THE DOCTOR IS IN...

Approaching the cabin shrouded in mist, Kor knocked on the door, calling upon the language she had not spoken since she was but a girl. -

Guten Tag, Herr Doktor. Ich habe ein Angebot, das einen Mann Ihrer Fähigkeiten interessieren könnte.

[Good day, sir doctor. I have an offer that may interest a man of your skill.]

@io-splinter-agent

[A few concerning thumps and crashes of various volume would ring out from behind the rickety entrance, accompanied by a cacophony of curses from a rasping, shuddering utterance. Following a resounding bang, silence would claim the surrounding forest once more, bar the cry of a bird.]

[The door would be wrenched open with a growl, the pathetic barrier whining as it connected with the unforgiving wall inside and trembled with the impact. Shoulders heaving with effort, the man that met KOR’S asymmetric gaze was saturated with substances undiscernible from the next; carrying the scent of death and other foul smells like a shroud.]

“Was? Was willst du denn, Mädchen?” (What? What do you want, girl?)

[PLAGUE snapped, his grip on the door leaving slick, sprawling trails of blood and equally sludgy handprints. He seemed suspicious. Wary, yet unashamed in his gory appearance.]

[He hadn’t exactly came across another individual on this God-forsaken piece of land that possessed his mother-tongue.]

[And much to his own chagrin, the masked man sensed the irritating sensation of kinship tug at his internals.]

“…”

[Processing what the woman had just proposed seconds ago, he tilted his face closer. PLAGUE’S breathing underneath the heavy, beaked mask was a wet, hilting thing; as if each gasp was a pain to take in. The beak of his mask was uncomfortably close to pecking KOR in the face.]

“Ein Angebot.” (An offer.)

[He echoed pointedly, PLAGUE’S head twitched ever-closer in a minuscule expression of interest. Much like the bird his mask portrayed.]

Natürlich. Ihr Ruf in der Medizinwelt ist bestens bekannt, und man könnte mich wohl als einen Ihrer Bewunderer bezeichnen.

[Of course. Your reputation in the medical field is well known, and I suppose you could call me an admirer.]

- No harm in a little flattery.

Kor gave the man a formal bow, noting his bird-like mannerisms with some amusement. -

Ihr Fachgebiet ist das Experimentieren, insbesondere auf dem Gebiet der Organtransplantation und der Prothetik, nicht wahr?

[Your field of expertise is experimentation—particularly in the areas of organ transplantation and prosthetics—isn't it?]

- She stood again, her cybernetic eye catching the tells of curiosity... and also the potential threat of the syringe. -

Ich vertrete eine Gruppierung, die Ihre Talente benötigt – und über die Mittel verfügt, Ihr Interesse zu wecken und Sie angemessen zu entlohnen.

[I represent a group that requires your talents—and possesses the means to pique your interest and compensate you appropriately.]

- Now to dangle a taste of the prize... -

Du suchst nach den Schlüsseln zu Leben und Tod, nicht wahr?

“Ich dachte schon, sie hätten mich vergessen … aber es ist motivierend zu sehen, dass mein Einfluss immer noch spürbar ist.” (I was starting to think they'd forgotten about me … but it's encouraging to see that my influence is still being felt.)

[Lost in thoughts of his past, he trailed off into an uncomfortable silence that dragged on much past the point of normalcy.]

[Did the stranger know about VIRIDIAN LABS? Or was it merely..no matter.]

[The needle was absently jabbed in and out of the thick fabric of his glove, the prick of discomfort either ignored or unfelt by the man. PLAGUE’S cane was precariously propped up nearby, the man forgoing it in favour of using the door to support his unstable gait.]

[At the mention of his talents, he quickly shook himself out of his reprieve. Whether the memories were fond, or riddled with agony was concealed behind his beaked mask.]

“Ja, und vieles mehr.” (Yes, and much more.)

[PLAGUE added, the smirk evident in his voice as he praised himself with an air of superiority. The syringe was shoved into one of many unknown pockets and compartments on his apron, now effectively shunned from the immediate scene as he listened to her proposal.]

[He was intrigued. More so at the mention of that. Tittering, he crossed his arms over his chest with a creak of his leather gloves. A dirtied bandage that encircled his bicep hung like a wet rag.]

