Chapter Text
"Darkheaaaart!" His youngest sibling's voice echoed around the hallways of the old castle. It was when they were all still young. Still so easily haunted. That horror was none other than 'Sleepy' itself. The Eye. Actually it was a ridiculous name.
The young Deity of chaos opened his bedroom door. "You have seen IT?"
Icedagger nodded. They were holding their thick fluffy blanket around their shoulders. "You were right. IT is real. I saw it for myself! It just went into my room."
Darkheart leaned against the doorframe. "And you've come to us about this problem because..?"
"You should really help me kill it." They said blankly.
That was the part that caught him by surprise. "Really? We thought you were afraid."
"Yes. Which is exactly why it needs to die. You were the best option."
Darkheart's head fell limply to the side. Bored. "Ugh, why don't you bother Venom about this instead, or 'Brand, or Mother. It's not like THEY hate you."
"Venom hates talking about IT. Firebrand treats me like a newspawn, and you already know Mother won't do anything about it."
His grin became more prominent. "Ah, touche. You're actually getting smarter, and you are still a newspawn." He ruffled their hair.
"But I am not weak! Nor should you treat me so… condescendingly." Their sparkly blue eyes narrowed at him.
"Alright. We are interested. Come on, lets do it."
They grinned. "Yes! I knew you would agree."
For a castle that housed a superior being's seven spawns, it was surely stupendously grandiose. There were many rooms that they were yet to explore, but Mother forbade them. In the end he didn't think that he ever really got to see all of those rooms.
The hallways though were unbelievably tall. Arches decorating the walls. The large high-ceiling space was dead silent at night. Without the presence of their other siblings, every surface served to amplify the sound of even a small footstep.
"Where do you suggest we start with our little search?" Darkheart asked.
"Well, it was within my bedroom when I last saw it. We can always start there."
The Deity of chaos sighed. "Of course… all the way over to your bedroom. It is not an unreasonable idea, but we suppose we have to… walk."
"Why? What is so bad about walking?"
"Nothing. It just seems very late to walk to the other side of the castle. Which is very much your fault since you asked Mother to move your room all the way to the other side of the castle."
Icedagger shrugged. "Can you blame me? Some of you aren't very quiet, and I very much require my peace."
That was true. Many of them had their rooms separated in different areas of the castle. The Seven Swords, despite originating from the same being, were programmed to be radically different in personality. Light sleepers, loud snorers, or one after the other simply not wanting to be near someone they were angry with.
"You just don't want to be bothered with anything." Darkheart responded with a soft laugh.
The two of them soon reached Icedagger's room. It wasn't actually that long of a walk. Darkheart just liked to complain for the sake of complaining.
"Are you sure IT is still in here?" The doors slowly creaked open, Darkheart kept a firm hold on the handle.
"I don't even like leaving the comforts of my room. I doubt IT would want to either."
When the doors were open enough to fully see IT, just resting idly in Icedagger's bed like IT belonged there. Darkheart supposed he couldn't fully blame it. Icedagger's room was naturally cold and dark in a comforting way. There was some kind of atmosphere around it that felt like it could bless the sleeper with the sweetest dreams. That was not a case when The Eye was here. Their mental tormentor. Besides Mother, Darkheart thought. Jokingly of course. Veryyyy jokingly…
The appearance of The Eye was very abstract. It was hard to get a grasp of how the creature really looked. Even for them. They always defined it by the most striking parts of IT's appearance. Which is of course, IT's many emerald green eyes.
The only thing Darkheart could say was that its body looked very shadowy, smoky, and maybe shifty. Considering IT tends to change shapes.
The creature noticed his presence upon stepping foot into the bedroom, eyes shooting open. It grabbed him with tendrils immediately. Embarrassingly enough for him, Darkheart actually let out a shriek as it dragged him across the floor. He couldn't move his arms properly to summon his sword so Icedagger had to step in and cut him free with their own weapon. Although it risked them getting grabbed as well.
So as quick as he could, Darkheart summoned chains to bind the creature still. He then summoned his own weapon, plunging it into the writhing creature's body. Black blood seeped out of the wound. He was surprised that it could bleed at all. Darkheart drove his sword downward, cutting IT further. And that's when IT suddenly broke out of the chains with Darkheart's sword still stuck in IT's body. IT knocked him away.
But while the creature tried to attack her, Icedagger came up behind IT, plunging their dagger into the body as well. It forced the creature's body to freeze, ice began to form and surround the surface of IT's body starting from the stab wound.
While it was distracted from trying to break free, Darkheart took it as a chance to try and call her sword back into her hand, but while doing so she made the mistake of letting one of IT's eyes see directly into hers… or lack thereof.
It almost instantly made her dizzy, but Darkheart was strong enough to pull away from the attempt at hypnotism. What fully snapped her out of it though was Icedagger's loud shriek.
She let out a gasp upon hearing her sibling's cry outside of the bedroom. Darkheart immediately followed it. She dashed out of the room and channeled some energy into her Sword. Upon seeing the creature running through the halls with Icedagger in IT's grip, Darkheart shot a dark orb out of her Sword. It created a void in the floor that half of the creature's body fell into. That gave Icedagger a chance to break free.
Darkheart held her arms out towards the void in the floor, closing her fists to amplify the void's power and hopefully suck the creature into a realm of antimatter. IT let out a load roar while trying to break free. The others were definitely going to hear that.
From behind the creature, Icedagger created chains of their own. They wrapped them around The Eye and pulled IT towards the black void. Suddenly all of the eyes began to glow. The hallway they were in grew dark and eyes like the creature's emerged from the walls. All of them staring down at the two young deities.
The eyes caused them to see things. Past nightmares blended with small flashes of the future. He saw violence, heard cries, his sword would be coated in ichor by well, lots of things that happen eventually.
