Post by Digouter on Nov 8, 2020 9:09:30 GMT -5
I hadn't been planning to write this, but I felt like it was important to add an intermission, just to show a bit of the direction I intend to take. I'm gonna be taking a little break after this one eheh. Enjoy!
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INTERMISSION: FATHERS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS
My dearest daughter,
If you are reading this, then you have found this place again, and I am not with you. I assume I did not return from the journey I am about to undertake, and you have come looking for answers. First and foremost, I want to apologize to you and your brother, for my decision to leave. My reasons are selfish, and I wish I could have been a better father to you both. I wish I was strong enough to stay and watch you two grow.
I do not know what has transpired between my present and the very moment you come upon this note, but know that I am so proud of you - you and your brother both. You display all of your mother’s best qualities, and thankfully, none of my worst. Your brother needs your temperance, and I feel he always will. Take care of him for me.
Do you remember what I called this place? The heart of the ruin? The strange capsule houses something very special indeed. I’ve left behind all of the information I could possibly garner from this place, though there is something I must confess. Your mother, Astraea… I told you that she passed away giving birth to you. While that is true, it is not the whole truth. Your mother had been expecting twins. A girl and a boy.
In the cruelest twist of fate, your twin passed away alongside your mother, and I have never recovered. I see Astraea’s face whenever I look at you, and… I cannot help but feel like this child in the capsule looks so much like your twin brother did. I know such a thing isn’t possible, but this place has given me some semblance of peace since their passing. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to tell you in person. I see so much of your mother in your eyes, that... I couldn’t bear to add to your pain.
Astraea’s father - Undertown’s Overseer - has never forgiven me for the loss of his beloved daughter, which is the reason why our family was exiled from Undertown. He had never agreed to us being together. I do not regret a single thing. After all, I have your brother, and I have you.
I have left enough resources to ensure that you both live comfortably and find your purpose, but your brother has always resented the Overseer, and Undertown as a whole, for failing to help your mother. I no longer feel the need to hide anything from you, and so I will tell you the purpose of my journey. I truly bear the Overseer no ill will, though tonight I am to sneak into the city with the help of an old friend. His name is Holo, and he is the only one willing to help me on my journey. I intend to search the Undertown ruin for a means of awakening the child in this room. My studies in this chamber - as well as my studies within the ruin of Undertown in my younger years - have provided enough of a connection between the two that I perhaps may be able to revive this boy.
I do not know what lies ahead, nor do I dare to assume what you have been through. Just know that I am always with you, and I love you and your brother with all my heart. Be kind to others, and most of all, to each other. I’m sorry.
Forever and always,
Dad
Aster felt her arms shake as she finished reading the letter, her eyes stinging with tears. It had been an hour since the subpod had run out of energy, and about as long since she sent a distress call to the Gwydion, completely certain that they were out of danger. It took all of the subpod’s systems to remain suspended just below the surface of the water.
The young girl stared at the boy’s helmet, feeling overwhelmed with grief and loss. Whatever that thing was that took Ray, it was gone. She wanted to turn the vessel around to try and get him but… she felt she had no choice. He did it to protect them, and she followed his lead to save Killick. Now he was gone. The entire ruin was gone. Instead of her father’s letter providing any clue, or closure, it only served to shatter her heart into a million pieces. Not only did she lose Ray, but she had lost the person her dad desperately wanted to save. Based on her father’s words, he was practically her twin brother. In a twisted realization, she had failed her father so thoroughly, it was agonizing.
She felt her heart sink deeper than her body had room for, a sense of numbness enveloping her as she took Ray’s helmet and held it close. She hugged it for what felt like an eternity, as her grief slowly but surely morphed into seething anger. If the Overseer hadn’t kicked them out… things would have been different. Her father would have had the help he needed for the journey - or maybe someone could have even talked him out of it. Things... things would definitely have been different! She failed her dad, but the Overseer failed her whole family. Her brother was right to be angry. Undertown had a lot to answer for.
