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Fall Countdown Day 2: Midas

Not what I'd expected in that I had expected he'd present as Good or more Everish. Again, a potential Rhian love-interest candidate.

Ok, I really appreciate the likely intentional Hamlet reference! Love it. The skull that he looks at, so morbid. All related to the brevity of human life, the fleeting nature of life, that old memento mori theme. I bet he will be a strong carrier of that mortality theme in the book.

"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times."

This reminds me of how Rafal figuratively supports Rhian. Alas, poor Yorick! But really, in this context: Alas, poor Rhian and Rafal!

Even the greatest, most powerful people one day die and are buried beneath the earth, to be feasted upon by the worms. Hamlet has the best wit. I loved his “mad” dialogue when I read the play. Anyway, for the purposes of Fall, we all end up in the same place. Physically interred, underground.

And, of course, we're getting imperial Roman vibes from this picture. Midas also has the potential to single-handedly shoulder the themes of greed or avarice in Fall, according to the original myth of King Midas.

Then, there’s the use of purple, a color only worn by the rich in ancient times because it was such a painstaking process to collect the dye and dye the fabric. Also, there’s some version of a laurel wreath at his brow, which is more fitting than a regular crown. The cravat is a good masquerading-as-an-Everboy detail though. Like, it’s definitely believable that Rhian will fall for it. Also, the swash-buckling, pirate-esque boots are the perfect disguise.

Then, there’s the idea of another boy-king. Oh great. He’ll probably be a bit like Tedros but worse. I expect some immaturity in his characterization if the plot goes in this direction. But, he’ll probably be unstable. Definitely emotionally unstable. Yeah, emotionally unstable boys in positions of power are exactly what this duology is all about. So, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he did turn out like this.

Also, I expected Midas to have more of a ridiculous, pompous, Everish personality, but he looks so brooding, so maybe, he'll be more Never-like than I expected. I mean, he's holding a skull, and looks kind of morose.

The mist looks similar to the mist that surrounds the Schools on the cover of Fall. I wonder if it’s significant?

The cage is definitely present and more obvious in this picture as well. Must be some kind of symbolism, or hinting at the actual plot and possible themes of confusion and tainted judgment in war. Actually, I've had ideas about this before.

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The way I could see it playing out is this:

Before they enter Midas' court, Rhian tells Rafal to be polite, if he's capable of it. However, Rafal refuses to bow before a man with less power than he has.

Rhian tells him they are not in the best position to argue, and he'd better keep quiet, submit, and not mouth off to the royalty in the room because they need support to win against Hook. Also, they are in a weakened state because they’ve lost their immortality.

Rafal: And who caused that problem by letting Hook in?

Rhian stops talking. They are not playing the blame game again. Hell knows they've been doing it since the end of Rise, since their students disappeared.

So, Rafal and Rhian enter Midas' court.

Then, Rafal eventually reaches a point where he doesn't respect Midas as a Never. He treats Midas with condescension.

That strikes a nerve in Midas, and Midas doesn't take Rafal's comments in kind.

Rafal says true Nevers like himself take no prisoners, and that Midas is too merciful to have lived this long, and to not have been overthrown. If he didn't have a battalion of advisors and lord-regents to rule for him, since he was a boy, it surely would have happened by now.

And, Midas also reacts with contempt, saying that he'll be merciful, all right!

Rhian is startled, and Midas has him dragged away. And, Midas either encases him in gold to put him in a sculpture garden, or imprisons him in a giant bird cage, likely a golden, gilded one.

Now, Rafal is absolutely gobsmacked, flabbergasted, at how his own plan backfired. He’d only intended to threaten Midas to get what he wanted, an army or support or something else along those lines. But, not for the first time lately, he's underestimated his new foe.

And then, Rafal is dragged away to the dungeons probably, and has to solve this new problem.

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Or, alternatively, this hypothetical could involve Rafal turning into a bird, maybe to infiltrate Midas’ palace, being caged, and Rhian humiliating himself by pleading with Midas to release his brother.

Midas probably agrees to it on one condition: Rhian stays with him. And, in response, Rhian says something like "Never! I must remain loyal to my brother!"

Midas doesn't budge. And, neither does Rhian. After some time passes, and is wasted, Rhian decides to agree, pretends to come around to it, and pretends to fall in love.

Rhian does it so convincingly that Rafal thinks Rhian has abandoned him, and is going mad and lovesick again.

And, this is doing serious damage to their trust.

Until, Rhian gears up to have his heroic moment. The moment Rafal is released, he plans to escape, get both of them away from Midas.

So, Rhian pretends to be seduced, promptly stabs Midas in the back, deserts Midas, and takes Rafal with him.

Rafal is in shock, and is simultaneously so relieved, but still can't fully relax.

He thinks he might be able to trust Rhian now, but is still unsure, because, well, the acting came so easily to Rhian. And, Rafal thinks like a Never, of course, and probably projects intentional Evil intentions onto Rhian (not the accidental: Oops, I went too far and extremist for the sake of Good, and was led astray and manipulated. Not Rhian's somewhat justified victim complex either, no, but real Evil. Or, that’s what Rafal thinks.)

Because, just look at how good Rhian is at acting! What if this was Rhian's plan all along? What if Rhian was pretending this whole time? Because, Rafal’s Rafal and he's paranoid.

So now, Rafal is forever on the lookout, and is observing Rhian more closely than ever before because who knows if he can trust Rhian? Just because Rhian saved him once before doesn't mean he won't try to kill him (again). Then, this could lead Rafal to thinking he has to make the first move, to betray first, so he isn't the one betrayed, who ends up in the losing position.

Meanwhile, Rhian is wondering what is going on in Rafal's head because his brother keeps looking at him strangely. And, not as covertly as Rafal thought. And besides, you can read a person exceptionally well after living with them and knowing them for over a century.

Rhian worries that Rafal doesn't trust him, and only tries harder to make it up to him. But, the continual efforts of "This is why you should trust me" only serve to make Rafal more suspicious as time passes because Rhian is trying too hard to repair their relationship and smooth things over artificially. It certainly doesn't look right, but he's mostly sincere. Rafal just isn't perceiving things correctly because his judgment is clouded by Rhian's earlier display of acting.

Like, how in the world can Rhian switch so quickly? Appear so real. But not be? It's all an act. But still. How? Just how? It's like he's flicked a switch. That's how easily the acting comes. And, it’s unnerving to Rafal.

