Morgan
"Why not? I've been nothing but an obstacle to you all!", he sniffles.
"I... I tried to hurt you. I played with your emotions. I... I..."
There's a slight pause before he speaks again.
"And I stole some of your Einherjar."
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay.Morgan
Morgan closes his eyes and buries his head in his arms again for a moment. But he does explain what happened.
—
Julius' Castle, prior to the infiltration mission
"Infiltration?", Morgan asks.
"Should be an easy thing to do for someone with a strategical mind such as yours." , Julius smirks. "You're the perfect one for the job. You don't look suspicious, you have a 'pleasant demeanor', and you're a child."
Not to mention that most Morgans are normally part of the Shepherds forces in most worlds. But Julius wasn't going to say that out loud.
"Once you've gained the enemy's trust, I need you to swap out some of their Einherjar with these fakes. Visually they're the exact same, but these fakes contain no magic at all. They're useless." , Julius says while giving the fake Einherjar cards to Morgan. He looks them over. He recognizes that Garon guy, he'd always given Morgan the creeps. He feels kinda guilty to admit it, but he's glad that guy was beaten so quickly by the enemy forces.
Most of the others he doesn't immediately recognize, at least not by name. He did see them in the castle before once or twice though.
"Why these specific ones? Wouldn't it be better to take them all?"
"And how do you expect to sneak out an entire map's worth of Einherjar?" , Julius asks, eyebrow raised.
"Uuuhhh..."
"No, these few are enough. I'll need them for... specific purposes, in case things go south."
"What kinds of purposes?"
"Well, kid... have you ever heard of Deadlords?"
"... those stronger minions that Mother used to use? You're gonna create Deadlords with these Einherjar?"
"See? You're a smart one. So you'll do just fine. Think of a way in, switch the cards, and once you've done that, give us a signal and we'll come reclaim you."
Morgan looks back down at the cards. He looks uncertain.
"What's the matter? Afraid you'll get found out? Just be careful and it'll be fine."
Julius grins deviously.
"Your mother is trusting you with this mission as well, you know. If you succeed, you'll make her proud for sure."
Morgan perks up, looking back up at Julius.
"You think so!?"
"I know so! And you'll do anything to make Grima proud, won't you?"
"Yes! Anything!"
—
Fort Dawnguard, the present
Morgan shivers a bit, having now told the other Morgan the truth.
"That was the real purpose of my mission. I'm... I'm sorry. I'm really sorry...", he practically whimpers.
The other Morgan will likely have a lot of conflicting feelings right now. But she may be surprised when Morgan tells her one more thing.
"I... I already told Anna and Jake.", he reveals in-between his sniffles. "I told them before we went to Nohr. So that... so that if I didn't make it back... t-they'd be able to prepare. They chose not to tell any of you about the Einherjar thing b-because they thought that if you knew you'd never accept me again."
Another sniffle.
"They should've told you from the start. I don't deserve a second chance from you."
Dayspring Canyon
With her now having permission to do so, Seiros approaches a bit more, then sits down in front of the Immaculate One.
She prepares herself. Mentally too. This song means equally as much to her as it does to her counterpart.
Even if Seiros got the chance to meet with her mother again... they may both need this song right now.
And so, she sings.
"In time's flow🎶"
"See the glow🎶"
"Of flames ever burning bright🎶"
"On the swift🎶"
"River's drift🎶"
"Broken memories alight🎶"
Edited by DevilPsyco on Apr 23rd 2025 at 1:07:26 PM
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay.Morgan
Damn it Morgan! You... you can't just not tell us! You can't keep it a secret! I can get you but... our lives and the lives of others are at stake! What was the plan?! That we'd get you back in and die fighting together against these foes we had no knowledge on thus far?!
Anna had also taken her time, but Morgan still kicked her door in frustration before turning around and sliding down the wall, putting her knees to her chest in frustration and grabbing her head.
God damn it...
Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitterMorgan
He flinches when she kicks the door from the other side for a moment.
"I'm sorry... I was just so scared... e-everything was confusing for me. I... I didn't know what to do. I was given a chance to prove that I could actually try to make up for what I'd done, and... and I was terrified that I wouldn't be given that chance anymore."
A small pause.
"... I'm not supposed to tell anyone this. I'm not even supposed to know this... I only know this because I overheard Anna and Jake talking.", he suddenly says.
"You can't tell anyone this either, just in case one of us gets captured by Julius and they try to make us talk."
He's still sounding devastated, but he also sounds serious.
"Anna and Jake... have been training up four Einherjar in secret. Four Einherjar that... Julius doesn't even know exist. Because until Anna bought them from one of her sisters, she didn't know they existed either. She plans to use them to catch Julius' forces off guard once you finally have a chance to take Loptous down for good."
