A strange artisan, a monumental task, a dangerous path...
Summary[]
John reveals what happened during his second time in the Dark World: his separation from the King, his murder of countless alternate universe Arthurs, and his subsequent deal with Kayne. Shocked by this, Arthur continues their quest. They come into contact with the Dollmaker, who agrees to make them a body for a price: the ears of the Butcher.
Synopsis[]
John explains to Arthur what happened during his second time in the Dark World. To explain his mindset, he confesses to Arthur that his first experience in torture was having to relive Faust’s death again and again in the prison pits. Afterwards, and during the events of Part 20, he and Arthur mutually tried to sacrifice themselves for the other. John returned to the King, but the two halves could not reconcile. Eventually, the King sacrificed John to the Dark World in order to take control.
John speculates that Kayne then pulled the King out of his own body, wiped his memory, and placed him into Arthur as Yellow. Yellow, he suspects, has regained his original body by now.
Meanwhile, John found his body (“a darker shade of yellow and more sinister” than his original) in the Dark World. Much like when Arthur and John came into the Dark World, the Dark World latched onto the spark of hatred John had for Arthur. This attracted Kayne’s attention.
Meeting John in the Dark World, Kayne offered him an opportunity to wreak his revenge on Arthur Lester. He brought another universe’s Arthur (who calls out to John as “Erik”). John kills him brutally, noting that crushing Arthur's skull and brain was the first time that he'd felt at home. Kayne continues this, bringing Arthurs for an exceedingly long period of time. John kills them in a variety of cruel, brutal ways.
Eventually, Kayne brings an Arthur that looks older. This Arthur, as John learns, has been pulled from Faroe’s 18th birthday party. Everyone in attendance, except for Arthur and Faroe, were killed by Kayne. Arthur pleads with John to allow him to return. John, unable to return him without involving Kayne, mercy-kills his final Arthur.
John puts an end to this arrangement with Kayne, and instead begs Kayne for his Arthur to be alive again, and for things to go back to how it was, and to be allowed to be good again. At that time, John didn't care if Kayne resurrected Arthur, only that John needed Arthur and to see the humanity that Arthur had taught him.
Kayne agreed, on the condition that John find the Order of the Fallen Star and not reveal what happened in the Dark World. John agrees. Kayne reveals that Arthur was never dead, and returns John to him.
John finishes talking. In the present day, he and Arthur have scaled the cliff-face and left Yorick behind. Arthur remains silent, and John grows distressed, emphasizing that he isn’t asking for forgiveness. Arthur disagrees, asking if John would forgive were the roles reversed. John would not.
Arthur also asks how many versions of himself John killed. John estimates in the tens of thousands, which sickens Arthur. Not only are versions of himself dead, but Arthur wonders aloud how many orphanized versions of Faroe exist. John apologizes, citing that the Dark World twisted at least some of John’s mind.
Arthur realizes that Kayne likely predicted this would happen, and that in order to survive, he should forgive John and keep moving. Instead, he reflects on how this changes his perspective of their time in Addison. Arthur also notes that this brought Noel and Oscar and Marie into his life, who he likes. If anything, Arthur decides to prove Kayne wrong, and tells John he’s sorry that he was in so much pain when he wasn’t there to help them. Together, they reiterate their intent to stop Kayne, even if they both die in the process.
They move to a field of soft, pale hair. Scarecrows dot the strange field. Arthur becomes aware of the strange scar in his arm, which Frederick warned might attract the interest of the Dollmaker. Arthur bemoans not asking Yorick about it. They mutually realize that they’ll finally separate, with two separate bodies. John admits that he would be happy if they stayed as they are, and Arthur returns the sentiment.
They approach the Dollmaker’s cottage and resolve to keep the doll hidden. John realizes that the scarecrows are made of flesh and their heads are covered in a bloodied white sack. However, the cottage seems normal, unlike the other Dark World structures. A windmill is nearby. When they approach, they see a sign that reads “fiends knock, friends enter.”
They enter without knocking, and explore the cottage within. The cottage appears bigger on the inside than expected. While it resembles Daniel’s in some ways, it has experienced some decay and rot. Their attention is drawn to a number of portraits portraying a family lineage: first Irma Winters, then Eugene Winters, and then seven additional canvases. Each generation’s portrait becomes increasingly fractured. On the seventh portrait, Randall Winters, pieces have been removed. The eighth is a patchwork of sources with no name.
The ninth (and last) is not framed and is more of a mural, branching off like roots. Only when Arthur steps back does the collage resolve into a face. There is no room for a tenth portrait. Arthur wonders why.
The Dollmaker approaches, answering Arthur’s question—they are the last Dollmaker, and sewn from many sources. The Dollmaker asks if they’ve met before, and Arthur replies in the negative. He asks if the Dollmaker can make him a body. The Dollmaker directs them to the cellar/workshop, and after briefly spooking them when the lights go out, the Dollmaker joins Arthur and John. The cellar is filled with many body parts.
It is revealed that the Dollmaker can hear John, though needs to be told of John’s status as a separate entity instead of Arthur’s conscience or internal dialogue. Arthur reveals that acquiring a body for himself is part of the separation process between he and John. Satisfied, the Dollmaker begins to take measurements like a tailor. Arthur requests to keep his clothes on and clarifies, upon the Dollmaker’s questioning, that he’d prefer a body that matches his current one.
Arthur hides his arm from the Dollmaker. The Dollmaker warns that if Arthur is hiding a threat, then they’ll do terrible things to him—much worse than the scarecrows.
As for payment, the Dollmaker requests that Arthur bring a “special part” from a Dark World resident that lives in the Hunt. This person will have to be killed, and their ear (specifically, the cochlea) will need to be brought to the Dollmaker. This person, the Dollmaker says, is known as the Butcher.
Arthur is spooked by the reveal. Not only is the Butcher dangerous, but they parted as allies. The Dollmaker gives Arthur a scalpel. Seeing as the Dollmaker will not budge on the price, Arthur agrees to the deal.
Votes[]
- Chapter 271: I Would Forgive [143] / I Would Not Forgive [315]
- Chapter 272: Keep It Hidden [288] / Reveal the Scar [129]
- Chapter 273: Fiend [190] / Friend [228]
- Chapter 274: Remain Visually the Same [318] / Allow the Dollmaker to Decide [109]
- Chapter 275: No vote.
