logsinthenight | EVENT LOG: BURY A FRIEND

EVENT LOG: BURY A FRIEND

characters: everyone.
location: around town.
date/time: october 9-17.
content: the hallucinations begin...
warnings: psychological horror. please cw tags appropriately.

it's probably something that shouldn't be said out loud

October 9 feels like a normal day at first, save for the red lighthouse beam cutting through the darkness overhead. You know by now—or you've heard—that the lighthouse is only active during ferry arrivals and events... And there's definitely no ferry docked at the, er. Beach. The town is quiet, the forest spirits behave business-as-usual, Rastus doesn't know what's up. Whatever's going on, you'll have to figure it out for yourself.

And you will, though the hallucinations are subtle at first: objects moving when they shouldn't, people's proportions looking just a bit off, voices in an empty room, and so on. Is it just your mind playing tricks in the darkness? Might be! Will did warn you all about the effects of living without a sun and a proper day/night cycle.

As the days go on, the hallucinations are harder to ignore, no matter how much you may wish to wave them off as flukes. What's wrong with everyone's faces? When did all the howling start? Who do you hold onto when the world drops out from under you? And those hands...

While you might know it can't be real, it certainly feels real. But at least it can't last forever!

...Right?

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[Somewhere off in the distance is the soft humming buzz of white noise, an eerie sort of occurrence that only plays within his own ears. Voices calls out, begging for help, crying in pain. Asking why their king isn't there, why has he done nothing. So strong and so sudden that it's almost impossible to fight off and for a brief moment he loses his concentration, forgets what he's doing and simply reaches out, grips whichever part of Ignis he can latch onto.

Not helpful some still rational portion of his brain whispers. It brings him back, makes him remember what he was attempting. Has him glancing up, catching those stunning green eyes and locking their gaze with his own. Uses the hold he's established to push them back a single step. And then another. And another. Until they're feet away from the bridge and the illusion that stands upon it.]

Then let me take you home. Stay there with me. We'll keep each other safe. Just like we promised.

[Home... even though the image of Ardyn is now gone, his cackling voice still haunts him, reminding him that this isn't their home. This place is foreign to them, they are stuck in it because they died and that their true places are somewhere... else. This isn't their final destination, there's more to it. Ignis will see that they get to that, sooner or later.

He obediently walks towards the bridge, smoke curling around the edges of it, dark liquid dripping from the ropes and onto the wood. Ignis is not afraid of it, they have dealt with dangerous demons before. What he's afraid of is Ignis lashing out and destroying the bridge, in an attempt to protect Noct from something that isn't there. How do you squash down that urge again? He can't remember.]

These visions will follow us... [Ignis mutters quietly, stepping on the bridge.] ...do you see something, Noct?

[Those visions would follow them. Would trail after them, refusing to be ignored. There was no longer a safe haven for them to retreat back into. No space where they might lessen or weaken. Even Noctis was beginning to have a difficult time recognizing the woods around them and not watch in horror as their surroundings transformed into the ruins of Insomnia.

But there was less at stake should they lose it completely and lash out within the confines of their own cabin. Destroying the bridge that would have to be rebuilt wasn't really an option.]

It's nothing. I'm fine. ['Where is our king? Why won't he help us?'

Because your king abandoned you. Because he's weak and selfish.] Lets just go back. Please.

[He can see that Noct is becoming more and more rattled. Whatever it is that he's seeing doesn't match what Ignis does so one thing is certain- it is not real, and they need to move. Somehow. To find a place to hide and just wait out these sounds and voices.

With Ardyn disappearing in the mist, Ignis takes more confident steps across the bridge, and takes Noct's hand, with a firm grip.]

Stay close, Noct. We're going back. We'll be fine.

[They'll be fine, they'll be fine, Ignis will make sure of it. With having something to focus on, like getting Noctis out of there and back to their house, Ignis is more effective. More confident. Still a bit paranoid over Ardyn, as if the man is scraping on the back of his neck, but everything comes last. Noct, his Noct always comes first.]

Just five minutes from here.

[They'll be fine. This isn't real and they're going to be fine. Sooner or later this too will come to an end, as everything before has, and all will return to the normal they had begun to carve out. But what if it was later rather than sooner? How much longer could those rational parts of their brains hold out? How much longer before they gave into the madness?

There's hands grasping his arm, wrapping around the fabric of the jacket he wears, working their way up from the place where Ignis' warmth radiates. Cold, unfeeling fingers pulling and tugging at him. Clawing, like they're desperate for something to hold onto.

Trusting Ignis to lead and guide him came as easily and naturally as breathing. And yet the moment he stepped from the wood of the bridge and onto the dirt path, the illusions faded.]

It stopped. [For now. It stopped for now.] You okay? You know Ardyn isn't really here, right? And if he does show up, we'll handle it. All of us.

[The moment they step onto the firm ground on the other side of the bridge, it's as if Ignis' mind clears up completely. No looming shadows, dripping plague, and dark whispers and chuckles down his neck. It feels as if he can breathe again.

Ignis nods a few times in response and exhales heavily.]

I know, Noct. But... it's- [hard. So hard to see it all over again. Ardyn taunting him, threatening to corrupt him, to turn him against Noctis and that is his true nightmare. As if this place knows his fears, things of which Ignis is afraid of happening- Ardyn appearing here and-

He'd rather jump in the canyon and die over and over again rather than let that happen.

