Chapter Text
“Long ago, the universe was overrun with monsters. Titans taller than the sky roamed free, natural disasters following their every move. Chaos reigned over a godless earth. That was until I banished them to an eternal prison. Once the Titans had been sealed away, human life flourished. They rightfully recognized that their existence was saved by the gods, and I, especially, as their leader. It is important that the humans never forget that, and they continue to worship the gods and offer us their prayers.”
“That was a cheerful bedtime story,” Andrew huffed, tucking his blanket further up under his chin. The movement was imitated by Aaron, who shifted slightly closer to Andrew’s back in the large bed they shared.
“Bedtime stories are not meant to be cheerful,” Ichirou stated, rising from the edge of the bed beside Andrew. “They are reminders and lessons of what has been and what may come to pass.”
“But we have lessons all day,” Aaron whined. His volume dropped in time with Ichirou’s eyebrow, the unimpressed stare quickly extinguishing Aaron’s voice.
“Despite them all, you still don’t seem to realize how special you are,” Ichirou shook his head. When spoken in such a cold tone, the word “special” felt like a curse. It sat upon their heads like a bow for everyone else to admire, but felt as suffocating as a tight chain around their necks.
“You two were-”
“Made from the heavens, yeah, we know,” Andrew interrupted. “You’ve told us a thousand times.”
“And I’ll tell you a thousand more if necessary,” Ichirou’s eyes flared with barely-contained anger, but his posture remained composed. “Perhaps I should have made your skull a little less thick.”
Now Andrew was the one barely controlling his rage, if not for Aaron’s shaky grasp on his wrist under the blanket. He was sure his own eyes showed his feelings well enough. Like father, like son. Sort of.
“No other being has managed to birth life from the cosmos itself. Only I am powerful enough to do such a thing. And in the ten years since your creation, no other attempts have succeeded. Don’t you see how miraculous that is? A being of pure strength and another with a mind to rival my own.” The fire in Ichirou’s eyes was smothered by the narcissism clouding his vision.
“Even the luminous space particles scattered upon your cheeks is proof of your ties to the stars,” he continued. Andrew opened his mouth to speak. “And don’t,” Ichirou interrupted, “tell me they’re ‘just freckles.’ Those are human imperfections. You are gods.”
Damn. He must be getting predictable.
“In any event,” Ichirou tucked the book he’d been reading to them against his chest, “You would do well to remember the past, as it is what informs our future. We can continue this discussion during tomorrow’s lesson, which shall be held in the library.”
“Lesson?” Aaron asked. “But tomorrow’s our birth-”
“Birthdays are a human concept, Aaron,” Ichirou sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You were not born, you were artisanally crafted. By me.”
“But you let us breathe and eat and sleep like humans,” Aaron bravely pointed out.
“Only because you begged for a more human experience,” Ichirou reminded him. “I can just as easily remove those privileges if you forget your places as gods.”
Turning to leave, Ichirou flicked his wrist toward the small stars lighting their room. They shivered as they died, desperately trying to hold onto their light, but it faded until there was only darkness. The stars dropped from the sky, falling down through the cloud-covered floor of the bedroom, soon to crashland in the human realm. The humans would stare in awe at the sight of the falling stars thinking it a gift from the gods. How little they understood.
The distant sky far above their room flickered with starlight. Tomorrow, Ichirou would light their room with more stars snatched from the cosmos, only to kill them when they became an inconvenience. Maybe “kill” wasn’t the right word since they didn’t seem to have consciousness. Still, the thought prickled uncomfortably at the back of Andrew’s mind. He was sure Aaron felt the same way.
“But yes,” Ichirou’s voice drew Andrew from his thoughts as their godly “father” paused at the doorway. “Tomorrow is the 10-year anniversary of my incredible feat in your creation. That will be celebrated.” And then he was gone.
“Asshole,” Andrew muttered under his breath. Not a second later, lightning lit up the sky as the crash of thunder echoed in the twins’ ears. A squeal came from under the covers where Aaron had promptly disappeared.
Wrapping an arm around the lump, Andrew gave it a reassuring squeeze. A hint of blonde poked out from underneath the blanket, followed shortly by a pair of familiar golden eyes. “Tomorrow’s our birthday,” Aaron whispered. The only evidence of his hidden smile was the rising of his cheeks. It was enough to make Andrew smile as well.
“Why are you so interested in human customs?” Andrew asked, burying himself under the blanket as well and tossing it back over Aaron’s head. When they hid away like this, it was as if they were the only two left in the entire universe. Despite the darkness, it was a comfort. There were no lessons, no reprimands, and no humans to bother with.
“Well, because we’re their gods,” Aaron stated. “They pray to us and we watch over them.”
“Some would argue we rule over them,” Andrew clarified. “They owe us, not the other way around.”
“Some would,” Aaron agreed. “Maybe it’s because of my affinity for healing and medicine, but I want to help them. Plus, they’re just so different from us. It’s interesting.”
It wasn’t the first time they’d discussed human affairs. As much as Andrew didn’t particularly care about humans, he could agree that their differences provided some amusement. The god of communication and messages, Nicky, had secretly taken them on runs to the human realm plenty of times. Aaron had become fascinated by all things medicinal and shortly after had manifested as the god of medicine.