Rhian is probably innocent though. And, he starts to feel hurt that Rafal won't believe in him or trust him, like ever again, and he starts to become depressed. And, that depression causes him to act unlike himself. Or rather, unlike his usual self, the self that Rafal knows and trusts and is familiar with.

And because Rhian is different and quieter than usual, this only reinforces Rafal's misperception that Rhian is untrustworthy and has something up his sleeve to doom Rafal or be the death of him. Rafal fully believes the betrayal will come from Rhian. That it’ll be dealt by the one person he used to trust. So, he's hurt too, but his pain is in response to his own anticipations, his dread, and his negative, held expectations. Rafal’s not hurt by reality. And, the fact that he's hurt by this, the unreal, and what lives in the realm of possibility, means that Rafal is hurting himself. Sure, there are external factors involved, reinforcing his misperceptions. But, his own mind is working against him. To cause these errors in perception. And, it's just sad.

And, Rhian doesn't know about the prophecy from the Sader who planted the seed in Rafal's mind, to start all this havoc and chaos and unrest. And, that Sader is partly, heavily responsible for the brothers' unraveling.

But, Rhian still worries more than ever because he sees something off or broken in his brother and wants to try to fix it. Yet, the more Rhian does, the more he tries to talk to Rafal or broach the subject of Rafal's mental state, the more Rafal utterly shuts down. And, all this continues to reinforce the problem. But, Rhian is doing it unknowingly, because he's really only trying to put his best foot forward. However, Rafal feels like he has zero people he can be vulnerable with, even if that isn't true.

Basically, each brother acting out-of-character, or revealing other sides of themselves that the other hasn't seen, is what causes them to act out-of-character. It's a vicious cycle, tearing them further and further apart.

Also, keep in mind that I'm thinking about this through a bit of a psychological lens and so, maybe, the plot will be more action-based yet still complex in terms of the brothers' relationship and their characterization. I don't know. But probably, there’ll be more action than this.

It (their downfall) could also be a more simple misunderstanding. It (the eventual ending/fratricide and/or betrayal) could be the result of such a thing, like a real argument, or anything really, no matter how small.

The tipping-point is often the smallest act, the thing that throws everything off balance, to trigger all the rest of the catastrophe, because just jostling something fragile can throw it off balance, in terms of physical objects. And, naturally, this can apply to a relationship too—if it even turns out to be a single, little moment that is possible to pinpoint and identify and define.

This is just one idea. That I somehow feel is likely? Because, at least, I believe in it. The fact that Rafal’s (or Rhian’s) descent into insanity could potentially be paranoia-driven.

I could be completely wrong or off the mark here, but I feel like this makes sense at the very least, and I could be partially right in the end. Partly, because this is based on my "It's not who we are. It's what we do" theory from my post, “Why Rafal Might Still Be a Never and Rhian Might Still Be an Ever.” And, I'm biased toward that theory. In fact, Rafal’s thought patterns in this hypothetical are based off of that other post, discussing his self-inflicted isolation and paranoia.

And, if Rafal’s characterization here seems exaggerated, it could be. But consider: instead of focusing on the positive, on how Rhian rescued him, and appreciating his brother’s heroics and skills as a diplomatic and maybe, more-shrewd-than-he-looks-Ever, Rafal fixates on the negative. Which is understandable. Humans dwell on the negative. We are wired to do so. And, Rafal is probably a pessimist by default.

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An extension to this line of thought:

This is just speculation, but maybe, in TLEA, Rafal projects Rhian onto Sophie, in how Rafal perceives her. See the: “No one will ever love you but me” line. This is given the fact that every time Rhian has fallen in love, it has gone tremendously wrong, and that the only reliable person Rhian has ever loved is Rafal.

In Fall, Rafal could treat Rhian the way everyone treated Sophie in AWWP. Like a ticking time bomb, an inevitability that will only end in disaster because he can’t be trusted. Like he could go off any minute.Because, honestly, Rafal is shocked and astounded at Rhian’s capacity to act and betray others. What dictates that he won’t be Rhian’s next victim? Their love, I suppose, if it's still there. But, I’m sure Rafal will forget about his love for Rhian at some point.

Fall Countdown Day 3: Kyma

She’s not wearing very typical Ever or princess-like attire. Her blouse gives me Edwardian-era vibes, and that fits that time period of Peter Pan, so it seems like she’s already connected to pirates and Neverland, especially given that skull and crossbones flag behind her. I wonder if she's adapted to survive, or has undergone character development similar to Beatrix’s turn in AWWP and later in the series when she became a knight? Kyma could have turned rogue or pirate-like, given the people she’s been around. But probably, she’ll retain her essential Goodness.

My assumption is that she was either captured by Hook, or persuaded by Hook to follow him, and thus loyal to Hook and his crew. I don't think she's currently a prisoner though because she looks well. Or, maybe, she has stakes in keeping other loved-ones safe, and followed along with Hook for her own self-preservation. I wonder what exactly happened to her to cause her to end up like this though. It’s intriguing, this change.

Fall Countdown Day 4: Aladdin

Aladdin looks sulky here, so I wonder if Kyma broke up with him. He looks scuffed, disheveled, and dirty too.

I doubt he’s sided with the School Master brothers, but could he have sided against Hook?

I also wonder what he’s gone through to look this way. It’s likely he’s gone through something of an ordeal because his photograph is literally the darkest one we’ve seen so far. Was he stuffed in the prison hold of a ship? Or, he could have been held prisoner for not cooperating, as compared to Kyma who actually looks well, and is dressed better.

My thought is that, maybe, Kyma is smart enough to cooperate to benefit herself, or to gain the enemy’s trust, assuming the students were actually kidnapped by Hook. There is a chance they went willingly. But, Aladdin resists authority more than she does, and it probably doesn’t work out in his favor.

Fall Countdown Day 6: Hook

Hook is the first character we’ve seen not seated on the throne, and I have no idea what that could mean. Maybe, other, worse villains will overpower or "dethrone" even him? Also, Hook looks distracted in this, but has drawn his sword, so I wonder if this picture could be reflective of an actual scene in Fall?

Also, the golden glow of his hand—did he retain and make off with the powers Rhian transferred to him? There could also be a lightning motif here.

