Ren

- - -

Avery just stared at him. The truth hit like a truck.

D3rlord didnt remember him.

He didn’t remember.

What else had he forgotten?

D3rlord was on the floor, back pressed against the wall, golden armor scuffed and dented, cloak torn, wings matted and fluffed, face covered in crusted blood. He looked like a cornered animal, the way he stared back at Avery, eyes wide and unblinking.

The friend he had lost, found, and dragged out of hell didnt even know his name.

He stumbled backwards, eyes prickling with tears he failed to restrain, and flexed his fingers, trying to keep them from tightening into a fist.

D3rlord just… Kept staring.

Then he giggled, a nervous, bubbling noise. He didn’t want to—No, couldn’t—beleive it.

“No, no, no—you’re joking. Right? You have to be joking.” Avery’s laugh was a sharp, jagged sound that felt more like something he was choking on. He reached out, withdrawing like a rubber band when D3rlord flinched, eyes darting from his face to his hand and then back. 

“You’ve got to remember, man. The crossroads, the gates, that book you left me, the library… “ He trailed off when D3rlord didnt react to what he was saying.

He felt numb. Avery just took another step away and stared back at him, arms limp at his sides.

“Do you at least remember your name?”

Nothing. D3r just stared back at him with those wide brown eyes. It felt like he was staring through him.

God, he really was hollow. He didnt remember anything. Nothing at all.

But then he tilted his head and blinked. The sudden movement was almost startling. The feathers on his wings began to flatten. And then he slowly reached out, arm shaking, slowly trying to stand up, leaning against the wall, his armor clinking together from the movement. It was Avery’s turn to flinch.

“I remember… Pieces. Blurry, smudged. But…”

His voice was raw and gravely, like he’d swallowed a handful of sharp stones. He dragged his armored hand down the side of his helmet, casting slight grooves into the metal. He hesitated for a moment, chest heaving.

“Ave… Aver..y?”

“W-hat?”

“Avery.”

- - -

He stared back at Avery, waiting for him to… He didn’t know what he was waiting for. Maybe he just wanted to keep standing, even though he had to lean against the wall, and even then his legs were shaking.

[Avery is the one that did this to you.]

He couldnt help but stumble, withdrawing his arm. That thing’s voice again. It made him sick.

You are lying. You are the one that did this to me.

[And yet you still flinched?]

Shut up.

He felt weak all of a sudden, like all the energy had been sapped out of him. He slowly sank back to the floor, breath heavy as he stared at the ground

[Pathetic.]

Shut up. Leave me alone.

Avery just.. watched, eyes wide. And then his eyes suddenly overflowed with tears, and he put his head in his hands.

“Oh my god. You… I thought you forgot me. I really thought you forgot me. Are- Are you okay?” He kneeled down at this, eye level with him, scanning for injuries. Those black eyes seemed so… Sad.

“I’m.. Okay. I think.”

At once a wave of dizzyness took him, acompanied by a splitting pain in his head. He tensed, gloved hands balling into fists and wings hiding his face. He couldn’t help but let out a low groan, and then grit his teeth in a grim smile.

“I—Nevermind—Fuck-”

“D3rlord? What’s wrong? Dude, talk to me-” He felt Avery’s hands on his shoulders again and stiffened like a board.

He tapped the side of his helmet with a claw. “My-” He inhaled sharply when the pain increased, like someone driving the knife deeper and twisting it. “- Head. It won’t… Leave me alone..”

“What- what won’t leave you alone? D3r, what are you talking about?” There was a note of panic in his voice, despite how hard Avery was trying to mask it.

“I’ve got a… Bit of a roomate in here…” He coughed, a little bit of blood dribbling over his chin. “It keeps—[You will never be free.]” His stomach sank. the last words we’ernt his. He couldnt help but clutch his throat, panic and realization settling in his head like drying cement.

Avery froze, his grip tightening.

“D3rlord?”

“[We come as a double package, I’m afraid.]”

OFF WITH HIS HEAD

- - - 

Avery fell, rather ungracefully, to his knees, barely managing to catch D3rlord before he would have hit the ground.

Damn, he was heavy. Avery gently set him down and rubbed his own jaw with a wince. Even in... Whatever you'd call this state... D3rlord was strong. It would most certainly bruise. Right on top of the already formed bruise from when D3rlord had punched him when Avery had confronted him earlier. God, that was only... What, an hour ago? Two? He checked his wrist watch. The thing was shattered.

Darn. That watch was pretty cool, man.

Avery looked down at the man limp in his arms and scowled.

"You kind of did this to yourself, you stubborn self-sacrificing prick."

He hated how scared he was for D3rlord. how much his hands were shaking. He was mad, yeah. Who wouldn't be after... That?

But he was also panicking. On one hand, he was alive. on the other, he didn't know if he'd stay that way. Someone doesn't just... Vomit liquid gold. That's not normal.

"Who am I kidding..." His voice shook. "Nothing here is normal."

He hooked his arms around D3rlord and, with great difficulty, rose to his feet, half carrying, half dragging him away.

- - -

He has no-stinking-clue where to go.

This damn castle was huge. Who even needs this much space? Avery was pretty sure he was lost until he spotted the open gates, the only way in and out of this.. Labyrinth of a place.

Even then--he wouldn't be able to cross the river. He already wasn't the best swimmer, and he'd probably sink like a stone if he tried to cross with D3rlord.