Despite Ichirou’s condescension toward humans, he did value the humans’ prayers. Their worship empowered the gods in more ways than one and the gods returned their prayers with blessings and rewards related to their affinities. When Aaron’s name began spreading through the human realm, there was a surge in prayers. Because of this, Ichirou took great pride in Aaron and cultivating his abilities.
Andrew, on the other hand, was a disappointment. Well, as much as one of Ichirou’s greatest creations could be. His godly strength was an inspiration for many human prayers, but he fell far behind his brother. He found more prayers came from athletes than warriors. Even Ares and Athena drew in more prayers in times of war than Andrew had as the god of strength. In some areas, Aaron and Andrew were worshiped together as twin gods, inflating Andrew’s popularity by proxy, but most humans found more value in Aaron’s gifts than Andrew’s.
But none of that really mattered to him. What was important was Aaron. The bond they shared upon creation had only been strengthened by their ten years at each other's sides. When Ichirou’s ire reigned, Andrew was Aaron’s shield. When Aaron was too scared to travel to the human realm alone, Andrew was his companion. That was the way it had always been and the way it always would be.
Or so Andrew thought.
—
The library was quiet when Andrew and Aaron arrived the next morning. Granted, they were an hour early to their lesson, but Aaron had insisted on having some time to look around beforehand. Andrew left him to scurry about the never-ending aisles, instead opting to lounge on one of the many extravagant couches beneath a large, arched window. Peering outside, Andrew watched as golden, winged horses galloped across the sky, carting Jeremy along behind to dawn a new day. Closing his eyes against the growing light, Andrew shifted onto his side to wait for Aaron’s return.
A clattering of books falling to the ground startled Andrew awake only a moment later.
“Aaron?” Andrew called out, shooting up from the couch. If prayers did anything for gods, he would pray that Ichirou hadn’t caught Aaron snooping through the shelves without permission. As much as Ichirou wanted to cultivate Aaron’s talents, he also wanted to take credit for it. Finding Aaron studying on his own would push Ichirou to another Pompeii if the past truly did inform the future. Andrew shuddered at the thought of what he would do if he knew about their trips to the human world with Nicky.
“Aaron!” Andrew shouted as he ran down the hall, peering into each aisle as he passed. Jeremy had just brought back the sun, but the library seemed darker than before as Andrew continued. He turned into one of the aisles and exited the other side, sprinting back the way he’d come to check the other side of the library.
Through the shelves, Andrew saw the lounge where he’d started. The sun shone bright through the window, but was swallowed up by darkness before a single ray could touch the floor. A whisper echoed through the aisles with no clear origin. Another whisper joined in. They began talking over one another, not that Andrew could understand their chatter. Their tones were dark as they hissed in his ear, seeming to come from every direction. Slamming his hands over his ears, Andrew pushed himself forward, zigzagging through the aisles. He could barely see in front of him. The darkness seemed to suck the oxygen out of the air.
A hard surface appeared in front of Andrew and he slammed into it at full speed. Digging his heels into the floor, he forced himself to stop, blinking as his vision filled with newfound light. The darkness was gone. Aaron lay sprawled out on the floor in front of him, the whispers from only moments ago replaced with Aaron’s groaning.
“Andrew,” Aaron muttered, coughing as he sat up with an arm wrapped around his midsection. “What the fuck?”
“Aaron,” Andrew breathed, rushing forward and falling to his knees at Aaron’s side.
“I’m okay,” Aaron confirmed before Andrew could ask. Andrew gripped Aaron’s shoulder as Aaron took a few more deep breaths. Satisfied that his twin was all right, he loosened his hold and dropped his hand. Thank the gods for being gods.
“Andrew,” Aaron started again. His hand found Andrew’s on the floor. There was a slight quiver to it. The pale glow of Aaron’s normally luminous skin made Andrew guess it was unrelated to their collision.
“The shadows,” Aaron whispered. “Did you hear them?”
The fear in Aaron’s eyes was echoed in the otherwise empty expanse of Andrew’s chest. As much as Ichirou put the fear of the gods and Titans into them growing up, Andrew had never seen Aaron’s expression so hollow. The stardust on his cheeks seemed to lose their shine. He hunched over himself as if trying to slip out of existence.
“I heard something,” Andrew confirmed, but he didn’t know what. The last thing he wanted was to fuel Aaron’s fears without reason.
“They say if you see his ravens, only death awaits.” Aaron’s eyes were wide and unblinking. His mouth opened and closed, but his voice was monotone and unfeeling. “Pain and Panic will sink their claws into your ankles and drag you down to the Underworld. No amount of kicking nor screaming can stop them.”
“The fuck have you been reading?” Andrew snarled, grabbing Aaron by the shoulders again and giving him a sharp shake. “Snap out of it. Aaron.”
Blinking, Aaron looked up at Andrew. His cosmic glow began returning to his cheeks, the paleness receding. His expression looked like his own again. However, the fear etched onto his face had settled behind his eyes.
“Something’s coming,” Aaron whispered, reaching up to clutch Andrew’s hands at his shoulders. His fingers were deathly cold. “It’s coming for us.”
