Silence surrounded, and consciousness ceased. Had it been moments--minutes? Had hours passed or decades--Had eternity drifted by as he waited in the wings? The sense of oblivion received became freeing, an abrupt and endless thing given by the one that he wished it from. Time passed. And no time had passed at all.
Enough of his mind had been recreated within his skull for Albedo to regain consciousness. His own misguided logic understood mere seconds might have passed, and something in him mourned this deeply. Something in him... Wanted the truth behind his desire. Wanted more than anything that lies he had told himself as he slept; soft and gentle things to help him sleep. Rubedo might kill him one day. Rubedo might rip his endlessly-beating heart out, and with his hands, lovingly sooth it to stillness. His twin, looking at him sweetly, covered in Albedo's own blood as he smoothed down Albedo's hair. The last loss of consciousness, and Rubedo's face the last thing known. Rubedo destroying the life Albedo was never meant to have. Never meant to receive. Because then... and only then... he would be free.
This passed in an instant, consciousness regained to the sound of crying, and in this, Albedo felt familiarity pulsing under the constant thrum of the Song. In this, Albedo felt an answering echo of sorrow, dark and deep. It pulsated upwards without warning, slipping down as he finally opened his eyes in the form of tears. As if from nowhere. The weapon remained confused, and strangely sated, when he saw Rubedo standing over him, gun at the ready. Like a vision, like a promise. Like a dream of what was to come. "Let me tell you a story, Rubedo."
Because I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter hidden things.
"You once had many brothers, and one of them became lost. In this story, you go after him, leaving the others together, and search, many days, many nights, countless and unnumbered. Your quest takes you far through space and time, and you become saddened, lose hope. But you continue on. Because you believe you'll find that brother.
"And when you find him? You'll rejoice, cry to the others that he's found--say to him, I have loved you more than the others--My brother was dead and lives again; he was lost and now is found."
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Enough of his mind had been recreated within his skull for Albedo to regain consciousness. His own misguided logic understood mere seconds might have passed, and something in him mourned this deeply. Something in him... Wanted the truth behind his desire. Wanted more than anything that lies he had told himself as he slept; soft and gentle things to help him sleep. Rubedo might kill him one day. Rubedo might rip his endlessly-beating heart out, and with his hands, lovingly sooth it to stillness. His twin, looking at him sweetly, covered in Albedo's own blood as he smoothed down Albedo's hair. The last loss of consciousness, and Rubedo's face the last thing known. Rubedo destroying the life Albedo was never meant to have. Never meant to receive. Because then... and only then... he would be free.
This passed in an instant, consciousness regained to the sound of crying, and in this, Albedo felt familiarity pulsing under the constant thrum of the Song. In this, Albedo felt an answering echo of sorrow, dark and deep. It pulsated upwards without warning, slipping down as he finally opened his eyes in the form of tears. As if from nowhere. The weapon remained confused, and strangely sated, when he saw Rubedo standing over him, gun at the ready. Like a vision, like a promise. Like a dream of what was to come. "Let me tell you a story, Rubedo."
Because I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter hidden things.
"You once had many brothers, and one of them became lost. In this story, you go after him, leaving the others together, and search, many days, many nights, countless and unnumbered. Your quest takes you far through space and time, and you become saddened, lose hope. But you continue on. Because you believe you'll find that brother.
"And when you find him? You'll rejoice, cry to the others that he's found--say to him, I have loved you more than the others--My brother was dead and lives again; he was lost and now is found."
My punishment is greater than I can bear.
"But you didn't, Rubedo. You didn't."