Once, long ago, in a land no one seems to recall, there was a pair of very best friends. MC and Valdemar; the two were inseparable. They did everything together, truly kindred souls.

However, over time, a plague manifested itself in their town, spreading like wildfire from person to person, not stopping until the sick were dead and the living were fleeing.

MC was not so lucky to have the choice to flee. The plague struck hard and fast. It began with a woozy feeling. Just being drowsy, a little dizzy, and maybe an upset stomach. Then it progressed to fatigue and vomiting. Then a high fever that refused to break. Then a terrible weight on the chest, leaving one gasping for their next breath.

When MC first reported a general sensation of tiredness, Valdemar's heart sank. When MC's stomach could no longer hold its contents, Valdemar devoted himself to researching of the plague. When medicine after medicine and herb after herb did nothing to calm the stomach or break the fever, they pushed further. 

Not having caught the disease themself, Valdemar set out to the next major city to seek the aid of a great and powerful magician. However, in their haste, they neglected to inform sickly MC of their travels, wanting to be as fast as possible.

The magician supplied Valdemar with magic that could stall the life of a person, effectively pausing their life until a cure could be found.

With newfound vigour, Valdemar raced back home, only to have his soul crushed and heart shattered.

Where MC once rested peacefully on their bed at night, they now lay sprawled out, a cry of agony etched into their cold, grey face.

Their last moments weren't only physically painful, but emotionally devastating as well, for they had believed their best friend and closest confidant to have fled the town in fear of their illness. 

MC died a horribly painful and lonely death, believing that they had been abandoned by the only friend they held dear.

Valdemar, stunned and heartbroken, sank to their knees, their hands on MC's stone-cold face, tears dripping down, splattering on MC's clothes.

From then on, they vowed to do whatever it took to find a cure for the plague, even if it meant selling their soul to the devil...

Eventually, this obsession of theirs lead to becoming a plague doctor and burying themself in death and the macabre reality of disease.

Over time, Valdemar's soul withered and decayed, causing their memory of their friend to fade into the same ash as all of the bodies they had burned in their practice.

Meanwhile, MC's soul found itself floating about the cosmos, searching for what it was missing. After what seemed like eons, it came across a particular force that offered it what it sought, in exchange for all that MC had left - their soul.

Trapped and bound by the Devil's confines, MC's soul withered away, greedy and searching for what it had lost. But MC never forgot where they came from, how abandoned they felt. 

In the present day, 4 courtiers of the palace shared a secret. Volta, Vlastomil, Vulgora and Valdemar had each sold their soul for what they sought: food, disease, destruction and death.

A lower demon, who he could never seem to truly contain was greedy for friendship. This demon was none other than MC who sought the friend who, in their mind, had abandoned them in their time of need.

MC's search finally lead them to Vesuvia. And what better way to find someone than to obtain a high position to meet all sorts of people.

Nadia, in need of someone to maintain public relations, took MC on as a courtier.

The Countess brought the newest edition of the palace staff to the dining hall to introduce them to the other courtiers over dinner.

As MC entered, their eyes swept the room, and they saw nothing of note. That is until the Countess so courteously introduced each member.

"And this is the head physician of the court, Valdemar," Nadia concluded.

MC nearly spat out their wine upon hearing the name.

Memories of their childhood flooded back in an instant, followed by memories of their untimely demise.

With emotions swelling deep, MC quickly finished their food and excused themselves as being tired from their travels.

After retiring to their room, MC's mind could not stop racing.

Valdemar had no reaction to MC's name or appearance. While Valdemar had changed significantly over the thousands of years, MC kept their appearance rather similar.

Surely over the coming days, Valdemar would recognize MC, right?

Days pass and nothing changes. 

MC, greedy for friendship and their past soulmate, decided to take matters into their own hands and approach Valdemar themself.

Deep beneath the palace, MC crept, down the winding stairs to the dungeons where doctors had once worked tirelessly to treat patients of the Red Plague.

There, in the middle of the room stood Valdemar, upon the operating platform.

"Valdemar, may I speak with you?" MC asked, entering the room.

The doctor turned around and said nothing.

"It's been a while," MC continued. "I'm so glad to see you again."

Valdemar's face wrinkled in confusion.

"It's been three days since we've met. Why the sentiment?"

MC's heart sunk.

"You don't remember me?"

"Have we met?"

MC sighed, blinking back tears. "I suppose it's been a few thousand years..."

Shock crossed the doctor's face. How did they know they were that old? Who were they? Another demon? When did they meet?

"Excuse me, do I know you?" They asked curiously.

"Valdemar, it's me, MC. We were best of friends when we were kids?" MC prompted.

"I don't remember my mortal life," the other courtier stated blankly.

"How you have changed. You leave me to die alone in a plague, then become obsessed with the very thing that you ran from? How cold-hearted you've become."

Valdemar stared blankly past MC as if looking through them.

Images of a H/C person laughing as the wind blew through their hair flashed through their mind. Then that same person sat across from Valdemar smiling, a glass of wine in hand, stars twinkling overhead. Then their body, sprawled over the bed, blood, running from their open mouth, a look of agony on their features. The familiar smell of decay in the air. They looked down, a spell and a jar of herbs in their own hand. A spell to pause a person's life.

MC looked at Valdemar, tears running down the doctor's face as if they didn't even notice they were crying.

"Valdemar," MC said, stepping forward.

The doctor said nothing but rushed out the door, leaving MC alone once again.

For three weeks Valdemar was nowhere to be found. Not at work, not in the dungeons, nowhere,

MC was standing over their desk, sorting through some paperwork, not paying any mind to their surroundings when a pair of arms snaked around from behind and held them tight against someone's chest.

A head buried itself in the crook of MC's neck.

"MC," Valdemar whispered. "I remember. And I am so so sorry."

MC turned around to face the courtier, wrapping their own arms around them.

After their reunion, Valdemar and MC reconnected. They cleared the air, shared their truths with the other, and rekindled their friendship.

They even challenged the Devil himself, freeing themselves from his chains, releasing their souls to heal within the realm of the arcane.

As the sands of time turn, everything must come to pass. Even the Major Arcana will come and go. Nothing is forever, nothing stays the same.

Nothing but true love, one that is so deeply connected within each person will last, even if that love is platonic and rooted in friendship.

It is said that anyone who passes through the realms of the Arcana can find the lovers, a pair of best friends so connected that even thousands of years of erosion couldn't keep them apart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hello again! Sorry that it's been a while since my last update, school's been super busy, especially this spring/summer term.

I have more drafts in the works, so there will be more stories to come.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope this story was alright!

-Fandoms <3