The slow creak of the library doors opening made Aaron jump. Andrew pulled him up to stand as Ichirou peered down the aisle at them.
“What are you two doing in the shelves? It’s time for your lessons.”
The pair scrambled out of the maze of books toward the front of the library. As they took their seats on lounges and Ichirou began lecturing, Andrew’s mind wandered back to the whispers in the dark. As piercing as they had been in his ears, he couldn’t make out anything intelligible. It was like there was a barrier preventing them from communicating. Andrew always trusted his gut, and his gut always trusted Aaron. Aaron was usually right. But this time, Andrew hoped against hope that Aaron was wrong.
—
In order to have time to prepare for the not-birthday celebration being held that afternoon, Ichirou cut the twins’ lessons short. They were free to go after only a few hours with the expectation that they would stay in their room until they were called upon. Aaron appeared to have no qualms with that, hunched over a book at his desk for the rest of the morning. Even when Andrew began throwing grapes at his head to get him to eat, Aaron only popped a few of his own in his mouth without looking up from the pages.
If Aaron was going to hyperfixate on his own affinity, Andrew supposed he would too. Plopping to the floor, Andrew settled himself in the space under their bed and began lifting it up and down. He’d seen a group of mortals doing something similar on one of the trips they’d taken to the human realm with Nicky. Nicky had later informed them that the humans had taken residence in one of the smaller temples devoted to Andrew and were using it for training sessions. They were nowhere near the strength of a god, but Andrew found their struggle fascinating. How they worked so hard to change so little, but persevered regardless.
At least they had something going for them with their exercises. Despite the lack of a challenge they posed, the physical activity turned out to be an agreeable way to pass the time. Flexing his strength was the only thing he was good for, after all.
“You can be so annoying, you know that?” Aaron muttered under his breath as he moved from his reading desk to his medicinal desk. Perks of being the favorite. A smirk lifted Andrew’s lips as he continued “training” with the bed to poke another rise out of Aaron. He tossed it up in the air and let it crash down on the cloudy floor over and over until a heavy book came flying at his head. He was careful to catch it without ripping it or leaving finger indentations. Aaron had not been pleased the first time that had happened.
Days locked in their room were boring. Ichirou had been paranoid about letting them roam free in the days soon after their creation, keeping them away from the other gods at first. Their security had only tightened as Ichirou tried and failed to replicate their creation with various materials and godly blessings. However he’d done it the first time had truly been a miracle. As time went on, Ichirou gradually allowed the twins more freedom, especially since keeping them away from human prayers would do more harm than good.
Unfortunately for Andrew’s boredom, Aaron had managed to tune him out. He shuffled papers around the table, pulling different herbs and insects out of the drawers in the desk. He crushed something here and sprinkled something there. Losing interest, Andrew dropped the bed and wiggled out from underneath. With a heavy and definitely-not-annoying sigh, he flopped onto the bed and watched Aaron work.
At least medicinal crafting was more entertaining than watching him pour over a dusty old tome (though Andrew would choose to do pretty much anything else given the option). Various colors plumed before Aaron as he combined and shook and examined a variety of materials and potions. All right, it was kind of cool.
Before long, a knock at the door had the twins looking up in unison. A flurry of minor gods and goddesses burst through and immediately gravitated toward the twins’ wardrobes. A few measuring tools were dropped on the bed next to Andrew, but one glare reminded the “helpers” of the last time they’d bothered Andrew too much. Being the god of strength had its own perks some days.
“Andrew,” a gentle voice greeted as Renee entered the room. “Long time no see.” Andrew had to squint when she smiled, as it seemed to radiate with the light of a thousand suns.
“Turn it down a notch, would you?” Andrew grit out. “I’d like to keep my eyes.”
A soft laugh was audible behind Renee’s hand as she covered her mouth. Puffs of cumulus clouds bounced like curls around her head. Their appearance changed with her mood, but the rainbows at the ends never waned as part of her affinity.
“Ichirou asked us to dress you boys for the celebration,” Renee explained. Her eyes seemed to purposefully avoid her helpers as they continued nosing into the twins’ business. “Apologies for barging in, but we haven’t much time.”
“Not like it’s the first time,” Aaron grumbled, shooing one of the minor gods away from his desk. “He just does whatever he wants.”
“Yes, well, the ruler of Mount Olympus does have some privileges in that regard,” Renee shrugged, her eyes offering another apology.
“Let’s get this over with, then,” Aaron sighed, coming around from behind his desk to stand beside Andrew’s relaxed position on the bed. With a nudge from Aaron, Andrew reluctantly slid off the edge of the bed. As the group scurried around, pulling out tools and fabrics from gods knew where, Andrew and Aaron stood patiently. Renee tried to engage them in conversation, but Aaron’s mind seemed preoccupied and Andrew wasn’t one for small talk, so most of the time crawled by in silence.
After what felt like ages, the crowd dispersed. Renee turned her back to the twins as they dressed in the outfits that had been laid neatly on the bed. Aaron cleared his throat when they were dressed to alert Renee to their decency so she could turn to review the final products.