Lost in the visions, Darkheart failed to notice Icedagger broke their chains away and tried to blast the creature to make the hallucinations stop. But the creature disappeared in front of them, and instead the extreme blast of ice hit their brother. Icicles emerged from the ground, trapping what was there in a straight path. Except for the actual target.
When the hallucinations stopped, Icedagger decided to open their eyes. "Did I get IT?"
"Nno..." Darkheart struggled to talk. The Icicles rendered him unable to move, and the blast made it too cold to try and use his own strength to break free.
"Darkheart?" Icedagger flew over to him. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry!"
"What are you waiting for? Go catch it!" Darkheart said. The creature was suddenly gone.
"But I—"
"That shall not be necessary." Their mother spoke from behind him. THEIR voice shook the two young Deities to the core.
Icedagger tried to explain. "M-Mother? I-We just wanted to—"
THEY raised their hand dismissively to silence them. Then with a simple flick of their wrist, the ice that was holding Darkheart in place vanished with a bright golden glow.
She didn't turn to face THEM. Darkheart remained still as the footsteps approached. THEY didn't say anything to Icedagger and instead went straight for the fool who let this happen. Even with bits of frost still stuck to his skin, her mother grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to face THEM. In this part of her life she wasn't yet a whole seven-foot-tall uncanny being. Their mother had always been much taller than she was, but in this moment she felt so much smaller.
"I told you to leave it alone, did I not?"
"But you weren't doing anything about IT… the thing has been scaring the rest of us for months now. We just—"
His mother's grip grew tighter.
Darkheart continued, "We just wanted to drive it away once and for all."
"Do you not understand the severity of your actions? How that thing could have destroyed this place and endangered your siblings' lives, yours? Did you not think of that?"
"But Mother—it was Icedagger's idea."
"Icedagger's words should not affect your judgment. You are older than them, Darkheart. You must know be the one to know better." They either did it intentionally, or weren't aware of their own strength compared to the young Deity's but he felt his wrist crack. Yet Darkheart didn't feel like he was be in the position to mention it.
Icedagger tugged on THEIR sleeve. "Mother, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."
Darkheart just remained silent under THEIR gaze until THEY released him.
THEY said nothing. Darkheart just felt them lean down and pull both of THEIR children closer. One hand resting on Darkheart's shoulder, the other on Icedagger's. But it was clear to him that THEY were only acting this way as not to scare the youngest.
It made sense to him. That THEY did not want THEIR youngest to be afraid of them, but what he hated was how THEY never took the same approach with him. Darkheart never received an apology, not reassurance. Just the usual scolding.
The gentle hold was definitely not for him. That's what made him more shaken than how THEY grabbed his wrist.
To be fair, he had always been the troublesome one.
"Go to your room." THEY told him with a blank voice. Not angry anymore.
He stayed in his own room after that, fully believing it wasn't his fault at all. Maybe if mother had actually done something about IT then he and Icedagger wouldn't have had to take matters into their own hands. Why couldn't THEY understand that? Why couldn't THEY understand him?
…
Darkheart's vision was a messy blur when his consciousness returned. IT should have been dead now, right? Or at the very least terribly weakened.
She heard IT groan. Good enough. That void attack took a lot of energy from her. It consumed a large part of the Cathedral's underground tunnels. It must've reached the ground above. That's what she understood when she felt the ground shake. Good, at least her senses have returned to her.
Shit. Darkheart remembered Sword and Rocket who might just have made it to the surface. The ground could come undone beneath them and they could fall right back into this hellhole. The structure was beginning to come down. By the heights, his head rang like crazy. Not only that, she was still losing blood.
She called for her weapon again, trying to summon it into her hand. Work with us here… just a little more. So that we can get to the surface, and settle it.
Darkheart finally felt the handle settle in her grip. "Finally… come on, come on." She muttered, trying to harness just enough of her own power. While the surface above her broke open, she took it as the chance to bring herself up past the crumbling and falling ground until she reached the surface.
Did we—make it in time?
.
.
.
Even when walls deep within the institutes of Blackrock, one can sometimes still feel the cold. In someone's particular laboratory he needed it to stay that way.
The Deity of Ice entered. Not a sound was made until he spoke. "When I left a few days ago, you were hunched over your table. Not talking to anyone, just working your sorry mortal life away."
"You actually returned..." Medkit said, voice still quiet. He habiually spoke that way.
"Nothing changed." Icedagger walked over. Medkit's desk was all the way on the other side. It was a specious laboratory. They continued talking. "Of course I'd return. I told you I had plans."
"Which are..?"
Icedagger loomed over his side, leaning down to the mortal to whisper, "I found that friend of yours."
That made Medkit's eye widen. His interest had been caught.
"He's at Lost Temple. You can come with me to get him back. I can take you there. Provided that… you give me what I want."
"What's that?" Medkit asked.
"Don't act stupid with me. You're supposed to be a genius. I provided you everything you wanted, this is the only thing I ask in return. My weapon."
"Ah, this weapon?" Medkit gestured to the greatsword on his work table. "My apologies. I was merely trying to be amusing."
"You are quite terrible at it. My suggestion? Don't try it again."
The Scientist let out a low chuckle in response. "I'd be thrilled to join you on your so-called quest."
Icedagger raised a brow. "You do not sound excited."
"Must I?" Medkit tried to give them the same look. That was proven difficult by the dark grey bandages covering most of his face. That being his mouth, and his left eye.
The Deity shook their head. "I suppose not."
"I'm glad that we understand each other." Medkit stood up. He attempted to lift the weapon to give it to Icedagger, only for his arm to almost immediately give away from the weight of it.