If the third-to-last Fall countdown photo isn't another major side character, then I guess Rhian and Rafal could be the third-to-last and second-to-last photos, or the final two. But, what could the final day's photo be if not one of the brothers? I would guess the Storian, or some personification of the Storian. Also, it could be Soman himself, like in the QFG countdown, but we already know that Soman said he wouldn't be in this countdown. What other possibilities are there though if not another minor character or the Storian? The other question I have is whether the May 1st photo will be the last countdown day, or if there will be a photo for the day of release also.

Fall Countdown Day 7: Rhian

Finally! Rhian! I wonder if that book he's holding is The Tale of Fala and His Brother? Also, that smirk makes him look conniving.

If we got Rhian today, I'm sure we'll get Rafal tomorrow. But then, who or what could be in the last day's photo?

At first I thought the recurrence of pearls worn by the characters in the Fall countdown photos was an artistic choice, and thought nothing of it. But, they could have a significance. Pearls (probably almost universally) symbolize youth, purity, and innocence, and are often worn by brides. And, the characters we've seen wearing pearls are James Hook and Kyma. I wonder if they become romantically-involved.

Additionally, I think Fall will likely contain themes around mortality and the downfall of youths. Also, there's the fact that they wear the pearls clasped around their necks. It's like an inevitable, inescapable "yoke of fate," like their fates have been "written in the stars," as some prophesied thing that will come true.

It depends on what Soman wants to prioritize in Fall's ending? The shock factor or tragedy?

If it's shock, Fall could end with any manner of plot twists, identity swaps, other possibilities, etc. But shock may only last as long as it takes your brain to catch up; tragedy leaves a lasting impression, and will always make you consider what could have been.

I expect both shock and tragedy because they often go hand in hand, but I'd prefer tragedy, I guess?

If it's tragedy, think about it:

Why build up Rafal as the most widely sympathetic character in Rise, to not tear him down? And then, not make him the tragic villain? A tragic villain could be more tragic than an undeserved death. Partly, because he's orchestrated his own downfall by means of his own flaws. Becoming a villain and living as someone else or the worst version of yourself is arguably worse than just dying and being remembered for the way you once were. Because your self and memory are tarnished.

In becoming what he is in the main series canon, the main series villain, we get to see how far he's fallen. And, that is potentially far more tragic, seeing how far he's fallen and what he's become. This would also be a bonus to the readers of the main series because Rafal tends to elicit more of a reaction from us than Rhian. Because, we've only known Rhian for one book versus our longtime familiarity with Rafal?

Also, at this moment, Rhian has less motive/cause to become a villain than Rafal does. (Unless something happens to Rhian in Fall, and changes him.) I mean, who's the one who is always annoyed by and complains in his internal monologue about all the blithering idiots he's surrounded by? Rafal!

Fall Countdown Day 8: Rafal

Rafal, my favorite of all prequel characters! This is the day I've been waiting for! He's so handsome. Also, it was a good call to choose the same model for both brothers. I guess the coldness or the warmth of the make up can change how a person looks. Interesting.

Rafal has the same dark book, and his lighting is just as dark as Rhian's, so maybe that decision was more to maintain the cohesiveness of all the pictures in the countdown than to characterize individual characters. Also, I love the hints of green lighting! It's so TLEA-ish. Perfect.

There's also a bordering of entwined thorns and black leaves. (Feels like a callback to the dying Blue Forest in TLEA.) Fitting as well. And, his suit looks darker than Rhian's. Almost black in fact.

Also, throughout all these countdown days, I've been wondering if the stained-glass banner in the background or the geometric tapestry, usually seen behind the characters, represents a kingdom, or if it has any other significance. Is it a symbol?

I love that he has a dagger. I wonder if that'll be his murder weapon? It holds implications of killing someone both physically and figuratively close to him. (I might have predicted it in my fic, "Simony." Though, daggers are a common weapon, to be fair.) For a moment, I thought it was the Storian in his hand. Also, the handle looks gold. Could that imply any Midas involvement here? Could the dagger be used to draw blood for a magical ritual? The Storian drew blood when the brothers made their vows.

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Background (I didn't cite specific sources. Most of these excerpts came from a Google search.):

"A dagger is a short killing weapon designed to stab only. It is double edged, tapered to a sharp point, with a straight edge and usually a blood line groove to facilitate removal."

"However, in the last hundred years or so, in most contexts, a dagger has certain definable characteristics, including a short blade with a sharply tapered point, a central spine or fuller, and usually two cutting edges sharpened the full length of the blade, or nearly so."

"A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. Daggers have been used throughout human history for close combat confrontations, and many cultures have used adorned daggers in ritual and ceremonial contexts."

"Most, such as spears, were intended to strike the enemy from a distance, but men also carried daggers for use in close combat. With blunt edges and sharp tips, daggers were exclusively stabbing weapons, often used to kill an enemy incapacitated by spears or arrows or, at times, in more stealthy acts of assassination."

"The dagger is a one-handed weapon that may also be wielded in the main hand and off hand. Daggers are known for their fast and aggressive attacks."

"The distinctive shape and historic usage of the dagger have made it iconic and symbolic. A dagger in the modern sense is a weapon designed for close-proximity combat or self-defense; due to its use in historic weapon assemblages, it has associations with assassination and murders. Double-edged knives, however, play different sorts of roles in different social contexts."

"Despite how fast the dagger is, it does less than average damage when used against enemies, due to its size."

"Despite its lower damage output, daggers are great weapons to use in one-on-one fights since you can get in multiple good hits in no time at all!"

Fall Bingo

A final collection of predictions. I haven't gotten my preordered book yet, but when I do, I will read it eventually, and fill this out.

Please do not comment any spoilers!

The Creation Theory and Context for “When Lightning Falls”

If anyone has been around these parts long enough, yes, this theory was dredged up from an old post’s comment section because it’s relevant to my upcoming Fall prediction fic, “When Lightning Falls.” And, yes, I'm aware that it could definitely be outdated by canon.

Note: One thing about the fic that is different from this theory though: Rhian is Good and Rafal is Evil. The Storian’s manipulation, puppetry, and intentional inciting of confusion don’t apply in the exact same way in the fic as they do in the theory. In the fic, the brothers were just created as replacements for the old School Master, to fill the role. That is the purpose they were created for. And, their purpose in life is to serve the Storian as School Masters. I will elaborate on that in a bit, if that comes across as unclear.