Still leading the way to their place, Ignis pulls Noctis closer, grip on his hand tightening even more.] I'm sorry... I know, I should know better.

Don't be. [After everything, there was nothing left to be sorry for. There was nothing that either of them could do to change it. To make it somehow different. It was how it was and that was the end.

Before, this is where Noctis would have shifted the blame onto himself. It was his fault that Ignis had been tortured and taunted. That he had ever been placed into a situation that called for such drastic measures. Because he wasn't strong enough to keep fighting. To be the savior he had been titled as.

But he doesn't. Because he had begun to finally realize that Ignis' choice had been his own. And by attempting to take the blame, he took away the validity of that choice. Made that sacrifice seem less worthy.]

It was Ardyn who caused all of this. Not you. You fought him alone Iggy. Do you know how amazing that is? Hell, even I couldn't have done that.

If we ever meet Ardyn again, I will show him what he deserves. And you could. You just didn't have the opportunity.

[That's what Ignis not just believes, but knows. He knows how hard Noct would fight for them all, which in turn makes him a great prince and king. Unfortunately, the things turned for the worse for all of them and this is where they are now. Ignis still didn't change his mind about it, however, and he's sure that Noctis would be amazing leader. The only leader he'd ever follow.

But he is also glad he gets to spend the time with real Noctis now. Something he wanted so much ever since they were forced to part ways from their friendship and focus on their duties. They still spent time together but there was that heavy air always around them. Not anymore. Now- they are just Noctis and Ignis. And he loves the sound of it.

Their hut comes into view and Ignis quickly leads them inside, closing the door tightly behind them. For some reason he feels ten times better now that he's inside.]

Finally... [Ignis gently cups Noct's face, carefully inspecting it,] How are you feeling?

[Even here, locked securely behind the barriers formed by doors and walls, the illusions could still teach them. Would still come unbidden at the worst of times. Would haunt them and torture them, poking at their sanity until even that was difficult to hold onto.

But all else fades away as those hands reach for him, as they cradled his face and look into his eyes. Even now, despite the insanity that was taking place all around them, nothing ever felt quite as safe as being in Ignis' presence.]

Getting by. [Slender fingers lift, wrap around each wrist as his head tilts into the touch.] What about you? Anything requiring royal attention?

[It can follow them inside, yes, but it feels somehow safer. They won't be lashing out on other people and Ignis won't be tempted to destroy the bridge just to take imaginary Ardyn down.

He sighs a breath of relief and his lips twitch at the question. Okay, Noct's mind is still there. It's all Ignis can ask for in this mess.]

I think you already took care of it, [Ignis nods, keeping his eyes trained on Noct's face then pressing a short kiss to his forehead.]

Let's go to the living room. [And they should keep talking, to muffle out any weird sounds in the otherwise silent house.]

That's what I'm here for. [To have Ignis' back. To keep him safe. To protect him. Always. The words of their promise formed a constant echo within his mind, working to keep him sane, to give him an anchor to hold onto.

Keeping their hands connected, he twisted towards the living room, knowing the way even without the dim lantern light.] Don't go off on your own again, okay? At least not until this is over.

[Ignis gives Noct's hand a firm squeeze in response. Yes, he knows that he's always there for him, he always has been. It's a connection that cannot be broken, not so easily and with something like hallucinations.

Ignis places his lantern on the coffee table and takes a seat on the couch after waiting for Noct to do the same and join him.] I was heading back to the cottage. It... it started so suddenly. It felt very real.

[Too real, in fact. Real enough that he almost blasted that bridge into smithereens. It's not over yet, he knows, there's weird skittering he hears on the second floor of the cottage. But at least it's not Ardyn.]

[Voices still play within the back of his mind, cries of anguish and pain, wondering why their king has forsaken them. So loud and difficult to drown out, to ignore when he's alone, with nothing to focus upon other than his own thoughts.

But here, with Ignis, he had a purpose. A focus. Something to expend that energy on.

Ordinarily he might place himself on Ignis' lap - but this situation calls for something else. Something less flirty and intimate. So he sits at his side, still close enough to touch, to keep their hands connected.]

You thought you were doing what you had to. To protect me. But the safest place for me is by your side.

[That's all he needs right now anyway. Ignis doesn't think he'd be in the proper mindset for anything more than just this. It is a reassuring thought, though, that Noctis is next to him. Unharmed. Out of reach from anyone that can injure him. This place has done nothing to calm his nerves ever since they arrived; so having Noctis just sit by his side and grip his hand is enough to calm him down.]

I hope so... this place is making me question everything.

[Especially just how reliable can he be to Noctis in situations like these. When the enemy is invisible; when the enemy is their own senses deceiving them. All he can do is try to promise to Noct and himself that he will always do his best to protect him. At any time.]

Thank you for believing in me.

[For (almost) the entirety of his life, Ignis had been a constant, calming pretense. A steadfast, immovable force that would constantly be at his side. As surely as the sun would rise and set, Ignis would always return to him. Like a moth draw to a flame, tides giving into the will of the moon. They were two equal parts of the same whole, a matched set that left one incomplete without the other.

Noctis' belief in Ignis was absolute. There were no terms and conditions that came along with it. Freely and wholly given, handed over to this man who had done everything to deserve such blind faith.]

Always.

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EVENT LOG: BURY A FRIEND

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