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Crisp, cold air breezed between ice coated trees and frozen branches. The fading night sky reflected its gaze upon the raging waters. The rocking realm of Poseidon crashed against the rocky foundation of the Earth. Zagreus rested his wounded body at the edge of the cliff. His glowing, burning feet hung over the chilling salt water below. He stared deep into the horizon. He studied the line separating the sky and sea. The sky had a gentle yellow hue to it, which slowly mixed and turned the view above into a sight of orange and violet. Another winter morning. Another successful escape attempt. However, the Prince was not in the mood to travel that time. He desired a tranquil rest from being dragged down by the Styx. He yearned for something new, he grew weary of feeling his life get pulled away from him, whether it be from natural causes or a startled mountain goat. He wanted an experience, a new rush, anything that deviated from the ordinary.
Zagreus sighed when his eyes began to trail down from the horizon view. He started at his bare, burning feet. The fiery colors on his skin contrasted the cool shade of blue from the ocean. At that moment, something sparked inside of Zagreus' mind. He had never felt a violent gust of air hit his face or the soothing brush of ocean water. He leaned forward and focused on the waves that crashed against the rocks below. He pondered how strong a wave could be and what the rising sun would look like from a fish's perspective. Temptation scratched at his bare skin. His body began to move on his own. There was a part of him that dragged him towards the sea. Zagreus knew that his death was inevitable, but he was not prepared to hear the chime of a familiar bell. He paused to derail his attention for a while, and focus on the deep voice behind him.
"I have to say, Zagreus. I did not expect to find you loitering on the surface." Thanatos greeted his Prince softly.
Zagreus tilted his head as a greeting, watching the edge of the run rise higher. "You should've seen the countless expeditions I made up here, Than. Some were not as pleasant, but it was an adventure nonetheless."
"Surely you must have a path to walk down while you're up here."
"Trust me. Throughout all my attempts that brought mother home...and reunited my family upon Olympus with everyone back home, I always had this brief moment to myself up here. I’d wander to Mother's cottage space after one run and then get lost in the next. And with all the ways I have remembered... I've seen the world."
"I sense that the 'world' you've seen is only part of the world you could live long enough to see."
Thanatos's voice was as dull and blunt as ever, but Zagreus could not hold back his lively chuckle. He could always hear the playful tone buried deep under Than's professional, cold façade. The bond between them was odd, but unbreakable. Even though their ideals contradict, the company they gave each other let them drown out their differences and exist together in harmony. Thanatos' eyes sunk, trailing down Zagreus' sitting figure. The winter snow surrounded the Prince. There was something he did that tested Than's patience, however.
"I know you can withstand the cold, but direct contact with the snow would make things difficult."
"Actually..." Zagreus boosted himself up to his feet. A tuft of dull green grass had risen from under him. He turned to face Death Incarnate, who's face gave a much softer look than usual. "I took a moment to make myself a little grass throne. It was more on the warmer side at first. Though, it is about time I'd get up anyway..."
Zagreus' eyes trailed down to his heated feet again, crushing the strands of grass beneath him. He shifted his weight to raise a foot. The nature that was crushed under his sole was burned down into the dirt, scorched to a charcoal black. He paused for a moment to watch the wind slowly sliver in between the dead grass. Eventually, the crushed tuft of grass began to shift in color, to a dirty brown, to a dried yellow. Then, it straightened itself upwards to join the rest of the field, green and healthy as if it had never died. Prince Zagreus never truly recognized how he breathed life back into the dead. The way his footprint vanished had peaked his interest. He gazed upon the cycle of life, just to put his foot back down upon the spot that had just been reborn.
"Hey, Than." Zagreus prompted. "Your job is to ensure a mortal's timely death, right? Does your influence affect all types of life?"
“My duties are restricted toward mortals...due to the Underworld’s purpose. However...my limitations aren’t bound against any living entity within this realm.”
Thanatos had lowered himself as he hovered closer to his Prince, his feet barley gracing the tips of grass. A spine chilling wind weaved between the two gods. Zagreus studied how Than’s cape and hood waltzed with the wind. A shadow casted itself over Thanatos’ cold eyes, guarding him from Apollo’s rising sun. Than gazed upon Zagreus with assertiveness. Confidence.
“I am Death Incarnate. All that dies shall wither by my hand.”
