isleofavalon | Feel it right behind you, a grinning monster out to kill

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Feel it right behind you, a grinning monster out to kill

🧙 WHO: Darin Altway and You!
⚔️️ WHAT: Caster has cursed Darin and now he's using Familiar Fusion and going berserk
🕒 WHEN: Right after Caster's declaration against Archer and the aftermath a few days later!
🗺️ WHERE: Camelot and Darin's Forge
⚠️ WARNINGS: Potential Violence/Blood/Gore/Mild Body Horror

[He doesn't know how long it's been since he passed out. He remembers Caster's message. He remembers meeting her at the edge of Broceliande Woods. He remembers...]

[Pain.]

[He comes to in a sweat. Not from pain or nightmares or anything of that nature, but because the forest around him is currently ablaze. He tries to jump to his feet but his senses are off. Skewed. Something was very wrong and he could feel it. It felt like oil seeping into him, slowly gripping the very cockles of his heart.]

[Rationale gives way to panic and he's stumbling away from the treeline. He had to get back to Camelot. He had to get back for...some reason. Something inside of him screamed that he had to.]

[But his footsteps slowly grind to a halt as he crests that final hill. As Caster's dark curses finally find their hold and grip his very being, altering every bit of his perception and reasoning.]

[The witch's curse was a powerful one. In her grief, she hexed Darin to see his greatest fear. And to act on the rage that he spent his life tamping out; the one fire in his soul he refused to stoke.]

[He falls to his knees, staring at a ruined Camelot. Everything he'd come to know, the happiness he was so desperately seeking. You see, if Darin was as much of a monster as he claimed, then his fate should match that of the monster, the witch of betrayal, that he sought to defend. It's only fair, right?]

[There would be no peace. Not while monsters walked among the people of this world.]

A - Transformation (CW: Blood/Mild Body Horror)

[Camelot was gone. Or at least, Caster's curse made Darin believe that it was. And Darin, on his knees, was slamming his fists into the earth with all of his magical given might; each blow sounding like a cannon shot as it cracked the stone beneath his fists. Inconsolable, he screams, believing no one will hear him.]

[However, anyone making their way to the woods to try and stop Caster or the fire she's set might stumble upon him. Calling out to him draws his attention to you, but there's something...off...about his eyes. They're clouded over with a dark haze. And while he might be looking at you...what he sees is something different altogether.]

You...it was you!

[Enraged, Darin pushes himself to his feet, magic coursing through his body so sharply that it crackles in the air. The air becomes stifling. Oppressive.]

You've taken everything from me, Dromas! Everything! So, you want a monster?! I'LL GIVE YOU ONE

[His giant antlion familiar bursts from the ground behind him and latches onto Darin's back. For a moment, it looks like his familiar might actually attempt to subdue him. Unfortunately, those enormous, terrifying mandibles find purchase in Darin's back and, for a horrifying moment, the familiar begins to burrow. Writhing in pain as his magical power skyrockets faster than his body can compensate, Darin lets loose a blood-freezing scream. But just as quickly as it had begun, his familiar disappears into Darin's body as the two merge.]

[Darin slams his hands into the ground as he begins to grow and change. Two horns erupt from his temples, black and glinting in the light of the burning woods behind him. His torso swells; muscles grow massive as chitinous plates form around his extremities like armor. His body contorts, his back arches, until finally he's a hulking beast, towering at over ten feet tall.]

[Green eyes glowing ominously amidst the haze, the newly transformed Darin lets loose a bellow that sounds like it's three voices screaming in cacophonous harmony.]

[And then he rushes to attack.]

B - City Escape (CW: Blood/Violence)

[Believing Camelot to be nothing but wreckage, Darin storms the city chasing...something. In his cursed state, every person he sees looks exactly like the person he believes to have brought about this disaster. Unfortunately, in this state, Darin isn't much for conversing. He's barreling through Camelot, tearing through buildings like they weren't even there. And any person, resident or not, that crosses his vision is likely in for the fight of their lives as he presses the attack. After all, in his mind, Camelot is in ruins.]

[He tears up a chunk of the street and hefts it towards a group of terrified people, all of which scatter. Or attempt to. It might be too late for some.]

C - Lockdown

[It had been several days since Caster's message. Several days since he'd lost control and was set upon the good people of Camelot. He'd been keeping to himself in the forge almost the entire time, only going out occasionally in the evening for food or groceries. When he did, he wore a cloak with the hood drawn to hide his blue hair and he barely spoke.]

[Of course he did his best to help the city recover from the damages. For the first two days, he worked tirelessly to get supplies and forge tools for whatever reconstruction needed to be done. But he would always send then out anonymously or send them to whoever needed them via a proxy. It's clear that he's doing everything he can to avoid going into town himself and he hasn't been spotted in town since the incident.]

[He threw himself into his work after that but...he still seemed off. Anyone who stops by the forge might find him struggling; hammering away at something that just isn't taking shape properly or tinkering with, and subsequently screwing up, some detailed work. Finally, in frustration, Darin pitches his hammer across the forge with more strength than intended, burying it into the wall across the work space.]

