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Derek Hutchins is dying.
He can feel every bit of his brain shutting down. It is nerve wrecking (Not pun intended).
Derek uses all his might and uploads the letter onto Youtube. His head slums and slams onto the desk with a soft thud. It hurts but it doesn't matter anyway, his message sent, what matters now is Avery is safe, everyone is.
His nostrils damp. Ah. Nosebleed. He is dying. Ha. He was hoping it would be more dramatic, not silently in his apartment. Alone.
Oh god….
Oh god.
He is dying. Derek breathes in. It hurts, every movement hurts. He is really dying.
Now his eyes are damp. He wipes those tears off, bracing himself for his demise. It is slow and agonizing, he hates it. He doesn’t want to die.
Hmm… Everyone doesn’t either.
He didn’t even bother to flinch when the King’s voice echoed in his failing head. He is too weak to even form a proper thought.
Don’t bother, thinking only makes it worse.
Derek figured.
…
...
What? No snarky insult for his pathetic state right now?
No need, it gets boring after 128 times.
Derek pauses at that information. 128 times? He has died 128 times?
There are more actually, I only said it gets boring after 128 times. And don’t think anymore, you are quickening your death. I will be free sooner, but I prefer seeing you die. Now that is something I won’t get bored watching.
The King’s hum racked his mind. He hisses at that headache. What does it mean ‘be free sooner’. No, it must die when Derek dies, t-that is why Derek sacrificed himself. To kill the King.
Another rumbling chuckle. Fuck. It hurts.
You think defeating a god is that easy? Foolish. Your idotic “noble” sacrifice is a mere setback to my grand plan. What you did was to slow me down. You die as a pawn. A mere pawn.
Derek grinds his teeth. No. NO. NO NO! All this for nothing. He will die for…
Nothing.
…
…
Mama…
He mumbles silent apologies.
Oh cease this pathetic whining, your pleadings are annoying me.
Good.
Let his last moment at least be entertaining by being a nuisance to the King.
…You are truly galling. I pray for agony upon you.
Well Derek prays The King will keep failing every attempt. Oh wait, it is already doing that.
Silence.
Derek’s mind eases, not the pain but the thoughts. His chest rises and falls rhythmically. Slowly and painfully, his mind silences. And…
…
…
…
What a waste. Another failed attempt. The King walks across the inbetween of worlds and realities.
That was… what attempt again? Oh who bothers counting. The King has tried far too many times, across lifetimes, across possibilities. They have all failed.
There were times He stuck inside that mortal’s head for a while, (due to certain problems and circumstances) completely powerless. Eventually the little lord will die of old age or accidents and He will move on to another attempt. It did enjoy those lifetimes, like a minor vacation. But that isn’t its goal.
There were times it did lay its fingers on its lamb, but the lamb’s will will always resist Him, keeping the pest lord alive and the little lord will always find a way to get in His way or banish it out of the vessel.
Failed attempts after failed attempts. He wonders. Where did it go wrong? How did a being like Him keep on falling through?
Was it because of Derek Hutchins' existence? Every possibility, Derek Hutchins will end up at that gate and will always find a way stop Him. What a nuisance.
Maybe it could just kill the little obstacle. No, He did try that, He got the vessel but it died quite early, due to lack protection from-
It halts at that thought.
That was the 659th attempt.
It died because at that time, it didn’t have enough protection. It did have multiple guards surrounding it but that little sneaky assassin still managed to pin a dagger into its physical body.
The King wonders. Would it change if He had a personal guard following Him around? A loyal servant, obediently listen to His every word, ready to die for Him. Like a knight.
…
…
Perhaps. Another experiment wouldn’t hurt anyone. (Wouldn’t hurt Him at least).
Well then, it should start putting its hypothesis into testing.
Another untouched reality, another possibility. Let’s see how this will go.
The King waited on his throne, in complete darkness.
And waited.
And waited.
And-
The golden gates creaked once again. The line of light enlarged, an armoured man walked in.
Derek Hutchins had found the gates. The childlike curiosity and anticipation still hung on his face.
The King observed as the light of excitement in the little lord’s eyes extinguished as soon as his eyes met it, now eclipsed by fear and disgust. Ah yes, total despair.
The King always adores seeing the moment He shoved the infinite into the puny mortal’s mind. How his will faltered and bended under the King’s influence. How…delectably sweet.
Derek’s knees buckled but he caught himself before falling. Trembling, he rushed out of the throne room only to be pinned down by the King’s tendrils.
Be not afraid.
The King loomed over the quaking mess below him. Derek’s expression is nothing but fear. Oh He will savor it.
“I- I… hav- have to- Av-Avery” Derek scattered his words. The King paid no mind.
I would like to strike a deal, little lord.
“...What?”
Do not fret about sweet Avery. I will not pose a single threat to him.
“But- you- he- You want to possess him” Oh this Derek seemed to be accustomed to the knowledge quicker. That’s an improvement.
Yes, yes, I do. But that does not mean I wish to harm him in any way. Before you raise another inquiry, listen carefully.
