Chapter Text
"Goodby King" was the last thing Derek said before it was silent on the floating platform he stood on, he lets out a small huff of relief glancing around before he walks off to peer over the edge of the platform where the eye had just been, seemed like a long way down.... Probubly all the way to the void if he had to guess. Derek steps back and glances around at the inky black void around him again for awhile just taking in what had all just transpired.
If his plan truly was going to work then he wouldn't have much time left but oddly... His head didn't seem to throb any harder than it had already been since he stepped through that first set of gates... The silence was almost eery as it stretched along and Derek takes one more step back before suddenly all the hundreds of eyes that had seemed to have disappeared pop back into existence and The Kings voice booms in his head and the surroundings like it had before "Life" it says as a startled breath catches in Derek's throat and he suddenly hears another voice wich sends a much deeper chill through his core.
"D3rlord?..."
Says an all too familiar voice from behind him and he whips back to face him, the shadow of his helmet hid most of his expression but the eye you could see was twisted with concern. "Avery...." He feels a knot form in his stomach "what are you doing here....? W...why aren't you at the tree?..." Derek glances around still seeing the many eyes looming over them almost seeming to be watching this unfold like it was some sort of sick play.
"What am I doing here??" The slime steps closer. He was shorter than Derek but that didn't stop him from standing his ground. "What are YOU doing here???? You LIED to me!" The slime hybrid takes another step closer "There was nothing on that tree D3rlord! What are you doing here?" He keeps advancing as he speaks "what is this??" He looks up at Derek, his tail flicking in concern but also in annoyance, he had run all that way! And for what?? He could have been HELPING with whatever all this is!
Derek stands his ground albeit with much less confidence. His voice was soft, it always was to Avery. "Avery, I need you to leave. now." He tries to take a step forward to emphasize his seriousness but Avery takes two more steps in return bridging the final part of the gap.
"I'm not leaving until you talk to me..." Avery's voice softens too but Derek shakes his head.
"I'm not talking, you have to go. Now." Derek looks to the side unable to meet the slimebugs determined stare. He really didn't want to have to do anything like this, the whole reason he sent Avery off in the first place was to avoid having a final moment like this, it made what was going to have to happen hurt so much more.
"Why?" Avery insists, he wanted so badly to help, he thought surly if he at least knew what was going on he could help.
Derek shifts in place clearly growing more nervous as time stretches on but he knew lying more wouldn't get him out of this confrontation "I'm finishing the job Avery... You NEED to get out of here."
"What do you mean finishing the job?... What IS this...?" His little antennas twitched as he tries to discern what exactly was happening, something Derek would have thought was rather cute if he weren't trying to deescalate and get Avery out of here.
"Avery, I NEED you to leave this world ok? Then I'll explain." Derek still couldn't seem to meet Avery's gaze as he tries to explain himself as best he could "Just go back to your home spawn ok? Then I'll tell you after.... I'll tell you what's going on soon... I promise"
"NO! I won't go! Tell me what's going on! NOW!" Avery stomps one of his feet into the ground to emphasize his frustration at how he was being treated. He was no damsel! He could help! He was strong and capable! Surly Derek would know that by now wouldn't he? After all this time searching? He had overcome so many obstacles to get to Derek! He couldn't just give up the fight now!
"I will afterwards" Derek insists softly, he reaches over to try to sooth the slime with a touch but Avery swats his hand away and shouts
"I DONT BELIEVE YOU! with that stunt you pulled with the tree why would I??" He had a great point but Derek knew that his chances of saving Avery were getting slimmer by the second as the eyes continued to loom over them in silent observation.
"Avery I NEED you to leave or this will ALL be ruined-" Derek starts but he's interrupted by Avery
"IM NOT GOING UNTILL YOU TELL ME WHAT'S! GOING! ON!" He steps forward glaring up at Derek, the deeper parts of his slimy core seemed to bubble and twist more inside him as his anger grows "WHAT IS THIS PLACE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"
Derek resists the urge to step back as Avery advanced and shouted. "Avery I'm not asking, if you don't leave... I-ill kill you" he tries to hide the stammer in his voice as he readies his nearly broken wooden axe praying Avery wouldn't call his bluff.
"WILL YOU?" Fuck.... Avery pulls out a very clearly un-scuffed wooden sword. "well I'll kill you first. TELL ME. WHATS. GOING. ON."
"Avery," Derek starts "the ONLY way to stop this thing is to have it merge with someone who's mind is already gone" he answers "if I force it to enter MY mind while it deteriorates it'll go down with me ok? It'll be trapped, We will WIN. But I need you to leave this area or it won't work. If you stay here it ALL falls apart, I have it under control trust me. Just leave."
"What'll happen to you?...." Avery tilts his head squinting a little as he watches Derek's expression searching what he can see for sincerity.