“So könnte man es auch sagen, Frau. Ich beherrsche die Grundlagen – ich kann den Körper wiederherstellen … aber mir fehlen die … finanziellen Mittel, um meine Experimente bis zum Ende durchzuziehen.” (You could put it that way, ma'am. I master the foundation—I can restore the body… but I lack the… financial resources to see my experiments through to the end.)

[Silence. A warbling snarl came from within PLAGUE’S cabin. Something scraped on the walls within. Fingernails, perhaps.]

“Es gelingt mir immer noch nicht, dem Körper wieder klares Denken zu verleihen. Meine Untertanen benehmen sich wie Bestien.“ (I still cannot bring back coherent thought to the body. My subjects behave like beasts.)

[PLAGUE fell quiet once again, seeming irritated at his research’s own shortcomings. He animated with a jolt, holding the door further ajar with a trembling hand.]

“Du musst hereinkommen, damit wir das weiter besprechen können. Man weiß ja nie, wer in diesen Wäldern mithören könnte...” (You must come in, to discuss this further. One never knows who may be listening in these woods..)

Kor took note of every change in Plague's demeanor. The way his head tilted, the shift in his tone as pride subsumed suspicion. -

Keineswegs vergessen. Ich konnte dich einfach nicht kontaktieren.

[By no means forgotten. I simply couldn't contact you.]

- A lie. Worse than forgotten. This bird hadn't even been known before she found him. But thinking otherwise wouldn't hurt.

Quickly executing a bow of politeness, Kor allowed herself to be ushered inside before continuing. The tic concerning the syringe was disturbing, but seemed to be no threat to her.

Simply more eccentricities. Like the obsession with reanimation. That was the bait for this particular hook. -

Dem Tod zu trotzen, indem man sich zurückholt, was er geraubt hat, ist ein kühnes Unterfangen. Schade nur, dass so viele, die dreist genug sind, es zu wagen, dessen Vollendung nicht mehr erleben.

[Defying death by reclaiming what it has stolen is a bold undertaking. It is a pity, however, that so many who are audacious enough to attempt it do not live to see it through to completion.]

- Not a direct threat, but mortality was a blade in the back of all brilliant minds, which was why her master had fought so hard to defeat it. Reminding Plague of that mortality would remind him of the anxiety it produced.

Her cybernetic eye roved over the cabin's interior, a glimpse into this erratic madman's lifestyle. Green seemed to be the only color visible here... How peculiar. -

Genau deshalb bin ich natürlich hier. Die Organisation, die ich vertrete, benötigt Ihre Talente, und im Gegenzug können wir Ihnen finanzielle Stabilität garantieren – und zudem sicherstellen, dass Sie lange genug leben, um Ihre Arbeit zu vollenden.

[That is precisely why I am here, of course. The organization I represent needs your talents, and in return, we can guarantee you financial stability—and also ensure that you live long enough to complete your work.]

- Kor turned her piercing eyes on the mangled doctor with a smile that hinted at co-conspiracy. -

Die Wiederbelebung ist bislang gescheitert, doch Unsterblichkeit ... das ist eine Realität, die wir bieten.

[He had hungered for that particular high for God knows how long. The never-ending thrill of his glory days...what a time that had been.]

[The money. The power. The strain lifted from his ever-aching body. PLAGUE was almost salivating under his mask as he reminisced. But alas.]

"Natürlich, selbstverständlich. Ich war immer berüchtigt für mein… zurückhaltendes Verhalten." (Of course, naturally. I was always notorious for my… reserved behavior.)

[The cabin was a pitiful excuse for a space where a beast, let alone a man, would reside. Every available surface was cluttered with either apparatus, piles of notes, or robotic components so unusually hi-tech compared to the surrounding space it was laughable.]

"Mach dir nichts aus dem Durcheinander." (Don't worry about the mess.)

[PLAGUE crowed, snatching his cane from its perch and hobbling after the woman as he nudged her to the "cleanest" spot of his home with visible pride. A few beakers appeared, mistakenly or not, to have been drunk from.]

[In the, somehow, deafening silence of the cabin now that all openings were sealed; KOR could identify the gentle hum-buzz of failing circuitry from underneath the man's cloak and spot a near-imperceptible, robotic twitch on his right side.]

