Apologies about not writing recently. I've been so busy of late. Anyway, this is a little one-shot to hint at what's coming in The Unforgiving. Don't worry if everything doesn't make perfect sense at the moment. It will the second I begin writing. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy.
Across the skies of the Nine Realms, a streak of black light flashed across the skies at a speed impossible to track. Very few saw it and those who did were unaware of its significance. The dark comet raced past the worlds known to the Norse, past Olympus, and the Lokas, and Avalon. Creation fell away to the emptiness of the Abyss beyond the worlds as the light flew further still. Deep into the nothing, the streak continued its journey until, for any who dared journey to this place of despair, a desolate and small planet floated.
There were no stars here. No sun or moon to illuminate the vast expanse of space. And yet the streak did not blaze in the darkness. Instead, it fell through the rocky surface of the planet and into its very core. Within the center of the planet, there was a pit. If anyone were to look upon it, they would marvel at its peculiarity as it seemed to occupy a different space than the planet around it. The depth of the hole would have caused Tartarus to resemble a footprint in mud.
The streak of light stopped at the edge of the pit, forming into a sheer, flickering image of what had once been the Titan warlord Thanos. But there was tension and fear in place of his usual arrogance and pride. He kneeled before the pit, bowing his head.
"Forgive me, my Lord," he uttered, loathing every word. "I misjudged my enemy. I have failed."
For a minute, there was only silence as the echoes of his voice died down. Then came a soft rumble, a voice low and gravelly emanating from the depths of the pit.
"So I see."
It was barely more than a whisper, but the disdain in the voice's tone was worse than if it had screamed in anger. Thanos grimaced as he wondered how the voice would react.
"You were right. Freyja was stronger than I had previously believed."
"Indeed," it hissed. "You promised me the souls of a thousand worlds, yet you return with only half. And nothing but my whim to anchor you to this reality."
"Perhaps with time, we may find a weakness."
A soft crackling noise echoed through the cavern and Thanos realized the voice was laughing.
"Oh, but I have waited so very long already."
Thanos shivered, though not from cold, as he noticed the dark amusement in the voice.
"My Lord?"
"My patience has reached its end with you."
The Titan swallowed heavily.
"I would have preferred what you offered, but I suppose I must make due with you."
Without a second to interpret just what the voice meant, Thanos let out a sharp cry of surprise as his flickering figure was dragged down into the pit. A flash of white light illuminated the cave for an instant before the darkness reclaimed the space. A mass composed of an unnamable dark mire reached out of the pits, clawing into the dust and rock as the viscous substance dripped to the floor. An identical object joined the first and the formless figure pulled itself from the pit.
The creature groaned from effort, crawling across the floor in agony. Its figure was revealed as the last of the sludge fell away from it. Pure black eyes gazed down at the rest of its body as the creature pushed itself to stand. It was almost humanoid in its appearance, with a slim yet toned body. Distinctly male, if his memory could be trusted. It had, after all, been quite a long time since he was free.
With a short twist of his hand, the rock above him fell away and he rose to the surface. His bare feet hit the hard stone with barely a sound. The black eyes, now fading to an impossible shade of green, slid across the empty skies before curiosity ignited within their depths. He raised his hands before him, his palms facing the darkness, and an orb of light and color erupted from his fingertips.
The hues swirled within the sphere before forming a mirror image of his face. He brought his face closer to the surface and examined the reflection.
His form had changed, as it always did when humanity changed its ideal for the perfect warrior. His features were delicate this time. Strong and sharp lines dominated the rectangular face, though there was still a softness to the features. Tousled dark blonde hair sat in a mess atop his head, contrasting with the pallor of his skin. A light dusting of freckles crossed over his vaguely pronounced cheekbones and the bridge of his nose.
His full lips pulled up at the corners as he found himself content with his new image. He gave the sphere a sharp nudge.
"Show me Freyja," he commanded, voice still hoarse.
The colors rearranged themselves to reveal a woman with flaming scarlet curls and incomparably blue eyes. He raised his eyebrows at the woman, committing every aspect of her appearance to memory. A cynical laugh fell from his lips as he thought of his deal with Thanos.
It had always been leading to this. He had known Freyja would defeat the prideful Titan, had been counting on it. After all, the soul of the last of a race was all he needed to rise once more. It had been all too easy to manipulate the fool.
Without a word, he lowered his hands and the orb dissipated like smoke. Gazing skyward, the man gave a shrill whistle. Only a few seconds passed before a red streak descended from the sky and landed before him. The burst of color shifted as it took the form of a horse with blood-red fur and ember-like eyes. His hands brushed its mane, causing the horse to tilt its head towards him.
"I missed you, girl," he murmured with a fond smile.
The horse whinnied, as if in reply, and the man pulled himself up onto her back. Directing her in the direction of the Nine Realms, the man grinned excitedly.
"Prepare for War, Freyja," he breathed, watching the skies before him with interest. "For I am coming."
Digging his heals into the beast, the two took off into the empty heavens. His laugh echoed across the once-again abandoned planet, the only sign that something had indeed been trapped there.
But no more.