus seems...somber. He can't blame him, all things considered, but...Stephen cocks his head at him, wordlessly asking a question with his expression.

You OK?]

[mcfife]

[Angus shrugs in response. There's a lot of air stuck in his lungs, and he has to let it all out before he can speak.]

I feel tired. For a while, really, but moreso today. Have you ever been so upset it feels as if your entire body aches?

[37773972]

[Can't...blame him. Stephen's still feeling the raw grief over both Red and Richard, don't get him wrong, but...talking with Mephisto has helped at least make other things more pressing. Not erase others, just...his mind can only handle so much at once. Still, it's now thinking back to those times when he has been so upset, that, well...

He sighs as well.]

More than you know, Angus.

[mcfife]

[He rubs his arm. It happens to other people, then.]

I never feared for my life before the battle on Mars, but even then, I did not feel as if I was about to die. Is...

Is this what stress is like when it takes too long?

[37773972]

I...don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if most of us came out of here with PTSD. [Honestly, he'd be surprised if any of them came out without it.]

[mcfife]

I'm surprised I didn't already have it.

But there wasn't much time to think when I had to chase after Zargothrax, despite...

[He trails off.]

[37773972]

Zargothrax? [He's politely curious, but- willing to offer more if Angus doesn't want to go in to it.] I'm no psychologist, but I'm guessing the way things are handled have something to do with it.

[mcfife]

[That name on his dislikes is not very self-explanatory .]

The Dark Sorcerer of Auchtermuchty, immortal wizard who first attempted to conquer Dundee one thousand years ago. He had been encased in ice when a cult of chaos wizards broke him free, and so it was up to me, the crown prince, to stop him.

[He doesn't look all too happy about it.]

[37773972]

[wow that's

a lot]

And...did you?

[mcfife]

[...

...]

No.

We did not.

Many people paid the price with their lives.

So I had all the reason to follow him to wherever the portal took him.

[37773972]

[Oh.

Oh.

He...reaches out to put a hand on Angus's shoulder, squeezing lightly]

Considering it was you, I've got no doubt you did your damndest. [And then went to follow Zargowhatever to stop him from doing more, Stephen figures]

[mcfife]

[He never told anyone this. He does not remember gaining any comfort in his dreams, only battles of defeat and victory. The friends he lost, friends he found again. They don't know.]

We could have done it differently. We could have figured out the battle on Mars was a distraction. If it weren't for Ralathor, the entire universe could have been under his control but-

[His breath hitches.]

We still lost Earth.

[37773972]

[Oh geez. This is- more than he thought he'd be dealing with today, but apparently, Angus needs to get it off his chest? Stephen can't do much but turn to face him completely]

Angus, I'm...I'm sorry. [What else does he say, 'it wasn't your fault'? 'You did your best'?]

[mcfife]

[He's sorry. Angus is sorry. Sorry for the five billion people who were unable to escape in time. Sorry that many brave warriors lost their lives for nothing. Sorry that Zargothrax was somewhat successful.

He curls up his knees.]

It's- I've done something. I followed him to an alternate past, and...I think we stopped him. I feel I should be happy, but I can't help but feel a sense of dread.

[37773972]

[Yyeeaaah just gonna. Sit down next to you on the floor, Angus, it's comfortable enough down here. For the first time, Stephen thinks on how young Angus really is - more or less the same age as some of his students, when he taught.

He's no longer a kid, but he's hardly an adult.]

...it doesn't change what you remember, does it. [He's quiet, speaking softly- trying to emphasize]

[mcfife]

...No.

[He's not sure if he's talking about the destruction of Earth or finally (apparently?) defeating Zargothrax. But it does help ease the pain.]

The motives. The first week, I thought of everyone who was dead because of him. I thought of the peace that would come if he hadn't-

[His face hardens.]

No, it's too late to think about that anymore.

[37773972]

[That's not just a hand on Angus's shoulder. That's an arm about it - both shoulders, actually. Very quietly;]

Sigyn thought the same thing.

[He thinks she wouldn't mind him telling that- but that's probably the most he'll share.]

And there's a lot of people I know, who'd make the same choice. Especially if the consequences...weren't there.

[mcfife]

[Angus tenses at her name. It has only been a bit over a week since he last saw her. Someone he bonded with, someone taken away from him again.]

We planned to help each other save our galaxies from tyrants when we escaped. [Is her universe alright? What happens to Asgard?] I guess she never really needed to come to my universe, did she.

[37773972]

...I think she did. She just didn't have the chance, Angus. [Things Happened.] That's not- that's not your fault, either.

[They didn't have a choice.

...not with Red, either. He swallows.]

[mcfife]

We don’t have many more chances left.

[He’s not relaxing, but he’s not shaking, either. It helps to not have the urge to cry.]

My kingdom needs me, but these all of you...need me, too. [He sounds a bit uncertain there.]

[37773972]

We do. [That he confirms without hesitating. He squeezes Angus's shoulders a bit, a sort of jostle-shake meant more to reassure than startle.] We all need each other. Don't ever forget that, alright?

[mcfife]

[We do, Angus tells himself. Remember that you need them and they need you. It gets more difficult to accept that with the passing days.

But he does managed to give Stephen a slow nod.]

My apologies if I haven't been as out and about as I was before.

[37773972]

Hey, don't worry about it. There's been...a lot going on.

[Red. Richard. Everything else.]

Less than a year ago, I only left the house to drink.

[mcfife]

[Angus is rigid, but he does turn to look at Stephen questioningly.]