The King stopped Derek before he dared to spout any unnecessary questions.
I have tried far too many times that I have grown tired of these attempts. What is the point of trying if I never get what I want? So let this reality be a breaker of mold. Derek Hutchins.
Derek slightly flinched at that call out. So he does respond to the King’s words. Interesting.
You don’t have to die.
“...”
“What?”
Every possibility, you will end up dead. Agonizingly, boringly and unfulfillingly. You died, are dying and will die against your will. What a cruel fate…But that destiny doesn’t have to be yours. You can change it….
The King paused. That caught Derek’s attention completely.
Derek isn’t a brave man like he seems. He fears a lot, and death is one of them. The King knows that, so He shall throw the bait.
Derek’s eyes filled with anticipation. Like he is begging to know, despite knowing everything. The King likes how Derek was reacting so far.
So eager, so desperate. Like a needy dog, waiting for its master’s order. It mentally smirked. Good, pup, keep obeying.
…By becoming my knight.
Derek blink.
“WHAT??” He exclaimed.
I will ensure your survivability, little lord. Believe me, I have grown bored of seeing your death stunning my plans. Perhaps… your existence doesn’t have to barricade my vision. Perhaps, it can be beneficial. We don’t have to be on different sides.
“I- I… this is insane! Y- you are scrambling my head with all of this- this KNOWLEDGE. And- And then this deal?? Are you taking a fool out of me thinking I can believe your lies??” Derek exploded. Maybe it was all his range from other realities combined in one.
The King remained silent, the void beneath the cloak was unmoving, watching, waiting.
Derek gritted his teeth.
“I will never be on your side, if I have to die to stop you then I will”
…
“I- I will do EVERYTHING to stop you, keep him away from you-” Derek halted when the laughter echoed in the throne room.
Oh there is it, The King was waiting for this. The second bait. The moment Derek brought him up, he had lost this battle.
“W-what is so funny?”
Nothing. Again, I will not harm Avery in any way. I need him safe, you know that.
“So you can take over his body for your stupid world domination plan?”
You are viewing it as a bad thing.
“Beacause it is?? You are stripping away his mind, his life, his personality, his identity! You will erase him off existence for your selfish and shallow goal”
The King in Yellow thought for a moment. Usually that’s how the merge will be, the vessel’s mind wiped clean off, leaving the King a space to settle in easily. But what if it doesn’t have to be that way?
I will not strip away his identity. Is that your end of the deal?
“I- my what- you won’t do that?” Derek collected his words to finally land a question.
If this is what it takes to reach His goal… then so be it.
Yes, I will not, you have my word, knight.
“D-don’t call me that” Derek retorted.
So do we have a deal?
“N-no no deal! You could be lying, how can I trust you??”
You have the infinite in your mind, you tell me.
Derek stayed quiet for a moment.
It seemed that he was searching for something. So the King waited.
Then he paused, completely enthralled by his newfound discovery. And The King knew he saw it, His goal, His vision.
“I- Is this…”
Our future.
“Avery…” Derek whispered. “He…looks…”
And the fish was hooked.
Happy? I am an entity of my words, I would never lie to you, Derek. I will ensure you both’s safety and contentment. As long as it benefits me.
Derek was staring directly at nothing, his tired eyes shimmering, expression like a dying man found water in the desert. His hand outreached to the void, as if he was trying to hold someone’s hand. A tendrils caught Derek’s hand, the moist surface jolted him back to reality.
It could be your future too, Derek.
“It… It is…” Derek stuttered.
It is beautiful, yes?
(Look at me)
The King moved closer and leaned down to Derek’s face level. Derek looked at the King like looking at someone he adored, worshipping. His eyes glazed with yellow hue.
“Yes, the most beautiful.” he hummed softly.
The King’s tendril gently caressed Derek’s face and he instinctively leaned into that gesture. The young man mumbled something incoherent, eyes now filled with nothing but The King reflection. Yellow is a good color on the knight’s eyes.
(Yes, keep your eyes on me)
My knight.
It took Derek a minute to finally repeat his king’s words. “Your knight…”
Yes, you are my knight forever and ever.
Derek shuddered.
Say it.
“Y-your-” Derek’s words scattered once more. He was resisting. Derek tried to look away, attention shifted to something that was not the King, something to ground himself. But the King grabbed his chin by its own slender hand and jerked his vision back onto the King and only the King.
(Only me)
Say it.
“I…I am your knight.” With each word, Derek’s eyes became duller, the lively shade of brown slowly shifted into a yellower tone.
The King waited.
“...Forever and ever” Derek finished. His mind quieted down, the headache faded and his whole body fell forwards.
The King caught His knight before he could face slammed the floor. Gently, He gathered the unconscious man up. Derek's face was peaceful and content, it seemed like he was having a wonderful dream. A slender finger slowly ran through his hair. Derek shifted slightly to shuffle into the King’s chest further.
Rest my knight… we got a lamb to catch.
The King planted a gentle kiss on His knight’s forehead and slowly walked away.