towerofanimus | i will storm the gates of hell

Entry tags:

i will storm the gates of hell

Characters: karna & you. yeah, you.
Setting: room 1-12, then wherever you wanna run into him, idc.
Format: again, i write in action spam because i'm lazy, but feel free to respond in either.
Summary: this is probably gonna be terrible.
Warnings: none yet, unless you count the traumatized hindu deity.

[ he can't believe what he's reading. his world is gone? his entire world? it's not possible. not yet, not now, and certainly not like this. karna understands what he is, of course, but why does that make him worthy of saving? he served in life, he served in death-- if anyone should have been protected, should have been spared, it should have been his master.

he can't.. think about this right now. he can't focus on how empty he feels. ten years he'd been connected to his master, knowing one another body and mind and soul. ten years their bond had existed, and now-- and now--

he wants to scream. it's like a limb is missing, ripped away and bleeding, and it's all he can do to breathe, to move. he's not ready. he'd known he'd lose him eventually, but he'd thought-- he'd thought he'd have years, not like this. they were supposed to have a lifetime together.

he doesn't have the presence of mind to banish his armor for something less conspicuous. all he can think of is how desperately he needs to get away. he leaves the letters on his bed, stumbling away, all but fleeing the room as the void inside him shrieks its loss. he has no idea where he's going, only that he has to keep walking. he needs to walk until he finds the end of-- of whatever this is.

this is fate, surely, but it's a fate that he was woefully unprepared for. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Waver had been doing his best to balance 'working' and 'trying not to work oneself to death'. The latter was something of a difficult concept for someone that was used to working absurdly late nights or just constantly until whatever he needed to accomplish was done.]

[But of course Diarmuid had convinced him to at least attempt not to get hopelessly lost in whatever tasks he'd set for himself. Pressing a hand to his face as though that would force back exhaustion, the ponytailed magus stepped out of the laboratory with a yawn and started to walk in the direction of the cafeteria.]

[...At which point he very nearly walked headlong into what looked like an unfamiliar Servant in full armor. One hand went to the sunglasses on his head to make sure they weren't about to fall off, Waver hesitating before managing to determine an actual response.]

Sorry--I must have been distracted. [His right hand went to his jacket pocket, hiding his Command Spells just in case whoever this was happened to be less than friendly.]

[ for a few stunned seconds, who he's looking at doesn't really register, the shock too complete. but-- the energy is so familiar, even if their bond is missing. he looks almost exactly the same; a few minor details are different, but those don't matter. it's waver. he's here, and the letter had lied.

karna sucks in a desperate breath through his teeth, white noise roaring in his ears, pale eyes wide and so, so very grateful. he takes the short step that separates them, long fingers lifting to the human's face, cupping it with tender affection. ] Waver. [ there's no mistaking the tone of his voice; he can't hide his desperate relief or the terror he'd felt. ] I could not sense you. I feared you gone.

[ true, waver's own reaction to seeing him is-- strange, but perhaps he hadn't received the same notice that karna had. ]

[Waver froze solid at the sudden contact, shoulders set into a rigid line. Shock dulled by exhaustion twitched across his face, hands half-raised as though he didn't know whether to stop Karna or stand utterly still like an idiot.]

...I- [Words halting and hesitant, his mind was racing as fast as it could; this didn't seem like a threat, so calling Diarmuid was probably unnecessary. But then what the hell was going on? Was it possible this was another case of an individual recognizing someone that didn't recognize them in turn? That seemed the likeliest possible option; hadn't he felt a sense of relief similar to that on his own first day here?]

I'm, er...sorry. I don't think I'm the Waver Velvet you're looking for.

[ something is wrong. why doesn't waver know him? why is he looking at him in such a manner? and then when he says that--

this isn't possible. this isn't possible. ten years they'd spent together, and waver doesn't know him? his own servant? his own lover?

his hands fall away as if burned, and he takes a swift step back, expression closing down to hide his shock, his hurt. no. no, no, no, this isn't happening. ] My apologies. [ he takes an unsteady breath, pale eyes sliding away from the familiar, beloved face. ]

No, I... [At least Diarmuid had recognized him, if not as his Master. Waver was utterly as a loss to who this even was, and that honestly made him feel a little guilty for being unable to soften the blow somewhat.]

...could I ask for your name, to start with? I'll try to explain this place and make it a little easier for you if I can.

[ you know my name, he wants to shriek it, to shake him, to plead for him to remember. panic is clawing at his insides, tearing through his veins, leaving him shaking and terrified. this is so much more painful, somehow, to have him so close, so close, so close-- ]

I am called Karna. [ please, please remember it! ] I was summoned as Lancer by Waver Velvet in the Fourth Grail War. I defeated his enemies and won the Grail for him. [ for you, everything for you. ] It has been a decade since then.

You-...

['Won'? How could that have been possible? What he'd seen of the Grail--rather, what must have been where the Grail manifested--was nothing anyone could have claimed victory on. Could they really have won and survived, both himself and his Servant?]

...how? I--was that even possible?

[ he dips his head in a nod, expression blank and even. ] There was.. a cost. But yes. You truly do not remember..?

