Lacrimosa

Chapter One

Atum fell to his knees, blood splattering onto the ground as he coughed. His chest ached and it was difficult to draw breath. His shoulders sagged and his heart beat wildly. Chthon had bested him. He was too weak to fight anymore. Atum gazed out beyond the mountains to a tiny village far below where the people slept, unaware that they were soon all to be destroyed. This was a peaceful world, the people unfit to be warriors. Chthon would kill them all.

The demon Elder God materialised behind Atum, his blackened, scorched presence blocking out the light of the sun. Atum prepared himself as a cold knife pressed to his throat.

"I never wanted to kill you, my son," Chthon said.

"I am not your son."

"Yes, you are. My darkness dwells in your heart. But never mind that, we have had this discussion a hundred times and we never resolve anything." The knife pressed harder to Atum's throat. "Let us instead talk of this world. It is a small, peaceful place, is it not? Did you wonder why I chose it?"

Atum's brow furrowed. "To draw me into your trap."

"Obviously!" Chthon sounded frustrated. "I thought that you were more intelligent than your mother!"

Rage surged through Atum. "Do not speak of Gaea-"

He cut off as the blade pierced his skin, a shallow cut that nonetheless bled.

"You think I raped her."

"You did."

"You think that you're better than me."

"I am."

Chthon was silent for a moment. "This world is so fragile. With a single thought I can destroy it forever. And you, because of the weakness of my dear sister, would count that as tragedy, would you not?"

Atum remained silent.

"Of course you would, there is no need to answer me. I am going to give you a chance to save this world, Atum. Your mother will be so proud of you for protecting these weak little people..." Chthon laughed. "I will leave this place wholly and completely, and all you have to do is one thing that I tell you. Well, I suppose it is more than one thing, but the culmination will only be one thing."

Atum's heart went cold with dread. His mouth was dry. "What do you want me to do, then?"

"Your sister Freyja is becoming as whorish as her mother."

Atum's heart stopped. "No," he whispered.

"I want you to teach her a lesson. That is what uncles and brothers do for their female relatives, is it not? Teach them how to behave themselves."

"No!"

"This is your choice, my son. Either "rape" your sister to show her what becomes of whores, or watch this world burn and her people die slowly." Chthon pulled the blade from his throat. "It's time to decide."

"No." It came out a whimper. Atum struggled to rise and renew his fight. He felt a definite clench in the air around him, and the ground at his knees cracked and bucked. The sky darkened. He sank to his knees again.

"Perhaps I will have to teach the whore a lesson myself, then."

Atum roared, surging to his feet. Chthon kicked his knees out from under him, cuffed him on the head. The demon kicked him in the face, flipped him over, and stepped on his throat.

"Be cold," Chthon advised. "But should you choose to save this world, I will need proof that the deed is done... In fact, I shall have to oversee her chastisement. To ensure her reproofment is done properly."

Atum thought he was going to be sick. "Some day, I am going to kill you."

"Not today. Today, you will choose; this world, or Freyja?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Freyja swung her basket of flowers freely, amusing herself as she did as a child, by circling the basket so fast that the blossoms didn't shift. She fairly skipped into her home, breaking into song as she set the flowers in a vase and went to her kitchen to get herself something to eat.

A moment in the corner of her eye made her heart jump and she gasped, turning.

"You!" Freyja explained, her moment of fright quickly turning to anger when she saw her half-brother standing in the shadows. "What are you doing here?"

"Where are your daughters?" Atum asked.

"Frey took them to Vanaheim to visit Skadi," Freyja replied, narrowing her eyes. "But answer me. You are not welcome here, so why-" She gasped, pressing her hands to her mouth as Atum stepped into the light. He was covered in blood! Dark bruises were all over his golden skin, and shallow cuts were across his throat. "What happened to you?"

"It does not matter. Do you expect company?"

"I assume that you wish nobody to know you are here. I did expect Frigga to visit with her little son, but I will tell her that I am not feeling well... And I've given the servants the day off, so you need not worry about discovery."

Atum's shoulders seemed to sag.

Freyja's brow furrowed as she stared at her brother, and then her eyes widened. There were tears rolling down his cheeks, mixing with his golden blood. Anxiety twisted her gut. "Is Mother all right?"

"Gaea is fine."

"Then why are you here?"

Atum didn't reply. He strode forward so quickly it startled Freyja. His arms were around her before she could stop him. He pulled her in close, his massive shoulders shaking. His head hung, his brow falling to her shoulder despite that he was a good foot taller than she was. Freyja's brow furrowed deeper.

"You're getting blood all over my favourite dress!"

Atum released her. "I'm sorry."

"You never apologise," Freyja mumbled. "Atum, you're scaring me, what's wrong? What's happening?"

"I don't want to hurt you. I never meant to hurt Hnossa."

Freyja's heart stopped. "Is she-"

"She's fine," Atum reassured her. "I'm sorry, I don't want to frighten you."

"I don't suppose you can tell me what's going on?" Freyja waited a moment. "You can stay the night if you need to... Come, I'll draw up a bath for you to wash all that blood off."

Freyja led him up the stairs and into the guest quarters. He walked so slowly that she was afraid that he was injured more seriously than she had realised. She ran a hot bath, showed him where to find the soaps and towels, and told him that he was welcome to the kitchen if he needed food.

"Thank you, Freyja."

Freyja nodded, and then hesitated. "I've missed you."

Atum turned away.

Freyja's heart sank. She left him alone, wondering if it really was too late for reconciliation.