The Prince looked upon Death with a calming look upon his face. He felt Than’s sharp voice pierce right through him, but his body did not tense. He simply listened and took in this rare sight of Thanatos. The sun grazed his skin and armor, glowing like a fresh bottle of Ambrosia. Zagreus could recognize when Thanatos had recently taken a break from work. His cold professionalism hid something beautiful deep within. Something that Zag had seen time and time again. A role was then deeply embedded into Zagreus. No one understood the weight this small action carried, not even the Gods of Blood and Death themselves. Zagreus slowly raised his hands and gently reached out towards his partner. His fingers, slightly curled, and lacked urgency.
“...Well, I’m able to touch you without withering away, though I guess that only happens whenever you please.”
Thanatos stared down at the Prince, his eyes grew weary. The ichor in his veins pulled him forward. The intensity weighed down on him, and whisked his scythe away. The drive that he felt at that moment, it was unbearable to resist. Than could never understand this power the Prince had over him. He would claim that it is due to the Prince’s authority, but professionalism could only go so far. A sigh escaped him as his power weakened slightly, just enough to lower himself into Zagreus’ hands. The grass beneath him began to curl. Thanatos let his eyes fall to rest, basking in the warmth gracing his face, shielding him from the cold. Thus, he fell into a deep darkness, a sight that reminded him of home. He felt his troubles, his sorrows, and his responsibilities melt away. The only thing he had left in this moment was Zagreus and tranquility.
“...In that case…”
Than’s trance almost made him lose track of his senses. His need for relaxation muffled the quiet mumbles that came from Zagreus. When Thanatos opened his eyes again, the light from the sun blinded him until Zag’s silhouette took over the view and displayed himself to Death.
Than was once again greeted by a welcoming Zagreus. As his persistence shifted away, Than saw Zag as a companion, no longer an accomplice. His fiery laurels vanished in the air, flowing in rhythm beside his ebony hair. In a single breath, Death stared deep into the eyes of Rebirth. Zag’s mismatched eyes sent a piercing shock within Than’s body, as if his soul was targeted. He held back a gasp, he almost couldn’t handle it. Zagreus let out a soft chuckle. Such a sound reminded Than of his childhood. A simpler era where there was time to breathe, time for peace, time for rest.
The heavenly blessing from the sun had made Zagreus glow in a way that Thanatos had never seen before. Than promised himself that he wouldn’t forget this look, oddly expecting Hypnos to annoy him later by using his own dreams against him. Suddenly, the view of Zagreus' inviting smile snapped into a mischievous smirk. The glow had darkened, but the abruptness of it all made Thanatos sluggishly pull himself out of a daze.
“...Zagreus…?”
His words slurred a little. He hissed when Zag moved his hands away and the brutal cold brushed against his face. Zagreus paused and stared at Thanatos, to watch him pull himself back into reality in the slowest way possible. The Prince did not say anything more. Right at that moment, he decided to let his actions speak. He stepped back again, gave a heavy sigh, and stopped holding back. Zagreus leaned back, the wind caught up in his hair again. Thanatos watched his sight of the Prince change angles. Further and further he went, until Than noticed that his companion was not leaning. He was falling. A sharp dagger of panic felt shoved into Thanatos’ throat. His body jolted as a response. His powers snapped away in an instant. He felt his senses leave his headspace and crash back into his body. He woke up.
“Zagreus!”
Thanatos reached out a hand and grabbed Zagreus’ forearm, which pulled him and forced his feet to hit the ground. Than watched Zag’s head bob backwards and he grabbed Death’s arm as a response to the tightness around him. Zagreus’ feet dug into the ground. Half of his weight was forced into the ground while the other half pulled at Thanatos’ tense arm. Their position was just as peculiar as it was dangerous, for one wrong pull could send them both tumbling down to the depths of the sea. They stared at each other, the decaying strands of grass spread throughout the plain due to Death's powerful touch. Zagreus stared at Thanatos. His face was coated in anger, but his eyes shaped like a dagger, as if he wanted to scream at the Prince. Zagrues panted a little as he spoke.
“Thanatos, will you let me fall to my death or will you help me to my feet…?”
Zag’s voice echoed like a primordial being in Than’s mind. He felt that his response could inspire the Fates to change his destiny. Death shook his head for a bit and pulled himself together. He needed his composure, it was the only thing keeping himself from slipping his grip.
