Abandon

Thoren is on the ground, but there's something powerful felt from Raine.
It doesn't stop the pain, but it compels him to get back up anyways.

She's fighting her finest up there.

What can he do to make her proud? Surely there must be something.
Should he, face his terminal fear?

Should he confront Chronos?

What would he say though, to the man he should have become? What should he say to that product of a self fulfilling prophecy? What should he say to the man who threw away everything for power?
Is there anything he can say?
There has to be.
Judging from Seth's reactions, now seems to be the absolute perfect time. Not only is he not in a hostile mood at the moment, but he has enough social safeguards holding him back... for a while.

He could always just break them and devastate once again.

With Raine's determination driving him forwards, Thoren can't not take this opportunity to face this inner demon.

Meanwhile, Hypnos is staring at Thoren like wat.
"Hey, are you okay there? You got knocked back out of nowhere."

"I'm okay enough. I have the greatest woman in the world and her heart gives me strength. It should be enough." The flame raging from his breast is burning white-hot from the sheer amount of determination.

"If you say so." Hypnos shrugs.

Thoren walks with purpose towards the area where Chronos is doing... something.

Alpha Seth can clearly sense Thoren coming closer and yields to him. They look over at each other and exchange some unspoken words. Seth immediately understands what Thoren is planning on doing, and he couldn't be more supportive.
Seth give him a thumbs up.

Meanwhile, Chronos is discussing matters with two shaky temporic girls.
"ΘF CΘURSE. I WISH NΘTHING MΘRE TH▲N THE SUCCESS ΘF YΘUR PEΘPLE. THE TWΘ ΘF YΘU WILL BE INTEGR▲L TΘ THIS, ▲S YΘUR SLUMBER T▲KES PL▲CE IN THE BUBBLES, I SH▲LL LEND DIRECTIΘNS WHEN ΘUR P▲THS MEET."

It's at this point that Thoren arrives.
"...So we meet again."

Chronos stares at the ragged man standing before him. It takes a moment for him to remember.
That was the man he used to be. The one he killed to become a doubletier.

Thoren.

"SΘ WE DΘ. WH▲T BUSINESS DΘ YΘU H▲VE WITH ME? I'VE MΘVED ΘN FRΘM YΘU. I LEFT YΘU BEHIND YE▲RS ▲GΘ."

"That you did, but I'm here again. You more than anyone should know that you can't keep me down for long."

A curt chuckle. "YΘU H▲VEN'T CH▲NGED ▲ BIT. IT ▲LMΘST M▲KES ME NΘST▲LGIC."

Thoren feels a slight sting from this, but stays standing in place.
Alpha Seth steps in.
"He has changed. With my help, he's grown more than you could ever imagine. He's even found somebody that loves him."

Chronos is taken aback by this. His discarded half, had found love?
And yet he's been denyed this very thing?
It makes him angry.

His hands ball up into fists as he clenches his teeth even more.
"...SΘ WH▲T. DID YΘU SHΘW UP JUST TΘ RUB TH▲T IN MY F▲CE?"

"This isn't about that. It's about us. You do remember what you did to me, right?"

"ΘF CΘURSE I DΘ. I RIPPED ΘUT YΘUR P▲THETIC HE▲RT ▲ND CRUSHED IT INTΘ ▲ BLΘΘDY PULP. WH▲T ▲BΘUT IT?"

Thoren isn't sure what to say.

He never thought he would get this far. But, Raine's determination drives him forwards still.
What does he even want out of this? Closure?

How do you get closure when time has already moved on?

"YΘU DΘN'T EVEN KNΘW WH▲T TΘ S▲Y, DΘ YΘU? TYPIC▲L."

Thoren tries to think of something more to say.
What can he say that he doesn't already know?

Something comes to mind. Though he might already know the answer to this, maybe it will help to some degree.

"...Chronos. Why didn't you treat me as well as you treated alpha? We were practically identical back then. You led me on your shitty path to power and had me kill a fuckton of players until we were left in a hopeless session, which is the whole fucking reason that the Scourge went after us here! Why did you have to do that?!"