"..."

[Frozen at her mention of that, PLAGUE huffed. Mortality. The very thing he was trying to erase, something that had already tried to claim him many a time before. Ever stalking behind him, getting closer, closer still...ever closer...]

[How old was he again? 60? No...no. 63. No. The exact number eluded him at that very moment. Yet it was..frightening. In a way. But PLAGUE never feared death, no. He stared it down, spat in its face, and would soon conquer and claim complete sovereignty over it.]

[He hoped.]

"Ich habe dem Griff des Todes entkommen..." (I have escaped the grip of death..)

[PLAGUE murmured, his tone distant and reassuring to himself alone as if repeating a mantra. His cane trailed along the debris on the wooden floors, creating a winding path that stood stark against the dirt.]

[He had still never quite gotten over regaining consciousness on his laboratory floor, retching, seizing, screaming himself hoarse as he sowed the fruits of his labour. Never quite forgetting the agony of nursing himself back to a state where he could physically stand without panting..]

[Dragging himself back to the present, he stared at KOR once more; as if looking at a colony of bacteria underneath a microscope. His melancholic mood lasted for only a beat, for as soon as he caught onto her expression the eyes of his mask seemed to gleam with intent.]

"Ja, ja… ich denke schon, dass wir einen Deal haben.." (Yes, yes… I do believe that we have a deal..)

[PLAGUE'S voice nearly trembled into a snort, but he kept himself quiet. His thoughts were already running away from him in rampant loops, spiralling into illustrations of grandiose. So preoccupied with his delusions, he had near forgotten to offer out his hand to seal the deal.]

[For a supposed decrepit old man, PLAGUE had a oddly strong grip. The wrappings surrounding his palm were moist.]

Approaching the cabin shrouded in mist, Kor knocked on the door, calling upon the language she had not spoken since she was but a girl. -

Guten Tag, Herr Doktor. Ich habe ein Angebot, das einen Mann Ihrer Fähigkeiten interessieren könnte.

[Good day, sir doctor. I have an offer that may interest a man of your skill.]

@io-splinter-agent

[A few concerning thumps and crashes of various volume would ring out from behind the rickety entrance, accompanied by a cacophony of curses from a rasping, shuddering utterance. Following a resounding bang, silence would claim the surrounding forest once more, bar the cry of a bird.]

[The door would be wrenched open with a growl, the pathetic barrier whining as it connected with the unforgiving wall inside and trembled with the impact. Shoulders heaving with effort, the man that met KOR’S asymmetric gaze was saturated with substances undiscernible from the next; carrying the scent of death and other foul smells like a shroud.]

“Was? Was willst du denn, Mädchen?” (What? What do you want, girl?)

[PLAGUE snapped, his grip on the door leaving slick, sprawling trails of blood and equally sludgy handprints. He seemed suspicious. Wary, yet unashamed in his gory appearance.]

[He hadn’t exactly came across another individual on this God-forsaken piece of land that possessed his mother-tongue.]

[And much to his own chagrin, the masked man sensed the irritating sensation of kinship tug at his internals.]

“…”

[Processing what the woman had just proposed seconds ago, he tilted his face closer. PLAGUE’S breathing underneath the heavy, beaked mask was a wet, hilting thing; as if each gasp was a pain to take in. The beak of his mask was uncomfortably close to pecking KOR in the face.]

“Ein Angebot.” (An offer.)

[He echoed pointedly, PLAGUE’S head twitched ever-closer in a minuscule expression of interest. Much like the bird his mask portrayed.]

Natürlich. Ihr Ruf in der Medizinwelt ist bestens bekannt, und man könnte mich wohl als einen Ihrer Bewunderer bezeichnen.

[Of course. Your reputation in the medical field is well known, and I suppose you could call me an admirer.]

- No harm in a little flattery.

Kor gave the man a formal bow, noting his bird-like mannerisms with some amusement. -

Ihr Fachgebiet ist das Experimentieren, insbesondere auf dem Gebiet der Organtransplantation und der Prothetik, nicht wahr?

[Your field of expertise is experimentation—particularly in the areas of organ transplantation and prosthetics—isn't it?]

