izunia lucis callout

[founderinglight]

you will pry twinzunia from my cold dead hands let's do this

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[scourgingstars]

You know I would want none of that. Least of all to have you stand where I do and bear what I carry. I love you dearly and would gladly be crushed beneath the endless night if it means that you should avoid such suffering. You are and shall ever be part of my heart, and there is nothing I would turn from if it meant protecting you.

[founderinglight]

And I suffer far more for having harmed you by mistake than I would under the weight of ten thousand daemons and here we go again.

[Tiniest laugh. They just keep getting caught in this circular discussion.]

[scourgingstars]

I’m sorry. But we could have worse problems than caring too much for each other.

[founderinglight]

I don't know, we kind of managed to instigate an eventual apocalypse by doing do.

[scourgingstars]

From the sound of it, that was likely to have been mostly my fault.

[founderinglight]

Except that the insanity that led to it was mostly my fault, therefore we are splitting the blame equally and fairly.

[scourgingstars]

Are we really going to start arguing about this?

[founderinglight]

No, we are sharing the blame equally and there is no argument allowed.

[scourgingstars]

If that's what it will take to let you smile once more, then I'll simply have to accept that.

[founderinglight]

And to think that it only took two thousand years for you to not argue with me on such things.

[scourgingstars]

Don't be stupid, I'm only twenty. Although, it looks like I'm likely to age pretty well if you're still any indication.

[founderinglight]

Mm, we did get off lucky on that front. This is...

[He pauses, and pulls away slightly to examine himself.]

...Thirty-five, thirty-six, somewhere in there. About where you got stuck, for the record.

[Izunia Lucis Caelum died the same day as his brother.]

[scourgingstars]

Well, I could certainly do worse.

...So, I've got just about fifteen years left, is that it?

[founderinglight]

Given what you're doing, I think it's surprising that you got that long. The line of Oracles usually only manages twenty-five or so once they take up their duties, and the Scourge is not near as widespread after -

[He cuts himself off with an almost audible snap of the jaw.]

[scourgingstars]

...good. That's a relief to hear. As long as I'm able to keep others from suffering, then...at least some part of me can be satisfied with that.

[founderinglight]

...Even if you end up spreading it further in the end?

[Because UM. He hasn't really talked about the Night, has he.]

[scourgingstars]

...

I don't know. I...if all I'm doing now is just prolonging the inevitable, isn't that in itself worth something?

[founderinglight]

...I don't know, Ardyn. That's an answer you'll have to come to for yourself.

[Does he dare tell Ardyn exactly how far he went, how many people died?

How can he possibly do that to his brother, and risk destroying him again? But if Ardyn asks, he won't beat around the bush.]

...For what it's worth, humanity does survive. We truly are the most tenacious species.

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn leaned heavily against his brother in the silence that followed, burying his face in Izunia's shoulder and knocking the goggles on his head crooked in the process.]

I just...I thought I...

I only wanted to help.

[founderinglight]

I know. I know.

[It's why he was the perfect tool, the perfect victim.

For now, Izunia reaches up to run comforting fingers through his brother's hair, untamed mess that it always is.]

[scourgingstars]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry I left you alone, for whatever I did wrong, anything that's happened I don't yet know about...I'm so sorry.

[founderinglight]

That's my line, brother.

[He squeezes, just a little, before going back to running his fingers through Ardyn's hair.]

You didn't leave me. Never that.

[The gods took you away from me - but at least he can put one of his brother's worries to rest.]

[scourgingstars]

I wouldn't...I'd never want to. You know that, right?

[founderinglight]

Of course I do.

[Even at his worst - Ardyn had still carried that scarf, perhaps even long ignorant of what it once meant. My love goes with you - ]

We entered this world together. We were always supposed to leave it in the same way.

[ - I'll wait for you. No matter how far you go, I will always be there to welcome you home.]

[scourgingstars]

Always.

[His voice cracked, and Ardyn spent a few seconds in silence to put himself back together before pulling back slightly.]

Where-...where are we, exactly?