Chronos just laughs and grins.
"H▲. YΘU KNΘW ▲S WELL ▲S I DΘ TH▲T YΘU ENJΘYED IT! DESPITE YΘUR WE▲KNESSES, WE ▲RE BUT ΘNE ▲ND THE S▲ME. ▲LL YΘU NEEDED W▲S ▲ PUSH IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIΘN."

"You pushed me to the fucking breaking point! I literally killed myself willingly after doing that! Why else did you think I was so eager to ascend?!"

"BEC▲USE YΘU W▲NTED TΘ ▲TT▲IN IMMΘRT▲LITY ▲ND BECΘME ▲ GΘD, ΘF CΘURSE."

"IF ONLY TO GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THE MESS YOU THREW ME INTO!"

"BUT YΘU WEREN'T ▲BLE TΘ ESC▲PE YΘUR ΘBLIG▲TIΘNS, NΘW WERE YΘU?"

"...No. But that was part of your plan too, wasn't it? You needed me to complete your shitty timeloop. You did everything you could to make sure that I made it through that path."

"BUT NΘT WITHΘUT YΘUR ▲MBITIΘN. IT W▲S THRΘUGH YΘUR ENDLESS DRIVE TH▲T YΘU ▲RRIVED ▲T YΘUR FIN▲L DESTIN▲TIΘN."

"I thought that by the end of it I'd be free of your bullshit..."

"▲ND YΘU WERE GR▲NTED FREEDΘM. FREEDΘM FRΘM ▲LL ΘBLIG▲TIΘNS FΘR ▲LL TIME."

"Death isn't freedom! it's more confining than any situation encountered in life! Trapped in your own memories, forced to endure the terrors of your sins! It was literally hell! Do you really fucking think I ENJOY being dead?!"

"FRΘM THE W▲Y YΘU CΘMPL▲INED ▲BΘUT BEING ▲LIVE, YE▲H."

"DO YOU EVEN GET IT?! DEATH ONLY GETS AS GOOD AS THE LIFE YOU LIVED! MY LIFE WAS TERRIBLE!"

"WH▲TEVER, I DΘN'T H▲VE TIME FΘR YΘU ▲NYMΘRE."
Chronos walks away with a swagger, leaving Thoren absolutely livid.

"I WILL MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND MY PAIN! I WILL REMIND YOU OF OUR PAST SUFFERING AND MAKE YOU WISH YOU NEVER CAME TO BE!"

And with that, Thoren goes rushing towards Chronos and tackles him to the ground! His palms are faced flat against his back, as he attempts to force a connection.

Meanwhile, Seth is put into full alert by Thoren's blinding rage. Seeing as he doesn't have much to be angry about, it translates into an urgent desperation, which only fuels his concern and resolve.
Seth tries to pull Thoren away from Chronos, though Thoren's extreme weight is making it hard to budge him even an inch.

Meanwhile, Chronos is just laughing. His heart is far too closed off to be open to a connection, let alone from the bitch he cast away so long ago. Why should he open up to someone that just wants to remind him of all the bad times?
If he wanted to, he could probably toss those two away with the flick of his finger, but seeing them struggle is... entertaining.

So he stays on the ground with his heart locked tight.

Thoren is struck down by an unknown attack, and his attempt to connect is foiled. Seth is also hit by it as well.

Raine and Patrick are in peril.
They could die up there at a moment's notice.

The connection Thoren shares with them is tested, as the weakening of Raine's and Patrick's life forces threaten to disconnect them...

But, somehow, it seems they a hanging on, if only by a thread.

Meanwhile, Chronos gets back up and dusts off his suit.
"H▲. WH▲T H▲PPENED? TΘΘ MUCH FΘR YΘU? MY HE▲RT IS IMPENETR▲BLE BY YΘUR T▲CTICS, THΘREN."

But, there is one thing that can melt him.

"...MEDI!"

Chronos runs over towards his fallen beloved and lifts her to her feet, and into his arms.

