* & → @applaudemise cont .
`SOMETIMES IT WAS FUNNY THAT THE KING STILL HELD ON. ‘FUNNY IN A WAY THAT MELDED SO WELL WITH CONFUSING & PATHETIC. That every time he became conscious from a black out, only to find himself DRENCHED in blood, iron coating tongue and the clinging, potent taste of raw flesh coating his tongue, he still held out. (PUSHING FURTHER AND FURTHER TILL THE NEXT ONE). Every time he took a cloth to his hand, rubbing off the red till his hands became red once more, spitting out the taste he had once had appeal toward and was now DISGUSTED by till he was dry heaving, he held on.
`EVERY TIME HE WAS WORRIED THAT THE NEXT CORPSE HE WOULD SEE WOULD BE FAMILIAR, HE HELD ON. ‘AND PERHAPS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE WEIGHTED FACTORS. A reminder, a fact remembered when he subsided from the Beast’s control to find himself with a hardened grip on Mogar, or when FLICKERS OF HIMSELF AND THE THING WENT IN AND OUT, FINDING HIS TONGUE SPILLING PRETTY LITTLE FUCKING LIES & THREATS IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO ONCE BEFORE, BUT NOTHING LIKE BEFORE. The Mad King found it in the way when he was allowed to have control, keep control, keep the shell of himself still alive and….well, HIMSELF.
`AND THEN THERE WERE THE SMALL THINGS, LIKE THIS. ‘UNUSUAL, SURPRISING, UTTERLY AND PURELY ALIEN TO HIM. Warmer hand found meeting against one that had been laid bare against side, fingers lacing against palm. Eyes ended up betraying him, moving down to look at Mogars hand that held his / A HAND THAT HAD ONCE BETRAYED / A HAND THAT ONCE SO STAINED IN BLOOD FREELY, HAPPILY / A HAND THAT HAD STOLE & DESECRATED THE PEACE. The Mad King didn’t even seem to notice the light sting that came along fresher wounds that laced his hand caused by self, those were far less prominent, less OBVIOUS then the touch itself. Blues so moved up from the hand to the warriors face, before leaving that and looking ahead.
`SOMETHING CONTEMPLATIVE. ‘A LOOK COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY UNSURE OF WHAT TO MAKE OF THIS, BARELY HIDDEN. He didn’t wrap his fingers back, the digits laying poised in their, in HIS confusion. ❝ -—- Why?❞ The word came out simply, NO DIRECT EMOTIONAL CONNECTION LACING HIS VOICE. A head shook, a smile growing on face, and a chuckle following after that. But it was not one of malice / a diabolic nature that had ONCE existed. It seemed baffled, confused. ❝ -—- Why are you doing stuff like this to me? Why do you stay around? And why do you let me stay around? We both know me or you leaving wouldn’t stop this thing from tracking down to get its pawns back, but you aren’t weak. And let’s face it, I’m not who I was. I couldn’t stop you if you tried to kill me.❞ Hand squeezed back at that, loosening after a second or two but was still laced. THERE WAS AN UNSPOKEN CONTINUATION TO THAT (BECAUSE IM TOO MUCH OF A COWARD TO DO IT MYSELF / AND DEATH IS STILL FEARED). Smile may still lace features, but it seemed forced. ❝ -—- So what’s the reason? I’ve already told you, I don’t like being kept in the dark before. Why do you let this happen? And why are you getting so close, tempting me to get closer? Its dangerous and dumb and we both know that.❞
WHY / WHY / WHY ? THAT’S WHAT IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO. why does the wolf open his house & let lion lay beside him —— when everything points to the fact they are ENEMIES ? when so recently he was fleeing with no glance back ( SCARS that litter him enough to show what’s behind ) at the creature that tore him apart. mogar looks down at his own fingers , laced into those of a man he should HATE. and no words come to explain it —— no words , only a feeling. something strong and alive inside his chest that he doesn’t have the language to EXPLAIN but perhaps , this once , he will try. because a part of him feels the mad king deserves it. so he pauses , thinks. searches as well as he can for words to say it ( because actions may speak louder // but perhaps they need something QUIET right now ).
“ IT IS NOT FAIR. ” voice is very quiet. quieter than it should be from one who , once , was a warrior. and then a murderer. “ what it made us do. ” none of them chose this. all were forced alike. but now , when player FINALLY may think themselves free , it is only one being pulled down again. and the part of mogar that is still just —— the part that can still FEEL right from wrong knows this is too much. a man may sin // may do all forms of bad // but this punishment is too much. this is all too much.
“ WE . . . WERE ALL THERE. the mad king did evil only as every other did. ” he’s struggling to say what he means but the mad king does not deserve this. cannot , surely , deserve this hell. didn’t then. doesn’t now. and then there’s another pause // because there are other things he wants to say. SILENCE hangs between them for far longer before he speaks the next time. “ mogar does not want to kill you. ” simple. inexplicable. but true. digits tighten just a little around the other man’s now. “ mogar and the mad king were together in there. they will be together now too. ” twisted loyalty // now has become something else between the two. and whatever happens , mogar knows he cannot abandon the mad king now. after everything , after the horrors they have been through. perhaps because there are so few that could understand each other. features lay very still as they watch the other’s , waiting for reaction. “ the game was broken once —— we can still be free from it. ” alone they are nothing. broken puzzle pieces. but if their ordeal has proved anything , it’s that they are stronger TOGETHER. if the entity can be killed // driven away // surely it would be the two of them to do it. “ you do not deserve to be alone to suffer , riain. and mogar will not abandon you. ”