“Oh…” Renee breathed through a soft smile as she gave the boys a once-over. “Yes, those look perfect on you two. Go on, have a look.” She ushered them back to their wardrobe area where a long mirror stood waiting.
As Andrew cast his gaze over his own form, he supposed Renee’s crew hadn’t done a terrible job. The garments fit loosely around their small frames with straps hooking over each of their shoulders. Aaron’s tunic was a leafy green with flowers that emanated a sweet scent decorating the straps. Andrew’s red-orange tunic appeared more plain by comparison, but the undertones shimmered in a way that attracted the eye. They wore matching gold belts at the waist that let the bottom half flow freely to their knees. To no one’s surprise, the gold medallion at the front of their belts was emblazoned with a lightning bolt. It might as well have a leash attached with Ichirou holding the other end.
The raised brow that Aaron’s reflection aimed at Andrew’s indicated he felt the same. The expression wasn’t lost on Renee, whose smile turned sympathetic as she offered a slight shrug. Without another word, the trio left the room and made their way to the main hall.
—
The main hall was somehow both extravagant and minimalist at the same time–the epitome of Ichirou. Billowing clouds made up the floor, thinning as they expanded outward. Thick columns displaying intricate designs with gold trim lined the perimeter, but the roof was absent to allow the gods to look upon the cosmos. Tables overflowing with godly food and wine littered the area. A large, golden throne made of Ichirou’s lightning bolts glowed and hummed with energy at the head of the open room.
“Ah, there they are,” Ichirou called from his throne as Andrew and Aaron entered the hall. Renee was quick to make herself scarce as the twins stepped further into the crowded room. Andrew shouldered his way ahead of Aaron, shielding him from inquisitive gazes and jealous stares. As soon as the twins were within arms reach, Ichirou clasped a hand on each of their shoulders, spinning them around for all the gods in the room to see.
“Gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus,” Ichirou bellowed across the hall, “I have gathered you here today in celebration of an extraordinary event. Ten years ago, I achieved a feat unlike any before me. Not one, but two godly lives were molded by my hands out of the universe itself.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Andrew helplessly watched Aaron freeze as Ichirou stroked a finger beneath Aaron’s cheek and continued his speech. “Look upon their faces and bear witness to the evidence of starlight that remains.” Every muscle in Andrew’s body twitched to break the finger that had touched his brother. But he could do nothing against the lord of the gods. Andrew bit the inside of his lip hard enough that he might have tasted blood if he were human.
“Not only that, but my creations were modeled after human children, sparking sympathy across the human realm and inspiring more prayers than even I had imagined. That influx of power you all have been feeding off this past decade? This was the source. So stand by me and wait, my godly family, for the era of Ichirou has only just begun!”
A choir of cheers and claps erupted from the crowd as Ichirou bowed with faux humility. His triumphant grin threatened to break his face in half, which Andrew didn’t discourage. As Ichirou took his seat upon his throne once more, the gods and goddess of Mount Olympus came forward one by one with offerings and congratulations. Andrew and Aaron stood on either side of Ichirou, decorative statues for his throne.
The last of the procession had just paid their dues when a hushed murmur traveled through the sea of gods like a wave. Ichirou’s bright smile diminished, almost imperceptible, as the crowd parted to reveal a younger-looking version of him dressed all in black. The man’s garment was loosely tied at the waist with a band that looked to be made of miniature skulls. A dense fog clustered around his feet, rolling outward as he walked. The stranger shared Ichirou’s raven hair and midnight eyes, but while Ichirou’s eyes were constantly aimed toward the cosmos, it was immediately clear that this person's gaze preferred to look down on others.
“Riko,” Ichirou greeted, though there was an icy edge to his voice Andrew had only heard a handful of times. It had never been a good sign.
“Brother,” Riko greeted in return. “I must have misplaced my invitation for his marvelous event. Truly, congratulations are in order.”
“There was no invitation to misplace,” Ichirou corrected. “Not that I haven’t longed to see you, but you seemed so busy down in the Underworld, shoveling through all the shit.”
“I can always make time for my dear brother,” Riko offered a menacing grin, all teeth. “And these things… Your cosmic creations, were they? Incredible work.”
Gliding closer to Ichirou’s throne than any of the other gods or goddess had dared, Riko squinted down at Andrew from mere inches away. It took all of Andrew’s self control and then some not to flinch or cower beneath Riko as he spoke, his breath reeking of death. “A bit small, but I suppose the power behind those punches makes up for it, yes?” He knocked his fist into Andrew’s shoulder playfully before stepping away, but his touch froze Andrew to the bone. Literally. It felt as if Riko had stolen the warmth from Andrew’s skin.
“The brain and the brawn…” Riko summarized thoughtfully, locking his hands together behind his back as his gaze traveled between the twins before settling on Ichirou. “Not your cleverest idea, but then, the humans were never the cleverest either and they’re the ones who invented the trope.”
“I would advise caution, Riko,” Ichirou hissed through his plastered-on smile. “You were banished for your hubris once before. Even then, I gifted you with two godly servants to assist in your duties down below. I would hate to see you have to endure the punishment for a second offense.”