Icedagger bit back a laugh. They took the greatsword from Medkit's struggling hands. "Don't feel bad, Doctor. After all, I asked it be made to be wielded by a Deity."
They continued, "It will be interesting to see Subspace again. Won't it, Meds?"
It would be interesting to see him, but the nickname instead brought a glare from the Blackrock scientist. "Do not call me that."
"Sorry then. So, are you going to come with me or not? Don't worry I'll make sure that the place stays cold for you."
"I will need transportation and—"
Icedagger rolled their eyes. "Oh please, you don't need all of that. I can take you there myself."
The doctor went quiet. "Oh. Then I am not interested on being taken there by the means of a magical mystical being."
"That's an odd way to refer to me. Not untrue though. So… you will not be coming then?"
Medkit turned his back to Icedagger. "Just bring back what is important. I trust that you are competent enough to complete the task. I will see Subspace again anyway when you bring him here."
"Oh bother, that means I'll be doing all the work then." Icedagger sighed. "I promise you though. I will bring back much more than that, but you really must stop referring to me in such a way. Just because your faction is in custody of my gear does not grant you the authority to speak down upon me. Even without a weapon, you've no grasp of what I'm capable of."
"Does capable include being imprisoned for trespassing Korblox territory?" Medkit's hands were placed behind his back.
Icedagger's eyes narrowed at him. They could banter back and forth all day with these Inphernals and fine it entertaining but it will never change how he viewed them. They never did like the mortals in Korblox. Their systems were far too rigid and their goals too ambitious for their tastes. They were the kind that wanted their people to work to the very bone all in search for glory that they make up. They would die before seeing a true glimpse of it though.
That very small aspect made Icedagger almost pity them, but fortunately that same thing was what made mortals such as Medkit himself so useful to them. Even if the institution thinks that they are the ones making a fool out of the Deity.
Every part of this act had one side of the conflict thinking only they could give them what they want. It was perfect.
Icedagger remembered the appearance of the laboratory. They knew they would need it once they succeeded before they set themselves for a path that would lead back to the Lost Temple. Hopefully their nephew was still holding up.
…
The younger Deity's fist hovered over the door Darkheart's room. They weren't sure if he would be angry with them for what happened tonight. Darkheart didn't say anything else when mother told him to return to his room. He only looked at them once and just walked back without complaining. Icedagger wanted to make sure that he wasn't angry.
Before they could knock, they heard someone else's footsteps in the quiet hall just around the corner. Just the mere sound frightened them enough to retreat. Icedagger, using their smaller form, hid away in the reflection of the lantern above them.
Illumina, carrying herself with a confident strive, knocked thrice on Darkheart's door. What did she want?
"We are not in the mood right now." The Deity of chaos responded.
Icedagger stayed outside of the room, they weren't sure exactly what was going on. But they could hear their siblings talk.
"It's me." Illumina opened the door for herself anyway despite the lack of permission from the other.
"Oh, well fancy seeing you here then. Come to gloat about your superiority again?"
Illumina held her tongue for just a moment. "Mother wants to kill you."
Darkheart laughed. "Nice try. You can't scare us like that though, Sister. We're not newspawns anymore."
"Fine. Go ahead and don't believe me, but I've seen the look on THEIR face earlier."
"Earlier..? Wait—you were the one who told THEM about what we were doing! Why do you enjoy doing this to us?" Darkheart's voice raised.
Illumina scoffed. "I do not. I was only trying to stop you from putting yourselves in danger. You could have gotten Icedagger hurt."
"Oh please, if anything it was the other way around." That much was true. Even if Icy didn't mean it. Darkheart might actually be mad about it.
"We are stronger than they are. Besides, even you do not even have full control over your own power yet."
"And you believe you would do better in our position, Sister? You believe it makes you oh so much better than us by sticking up to THEM, and being the perfect little favorite child." Darkheart said mockingly.
Illumina let out a huff. "I am not."
"Yes you are. You would do anything if THEY told you to. Does Mother tell you to hate us with all of your heart too?"
Illumina gasped with offense. "What? No—"
"Then why?" Darkheart pressed further.
"Because you keep acting like—this! You can't continue blame Mother for calling you out on your actions, and if no one else will say it then I will."
The room suddenly became quiet.
Darkheart was the first to speak again. "Why are you really here?"
"I—" Illumina stuttered. She was trying to find the right words so they wouldn't escalate into another argument. Especially when everyone else was probably already asleep. "I have to—to know. What is it about Mother that makes you hate me so much that encourages you to act like this?"
"Hate you?" Darkheart laughed. "Why? Is this for the sake of your conscience? Illumina, we despise you. You know that you enjoy being Mother's favorite because its the one thing that actually has a chance of making you better than the rest of us. Admit it!"
Icedagger set foot back onto the ground. Maybe they should… step in and do something. They peeked through the small creek in the door. Until he saw their faces then cowardice took over him at the last minute.
Nevermind. Icedagger told themself. They spun around on their heel, about to swiftly walk away when they bumped into someone.
"Mother..?" They muttered. "But what are you doing here?"
"I am looking for your sister." THEY replied softly before hearing the voices in Darkheart's room and walked towards the door.
"M-Mother wait!" Icedagger realized that the two might get in trouble if THEY heard the argument that was going on inside.
"—you know, sister? You should spend a day in our shoes and maybe then Mother will finally let you know what it feels like not to feel so high and might for once!"
"THEY would never!" Illumina retorted.
Creak.
"I wouldn't?" THEIR voice immediately silence the argument of the two without any further words. THEY looked over Illumina and Darkheart before shaking THEIR head.
"You, to your bedroom. And you," They grabbed Darkheart by the same previously bruised wrist. "I need a long talk with you."
He tried to explain himself. "Wait! But She—"
THEIR voice cut through. "I said silence."