"TELL ME YΘU ▲RE ▲LRIGHT... I DΘN'T W▲NT TΘ SEE YΘU IN P▲IN ▲NYMΘRE..."

Seth and Thoren try to get back up, Seth having less dificulty due to the degree of separation.
"agh... what the fuck is even going on up there..."

Thoren is reduced to frustrated tears at this point. Is he ever going to achieve closure? He can't even get his killer to understand his pain...

Seth looks back and forth between Chronos over there with Medi, and Thoren, laying on the ground with a diminished flame. Now would be the perfect time for a sneak attack against Chronos... but does Thoren have the strength to stand? not to mention, would he be able to strike his nemesis in such a rare moment of weakness?

Meanwhile, Rid has arrived at the scene. Chronos has his girl and she was previously struck by a mysterious force of unknown origin. What makes him think he has any right to embrace her after all that he's done?

"What are you doing with her?"

"I'M RIGHT HERE... NΘ NEED TΘ WΘRRY..."

"Get away from her, Chronos! She's not yours! Look, she's crying again!"

"JUST GIVE US THIS ΘNE MΘMENT TΘGETHER!"

"...fine. You get five minutes. But that's it."
Rid crosses his arms and waits.

Meanwhile, Thoren is seemingly at his lowest point. What can he even do?
wait... what's this?
The strong emotions he had earlier, that rage he held within him... his friends have used its energy to fuel their own hope and determination. It figures a Lord of Rage and an Heir of Hope would be perfectly equipped towards dealing with it.
Feeling their strength and resolve echo back towards him... it gives him the strength to get back up again. His flame has returned to average size as he struggles to get back up to his feet.
Seth offers Thoren a hand and pulls him up.
"...Thank you."

thank you everyone.

"No problem." Seth glances over at Chronos, trying to have a peaceful moment with Medi.
Is it really worth it to ruin their time together for the sake of revenge?

Will striking Chronos with a reminder of the pain he inflicted solve anything?

Seth looks towards Thoren, with that question silently weighing upon him.

"...Look, he literally ended my life in the worst way possible. I just... I just want some fucking closure here."

"Maybe he already said this, and I'm not trying to be a devil's advocate, but, he was you before he did that. You and him were one and the same before your death and his ascension. I remember when I first met you, the first thing you wanted to do was rip my heart out. When I first met Schrodinger, he was dealing with the same thoughts and history I was dealing with, but with that one difference in state differentiating us. What I'm trying to get at, is... maybe what he did was something you subconsciously wanted to do? Like, you had just crashed an entire session, and with that added weight... I can see why you'd want to escape from it."

"Are you, really trying to say that I killed myself?"

"Yes and no. at that point the two of you were separate, but, knowing how this clonesplit shit works, he was probably thinking something pretty similar to what you were probably thinking."

Thoren stands and watches Chronos try to embrace a lost and despairing girl. It's unknown how much success he's getting at trying to share his affection.
"But... he changed so much."

"Did he?"

"...I DΘN'T LIKE TΘ SEE YΘU SΘ S▲D, MY DE▲R. LET ME CΘMFΘRT YΘU..." Chronos pats Medi on the back softly.

It's just like something Thoren would say to Raine.
Is it a coincidence though? Or does it have greater meaning?

"Thoren, I know how much it hurts for you. Everything you did, whether you liked it or not... it did irreparable damage to you and others. But, what I'm asking is, can you forgive yourself for your past actions? The misfortune that you caused with your own two hands?"

Can he?

After all the lives that have been lost... after the hopes of so many were crushed... after all the pain and suffering he's caused... and the malice he's awakened from it all.

The very same malice that his love is trying to conquer.

If she weren't there, if she and Patrick didn't believe in him, he'd offer himself up to that monster.
Let it consume him.
Just to forget the pain.
There's no use in fighting it anymore, right?

But that's unforgivable.
He can't just do that. Not with so many that care about him.
He has to be strong, for their sake.

But, the question still stands.

Can Thoren forgive himself for his past sins?
Maybe not entirely, but, he can always try to be a better person.
Maybe once he rights enough wrongs in the world, then he will finally know inner peace.