Also, in the fic, Rafal starts out only detecting a slight tear in the Storian’s veil, the elaborate illusion he’s been living in. I headcanon that, even as a child, he was the discerning, perceptive sort, and that almost nothing got past him. Unlike Rhian that is. Because with Rhian, you can pull the wool over his eyes, and he wouldn’t blink. It’s not Rhian’s fault though. He’s just moral and trusting, and thinks others are like himself.

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Now, without any further ado:

I think magic is not dependent on soul purity every time. There are probably other unknown factors involved, like bloodlines possibly? I think in the case of canon, we just happen to see the exceptional cases, like Sophie and Agatha. They are pure, but they were created from magic, so of course, they would be more powerful than most. Partly, because of their souls' potential, and the unusual circumstances of their birth, I would guess.

This leads me to theorize that Rhian and Rafal must have also been the result of an unusual case.

(Thank you to @mariiwhalegirl for the prompting/inspiration!)

Before reading Rise, I thought vaguely that the brothers could have been born from magic, or that they were descended from an exceptionally magically-gifted bloodline. Now, these ideas are still possible, but since we don't know about any other pairs preceding them, we could assume that they are the first, created for the purpose of Balance. That's what I think after reading Rise. Because, all other Good-Evil pairs in the series were born after them.

They're more powerful as sorcerers than the average person (and maybe, less humanly flawed—however we decide to interpret that—hold onto that thought for a bit. It will come up later in this theory).

They are also more uncanny than the average family tree, which could have some black sheep members of the other side in it (where the branches have toxically mixed), but surely not of the same birth or even from the same generation. Like the few Evers in a Never kingdom, or the few Nevers in an Ever kingdom. But those are natural outliers.

I also remember that a lot of the time, being taken by the School Masters (this was probably from Aladdin's pov) was an honor, no matter what side you were destined for. It's almost entirely too much of a coincidence that the brothers’ job as School Masters, a job which existed before them, became their job. It's just too fitting.

So, with that, I propose that the Storian could have created, not borne them, for the sole purpose of taking on a job where naturally-born Evers and Nevers had previously failed.

They could be the only people in the Woods without real parents. No connection to anyone except the other of the pair. Besides, the aged man we saw in the prologue of Rise was only one man, not a Good and Evil pair. Using an already existent person, and removing their mortality didn't work, so maybe, a more enduring solution had to come from elsewhere, which led the Storian down the path of creation.

The Storian must have thought the brothers were the perfect fit for the job, like a god thinking their creation is flawless. But, the Storian probably forgot that despite everything and its creations' seeming invincibility, they were still human, still fallible.

The Storian must have thought no information would overturn its design of the system with not one, but the two School Masters intended for the role. Specifically, a system where the roles are reversed, and the two humans don't have the faintest idea that they are supporting the wrong side, if Rafal is Good and Rhian is Evil. That is still debatable.

Or, it might not have mattered who is which, Good or Evil, because the point was for their loyalty to their blood to override their loyalty to their side. So, by design, being loyal to a side that isn't theirs, that belongs to their blood (their brother), and never knowing this could keep them and the Woods in Balance.

They would be unwittingly supporting the other side, not their own, and thus, the risk of supporting their true side over their blood would be diminished, out of the question. Since they would never support the other side they believe isn't theirs. Since they are supporting their blood in a way by supporting their brother's true side.

To clarify, I mean, in supporting Evil, Rafal would be indirectly supporting what Rhian stands for, without realizing it, and Rhian would be doing the same, supporting Good which could be his brother's true side.

In fact, Rafal's seeing through the veil, the Storian's ruse, could be the reason why the Storian tried to distract him with fairy tales about himself, to get away from the real issue, and the hidden system falling apart. It could also explain why the Storian lashed out and cut Rafal's arm because now, Rafal's started on a dangerous and unstable train of thought, when he started questioning his Evil status and Rhian's Good status.

And, the Storian can't get Rafal to forget it, so letting it pass, or allowing for Rafal's self-destruction, whichever comes first, is the easiest way to wipe the slate clean. Except, maybe only one brother died by the end of the fated war, so the Storian's creations were harder to get rid of than it realized or ever anticipated.

(And, letting your creation think he’s going insane with paranoia usurping the seat of his mind is far less work than explaining yourself as an immortal deity. So, the problem will solve itself in time, albeit messily, and it will end in mortal tragedy. But who cares? As the Pen, it’s not your life at stake.)

So, the Storian could have spun an elaborate web of, not lies, but misperception to maintain the Balance. But anything built on an untruth isn't designed to last. Not that the Storian cared about its creations.

The Storian must have either decided to start afresh, like with a Noah's ark of destruction in some symbolic way by tearing down the brothers, or by triggering a specific sequence of the fated Great War. Or, it has mistakenly self-sabotaged itself and its Woods by letting its sentient creations become too self-aware, breaking from their originally-established, intentionally-switched roles.

Also, the Noah's ark thing: we've seen the Schools rising out of the sea (probably the Savage Sea?) in the trailer for Rise. I mean the new castle Schools, not the original manor by the way. So, that could be a parallel?

Also, there's the Abel and Cain parallel I've mentioned before. Abel and Cain are recognized as the first children borne by humans. And, Rhian and Rafal could possibly be the first children not borne by humans in the Endless Woods. That's why they could be an unprecedented, and thus exceptional case.

Lastly, it (the Storian’s system) could have been that the only way for Good and Evil to coexist stably: With an Ever to support Evil and a Never to support Good in such a high position. They would just have to be unaware of it to follow through with the job the Storian assigned them.

Basically, the theory here is that the Storian not only puppeted the brothers as they were, but that they are artificial souls, designed to be puppeted by their Master. They would be Masters in name only.

In actuality, they'd unconsciously be slaves to their creator.

In the end, I would call this theory: "The greatest trick the Devil Pen ever pulled was convincing Men that they were loyal to their own side."

And, Rafal did call the Pen "the little devil," so why not?

When Lightning Falls

This will be my last hurrah before the fall. So, happy reading! If it can be called that.

Summary:

A travesty and a tragedy, told in two parts. A flashback from Rhian and Rafal’s past as it ties to their present. From how they began and where they started to where they are now. From School grounds to the Great War in Neverland, suspicion and chaos abound. By the Storian’s reasoning and the Storian’s reasoning alone, where they began brought them to where their luck ran dry.