Illumina walked out. She watched as their mother pulled Darkheart away before she noticed Icedagger standing there, hands slightly trembling while tucked against their chest.
"Oh, what are you still doing up?" She asked softly. Icedagger was still only at the height of her waist. Some of his siblings could pick them up whenever they liked. That included Illumina.
The Deity of Order lifted them by their underarms before shifting their grasp so she could hold them from their bottom while letting their upper body rest on her shoulder.
"Come on, I will get you back to bed. I know The Eye must have scared you terribly, so I will stay with you. Would you like that?"
Icedagger only responded by holding onto their older sibling. "Mhm."
Illumina never asked how much of the conversation they heard.
…
"Hm, she actually showed up to the scene." Icedagger muttered. Luckily, they didn't run into any rising fires on the way back to the Lost Temple. They could recognize the white transparent dome from anywhere. But couldn't get down there with this thing in the way. Nothing exciting seems to be happening yet. Maybe they can afford to wait it out. After all, Illumina would definitely notice if the barrier went down.
Icedagger hovered just above The Church's territory. It was getting pretty tiring to hold the greatsword that Medkit forged for them, so they created a levitating platform just like the giant snowflake that they used to take Sword here. They placed the greatsword onto it. They can admit that there was some pretty fine work done on it. Sleek metal, pretty minimalist in design actually. Besides the red crystal in the center of the hilt.
They suddenly heard something rumble from the Cathedral. That must be their cue. Icedagger channeled their power into their palm. They closed their first before making a hit with the cold energy against the barrier, then followed another one with their heel. Once the barrier was cracked enough, they followed with a swing from the greatsword to completely destroy it. The barrier shattered like glass. Admittedly, that would've been easier with his gear. But they'll only be able to get it back from Korblox if they manage to pull this off.
.
.
.
The floor of the Cathedral already began to crumble before Illumina could do anything about Sword and… the other one. As the ground in the middle of the Cathedral opened up to reveal a void, another being emerged from the ground. Darkheart. He was bleeding from the torso and clearly weakened.
"..Lu?" Darkheart raised his head, seeing his sister. Then his nephew and the other mortal who was behind her. The Deity of Chaos forced himself to stand with his blade being used as leverage.
Illumina felt her eyes widen briefly and before she knew it, her blade clashed against Darkhearts. The sound of high-pitched metal on metal friction echoed throughout the Cathedral's still standing walls.
"Youngin!" Darkheart pointed to the blue-horned mortal, his other trying to keep up his guard on the fight with his sister. "Leave with Sword, now. Trust us. We can survive this. You won't if you stay."
"Come on. We're getting out of here." The Inphernal that Darkheart called 'youngin' whispered to Sword, summoning his gear. He blew a straight hole into the wall behind them.
Illumina heard it. Some of the rubble got onto her white robes as she turned to face the two. "Wait—"
She only met Sword's gaze for a second, before her nephew bolted out of there with the other mortal. Being unable to resist against the instinct to sever her brother with her own blade, Illumina couldn't stop them. It wouldn't nearly be as difficult if she was at full power. But Darkheart was incredibly weakened right now.
"Lu." Darkheart called to her, managing to shove her away. "Lu, listen to us!" He grabbed his own wrist. It was shaking from the effort of trying not to strike again.
"I really must. I was told you'd be here. What happened to you?"
"You were told? Ah, it was Icedagger's doing wasn't it?"
Illumina pointed her blade towards his throat. "That is none of your business. I thought I made the rules clear."
Her brother scoffed. "Rules? Rules!? You'd put your rules over the disaster that is happening right now?"
Her brows furrowed. Resentment was written over her features. "You've no right to make me trust your word. After what you've done to me." She made a swift strike with her blade.
Darkheart seemed more focused on trying to survive her attacks through defense. Why wasn't he trying to take advantage of any openings she's made?
"Illumina for once just understand. There is a creature here beneath us right now!" They pleaded. She had never heard that from him.
"Creature..?" She paused as their blades scraped against each other again.
"The Eye has returned. It lives here. We do not know why but Icedagger led our nephew, Venomshank's mentee, here." Darkheart still remained guarded in case Illumina attacked again. "Don't you see? They're trying to make us fight as a distraction."
She physically retracted her blade from the shock. "Icedagger? No. They wouldn't do such a thing."
"Because they're so meek? They aren't the same you believe them to be, Lu. No matter what they have told you."
Illumina searched within herself for a response or a reason but her thoughts were interrupted by an unbearable ringing. She let out a groan of agony. The consequence of trying to fight their programming. It drove her to attack her twin again, sending them both back into the inescapable loop of violence between them.
.
.
.
"Ah, finally." The Eye's voice, real voice, spoke to him through his mind. "My loyal devotees have successfully lured you here, and now I have been graced by the presence of fresh, live, sacrifices."
"I could never refuse the opportunity for THEIR utter demise."
Sword paused in his tracks when he heard that thing mention demise. He had no idea what this creature wanted with the soul living within him so badly, but at least now he understood what exactly The Overseer wants with him. It was still so hard to believe and he couldn't help but wonder if Venomshank knew about this. He'd surely have a lot of questions for his mentor when he returned home.
Rocket noticed him slow down. "What's wrong? Just a little more and we're almost out of here."
"Sorry… I just thought I heard something."
Sword and Rocket were stopped by a stranger. A stranger to Rocket, but Sword very well knew this hypocritical face.
"H-How did you get out..?" Sword said, upon seeing him.
"Why? Who is this?" Rocket asked him. He still had his gear in hand. Just a moment away from the trigger like if Sword said they were a danger, then he'd blast them simply because he said so.
Sword whispered back. "The Church's Overseer. I met them earlier when I first got here. Don't trust him, Rocket."
"So, I can blast them if they try anything funny?" Rocket waited for confirmation.