Valuable information... but notably he's saying 'you' instead of 'we' when talking about taking Loptous down.
Given that he more than proved that he's not planning on returning to Grima's side with the way he reacted... he may be getting the idea that they're better off without him around.
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay.Dayspring Canyon
Listening to the song, the Immaculate One's breathing steadies. Her eyes flutter.
And then, she regains her human form.
◊ She still looks...messed up, to put it lightly.
"...I don't know if I will ever fully regain stability. But...at least for the moment, I am lucid again. Thank you."
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."Filia
Pause.
"I've heard that one before." she replies with some... annoyance? It's the first emotion she shows besides being vaguely ominous so far. Still, the cloak raises to reveal a decently muscular arm. Not a bodybuilder swole or anything but it's clear despite her godly nature that she Works Out.
She shakes Filia's hand firmly before letting go and pulling it back under her cloak.
"Until we meet again, last of the demons." she says, spinning around once before vanishing in a burst of darkness.
"That was a pointless encounter with a pointless person."Morgan
sighs, already regretful of her outburst and groaning in frustration. So many secrets, so many little things being done over their heads. Anna had been a reliable ally, but as a tactician, Morgan didn't like having unknowns to rely on for a battle. How do you build a battle plan around these four unknowns? Hope they'll show up at the right time?
Well, that wasn't that important right now.
... Why'd you say "you", Morgan?
Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitterMorgan
His breath hitches in surprise. He then remains silent for a good ten seconds, after which the other Morgan will suddenly hear the door getting unlocked. It opens only slightly, with Morgan peeking out. There's enough light in the room for her to see his face though. Yeah, he's definitely been crying.
"Y... you're asking me that as if... you still trust me to be of help despite everything.", he softly says.
"After what I did and all this secrecy, do you still even want me anywhere near this conflict?"
Dayspring Canyon
Seiros keeps her gentle smile.
"Then... whenever you feel like you may lose yourself, or if you wish to hear Mother's song again, or if you wish to simply speak with me at all... come find me here, and I will be there for you."
She closes her eyes.
"I more than understand how you feel. ... but I'm in a better position now thanks to a certain development."
If Fallen Rhea allows it, Seiros will put her hand on her shoulder.
"Mother is in this world. Alive. I have met her, spoken to her. I can take you to see her too."
Edited by DevilPsyco on Apr 23rd 2025 at 2:07:03 PM
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay.Morgan
nods to her friend, tiredly. You've been of precious help and I don't want you feeling guilty and being on your own, Morgan.
And being honest, if you leave us, you'll leave your "mess" unattended and that'll eat you up. It's best if you undo your mistake, right?
Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitterMorgan
Morgan's eyes go wide from disbelief. Him having been given a second chance before was already unbelievable. The notion of a third chance? Not once in his life had he ever been given an indication that something like that was possible in general. His mother would never...
...
Grima would never even think about giving anyone a third chance.
Tears start to form again, but before F!Morgan has a chance to think this is going south again, M!Morgan suddenly throws open the door and goes for a hug. If she allows it, he'll continue to hug her, not saying anything, only sniffling. But the gesture says it all: he's more grateful than he can express through words.
Onyxis, Mega Pizzaplex (Outside)
Spider-Boy shivers a bit. Even while wearing his suit it's super cold outside. Onyxis is already a cold place, but today it almost feels extra cold. He wanted to come here in his casual clothes like last time, but with a temperature like this? No way.
Edited by DevilPsyco on Apr 23rd 2025 at 2:06:52 PM
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay.Morgan
's eyes widen at Morgan going out of the room in a flash. And for a flash of a moment, she believes that he's doing so to attack her. It's a flash, but it goes as soon as it appeared when she proceeds to be hugged, much to her own shock, prompting her to blink twice.
She slowly raise her arms and hug him, accepting his hug fully and smiling slightly at that. She accepts it and give it back fully, aware he probably hadn't had one in..
... A long time.
Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitterMorgan
He's startled for a moment when she hugs him back, but soon enough he'll just continue to hug. For a little bit it feels like he's hugging for dear life.
"I hate..."
Hm?
"... this mark on my hand... so much..."
The mark on his hand. He has two, but it's not hard to guess which one he's talking about. The Fell Mark. Grima's sigil.
Once they end the hug, he wipes his face with his arm for a bit, then looks at the Fell Mark.
"... I used to be proud to have this mark.", he says with a sad scoff. He starts scratching at it with his other hand, as if hoping that somehow he can just remove it that way.
...
She should probably stop him because in his desperation he's scratching hard enough to draw blood from his knuckles.
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay.Onyxis, Mega Pizzaplex
Gwen
◊ crouches beside Bailey, wishing she'd brought her jacket along.