"I don't know..." He keeps avoiding his gaze
"DONT LIE TO ME!" Avery stomps again as he shouts
"I SAID I DONT KNOW OK!?" Derek swings his axe down on Avery trying in vain to get him to back up or leave, his axe shatters on impact and Avery doesn't swing back. "My mind is gone anyways Avery! I can't leave this world without it feeling like my heads gonna explode! Soon I probubly won't even be able to think at all! If you STAY here it will merge with you too! That's EXACTLY what it wants! It'll be free! Do you want that???" Derek pushes further.
"I don't care .... I'm not letting you do this.... There HAS to be another way... Not this one..." Avery's confidence seems to faulter but he keeps frowning up at Derek still trying to read him.
"We don't have time Avery-" Derek starts "yes, we do! There has to be another way D3rlord..." Avery interrupts "Please! There HAS to be another way!!" he reaches out to Derek who finally takes a step back avoiding his touch.
"Avery.... You... You can't stay here you have SO much life to live...." He tries but Avery shouts over him "AND I OWE IT TO YOU!"
"NO YOU DO NOT! THAT IS AN INSANE THING TO SAY! YOU DONT EVEN KNOW ME!!" Derek finally shouts back finally returning his firey gaze.
"YOU WARNED ME DEREK!!! YOU'RE ONLY PART OF THIS BECAUSE IT WANTED ME!! ITS NOT YOUR FAULT YOUR HERE! IM NOT LETTING YOU DIE FOR ME!" Avery protests in vein clenching his fists as his slime continues to bubble from his frustration.
"Avery" Derek looks down at him, shifting his weight before he tries one last idea to get him to back down willingly "if you don't go, we'll BOTH die...."
The silence feels suffocating as they stand there with Avery glaring up at Derek. He still wasn't budging so Derek putters on "It's ok.... You might not even remember me when your out of here.... Who knows how this place works.... now leave.... Please...." Derek starts wracking his brain on what to do next, he was running out of time and he had to think of something fast.
"no...." Avery seems to finally be starting to calm seeing the look in Derek's eyes. "I'm staying with you D3rlord...."
"you won't leave....?" Derek steps uncomfortably close
"no...." Avery steps back "you can't stop me...... no matter what you say....." Avery grabs the front of his own shirt in an anxious fidget "you warned me.... you saved me.... if we're doing this..... we're doing this together.... I don't care...."
"your staying?...." Another step uncomfortable close.
"yes....." Another step back, his voice was quiet now, almost a mumble
"you won't leave?...." A step forward
"no...." And one final step back before-
"Avery.... What's in your inventory....?" Derek looks at him with no indication of any sarcasm or joke.
"What......?" The question cought him off guard,
"What's in your inventory?...." Derek repeats and waits a few seconds for Avery to start looking through his inventory before he swiftly tries to shove his palms against the shorter male but Avery catches a glimpse of his movements from the corner of his eye, swiftly stepping out of the way as he had done many times before in his many skywars battles and with a startled gasp, Derek stumbles off the edge of the platform and falls instead, leaving Avery entirely defenceless against The King.
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Everything was quiet for a moment then Derek wakes up with a gasp in bed in the starter base he had set up before heading into the mines. For a moment he almost thought everything was just a dream, the pounding in his head was gone... And... Thinking on it.... He couldn't draw from The Kings so called "gift" anymore... His head for the first time in what felt like months.... Was silent.
Derek climbs out of bed glancing around at the dusty room. That couldn't have just been a dream, he had left this place clean... Well dusted... With that Derek grabs some simple supplies and sprints out the front door of his shelter, not even bothering to close it back up. He had to get back.
He runs into the forest surrounding his base towards where he had started his mineshaft and sure enough, there stood the hole he and then Avery had mined into the wall, uncovered this time. Seems The King didn't need to draw anything in through curiosity anymore, it hadn't replaced the blocks this time.
Without any hesitation in his steps Derek keeps running, the cave oddly felt... Smaller this time around... Like parts had simply been removed to make the travel easier.... Less cumbersome...
He only had to run his way through three locations, a much shorter start to the cave, the poem room, and finally the abandoned village. Everything else seemed unnecessary to keep now it seemed and something new catches his eye. He was making his way towards the house on the outskirts of the village to route through the hidden tunnels like he had before but Derek notices an archway in the distance and from what he could tell from here, behind the archway was the mud brick hallway that would... In theory... Lead him to the gateway he needed.
Derek makes his way that way, his steps much more cautious in these newer waters but the hallway is as stagnant as it had been before and when he finally stands before the threshold Derek could make out what appeared like the exact crossroad he needed at the end, so with a nervous but determined stride he makes his way through the hall and without even glancing at what could have been on his other side, he turns left.
Derek walks down the darkening hallway feeling his heart start to pound as he walks deeper and deeper into the void black hallway, and soon enough those glowing doors were in view. The knight steps closer and after taking a few nervous breaths he slips past the crack in the door that had peaked his curiosity so much on his first visit.