Sword's eyes didn't leave The Overseer, making sure he didn't make any sudden movement towards the two of them. He briefly remembered how they almost attacked him. He gave a reluctant nod
"Step aside!" Rocket stepped in front of Sword. "Let us go."
"You can leave. Without him." The Overseer responded. Such arrogance from a bleeding Inphernal.
"Not a damn chance!" Rocket near-yelled.
"Enough! I will not fight you. I'm here to talk." The Overseer said, raising a hand to seek for their consideration.
Rocket's eyes narrowed at the threat. "What could someone like you possibly have to say?"
"I am not speaking to you." They then turned to Sword. "Child, you must understand how potent and useful that kind of power is. Think about the good you could do if you helped us, you saw it for yourself when you were first taken here. I never expected it but I am sure that even Icedagger understood. As reluctant as I am to accept it, you two are the key to ensure that such an incident like the scorch will never happen again."
"I—" Sword was trying to find the right words to respond. He had nearly lost the thought when they first arrived here, but as Icedagger showed him, many Inphernals fell victim to members of his own family. Rocket was quiet too, looking at him for a sign. Even as he struggled to read him.
"You need to understand. He tried to wipe us out, our livelihoods, our loved ones. I don't believe it to be the first and it certainly will not be the last until we take action."
"My dear, do not fall victim to such guilt. You've nothing to do with this. You are not a key, not their little answer to every problems. What you are is a way for IT to get what IT wants."
Sword shook his head. "I-I'm sorry. I wish I could help you but I won't allow you to feed my mind to a dangerous ancient entity. Not after knowing what it did to my friend."
Rocket felt something different about his best friend from the demeanor in his voice. "Sword?"
"Good choice, my dear. You must protect yourself."
"We should leave." Sword said. Rocket nodded in response.
With that, The Overseer didn't say anything further. His arm rapidly extended, unnaturally so, as he attacked the two. They both managed to get out of the way. Sword summoned his own gear while Rocket took a shot towards the Overseer. He somehow managed to sense the ranged attack but just barely avoided it. He wasn't so lucky with the second one as the explosion nearly knocked him back.
Suddenly, someone landed between them. The sound clouded from the impact of their landing. They threw their hand forward, and released a blast of ice spikes that emerged from the ground and trapped the Overseer in place.
Icedagger's demeanor shifted away from the cold glance when they turned to face Sword and Rocket. "I'm so sorry for being late, but you must realize I'm in quite a difficult situation right now."
"You're—" Rocket pointed but was cut off by Icedagger shushing him.
Sword walked up to them. "Where have you been? How could you leave me like that!?"
"I had to grab something." They replied.
They heard The Overseer speak again. "Ack—don't you realize we have the same goal here?" He struggled against the spikes, one was just a few inches from piercing his neck.
Icedagger turned to him. "Maybe. But you've done enough, and I have what I need."
"Aren't you missing someone else from your agenda?" The Overseer said.
While they were talking, Sword felt Rocket take his wrist and drag him away from the scene. He tried not to make a noise so they could escape undetected.
A massive ice spike emerged right in front of them that blocked their path.
"No. Stay and talk with me, won't you? Hear me out." They said, trying to sound polite and inviting.
"Why? What is it?" Sword asked.
"The reason I brought you here is because I'm in trouble. I need your help. If Darkheart sees me, I will be sealed away again forever this time."
"This time?"
"Yes, I was afraid to tell you because I did not want to ruin how you see your family. The truth is that my older siblings, Darkheart and Firebrand tried to get rid of me a long time ago and the others, including your mentor…did nothing about it." Their voice dropped in volume from carrying the heavy weight of their words.
A bit of silence ensued which gave Icedagger a bit more time to explain.
"I understand The Overseer has told you they are quite brutal, and I'll be honest it is true. You have to understand why I need to do this. I don't want to die! You must understand!" They took a step closer to him.
Sword struggled to find a response. "I-I don't know…" He stuttered. "I don't know anymore."
Icedagger shook their head. "There is no time for that!"
Rocket stepped in front of him, his prosthetic arm extending in front of Sword. Like he was his guard. "He said he doesn't want to. So back off. We aren't here to fix your family problems."
Despite how the Deity of Ice seemed displease. They simply sighed. "If you say so. You know what? If you ever wish to try and control those powers that have been awakened within you, please take this. It should help channel the power better." They held up a sleek metallic greatsword in front of him. A red crystal, much like the color of his own horns stuck in the middle of the hilt.
Rocket eyed it with suspicion, but Sword reached out to take it. "Um, thanks? Oh—!" He almost dropped it from the weight, but managed to adjust after a few seconds.
"You'll get used to it." Icedagger smiled. "Should you be on your way now?"
Rocket took his hand. "For once I agree with them. Lets get away from this kooky place already. We've spent enough time."
…
The Deity watched them walk away hand in hand. Even as the blue-horned Inphernal eyes him with radioactive levels of distrust, they clearly held back as Sword was with them. Maybe they were just waiting for a time to strike, but only if Icedagger did first. The little one just wanted to prioritize their friend. It's cute and all but… it's not enough.
An electric spark emitted from the metallic greatsword's structure, forcing Sword's hand to clamp around it tighter in response before it suddenly began siphoning his gear power right out of him. They heard his scream, followed by his friend's attempt to pry the weapon out of Sword's grip.
Icedagger slipped away from the scene before the skeptic blue-horned Inphernal could swear about trusting them. They wanted to speak with The Overseer for a minute. He could be useful.
They let out a small gasp, seeing the remnants of the shattered ice spikes that were now melting in the sand. "How did he get out of that?" They muttered.
Icedagger rushed back to where the two were. With Sword lying on the ground. Must've fainted. No Inphernal could handle suddenly losing possession of their own gear like that.
