Disclaimer: I don't own any POTC characters, only my OCs.
Alright! HERE WE GO!
Chapter 2: Hel
I never, for the life of me, saw this coming.
Not really.
Not even once.
I mean, yeah, sure, walking about in the Underworld, trespassing onto sacred grounds, guaranteed at least some sort of resistance, some kind of defence.
An Underworld security system.
A fleet of bodyguards.
Daemons, perhaps.
Maybe Rygor's freaking ghost.
Anything.
Everything.
But not her.
Not her.
Her.
Behind me, Will was pressed back against the black, horrid fireplace, arm slumped against the mantel piece, his entire body slouched against the twisting black faces and morbid claws; I could hear him breathing behind me, his breath shallow and quick, panting, gasping, warm air stirring my short hair, kissing against the nape of my neck. The other hand was grasping at my waist, at the loose black robe, fingers digging into the sleek belt as he held on to me from behind, icy cold burning through the black fabric. His chest brushed against my back.
Fire roared beside him, licking hot and free.
Not her.
Her.
Before me, up above, the black chandelier was rocking, swinging to some inaudible beat, to some unfelt wind, black twisted rock swaying like a giant pendulum, hinges creaking and moaning; its candles were still bright, still whipping, laughing and giggling, safe spectators watching down, waiting for all of it to start. The food beneath sat like props, no longer sweet, no longer glistening, black petals frail and beautiful, sweet and bitter in the icy chill. Black gargoyles sat on tall dark thrones, watching, waiting, claws and fangs glistening in the firelight, alive and hungry. Fire hissed and spat, an unruly, wild beast.
Skin screamed from the cold.
Not her.
Her.
I couldn't breathe.
She was just standing there, just standing, quiet, silent, against the black, Gothic windows, against the backdrop of the icy, cold, dead Underworld; it was like staring at a painting, a statue, a doll, her breaths silent, her body unmoving, dark, curly hair trailing down like black rivers over her chest, perfect and beautiful. Her dress was silent, silk soft against the rough golden-washed gravel, the purple so brilliant, so out of place in a world of black and dying gold. Loose violet sleeves hung, soft and lovely, demure and elegant, golden flowers and trees threading through the soft purple, so delicate, so fine. Above, beyond the black, black tresses, against the faded, cold, whipping snow and below the pale, beautiful crown, her skin was flawless, perfect, porcelain pale, like the shine of the moon, starlight against a black night; she was beautiful, unbelievably beautiful and so out of place in a world of dead, her lips full and sweet, her smile soft and delicate, and her eyes…
No.
Not her eyes.
Not her.
Her.
My heart screamed.
"Are you hungry?"
It was soft voice, a gentle voice, and for a second, she looked so pretty, so very sweet, her lips smiling a loving beam, her lashes fluttering thick and long, her crown gleaming pale and bright, her entire face this beautiful, dreamy vision promising a better place, a better world, a home for everyone-
And then Will's fingers dug into my waist.
Her.
With a soft gulp and a quick blink, I turned my head slightly, back towards him; he was pressing against me, holding me, using me for support as he slouched against the black horrid fireplace, dark hair loose, skin cold and pale, dark brown eyes staring at me, and only at me, weak and lost and confused, still so sick, still so scared…
And I had to defend him.
I had to protect him.
From her.
Her.
I pressed back against him.
Ever so slightly.
Her.
"Stay away from us," it came out softer then I intended, a mere squeak in the icy, long room, my body shuddering, shivering, heart stomping and stomping, beating with pure terror, blood rushing fast and furious as Will 's fingers gripped weakly at the belt, holding on to me, needing me-
Her eyebrows arched.
Her beautiful, dark eyebrows.
Her.
Her voice was still so sweet.
"I was merely asking-"
"I know who you are," I said it louder, staring at her, at her sweet, beautiful face, at her pretty, pretty hair, at her gleaming jewelled crown, her blue eyes watching bland and pale, my heart banging against my rib-cage, ice rushing through my blood, "I know exactly who you are, and I know you don't give a shit if we're hungry or not."
Will's breath was so short.
So warm.
My only warmth.
She was still so sweet.
Still so pretty.
Her.
With a single step, she moved forward, dark curls bouncing, violet silk whispering, her pretty lips pulled back in a smile, a sweet, sweet smile that seemed to promise everything, to promise the world, an eternal sleep-
Her voice was like daffodils in spring, fresh and wild.
"I don't know what-"
I didn't give her the chance.
I couldn't.
Not her.
Her.
My breath was ice.
"You're Hel," I said it, letting it go, letting it free, my chest panging, my heart shrieking, my body refusing to move a single inch away from Will lest she came and took him, took him all over again, his breath my own strength, "You're the Queen of the Underworld."
Silence screamed.
And then, the smile was gone.
Oh God.