Seth senses Thoren's positive conclusion, and smiles slightly.
"I know you can do it. If you can brave the trials of the void, I'm sure you can do enough good out there to satisfy yourself."

But then, what to do about Chronos?

Rid is tapping his foot impatiently, looking down at a wristwatch that ironically only seems to be working due to being in Chronos's vicinity.

Chronos lifts her with his space powers, gently, so she's more at his level.
"IT DΘESN'T ME▲N I DΘN'T STILL LΘVE YΘU. THIS, THIS FEELING IN MY HE▲RT... IT DR▲WS ME CLΘSER TΘ YΘU. I DΘN'T KNΘW EX▲CTLY HΘW IT WΘRKS, BUT I DΘ KNΘW YΘU'VE BRΘUGHT ME SΘMETHING I'VE BEEN MISSING FΘR SΘ LΘNG."

Rid glares at him.

"UNFΘRTUN▲TELY, IT ▲PPE▲RS... WE MUST P▲RT W▲YS. ▲S MUCH ▲S I DESIRE TΘ SPEND ETERNITY WITH YΘU, I KNΘW IT C▲N NEVER L▲ST. I W▲NT YΘU TΘ BE H▲PPY. I DΘN'T KNΘW IF I'LL EVER FIND ▲NYΘNE TH▲T M▲KES ME FEEL JΘY LIKE YΘU DΘ, BUT... IT'S BEST FΘR THE TWΘ ΘF US."

Chronos gives her one last hug before hesitantly setting her down. A tear streaks down his face.

"GΘΘDBYE..."

"about time he wrapped up..." Rid mutters.

Meanwhile, Thoren feels yet another blast directed at Raine and Patrick, knocking him over again, but, somehow this one isn't as devastating as before.

They're still fighting.

With Patrick's hope and Raine's rage, tempered by resolve, He gets back up.

He knows what he must do.

Thoren walks over to Chronos and faces him.
He's still emotionally compromised from just moments ago, but Chronos tries to dry his own tears before he can be caught crying in public.

"...WH▲T DΘ YΘU W▲NT THIS TIME."

"...I... I want to help you." There is fear present, but he can't back down anymore.

"HELP ME? CΘME ΘN, YΘU KNΘW THERE'S NΘTHING EITHER ΘF US C▲N DΘ HERE TΘ CH▲NGE THE F▲CTS. I'M F▲TED TΘ BE LEFT ▲LΘNE. YΘU MIGHT W▲NT TΘ T▲KE THE S▲ME CUE IF YΘU DΘN'T W▲NT YΘUR LΘVE SUFFERING ▲T YΘUR H▲NDS."

"..."
What can Thoren say to that? Who's to say that he might wind up being unfit for a relationship? What if he winds up hurting Raine?
It wouldn't be the first time he's hurt someone like her.

But, somehow, he believes it won't be the case this time. Or, at least he wants to believe. He's too high on hope and resolve to tell the difference. Though it's very much tempered by Medi's doubt.

"...No. I've grown too much to leave her behind. and she's grown close to me too. I'm here to offer you the same chance I got. Connect to me and my growing network, and we can put you on the path to healing."

Seth can't help but think that this is a bad idea.

Chronos however, isn't sure if he should even trust him. What if this is just a sick stunt to try and punish him again?
Who's to say what he'll do once he has access to his heart?

Can he really let such a security threat happen?

"...there you are! man, it's been crazy here... Glad you came to your senses though. ➜"
Niki smiles for a moment, and then remembers that they're on the sidelines of some heavy seth drama.
"it's been stressful, but, bearable, I guess. ➜"

"...That's Chronos. Not sure if you knew, but apparently he 's a lot more seth than expected. It's kinda hard to think of him as being an actual member of the seth template, but considering the crud that went on in the elf session and beyond, it's undeniable where he came from. ➜"

She tries to listen to what Thoren and Chronos are saying way over there.

"Wait a minute... he... wants to CONNECT to him?! It was bad enough when Thoren and Seth were connected on their own! Does he realize what that'll do to him?! ➜"