- She stood again, her cybernetic eye catching the tells of curiosity... and also the potential threat of the syringe. -

Ich vertrete eine Gruppierung, die Ihre Talente benötigt – und über die Mittel verfügt, Ihr Interesse zu wecken und Sie angemessen zu entlohnen.

[I represent a group that requires your talents—and possesses the means to pique your interest and compensate you appropriately.]

- Now to dangle a taste of the prize... -

Du suchst nach den Schlüsseln zu Leben und Tod, nicht wahr?

“Ich dachte schon, sie hätten mich vergessen … aber es ist motivierend zu sehen, dass mein Einfluss immer noch spürbar ist.” (I was starting to think they'd forgotten about me … but it's encouraging to see that my influence is still being felt.)

[Lost in thoughts of his past, he trailed off into an uncomfortable silence that dragged on much past the point of normalcy.]

[Did the stranger know about VIRIDIAN LABS? Or was it merely..no matter.]

[The needle was absently jabbed in and out of the thick fabric of his glove, the prick of discomfort either ignored or unfelt by the man. PLAGUE’S cane was precariously propped up nearby, the man forgoing it in favour of using the door to support his unstable gait.]

[At the mention of his talents, he quickly shook himself out of his reprieve. Whether the memories were fond, or riddled with agony was concealed behind his beaked mask.]

“Ja, und vieles mehr.” (Yes, and much more.)

[PLAGUE added, the smirk evident in his voice as he praised himself with an air of superiority. The syringe was shoved into one of many unknown pockets and compartments on his apron, now effectively shunned from the immediate scene as he listened to her proposal.]

[He was intrigued. More so at the mention of that. Tittering, he crossed his arms over his chest with a creak of his leather gloves. A dirtied bandage that encircled his bicep hung like a wet rag.]

“So könnte man es auch sagen, Frau. Ich beherrsche die Grundlagen – ich kann den Körper wiederherstellen … aber mir fehlen die … finanziellen Mittel, um meine Experimente bis zum Ende durchzuziehen.” (You could put it that way, ma'am. I master the foundation—I can restore the body… but I lack the… financial resources to see my experiments through to the end.)

[Silence. A warbling snarl came from within PLAGUE’S cabin. Something scraped on the walls within. Fingernails, perhaps.]

“Es gelingt mir immer noch nicht, dem Körper wieder klares Denken zu verleihen. Meine Untertanen benehmen sich wie Bestien.“ (I still cannot bring back coherent thought to the body. My subjects behave like beasts.)

[PLAGUE fell quiet once again, seeming irritated at his research’s own shortcomings. He animated with a jolt, holding the door further ajar with a trembling hand.]

“Du musst hereinkommen, damit wir das weiter besprechen können. Man weiß ja nie, wer in diesen Wäldern mithören könnte...” (You must come in, to discuss this further. One never knows who may be listening in these woods..)

Hey, brüder. (Brother.)

Styx. Of course it was Styx. He leans on the doorframe.

Look. I know we don't really get along that well and shit, but...

He sighs, rubbing his back.

I need your help with something. I can get you cash, and more research.

There's some competition that's been popping up, and I need to make sure they don't put my ass out of a business.

With your chemical experience, we can out cook the competition, no worries. You in?

-@theunseenrebel

[There would be the clatter and slide of around 9 different locks being undone, and the door would creak open with an audible groan. A chain lock would be left closed, leaving only a sliver of the interior of the shack visible.]

“Whoever is at this door best be gone as soon as I open it..lest I decide t-“

[He’d sneer, poking his masked face through the gap- beak first- and choking on his words as soon as he saw who was at the door. STYX.]

“…”

[Silence. Until PLAGUE slammed the door shut again, redone all the locks and instead opted to shove his face out of a now open window to..converse..with his brother. Eugh.]

“Ja, Brüder, we do not get along ‘and shit’. I believe I demanded you to never show your face after what happened at my 30th Wedding Anniversary.”

[He hissed through the curtains, jabbing an accusing finger at the taller man. Though at the mention of cash, a chance to further fund his research…that was..acceptable. He needed a top up on certain components of his serum. He lowered his hand, and instead crossed his hands over his tattered, stained apron to glare up at STYX.]