It came like a wind, a sudden, icy wind, and all of a sudden, everything changed, everything completely changed, flowers turning into bitter ice, light into abyss; dark hair, beautiful, luxurious dark hair became too black, so, so black, like the night, like the shadows, like the pure, untainted abyss of the very clutches of hell, the very eyes of death. Skin, perfect, pale skin became ashen, became pasty, drained, grey, the sickly, horrible colour of death, the very blush of the end. Purple became rotten, livid, completely decayed, a horrible putrid colour of rot and deterioration, the tint of flesh becoming rancid in the ice. Lips curled, red and furious, smirking, sneering, tilted away in some horrid plan, in some horrid deed, and above, above her dead skin and shadowy, terrible hair, her crown became what I first knew it to be; bones, bones of hands clutching at jewels, circling her head in elbow joints and rustic kneecaps, diamonds sets among dried veins and black blood. Arteries crept down, right to her temples, dead blue slithering up to her eyes-
Oh God.
Her eyes.
Her horrible, horrible eyes.
Oh God.
They were so pale, so, so pale, pure ice set into a beautiful face now sneered, now dead, terrible, terrible eyes that gleamed like a beast's, like monster's, cold, brutal, hungry, so very hungry-
And familiar.
Completely familiar.
Because I had seen them before.
I had seen those eyes before.
I had seen it.
That shade, that horrible icy twist-
Will gasped.
Oh God.
Without a word, without a another movement, I reached behind and grabbed his clutching hand, holding it, squeezing it, forcing warmth into those shivering, icy fingers-
Because now, it was cold.
So, so cold.
Oh God.
Oh God.
I shouldn't-
I should have just-
I should have made sure-
Oh God.
Oh God.
Oh God-
Her voice was ice.
"You know me."
My heart shivered.
She was still there, still standing there, in the golden light, against the snow, and she looked the same, the same beautiful woman-
But now I could see her.
Now I could completely see her.
Her black, black hair-
Her dead skin-
Her rotting dress-
Her blood red lips-
Her bloody, bone crown-
Her horrible, horrible eyes-
Oh yes.
I could see her.
I could see her now.
I could completely see her.
Her.
Hel.
The world was black and white.
Will's hand was so cold.
So, so cold.
Hel.
My voice was so weak.
"Yeah," I was trembling, I knew that, my voice wavering, my body shivering, the cold plunging deep into me, stabbing me, Will's body cold and icy behind me, his fingers weak and dead, his breath hot like flames, "Yeah. I know who you are."
Her lips were so red, so very red.
"Interesting," it was smirk, nothing more, but it was so cold, so very cold, her eyes like glaciers, like horrible blizzards, dead and icy, her blood lips curving upwards in a horrible sneer, "Very interesting."
Will's breath was like a fire against the nape of my neck.
I couldn't feel my toes.
Hel.
"Interesting? Like your lack of creativity?"
That stopped her.
For a second, the world seemed to freeze as Will and I stood, shivering, hand clutched behind my back, the woman, Hel, watching with that unnerving, icy smirk-
And then, she raised an eyebrow, a perfect, arching eyebrow over those horrible eyes, right into the crown of bones.
"Creativity?"
Her voice was enough to give me frostbite.
I shivered.
Think, Joey.
"Yeah…" I nodded, voice trembling, body shuddering, Will's warm breath too short, too raspy, "I mean, no offence and all, b-but…you have really no imagination when it comes to naming things."
Useless fires hissed.
Red lips twisted.
"Oh?"
Will's breath stabbed.
"Yeah. Like this place…w-who names their domain, their kingdom after themselves? I mean, seriously? Ego much?"
The world froze.
For a minute or two, nothing moved, nothing blinked, and I knew I had done it; I had opened my big stupid mouth and killed us all instead of dragging Will and running for the door. No, not that; instead, I'm standing here and starting a freaking banter with the Queen of the Underworld-
Yup.
I did it.
I've killed us.
Next time, Joey, run.
Run.
Just shut up and ru-
Her voice slithered across like a sharp blade of bitter ice.
"Funny. I like funny."
Her smirk was bloody and vile.
Horrible.
Evil.
Just shut up and run.
"Really? Well, I like warmth. Real, nice heat. Guess we're not going to work out then."
Her eyes were so cold.
"Oh, don't be silly. We can make it work. I also like…"
She trailed off, and her lips turned, her smirk widening, cruel, bitter, and all of a sudden, I just knew, I just knew…
Everything was not alright.
Oh God.
"Fire."
Will gulped.
My heart screamed.
Oh God.
She smiled.
For the next few moments, no one spoke, no one even breathed; she just looked at me, and I just looked at her, trembling, shivering, clutching Will's hand, squeezing it, never wanting to let it go, not for anyone, not for her, not for her terrible, terrible eyes-
If she comes one step closer-
I don't care what Balder said.
I'm taking it out.