Context:

This, in a way, serves as both a prequel and a prediction fic. It’s sort of a two-shot, two-scene fic. Part 1 takes place when the brothers are around seven years old. And, the first part is largely based on my theory about the brothers’ origins. That theory is essentially about how the brothers could have been an exceptional case, born from magic, like Agatha and Sophie were, to be the souls that they are. And, not only that, they may have been created, not born, with a certain intent, so they could be used by a certain villainous pen.

Warning:

This fic is probably a bit less sympathetic toward Rafal by its conclusion than my usual writing is.

Important Note:

I have not yet read Fall. Please do not post spoilers in the comments, or send me any through PMs. I am trying to avoid all spoilers until I have the time to read Fall.

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Rhian ran toward Rafal when he landed with a soft thud. His brother had been teaching himself how to fly lately.

Lightning cracked overhead, lighting up the sky and the manor, almost as if it were day.

“Fala, I’m scared.” Rhian pressed against his brother hard, and Rafal didn’t shove him away. Rhian continued hyperventilating, one breath after another, like the treads of soldiers, constant and quickening.

Rafal held Rhian in his arms like a vise, and squeezed him with a comforting pressure. Rhian’s shallow, rapid breaths receded, and his shoulders stopped shaking.

Rhian lifted his head from where his chin had been resting on Rafal’s shoulders. “Why do you think the Storian won’t let us leave?”

Rafal let go, and brushed his sopping, white hair out of eyes. He remained silent.

Rhian continued on. “School Master says It will let us explore the Woods when we come of age. How old do you think we’ll be by then? Not as old as School Master, right?”

“Not as old as School Master. Maybe, as old as the students.” The growing brothers almost reached the School Master’s waist, but Rafal didn’t think it meant much. The School Master was stooping more by the day. Hunched more and more drastically, like he was withering.

“And not as wrinkly, either” said Rhian.

“No, not as wrinkly either. He’s probably due to die a couple years down the line.”

“How do you come up with these things?”

“Everyone dies. You know that,” Rafal averred.

“I know, but I don’t talk about dying all the time,” insisted Rhian.

Rafal frowned.

“So, why do you think we have to stay?” Rhian asked again.

Rafal glanced around as if he were afraid someone would look over his shoulder, but all the faculty and students were inside the warm glow of the manor. He peered into the nearby windows on his tiptoes, gripping the ledge. Just to be safe, he told himself. Then, he ducked down lower.

Rhian observed him, and furrowed his brow at his brother’s classic paranoia. “No one’s out here, Fala.” Nonetheless, Rhian followed him, and sat on the wet grass, leaning against the wall beside Rafal.

“I’m just making sure,” Rafal explained. “I haven’t got all the facts yet. But, the last time I was with School Master for a lesson, he looked nauseous. He said that we were growing like weeds, and might replace him one day. His voice croaked, his bones creaked, and his hands shook. But he continued on with that lesson, and it gave me an idea.”

“What about? I was with the Dean for Etiquette that day. He says ‘Etiquette is what separates Good from boorish Never thugs,’” Rhian recited.

Rafal’s expression soured and he rolled his eyes. “Ok, at some point, we have to have a talk about not believing everything you hear.” He got back on track. “He told me that once, all Ever kingdoms were more closed off than they are now. The common people were called serfs, and they were bound to the land of their kings.”

“Are we serfs, Fala?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t figured it out yet. Maybe, one day, we’ll solve it. Find out what It wants. Leave the School grounds.”

“But, the Pen is Good, right? Doesn’t It want us to be safe? Can’t we trust It? Shouldn’t we stay?”

Rafal didn’t respond, grimly clutching the soaked knees of his pants.

A clap of thunder resounded, followed by lightning riving the sky apart.

Rhian raised his voice over the roaring storm, to reassure his brother. “Then, we won’t be a bother or a burden anymore! Maybe, It’ll give us an important task someday. We won’t be worthless anymore! Maybe, we’ll be useful.”

“Maybe,” Rafal said pensively, too wary to agree, narrowing his eyes in thought.

⸻

Rhian awoke in the night with a jolt and stood. He had repeatedly fallen in and out of a dreamless, jarring, electric sleep. But, unlike his sleep, this place was far from colorless. No, the entire alien island of Neverland brimmed with power and electricity. It was enough to electrocute a full-grown Stymph.

The greens were electrifying. Vivid, electric greens. Deep emeralds. Wintry radium greens. Salty, metallic, phosphoric greens. Vibrant patina. Phantasmagorical greens permeated every vine and leaf. It was like a Man-made world. The first he’d ever known. The humid, acidic atmosphere clung, stinging eyes, and biting at exposed skin. His hair drooped lifelessly, and he moped at its sorry state, trying to arrange his curls so he’d look marginally presentable. The oppressive moisture did no good. His every attempt fell limp, and he gave up.

Although unseen insects hummed incessantly, Rhian knew he must have been the only human presence for miles. He was alone, for now. Yet, he didn’t feel alone. The jungle thrummed with life.

The sky on the other hand was bleak, overcast, a deep, iron grey. Its distortions reminded Rhian of a warped mirror, like he was under a dome, to be examined by some cosmic forces above. Only, he couldn’t see without. Others could only look within. And, oddly, he couldn’t see his own reflection in the broken sky.

His and Rafal’s bond had fractured like the shattered sky above them, and Rafal had taken off in the night, in a fit. They were divided as the broken firmaments above were, lightning criss-crossing, momentarily scarring the sky. Rhian wished he had been able to string together words in some way to force Rafal to understand. They’d uncovered cracks and flaws, but there was something, maybe, several things Rafal wasn’t telling him. And, it was infuriating not to be trusted. Afterall, the Storian was to blame. It alone with its tales had bred a competitive spirit within them. Lost in his thoughts, Rhian decided to keep walking, find civilization, if there was any in this hellscape.

Instead, he trod upon a war zone.

Rhian shook his head. He couldn’t tell which side was which. It was complete and pure chaos. Worse than any chess-like, storybook-sanctioned maneuvers. Was anything fair? Whose turn was it? There were no turns he soon realized. Real war wasn’t founded on turn-based gameplay. Then, what qualified as an Attack or a Defense? Anything and everything, he expected.

