Subject to falling
A/N: this is an AU to KAlona's Fall. I thought he had to have done something considerable worse to be banished, so I wrote an alternate ending.
Her laugh was like the charming of a gentle bell, rising above the river. Erebus had taken her for a swim. In his canoe, to add insult to injury. Kalona was her warrior and her lover, but no, he was far too much of a drag to be even extended an invite from his childlike brother. Childish, really. He frolicked, and giggled, in a way that was more fitting for a school child than a goddess' consort. Oh, but he was the consort. Every night, it was to his arms that he returned, to his naïve though enthusiastic… Kalona hated the mere thought.
If I had my way, he'd never touch her, Kalona decided the goddess of the night belonged with the son of the moon. The moon was cool, serene, right. The sun was bright and overbearing, and gaudy like his childish brother. He'd grown to feel more and more like the lonely satellite his father was to Earth: forever in orbit of Nyx, who would never cast one aside, despite that he wished she would. Every smile she bestowed on his brother, every kiss, every laugh, every night Kalona couldn't sleep knowing they were together, it was too much.
He hated it, all of it. And he hated Erebus for not feeling this pain that was like a spear to his heart. Warrior, lover, but never the favourite. Kalona landed on the beach, watching Nyx, her hair was light as the white sand beneath his toes, her eyes sky-blue and full of laughter, and his full of love. Kalona sat on the edge of the beach, splashing bitterly, watching as the water became grey in his palm, and feeling a sick lurch. Darkness stirred.
His spear materialized as he saw the creature emerge, with all of its heads roaring, Kalona slashed at it. The roar of the Darkness was like the one of the pain inside, but this was one he could fight. Forcing it back, he sent the spear through a head that had tried to snap his hand off. I will defeat it, he willed, she needs me to. Its tail almost landed a hard blow to his face, across his cheek and mouth. He seized the tail, ignoring it's unearthly chill. Jerking it back it back, ignoring the roar, the bite of the darkness, he delivered one strong blow.
Having many necks, the blow wasn't fatal, not until it had bloodied his arms with it's teeth, and he's sent the spear through it's black heart. And she will love me, he mentally prayed as it faded away like Darkness always did. Nyx looked up at him, eyes once full of adoration now telling a different story. Maybe that wasn't enough, but it damned well had to be. Erebus never lifted a finger against these creatures. Why would she always love Erebus a way he'd never come close to? Why could the goddess of night not take her place aside the moon as she belonged. Why did she have to fall for the sun's charms?
Kalona kissed her all the same, a hot, passionate kiss that took over her lips and his mind, his emotions, everything. He nipped her lower lip, letting himself into her mouth. Kalona was not gentle, but he was a warrior, he was passionate. He loved her better, and Erebus was fine with admitting that. He was too intense though, and sometimes she needed the sunshine as well as the raging storm. Kalona was like an inferno, and one fuelled by jealousy, hurt and a twisted type of love: the kind made by them, but not for them.
And she still returned to Erebus.
He could have screamed. Actually, he did, several times. It didn't help.
Nothing helped. He hated that Erebus was so alright with everything. He hated that Erebus was Erebus, that he wanted Nyx to be with Kalona. He hated that this fire didn't burn Erebus's heart, that it didn't sear through his veins or his heart, mind, or any other part of him. Erebus didn't love her like Kalona loved her, and his goddess deserved nothing but the best. As he paced, he saw it. The Darkness he'd been vanquishing faithfully.
It stirred, but did not attack, as he didn't so much hear as feel the voice of the bull inside his head. "Son of the moon," It whispered, "have you given no thought to my offer?"
He could win, he remembered. It was his parasite this way, but perhaps, the other way, he could be happy. "Yes," it encouraged, "after all, even Nyx has always told you, Darkness is not always evil. And you're not evil, are you, Kalona?"
The words rang through his ears, until he saw her on the beach again, in his boat. Kalona grinned. The goddess had come to her senses, finally. He wouldn't need to reason with her. He landed, smirking, when he saw his brother waiting on the shores. His smile made Kalona cringe, wondering if this was an intervention, and if so, for who.
"Kalona," Nyx said slowly, uncertainly, "you've changed," she said finally, and he saw his eyes in hers. What he saw terrified him and empowered him. He didn't look like himself. He looked stronger, his eyes were full of something, some power. He wasn't just going to watch Nyx treat him like this. It was her love he wanted, her love he deserved.
A wicked smile twisted at his lips, "I have become a better warrior for you, my goddess," he said, inclining his head to her, in a semblance of a respectful bow. "And that means you'll have no need for him any longer. I can give you everything. I'm better than I was," he plead, "even you've always told me, it doesn't always equate to evil!" she cringed away, and he grabbed her hand, "it can't for me, I'm your warrior. I know you can feel it," he pressed her hand to his heart, "there's still good in here. There's still love in here. Do you love me, Nyx?"
"Kalona, what have you done?" she demanded, eyes wide, feeling only darkness and recoiling. This Kalona was cold as the darkness that had scraped into his frozen soul, where hers had been alive, full of fire. Only his eyes still held any of her Kalona's passion, the rest of him a familiar stranger.
