Observing the Scions' struggle through Ahm Areang without the presence of their 'Champion' turned out to be disappointing and not worth the headache caused by the abundance of the Light, so Hades resigned quite quickly – returning to the city at the base of Crystal Tower. Clad in invisibility, he perched atop one of the buildings, overlooking the massive plaza in front of the crystalline structure, and considered his options.
The first time – a few days ago – he bounced off the shield around the Tower when attempting to get inside, he was beyond stunned and furious. He really considered blasting the mysterious mortal in Allagan robes out of existence for the insult of locking him out of his own creation – especially when he spotted him traversing the city as if nothing was out of order. He almost did it, too – putting his fingers into the snap… then hesitated. Despite the obvious nerve of that man – despite squashing countless broken, imperfect husks filling as broken Eitherys over millennia – suddenly he had this most… ridiculous memory of his father's scoff at his 'temper'.
'Sometimes you're as bad as Ares, my boy,' Damon would chuckle, rolling his too-bright cyan eyes with an exaggerated air of resignation. 'Dealing with one is enough, thank you very much. Now… calm down or you'll be explaining to your brother why you're upset – and you do know he'll overreact.'
And despite everything… he smiled involuntarily, dropping his arm to his side. No one understood him better than his father – knowing the idea of being the reason for spiking Ares's famed temper… was too much for him. As overbearing and overprotective as his brother was… He couldn't help… but want to protect him, too. And every time something would happen to upset Azem – without Damon around to pacify the vicious bite of his temper – the backlash was unbearable. Their people would… question everything his brother was and did – as if he was… the unnatural 'thing' in their world.
Because Ares was the bravest person he knew – who refused to give into the constricting norms of their society. From his natural gift, through his temper, up to the way he loved those close to him – Azem was everything their people… hated.
Because he never pretended to be something he wasn't. While he was regarded as a prodigy and admired for his skill and sheer scope of his talent in creation magics – his brother was seen as a freak of nature. And so often he wished… to be more like him.
Maybe then Hythlodaeus wouldn't…
But all of them were gone now… and he'll be joining them soon enough. He was too… tired of this farce. And if he allowed himself to admit that – he missed them… so much it was growing unbearable.
'Don't worry, brother. I'll be always there to annoy you and bring you down a peg when you get too cocky,' Ares lied once, daring him to protest with his trademark crooked grin. 'Now, hurry up, get over yourself and finally tell Hyth how you feel about him. What's the point of eternity if you don't have someone to spend it with? I rather lose that bet with Damon than watch another second of your awkwardness around the idea, I swear.'
But he hesitated… until it was too late. Until there was nothing left for him but to watch their broken world and crawling over it… husks. And despite time after time being drawn toward his brother's reincarnations over the millennia… each only solidified the idea, making a mockery of Ares's soul.
None was truly… him.
Even this time – as similar as he was in his cat-like looks – T'senri Tia was just another poor copy. And the mortal with the distinctive color of Damon's fiery soul, spinning his mysterious scheme around the Warrior was no better. Broken and crippled as they were – putting them out of their misery would be a favor… he couldn't bring himself to deliver. So despite his anger… he settled in wait – cursing his… sentimentality.
And now, sitting atop the building and with narrowed, golden eyes watching the massive crystal gate guarding his prey – he refused to admit that ever since this whole thing started… he felt more alive than in millennia.
Hades scowled, then – cursing his distraction – experimentally probed on the invisible shield guarding against his access to the Tower… and froze minutely as it gave in. Strange… Did it grow too weak…? Or was it some sort of a twisted invitation…?
Without a sound or breaking his invisibility, he slipped inside the structure he helped to design and his scowl grew even more pronounced at the sight that met him.
The mortal in the Allagan robes stood in front of the crystal mirror – obviously watching Scions' progress on its surface and seemingly completely unaware of the intrusion. Was the weakening of the shield unintentional, then?
Deciding to toy with the irritating mortal, he discarded the invisibility, making sure to make it seem like he just appeared in the round room. The man didn't twitch or otherwise react… until Hades heard his calm, cold voice break the silence of the Ocular.
"To what do I owe the pleasure that is your extended stay?" the mortal asked without turning around.
"Oh, to the tediousness of our heroes' present endeavors," he drawled, slowly nearing the pedestal leading up to the mirror and narrowing his eyes at the figure. There was something… strange about his soul that wasn't there before. "That, and the insufferable abundance of…" he cut off, suddenly hearing the too-familiar sound of their kind's teleportation behind his back.