[Frustrated, he sits down and buries his face in his hands.]

Wildcard

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[Luckily, that's a concept that even aliens are familiar with. And...]

Wait a tick... you mean your birthday is soon, then? Or, because of what Caster did, and all the aftermath...

[Did you miss it?]

[She can't even bring herself to say it. Even if it's not a day he likes to celebrate, there's something particularly cruel about spoiling such a personal day with her actions. And knowing him, he'll likely take that as another reason to loathe the day...]

[She clutches her drink, staring down at it as if she's trying to drink it with her eyes instead of her mouth.]

I'm sorry. I know that not come as much comfort, but... [What else can she do for him right now?]

Couple days ago. Right in the middle of.

All of this.

[Darin doesn't bother with a glass as he finishes his drink and grabs another bottle.]

Wanna hear something funny? The prophecy? The one where I destroy the world? Supposed to happen on or around my twenty fifth birthday.

So, imagine my surprise when I turn into a hulking sin against nature.

[He laughs ruefully.]

Spent my life trying to become the very opposite of that thing and it just goes and happens right on schedule anyway...

How is that supposed to be funny? That's a horrifying thing to have to consider...

[It does contextualize why he's been so self-destructive about this, though, even in light of the fact that there's a perfectly good reason to blame Caster instead. Perhaps she hasn't been treating this whole thing as delicately as she should have...]

[But then, being delicate didn't break the curse, did it?]

[It's at this juncture that she finally decides to give the drink a try, rather than risk giving the impression that she's rejecting his hospitality. ... and as soon as she tastes it, she winces, like a child being given a small sip of beer to try.]

This is supposed to be relaxing? It's incredibly bitter!

[He laughs.]

It's alcohol. The more you drink, the better it tastes. It'll loosen you up.

...Actually, I've never gotten drunk before. My powers back home made it impossible for me to drink enough alcohol to outpace my metabolism. So...we'll see how quickly I turn into a babbling idiot.

But, if you'd prefer, I have some juice I can add to sweeten it up.

An acquired taste, you mean? [She sniffs it, as if trying to see if she can discern what's so great to be acquired about it.] ... yes, I think I'll take some of that juice.

[Setting the glass down, she notes:] It reminds me a bit of our nunvill. Old men love drinking the stuff, so much that it's nicknamed the nectar of the gods... and supposedly, it does wonders for the hair as well. But it always tasted to me as if something died in it during the brewing process..

So Alteans drink too, huh? Well, that's a good sign. I was beginning to think being unable to relax was an Altean thing.

[He gets up and takes her glass, then returns with a much more colorful, much sweeter drink.]

If you want more after that, I'll mix you as many as you want.

[He wonders if being unable to taste the alcohol will be a problem...]

[Guess they'll find out?]

[She picks up the glass, and takes a cautious sip of it... and holds it at her mouth, letting that sip grow into a larger gulp. And when she does set down the glass, it's with a soft sigh of satisfaction.]

That is much better. Thank you.

But look, I'm telling you, we aren't all that different from humans. I'm not all that different from a human. It's just... I have a different idea of fun and relaxation. A simpler idea.

[One that doesn't take much time away from whatever mission she's working on at the time.]

I've noticed...

[He's noticed a lot, actually.]

Alright then, tell me. What's your idea of fun and relaxation?

If it's so simple, you should be able to tell me, right?

Wh... what I mean is that... I don't need to do much. A nice bath and a comfortable bed are all it takes me to relax. And I find plenty of enjoyment in the questing work I do!

[She takes another sip of her drink, slower, looking in the exact opposite direction of him. Boy, this isn't going to fool him at all, is it?]

So...you don't play sports or...? Draw? Play an instrument?

[He pops the top on his third drink and smiles at her a bit.]

Maybe skip some stones?

No. Especially not drawing — I am horrendously bad at drawing. And I never learned anything like an instrument...

But I do know numerous fighting styles. And training in them is relaxing, too.

[That's almost like a sport, right?]

...So, let me get this straight.

[He takes her glass and goes to freshen it up, bringing back another full one.]

It sounds like everything you do to 'relax'...is just to prepare you for another task which...is meant to serve others.

Even now, here, you're here for me. Not for you.

...You don't do anything for yourself, do you.

... ... ...

[She takes the glass from him, and drinks quite a bit of it.]

You say that as if there's something wrong with the idea. Selflessness is a virtue, you know... one necessary to be a great leader. And a great hero.

[Darin takes a long drink and watches her while he chooses his next argument carefully.]

[He finishes his third drink and leans forward.]

...So tell me how what you do and what I was doing upstairs are any different? Aside from the fact that I have something to atone for.

Unless you're atoning for something too. Something the rest of us can't see.

[He doesn't let her answer. They both know the only difference is semantics, really.]

Do you know what the difference is between selflessness and self-destruction? One person. One person to show you that there's more. That there's always another way. Isn't that why you're here?

[He starts another drink.]

Be honest, if there was one thing you could ask of me right now, one thing that would truly make you happy, what would it be?

