Universe -The Star Rings
Ring - 4th
Reality - Mortal Plane
Solar system - Origin
World - Vaustaris
Continent - Argonne Islands
SouthWestern Edge -
Territory - Null
FREYR'S POV
Falling across the continent's edge was a good way to think. Leaving the Zephyr isles behind me as I plummeted with my wings tucked into my back gave me enough time and enough wind to think clearly.
'How?'.
That was the one question I couldn't get out of my head. How could Ozai think of me in such a way? In such a manner? How could he see those mortals as more important than me? How could he choose them over me? How could he see me as such a troublemaker?
My thoughts went back to everything and anything I could have done that would paint me in such a light. 'He did mention pranks, but I was too out of it to think clearly. What pranks?'.
Had Ozai seen my attempts to check how strong I had gotten as insidious pranks? How and why?. What would make him see it as such? I spared a glance back up and caught sight of the little glow that emanated from his angels. Beings that had been borne from his divinity. My eyes narrowed.
'We're all different ain't we?'. I thought of Sol, blazing with red and white fires. The Divine realm, a hue of golden lights and sickening purity.
'Wait. Sickening'. I almost paused midair but kept on going. 'Is the way I see the Divine Realm how Ozai sees me'.
'You hold domain over death. Any plan of yours is something related'.
Aerondir was fortunate the ground was already in sight and close enough. I flinched back as the words sounded in my head and I undid the possession. Wings grew smaller but not by much, limbs and size shrunk too. I floated midair while descending slowly. Eyes on the screaming Aerondir as his limbs twitched and spasmed while he fell. All the while those words kept ringing again and again in my head.
'You hold domain over death. Any plans of yours is something related.'
The moment I was close enough to the ground I switched to my mortal form and used a string of chaos to stop Aerondir's sure splat to the ground. All the while I stared at the ground.
'You hold domain over death. Any plans of yours is something related'.
"He wasn't lying though". I muttered. "Still kinda hurts". I sighed. Aerondir's propensity and desire for murder and death, chaos, and definitely calamity had called to me. A desire that I wished to use for myself. I'd I needed to die to completely understand death and destruction then maybe I could use the energy derived from the chaos and calamity he wrought to lessen some effect or anything.
The Ennogra was already on his feet purple orbs locked on me in fear and caution as I walked up and down. For all my threats earlier I mentally zeroed off it. More anger than anything and now I was stumped on what to do. Ignore Ozai's blatant disregard for me and his choice of mortals over me or show him.
'What do I wish to show him?' I shook my head in annoyance. 'I was too young for this'. Turning I regarded the Zephyr isles floating up in a massive beauty of nature. Their undersides were jagged tips of rock and stone.
"I have better things to do than try to prove my worth to you". I realized that I didn't care actually. All I cared for was gaining my strength, and if there was anyone who I wished to prove my worth to them it was mother. Not my stuck-up brother who fancied mortals over his kin.
A lightbulb went off in my head. I turned with my eyes glinting malevolently as I looked at the Ennogra. 'I do wonder what their choice would be'.
Since Ozai had chosen them over me. 'Isn't it only fair to see who they would choose between him and their kin?'. I smiled widely not realizing my upper eyes were now burning fiercely.
"I mean, if his mortals are so precious to him, is he as precious to them. What would they choose when backed against the wall?. Salvation or him?".
My smile faded just as quickly and sat down on the ground deep in thought. Ozai or no Ozai I still had a big problem. One that I needed to solve before it became a serious hamper to me. The only question was, how exactly did you kill a Primordial Demon of Destruction in full while still making sure they came back to life?
'I may have to alert your mother to this'.
'What, no. She'll stop me from doing this'. I almost stood up in worry.
'Maybe. Or she'll help you to do it. If you do it on your own and fail to revive yourself I'll be the one in trouble with myself'. I opened my mouth to argue but found nothing coming out.
"Fine" I sighed. 'But whether she helps me or not I'm doing this?".
'That, I believe is a matter between you both'. Akasha was quick to retort. A sense of amusement attempted to filter into me from the situation. Akasha, the force of all mystical energies and machinations of life, saving her ass from mother's fury.
I shook my head in amusement.
The Ennogra was nowhere to be seen. A quick check with Akasha was enough to know he was flying as fast as he could to the center of the Argonne Islands. "Atleast he isn't dumb enough to go back up there".
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"I assure you Freyr". I leapt up at my name turning to see Mother stepping out of a mist of gray and blue. "Argonnes or Ennogra as you call that one are very prideful and yet smart".
The look mother gave me showed she didn't really appreciate something I did.
"Mother".
"I've seen a lot of your shenanigans. I'm quite proud of what you've learned". She was next to me in a blink. I almost fell back if she hadn't wrapped her arms around my neck and buried my head into her shoulder. "I'm sorry something like this happened".
*
THIRD PERSON POV
Freyr and Hildelith sat side by side on a boulder watching the Ennogra stumble in the nothingness Hildelith made. By erasing the reality of his sight and senses the Ennogra was not aware he had been flying or running in circles for the past ten minutes.
"Catchy name but not too inspirational" Hildelith commented. Freyr scoffed.
"Maybe, but sounds better than Undule". He gave her a smug glance which she returned with a head smack.
"All smart now eh". She chuckled turning the smack into a head ruffle. Both entities looked from the Ennogra to themselves as a sense of dreary weather covered the area.
"So, what's this I'm hearing about dying?". Freyr sighed and looked down at his hands. Slowly he began talking. Telling her everything from when he descended and the fight. How he felt and the scenes. All up till now.