“Pardon, Brother,” Riko apologized, bowing enough for the crowd behind him to witness. The smirk on his face, however, did not falter. “I came only to offer my congratulations. It seems my tongue has carried on without me.”
“Of course,” Ichirou responded easily, performing for the room just as much as Riko.
“Pain and Panic send their regards,” Riko’s grin turned sharp at the edges before he turned to leave.
“Enjoy the festivities. We shall see you again soon.”
With his back to Ichirou, Riko offered one more assertion as he started back toward the crowd. It was quiet enough that Andrew was sure only he and Aaron could hear him.
“It will be much sooner than you think.”
As Riko made his way through the crowd, two dark shapes lingered close behind. Snapping his fingers, the shadows shot toward him and disappeared as they touched his hand. Andrew blinked twice, unsure if his eyes were deceiving him. He turned to Aaron, but his own expression was mirrored back at him. The only difference was the resurfacing fear in Aaron’s eyes.
Grumbling a dismissal, Ichirou rose from his throne and began mingling with the crowd, likely seeking another dose of godly validation after his interaction with Riko. As soon as permission had been granted, Aaron darted toward the exit. Surely nothing good would come of leaving Aaron by himself in this state, so Andrew made to follow him. He could have easily shoved every god and goddess out of his way, but the thought of touching another, especially with the feeling of Riko lingering against his shoulder, made his skin crawl. Skirting along the edges of the crowd, he managed to escape the main hall in one piece.
The hallway leading out from the main hall was quiet. Echoes of chatter buzzed in Andrew’s ears before it, too, was drowned out by the silence. He headed toward his room since Aaron likely already had his nose stuffed into a comfort textbook. The clouds put a bounce in his step as he walked that did not accurately reflect the nagging in the pit of his stomach.
As Andrew passed one of the smaller hallways, a subtle golden glow dressed in green caught his eye. Aaron was standing at the end of the hall, peeking his head around the curve into the next room. That wasn’t the way to their room. Wondering why Aaron was just standing there, Andrew turned down the hall as well. Hushed whispers rose in volume as he continued further down the corridor. He was quickly growing tired of hearing disembodied whispers.
Peeking his head around Aaron’s form, Andrew’s eyes widened at the scene. In the middle of the small lounge, Riko stood with his arms crossed and his back to the twins. Fanned out in front of him were three figures that looked alarmingly familiar. On one end was a small child, no older than four or five years old, with tousled blonde hair and golden eyes. A touch of starlight lit up his cheeks. On the opposite end was an older man, his face was lined with wrinkles and his back slightly hunched. He, too, possessed blonde hair, golden eyes, and a sprinkle of stardust. But it was the figure in the middle that Andrew could not tear his eyes from. In a glittering red-orange tunic stood a mirror image of himself, star-scattered cheeks and all, directly in front of Riko.
“But that is all we can divulge at this time. The future is ever-changing,” the oldest Not-Andrew finished with a nod.
“Perhaps next time, I might persuade you to visit me in the Underworld.” The smirk on Riko’s face was audible when he spoke.
The youngest Not-Andrew tilted his head in innocent confusion. “You assume there will be a next time.”
“It would be dangerous for beings as powerful as us to leave Mount Olympus, you know that,” interrupted the middle Not-Andrew. “It is why we speak through oracles.”
“A shame,” Riko replied, curt.
A hard shove backward pushed the scene from Andrew’s line of sight, but it had already burned itself into his mind. Aaron’s trembling hand grasped Andrew’s and yanked him away from the lounge and down the hall. They ran until they were safely through their bedroom door, slamming and locking it behind them. The twins collapsed to the floor against the door, hand in hand, while they tried to regain their breaths. Having human characteristics really sucked sometimes.
“Why the fuck,” Andrew started, breathing returning to normal, “did I just see three of me talking to Riko?” He stared over at Aaron, whose head was propped back against the door. His breathing was ragged and his skin had paled once again.
“Aaron,” Andrew leaned in, voice soft and low. Clearly his brother was having a crisis of his own. He gave Aaron’s hand a gentle squeeze. “What was that?”
Shaking his head, Aaron took another moment to normalize his breathing. Once it came out with only a slight quiver, he explained what he’d witnessed before Andrew had arrived.
“The shadows,” Aaron started, looking over to meet Andrew’s eyes. “I saw them in the crowd as Riko was leaving, so I followed him. He was meeting with the Fates.”
“The who?”
“Come on, Ichirou’s taught us about them in plenty of lessons. We’ve never met them because they’re typically hidden away somewhere on Mount Olympus divining prophecies or something.”
“Yeah, you sound like you paid a lot of attention,” Andrew rolled his eyes, earning a smack on the arm.
“They appear to the viewer as the past, the present, and the future, but in a conceptual way. You saw the past as an infantile version of yourself, even though we’ve never had any forms other than this one, right?”
Andrew nodded in agreement, so Aaron continued. “The Fates don’t leave Mount Olympus, so Riko coming here was his chance to talk to them without Ichirou around. He’s trying to take over Mount Olympus.”
All of the thoughts and questions forming in Andrew’s mind dissolved into nothing.
