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Hypnos stared at the ceiling of the room still feeling numb and tired, he was lying down for about an hour and still not wanting to go back to sleep. Very grudgingly he gets ready to do what he had planned for this day.
His feet were heavy, he was slow in reaching the breakfast table. His brother Thanatos was nowhere to be seen. This made him happy, it was one of the rare times that the god of death showed “kindness” so to speak, Hypnos didn't want to hear anything from his brother, and he just talked nonsense. The nymphs silently served him, they knew the god was not in a good mood.
Unbelievably, he wore human clothes and went to Earth, planning to come back only at night.
"Good morning Lord Hypnos, what can I do for you?" Pandora bowed
"I only want to walk around the city."
Pandora opened her eyes in shock, still bent over, she remained calm so as not to offend him. "Yes, let me guide you."
A month earlier Hypnos had asked for the same thing. At first the young woman was surprised by the request, she thought the god wanted to know the advance that humans had made in the last two centuries after the last holy war.
She dutifully showed him the city dots while explaining how some things worked and how others changed.
Instead of entertaining himselve with the news of the modern world, the two just walked until their feet were tired. That day, she saw a seamstress's shop had caught the god's attention.
The man had asked for some money for her and entered the store, asking to wait outside. A few moments later he left. Hypnos didn't say anything about what happened inside the store and she didn't press for more questions.
"Wait a moment, Pandora!" he put his arm in front to stop her "I need to know if what I asked for here is ready!"
She looked to where her lord was pointing. How funny she thought of the store itself and without realizing it they went straight to the building.
"Stay here and I'll be back!"
"Yes sir!"
A few minutes passed and the god returned with a paper bag in his hands. The young woman's eyes brimming with curiosity, she struggled internally not to ask any questions. She knew the god would not answer her and would most likely be irritated by her insistence.
And sure enough, it got late and they went back to the castle.
"Welcome back, Mr. Hypnos and Mrs. Pandora!" the nymph bowed with respect "The dinner is ready and Mr. Thanatos awaits your presence!"
Dinner would have been entirely silent if not for the only conversation between Pandora and Thanatos about what he's been up to all day. The god of death, impressively confessed that he was arranging the rose bushes in the castle. The young woman was surprised that such a delicate act was done by someone so violent and hotheaded.
I'm sorry for the rudeness, but I need to do a job now!_ Hypnos got up from his chair
" But my Lord, you barely touched the food, the lamb and the wine are not good?"
"It's not that, I'm just not hungry!" and then he left
The young woman sighed "He is very strange today! Lord Thanatos, do you know anything that is bothering him?"
" The problem, Pandora,is that there is things that it is better not to mess too much! Maybe when we win this war I'll tell you!" Hypnos was weird and now Thanatos was weird, the brunette couldn't understand any more of what was happening. She had a feeling she knew what it was, but maybe that had happened in her past life, in the last holy war.
Hypnos entered his room, not turning on the light, went to his bed and lay down. Paper bag in hand, he took a deep breath to keep calm before finally gathering his courage.
One, breathe, two, exhale, three... he closed his eyes.
Four, he opened it and looking around was just the darkness of the dream world.
The darkness was not frightening or heavy, on the contrary it gave an air of comfort and hospitality. Carefully he removed the dry stems and old water from the vases. Fresh poppies carefully picked from this world adorned the altar with the carvings of her four children.
The dream gods.
Your children.
Ashamed of the madness he was going to do the god slowly opened the bag. He regretted having this stupid idea. He didn't know why he thought following a human custom would help anything. Fought his urge to throw it all away, he was here now and he was going to fulfill what he had planned. Removed the stuffed animals and placed them in front of each statue.
The sheep for Morpheus, his most obedient and calm son. Despite being bigger and more muscular than his brothers, he wove the most delicate and serene dreams. His works could be compared to the winds on a quiet afternoon, the sound of waves hitting the sand and the flapping of butterflies' wings.
The rabbit for Phantashos, your happy and creative child. She was his only daughter, without equal. She wove dreams with the most vibrant colors taken almost directly from the rainbow, her plots inspiring fantasy writers.
The wolf for Icelus, his bestial and wild personality created the most frightening nightmares. He could make the bravest man wake up in fear. He was as creative as Phantasos, he could do something as insignificant as a simple flower into a hideous abomination.
The hawk for Oneiros, his son and herald. He was quick to carry out his orders, agile and attentive. It was necessary to send prophecies to kings and heroes. He could make the message as clear as the clearest water of a lake, in which you could see the fish and the bottom.
Lited the candles, looking up at the altar as he muttered an old lullaby that had been forgotten for eons. A long line of tears escaped with each verse he recited.
He had sing the lullaby everytime when his young children had difficult to sleep.
His precious children.
His precious children who were always on his side didn't care which side of the war he was on.
His precious children whose souls were destroyed by the damned saints of Capricorn, Sagittarius and that damned goddess.
When Pandora had reported to him that the four gods had been defeated he thought it was just that and not that their souls had been destroyed and prevented from resurrecting.
That was two hundred years ago and that pain in his chest was still fresh. After finishing the song, his crying was uncontrollable. He woke up with the tears still in his eyes and the empty bag in his lap.
Ever since that damn holy war he started to hate dreaming, and even though he dreamed of his four living these figures weren't real. They weren't his real children and whenever he woke up he would face the bitter reality. His children were dead. And he can't sleep because of this.