"It was me. All this time, I had thought us to be under attack, but it was me!" he exclaimed, sounding borderline maniacal, "and now that I have accepted it, I won't lash out any longer. the Darkness is stopped. It's lost it's power over your world."
Nyx shook her head, "no, Kalona, you misunderstand, it won its battle. It has stolen you from me."she turned away from him, looking to Erebus for strength, because this was going to be difficult.
Kalona only saw a gaze between them, and his jealousy stirred again, feeling this betrayal for what it was. "He's inside her head. Show her, son of the moon, show her that you won't be walked on," it encouraged, and he balked for a moment, only a moment, before the good of his eyes darkened to amber. He didn't stop to ask how far he would take this as he felt it creeping, felt it feeding on his jealousy like a parasite and he liked it. He liked the power it gave him, after being so helpless: her warrior, her lover the rare times she allowed him. Usually, he was the footnote. Nyx and Erebus frolicking, and Kalona, on the side, as ever. He wouldn't let Nyx do this to him any longer.
Darkness wrapped its tendrils around his brother, who'd landed on the boat to protect Nyx, as it whispered placating lies to Kalona. Looking directly in Nyx's eyes, Kalona laughed bitterly, "Oh, I understand just fine, Nyx. I understand that I'll never be the golden boy, but I don't need to be Erebus." he took a step towards her, and she recoiled. "no, after everything I've given you, its time you give back. It's time you choose, Nyx, and I think you'll find where your loyalties lie."
She shook her head, "Kalona, I have always loved you, but—" She tried, but he cut her off, eyes burning.
Darkness seized his brother a little tighter, the latter whimpering, muffled by the tendril across his mouth. "But now there's no one else. He's dead, I say the word and he's dead, and you—you don't even have to choose," he begged, "whatever makes it easier for you," he offered, tone imploring her, eyes halfway to madness, between jealousy and Darkness playing out it's little games inside his head. He would do it if she needed him to. Ever a faithful warrior, always trying to make her life easier.
"Kalona, don't do this," she plead, trying to release Erebus, prying at the tendrils, "this isn't you," she reminded him. The Kalona she loved was jealous sometimes, but not like this. He was a warrior, a protector, not a great evil.
He laughed darkly, "what, powerful for a change? Doing what it takes to get you the best in life? Undeserving of you, but less so than him? No, this has always been me, you just couldn't see me through his shadow," he paced around her getting away from his struggling brother, "But you can see me now…"
All she got out was his name, a plea, before he silenced her with a kiss as violent as the darkness he'd embraced. He broke the kiss breathlessly, arms around her, keeping her close to him. "say it again. Say the name of the only one to love you, the only one to protect you, say it, my love, my goddess," he begged her, as weak for his love of her as he was strong, full of borrowed power.
And, in that moment, his brother reached out, and yanked out one feather of his white wings, the feather turning black in his hands. Nyx broke free of Kalona, looking graciously to Erebus, who'd just defended her, and then to Kalona, feeling only pity that he would never be able to feel the love he'd lost himself in the pursuit of. "Erebus," she spoke.
One traitorous word to haunt him. His brother's name. In his anger, he lashed out, and told the Darkness that his brother was it's to take now. Nyx couldn't stand idly by, but Kalona, so intent on removing the only obstacle to perfect happiness, didn't knock her fighting it as well, not until it struck her, one tendril marring her cheek, before he called it all off, and Erebus well with a groan. One splatter of golden ichor hit the ground, the sound soft, but tremendous like an earthquake. His betrayal, his fatal sin was to hurt her. He ran to her, trying to heal it, apologizing, begging for forgiveness, but the rest of the grove was silent. Utterly silent.
"Kalona. You swore to protect me, and yet you are my greatest danger. On your vow, you said you would remove any danger. And that means you must leave," she spoke coldly, not allowing herself to connect with a word she said.
He stood (because he had been pleading from the ground, below her) and begged, "But Nyx, please, I can stop, I love you." His eyes filled with remorse, that evil and the fire both replaced with tears and pain.
It pained her equally to say this, but she forced herself to meet his eyes. "You cannot," Nyx explained sadly. "You are full of Darkness, you cannot know love," she said hollowly.
He plead again, feeling as though her words had torn him apart inside. "Nyx, I beg of you, you know I do. I love you," he insisted, holding onto the words as if there was nothing else left in the universe.
She shook her head, refusing to let herself be weak, be deceived again. "Darkness feels no love," she sentenced, feeling empty inside, and all different kinds of betrayed, but forcing herself to speak.
"No!" He almost plead for her to give him another chance, another verdict. "Nyx, you know it, I know it, please! I love you." his eyes filled with tears, not sure f he could feel it, traitorous insecurity cutting him down to size.
"You know no love," she accused, turning from him, as the boat they were all on drifted off the edge of the falls, and Kalona fell, Nyx and Erebus held back from the void. He screamed, and finally, a tear traced down the goddess' cheek. "Except mine, and it was never enough," she spoke, quiet words but not quiet intentions, as the canoe split apart around her deposed warrior, and she saw him look up at the sky, almost into her eyes.
"I hate you," was all he said, and she knew, in that moment, her Kalona was lost.