[CFUD 4TH WALL CONTINUATIONS]

[demagnetized]

[they go here.]

Comments

[demagnetized]

[from here]

Hundreds of years worth, if you count the entire history of it.

[mind_over_metal]

Is there a summary version of it that's slightly more detailed than "murdercave"?

[demagnetized]

That's still the most accurate description.

[shifts his weight slightly, then begins]

Sabra La Tau was a world above the ground. There were a host of countries, each with different peoples and customs, but all worshipped the same gods. There came a time when the sun, known as the Old Woman in their myths, began to burn the land. In an effort to safeguard their people and way of life, the gods created the Sacred City, a stronghold that could withstand the sun's fury. Survivors from the countries made it into the City, and it was sealed against the Old Woman. The world burned.

They expected in time that they would eventually be able to return to the surface and start over. But that never happened. The City stayed shut, buried beneath the ground. This continued for years and years. The earth, called the Old Man, wanted nothing more than to die, and started to devour people. Those taken by the earth were trapped, being eaten alive for centuries, unable to die. The gods, however, continued to have power so long as they were worshipped and paid sacrifice by their people.

Eventually, the Sabrans, who could no longer truly die and were being consumed by the earth, revolted against the gods. So the King took these last Sabrans and erased their minds.

They became the first Blanks. The gods became known as the Judges, and the games began. Nothing but machinations to funnel sacrifice and power to the gods, to keep themselves alive. I don't know how long it took, but eventually all of those original inhabitants of Sabra were gone. Killed, or taken by the earth.

[mind_over_metal]

So then the gods needed another power source in order to stay alive.

[demagnetized]

Yes. They went to other worlds and started to draw people in with the chance to get a wish, if they only agreed to give up their memories and play the games. Most never got it. Eventually each round of blanks would reach the end of their... usefulness. Those left would be summarily executed or thrown to the Old Man as sacrifice, and King would start over again.

[mind_over_metal]

"King"?

[demagnetized]

The Judge known as King. The ruler.

[mind_over_metal]

*nods*

But all of you, it seems, got pretty far in the games.

[demagnetized]

Because we revolted. We scraped enough information together, out of the past and from other Judges' mouths that eventually we knew what was going on, and what was going to happen. We started finding ways to kill the Judges.

[mind_over_metal]

And you succeeded.

[demagnetized]

Of course we did. That planet and its gods should have perished centuries ago.

[mind_over_metal]

But the wishes were actually granted, as well?

[demagnetized]

Yes, after one of the other Judges won the throne. That was hardly the point, by that stage.

[mind_over_metal]

...so the Judges didn't perish completely.

[demagnetized]

...Messenger won the throne, gave us our wishes, and then died with his planet. He knew their time was over, and that it had gone on long enough. There were a couple of them that worked towards that end. But make no mistake, the majority of them are dead. As they should be.

[mind_over_metal]

Did all of you make it out?

[demagnetized]

I believe so.

[mind_over_metal]

...good.

Since then, you two -- you went back? Back to, you know-

*gives a little gesture to himself, indicating back to their own world*

[demagnetized]

[watches the gesture...]

We did. Though it ended up being slightly more complicated than that. It turned out we weren't taken from the same point in time.

[mind_over_metal]

*and watches him for a moment in return before speaking*

...you were from after.

[demagnetized]

About a month.

[mind_over_metal]

*quiet -- there's something a little protective, a little numb about his calm*

So you changed everything.

[demagnetized]

What I did and what Erik Lehnsherr went to Sabra La Tau for are different things.

[mind_over_metal]

*a hand lifts- but then he drops it back onto his armrest with a bit of deliberate indifference, as if having caught it in the act but attempting to save its dignity*

I know. You're a path that we can't follow. But you're still you. Us.

[demagnetized]

That was a choice. So was the path. That's what it comes down to, in the end.