…Elidibus? What would he...?
He turned around and fought not to flinch or otherwise show his surprise at the sight of the Warrior of Light – standing behind him with a wide, crooked grin under the edge of the mask covering the upper part of his face. Before he could as much as react, the mortal reincarnation of his brother pressed his finger against the edge of the mask.
"Hey, Hades," he drawled, pushing back the thing until a pair of too-familiar, too-bright blue eyes flashed with humor when his jaw simply… dropped. "Did you miss me, little brother?"
"A-Ares…?" he whispered shakily, involuntarily backing away from the… impossibility.
"You disappointed me, my boy," he heard behind his back and the characteristic note had his head swivel toward the voice, his insides growing numb and cold when the mortal turned around and pushed back the heavy cowl – his narrowed, crimson eyes sparking with a mix of amusement and annoyance in the too familiar – though cat-like – face of his father and best friend. "Gods… but the look on your face is almost worth all this… hassle. Close your mouth, Hades… it's unseemly to gape," he winked and flashed his white teeth in a smug grin.
The eyes didn't fit… but there was only one person in existence that would dare to treat him like a… child no matter how old or powerful he grew. His shell-shocked gaze moved between the two as his mouth moved… though not a sound escaped.
"Look… I think you broke him," his brother chortled, and Hades's gaze got stuck on him while the mortal with the immortal eyes took off the mask completely and tossed it carelessly to the floor. "But as he said… I'm disappointed as well, Hades," his grin grew a sharp edge of Azem's temper and his too-bright irises turned to ice. "I expected more, brother. We did not raise a coward, did we?"
"You… left me," he heard himself say and flinched involuntarily at the shaky note of his voice. But his heart was simply… too loud and his eyes narrowed in slits… to pretend they weren't burning. A part of his soul – a big part – wanted to bolt… almost proving the statement. But this… was impossible. Should be impossible, and yet… "You promised… you'll always be there and then… you left me alone."
"We did," Ares's expression grew somber as he folded his arms over his chest but there was no regret or apologies in his too-bright eyes. "Knowing what was coming… and watching Venat and her peoples' struggle to try to change it – and fail, because our people were incapable of change… we did leave you, little brother," he admitted, then raised his eyebrows slightly. "Because if that couldn't be changed…"
"Then we had to prevent this… insane plan of yours from succeeding," came a voice from behind him and he turned, meeting the hard, determined stare of crimson irises. Mesmerized by it, he was frozen in the spot while the mortal wearing Damon's face stepped off the pedestal and neared him – soon fisting his mismatched hands in his jacket and pulling him down slightly. "You saved us – our bond – and you are the light of our existence, my boy… Do you think we would let that light go out without a fight?" despite the wrong color… the understanding in those eyes was too familiar and he felt his throat close up. "So you can forget it, Hades… are we clear?" the smug grin blossomed on his face when he nodded numbly – never able to refuse anything when faced with the prospect of disappointing him… "That's my boy," the man chuckled, pressing his crystalized hand against his cheek. The chill of it almost shook him out of the daze… if not for his next words. "And since you're being so cooperative… we brought you… something," he wiggled his dark-red eyebrows playfully, then delicately forced his head to turn.
Confused, he watched his brother head toward the other door inside the round room, open it, and… he froze, staring at the biggest impossibility of all.
"Hey, Hades…" the too-bright purple eyes shone suspiciously as the tall figure of his… best friend stepped out of the room. "You look… ah, different," Hythlodaeus smiled with obvious uncertainty and he could only… stare, his mouth agape in astonishment.
"Now, if you don't finally let me win that bet… I'll be cross," the mortal reincarnation of Damon chuckled fondly, backing away from him and Hades scowled involuntarily.
"Oh, that does look familiar, though," his gaze shot back to the purple eyes and the too-familiar chuckle at his expanse only worked for his scowl to grow more pronounced as he straightened and narrowed his eyes.
"You're… alive and whole," he drawled through his teeth.
"Yeah – imagine this – right after I… left you, Ares jumped me out of nowhere – and next thing I know… I woke up here – millennia later and past the destruction of our world," his best friend had the gall to sound sheepish as he shrugged slightly, pointing toward his brother. "Hard to wrap my head around it… to be honest, but you know me… I'm about the silver lining…" another uncertain smile had his heart stutter. "And they seem to believe… you might need a company in this… new world."