“Zagreus-- What are you thinking?! You are a god. This is unnecessary!” Than’s voice was sharp compared to the Prince’s soothing tone.
“And you are Death Incarnate. Last I’d check, this is your field of expertise.”
Thanatos lifted his head through the stiffness of his neck. He watched his view of the ocean steepen until Zagreus was lowered along with it. Than huffed, he felt his chest concave and his gorget dig into his shoulders. Death did not want the Prince’s blood on his hands. Than pulled Zagreus toward him slightly, only to discover Zag’s feet slid with the tug.
“What exactly is this for?” Thanatos cried out again. “Are you really willing to throw your life away, after all you’ve been through?”
“Aw, Than. You know I can’t stay up here for long. The Styx will drag me down if I don’t die in any other way.” It felt as if Zagreus was prepared for all of Than’s responses.
The words that Zag uttered made something click inside of Thanatos’ mind. He always thought of the Prince as reckless, never a reckless schemer. He knew that his life was coming to an end. Behind that entrancing smile he had before bestowed a motive, a drive, a hunger for the undiscovered. Thanatos felt his eyes stung. Only Zagreus would prompt Death the question of whether the dying should die. Zagrues could only fall or have his death be briefly postponed. There was no way out of this. Than was forced to choose. To risk everything going wrong to help the god live, or to give up and drop him. His voice weakened, but his gauntlet dug into Zagreus’ forearm.
“Zagreus...You know what my response is going to be...regardless of the outcome...right?”
Zagreus lifted his head only to be met with the horizon once more. His head felt light when he looked into Than’s eyes, the rush of blood rose to the skin of his arm.
“Yes. I do know...and that’s why I trust you.” Zagrues sighed and finally let go. He moved his hand away from Than’s arm as far as he could, to express his acclaimed trust. Thanatos was, truly, the only one keeping Zagreus from falling. “My life is in your hands, O Death.”
Thanatos followed with a sigh of his own. He failed to remember the last time he took a moment to breathe, think, or prepare. His life became a routine after the Olympians came to the feast. Everything was the same up until this moment. He readied himself. He risked everything helping Zag escape in the beginning and he was willing to risk it all again. Than forced his weight deep into the dead grass below him and yanked Zageus as hard as he could manage. The Fates spat at him, for Zagreus had suddenly grown weaker and heavier than before. His feet scorched the ground as his feet flung towards the watery ground below him, his stomach crashed into the cliff, then he weighed the remainder of his weight on his free arm, tainted with dirt. Thanatos quickly knelt down to grab on to the Prince’s chiton and drag him to his knees. Zagreus was sturdy, on the ground once more. They both let out a sharp exhale, as if they both forgot how to breathe.
Thanatos quickly looped his arms to let Zag fall into a soft embrace. His head landed on Than’s shoulder, panting, and hissing from the pain. Than rose from the ground and into the air, dragging a limp Zagreus to his feet.
“Zagreus, are you alright…?! The Styx is beginning to pull at you?”
“Mnph..” Zagreus pulled away for a bit, letting his weight finally shift back to his feet. He raised his head to ensure that Than could see the wide grin on his face again. “I knew you wouldn’t let me fall! Hahahaha….hah…”
Despite the Styx practically clawing at his body, Zag still smiled, he still laughed. The Underworld had built its reputation on being inescapable. Everything, both living and dead, must become one with the earth, then bound to the realm for eternity. This had instilled mortals’ fear of death and instances that could lead to death. An unconscious rule embedded deep within the Surface and Hell. Zagreus, as Prince of the Underworld and Official Security Tester of the realm, he disregards the rule completely. He had resided in the House of Hades for the entirety of his life, as a god. He would pass by the dead every day and night. Every fatal misstep he took during an escape would lead him to the Styx, where he would sprout anew, safe back at home. The act of dying, in his eyes, was an inconvenience, a normalcy. A necessity for his goal, but also, and arguably, a way of transportation. Repeated deaths had desensitized him from the usual definite and permanent death mortals must go through. Thus, a lack of fear sprouts recklessness. A lack of care towards actions that can cause physical harm. Regardless of the reason, Zagreus will find himself back at the bottom of the Underworld ready to throw his life away again. His carelessness tugged at Thanatos’ heartstrings. It pained Death Incarnate to feel Zagreus’ life get violently ripped away from him. That is what bothered him the most. Than tucked his hand under Zag’s chin so he could not look away.