"What have you done!?" The blue-horned Inphernal pointed their weapon at them.
"What I had to." Icedagger replied coldly. "You'd understand if you were in my position—"
Boom!—Icedagger felt themself fly back from the impact. An explosive right to their chest. Being more than a whole foot smaller than their siblings, their body wasn't made to be as durable. Especially not when they were caught off-guard.
They looked back to the explosive-wielding one with an equal look of rage. "You little—"
They felt another one to their arm. Ichor splattered all over the sand below. The other did not seem phased at all by the gory sight, but rather how Sword was still unconscious beside him.
"I will let you go if you give me that!" Icedagger pointed at the greatsword. Its been so long since they felt pain like this. They forgot how awful it was to bleed. How humiliating. By the Heights, this Inphernal was mortal!
They shielded themself from the next attack with a flat ice crystal. It shattered as the heat of the explosion consumed it. Surely, they were just a bit weaker because of the desert heat. This one clearly wasn't in the mental condition to talk. They didn't retort, just stood there very eager to blast Icedagger themself to pieces. Icedagger saw an opportunity to grab the greatsword and disappear. They could use their smaller form to slip through.
Crack!—Oh, the Deity didn't do that. Blood was suddenly pooling around the abdomen area of the mortal's yellow shirt.
"Huh?" Icedagger muttered.
"Ah—" The mortal tried to speak. Crack! Now it was higher up the mortal's back. They fell forward against the sand. Icedagger's hand flew up to their mouth. That wasn't supposed to happen. They told themself.
They saw the face of a grey-skinned and teal-horned acolyte. Who was wielding a Rifle and wearing a white jacket. Those teal colors… it reminded Icedagger of The Overseer. They took notice to the eeriness of their glass eye.
"Bullseye." They said from the distance.
"And who are you?" Icedagger raised a brow.
"That ain't important. The Father wants to speak with ya. Saw that the little blue fella was givin' ya some trouble. Quite unexpected from a Deity like yerself."
Icedagger rolled their eyes. "It's only that his explosions cause a lot of heat. Put Firebrand in Blackrock and he wouldn't fare as well-off either."
The other chuckled despite the disdain in the way they squinted at Icedagger.
"So your leader wants to see me, doesn't he?"
The teal-horned one nodded. They began to approach. "That's right."
Icedagger's gaze panned over to the two unconscious Inphernals before looking back at the acolyte.
"Oh, our medic can take care of 'em if yer that worried. They'll live." They replied.
The Deity sighed. "Very well then. I guess I have some time to spare. That's why I brought a distraction here after all."
They chuckled. "Ya really are connivin'. Looks like the two of ya will get along just fine."
.
.
.
How humiliating. Even at half-power his favored sister could still overpower him. Blame it on the wound that didn't get time to heal on his chest. If he had a few minutes then he could get back on his feet and completely sweep the floor with her, but alas every swing he made came with an instinctual strain from the pain. Breaking out from the underground and away from that creature also took out a lot of his own energy.
Illumina wasn't feeling that kind of pain right now. She just had to put in twice as much effort than she normally would.
Darkheart exhaled briefly. She used her blade like a crutch to keep standing. "Stop. We can't do this right now. Otherwise you'll really kill us!"
Her sister raised a brow. "Is that not the goal?"
"Not right now!" She sighed, the ringing in her head continued. Attack her. Kill her. She shook her head. The urge to survive this was stronger than the instinct to kill her sister. She didn't even get to see or make sure if the two made it out safely. By the Heights, he actually hopes they did. Darkheart imagines how he'd have to break this news to his closest brother, and his old friend about their children. How they'd hate him. Well more than the latter already does.
The battle between them suddenly halted when they sensed something wrong outside. Their kin, bleeding.
"Icy…" They both muttered. Oh, so she cares if Icedagger was possibly injured out there but not when he is?
While Illumina was caught off-guard, Darkheart created restraints for her. The same thing he used on the acolyte when she first arrived with the youngin. The chains snapped around her body, forcing her to fall once she lost balance.
"We'll talk to them so that you don't treat them like a newspawn and dote on them again. We know how you are." With that, Darkheart disappeared like he usually does into the shadows. He followed where the leaking power got stronger. Even as he followed it Darkheart still didn't feel ready to face Icedagger again. Last time was with Firebrand, but right now he was injured and exhausted. She could be very well walking right into a trap. Especially since she didn't have an artifact to seal them away in this time if things went wrong again. But what could she do? Ask for her siblings help? When they don't even know the full story and could turn on him, and Firebrand certainly isn't here to explain it.
Darkheart sighed, mentally preparing herself for what was about to come when she found the trail of ichor leading to a secluded area between some houses in the village.
"Icedagger..?" He called to them. Maybe a gentle approach would work a bit better. Even if it made Darkheart feel irritated by his own voice.
He heard them sigh. Their back was turned to him. "Finally. Are you going to get rid of me again?"
Darkheart's claws drummed on their thigh. "If you do not come to your senses then yes, we really will."
"When will you realize that this is a losing game? Every single aspect of this place is pitted against you. Me, The Church, Illumina."
"Enough." His voice cut through. "This is too much. You have gone mad, entirely mad!"
Icedagger giggled softly. "I have. Haven't I? A long time ago." They lifted a new weapon. A sleek metallic greatsword, the blade facing down. "I have a new toy I'd like to test out. Let's see how well you fare against it."
Darkheart raised his blade in a guarded stance. Something was definitely wrong with them. They weren't angry, well not clearly. But rather it seemed like they were trying to have fun with this like how Darkheart himself usually would. For once though it was him who was having difficulty finding humor in the situation.