...If you answer, I'll tell you one thing that would make me happy. Fair?

I'll consider it.

[Because honestly? Her first instinct is to reject it, on the basis that he couldn't give her the things she truly wanted. That chip on her shoulder has been sitting there for ten thousand years, and the ones who she knows could remove it are long since dead.]

[But that's going to convince him even more that it's all one big act of atonement.]

There is another difference between us, and it's the difference that we're facing. Living in a world of regrets — and more than that, regrets for choices that were never yours to make — is allowing your present to be ruled by the past.

I'm not taking risks for the sake of taking them. Because my goal is to keep moving forward — or, if there's no way forward for me, to open a path for someone else.

Honestly, it's what matters most to me.

[Because it's the one piece of my father's legacy that I can never lose.]

[She finishes the second glass, just about as quickly as she started it.]

That being said, if you want to make me happy... I wouldn't say no to something sparkly. [Okay, maybe this alcohol is having a little effect on her.]

...What about the war you lost your world in. Was that your choice?

[He doesn't buy it. She's making excuses, putting herself in a better position to sacrifice by virtue of being in a space where it 'shouldn't' affect her.]

You realize you're using morality as a shield to justify your sacrifices, right? Allura, you don't even know how to relax. You might not like to hear it but...it's like you don't have any other identity beyond giving yourself to those around you.

..."Something sparkly?"

[He takes her glass and freshens it up.]

You heard me correctly. [Sip.] You're a blacksmith, aren't you? You of all people should have a lot of ideas about how to make things sparkle.

[She tries to avoid explaining herself by moving back to the serious talk:] Just because it's an important part of my identity doesn't make it the only part! It was... the sort of hero my father was. The sort of hero he taught me to be. A legendary defender for people everywhere.

[Oh yeah, we're at title drop levels of buzzed babbling now.]

You mean like...jewelry?

...I understand how important it is to carry on your father's legacy. My father was a hero himself. One of the greatest mercenaries to ever live.

But...I also think your dad would want you to have something that was...well, something to call yours. It's good to honor his legacy but don't you want to be something more than just an extension of his heroism?

When I look at you, I...well...

...Nevermind. I'm speaking out of turn.

... no, what were you going to say? What do you think when you look at me?

[He probably had a good reason to avoid continuing that line of thought, and the wisest choice would be to let it drop.]

[So yes, of course she's going to pry into it further!]

[He sighs.]

I realized...why I was so annoyed when you kept showing up around me. It felt like...like you were searching for something to throw your entire being into. Something. Anything. At first, I thought it was this...incessant need to be a hero. And I think that...I think you really are a hero. You're kind and warm...your gentle but you have this...palpable fire inside of you.

But I don't think you have an identity beyond that. I think that...if you didn't have a crusade to carry out or...or someone to defend...I think you're afraid of that. Afraid of not having a purpose beyond some...war to fight.

...The woman I danced with at the masquerade...the woman who wanted to live in Avalon...

I think that was the happiest I've ever seen you. Free of responsibility and looking to a future of adventure and experiences.

I want to...I want to do everything in my power for that Allura. The one who wants to stay here.

Wit— erm...like me.

[Ugh. She can feel her heart twist in her chest as he says that.]

... ... ...

Well, if I returned home... that would be the only path left for me.

Everything else is gone. Altea is gone, utterly destroyed in the attack by the Galra. All the people I should be leading are gone, wiped out over ten thousand years ago...

What I have left is a spaceship that holds Voltron, the strongest weapon in the universe... and the will to use it, so that we might save other planets from Altea's fate. It's a reason to keep living, but with no home beyond the ship itself, it's more akin to being a vagrant than an adventurer. And when the war ends... I don't know what would be left for me. They may as well throw me in a museum, with everything else recovered from the stream of time.

[She traces the edge of her glass with her thumb.]

... at least while I'm here, I'm not the only one who's been displaced.

... ... ...

I think...

...I think you were 'displaced' long before you got here.

[He swishes the beer in the bottle in hand thoughtfully.]

...It's my turn, isn't it? To tell you something you can do to make me happy?

[He clears his throat.]

I...want you to teach me about the powers you had. In your universe.

Wait, really? That's all?

[And the fact that "that's all" seems to raise her guard.]

... hold on, you aren't just giving me a simple request because you feel bad for me, are you? Because I'm not afraid to do more for you!

[He has to catch himself from asking 'like what?']

It's not that!

In the bath, you told me my magic reminded you of your powers. I...

...I need help. Mastering my healing magic. I need to learn what it can do and if I'm going to do that...I want to learn from someone who can help me bring out the best in me.

I want it to be you.

Me?

[For a moment, it looks like her drink is about to slip from her hand, as she gapes at him in quiet, wide-eyed disbelief. But before she makes a mess of things, she sets it down in front of her.]

... I'm willing to try, but you do realize that there's going to be differences between my powers and your healing magic here, don't you? And I wouldn't be able to demonstrate anything...

Are you sure you wouldn't rather learn from someone who's using the same abilities?

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