What was behind the doorway was different this time however, but logically Derek knew this made sense, having seen exactly where this doorway is from it made complete sense, but that didn't make it any less jaring walking through and finding himself already back in the cathedral.
Derek glances to the platform and a breath catches in his throat over what he spots. Even from a distance he could tell this was... wrong... Avery was... There... Laying there passed out in the center of the platform... But the difference was obvious...
Before Avery had appeared much more like a cute squishy little caterpillar with a chubby segmented tail.... Derek makes his way closer calling out gently. "Avery...?" He was shaking as he gets closer and the obvious change in the slimes appearance grows more visible with each step.
Avery stirs apon hearing his name and slowly starts pushing himself up off the ground letting out an almost imperceivable huff. He sits up and rubs one of his eyes... Almost sleepily... Like he had simply just woken up from a sudden nap on the floor... Then he looks over at Derek as the brand new set of butterfly wings on the slimes back seem to flutter and shift a little against his back, like they were adjusting for comfort.
Derek knew that feeling all to well, being an avian hybrid meant he too had wings... Though his were not nearly as seemingly... Functional as the ones that had sprouted on Avery's back. Derek's own wings were stunted, they were small enough that wearing a simple shoulder cape was all it took to hide them...
But Averys were very large compared to his short stature. Avery was no twig but these wings added... Quite a lot of size to him visually. Derek could tell even folded they would make the slime appear practically twice his size when stretched out and as he finally steps into the platform he gets a good look at the pattern on his new wings.... Eyes... Each wing had one on both sides.... Or at least that's what the pattern looked like.... Derek figured that it could have been for deterring predators... But in the back of his mind he couldn't shake the feeling that it was something more than that...
Avery doesn't say anything, he seems dazed and just looks at Derek with sleepy eyes, still sat half lounging on the ground holding himself up with an arm as he... Almost examined Derek...
The knight steps closer with concern in his voice. "Avery.... I-i... We.... We need to get you out of here...." He reaches for Avery and the slime reaches out to take his hand in silence and carefully gets up with the others help. Avery stumbles a little, that seemed.... Normal.... He... Had just gone through a very big change.... A change that... Certainly didn't imply anything... It's not like Avery was known for his balance and reflexes or anything...
Derek holds both of Avery's hands and walks backwards leading him off the platform and out of the cathedral, every step Avery took at first seemed like one of a baby fawn learning how to walk for the first time.... But that made sense right?? He .. he got wings... And new longer antenna.... Out of nowhere... Surly.. it made sense that Avery was stumbling..... and he was still here right? So surly....
He keeps leading Avery out and by the time the two of them made it to the start of the mineshaft they were only linked by one hand as Avery had seemed to have figured out how to use his legs again at this point.
It was night-time when they exited the caves but as Derek glanced around the two of them in the dark woods surrounding them he... Couldn't see a single hostile mob.... Or.... Any mobs... For that matter.... The silence around the two of them was eery...
Derek leads the slime back to his starter base and carefully leads Avery to the red bed he had placed in his mostly empty bedroom before he had gone mining. "Avery... Uh.. I.. I only had five pieces of wool so you can have this bed. I made a kinda couch with the two bits of spare wool in the living room.. or uh... What was gonna be the living room..." He looks to the side shifting a little. "You can have the bed ok? Set your spawn tonight. I'll be right in the living room ok?...."
Avery stays quiet but makes no protests as he quietly sits down on the bed he was provided watches quietly as he lays down.
"You.. may have to sleep on your stomach... I... Can't imagine laying on those wings will be... Comfortable.. " he was careful with his hands and the blanket as he gently scooted the edges of the blanket under Avery. He... Wanted so badly for things to be alright.... He was so... So hopeful...
After he finishes tucking Avery into bed Derek makes his way out of the room feeling the slimes eyes still on his back as he steps out and closes the door. Derek was... So tired.... He had been up for who knows how long fighting The King and trying to save Avery... His limbs and head felt heavy as he climbs his way on top of the makeshift couch he had made... It was.. surprisingly comfortable... More comfortable than he had expected... And it wasn't long before his body finally gave in to rest.
Inside Derek's bedroom Avery lays there staring at the door.... He waits in silence before slowly... Carefully... Climbing out of bed.... He makes His way to the door with neer silent footfalls and cracks the door open. He leans in close and a faint smile spreads across His face at what He hears. It was soft but Derek was lightly snoring...
After a moment of just listening He steps past the doors threshold and makes His way to the living room... With silent steps He walks in and over to the knight sleeping peacefully on the wool he had laid down... His face was obscured with an almost unnatural shadow now... In the darkness none of His features could be made out... All except his eyes ... Wich now sported a rather concerning yellow glow as He stands over the sleeping Knight before Him. Surely.... This had to be normal too....