Turning his head he found his mother very silent and her eyes still on him.
"Akasha was right about one thing. If you'd done this without my knowledge I'd have killed her. Then given you a good beating". Her bland face as she spoke sent a chill down his spine.
"Luckily you both were not stupid enough".
"I'm not stupid ma!".
'I'm not stupid'.
Ignoring both cries of offense from Freyr and Akasha Hildelith sighed. She looked up to the sky blocked out by the large isles that floated up there. "This is a good place for your Ennogra". Her eyes turned to the distance where a waterfall that spilled from the isles thundered to the Islands below.
"When I learned you lot had come down here. I was both ecstatic and worried" She turned back to her son and smiled. "Worried for how this would all affect you all and how you would affect all of this. And still I was curious". She ruffled his hair again and the Undule groaned.
"I used to hear that one of a parent's greatest moment is watching their kids run around in joy and glee. Well, you're not in your baby forms but still, it was definitely fun to watch all of you be free and act as you wished".
"You don't think my being a Primordial of Death makes me dangerous for everything you made here?" The question was silent and his voice very low.
Smack!!!
"Aish. Why'd you hit me?". He exclaimed looking at her.
"Think boy. If you were bad for this world won't I, or couldn't I just whisk you away with some excuse?". She asked with a fiery glare in her eyes.
"You could". He moaned rubbing his head in obvious pain.
"I know what your brother told you might hurt. I am sorry. But it is the truth". The very sharp twist of his head to look at Hildelith made her sigh. "Listen to me".
She stretched out her hand and faced it down to the ground. " Where there is life there is beauty and joy". Her palm oozed aether which formed a beautiful flower sprouting from the ground. " And yet there is also...". She cut herself off as the flower wilted and turned to ash.
"And that's why people will fear me". He muttered.
Hildelith nodded. " True. That's how mortals perceive you. As a horrendous creature who steals their loved ones and ends their happy ever afters. But that is not all you are Freyr. Remember". Her left palm touched the side of his cheek. His eyes shut in a sigh.
"You bring not destruction but death. Two completely similar and yet different things. One is the end of a thing, no returns, no comebacks. Creating a totally new state of existence for it. The other...". She cut herself off again and once more waved her hand in the air.
The wilted flower dissolved into the ground serving as manure for another flower to bloom.
"You destroyed it the first time didn't you. You didn't bring death to it". Freyr shot to his feet surprised. A smile bloomed on Hildelith's face.
" What then is death supposed to look like mother?. What is it supposed to be?". He asked a desire to know burning in his eyes. It was clear he was holding back from jumping around.
"Here, in my universe. It is simply the end of Physicality". Her palm waved again and this aether created a hologram of two baby Undules. At the center of their chest glowed two lights. A petal of gold and an orb of blue that encased the petal. The babies began to grow and live. The blue orb subtly emitted a white mist that filled the two baby's bodies.
Freyr watched with rapt attention.
The babies became older. Larger and stronger. The orb or petal never changed size yet the white mist grew within them. Sometimes it remained as small as a child's form but when they killed something the mist grew. Finally, after several periods one of the Undules died. Struck down in battle.
Freyr watched the golden petal snuff out and the orb drift out of the body taking the mist with it.
The second body kept on living. Sometimes the Undule fought and killed increasing his mist. Sometimes he didn't. Each time he stayed without killing his mist grew less thick. Finally, he became weaker, slower, and old. His mist grew less thick and more see-through. He died an old Undule. The flame too snuffed out and the orb took the mist with it.
Frey watched the orbs of both Undules without their mist now being replaced in another body and restarting the cycle.
"I'm the end of one story". He muttered.
"And the guide to another" she added. "You're not called destruction bringer but Death Bringer. You are the Guide of the Dead. That is who you are. The one that brings the souls to your sister for a new chapter".
"Then who do I destroy?".
"Souls so bad that their taint crosses beyond the physical to touch the spirit and soul And when you find such souls you break them down into something new". The look she gave him showed how important what she was saying was. At the same time, she had a flippant look about it.
He nodded.
"Thank you ma". Hilde smiled at him and then frowned.
"I know your brother was harsh on you. I know the choices he made are ones that hurt you". She placed a palm on his shoulder. "I refuse to give excuses for his choices. That is something you both will have to mend amongst yourselves".
Freyr frowned. " I don't think there is anything to be mended Mother. He made his choice and I will make mine as he did".
Her lips parted a chance to halt any such arguments or reason for any such troubles. Yet she found her voice unmoving. She shut her eyes with a sigh. 'If Order has made its move then I have no choice but to let Chaos act as well'.
"Finish your matters here and return. There's a lot to be seen and do. Then, we'll see about you dying". She stood and hugged him again. Stepping back gray blue mist seeped from her skin.
"Wait! Mother!" His fingers tweedled themselves. "Can I have a ball of the Flame of Life". He smiled tightly then added quickly. "Or something less?". Freyr didn't see the harm in trying now, especially when Mother would more likely give it to him. Her next words of course were not ones he expected.
"In some ways, Death cannot touch life as much as life can never touch death".
'What does...'.
" You have no use or means for using the Flames of Life". She smiled at him. " But, what you seek may be found in other flames". She looked thoughtful for a second then just shrugged
The gray and blue mists around her grew thicker. Forming a cocoon of thick energy around her. "A bit of advice". Her smile went one-sided. "Make them in your image".
Akashic force exploded outwards ruffling Freyr's hair and robes. The gray mists cleared to reveal an empty spot where Hildelith once stood.