I won't let her take Will from me again.
I won't let her.
I'll kill her if she even tries-
And she'll kill me.
She'll probably kill me.
But I don't care.
I won't let her have Will.
I won't let her take him from me.
Not again.
Not ever.
Not even if it kills me a-
She started to pace.
Oh God.
It was a slow walk, a gentle, slow walk, her putrid, rotting dress trailing behind her, her crown of bones and blood gleaming in the icy, icy firelight, her dark, dark deathly black hair bouncing softly with each step towards-
Towards her right.
Down, against the windows.
Perpendicular to me.
Not at me.
Not at us.
She was not pacing to us.
Thank God.
I squeezed Will's icy fingers just a little tighter.
Thank God.
Her lips moved like liquid blood.
"You know, you're not the first soul that has come," she was looking at anymore, not anymore, those terrible, terrible pale eyes looking down the narrow room, shadowy hair trickling, her bones dark beneath the pale of her dead skin, her voice like pure ice, "First soul that has tried to rescue another from here, I mean."
I didn't answer.
I didn't know what to say.
I just stood there, shivering, trembling, staring at her, at her black, black hair, grasping Will's hand as if it was my very life; the door laid to the right, closed but there, and if I was move fast enough, dragging Will with all my strength-
She spoke again.
"I sometimes got mothers," her dress was trailing, putrid, rotting flesh, her voice so cold, so icy, her 'r's rolling in a familiar tone, my very breath stinging with chill, "Mothers looking for children…sometimes, fathers too…. often I got best friends. Brothers and sisters. Comrades. Sons and daughters. Allies. Lo-"
She stopped, and turned back to us, icy, pale eyes bright and painful, red lips curled away into a vivid sneer, a cruel, cruel smile.
My heart trembled.
"Lovers."
Fires laughed.
Oh God.
For a moment, no one spoke, the air so cold, so very cold, my body tired, weak, Will's icy fingers slipping out of my grip slowly, helplessly, his warm breath vulnerable, powerless, slowly fading away…
I took in a sharp, bitter icy breath.
"Why did you p-put him here?"
Dark, dark hair trickled, as Hel raised one single, delicate black eyebrow.
Her sneer was so cold.
Don't look into her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," my voice was quavering, Will's fingers slipping away, "W-Why did you put Will here? In the painting?"
A single, trembling finger stabbed through the cold and pointed upwards, to the heavy, broad painting sitting above our heads, to the now slightly altered masterpiece-
Her voice was ice.
Pure, cruel ice.
"Look at him," her eyes were animal, hungry, ravenous monsters, lips smirking with icy clarity, "He's pretty."
Oh God.
I pushed myself harder against him.
Oh God.
"You should have sent him to heaven-"
"You mean the Lighter Lands?" She looked so hungry, so very hungry, her cold, cold pale eyes like that of a monster's, glinting, gleaming, inhumane, unreal.
A monster.
An icy, icy monster.
Oh God.
My voice came out in a tremble.
"That's where all souls are supposed to g-go, isn't it? In the end? That's what I was told-a-all good souls, at least, went over there-"
"Don't be silly. He's too pretty."
Oh God.
I have to get him out of here.
I have to go.
If the cold doesn't kill him, she will take him back-
"Besides, he was a gift from my sister."
Ice shattered through panicked flames.
What?
For a moment, I just stood there, staring at those horrible eyes, at those bloody, bloody lips, mind whirling, mind spinning, ice biting into my every senses as I clutched Will's frosty hands and stared and stared and stared…
What?
My voice came out like whistle.
"What sister?"
Hel quirked a single, perfect eyebrow.
Her eyes grinned.
What?
"Calypso," she said simply enough, voice still icy, still cold, still so unnerving, creeping under my skin as she began to walk again, pacing back towards me, her awful, pale eyes wandering away from us (thank god) and towards the world outside, gazing out into the blinding, white snow, "My older sister."
Her feet were cold and bare.
Calypso?
Will's warm breath, the only warm thing in the world, drew in.
Quick.
What?
"Calypso?" I raised an eyebrow this time, squeezing Will's cold fingers even more, curling my toes in my boots, and fighting against the stabbing, icy cold, "As in the Goddess of the Sea?"
A wayward, icy glance towards me, lips curled red and foul.
"Bland, I know-"
"But that doesn't make any sense," I was moving forward, I don't know why, pulling myself away from Will as my hand still held on to his icy one, my black robe rustling, my feet heavy as they strode one step through the biting cold, my eyes fixed on the pacing, moving Queen of the Underworld, "Why would she send Will- how can she even-"
"So many questions," with a swirl of the rotting livid of the dress, Hel turned back to me again, a smile, a grin of flashing blood and brilliant white stretching across her beautiful face, her icy face, her dead face, a jewel gleaming among the thorns of her bone crown, "How charming."
She had the most unnerving smile.
