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posted last year, edited last year
Chronic overthink, thy name is Luna.
I love this conceptually, but I don't how well I pulled it off. Maybe I'll like it more with fresh eyes tomorrow. ...or maybe worse, who knows.
But, my silly god dog seemed right for this prompt! Spaces inbetween reality are where he likes most.
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The Void
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trophyCH 6: A Sea of VoicesLooking back on that discovery… it still didn’t make much sense to you. It’d been a few days since that horrid discovery, and you’ve checked back on the body a few times, just to check if what you were seeing was real. As you held the memory fragment with a firm grasp, you closed your eyes and sighed. It was reality. You’ve watched that same memory over and over, Mira’s death practically implanted into your mind… but there was one clear thing odd about it. The killer. Apollyon. You thought you’d been doing a good job keeping an eye on everybody here, and you originally just came to the assessment that he was mostly harmless, arguably a bit naive. Guess you weren’t looking hard enough. He was a shut-in, so you made that hasty assessment. Yet, all signs before and after the apparent “killing” that you’ve seen of him… he looks and acts so innocent. Yes, people have different motives compared to their looks, but without looking into his mind, or witnessing the event firsthand, it was just hard to believe. The only leads you had were the memory and Inu’s disappearance after half of the people disappeared on the surface, yet a lot of people disappeared, so pinning it to him in particular would be jumping the shark. Outside of that and his personality being shy… nothing. You shake your head again. “I… don’t know what to do right now…” You get up and decide to have a walk, maybe it’d help you a bit. The locale that you were currently in was false yet comforting; if you don’t focus on the particulars then it just looks like you’re outside, but it's clear that there’s no simple escape from this reality that you and the other have been trapped in. Still, the fake sunlight makes a walk quite peaceful, as you still think about the killing. You… do sense somebody watching you. Somebody intent. You look around, then up. The looming figure stood near you, almost as if it was awaiting something. “Hello. Do you wish to speak with me, Tower?” “QUELQUE CHOSE VOUS DÉRANGE. [SOMETHING BOTHERS YOU.]” Oh. A confrontation. You knew somebody would notice eventually, but you weren’t sure if it was time to reveal all of the cards in your sleeve quite yet. “Err… Yes, I suppose you could say tha-“ “NE PARLEZ PAS. JE SAIS CE QUI VOUS DÉRANGE. [DO NOT SPEAK. I KNOW WHAT BOTHERS YOU]” “..! What do you mean?” “NE VOUS INQUIÉTEZ PAS, JE NE LE DIRAI À PERSONNE. [DO NOT WORRY, I WILL NOT TELL ANYONE]” “SACHEZ-LE, CEPENDANT. [KNOW THIS, HOWEVER]” “ICI, LES CHOSES NE SONT PAS CE QU'ELLES SEMBLENT. [HERE, THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM.] “ADIEU, SAKU.” …What? The tower always gave you a mysterious feeling, but this was the first conversation you’ve had with it, and the result was several more questions, and arguably no more answers to compensate. You just… stood there, having to take it all in for a bit, before your mind finally got to work. After the shock subsided, the main revelation you needed to take in was that the Tower had more power than you had assumed. Yes, it could’ve bluffed, but the answer, along with its serious tone makes you think otherwise. Alongside that, was another new fact; somebody else knows about the situation with you, Apollyon, and Mira. You were always going to reveal this problem to others, but the Tower knowing it based on mannerisms alone was… scary, to say the least. Finally, the ending. You’d already pieced together that this place was a phony; most