Clutching the note so tightly her knuckles turned white, Aster’s eyes flared with hatred and determination. She would find her father... if she had to trample all of Undertown to do it.
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INTERMISSION: FATHERS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS
My dearest daughter,
If you are reading this, then you have found this place again, and I am not with you. I assume I did not return from the journey I am about to undertake, and you have come looking for answers. First and foremost, I want to apologize to you and your brother, for my decision to leave. My reasons are selfish, and I wish I could have been a better father to you both. I wish I was strong enough to stay and watch you two grow.
I do not know what has transpired between my present and the very moment you come upon this note, but know that I am so proud of you - you and your brother both. You display all of your mother’s best qualities, and thankfully, none of my worst. Your brother needs your temperance, and I feel he always will. Take care of him for me.
Do you remember what I called this place? The heart of the ruin? The strange capsule houses something very special indeed. I’ve left behind all of the information I could possibly garner from this place, though there is something I must confess. Your mother, Astraea… I told you that she passed away giving birth to you. While that is true, it is not the whole truth. Your mother had been expecting twins. A girl and a boy.
In the cruelest twist of fate, your twin passed away alongside your mother, and I have never recovered. I see Astraea’s face whenever I look at you, and… I cannot help but feel like this child in the capsule looks so much like your twin brother did. I know such a thing isn’t possible, but this place has given me some semblance of peace since their passing. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to tell you in person. I see so much of your mother in your eyes, that... I couldn’t bear to add to your pain.
Astraea’s father - Undertown’s Overseer - has never forgiven me for the loss of his beloved daughter, which is the reason why our family was exiled from Undertown. He had never agreed to us being together. I do not regret a single thing. After all, I have your brother, and I have you.
I have left enough resources to ensure that you both live comfortably and find your purpose, but your brother has always resented the Overseer, and Undertown as a whole, for failing to help your mother. I no longer feel the need to hide anything from you, and so I will tell you the purpose of my journey. I truly bear the Overseer no ill will, though tonight I am to sneak into the city with the help of an old friend. His name is Holo, and he is the only one willing to help me on my journey. I intend to search the Undertown ruin for a means of awakening the child in this room. My studies in this chamber - as well as my studies within the ruin of Undertown in my younger years - have provided enough of a connection between the two that I perhaps may be able to revive this boy.
I do not know what lies ahead, nor do I dare to assume what you have been through. Just know that I am always with you, and I love you and your brother with all my heart. Be kind to others, and most of all, to each other. I’m sorry.
Forever and always,
Dad
Aster felt her arms shake as she finished reading the letter, her eyes stinging with tears. It had been an hour since the subpod had run out of energy, and about as long since she sent a distress call to the Gwydion, completely certain that they were out of danger. It took all of the subpod’s systems to remain suspended just below the surface of the water.
The young girl stared at the boy’s helmet, feeling overwhelmed with grief and loss. Whatever that thing was that took Ray, it was gone. She wanted to turn the vessel around to try and get him but… she felt she had no choice. He did it to protect them, and she followed his lead to save Killick. Now he was gone. The entire ruin was gone. Instead of her father’s letter providing any clue, or closure, it only served to shatter her heart into a million pieces. Not only did she lose Ray, but she had lost the person her dad desperately wanted to save. Based on her father’s words, he was practically her twin brother. In a twisted realization, she had failed her father so thoroughly, it was agonizing.
She felt her heart sink deeper than her body had room for, a sense of numbness enveloping her as she took Ray’s helmet and held it close. She hugged it for what felt like an eternity, as her grief slowly but surely morphed into seething anger. If the Overseer hadn’t kicked them out… things would have been different. Her father would have had the help he needed for the journey - or maybe someone could have even talked him out of it. Things... things would definitely have been different! She failed her dad, but the Overseer failed her whole family. Her brother was right to be angry. Undertown had a lot to answer for.
Clutching the note so tightly her knuckles turned white, Aster’s eyes flared with hatred and determination. She would find her father... if she had to trample all of Undertown to do it.