Unless the boat was still there.

Avery approached the shore, scanning the surface, and let out a breath of relief he didn't know he was holding. The boat was, of course, still there. He didn't know why he had expected it to be gone or something.

He hauled D3rlord into the boat (with his back protesting very loudly). It lurched, but stayed floating, even after Avery stepped into it and took the paddles, rowing to the other side and following the shore until those golden gates, leading to what looked like nothing, came into view.

- - -

chapter 3

- - -

God, why did his head still throb so much?

He blinked rapidly. Everything was blurry. Bright. And it still hurt. Everything hurt.

But... Not as badly. He could kind of think.

Why was he scared?

[No reason. Go back to sleep.]

Why? It was hard to sleep. He was moving. And still so cold. And he didn't trust this voice. It felt wrong.

He heard splashing water. He didn't want to sleep again. He wanted to listen to the water. It was.. Calming.

[NO! I said go back to sleep.]

Hm. he didn't like it. But… He was so tired. Why was he so tired again all of a sudden?

[Sleep does not hurt. Sleep.]

If... If you insist, I guess…

- - -

He woke up again. It was warmer. Still too cold, but.. Not as bad. And he was still moving.

He heard that same comforting voice talking again. They sounded angry now, though.

Why? Did I.. Do something?

Something else pulled his attention though. That foreign.. Something. In the back of his head. The thing of twisted black fingers and sickly yellow.

What is it? It was familiar as well. Not in a comforting way. But he.. Reconized it. It made a sour taste in his mouth. Made his skin crawl.

He just knew it was a foul thing. And it hated him. Why did it hate him..?

[You know exactly why I hate you.]

No, he didn’t—but he hated the thing right back, deep in his bones, even if he couldn’t remember why.

It’s mutual. - - -

He was starting to remember things.

They were… Blurry at best. Most of it was just shapes. Like a broken mirror.

But.. He was remembering.

The clearest memory was.. Of him, actually. Yelling at someone. There was a wooden sword in their hand. And they were crying.

He only knew fragments of the conversation. 

“I’m not” —- “If we do this” —- “together.”

“Ave-”—-”If you dont leave”—-BOTH DIE”

“Whats in your”—-”WAIT-!”

That same.. Voice. the same one he heard whenever he was able to get enough of a grip to hear anything but.. Ringing.

Ave..? What does that mean?

And what.. Happened-?

- - -

iI was.. Almost nice now. He didnt feel the cold ache that he had carried previously.

Ave. Ave. Ave. What was that word? A name? He couldnt scratch it from his mind.

He realized there was a warmth near him. They kept moving and shifting, but.. He knew somehow it was the owner of that voice. The one that didnt make him sick.

He opened his eyes again. Blinding, painful light. He closed them quickly and let out a soft groan, the small wings on the sides of his head shifting to cover his face.

“Wha- D3rlord?”

That name again. Who is that?? And why did they keep saying that name so much?

Was it.. His?

God, he couldnt remember. His head throbbed. It felt the more he woke up the more he wished he was asleep again.

He felt a sudden rush of drowsyness. Thin black fingers curled around the corner of his mind.

No. No, no, no- Get away from me. Leave me alone. His thoughts became a blur of panic. He didnt want to go back under. Not again. Never again.

He felt a wave of irritation that wasnt his. It belonged to the… Something.

But it relented. It let go.

He shifted his wings, allowing just a sliver of light through. He saw a.. Face. Staring at him. It was both fearful and hopeful. The owner of that voice.

“You’re awake. My god, you’re awake.”

He grunted in response and shifted his wings again, to cover up once more. To shy away from the light.

“Oh my god you’re awake. D3rlord? Man, stop hiding! Its alright.”

Their hand brushed against one of his wings. He reacted without thought, pushing it away, trying to scramble to his feet. He nearly tipped over the second he managed to stand, his balance so thrown off he forgot which way was up. Steady arms gripped his shoulders, keeping him upright.

“Hey, hey, hey- sit down. Don’t need you breaking something or… Vomiting gold again or whatever.”

He sank to the ground, dizzy, keeping his wings over his eyes. He didnt want to see. And he was so, so confused. Thoughts like a blizzard, spinning so fast that when he tried to grasp at one, the snowflake melted.

[Yes. Keep your eyes closed. Do not look.]

He promptly peeked out from behind his feathers, just to spite that horrible voice if anything. The pang of annoyance he felt from it was rather satisfying.

The same face that belong to that voice. The same face that occupied.. A lot of his fragmented memories. Translucent green skin, black eyes, sunglasses perched on the top of his head.

And he was maybe six inches away from his face. At most.

The slimefolk backed off almost immediantly. “Sorry- I just.. Man, its good to see you awake. And.. Not thrashing around. I was really worried.” He paused for a moment, then his tone turned bitter. “Your fault, by the way. Don’t do that shit again, asshole. I thought you died.” 

He pressed himself against the wall, staring at the slime, resisting the urge to hide his face again. 

“What… Who?”

His throat felt so damn raw. The words came out scratchy and broken, like it was tangled in barbed wire.

“What do you mean..? D3rlord, its me-” The slime reached out with one hand, and then froze. His face shifted from annoyance to a mix of sadness, understanding, and shock, eyes wide.

“You don’t remember, do you.”