"You left me…" he heard himself repeat, his spinning mind stuck on that… as he simply had no idea what to do… "…after I…" he choked, then dropped his gaze and took a deep, steadying breath. "…you still left."
He heard a deep sigh, but not heard him move – despite somehow his… friend suddenly towered over him – and he did… hate that he was taller than him now – and Hythlodaeus put his hand under his chin and brought his gaze up to meet his sad, purple eyes – so uncharacteristic for his always cheery friend.
"I thought…" he said slowly. "That by doing that… I can prove that I… l-love you. Our world was dying… but I hated the idea of you… That you would be… gone. And who was… I to…" he lowered his gaze and cleared his throat. "I mean… You're… you – the prodigy and the brother of the man I so… admired… and… how could I ever… And if I could save you, then…"
Hades scowled darkly, pushing his hand away to fist his fingers in the collar of his robe, pulling him closer slightly and meeting his surprised eyes with his narrowed into slits golden glare.
"You're an idiot," he stated with power, feeling a treacherous blush hit his face.
"…I know," Hythlodaeus dropped his gaze again, letting his arms fall to his sides.
"Good… and since that is clear…" he drawled, then before he could chicken out, he pulled him down the rest of the way and kissed him.
"I do love happy endings," he heard his father say behind him. "And millennia overdue but… I win!"
"So… what now?" T'senri almost stumbled as he was suddenly back in control of his body after his immortal grabbed cackling Damon in Raha's skin and teleported them away – leaving his brother and his… friend to have a long overdue… well, he didn't know, but that wasn't exactly high on his list of concerns…
"What do you mean?" Damon chuckled, still beyond… amused as he settled on the edge of their nest and raised his eyebrows at him slightly.
"I mean…" he hesitated, then sighed and kneeled in front of the immortal. "…if this is what you were after all this time – setting up a… company for him – what… now? You'll… leave?"
"Would you want us to leave?" Damon answered with a question, and looking in those eyes… while knowing it wasn't Raha was sooo… strange, but…
"No," he admitted sheepishly then sighed and dropped his gaze, sitting back on his legs and bracing his hands on his thighs. "Ares promised me… to help protect Raha and… I do like him," he cleared his throat uncomfortably when his immortal laughed at that – but otherwise stayed suspiciously silent. "But I have a feeling… this is not all. That you're hiding something from us."
He almost flinched when crystalized hand rested on top of his head while Damon chuckled and leaned toward him.
"This is what we wanted, yes," he said quietly when T'senri looked up with uncertainty. "But as we said before… We're quite content – and stuck – as we are, with you. So no, we won't leave."
He was almost surprised at the wave of… relief that had his muscles relax as he almost involuntarily leaned forward and rested his head in his lover's lap, wrapping his arms around his legs. He closed his eyes, purring while the crystalized fingers ran delicately through his hair.
"As to what happens next, my boy…" the immortal chuckled fondly. "We will deal with the last of Lightwardens and then you'll be free to take your Raha home. Past that… it's all up to you two."
"Ares let it slip… that I'm going to kill Zodiark," he whispered, tightening his arms around him as the mere thought send a cold shiver up his back.
"He did…?" Damon sighed, rubbing his normal hand over his shoulders reassuringly. "Listen, Senri… We know only what's going to happen up to the point that you'll travel back to our world and meet us. But there's something… bigger than Zodiark at the end of this road. Something that ended our people. And though we choose to believe you'll be able to face it… we will do all in our power to help you – but without interfering in a way that may… threaten this new world of ours. So if you feel we're hiding something from you – we are. But believe me, boy… it's for your own good, I swear. For you and Raha – and all the people you care about. That we grew to care about, too."
"O-okay," he whispered softly without opening his eyes, almost hating that with him… he couldn't feel if he was lying.
"They… what?" Hades snarled, growing utterly still and furious in his arms and Hythlodaeus flinched, immediately almost regretting spilling that… tidbit.
"It's… their choice," he repeated Ares's words, smiling with uncertainty when Hades pushed away from him and started pacing across the round room, his golden eyes narrowed into slits.
"Their choice… pah!" the immortal growled, stilling suddenly and looking at him with a strange sort of consideration… before his sharp features stretched in an almost scary smirk. Knowing that expression all too well, Hythlodaeus felt a cold shiver travel up his spine. He wasn't even surprised when his friend… soon-to-be lover?... raised his hand and snapped his fingers – he only frowned when nothing seem to happen. "Let's see how they like this," Hades chortled.