“The Fates told him he’ll succeed in freeing the Titans and seizing Mount Olympus 13 years from now if ‘Ichirou’s creation’ doesn’t interfere,” Aaron finished. He returned the reassuring squeeze Andrew had given him, but its effect diminished with Aaron's next words. “Only, they couldn’t tell him more than that, so he plans to kill us both to avoid the risk of leaving the wrong one alive to interfere with his plans.”
“I won’t let that happen,” Andrew promised immediately. “I’ll protect you. I always have.”
The smile that hung on Aaron’s lips was tinged with defeat. “I have an idea, but I’m not sure it will work.”
“Better than nothing,” Andrew shrugged. “Unless it kills us. Then it’s the same as doing nothing.” That one earned him an elbow in the side.
—
After hours of pestling and mixing and scouring old medicinal texts, Aaron leaned back in his chair with an exhausted groan. Andrew flopped backward onto the bed with a relieved sigh. They’d done it. Andrew wasn’t entirely sure what ‘it’ was, but they’d accomplished whatever it was Aaron thought might help keep them safe. The potion they’d created emitted a bright green glow that lit up their room as Jeremy began his trip across the sky, dragging the sun away as he went. What a long day.
“Hurry,” Aaron urged, pinching his nose closed and downing his cup in a few sips. Andrew quickly followed suit, gulping it all in one go. It was the most vile thing he’d ever tasted. The pair began coughing and gagging as soon as their lips were free of the cups. Aaron doubled over on the floor, slapping a hand over his mouth to keep it all inside. Only barely resisting the impulse to do the same, Andrew gripped his own throat tightly as if to seal it. After too long, the taste subsided and the potion was successfully consumed. Aaron’s face remained pale, but he, too, kept it down.
Darkness descended upon the room. In the still silence, a clammy hand fumbled its way into Andrew’s. Squeezing the hand to squash his own fears, he whispered, “You’re second to none with those old recipes. Whatever you did will work.” The hand in his squeezed back.
Movement to the side caught Andrew’s gaze, but when he turned his head to check, nothing was there.
Again, movement. This time on Aaron’s side. It was subtle at first, but the shadows on the wall started to wave as if saying hello. They seemed darker than normal, sucking the light into their depths and reflecting nothing in return. Andrew spun around to position himself between Aaron and the movement, narrowing his eyes and bringing an arm up as a guard. Whatever it was, he doubted it was friendly.
A sinister hissing echoed throughout the room. Whispers surrounded the twins as the shadows began twisting and contorting into two distinct shapes. As quickly as they solidified, they melted back into the walls again when Andrew hauled a heavy book in their direction. The shadows seemed to spread out away from where it hit the wall, reforming in place as it dropped to the floor.
“It’s them.” Aaron’s voice was barely audible. “Pain and Panic.”
“Pain in my ass, maybe,” Andrew muttered under his breath, drawing a humorless huff from Aaron. Focusing on the movements in the shadows, Andrew took a slow breath to calm himself. No matter how scared he was, he was the brawn. He had to stay strong, at least for Aaron.
A flash of silver glinted through the darkness to Andrew’s left. Faster than sound, he shot his hand out to deflect the object, but a stinging pain tore through his hand as it made contact. An involuntary grunt forced its way out of his throat as he curled his hand into his chest to try to reduce the pain.
Nervous laughter bubbled up from the darkness as Pain and Panic took their solid forms once more. Stepping forward, wisps of black fog followed their every move as they tore free of the shadows. Andrew pushed himself and Aaron backward until they hit the wall beside their bed.
One of the intruders had dark hair and eyes that contrasted with his pale skin. Scars littered every inch of visible skin around his plain black tunic. “One down,” he narrowed his eyes, lips drawn in a thin line as he spun an arrow between his fingers.
“Not quite, Pain,” the other corrected. Panic, Andrew assumed. His dark hair matched what seemed to be an Underworld staple, but his bright green eyes scanned sharply over Andrew’s form. Despite the intensity in his gaze, his body seemed to hum with a nervous energy. “The poison on that arrow should have brought him to his knees immediately. So why is he still standing?”
Standing was no easy feat with the fire that burned through Andrew’s veins. He grit his teeth and tried to grin confidently, but the brow that Pain raised at his attempt indicated it wasn’t fooling anyone.
An intense, stabbing pain in his core suddenly dropped Andrew to his knees. A familiar voice called out his name, but it was drowned out by a long, loud scream. His head shot up in Aaron’s direction, eyes opening though he hadn’t noticed them close. He was met with a terrified gaze he’d never seen on his brother before. He tried to say something, anything, to reassure Aaron, but his throat was raw and tight. That scream must have been his own.
“It worked,” Panic breathed, an almost-smile twitching at the corners of his lips. He turned to Panic, delirium behind his eyes. “Let’s poke him with one more just to be safe.”
“We only brought two,” Pain frowned. “One should have been enough for each of them.”
“We only brought two…” Panic repeated under his breath. “Oh, this is not good. Why hasn’t he died?” His gaze roamed between Pain and Andrew. “Why aren’t you dead?”
Before either of the twins could answer, Panic drew in a sharp inhale. “What did you do?”