The most dangerous.
Oh God.
Will's cold fingers were slipping again.
Fires spat, bright and icy.
Pale eyes watched.
Hungry.
Oh God.
I swallowed a gulp.
"Why did Calypso sent Will to you?"
Her teeth were so white.
Ice white.
"I don't know," she said simply enough, smiling, just smiling, her eyes watching with their hideous gleam, waiting to pounce on us, to eat us alive, "Oldest sisters. You know how they are- she just told me to keep him close, to keep him near, because one day…. I was going to need him."
Need him.
Need him.
Oh God.
The blood seemed to froze in my veins.
I couldn't feel Will's breath anymore.
Her eyes were dead.
Oh God.
For a moment, for a frozen, icy second, no one spoke, my breath suddenly so loud in my ears, my mind racing, spinning, my entire world a frozen, cold glazier, bloody and raw-
Because Calypso knew.
Apparently.
How-
Why-
I don't know.
Calypso.
She knew.
She knew I was coming here.
She knew that I was going to rescue Will, that I was coming to Hell-
But how?
How the hell?
I never met her.
I don't know her.
How the hell does she know who I am?
Who the hell is-
I swallowed.
A bitter, icy swallow.
Oh God.
Without a word, I turned around, back to Will; the golden-washed world, the fires seemed so cold now, so brittle, so icy, and in the fog of the chill, in the hazy cold, Will was still slouched there, beneath the painting, against the black, monstrous fireplace, hand reached out into mine. Dark brown locks fell, limp and dead, his skin so unhealthy, so very pale, his lips dry and chapped, his entire slim frame leaned back against the mantel, using it to support him, to hold him up, his fingers weak and cold-
And his eyes, looking right at me.
Bright.
Clear.
Will.
I moved forward, towards him, to look into his eyes, to make sure the fog was really gone-
But then he snapped his head, and I spun around-
And Hel was still there, on the other side of the table…
Only closer.
Oh God.
She was right behind a black throne now, grinning, beaming, sickly pale skin glowing under the firelight, her lips red and brutal, her eyes like a monsters, a daemon on the prowl. Teeth glinted, bright and brilliant.
Pale eyes grinned.
Oh God.
My voice came out in a foggy whisper.
"You're messing with me."
She just grinned.
Oh God.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Not a word,
And then, I breathed.
"I want to know. Everything. About Calypso-"
She snapped.
One minute, she was just grinning, horrible and cold, still and silent, and then, the black throne before her was flying through the window, glass shatter into the night; it moved so fast, so very quick, a whirl of icy air and then a loud crash, a smash of ice. Black rock swirled, gargoyles and twisted faces screaming as the throne thrashed through the windows, breaking wood, breaking glass, whirling and screaming out into the white snow, glass raining like a thousands stars. Sound echoed, loud and clear, booming through the entire cold room as the single black throne hurtle through the glass panes and out into the snow, forever lost, forever gone.
Glass screamed into the air.
Fucking hell.
In the place of three Gothic windows, across the other wall, was a hole, a large, gaping hole, gravel broken and crumbling at the bottom, glass raining into the air, black rock splintered and jagged, falling in chips; it was huge, huge enough to throw a rhino through, a jagged hole into another world-
And the wind came howling in.
Snow rushed in, the horrible, horrible gale pouring into the room, white flakes flying across the rocking chandelier, fires hissing, petals flying, my hair kicking about, madly, violently, the cold slamming into us, slapping, stabbing-
And Hel standing right before it.
Snarling.
Furious.
Oh God.
She was just standing there, right in front of the large hole, the snow outside swirling behind her, wild and furious, her black hair screaming into the cold, skin dead, rotting dress tearing, red lips snarling-
And her teeth…
Her sharp, white teeth.
Oh God.
There it was, the animal, the monster, the creature from hell; her teeth had gone from perfect normal to sharp white daggers, all of them, two rows of fangs gnashing into each other, furious, wild, her blue, blue eyes wide, big, so very pale, pupils drawing back, narrowing, gleaming mad and insane, hungry for blood…
Oh God.
The wind howled, icy and bitter.
Will screamed my name.
Oh God.
Without so much as word, I pushed him back, back towards the fireplace, pulling our hands apart as I kept him behind him, away from her, away from the howling, gaping wind, the biting snow swirling in, my fingers digging down into my robe, searching-
Her snarl was like claws through my flesh.
"Who do you think you are, you pathetic soul?" her eyes were so wrong, so very wrong, her fingers clutching down against the black table, her bone crown white and ghastly, her black hair wild, her red lips so bloody, so enraged, a pure, hungry, depraved monster, "This is my castle! This is my kingdom! You have no right here, you worthless m-"
And then, she was moving, before she even finished her sentence, before I could even think, Will screaming my name, clutching at my robe, the wind howling and howling and howling, so cold, so very icy-
She was climbing over the table.