“You need to be more mindful.” He demanded as if Zagreus never heard those words before. “I refuse to be a direct cause of your death.”
“...You worry too much…” Zagreus said slowly. “In a few minutes, I’ll be back at home, feeling better than ever.”
Thanatos couldn’t stop himself from frowning. He stared at Zagreus in silence, the air became tense. The Prince chuckled through his weakness, pulling Than down until their foreheads met. Zag knew that worried face all too well.
“No matter how many times I leave the underworld, I’m never truly leaving...I-ugh...I will always be here for you...so you can take me back home...no matter the state my body’s in.”
“And I shall take you home...gently.”
Thanatos' voice faded into a whisper as he spoke. He tilted his chin forward to press his lips against Zagreus’...gently. The wind blew between them once again, whispering its silent melody. Than felt his stress melt away as he surrendered to Zagreus’ warmth once more. The pull that Death felt towards the God of Blood was irresistible. Thanatos quivered as they parted, heat rose from his chest to his face. They both knew that this was a peak within both of their lives, most of their hardships have been conquered at the moment. The Olympian and Chthonic gods were at peace with themselves and with each other. This moment Blood and Death shared would not have come into fruition without Zagreus’ repeated cycle through life, death, and rebirth. It soothed Thanatos’ soul and heated his cold heart. Any gift from Zagreus was a reminder that everything will turn out alright...for the most part.
“...But still I want to jump.” Zagreus spoke as strongly as he could.
“What? You will not.” Than jumped back from the sudden shift in focus.
“It’s alright, Than. Let me have this.” The Prince backed away as well. His back, however, led him closer to the cliff.
“Do I need to remind you that you will not die by my hand?”
“Yea. That’s why I’m going on my own accord. That and--eh...I would like an alternative from dying from this...illness…ugh…”
Thanatos’ eyes sharped out of annoyance, but he finally decided to give the Prince what he wanted. “Well, knowing you...You're going to do it anyway, regardless of what I say, but I’ll have to take you back one way or the other. I’m only permitting this to you once, so be sure to make this one count.”
“Haha...I owe you one.”
The Prince looked at his companion in all of his beauty. He felt the edge of the cliff creep up to his heel, and pain began to pierce at his chest. He knew that his life was coming to an end. But before he could let himself slip away, he had to give his lover one last innocent smile.
“Take me home, Than!” He joked.
“Farewell for now, Zagreus.” Thanatos replied. He returned the smile with a reassuring tone.
Zagreus took a deep, strangled breath in an attempt to calm his nerves. His anticipation was almost overwhelming when he leaned back, but he knew that he had no limits. Nothing could stop him. Time slowed for a moment, then he began to plummet off the cliff Thanatos struggled to keep him off of. The wind crushed against him and rang in his ears. Everything was rising around Zagreus and he could barely process what was really happening at that moment. It was the rush that Zagreus expected, though he was not entirely sure if it was out of excitement or an unconscious panic. He took one last look towards the sky. He had never seen the earth move as quickly as it did. It was a sensation that he had never felt before. But he had never expected a sharp pain course through his body before everything went dark. He was no longer able to feel anything, his body had laid to rest.
Thanatos had turned away to block his eyes from the beaming light of the sun. He did not like to witness Zagreus suffer an injury, especially fatal injuries. He expected to be there for some time, but he quickly felt a chill run down his spine. Zagreus had died a lot sooner than Death was expecting. Regardless, Thanatos still had a job to do. He straightened up and followed a trail of footsteps that Zagreus had left. Some of the grass that Thanatos withered had been given a touch of light from the God of Blood. Thanatos hovered off the cliff, the cool ocean breeze brushed the soles of his feet. He looked upon the ocean, but he could not find what he was looking for. Then, a murky trail of bloody red mixed in with the salt water. Thanatos skimmed the trail to its original source. It led to a disturbing sight, but Thanatos gave an aggravated sigh. He shook his head as he lowered himself to the sea. He spun his scythe fluidly and the Styx had finally taken Zagreus away from the surface. Thanatos couldn't help but complain.
“All of that just to land on the rocks…”