A tingling had started in Andrew’s fingertip as Panic spoke, replacing the poison’s pain. Following Panic’s gaze down to his hand, Andrew’s heart sank into his stomach. His skin’s godly glow was gone. As the numbness spread up his hand to his arm, so too did his glow disappear along with it.
“Aaron,” Andrew sucked in a breath, unable to tear his eyes from his own body. The glow continued to recede.
“I-I’m sorry,” Aaron stumbled over his words behind Andrew. “I didn’t realize what the book meant! I just wanted to keep us safe!”
“Pain!” Panic’s pitch rose sharply. “We need them dead. Deader than dead. Like five minutes ago.”
“Don’t worry about that one,” Pain nodded toward Andrew. “He’s already dying. Get the other.”
“‘Don’t worry,’ he says,” Panic murmured to himself. “Don’t worry? Don’t worry!”
“Panic!” Pain shouted. He started closing in on the twins, holding the poison arrow as if to hurl a javelin.
“I grab, you stab. Easy peasy,” Panic nodded. His shaking hands reached out for Aaron. They moved above Andrew as if in slow motion, inches away from Aaron’s shoulders. Without thinking, Andrew shot a hand out at Panic, curling his fingers tightly around his throat as soon as they made contact.
“Andrew!” Aaron called, but Andrew could only grit his teeth at the contradicting feelings of pain and numbness still warring within his body. Andrew stumbled forward into Panic, who had thrown his hands up by his head as if touching Andrew’s dulling flesh would affect him too.
“Oh gods,” Panic’s voice shook, stumbling backward with Andrew still at his throat, a boa constricting its prey. “Get him off me!” he choked out. The lack of airflow made his voice sound demonic.
Grunting in annoyance, Pain’s brows narrowed again as he pulled his arm back further. He steadied his hand, eyes focused as he aimed past Andrew and Panic at where Aaron sat helpless against the wall.
“No!” Andrew’s voice ripped from his throat like an animal’s roar as he surged forward, dragging Panic along in his grasp. With expert precision and accuracy, Andrew’s open palm landed firmly against Pain’s throat, snapping closed around it. Andrew gripped them as tightly as possible against the numbing pain. His strength was still intact.
Saved from more pain by the soft, cloud floor, the bundle of gods toppled over on each other. Panic’s muttered whispers stopped, replaced by wheezing breaths and curses flying from the pair beneath Andrew.
Kneeling upright with his hands still secured around the gods’ necks, Andrew turned to check on Aaron. “Aaron, are you-” A heaviness in his legs that he’d never felt before gave him pause.
“Andrew,” Aaron’s eyes darted down to where the last of Andrew’s pain was fading to a numb tingling in his feet. Following with his own gaze, Andrew watched as the last hint of his godly glow disappeared.
And then he fell.
The clouds quickly reformed, blocking Andrew’s view of Aaron and Mount Olympus. He descended through the clouds sharp and fast with Pain and Panic in hand. The pair screamed for their lives, crying out to any gods that would listen. But Andrew had frozen, unable to loosen his grip on them or offer any prayers himself. If he were paying more attention, he might find it interesting that the only god Pain and Panic didn’t plead to was their own master.
“I swear to you,” Aaron’s voice echoed through the clouds, “I’ll find a way to fix this!”
As if underwater, Andrew’s head swam. His thoughts floated out to sea. A dizzying feeling swept through him as the tingling in his body faded completely. With his final moment of clarity, Andrew prayed that Aaron would be safe.
No one answered.
——
A sharp ringing in Andrew’s ears broke through the nothingness. It echoed loudly throughout his brain, bouncing off the edges of his skull. There was no telling if it lasted a few seconds or a few hours. As it slowly died down, harsh whispers and heaving breaths became clearer somewhere off to the side.
“You’re an idiot,” a voice growled. It sounded familiar, but Andrew couldn’t place it.
“I’m sorry! I panicked,” another whispered back, pitching up in distress. Why did that ring a bell?
“At least Riko named you right.”
There was a moment of silence. The reply was so quiet, Andrew almost missed it. “Don’t.”
A sigh. Feet shuffled across the ground. “I’m sorry, Kevin.”
“Shhh,” Kevin hissed. “You know what he’ll do if he hears us using our godly names.”
“I endure the pain, but that does not make it my identity. Nor does your fear define you.”
Another silence lapsed as the pair of breaths evened out. Pain. Fear. A vision of shadows melting off walls flashed in Andrew’s mind.
Aaron.
Forcing his eyes open, Andrew inhaled a sharp breath as quietly as possible to avoid drawing attention to himself. He blinked rapidly against the rising sun peeking out from below the horizon in the distance. Large rocks dotted the area where Andrew lay in the dirt and dust. It felt nothing like the clouds of Mount Olympus. Every inch of his body ached in a new and frightening way.
Turning his head slightly revealed a picture of Pain and Panic standing off to the side. Panic’s once sharp green eyes were dull, cast down at his feet. Only a few inches away, Pain was staring at his face intently, one hand resting gently on his cheek.
“Kevin,” Pain’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“We can’t,” Panic—Kevin—murmured back. He raised a hand and intertwined his fingers with Pain’s.