A long shadow glided toward Rhian, as if it were clawing and reaching for him, and he looked up. His shadow touched Rafal’s.

Rafal approached, all decked in black, eyes cold, face hardened like a mask, chiseled and sharp. He now stood a few yard lengths away from Rhian on the crest of a low outcropping of cracked, old stone. Lightning flashed behind him, as if it were at his command. A cruel, psychological trick of sorcery.

Rhian shuddered, intimidated.

Rafal looked like a living ice sculpture in the dying light of the moon. Neverland’s forest was drenched in a frosty blue.

Clenching his fists, Rafal stuffed down his traitorous thoughts. Yet, in the heat of the battle, months of pent-up stress and frustration and rage and guilt and Storian knows what were boiling over, irradiated emotion he couldn’t contain. Fear and unfounded suspicion. Mistrust and deceit all swirling in a cauldron. Those Seers! He'd kill those Seers, every last one! Look what they'd caused. They'd made a madman out of him. But, what if he were fated to do so? They would laugh at him in their dying breaths.

It was the Pen's fault, a voice said. It was the Pen's fault then! Mistrust of himself, of Rhian, that was unfounded, and irrational, and ridiculous. It mortified him. Thinking this way.

He was shaking now, and for the first time, he felt cold. And completely numb. And then, he felt nothing at all. His senses deadened, like he'd been drugged, sedated, his body leaden, like he was no longer in control of his own mind. A passive observer. The Evil, his inclination, the stirrings were taking over. Consuming him. His own soul betraying him. No, he shook his head. It was the Pan. It was Neverland. It was the air. Nothing more. A shadow. Facing his brother would be light enough to clear the shadows away. Clear the fog of war away.

Rhian was sure something was going on within Rafal, but he couldn’t tell what. His self-destruction?

Rafal told himself, this was his only choice, his only option now, the only solution. He was the School Master, who alive, could maintain the Schools, who wouldn't create one mess after another. He was the Pen’s only option. The Storian would favor him. It had to. He’d preserve order, nevermind Balance or love. He’d use the Rules because the Rules had never betrayed him. Rhian had betrayed the Rules. Following them was the only viable end. Ending his brother and his reign was the only viable end. When he tried to love his brother, he was only betrayed, by the only love he had ever relied on, by the person who was his match.

He needed someone who could love while in pain, shared pain, to fuel the darkness pumping in his heart, someone who’d been denied their victories, their End by all the world. He’d give someone else an Ending. Another True Love. Someone who’d been repressed, never free, like himself, always living in Good’s shadow. Someone else due credit like him. Who deserved to be acknowledged, appreciated for who they truly were. Someone who wouldn’t hide, who could be their true self with him and he with them. Someone who could never be good enough, no matter how hard they tried. Never pure. Never Good enough. Evil’s love. For sides, not Balance. None of the grey, the doubting, the blood ties, the torn loyalties, the competitive priorities. Someone on his side. For once, someone who’d support him. See eye to eye with him. Offer him a perspective his brother couldn’t.

If he couldn’t find another equal, he didn’t even need love. He would much rather prefer to be feared, obeyed. At least those were constants, reliable. Yes, that was his decision. His plan. Find a replacement. Find a True Love of his own. Succeed where Rhian failed. Overtake Good, prove Evil could love. That Evil could replace Good, have everything Evers had. Lead by example. Overtake his brother in what he couldn't do.

Rhian shuffled anxiously. Rafal had a faraway look in his eyes, and Rhian wouldn’t hesitate to call the psychotic gleam in his eyes crazed. “Rafal?”

Rafal jerked to attention, straightening rigidly. It was as if he’d moved to consciousness. “Rhian,” he said inscrutably. “I know how to free us from the Storian’s grasp, Rhian!” Rafal shouted across the battlefield, his voice echoing. He steepled his hands. “We have to break the Balance. Again. But this time, on purpose. The Pen can’t condemn us as failures if we prove we have the free will to choose to break the Balance and our connection to it. We can be human.”

Rhian’s head swam. Here Rafal was, spewing nonsense and contradictions. This Rafal didn’t sound like the brother he knew. The one who worried about his well being and preserving the Balance. His eyes looked wrong. Like he was fully unfettered, and had no loyalties. To nothing and no one. Like he had floated away, and couldn’t breathe the thin air of the stratosphere. Neverland had taken a toll on him, and Rhian had been suspecting a tropical fever or some other cause of madness for days. But he had been too afraid to broach the subject. He should have.

“I can free you, Rhian! The only way we can be free is by trusting Death. Death is the one constant other than the damned Pen!”

The Ever-Never Army roared in the background, and Rhian was forced to shout. “There must be a more sensible path, Rafal! Rafal?”

Rhian’s brother had materialized in front of him, closer, and looked at him wide-eyed, hands twisting around, almost beckoning, with stiff movements. Like a puppet on a string.

“I'll rule the Woods, so the Pen doesn’t have to. No one will meddle with the tales. Only I will be the tales’ one Master.” Rafal shot a burst of black magic at Rhian.

Rhian managed to deflect Rafal’s magic at the last second with his gold fingerglow, an intense flare so light it was almost white.

Back and forth. Thrust and parry. Attack. Defend.

Black. White.

Black. White.

Black. White.

Their magic lit up the skies in the first and last fireworks display Neverland would ever witness. Any direct onlookers would have been blinded. When their glows made contact, all the figures in the forest were drenched in silver, like the pallor of the moon magnified. Oddly, the battlefield, the site of a war, became beautiful for an instant. The horror, gore, and radiance coexisted as one.

A shaft of lightning emanated from Rafal’s positioned fingers, piercing Rhian square in the chest as it crackled, and Rhian went deaf, crumpling to the ground, his chest turning concave as he leaned into himself.

Now, Rhian was splayed on the ground, streaked with his own blood, soaking into the soil. Rhian twitched a last time, and fell still.

Rafal grinned demonically, a visceral euphoria flooding his senses. They were no longer enthralled! This was it. His Ending and Its End.

He conjured a glossy, black crown, dark as pitch, with spikes that could lance through flesh, and crowned himself ruler of all the Woods. The metal sat cold at his brow. He shivered in anticipation, but got no response. The war raged on. What he didn’t realize was that the crown immediately rusted as he slid it on.