[ his mouth thins uncertainly as he takes in the details, the changes in what seems like his master. and-- something strange occurs to him. ]

Is this-- [ a pause. he was never a mage, himself, but ten years surrounded by them means he's picked a few things up. ] This is Second Magic. Yes? [ which means his lover is truly gone. ]

I'm afraid it is. While I was in the fourth war and I did summon a Lancer, he was another Servant entirely and we...didn't win.

[Waver paused, trying to determine what would be the most tactful thing to say here.]

...I'm sorry. If you're worried about him...it's apparently true what they say about our worlds, but there have at least been indications that it's possible to reverse that. Somehow. We're still working on that.

[ this is not his lover. this is a man who looks like his lover, but has no idea who karna is. it's all he can do right now just to stay upright, to stand here and talk to him as if it's okay.

the last part, though, earns a sharp, desperate breath through his nose. ] How? What indications?

There are several individuals in charge of this place. One of them was, as I'm told, vastly more on the side of the residents of this lovely bit of hell than he was on the administration's. Though he's long since been killed by one of them, it's become apparent through material he left there is some as of yet unknown way to set everything straight.

[Waver sighed, shaking his head.]

We just...don't know what that is yet. Some of us--most, probably--are doing all we can to solve the impossible mysteries of this place and figure out where to go from here. I for one hardly think all hope is lost, at the very least.

[ he ducks into a deep bow, fists clenched at his sides. if anyone can solve it, it's waver. he knows this. ] Whatever I can assist with, you have it from me. Whatever I can do. Anything. But I cannot--

[ he sucks in a small, distressed breath through his nose. ]

You must understand. He is-- everything to me.

It's alright. Really, I...think I might have some understanding of what you're driving at.

[Even if this was completely sudden and unexpected, Karna seemed completely genuine. Waver had a hard time imagining he could be any sort of threat to him.]

I'd be incredibly grateful for your help. Honestly, the more people I have hovering over me to make sure I don't screw up, the better off we are.

You could not 'screw up'. [ have you ever wondered what the face of complete, unwavering, absolute faith looks like? you're looking at it, waver velvet. your double had a decade of this kind of devotion.

he rises from his bow, finally banishing his armor for a simple suit, gloved fists clenching at his sides. ]

We.. have fought too hard for too long for our life together to end this way. [ he can't.. look at him. it's too hard, looking at a man so much like his lover. ] You have my most sincere thanks. [ and his service. this may not be his waver, but it's waver velvet nonetheless, and he'll do what he can to serve him until they can find a way to restore their worlds and loved ones. ]

[Remarkably, he did know what it looked like. But to see it from someone else caught Waver off guard, and the calm confidence he wore faltered for a fraction of a second.]

I--don't worry. I'll do everything I can to make sure you get him back. That much, I can promise. But would you...I can accept a hell of a lot of surprises, but I can't imagine a world where I could possibly have won. Would you be against telling me what happened for the two of you?

[ he stiffens at the request, but-- he can't deny him, either. if anyone deserves to know, it's his lover's double. ]

It came down to the Servant known as Gilgamesh and I. He was a most worthy opponent. It might have easily gone the other way, but-- I defeated him in the end. My Master.. [ his fingers curl together, tight enough to hurt. ] My Master wished for my incarnation. We learned later how corrupt the Grail truly was-- His wish came at the cost of years of his life, and sacrificed my right to die.

[ a breath, eyes closing briefly to calm himself. ]

.. He has worked since then to destroy it.

...

[well, that certainly sounded like him. If they had gotten that far, Waver certainly couldn't say he wouldn't wish for the same. And it certainly didn't surprise him one bit that it had gone wrong--not with the utter mess Fuyuki had turned into when it had all ended. And if ever he'd questioned his conclusion that the Grail was corrupt, there was no doubt in Waver's mind now, Second Magic be damned.]

...I see. [Even so, there was a faint sense of underlying emotion Waver guessed to be 'jealousy'. The lecturer forced himself not to imagine a world where he hadn't spent ten years on his own; it wouldn't accomplish anything to dwell on the hypothetical.]

We...didn't get quite that far. But regarding myself, it seems our conclusion on the matter is the same. I decided years ago to work on dismantling the Grail.

[ he dips his head in a small nod. ] As Servants go, I am.. extraordinarily strong even for a Heroic Spirit. [ the claim might have sounded arrogant coming from anyone else, but from karna, it's actually faintly apologetic. ] Divine Spirits tend to be, I believe.

[ the true miracle is that waver had been able to support such a servant, but-- they'd often relied on slightly questionable means to do so. ]

A worthy endeavor, to be certain, but-- [ his expression takes on a faintly stern note. ] --as I have often told my own Waver, not at the cost of your health and life.

[Waver couldn't quite stop the sense of guilt he felt at hearing that. It hadn't been Diarmuid's fault they had lost. Even if he hadn't been able to win against Saber and even if perhaps another Servant could have--no, he stopped that train of thought right there and immediately discarded it. Again, there was no point in hypotheticals here. Instead he just let the matter pass unremarked upon.]

I know that it isn't. Even so, it isn't something any one can just get away with. I hope you realize that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i will storm the gates of hell

floor 27

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject