#considering Nimda ends him in the end.

[soothingmind]

[Thou must Live, Die, and ... not Know. Azem & Emet, Final Days]

“You have the nerve to show yourself in times like these.”

Emet-Selch didn't move an inch as he felt a very familiar person approaching him. His gaze was yet still drawn into the distance, the darkened red sky covering everything and beyond the far reaches of Amaurot.

“Greetings to you too, Emet-Selch.” Luxu let out an elaborated sigh as they placed a hand on their hip, shaking their head. “I, for one, was hoping I could find you in these last few hours.”

That made him finally turn around and face Luxu, his face ever so stern like Luxu expected it to be. They reached for their blackened mask and let it hang off their neck. And as always their blue eye - ever gazing, ever watchful - glowed stronger than their other.

A small smile started to play on Luxu's lips as they held their palm above their chest, and with closed eyes they went for a small bow.

“I … just wanted to say thank you.”

“... Stop.”

“No, I mean it.” Luxu took a step forward and while Emet-Selch tried his hardest to avoid his gaze, Luxu never took their eyes off him. “This journey means a lot to me. I experienced a lot, saw a lot, laughed a lot - with you, Hythlodaeus, -”

The mention of his name made Emet-Selch grit his teeth and Luxu held up their hand before he could interrupt them with anything.

“What I'm saying is, I'm glad I ran into you all, and I'm glad I could call you a friend.”

“... Azem -”

Luxu turned away from him and took a few steps back, motioning their hand in a manner of speech. “But my journey - my mission - is far from over.”

A Pause. Too long for Emet-Selch's liking, as the world continued to fall apart around them.

“I will continue to watch.” Luxu eyed him again, and Emet-Selch could have sworn that their eye burned into him. “No matter what, I will see it to the end.”

Emet-Selch crossed his arms. The air became much thicker than before, for one last time Luxu's antics didn't make sense to him.

“... Why don't you come with us, then?”

Luxu chuckled and shook their head.

“My other selves will continue. And I hope when you do find them, you will treat them the same as me.”

Another pause. Slowly the realization dawned on him and Emet-Selch released his crossed arms. “Wait, you know about Venat's plan.”

“I was the first to know about it.” A smile. “And I know you and two others are trying to escape it.”

Of course they would know. Nothing ever eludes them! … Elidibus, when I see you next time - Emet-Selch was left with an opened mouth, unable to speak the words that ran through his head.

“But enough about that.” Again, Luxu motioned with their hands. “I actually … wanted to ask you for one last favor. … As a friend.”

After all they just had spoken about, only Luxu could have had the guts to take this conversation to this with Emet-Selch.

“There is a piece of me that cannot, under any circumstances, get sundered.” They took a step forward, closer, much closer than Emet-Selch liked them to be right now. “If it does, then all will be for naught, regardless of what we do now or in the future.”

He squinted his eyes.

“... And I want you to have it.”

Of course his immediate reaction would be to shake his head. Luxu hadn’t expected anything less, and so they continued to press on.

“You may recognize my other selves, but they may not recognize you. But if I maintain even just a sliver of myself in them, then maybe … the chance remains.”

Emet-Selch started to rub his temples with his thumb and pointer finger, covering his face with his palm. “You know you come to me with this at the worst timing ever.”

A half-hearted chuckle. Typical.

“I apologize, I couldn't have done that sooner. Besides, I …” Their expression turned a bit more grim, which Emet-Selch immediately noticed. “... this is not easy for me. And I thought long about who to actually ask in the end.”

Ah. “... I surmise you thought about Elidibus first.” This was hardly a secret as to why and Luxu nodded. It only made Emet-Selch shake his head once more. “What even is this piece? If it's so important that it can't get torn apart, then this is quite a secret you've kept all this time.”

Luxu took a deep breath and held firm their hand above their chest. They wished it would never come to this, but the time was running out and this decision was far from easy.

“An … entity I trapped in my heart a very long time ago, back in my home world.” Luxu never spoke much about their old world, but when they did, it was always with fondness. Much so these words Emet-Selch gathered them with the same good intention. “Me and my friends all trapped a piece of it in us, so it wouldn't initiate the destruction of the world. So …”

Judging by Emet-Selch's changed-to-worse expression, Luxu realized how ironic this all must sound.

“... Do you see now why I don't want it to split apart? Handled by the wrong person, or not handled at all, this could end up even worse than this.”

There were so many things Emet-Selch wanted to ask, he wasn’t even sure where to begin in the first place, let alone if there even was enough time for an explanation why they kept it to themselves all this time.

“Azem, this is quite a lot you ask of me here.” A harsh tone, but Luxu didn't flinch.

“I'm aware.” Their gaze faced the ground and they took a deep breath. “But … this is the only choice I have, if I want to prevent the destruction meant for one world.”

Emet-Selch let out a disappointing sigh and turned his head towards the distance again. The doom and destruction were unmissable, the fires and raging storms hailing down the sky just as far as the eye could see.

What else could be worse than this? What else had the power to eradicate all in its wake, if he wanted to trust Luxu's words?

“Hades?”

The call of his name sent flashes of warmth down his spine, emotions he did not think that would surface in these calamitous hours. He was their friend, he was the person they thought about carrying this burden they held on for so long. They went through so many ups and downs, laughter and antics, and in the end it was a bond he couldn't deny to be fond of.

He turned to Luxu again, his expression telling a tale of defeat, yet with a smile he couldn't hide.

“Alright, fine.” He held out his arms to the side. “I take it. Whatever you need to do, do it.”

Luxu shared the expression and went right into concentrating, closing their eyes to find the ability to draw it out as they held their palm firmly over their chest. The split wasn't easy, their heart had held onto it for so long that there was a notable tug that left them shaking, but thankfully the small orb entombed in dark swirls manifested in their hand right after.

“Don't worry.” Luxu's words were a bit shaky. “The gaol I created for it is indestructible, as long as it always stays together.” Again Emet-Selch wished they could elaborate more, but Luxu was already guiding it towards him. “Thank you, my friend …”

Gently Luxu placed their hand on Emet-Selch's chest, and with ease the orb found its way into his body. A colder shiver rushed through him, having him believe the whole ordeal worked.

Just as the feeling vanished Luxu collapsed right in front of him, grabbing onto his black robe to hold themselves steady -

“Luxu-!” And in his sudden panic, Emet-Selch embraced Luxu in his arms to prevent them from falling to the ground.

“... It appears this took a toll on me. I must apologize.” Luxu mumbled into the black fabric their face was pressed in, slowly regaining strength in their legs again. “But it seems this was a success.”

The success they spoke of could only be summarized by the hole they felt in their heart and the dark presence they now spotted in Emet-Selch's. Nothing he could handle, Luxu specifically picked him for that reason, and as for their own heart - well, it would only be a short while now.

Emet-Selch held them for what must have felt like several minutes. Time he held dear, a feeling and memory none would ever get to know, forever buried into his soul.

Luxu took a deep breath as they finally moved away from Emet-Selch's embrace, their smile ever present.

They both knew the time they now have together was short. To spend these last moments like this -

“... Would you mind staying for a few more moments?” Emet-Selch's words surprised Luxu quite a bit, but they nodded regardless. “Maybe you can tell me about your home one last time.”

With a chuckle Luxu joined his side, both of them drawing their gaze into the distance.