He felt his fingertips burn then, and watched as his hand shriveled. His long fingers distorted into misshapen claws.

Then, pain wracked his entire body as it contorted to match. His eternal punishment, if anything lasted forever.

He wasn’t free from the Pen. He was only bound to it more. So be it. Someday, he’d unchain himself. He felt nothing now. Had nothing to lose. Had infinite time. Nothing in his way. No one to hurt.

With the last vestiges of his magic, he conjured a silver mask, melded with the shadows, transformed, and fled Neverland at last.

⸻

Note:

Songs I was inspired by:

“Different songs” - Set It Off

What changed? What changed?

It's more than just our age

“Who’s In Control” - Set It Off

So tell me who's in control

Is it you? I don't know

This song is hypnotic and very much fits Rafal’s canonical interactions with the villainous Pen.

“Killer in the Mirror” - Set it off

As seen in the imagery about the Neverland sky.

“The Good, the Bad and the Dirty” - Panic! At The Disco

If you wanna start a fight

You better throw the first punch

Make it a good one

And if ya wanna make it through the night

You better say my name like

The good, the bad, and the dirty

[...] I know what it's like to have to trade

The ones that you love for the ones you hate

Don't think I've ever used a day of my education

There's only two ways that these things can go

Good or bad and how was I to know

That all your friends won't hold any grudges

I got the final judgment

“In The Dark of the Night” - Jonathan Young

Alternate titles I considered: “When Lightning Breaks” and “When Lightning Rives Us Apart.” Neither of these had as striking a link as the actual title has to Fall.

Also, I find childhood to murder and its aftermath to be a fun contrast.

Although I wrote Neverland in hues of green, it’s actually a bioluminescent blue island as I found out yesterday from more Fall promotional content. I find it interesting that Neverland is blue, actually. I wonder if a section of that landscape was lifted or squared off, and if the roots of all the trees were re-interred near the Schools to form the Blue Forest we know in the present. Or, could seeds from Neverland have been planted to grow the Blue Forest from the ground up?

Yes, I used the lightning motif. Love it. I used the duology trailers and cover reveals as inspiration. That division, that split, the fractures in the sky, in the Schools, in the systems, in the existing structures, in the relationships. It implies a lot I think, assuming the execution in this fic turned out all right. Just, the Ending is like tracing over broken glass, I’d say. It can never be repaired.

Again: I haven’t read Fall yet. I will post a notice when I have finished it. Please do not comment any spoilers, or send me any through PMs.

Also, I will write happier fics in the future. This was just a prediction fic, and I’m well aware I could be completely wrong on several accounts.

Fall Bingo Part 2

Psychological "analysis" of Rafal, imposing a few different concepts onto him. It's not a full-length analysis this time, but I remembered that I did this as a minor assignment for a psych. class a long time ago, so I decided to post it, even if it's now a little outdated and predicated on some assumptions I once held. Some bits had to be forced to fit the structure of the assignment, so don't expect it to be 100% accurate. (And, I did this before the publication of Fall.) Thoughts?

Okay so I've got this weird question (fun to ponder tho)

How do you think Rafal would react if Sophie slapped him?!

(Both the prequel Rafal and the TLEA Rafal.)

And perhaps the prequel Rhian too. Although I'm mainly curious about Rafal (since he has more of a connection with Sophie, I think.)

Ahaha! This is absolutely a fun one on this very fine day, Anon. Here goes—

Because prequel Rafal most likely wouldn't have a connection to, a care in the world about, or any feelings toward Sophie, she could just be another student to him. And if she slapped him, a blatant show of disrespect to her School Master, I think his first impulse would be to send her to the Doom Room, or to react explosively, retaliating with sorcery. Maybe, he'd slam her to the wall. We've seen that happen with the pirates and he has a short fuse.

If he stopped to think about why she'd slap him, if he were in a more tolerant state of mind, say, as Fala in his disguise, he might be able to reevaluate whatever he said to her to have earned that slap. (Probably, he would have said something about how she's worthless as an unconventional, Everish, and superficial Never, who only cares about appearances, who is a disgrace to her side because she wants to find True Love, and who'd never amount to anything, I'd imagine.)

And, maybe, just maybe, she'd actually break through the ice with the slap, or by following it with some critical yet truthful jab about him, thereby reaching his humanity and inspiring some self-reflection on his part.

Yet, I do not believe Sophie reaching him or succeeding in cuing him into recognizing his flaws would be the most likely outcome. I'm not sure what other fault-finding he'd do with her, and we know he just loves disproportionate retribution, which is why I'm most inclined to say: torture it is.

⸻

TLEA "Rafal" is the more uncertain answer.

He does have feelings for her and has exhibited sadistic and masochistic traits. (Remember the moment when they kissed after Sophie returned? He seemed to actually enjoy his bleeding lip for some reason.)

So, this may seem controversial, but he might redden and could potentially feel aroused and/or disoriented/dazed and be unable to react, frozen in place, considering that she opposed his authority, and that he hasn't been contradicted by anyone in about 200 years.

Besides, regardless of whichever of these would occur, I don't think he'd be able to keep a clear head in this particular instance.

If that aroused thought process happened, I think he would try not to lose his cool or get flustered, and would flee the scene abruptly, leaving Sophie to wonder how he took the slap (and unfortunately, worry for her life and what could possibly be in store for her, if he came back).

I'm not sure if her slapping him (probably due to his daily proposal ritual, him telling her to address him as "Master," or something equally controlling and irritating to her) would change their power dynamic. But that possibility does exist.

If their dynamic changed, maybe he would yield to her more often than he already did in canon, or could involve her in more major wartime decisions because slapping him definitely would've exhibited even more of her force of will and agency to him.

If their dynamic went in the opposite direction, he might become paranoid that she lifted a hand against him at all, and try to monitor her more than he already did, exercising his authority over her more oppressively.

Another fairly realistic option would be their having a verbal argument or a shouting match. But, it could be one-sided, if Rafal just decided to endure some kind of berating from her.

He might just allow her to get away with yelling at him while he either defends himself, calmly, maintaining his composure without yelling. Or, he could take everything in stride, or at least silently, and listen to her, seemingly unperturbed or perhaps, wincing the whole time at her sharp tongue? Internally, he could be very pained by all the horrible, hurtful things she's saying, that he would probably deserve. Another route is that he could, strategically, agree with her and yield to her, to regain her favor, but that could be too transparent of him.