She moved so quick, so damn fast, an animal, a monster, insanity, hunger tearing through her as she screamed, a bloody, horrible scream, and scrambled over the table, over the dead flowers, over all the food, hair wild, skin white, dress ripped and rotting, lips bloody, eyes so very crazy, teeth sharp and gnashing, ready to jump, to bite down into my neck, to completely devour me-
"JOEY!"
My fingers flew, deep into the black robes, pulling it out, freeing it, grasping the familiar warmth, the strong beautiful light, taking it, twisting it, cutting it around to bite forward into the cold, towards the charging beast, bright and glowing, beautiful-
Strong.
Strong sword.
Balder's sword.
My sword.
It reached forward, that sword, that beautiful sword, my sword, a bright, blazing blade cutting through the ice, gold gleaming, ruby burning, Balder's blade slicing through the cold and pointing right in front of me. It was light in the dark, warmth in a cold, cold world and the touch of it, the mere touch of it in my hand, its warmth bursting through my skin, flooding down my frozen veins, burning bright and alive-
And strong.
So very strong.
Yes.
Gold light blazed through the world.
Oh yes.
Hel stopped.
Oh fucking yes.
She was right in front of me, monster eyes, sharp, demon teeth, the cold slapping against her dead skin, hair wild, dress torn, her body sprawled across the table where she had stopped, lips red and brutal-
And my sword just beneath her chin.
My warm, strong sword.
Oh hell, yes.
She stopped breathing.
For a second, the world completely froze as Hel just sprawled there, up on the table, teeth sharp, eyes hideous, warmth surging through my skin, through my arm, warming me up, lighting me up, burning away the smiting cold as the blade glowed bright in the world, a star in a dark, dark night. The wispy words glowed like constellations, the ruby a fiery sun, the gold so warm, so very beautiful-
And Hel was just staring it.
Yes.
I wasn't breathing myself.
Yes.
Behind me, Will was gasping, breathing heavily, but all I could see was Hel, her crazy eyes, her horrible, horrible teeth, the sword burning in my hand, ready to swing, to kill if that was necessary to protect Will and myself-
She recoiled.
She actually recoiled.
A flare of nostrils, and she pulled back, so slightly, so quickly, eyes darting to the burning blade, so white, so very cold. Her body was frigid, stiff, red lips twisted away into a hideous growl, her face screwed in anger, in repulse, eyes so very wide….
The warmth was so good.
So strong.
So very strong.
Yes.
Her voice was vapid whisper.
"Where did you get that?"
A fire burned inside of me.
"You know where."
Her eyes went white.
"You."
I grinned.
And then, the door slammed open.
It wasn't the door on the right, the one which I had first come in with; it was from the left, from a hidden door at the far end, in the shadowy corner, black wood slamming back against golden-washed gravel. The icy air snapped, the loud boom resounding through the room, a slap of light in such a cold, cold world, the blade burning in my quivering hand as I snapped my head around, away from Hel, just for a moment, an instinct acting to the sound-
And saw a golden figure burst through the icy wind.
A familiar figure.
Balder.
I let out a gasp.
Finally.
There he was, the golden man, the tall, golden god, standing against the dark, icy wall, frizzy blonde hair whirling in the white wind-
And beautiful.
So utterly beautiful.
Finally.
It was him, it was Balder, crashing into the room, his blonde hair like an angel's halo, bright and fair, the fire light dancing upon his screaming, bronze cheekbones; his naked chest was damp with sweat, his entire body shuddering as he heaved in and out, panting, wheezing, trails of gold quivering against his dire breath. Dusky skin gleamed with the sheen of sweat, his biceps tensed and frigid, glossy and strained, veins bulging dark and blue. His perfect, bronze chest was so violent, his sculpted nose flaring as he puffed, winded, breathless, icy firelight pirouetting about his lusty skin; the chest was bare, completely bare except for the strap of his quiver, a tight black belt of leather and threading, dancing gold. His pants were dark, his belt tight, and in his hands, in his sweaty, tired fingers, his trusty, black-gold bow swung tight, taut and ready. Golden arrows poked up against his back, bright glaring arrows, suns in a cold, cold world-
But his face.
His face was just enough.
Finally.
There it was, Balder, my Balder, a silly grin, a handsome face, a pair of bright, beautiful eyes, child's eyes, laughing eyes, beaming across the whipping cold, dancing with the light of icy flames. His lips were turned, smiling, always smiling, his entire face so bright, so very bright and warm, like a star, like our own sun-
And I couldn't help it.
I had to grin back.
Finally.
Blue eyes laughed.
"Can't keep out of trouble, can you dame?"
The sword burned in my hand.
Finally.
Will gasped.