“Despite being older, Brüder, you were always the most…bah, there is not a nice word to describe it.”

[He waved the thought off, tilting his head.]

“Fine. You will receive my aid.”

[He stated with a confident nod. PLAGUE had clearly not put two-and-two together yet and deciphered what ‘out-cooking the competition’ would entail.]

Styx adjusted his hair, looking back down at Plague. God he probably sounded dumb.

Basically, they're drug running. And I can't have competition when I'm this vulnerable. I'm without the Unseen, Dahlia is off who knows where.

The Unseen Rebel chuckled to himself.

[A duck. And his..side chick.]

“I see.”

[He began, reaching up a hand to scratch his chin. PLAGUE seemed skeptical, but with those little pests running around the island once more- he supposed anything was possible.]

“I suppose my expertise could extend to..those proportions, yes. And you were always quite helpless without your little..rendezvous of misfits.”

[He chortled. Disappearing from the window and banging it shut, the door was soon painstakingly unlocked once more. PLAGUE drew it open just enough for STYX to step inside.]

“Mind your head- This is your final chance, brother. One last mistake and so help me, I will tear you apart seam from seam.”

{A young-looking woman with violet eyes and short white hair stood behind you, her expression simultaneously imperious and amused. The jagged spikes of a dark stone crown adorned her head, and stone keys clinked softly on her belt.

It seems Persephone has taken an interest in your recent resurfacing.}

I knew your Thread hadn't run out yet. The Fates do not lie.

[PLAGUE would startle, whipping around on his heels and shoving his lantern threateningly in the direction of the stranger. The light within it flickering pitifully. He attempted to appear unafraid, but the lantern shook with nerves; He had never recalled seeing a woman like this wandering the forests.]

“YES- well. Science does not wait for me, so I shall not wait for it; It does not yield for the uncouth and unwilling. My absence was merely..work-based.”

[He sneered, taking a step closer and jerking the light close to her to get a better look at her face. The numerous vials and beakers hanging from his waist clinked together with the movement.]

“And who might you be? I don’t recall seeing you before, and believe me; I remember every face that steps foot in these woods.”

{Despite the lantern being shoved in her face, Persephone did not flinch. Rather, a haughty smile spread across her face, lamplight glittering in her eyes.}

I am one of the many forces your science bends to, Plague. I am Life. I am Spring. Of Death, I am Queen. I am Persephone.

{Something incomprehensible flickered in her irises. The goddess looked down on the man before her with an almost pitying curiosity. His work had twisted him into something barely human now, and yet he pursued it still.

Fascinating.}

“…”

[Then he cackled. It was a rasping, guttural, revolting thing of spluttered wheezes and coughs. As if the very prospect of a Goddess visiting him was quite possibly the funniest thing to ever happen to him. He tilted his head with a jerk, still tittering as he gathered his composure.]

“Oh, yes. And I’m the King of FRIGID FORTRESS.”

[The grin in his voice was evident, even with the plague mask covering his features.]

“I don’t believe you.”

[He sing-songed, digging his cane further into the muck as he leaned forward even further; as if that was even possible.]

“You don’t get to question my life’s work either. If I have dodged everything the reaper has thrown at me thus far, who’s to say I won’t evade what comes next? I’m practically a God myself.”

[Silence.]

“Life and Death in my own two hands…”

Persephone threw her head back and laughed, the sound ringing off the trees. Her mere presence had caused the greenery around them to grow more lush even as they stood there, and still he denied her!}

What blind genius! To cheat Thanatos for so long and yet mock Death's Queen as she stands before you!

{Her eyes flashed in the darkness, er smile dangerous.}

"Tch. It is child's play, all of it. Nothing but a handful of drivel, for THANATOS I care not. He is a fool in the face of my genius."

[Then she uttered it. Child.]

"..."

[PLAGUE immediately bristled, gripping his cane so tightly that his glove creaked under the pressure. His cane followed suit, groaning with the strain of his grip.]

"I-I am NO child!"

[He hissed, grinding a budding blossom under his heel with a thud of his foot on the earth. Despite the threat of toppling, PLAGUE'S cane came swooping up; it's sharpened edge pointing right at her throat. He was seething.]

