izunia lucis callout

[founderinglight]

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

Comments

[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?

[founderinglight]

What - oh.

[Forgive him he completely forgot about the scenery because you were here?]

...Crown City Insomnia, some two thousand and change years after where you are now.

[scourgingstars]

...hm. So this is what becomes of Solheim someday.

[Ardyn smiled faintly, half clinging to his brother's arm.]

It's spectacular.

[founderinglight]

Rather less in the way of flying vehicles than I think you would have preferred, though.

[Ardyn is definitely the flying cars guy. No wonder he went to Gralea instead.]

It's a bit better with people, but we can still walk around, if you like. I'm hardly the best tour guide, but I know at least a bit of the city.

[...In its dark, ruined form, but no need to tell Ardyn that yet.]

[scourgingstars]

Anything you want, little brother.

[founderinglight]

It's up to you, Ardyn.

[My dear shadow, he almost says, but bites back. Even if this is still the Ardyn who stood between him and innumerable lamps while he was trying to work, that has a different meaning that this light-hearted, younger version doesn't deserve to bear.]

[scourgingstars]

Don't start being difficult now. Show me whatever you like.

[founderinglight]

Let's wander, then, and perhaps reach the Citadel eventually.

[Arm in arm, the apparent gap between their ages disregarded, neither wanting to let go.]

[scourgingstars]

You know well that I should follow anywhere you might go.

[Ardyn, luckily, always had ridiculously long legs that made it no problem to keep up even as young as he was.]