"What did you do?" he asked, though suddenly uncertain if he truly wanted to know that.
"I made them keep their word this time," looking unbelievably pleased with himself for some reason, Hades walked back to him and pulled him in another mind-blowing kiss… making him forget all about his sudden uneasiness.
The sudden hit of aether that tasted of his brother's temper, had Ares pull Senri's soul back and cocoon his soul safely while he looked up with narrowed eyes at his husband.
"What was that?" he asked and frowned when Damon kept looking up toward the door with an uncertain expression.
"I don't… know," he finally replied quietly, dropping his eyes to him. "Should we check on them?"
He considered it for a moment, then sat up completely and shook his head.
"No," he sighed tiredly, then stood up then discarded his clothes and crawled into the nest with a quiet snicker. "Whatever that was… Hades wouldn't hurt Hyth, so maybe they're working their unresolved… feelings. I do not need to see that…" he trailed off with a chuckle, falling face first into the pillows. Gods, but he was still tired. Using his gift to make G'raha forget about their… circumstances was draining in itself – despite how necessary it was. Even if he didn't seem determined to spill it to Senri… his host would find out the next time they connected on a deeper level anyway. And his sensitive heart would – as his husband's boy stated – break under that knowledge.
Ares didn't expected that outcome… but he couldn't regret that. Esteem was too dangerous to let it be – not only to Senri's unaware friends – but to the world in general. Whatever awaited at the end of this road – T'senri they met in Elpis didn't seem like a likely candidate to face despair incarnate. Damon agreed with that – seeing the rage and hate in that soul – even if then not knowing its real source.
In this Senri – his much brighter, happier soul – they were putting their hopes. And if their eternity was a price to pay for getting him there… it didn't seem that high. After all… They didn't go through all this trouble to let their new world end. And now, assured that his brother had proper company and a reason to go on – it seemed all more important.
He smiled when another body – half-crystalized – crawled next to him, then turned to the side and gratefully coiled his arms around his husband, pulling him tighter against his chest and burying his nose in the red-white hair.
"Rest, my heart," Damon whispered, dragging his crystalized fingers over his forearm around his chest. "There's still so much to do… and we will need your strength."
"Mhmm," he hummed in agreement, then gave in with a quiet sight, letting himself drown in the pleasant dream his lover provided.
Left to his own devices, Damon smiled involuntarily, beyond pleased at the outcome and enjoying the heat of the body wrapped around his. He closed his eyes and carefully lured Raha's consciousness out of the cocoon, but not enough to let his mortal take over.
Did it go well? His mortal asked with uncertainty. You seem pleased.
It did, he replied. Hopefully, soon we will be ready to depart this shard… if you can make the vessels, my boy.
He knew that G'raha of the previous timeline somehow did that – but since that T'senri wasn't too keen to talk about him or anything positive he achieved… he didn't know how exactly did he do that. And locked out of his full power by his vessel's limitations, he couldn't help with that either.
You know they keep breaking, his mortal sighed with obvious frustration. But I had an idea… I used to know this mage, long ago, who specialized in souls. Maybe I can reach out to him and ask for help.
Do you mean Beq Lugg? It certainly shouldn't hurt to try to get his input, he agreed. There is still something me and Ares need to take care of… but I will need full access to my power to achieve that.
You mean… Raha hesitated briefly, then sighed softly. Do you really think that my… fused soul will be able to support yours?
He sounded so unbearably uncertain, Damon chuckled – barely stopping himself from rolling their eyes. He really did hope that someday Senri's affection will help his boy achieve his full potential and discard the humility and self-doubt his childhood and isolation forced upon his soul.
I am quite certain of that, my boy, he assured him instead of arguing. Or mentioning what Ares planned to help with that – they did have a running bet for Raha's reaction at that, after all! Once we are inside your old body – adding your eight-times rejoined soul to its seven-times rejoined density is sure to do the trick. And that done… I should be able to finally access my skills without putting our body in danger.
If you say so, his mortal said, though there was more than a hint of doubt in his voice. But… what is it, that you need that for?
Damon sighed, relaxing into the heat of his lover's embrace, and let his lips tilt into a slight, smug smirk.
It'll take no less than that to heal the fragmented heart of a god, he hummed, then sent Raha's soul back into the cocoon before his inquisitive mortal could ask more questions. After all, he'll need him focused and rested.
"You're next, Themis," he whispered with amusement, pulling his lover's arm around himself tighter before letting himself drift off to sleep.