For a moment, I just stood there, pointing the sword, staring, gaping at him, switching lanes in my brain as my mind registered his smile, his goofy, silly smile, his laughing, wild blue eyes, warm eyes, beautiful eyes, welcoming, so very welcoming to Hel's own icy orbs-
And then, I threw a glance back at her.
Hel.
She was still there, at the edge of my glowing, warm sword, crawled on the table, dark hair trickling, the hole gaping behind her like a dragon's icy, black mouth; her head was turned now, away from me, her horrible, monstrous face, her torn, putrid dress rustling in the icy cold as she turned to the left, shadowy hair falling, bone crown gleaming-
And looked at Balder.
Without a word.
I couldn't even see her face anymore.
Her horrible, horrible face.
Thank God.
Will's breath was shallow behind me.
Finally.
I gripped the burning sword even tighter.
"What took you so long?" I had to shout now, over the wail of the icy wind, over the whirling snow rushing in, my blade quivering as it kept pointed at the Queen of the Underworld; I tilted my head so slightly, ever so slightly towards Balder, an eye forever on the devil before me, warmth rushing through my veins, flooding me, steeling me, my heart screaming in my chest. Blood raced through my body.
The she-devil didn't stir.
Frozen.
Staring at Balder.
Just staring.
Staring.
No longer at us.
Thank God.
My heart wouldn't shut up.
Thank God.
Balder's voice pierced through the icy gale, its normal, firm, accented tone, loud and clear through the whipping snow.
He didn't even need to shout.
"Hello. Hell hounds."
For a second, no one spoke.
Will breathed, hot and slow, far behind.
Ice screamed.
And then, with a twisted scowl, I turned fully to face him, ignoring Hel, ignoring the cold, ignoring the short dark blonde strands curling across my eyes, a sudden irritation blooming beneath my skin, fierce and furious.
A very familiar irritation.
Fucking hell-
"What? You couldn't handle a couple of dogs?"
A short pause, and then Balder swung his long bow to his hip, golden curls whipping.
"Oh. And you could have done it better, me dame?"
"I could've been faster, if that's what you mean-"
"Alright then! Next time, you take the smelly, snappy little doggies, while I rescue prince charming-"
"No way!"
"Oh, that's right! Stick me with the dirty work, that's all! Always the dirty work! Balder, do this. Balder, do that. Balder, go away and clean up and get bitten by a bunch of bugs- never ever-"
"Just stop complaining, you idiot-"
"But I never get to rescue the pretty ones! I always get stuck with the dirt-"
"Oh, really-"
"Yes-"
"Oh yeah…and what about dinner last night then? Or the night before…you always make me do the gutting-"
"Balder."
It was a cold voice, a horrible, icy voice and all of sudden-
I remembered where I was.
Hel.
I snapped back, hair flying, muscles springing alive, ready to attack, to defend, to push Will back against the wall, to give him room to make for the door, to do anything, everything, instinct kicking in as I swirled my head around, away from Balder and towards Hel, my body taut and ready-
And she was there.
On the table.
Standing.
Shit.
She was no longer sprawled, no longer reaching out for me, claws a ready, a monster within reach; instead, she was standing, tall and pale, a ghost, a daemon, a living statue of ice, pale, naked feet firm against the fluttering dead petals. Her rotten dress swirled, dark and haunting, the black chandelier rocking insanely as the cold storm rushed in through the hole, white and icy, black hair screaming. Bitter eyes, cold, icy orbs stared towards Balder, pale skin ghastly and ashen. Bone crown gleamed, blood dripping down temples, black as night.
Icy fires screamed.
Sword burned warm.
Balder turned away from me.
In the glow of the cold room, the golden-washed walls, the god, my companion, turned his laughing, blue eyes away from me and towards the monster on the table, golden curls giggling, bronze skin gleaming, chest still heaving rapidly against the black strap. His smile dimmed, like a star fading into night-
But by just a little.
He was still grinning.
Idiot.
His smile came, all white teeth and golden laughter.
"Hello, sister."
Hel didn't say a word.
For a moment, I just stood there, sword shivering in my warm hand, the blade glowing bright, a beautiful sun, the icy cold biting, fighting against the heat of my body, frigid and terrible, howling madly-
And they just stood there.
At the end of the room.
On the table.
Staring.
At each other.
Damn.
Without a word, I began to inch back, back towards Will, boots shuffling through the moaning wind, crunching against a thin layer of whipped snow, robes rustling, stirring thick, the sword still in my hand as I pulled back, towards Will, towards his weak warmth; it was looking like an odd picture, a beautiful painting.
Poetic.
On one side, on our side, Hel was ice, cold and bitter, skin pale, hair dead, her entire body cold and frigid, a horrible, horrible gnashing chill-
And on the other side, at the other end of the room, Balder was fire, beautiful, golden laughing fire.
Fire and ice.
Fire and ice.
Damn.
I felt Will's cold, weak fingers tug at my belt again.
Hel spoke.