people here should have already. But the Tower’s emphasis on it likely meant it wasn’t just talking about the location. So, the only other likely meaning was… people. Stemming off from that, if the Tower knows what you’re hiding… they’re referring to Apollyon, aren’t they? You’ve been divided on whether he’s really a killer or some external force, like another person forced his hand. Was it really the Statue..? You… couldn’t make up your mind right then, so you, albeit a bit hesitant, continued the walk. You entered one of the buildings and got to the main hall of it. It had the appearance of a cafeteria, like one at a school, and most people usually gathered here. Except for right now; it was mostly empty in the case of it being early in the day. The exception was two people on the mini “stage,” Amadeus and Khronos, having a pretty involved conversation. “Really? You’ve just… never thought about your past… ever?” “i-uh-heh… not reawwy, i was focused on music since i woke up…oh!” Amadeus noticed you walking towards the two of them and waved, followed by Khronos doing the same. “(Sigh)… Hi, Khronos, Amadeus. Sorry for intruding on your conversation.” “Nah, it’s fine. Right now I’m just listening to this guy’s awesome piano playing, and talkin’ about himself” “um- i wouldn’t say my pwaying is “awesome” but… yeah, i guess we awe tawking about me…” “I heard about you talking about your past, or your lack of one. Care to elaborate, if you want?” “mmm yeah… so basiciawwy, i don’t have memories of my past; i just woke up, all i had was my music talent, so i just kept walking forward, playing all the time.” Khronos was silent for a bit, before loudly interjecting- “Hey aren’t you like a memory god or something? That’s what you said when we first met right? So… can you like, do something about the amnesia or..?” You kind of laugh at the timekeeper’s remarks. “Ah- no. You see, my abilities are… limited to say the least. You see, my powers when they come down to it are simply to read minds, log them, and be able to replay them. I can’t exactly obtain an erased memory, only those able to be remembered.” “o-oh… re-recent memories huh.” You take notice of the musician's remark. You didn’t say recent memories, just remembered memories. He was hiding something, and you wanted to find out what happened so recently. “Amadeus.” “y-yeah?” “Something bothers you, is that correct?” “h-huh? we-well… i guess you could say… that…” “Well. What happened?” “i-uh-she-him-uh…“ “her…i…i…” Khronos stood up and glared at you. “Hey, you’re clearly stressing him out! “I can see, hold on, let me rectify that…” You change voices from a demanding inquisitive one to a more quiet one, trying to be more soothing. Meanwhile, Amadeus was not taking things well, curling up into a ball. Although you couldn’t clearly see his face, it was evident he was crying, or on the verge. “I’m sorry for pressuring you like this. Just… take a deep breath, try to recollect what happened.” “it…it was so… fast. i can…can remember pieces, but to me it’s a blur…” “Does this mean that we can’t know what happened or..?” “No. His brain is trying to block out a memory, but my ability bypasses those restrictions. Now, please focus Mr. Bingen. After this, you won’t have to dig up those memories anymore.” “Jeez… I knew something was off but this?” You open up the memory box that has been eternally tagging along by your side. Inside, you take one of the slabs. Then, you focus, closing your eyes, and placing your other hand near the back of the musician’s head. You then chant softly and slowly, until the incantation is finally over. When everything is said in done, the memory slab has a new imprint on it. You open your eyes and go to Khronos. “This is quite odd, the memory has a spiral within a circle as its inscription. I believe Amadeus would… not like to watch this again, so shall we?” Khronos took a heavy sigh. “I… guess so.” You expand the slab with a hand motion, and the memory begins to play. It’s dark, midnight almost. The only thing visible right now is Amadeus’ body. There was also a distinct banging sound effect, and a few seconds later, something bursted through the wall. “What… is that?” A figure with a giant axe with an eye, the woman didn’t have legs, instead having a kraken’s tentacles instead. And the eye. That spiral eye. The one that ingrained its mark on Amadeus so much. The figure then said its name; Radia Adair. Khronos immediately was taken aback. “Hold on, stop it right there- Radia? She was that weird shy girl who went missing with the others right?” “Yes… that’s correct, she left alongside people like Inu around the same time, but now she is back, albeit… deformed.” You point at THE INTRUDER. THE INTRUDER then swung its weapon at Amadeus and the memory would fade. But, you noticed something. Amadeus fell onto the ground for a brief moment before the memory ended, and another figure was visible. Apollyon. “Why is he here..?” You quietly muttered, quickly being picked up by Khronos “…Who?” “For a few moments, Apollyon was there- why was he there?” “Huh? Oh, you’re right!” “i… can explain everything.” Amadeus walked towards the two of you, clearly a bit dejected. “when we left that indoor location, i thought something was left unexplored… i went with apowwyon, because he offered to help, and we found a basement. then… well you saw what happened.” “What happened after?” “i hid myself, i couldn’t do anything against her… but apollyon came back, thankfully. he said he killed her, and… yeah i saw it.” Crap. Now you have evidence that Apollyon can be a killer. Yes it was self defense but still, he’s willing to kill and that doesn’t help your judgment. “o-oh yeah there was this… white room, it was furnished like a waiting room, but there was nothing to it other than that…” “Well, it seems like we have some answers, but more questions. Like what happened to Ms. Adair?” “Jeez, I don’t really know what to say…” There was an awkwardness in the room, having unpacked… that. But you decide to make the air a bit more calmer. “Hey, Amadeus. Is it okay if you play the piano some more, to lighten the mood?” “h-h-huh? Oh, I guess, yeah…” The three of you step back to the piano, and Amadeus begins playing a piece. It was… soothing, and put everyone’s mind at rest. It almost made you forget about Apollyon, the fact you were trapped, etc. But, just before you were fully enveloped in relaxation, you noticed something. Through the windows of the door you came in from, you spot him. The horns, the wings, the fly. It was him. You needed to ask some questions. Now. “Excuse me, I need to go somewhere.” Khronos eyed you suspiciously. As you left, he’d also stand up. “Yeah, no. They’re also hiding something, sorry Amadeus but I’m going too.” “e-eh? you think saku’s hiding something? “Given how suddenly he left, I think something’s up.” “…i-i’ll also come with!” … “You, Apollyon. I need to ask you a question.” “???” He was obviously confused, this was your first real talk.” “My question is simple. Did you kill Mira Cher?” He looked surprised, probably didn’t expect a witness. “Don’t play dumb, I know you killed her. But, I don’t want to believe you are one. So if you’re being played by someone else, now is the time to say. “… ~ Infestation ~ Extended Darkness ~ Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit!” You sighed. At least he wasn’t a killer. But what of this infestation? “…Forgive me, but if I may, could I peer into your mind a bit, to find who or what caused you to do it?” Apollyon backed up, shaking his head. The line between his murderer and normal personalities were becoming more murky, but eventually he gave up and turned around. You did the same thing, memory slab, hand against his head and… “GAh- What?” You were immediately warped to a void, endless darkness surrounded you. Meanwhile, you were… floating in mid air. What…was happening to you? Suddenly a blaring sound filled your ears, making you instinctively put your hands on your ears. The darkness suddenly warped to static, like one you’d find on a TV. The change in brightness was so bright that you had to additionally close your eyes. In the distance, you could barely make out a figure, you couldn’t make out any of it except for the fact it was tall. It then spoke in a looming, powerful voice. ““̴‘̷V̵E̶N̴G̸A̶N̶C̵E̶ ̶I̴S̸ ̵M̴I̷N̷E̶;̴ ̵I̵ ̸W̸I̶L̴L̵ ̵R̸E̷P̵A̶Y̸!̵’̶ ̸S̵A̴Y̸S̵ ̸T̸H̶E̸ ̶L̸O̸R̵D̸!̶”̷ “̶̛̗S̴̥̐O̵͔̚ ̸͕͐Ṗ̸͈Ȕ̶̫T̵̻́ ̶͖͒T̸̻̓Ö̴̯ ̶̖͂D̴̪͠Ȇ̴̹A̷̠̽T̶̞̈́H̴͎̒ ̶̹͘T̴͚̈́H̶̳́Ḝ̸ ̸̢̑S̶̱̈I̴͕̐N̴̰͆F̶͇̀U̸̫̒L̴̯̄,̵̜̉ ̴̪̊É̴͜A̶̯͐Ȑ̴̖T̴̖̓H̸͖͠L̴̰͘Ȳ̷̝ ̸̞͂Ț̵͂H̸̩͛I̴̦͝N̸̥͐G̴̈͜Ș̸̐ ̸̻̓L̷͈͝Ṵ̷̈́Ŕ̶̹K̴͚̀I̴͇̚Ṅ̴̻G̸̻͘ ̶̯͑W̶͓͌I̵̽͜T̷̪͐Ḧ̴̪́Î̵̼N̵̪̒ ̶̮̀Y̴̦͋O̴̹͂Ü̷̘.̵̳̒“̶̢̒ “̴̡̼̞̼́̾͘W̶̛̳E̷͍̠̅͠ ̷̱̟̯̻̎̂Ẅ̴̼̰́Ȋ̵̢̟̗̠L̸̮͇̪͚̇͗̆L̵̩̅̂̑ ̵̧̩̬̜̎̈͝A̷̖͛̅͠L̸̖͖̫͔̒̍L̶̝̤͑̿͐͝ ̶̭̖̮͊͌̄̕͜D̶̬̫͓̭͗̈̽Ḯ̸̘͉͚̘͛͂E̴͙̋̄ ̴̱̚O̶̹͆N̵͇̉̉̄E̷̮̳̗̔͗ ̶̩̈́̓̀Ď̵̳A̸̛̲̼̣̿͛̌Y̵͔̣̠̎.̷̜̹͕̳̅͑̄”̶̢͙̣̥̈́̄̍͗ au revoir. You suddenly awake on the ground. Getting up, Apollyon was gone and there was a static memory slab on the ground. You also soon notice Khronos and Amadeus behind you. “o-oh, you’re awake!” “Okay, care to tell me what the hell just happened?” You grunt as you get your bearings and stand up to face them. “How…much did you see?” “You were talkin’ with Apollyon, I think. You were talking about a murder? And then you mind probed him and then you were sent back and became unconscious!” “a-and then… apollyon left soon after, he looked kind of scared.” “Yeah, so what’s your deal with Apollyon- you mentioned him in Amadeus’ memory too!” “I’ll tell you. Come, let’s discuss inside.” The three of you once again sit around the piano. You don’t exactly want to do this, but it is the right thing to do. “It… might be easier to digest if I show you.” You pick up that accursed memory slab and expand it. The two watch Mira’s graphic death, Apollyon clear as day. You watched as the two of their faces morphed after watching the video, Amadeus being in clear disbelief and shock, and Khronos being invested, and angered by the end. “That- He’s a killer!” “b-but… we… i…” “Well that’s it, he’s a murderer and we need to do something to him!” He was obviously insinuating a violent approach to the situation, but you needed to explain some more. “Hold on. I still need to divulge some information. I came across this memory after coming across what remained of Mira Cher. It was in a rather odd room, located in the old building we were trapped in for a day, in a room of cobblestone and rain-“ “h-hey i went in that room with apowwyon! but the body wasn’t thewe…” “Hmm. Well, the room was strange, and this place we’re trapped in operates strangely too, it seems obvious that whoever is hypothetically operating this place needed to clean the body soon enough. Regardless, I racked my brain trying to debate whether Apollyon was a killer.” “Uh, he’s a killer, you saw the video first!” “Yes, but that is not what I mean. What I am trying to figure out is if Apollyon himself is a killer, or is he a pawn in somebody else’s game?” “Does that matter to you?” “Yes, if Apollyon was forced into killing, then he is more innocent than it meets the eye. If I were to judge and execute him and he was controlled by another party… I don’t know what I would’ve done. I only finally met him today, but it was rather odd. He mentioned an ‘infestation,’ which to me seems like he is being controlled. Next, I went to search his mind like I did with Amadeus, but instead of getting a slab like normal, I was warped to a dark void, before it turned to TV static and a looming voice speaking to me before I woke up again.” “so… do you think this ‘static’ is that infestation?” “Perhaps…. perhaps…” “Well, what do we do about it?” “Just… keep an eye on him if you can. I… need some time.” You stepped out of the room. At least you made some friends.