"LIFE and DEATH has ALWAYS ANSWERED TO ME! It- IT YIELDS under my command! YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TRESSPASS MY DOMAIN AND RIDICULE MY MAGNUM OPUS-"

[His voice reached a shrill fever-pitch, practically frothing at the mouth in his rage. PLAGUE'S anger looked quite obscene, however, due to his small stature.]

"AND- AND IF I DIE? SO BE IT! I SHALL LEAVE A LEGACY SO GREAT IT WOULD SURPASS YOUR SUPPOSED DIVINITY!!! I WOULD BE WORSHIPPED BEYOND MY GRAVE!! I- I-"

{Her smile took on an almost predatory quality, gleaming deadly in the night. In the blink of an eye, Persephone grasped the wretched "doctor" by the throat, lifting him as though he were weightless.}

The gods do not brook fools, and even less do we tolerate usurpers.

{Reality split under her feet, leaving them braced in the bow of a small boat on a sickeningly green river, a hooded skeleton at the port side holding the boat steady with a pole. The screams of the agonized dead choked the air, which grew cold and heavy with mist. The jagged spires of a stone gate rose far over their heads.

Persephone lowered Plague just enough to reach his ear, her voice low and dangerously even.}

Consider it a blessing that you fail to truly tame Life and Death, Plague, else I would drag you with me to Hell in this very instant.

{The tear in Reality closed, and she dropped the pitiful creature on the lush grass once more.}

“YYYYYOU- C-CANNOT- I-“

[He coughed, kicking his one good leg out in protest as the one encased in the thick, metal brace hung useless. His clothed hands, bandaged and further wrapped still, continued to claw at the Goddess’ arm like a rabid beast in his struggle.]

[That was until the ground parted underneath her feet.]

[PLAGUE, still gasping for what little oxygen he was allowed, went limp in a form of primal fear. His grip went slack around her wrist, and he willed himself to peer downwards. He felt a shudder go through him, cursing himself internally for his fear as he realised he had severely doubted her.]

“…”

[Without his aid, he collapsed into an ungodly heap on the forest floor; pain shot up his spine and leg and forcing him to wince. Scrambling back on his elbows, chest heaving with greedy gulps for air once more. Free from her grasp, he bristled once more to go back on the defensive.]

“I-It isn’t that I FAILED to tame life and death, you miserable woman. You’re- you are simply too COWARDLY to drag me down with you.”

[He shot back with a shuddering drawl, pointing a shaking digit once more.]

“Even in your malice, you value life too much to hinder it..even mine. For all my wrongs, I still mean something to your precious Fates; don’t I?”

{A young-looking woman with violet eyes and short white hair stood behind you, her expression simultaneously imperious and amused. The jagged spikes of a dark stone crown adorned her head, and stone keys clinked softly on her belt.

It seems Persephone has taken an interest in your recent resurfacing.}

I knew your Thread hadn't run out yet. The Fates do not lie.

[PLAGUE would startle, whipping around on his heels and shoving his lantern threateningly in the direction of the stranger. The light within it flickering pitifully. He attempted to appear unafraid, but the lantern shook with nerves; He had never recalled seeing a woman like this wandering the forests.]

“YES- well. Science does not wait for me, so I shall not wait for it; It does not yield for the uncouth and unwilling. My absence was merely..work-based.”

[He sneered, taking a step closer and jerking the light close to her to get a better look at her face. The numerous vials and beakers hanging from his waist clinked together with the movement.]

“And who might you be? I don’t recall seeing you before, and believe me; I remember every face that steps foot in these woods.”

{Despite the lantern being shoved in her face, Persephone did not flinch. Rather, a haughty smile spread across her face, lamplight glittering in her eyes.}

I am one of the many forces your science bends to, Plague. I am Life. I am Spring. Of Death, I am Queen. I am Persephone.

{Something incomprehensible flickered in her irises. The goddess looked down on the man before her with an almost pitying curiosity. His work had twisted him into something barely human now, and yet he pursued it still.

Fascinating.}

“…”

[Then he cackled. It was a rasping, guttural, revolting thing of spluttered wheezes and coughs. As if the very prospect of a Goddess visiting him was quite possibly the funniest thing to ever happen to him. He tilted his head with a jerk, still tittering as he gathered his composure.]