"I didn't think I would ever see you again," she said it so quietly, so very quietly yet even in the howl of the icy blizzard I could hear her fine, perfectly, an icy breath whispering between her cold, dead lips, her dark hair shivering about her icy, beautiful face. Blood dripped from her bone crown, dark, dark blood, a single black drop staining the putrid rotten colour of her dress.
Her teeth were no longer sharp.
Her eyes were frost.
The frost queen.
Balder's grin was like the sun.
"Well, neither did I," He seemed so happy, too happy against her dark, pallor silence, his handsome face bright and alive, blue eyes wild and free among the flurry of his whipping golden curls, looking at his sister, and only at his sister, "You did stick me beneath the earth."
I moved closer to Will.
Her voice was ice.
"For our own protection."
Something twisted in his smile.
"Guess that didn't work out, eh?"
Her lips were too red.
"Guess not."
For a moment, no one spoke, their eyes, their same, blue eyes looking at each, frost against laughter, his dusky skin so odd, so peculiar in the whipping snow rushing in, her dark hair flying Medusa-wild, free in the gale; Will's fingers were weak, so frail, digging poorly against my robed back, and I reached out behind him, grabbing his hand again, giving him strength, the sword rushing warmth through my very skin. Blade glowed, bright and brilliant, so very beautiful-
But I didn't drop it.
Not for a second.
Not with her still in the room.
Not with Will still so unsafe.
Not yet.
Her voice cut, ice against ice.
"Then you finally figured out a way, then," her 'r's were rolling, her breath icy and taut and so very silent, quiet and surreal in the howling cold, blood dripping from her crown, "After all those years, little brother, you finally found a way past our spells-"
"Oh no," he shook, grinning, blonde hair laughing, cheekbones flaring, chest growing still, lashes thick and long, something odd twisting in his mirth, bright eyes, "I'm not that powerful. Not yet- not fully healed yet, you know. This body, it's still-"
"But then how-"
"The child," and then he nodded at me, throwing a glance in my direction, a flicker of a frown as he gazed over me, blue eyes flaring for just a second; panic seized me, bright and furious, and I turned to Hel again, breath catching in my throat, icy and brisk. Will's fingers froze, suddenly paralysed, my sword gleaming, eager as my body sprung awake, ready, instinct kicking me alive-
And she just looked at us.
A single, icy glance.
A horrible glance.
Oh God.
Her eyes were dead.
Oh God.
And then, she turned away from us again, pulling back, black, black hair whipping as she turned her steely, icy, terrible eyes at Balder again-
Who didn't seem to see, to notice how horrible they were.
How horrible she was.
Or maybe he did.
Maybe he didn't care.
Will's breath was too shallow.
Oh God.
Her voice was icy daggers.
"Her?" the crown was so white, so very white, her voice dark, quiet, the wind howling through the wall, snow and ice pouring in, her slim profile dark and beautiful, the rotten dress fluttering cold and bloody, "She's naught but a babe-"
His golden smile told a million stories.
"A babe who found my sword."
The blade burned.
"A mortal?"
Blue eyes flashed.
"Nothing more."
For a moment, there was silence again, icy, cold silence, the wind howling, filling up the gap, Will's fingers squeezing tight in my palm as I took another step back, back towards him-
And then, another icy glance in our direction, at me, at the burning, glowing blade.
I couldn't breathe.
Oh God.
Her eyes were so, so cold.
Too cold.
Oh God.
"What can I say? The blade likes her." Balder's voice was warm, bright, a little laughter, a little mirth, the usual flippancy, the usual airiness; but my eyes could only see the bone crown, the black hair, the dead skin and the icy, icy eyes, Will's fingers cold and miserable in my hand-
And then, she turned back again, slightly, back towards her brother at the other end of the room. Her body was still turned towards us, high up on the table, but her face and eyes were away, back at Balder, no longer on us, no longer leeching the very life, the warmth right out of our souls….
Will's icy hand trembled.
I squeezed harder.
We need to get out of here.
Her voice was silent.
"But…" her voice fell, so suddenly, so oddly, and even though it was icy, even though it was horribly cold, there was something in it now, something gentler, something sadder, her horrible eyes turned towards Balder, out of our sight, rotten dress tearing through the whirling white snow; a single hand, a pale, icy hand reached up from the folds of the torn livid, and clutched over her heart, as if aching, as if in pain.
Her voice fell like icy snowflakes.
Oh God.
"But…but my child," she whispered, so soft, so terribly silent in the howling wind, my body shivering, the sword burning heat right to my heart, Will's hand so cold, so dead, "My Rygor… I felt his demise, his fiery pain-"
A little stretch to Balder's warm grin.
"Got meself a brave little heir, haven't I?"
No one spoke.
For a terrifying, icy minute, no said a word.
No one even breathed.
Oh God.
