Session 13: Letter No. 2/2 - A Recounting of New Memories
Dear Harley,
The past few days have been eye-opening to say the very least. My companions and I happened to end up here after our very first plane jump and I will say, it was quite refreshing to be back home, even if I’d only been gone for a little while. Vaugeus is much livelier than Averace, but you must’ve known that already; your work trips are just one of the memories that have resurfaced as of late so I wouldn’t be surprised if you came to this city fairly often.
We arrived here in search of a “rift item” and as we continued on our investigation, I began learning more and more. Remembering. It excited me at first but as time went on and we got closer to said item, I realized that not all of the memories I’d be acquiring on this leg of the journey would be pleasant (a lesson I probably should have kept in mind after my previous experiences with this sort of thing, really). However, I believe there’s... a lot more to unpack after this one.
Say, I think it’s about time I try my hand at telling a story, don’t you, dear?
___
"Well, boy, didn't expect you to come back." Tablemaster took off a glove, showing off a black, clawed hand, and he snapped his fingers to spark up a bit of blue flame, fox tail swinging. "Remember anything, love?"
The pressure in my head had gotten even worse as I’d stared at Tablemaster, the gears in my head turning and turning and turning until they finally clicked into place.
This man.. No- this- this thing... I was killed by this creature- why am I still standing here?
My face had instantly paled and I stumbled backwards, shaking so intensely you’d think there’d have been an earthquake rocking the ground beneath my feet. “No… No no no no- You.. It- It was you-” I’d squeezed out, clutching- almost clawing at my right wrist, then my chest, then the sides of my neck trying desperately to rid myself of the horrendous thumping that was my near deafening pulse.
“You did it- The note- The photo- All of it- Harley tried to- I- I didn’t listen.” My breaths were so short and quick, I imagine it was like listening to a hot, panting dog.
My chest had tightened more and more with every word I said. Standing in front of Tablemaster seemed outright impossible and every second that passed by, it felt as if my heart was trying to burst right out of my own body; where it should not have been in the first place.
“You- You took… everything... from me.. And- And for what!?? Some- Some kind of GAME??” I’d stepped forward, furious but absolutely horrified at the same time. “IS THIS SOME KIND OF SICK GAME TO YOU!?”
With a trembling hand, I casted Eldritch Blast at Tablemaster, shooting out two long, glowing white beams of sharp and splintering bone as what seemed like buckets of tears I was unable to even feel fell from my face.
Tablemaster’s eyes had widened, but not in surprise- the maniacal grin only got bigger when the blast of magic went outrageously wide and didn't even graze him as he bowed out of the way. "You're going to have to try a little harder than that, sweets~"
It was in this moment that the familiar sensation of true helplessness returned to my mind, just like it had the first time Tablemaster and I had really met; something with sharp claws suddenly digging into the base of my skull and neck, holding me in place in the middle of that alleyway as- No no no- Shut up! Shut up!
"I hope you realize you've made an awful mistake ever since you opened that envelope. It could have been for someone else! Anyone would have done the job. Blame luck, my dear."
My mind had flashed back to memories of you, Harley, begging me not to go and only then it had truly hit me.
You knew that note was not for me, didn’t you?
___
I hope you’re still out there, dear, wherever you may be,
might as well post the old (left) and newer (right, transparent) animations i did of the Tablemaster, (ty to @theshitpostcalligrapher, who we appreciate for her piece that we req’d a bit ago)
the party was not supposed to be here....... and right as everyone saw him, they knew.