"Tell you what, Bailey," she says. "I'll buy us the biggest pizza this place'll make once we're inside. Sound good?"
Dayspring Canyon
There's something strange about the look Fallen Rhea gives Seiros.
Rhea is older — much older. Yet the look on her face is that of a desperate young girl asking her big sister for a favor.
"...Please."
Outside the Pizzaplex
Footsteps in the snow.
A woman approaches. She is dressed in clothes worthy of a queen, yet drags herself and her dress with a zombie-like limp.
"A young lady... A little boy..."
She smiles. It looks like a kind smile, but something is wrong.
Edited by KiriK on Apr 23rd 2025 at 7:34:53 AM
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."Dayspring Canyon
Fallen Rhea did call Seiros her 'past self'. And given what Edelgard had told her about the future... it seemed like help really was necessary.
Seiros holds out her hand for Fallen Rhea to take. She says nothing, giving her all the time she needs, but nods to encourage her.
Outside the Pizzaplex
"Be careful with what you promise or I'll eat through your whole wallet's worth of cash.", he jokes, though he's more than happy at the thought of some warm, yummy food.
Then a lady comes up to them. Gwen's Spider-Sense may trigger from her, but since Bailey's doesn't work the same, he doesn't sense anything. But even so, he's still a little wary considering that smile. Even at his young age he recognizes that something's wrong with it.
"Uh... hi, miss. Can we help you?"
Edited by DevilPsyco on Apr 24th 2025 at 8:44:08 PM
In the year 202X, all is devastation... Soon, any last shred of hope had by the saintliest optimist shall die and decay.Previously
The man listens in to Casper's comments with bated breath, almost reaching out to comically grab a bunch of popcorn, declining to do so due to the lack of such confisery nearby and the fact Casper was telling him about an harrowing tale of death and despair. An entire world plunged into divine squalor by the will of some... invisible being, left to be preyed upon by cruel beings, where the law of might took over anything.
... That bad, huh? He eventually whispered, realizing his comment had some "duh"ness to it and looking up. You suffered so much. And I understand. Control... We all feel like we have some of it at least over ourselves or our surroundings. Only for it all to go away because of a cosmic whim or two, right? Or not even that.
The man smiles, looking down. It's why people like us seek out the UTOPIA promised by Mister Stark and the others. A safe place, away from the chaos of the multiverse, where we can be ourselves without worrying about some maniacs out there causing the rise of an evil god or two. And you more than deserve going there too, with your wife.
He laughs at what Casper has to say. I think "Sugah" is particularly adorable myself!
Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitterOnyxis - Frozen Lakes
Through the frigid land of Onyxis, a terrible storm blew a torrential blizzard that masked its source. One demoness was in the storm's eye, desperately searching for solace. Feeling at home surrounded by snow and walking ice sheets thicker than steel, Filia could not dismiss how hollow that soon became. As familiar as the icy cold environment was, Onyxis felt like hallowed ground, and in returning here to search for a castle that no longer remained, she felt worse for it.
If there was anything else the demoness was searching for beyond allies, it was peace, something that had eluded Filia long before Raex arrived. She can recall on one hand the times she's been truly relaxed, and in her downtrodden strut through Onyxis, Filia suddenly stops, thrusting a hand into her pocket and withdrawing a glowing stone.
"Still around?"
She pondered aloud, grasping the stone tightly.
Shadow cracks into a wry smirk, his glowing eyes glinting with satisfied amusement at having got his point across.
"Aren't people in your world typically taught that you should respect your elders? Elder Gods like myself just take that to its logical conclusion, no?"
He nods to Kii-Saa-Raa, patting them with a gentle smile.
"That makes sense. I take it you might enjoy each other’s company more than that of other species. I appreciate that you guys were open to the idea of hanging out, though. You might not be big on conversation, but I’m still learning a lot, and I’m sure the others are, too."
He ducks as Kii-Saa-Raa lunges at the steaks, and chuckles, grinning brightly.
"Woah, you definitely do! Well, friends, I’m happy to provide more if you’re still hungry."
He waves his hand, creating three massive platters of steaks, fit for a tripartite dragon such as Kii-Saa-Raa.
"You can have as much as the three of you want. Consider it a gift; a demonstration of my thanks for letting me shoot the breeze and get to know you better."
He glances at Noah, giving him a look of disbelief.
"You claim to be well-versed in theology and ancient myth, but you don’t know essential details regarding an event which put your very world at stake? Eh, guessing you weren’t around when that was all going down."
He sighs.
"As pleased as I am that you’re treating me with a little more kindness now, this is very serious business."
He conjures a scroll, depicting an Ancient Egyptian etching of Diabound.
"How much do you know Egyptian mythology? Diabound is a Ka, a manifestation of life-force and willpower."