She noticed something about Icedagger's appearance. They weren't just bleeding. They were deliberately as injured as she was, maybe even more so. Those were certainly no ordinary injuries as the sensitive barrier of Icedagger's skin had burn marks that were visible from holes in his clothing that were also clearly the result of a blast injury. A blast…
"Where are they? What have you done to them?"
They raised a brow. "Who?"
Darkheart pointed his blade towards them. "You know very well."
Icedagger took a step towards him "Instead of worrying about them, why don't you worry about your own skin!"
They swung the greatsword towards her. A loud clang erupted as Darkheart managed to party the blow.
The fight escalated to the middle of the area. Darkheart was more focused on defending herself like the previous fight, but Icedagger's new attacks are nothing like Illumina's which were swift and precise, carried by elegance
"I thought you knew the rest of our siblings well, but you still have the audacity to be calling me mad." Seeing that Darkheart wasn't retorting, Icedagger decided to taunt her more. "Speaking of, where is dear Lu now? Still hiding? I'm sure she'd love to see this display!"
Tendrils from The Eye's fleshless form emerged from the ground, seeping out from the gaps between the sand. IT attempted to grab Darkheart when Illumina sliced through IT's arms before IT could. The Eye retreated back under the sand from the attack.
"Aha! There you are!" Icedagger summoned and threw forth a barrage of sharp icicles towards his sister who deflected them with her sword
"What have I even done to you!?" Illumina replied, standing from a distance.
"Oh, you're wondering? You lost it all when you decided to forget about me. I can't believe you fell for my excuse!"
"I couldn't have possibly known what happened to you. What do you hope to achieve by taking this out on the rest of us when we had nothing to do with it? You've always said not to treat you like a child, and how could we not when you act like one!"
"Excuse—"
Illumina's eyes narrowed at them. "Do you think that you are going to intimidate others into submission with this act? I only gave you grace because I thought you would have eventually grown to become respectable and mature, but you never did! You've only proven the others right, you've remained immature and selfish."
Icedagger's stature remained frozen. Immature and selfish. Is that what Illumina thought of them for all this time? When she raised her hand without a word to silence them, did she tell herself 'How immature and selfish' they were? Oh but that was their mistake then. Icedagger could've been internally berating themself for thinking that she might've had any semblance of respect for someone else.
"Would you still react the same way?" They said.
"What are you trying to imply?" Illumina replied harshly.
Where was she going with this? It was a personal attack towards them in typical Lu fashion. Maybe it could work for her to distract Icedagger enough.
Icedagger stepped closer to her. Their own gaze hardened with unfiltered hate. "I'm not finished. Do you believe if I threatened to take my life, or if I did. If I did try to end my life instead of yours… would you be reacting the same way?"
They watched as Illumina's face went from a withering stare to a subtle look of horror. It gave them a strange thrill, making their heart beat faster.
Their lips curled up. "Truth be told, if one day you found me with my own dagger lodged in my throat, I just don't think you'd care as much, compared to me taking your life."
Icedagger continued. They brought the greatsword into their hand again, letting it rest by their side. "You all must think you are so great because you have changed. Well, so have I."
"Huh, y-you just want my reaction? All of this because of that?"
"Yes, and it seems like the latter is what will make you suffer more. So that means—"
Something cold emerged from their back that interrupted them. Illumina let out a small gasp upon seeing the dark blade pierce him from behind.
Being stabbed wouldn't have taken them out so easily if it was an ordinary blade. It felt like their energy were suddenly slipping away. Icedagger fell to the side like a discarded doll. They couldn't move. Even Darkheart can learn a thing or two from his younger sibling.
"You're late." Illumina snapped at her twin.
Darkheart shrugged. He let out a low strained chuckle. "Whoops. We were trying to secure a ticket out of here. You need to find those two troublemakers. We'll handle… this mess. Hopefully their parents won't be too angry."
"That would be before I kill you myself." Illumina replied as she stood up. Even as she threatened him, there was no denying the relief on her usually expressionless face when Darkheart appeared.
…
Listening to their conversation, if they left now, they would just forget this ever happened. They would leave them behind. Darkheart would seal Icedagger away again. Maybe a long time ago when they still had faith, they would have accepted it.
But as they clenched their fist with that thought of their siblings, their horrible, ignorant, hypocritical siblings, walking off into the sunset with their loved ones saved like so-called heroes. They could not accept it.
"No—no…" Icedagger's voice rasped. Fuck. It hurt so bad. The injury of the explosion, the blade that pierced him, the betrayal.
Even though Icedagger remained quiet, a crystal-like tear rolled down their cheek.
"Please tell me that I bought you enough time."
IT's tendrils seeped through the ground to reach their hand. IT slipped between their fingers like IT was holding their hand back. "Do you accept this fate that they left you with?"
"Ha," They wheezed. "Hahaha—"
That's when both looked back at them, hearing their laugh. Even though Icedagger was still on the ground.
I don't. I don't accept it.
"Do you accept me as a way of revenge?"
Their fingers twitched.
.
.
.
Earlier.
Icedagger was led by the acolyte to the outside of some kind of medical tend to have discussions. The two were left alone to be on speaking terms after the acolyte 'Scythe', as he called her, went inside to let them talk.
"Unfortunately the one thing IT did not foresee was what you would do to him." Said The Overseer.
"I don't see how that makes it a problem. I had no intentions of making my nephew stay here any longer than this. I only needed his power, and for you to awaken it. It's done." Ice Dagger replied.
The Overseer's gaze shifted away from them. "Perhaps it was the outside influence. That weapon you are carrying. Where is it from?"
Icedagger's hand tightened around the handle. "Not so all knowing all of a sudden?"
"I thought you said there wasn't any time for smart quips…" The Overseer tilted his head.