“Oh, yes. And I’m the King of FRIGID FORTRESS.”

[The grin in his voice was evident, even with the plague mask covering his features.]

“I don’t believe you.”

[He sing-songed, digging his cane further into the muck as he leaned forward even further; as if that was even possible.]

“You don’t get to question my life’s work either. If I have dodged everything the reaper has thrown at me thus far, who’s to say I won’t evade what comes next? I’m practically a God myself.”

[Silence.]

“Life and Death in my own two hands…”

Persephone threw her head back and laughed, the sound ringing off the trees. Her mere presence had caused the greenery around them to grow more lush even as they stood there, and still he denied her!}

What blind genius! To cheat Thanatos for so long and yet mock Death's Queen as she stands before you!

{Her eyes flashed in the darkness, er smile dangerous.}

"Tch. It is child's play, all of it. Nothing but a handful of drivel, for THANATOS I care not. He is a fool in the face of my genius."

[Then she uttered it. Child.]

"..."

[PLAGUE immediately bristled, gripping his cane so tightly that his glove creaked under the pressure. His cane followed suit, groaning with the strain of his grip.]

"I-I am NO child!"

[He hissed, grinding a budding blossom under his heel with a thud of his foot on the earth. Despite the threat of toppling, PLAGUE'S cane came swooping up; it's sharpened edge pointing right at her throat. He was seething.]

"LIFE and DEATH has ALWAYS ANSWERED TO ME! It- IT YIELDS under my command! YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TRESSPASS MY DOMAIN AND RIDICULE MY MAGNUM OPUS-"

[His voice reached a shrill fever-pitch, practically frothing at the mouth in his rage. PLAGUE'S anger looked quite obscene, however, due to his small stature.]

"AND- AND IF I DIE? SO BE IT! I SHALL LEAVE A LEGACY SO GREAT IT WOULD SURPASS YOUR SUPPOSED DIVINITY!!! I WOULD BE WORSHIPPED BEYOND MY GRAVE!! I- I-"

{A young-looking woman with violet eyes and short white hair stood behind you, her expression simultaneously imperious and amused. The jagged spikes of a dark stone crown adorned her head, and stone keys clinked softly on her belt.

It seems Persephone has taken an interest in your recent resurfacing.}

I knew your Thread hadn't run out yet. The Fates do not lie.

[PLAGUE would startle, whipping around on his heels and shoving his lantern threateningly in the direction of the stranger. The light within it flickering pitifully. He attempted to appear unafraid, but the lantern shook with nerves; He had never recalled seeing a woman like this wandering the forests.]

“YES- well. Science does not wait for me, so I shall not wait for it; It does not yield for the uncouth and unwilling. My absence was merely..work-based.”

[He sneered, taking a step closer and jerking the light close to her to get a better look at her face. The numerous vials and beakers hanging from his waist clinked together with the movement.]

“And who might you be? I don’t recall seeing you before, and believe me; I remember every face that steps foot in these woods.”

{Despite the lantern being shoved in her face, Persephone did not flinch. Rather, a haughty smile spread across her face, lamplight glittering in her eyes.}

I am one of the many forces your science bends to, Plague. I am Life. I am Spring. Of Death, I am Queen. I am Persephone.

{Something incomprehensible flickered in her irises. The goddess looked down on the man before her with an almost pitying curiosity. His work had twisted him into something barely human now, and yet he pursued it still.

Fascinating.}

“…”

[Then he cackled. It was a rasping, guttural, revolting thing of spluttered wheezes and coughs. As if the very prospect of a Goddess visiting him was quite possibly the funniest thing to ever happen to him. He tilted his head with a jerk, still tittering as he gathered his composure.]

“Oh, yes. And I’m the King of FRIGID FORTRESS.”

[The grin in his voice was evident, even with the plague mask covering his features.]

“I don’t believe you.”

[He sing-songed, digging his cane further into the muck as he leaned forward even further; as if that was even possible.]

“You don’t get to question my life’s work either. If I have dodged everything the reaper has thrown at me thus far, who’s to say I won’t evade what comes next? I’m practically a God myself.”

[Silence.]

“Life and Death in my own two hands…”