“Say my name.” Pain leaned forward to rest his forehead against Kevin’s.
“I can’t.”
“Remind me who I really am.”
Raising his eyes from the ground, Kevin’s brows knit together as he finally met Pain’s gaze. Andrew felt deeply uncomfortable witnessing such an intimate moment, but he needed more time to get his body moving. The searing pain he’d endured before the fall had left his body sore and uncooperative. Crash landing in a rocky plain hadn't helped.
“Jean.” It was almost inaudible. Andrew must have hit his head because he could have sworn he saw a hint of a smile on Pain—Jean. Moving closer, Jean’s lips met Kevin’s tenderly. Andrew definitely should not be watching this.
Turning his eyeline back to the sky, Andrew focused on the pinks and oranges streaking across the morning sky as he stretched his muscles. Thankfully, some of the soreness was wearing off, but it was more than he’d ever felt in Mount Olympus. Clearly, this wasn’t Mount Olympus. Where the hell was he?
“I’m sorry for forgetting we could fly in the terror of suddenly falling through the sky. Riko’s going to kill us,” Kevin sighed in defeat.
Jean’s voice rose from a whisper back to his natural tone. “Only if he thinks we failed.”
“We did fail!” Kevin reminded him. “Oh gods, we failed. This one is still alive and we didn’t even touch the other and—”
“He doesn’t know that,” Jean argued. “With all that thunder Ichirou let loose last night, anyone could tell something happened. We kill this one now and report that we killed the other. Unless Riko goes back to Mount Olympus, he’ll have no idea one of them lived. Besides, maybe this is the one the prophecy spoke of and it’ll work itself out anyway.”
A hum. “That… might work.”
Pushing himself up on his elbows, Andrew glanced down at his body. Unsurprisingly, his godly glow was still gone. He looked… mortal. The dullness in his skin sent a pang of disappointment and anxiety through his chest.
Forcing himself to sit up fully, Andrew groaned at the pull of his muscles. Despite having been granted a few mortal experiences as a god, this felt completely different. He’d never noticed his heart race or the ache of muscles the way he did now. He held his breath for as long as he could until a burning spread through his chest and throat. He sputtered out the breath he’d been holding and sucked in a new one as quickly as possible to relieve the ache in his lungs.
He really was mortal.
“Je- Pain. If we’re going to kill him, we’d better do it now.” Panic seeped back into Kevin’s voice, drawing Andrew’s gaze. Their eyes locked. “He’s awake.”
A cruel laugh tore through Jean’s throat, furrowed brows directed at Andrew. “Don’t sound so worried. He’s just a regular, mortal child now. We could take care of him in our sleep.”
“I don’t sleep,” Kevin turned to Jean, brows narrowed in confusion. “Do you sleep?”
“No, I don’t– Nevermind,” Jean huffed, fingers pressing into his temples as if to stave off a headache. Did those two get headaches? “Let’s just finish this so we can report back.”
Creeping forward like animals stalking their prey, Kevin and Jean approached Andrew with arms outstretched. Andrew’s heart beat heavily against its new mortal cage. Had anyone ever died from their heart bursting free of their chest?
No matter how scared Andrew was, if he was anything, he was a fighter. In a last ditch effort to survive, Andrew swung his fist forward as hard and fast as he could as Jean entered arm’s reach. Andrew’s eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat as Jean’s body was suddenly propelled through the air, slamming into a nearby rock formation. A sharp sound rang out in the following silence as a deep crack split the rock in two.
“Why the fuck does he still have his strength?” Jean wheezed, body crumpling to the ground.
At least Aaron’s potion left him with that. He was grateful that it seemed to counteract Riko’s poison enough to save his life, but knowing that he had retained his godly strength, even as a mortal, sent relief through his veins to calm his wild heart.
Rushing to Jean’s side, Kevin lifted him up to rest against his shoulder. His eyes darted back and forth between Jean and Andrew as if to make sure Jean was okay and Andrew didn’t come any closer. His panicked breathing matched his shaking hands.
“He’s mortal now,” Jean reiterated, after a minute catching his breath. His voice was hard around the edges. Andrew must have really done a number on him with that punch. “Even with a god’s strength, he’s no match for a real god. It’s in his best interest to keep his head down, lest Riko renew his interest in his brother.”
The underlying threat did not go unnoticed.
“What are you saying?” Kevin’s voice shook.
“Like I said before, Ichirou’s reaction to Andrew falling must have made Riko think the twins died,” Jean explained, eyes narrowing at Andrew. “As long as this one doesn’t draw Riko’s attention, he’ll have no idea that they’re still alive. We report a successful mission and he lives the rest of his mortal life in peace.”
The man—God? Demon?—wasn’t wrong. As long as Andrew blended in with the rest of the mortals, Aaron would be safe. Andrew waited a moment for any better options to present themselves, but none came to mind. Sending one last sharp glare at his kidnappers, he resigned and nodded.
With a few grunts and groans, Kevin hauled Jean upright. Kevin spared Andrew one last look, though this one was harder to read. Hovering in the air on invisible wings, the pair flew off, albeit unsteadily, toward the rising sun.
For the first time in his ten years of existence, Andrew was completely alone.