The scroll shifts, showing an image of Thief King Bakura.
"He is intrinsically tied to Thief King Bakura, who started out as a young boy in the village of Kul Elna. Tragically, Kul Elna was the target of the cult of Zorc Necrophades, led by the mad sorcerer Akhenaden, or Aknadin, on the misguided command of Pharaoh Aknamkanon. They sacrificed 99 of the 100 residents to forge the Millennium Items, leaving Bakura alive. He swore revenge, but directed it toward the entire Royal Family instead of the cult who was pulling the strings. Diabound manifested from both Bakura’s own hatred and the souls of the 99 villagers, among them Bakura’s friends and family, who were lashing out for the despoilment of their bodies in the creation of the accursed artifacts."
The scroll changes again, depicting a great battle, with Pharaoh Atem, his guardians, and the Egyptian Gods battling Bakura and Diabound as the capital is engulfed in flames.
"The two laid waste to the capital, targeting Pharaoh Atem and his faithful guardians, many of whom bore Kas that would later serve as lingering vessels for their own essence, spiritual guardians to their future incarnations."
The scroll then shifts to Bakura’s silhouette, containing the Millennium Ring, which itself contains a silhouette of Zorc.
"Bakura was supposedly aided in his quest for revenge by the corrupt Aknadin, only to be betrayed when he had served his purpose, and a fragment of his soul was sealed within the Millennium Ring alongside a portion of Zorc Necrophades’ unholy essence, merging together into a composite spirit with only one goal."
The silhouette of Zorc then bursts forth from the ring, overlapping the silhouette of Bakura before overtaking it entirely.
"This was to resurrect Zorc Necrophades and unite once more with him in order to restore the Fell God’s memories and reawaken his world-crushing power."
The scroll shifts, showing a spectral silhouette of Yami Bakura possessing a silhouette of Ryou Bakura.
"Yami Bakura possessed Thief King Bakura’s future incarnation, and succeeded in resurrecting Zorc, but was ultimately thwarted…"
The scroll shifts to depict the second battle against Zorc Necrophades in the Arena, with each of the combatants who participated in the battle being depicted in a style that matches the earlier etchings.
"only to try it all over again a second time in the Arena, which Kii-Saa-Raa, your brother, and I helped to stop, among other Gods and heroes. We were thankfully able to slay Zorc before he reached a populated part of the Arena, as, predicting the risk, the area where he manifested had been hastily evacuated, though Zorc spitefully attempted to cause as much collateral damage as he could in his attempt to escape and recuperate in order to spread his reign of terror once more. Now, we’ve just heard Diabound’s still about, so…we might need to ensure the third time’s not the charm when it comes to the mad god’s plans."
He clicks his fingers, and the scroll rewraps itself, then a second scroll appears, before changing into a hologram in a puff of pixelated violet smoke. This simulated scroll then flips through the air toward Noah, as Shadow folds his arms.
"Here. A digitized computer file containing everything I’ve just gone over, along with the other information you need to know, including members of the cult, other people - and monsters - of interest, and possible plans of action. If the real Dark Magician is around somewhere, I feel like we might want to seek him out, since he’s himself an ancient Ka, and he’d definitely be a good choice for a well-informed companion if we’re going out to seek Yami Bakura."
"Life isn't a fairytale. There isn't always a 'Happily Ever After' waiting for you at the end of the road." ~ Isengrim Heath-StalkerDayspring Canyon
Fallen Rhea takes Seiros' hand and follows her along...
Outside the Pizzaplex
"My name is Lumera. I wonder...have you seen my child? Have you seen Alear?"
She suddenly steps toward the spiders at a much faster pace, animalistic enough to be unintentionally threatening.
"He would be a young man, nearly full-grown, clad in white. His hair is...red? Or was it blue... And his eyes, the same color."
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."Kurt Zisa - RIP
Gojo doesn't move - he stands in place and let Infinity unwittingly punch a hole into the enormous corpse, though he plan to wait a tad before actually crawling out, as if to pretend he died
Coz, you know, he's Gojo.
But as in Apocalypse Now it is the one named Kurt (minus the z) who has the last laugh by fading into light, revealing Gojo in the midst of scratching his nostrild. '…Sup!
Edited by Bolded1 on Apr 24th 2025 at 8:36:09 PM
Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitter

Morgan
knocks again. Gahhh, the universe had to keep playing with them, didn't it?! The literal second they reach a reconciliation, Grima herself come out of nowhere to ruin it all... But at the same time, had the grand old demonic snake made a mistake in unveiling some of her fading (?) control over Robin? Or was it all just a ploy?
Either way...
Morgan, we both know I'm not giving up on you. As you wouldn't give up on me.
Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitter