THE THIRD PROSCRIPTION

[strangerpeople]

THE THIRD PROSCRIPTION
(CW: Coffins, claustrophobia in general, skeleton bones)

[Suddenly, a bright light from above lights up, same as last week, from the bone chandelier. he light only seems to shine on one individual, as the Elder Steward appears, his hood off, grinning.]



[He is silent, for a moment.

Then, he finally opens his mouth.]

Hnhnhnhn...

[And a second stream of light pours down.]



HNHNHNHN...

[And then a third.]



HNHNHNHNHNHNHN!!

[at last he turns to Thanatos.]

You poor old fool. You thought yourself so clever. But, I must congratulate you! You have condemned two innocents...and yourself, the culprit! What a beautiful moment indeed. Now no one is saved. There shall be no hope. Do you all see?

What a glorious day indeed for Our Lady!!

Comments

[incendiarize]

...Thanatos...

[It was a reckless decision. But Arthur can't judge it, either.

But what he can do? Is use his power. He isn't sure it'll work, he hasn't done much with this part, but... If he focuses, maybe he can see the future of Thanatos's world.

Maybe there's hope. Maybe, just maybe, he can help Thanatos go out with some measure of fulfillment or....or something. It's worth a try.]

[1/2] swaying leaves

[strangerpeople]

[At first, all Arthur can see is blobs. Then, slowly, something forms as his mind clears. He's not in the mansion anymore; and in front of him is...

It is a tree. Just a tree. It's swaying leaves are bright orange, almost neon, and if Arthur reaches, he can almost touch it, and just as he does, just as he is certain he can pin something about this vision outside of just this single tree-]

[2/2] a grave destiny

[strangerpeople]

[There is the screech of an engine, and the train-horn echoes through the station.

The tree is gone. There is no tree, perhaps never was but wasn't there, wasn't there, you saw it. Instead, Arthur is watching elegant vintage cars being coupled together, while they prepare for the journey through the relay.

The woman next to you voices what you - and the other survivors - are thinking.]

This has never been done before, you know. Well, not by humans. Not willingly.

[Who is talking to you? Female, yes. But, somehow, nothing else will stick to memory when you come down from this vision. Not who she is, not what she looks like, not even how her voice sounds. She may as well otherwise not exist to you.

You do remember what she says, though. You also remember a sensation on your tallowed back, and the shape of the gold-red ormolu and brass hairpin she wears. Both are hot like fire. One already sears your skin. The other threatens to blind you where you stand.

You confirm-but is it really you, Arthur? No, it can't be, but you can't tell who it is you are-that you and your fellow survivors were made aware of the risks of mortals traveling to other realities in this manner. You know that if you fail, there’s no guarantee others will stop the deluge that is happening. But the coordinates from the Throne’s intel in the other regions are solid, and the marks on your back should offer some protection from The Darkness Between the Clusters.

You ask her if she will come with you. Her smile is rueful as she gently takes the hairpin out of her hair. The strand held by it tumbles down in a stripe of white and lilac.]

If my work has taught me one thing, it is that a message must have a Messenger to aid in bearing it.

[All shall be well.

She holds the hairpin out.

and all manner of-

The words start to echo through you as the horn sounds again, whistling through your ears, as you blink--

Only to have Arthur find himself back in the Mansion, as if nothing happened, and the words slip away as the station Arthur was in does.

Technically, you-or, whoever Arthur had been-would be right. It-whatever "it" is-hasn’t happened, not yet. It may never happen. But it could, and that is the worst part, because nothing in it makes any sense.]

[incendiarize]

I just tried to look into your world's future. I dunno if that's exactly what I saw, but I did see something. Something about seeking a solution in other realities, I think?

So maybe there is a way. If there is, I'll find it for you.

[He needs more time to mull over the details, but...but it's something.]

[notadinosnack]

If you figure something out, just don't tell Ricotta how far her father was willing to go for her sake. It was her and the other kids that I wanted to have a chance to live, especially Alison and Ed's newborn son.

[And with that last part especially, Arthur can see that not only is Thanatos showing some emotion besides his normal devil-may-care attitude, but he's actually tearing up.]

I truly didn't mean for it to go this way.

[incendiarize]

Got it. Though... That's what parents are supposed to be like, right? Willing to do anything for their kids.

...I wonder what my family was like...

[He hasn't wondered that in a long time.]

[notadinosnack]

I just always thought it would be in a more normal way.