The Deity sighed. "You're right…"
The other kept speaking anyway. "Well since he is as you say, a mortal, he would be easy to control by our Lord The Eye as a vessel to use your creator's power and fulfill our shared wish. However your little stunt has made us change plans. Now that your creator's power is stuck in that weapon, we have no means of using it to destroy our enemy." The Overseer's brows furrowed in frustration. Oh how amusing to see the hubris-fueled not getting what they want.
They chuckled. "I am THEIR spawn after all. I think I deserve custody."
Their words were ignored. "So that leaves you." He said.
"Me?" Icedagger raised a brow.
"I don't think I will be able to talk you out of returning that power. Will I?"
"No. Both for selfish reasons and because there's a process that goes into this. One little mishap and poof!" They made a small gesture with their free hand. "That power might be gone. Back to the spawn it goes!"
Icedagger noticed the little twitch in The Overseer's real eye.
"I have an alternative solution. Since we share the same goals and all, plus consider it a pardon for the destruction you have caused us today with your… plan."
Icedagger shrugged. "Whoops. I'm listening though."
"How would you like to be bestowed with The Eye's powers like I have been?"
They scoffed. "So you are asking me to replace Sword in your… plan? Is that it?"
The Overseer nodded.
Despite their difference in height, Icedagger leaned a little more towards him. "I thought you hated my kind."
"You and I both know that it'd be more beneficial if we focused on our common enemy instead of wasting our time on plotting against each other."
"You're right." Icedagger turned away, glancing at their own claws as they spoke. "You do realize that this creature used to haunt us you know? I don't think I would react so kindly to such a force taking over my body."
The Overseer sighed. "Allow me to speak with IT about that."
"Fine then. I want to guarantee that I can unleash some torment onto my siblings without having to return to my captors first. Is there anything else?"
The Overseer nodded. "Yes. The process will take some time."
"I will buy it." Icedagger walked past him to enter the medical tent, ending their discussion.
His gaze followed where they went. "Where are you going?"
"To check on my nephew and his friend. I'm not entirely heartless." That is yet to come.
"Very well. I will give you a few minutes." The Overseer walked away to give them some privacy.
"Arrogant…" Icedagger muttered as they opened the tent flap. At first they say the acolyte who shot his nephew's friend down, conversing with the Inphernal who must be The Church's 'medic'. Then he saw the two mortals, laid on separate infirmary beds. There were bandages on the blue-horned one, stained with some blood on where he was shot in the torso. Neither had woken up yet.
They were in two completely different conditions but no one can easily survive being shot or losing their gear easily.
The two Church members finally noticed them enter.
"Finished talkin'?" Scythe asked. She still used that sly voice.
Their eyes narrowed. "Yes. Do not mistake it as me being one of you. I'm simply taking what I want." Icedagger pitied their background. Victims of the scorch, of their brother. But it did not stop them from being dangerous. Even if they were mortals.
"Wasn't plannin' on it. Right?" She nudged the medic beside her.
"Subspace, right?" They smiled at the teal-horned one. There were some smudges in the paint of their horns that let the hot pink color just barely peek through. It was definitely him. Even if his face was worn with the effects of spending years under fear and the verge of exhaustion.
Subspace pretty much froze upon laying their eyes on Icedagger. Medkit said he'd be… mouthy. They didn't think he'd remember Icedagger's appearance when they first met and decided not to mention the dried tears on the medic's cheeks for now.
Ice dagger took one last glance at the two unconscious patients before turning away and taking his leave. "I better head off then. Take care of my nephews for me. Won't you?"
They left the tent with the greatsword being dragged behind them.
…
Oh Gods, Oh Gods. Fuck. That look. They definitely recognize him. They definitely know him. Traitorspace didn't know what it was about, but surely they had intentions with him if they looked at Scythe so casually but not him.
He didn't even know they were a Deity when he first saw them in the snow. The panic was returning.
"Yer shakin' again."
He shook off Scythe's concern. "I'm just overwhelmed. It's not everyday you get to see someone like them just… address you."
"It doesn't matter much. Not with the way we see 'em" Scythe replied.
Traitorspace sighed. "You're right. You should go assist The Father."
"…'bout that."
"Huh? Is there something else you're not telling me?"
"No. But, you need to realize that we ain't lettin' you bring these two back out. They know too much." She explained. The others just allowed him to bring outsiders to be treated for the sake of keeping him happy. Other than the hospitality they boast about. He couldn't let his friends die, but he couldn't let his 'family' down either.
His breath hitched. He expected such, but still. "I know." Traitorspace knew he pushed his luck to the limit already.
"I'll look after them. I know you don't really trust me with the plan and such." Traitorspace sat near the medical beds.
Scythe eye's him suspiciously as she walked over to the tent flap. "Yer bein' oddly compliant."
He sighed. "What can you expect? I'm tired. I'm already at my limit. I just… want the people I care of to come out of this alive."
He watched as Scythe opened the flap, still looking at him.
Traitorspace spoke up again. "You know I can never get why you check up on me so much. It feels like you want something from me."
Her smirk returned. "What could I possibly have to gain? It ain't my that fault ya happen to be quite the interestin' one." She said before leaving. The tent flap fell back into place as there was now one less Inphernal inside. Yet it felt like he was alone again.
Immediately, Traitorspace buried his face in his hands. "Fuck." A sob nearly escaped him, followed by a choked laugh. "I'm so fucked." He said with gritted teeth.
His stupid hope, and belief of getting away with it. That his brother would make a rational decision and turn in what he found out about the creature instead of coming here. No, it was definitely Traitorspace's fault. How did it go wrong so badly?
He heard a groan from behind him, causing him to turn around.
Sword was just getting up, looking a bit pissed. "You've got a lot of bravery though Subs. I'll admit it!"
"How much of that did you hear!?"