Eventually, Sophie would run out of fuel for her vituperative fire and halt her tirade against him, and she might be a little remorseful or blush, but he'd let it slide because it's her. And he needs her.

He'd probably accept any apology, half-apology, blame-shifting, or non-apology from her, just to stay on her good side. And if he were able to swallow his pride, he could give his own speech as he's wont to do, appear to understand and even empathize with her societally-oppressed, downtrodden Evil soul and heart, and apologize himself, like any good Evil "activist" would.

(Personally, I like to interpret TLEA Rafal as The Ultimate Evil Activist™. So, er, take that however you want.)

I think he'd hold himself back from violence against her if it crossed his mind because he probably has the self-control to know that aggression would only worsen his chances with her, no matter what satisfaction it could bring him in the short term.

Alternatively, he could seize her and initiate a kiss against the wall in the same forceful way Sophie did to him once.

If not that, shock is another option I can go back to. He knew, to an extent, that she viewed him as "all-powerful" even though he wasn't. Maybe, he'd be impressed by how brazen she was to slap him at all. He'd never admit that to her, I think, but he'd probably glow inside about the fact that he's (why not credit himself?!) influenced her enough (ahem, provoked her enough) to become more violent, even if it backfired against him. Plus, he could harness that violence of hers during the upcoming war and redirect, train, refine it, towards a more productive cause. Their victory. Because, that violence is also an indicator that his plan for her to embrace Evil wholeheartedly is succeeding, even if his parallel plan to court her is simultaneously failing. (Picture mental fist-pumping, like: yes, yes, yes, basically.)

So, there's a chance he'd remain expressionless. However, he could display shock on his face if he weren't able to control his emotions, or he could grin like a pathetic, love-sloshed idiot, much to her disdain or ire at not being taken seriously.

Whether or not he'd recognize and agree that he was in the wrong due to whatever he'd done to earn himself the slap, he could also try to make it up to her, whether his apology is sincere or not. I'm sure that in either case, he'd resort to personally bringing her (or materializing from afar) more and more opulent gifts—because, what more does he know about her that he could use to his advantage? Not a lot, to be fair.

Maybe, the gifts would appease her while he temporarily stays out of her sight, so she doesn't get mad at him again?

The least likely scenario, in my opinion, would occur if he truly didn't know whether slapping were a thing that "normal young people" did while "dating," and he took the slap as a sign of things going regularly, if not badly.

To be fair, he's watched Ever courtships for years (and he surely must've observed Agatha punch Tedros in the eye over the Gargoyle debacle), but this is Evil's Love—something unheard of, something never before seen. Should it be held to new standards? If so, what standards? What should he expect? What should he set, if the standards are up to him to determine? Should he really hope to imitate the Evers' love on every front? He's had zero successful past relationships, so how could he know?

If this happened, I bet he'd obsess over the meaning of Sophie's slap.

He might have to process it and puzzle over what exactly went wrong for days before he returned to set things right with Sophie. And if he did that, he'd potentially inadvertently abandon her in the tower for those several days, leaving her to wonder if she's going to starve there as her punishment, or die from "the plague," assuming he forgot about everything else and his obsession took hold of him.

(And leaving her alone could be a strategy itself, whether intentional or not, so she would begin to crave his presence again.)

This would also mean, he'd have deal with far more external complications because the assumption that he'd desert Sophie for a short period, the way he did to Rhian for six months in the prequels, would mean he'd also desert his war-training responsibilities, leaving the Old and New students to fend for themselves, and perhaps, to devolve into anarchy—if he's not quick enough to return, provided that his Deans failed to maintain order and discipline during his absence. In fact, I could see Aric actively undermining Lady Lesso's efforts, and encouraging vicious hallway brawls and overall barbarity with Rafal gone.

Also, his love was never "enough" for his brother in the past—that could easily spiral into self-doubt, even if his ego would protect against it. Then again, he's likely more sensitive to rejection if it's from her specifically since he actually values her opinions of him. I feel like he'd just brood in the no-longer-Blue Forest, sit there and do nothing but cycle that thought around and around, because, his plan, his plan that he's had for 200 years, his last hope, is currently falling through all around him, all due to one slap, and what if that means all hope is lost!? All that work for nothing. A terrifying prospect. What then? He'll have nothing if he doesn't have Sophie by his side.

I think he'd know better than to think that so quickly though. Dramatizing things just entertains me.

⸻

Now for Rhian.

Rise Rhian could easily say something about the inferiority of Evil, and that could've insulted Sophie indirectly because I don't believe he would, while still Good, stoop to insulting her directly.

He'd probably just assign her a benign punishment, like dishwashing duties, or confine her to her dorm, given that she is a student and technically one of his wards, even if she's a Never because in this case, she acted against him, not the Evil School Master. So, perhaps, it wouldn't turn out like it did in book 1 with Lady Lesso. If he had no jurisdiction over the Nevers though, the punishment could be the Doom Room, if the decision fell to Rafal. And Rafal would not give a student preferential treatment if they slapped his brother!

Now, if Rhian were sympathetic enough to Sophie and her ongoing suffering in Rafal's School, he could cover the incident up and spare her. Let's face it: while Good, he seems like the lenient, bleeding-heart sort. Maybe, to him, it'd be the right thing to do because she seems kind of fragile and vulnerable. And she's Everish, which could appeal to him emotionally.

Then again, Rise Rhian has poor judgment, so maybe he'd stall and overthink deciding on any course of action, and wouldn't know what to do with her. He might not even feel like he could bring himself to discipline her, and might just continually obsess over it, as the indecision eats away at him. And, in the moment, maybe, he'd just flush red and tear up a little because she's been so cruel to him!

Fall Rhian, on the other hand, would probably insult her and do it so scathingly well. If she slapped him... she'd probably be a dead girl walking at that point. Could he incinerate her? Very possibly.

Midway through Fall, Rhian might just assign her a demanding punishment or task, really, of the same nature (and severity?) as Midas'.

⸻

And that is all I have for now. If there are any outcomes I haven't thought of, feel free to tell me what you think!

Sasha Banks will win a title in 2020.

Natalya and Lacey Evans will win the tag team titles in 2020.

Sami Zayn will win the IC title this year.

Smackdown is going to have record breaking views.

An Evolution style ppv will happen in 2020.