Without a word, fingers tight around the shivering, glowing blade, still up and ready, I threw a glance back at Will, hair flying, cutting through the cold-
And saw his eyes.
His terrified eyes.
His pained eyes.
His exhausted eyes.
His golden eyes.
Will.
I squeezed his hand.
Will.
And then, Hel's voice sliced through the cold.
Burning ice.
Hel.
Without a sound, I pulled away from Will's eyes, from his bright, golden eyes, his awaken eyes, squeezing his icy hand in my own as I turned back to the both of them, to the two gods, to brother and sister-
And held my breath.
"Clever."
Balder's grin widened, teeth gleaming like a thousand suns.
My heart screamed.
"It was, wasn't it?"
Her dark was wild, caught in the gale.
Her hand sank back to her side, cold and dead.
Her rotten dress tore, putrid and decayed.
I couldn't see her face.
Oh God.
Her voice was ice.
"Using a mortal, an outsider, to break down the curses that were meant to keep you in-"
His grin was like a child's.
"You didn't lock the outside very well."
Will's cold hand trembled.
"Very clever."
A cheeky flash of brilliant blue.
"Clever? More like brilliant."
Dark hair whipped.
"More like luck."
Icy fires screamed.
"Same thing."
Silence.
And then, Hel spoke again.
A whisper.
A mere, breath of ice.
"How long has it been? For you? Up there?"
Something dark flashed across Balder's grinning face.
Something very, very dark.
Oh God.
"4000 years."
Her voice came in sleek ice.
Smooth, perfect ice.
"Long time."
Something twitched in his grin.
"Long enough.
Blood dropped to her icy, naked feet.
Red against white.
Blood upon death.
"Long enough for what?"
Blue eyes screamed.
"Long enough to figure how exactly I'm going to kill you all."
Silence.
Cold, brutal silence.
What?
For a moment, no one breathed, the sword burning in my hand, feeding me strength, Will's fingers trembling as I gazed between Hel and Balder, between the icy black and the stirring gold, blue eyes, identical blue eyes meeting across the swirling snow, watching each other, staring at each other, ice against fire, death against life-
And then, Hel spoke.
Like ice.
"We had to protect ourselves. The prophecy-"
"You hunted me."
It was a white smile, a bright, golden smile, his words fresh and accented, his golden curls laughing, frizzy against his bronze, broad shoulders, blue eyes flaring, brilliant, bright as skies I haven't seen in weeks-
Bright.
Too bright.
Much too bright.
Oh God.
I squeezed Will's cold fingers.
Snow bit skin.
Oh God.
Again, silence screamed, the wind howling, tearing, gnashing, black cold yowling through the broken hole in the wall, snow wailing in white and pure, biting into my skin, gnawing against my bones. Will's fingers clutched in my palm, cold and trembling, so very weak, the sword lancing into the icy cold, bright and reassuring, protecting us-
And Hel stood in silence, cold and icy.
Oh God.
Balder was smiling too much.
Too, too much.
"Hunted me, like an animal."
His curls laughed.
His eyes screamed.
Oh God.
Hel's bloody lips barely moved.
"You were going to be the death of us," she was ice, pure, pure ice, her cold, cold eyes looking at her brother's smile, his perfect teeth, his too blue eyes, "You will kill us-"
There was just something wrong with that smile.
"I hope so."
I couldn't breathe.
Icy flames screamed.
For a moment, no one spoke, and then Hel breathed.
A whisper of horrid ice.
"Is that it then?" her skin was too white, too, too white, a monster, a ghost beneath the rocking black chandelier, "Is that why you are here? Revenge?"
Silence.
Icy, black, whirling silence.
Will's hand shuddered.
Black robe rustled.
Balder smiled.
Just smiled.
Oh God.
Hel's voice was a nightmare.
"You know you cannot kill us, little brother. You, of all people know the gods can't die-"
"Oh, I'm not going to kill you."
Golden curls laughed.
Arrows beamed.
Cold snow whipped against bronze chest, pale, weak against the dusk.
Eyes screamed.
Balder.
"I'm going to hunt you. All of you. Every single one."
I shuddered.
His smile was so twisted, so bitter, so very sick, eyes flashing, bright and blue, golden curls laughing, horrid and malice, something so dark, so haunting-
So wrong.
So very wrong.
Balder.
No one spoke.
No one even breathed.
Ice swirled, cold and frigid, and I held on to Will's hand, forcing myself to breathe, to live, to understand what Balder was saying, to stay focus, to concentrate, to keep the sword up, to keep us all alive-
Will's hand squeezed back.
Balder.
Hel's voice was a brittle, cold wind rustling through the gold-washed room.
Snow screamed.
Balder.
"That's unfortunate."
A howl pierced the icy night.
END OF CHAPTER
Here we go! End of Chapter 2! Please let me know what you think, by sending me a review! Love them lots, really!
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