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It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. Taking Rae’s soul shards shouldn’t have killed him, he wasn’t supposed to die.
But his body was so weak, the constant trauma and injury to it making it impossible for him to survive.
There was a soft whimpering, as a great black wolf laid himself over Rae as he breathed his last, his body disappearing and returning to the void, Epros opening their arms for him and holding him close.
Rae Morningstar the man was dead, but Rae Morningstar the Vessel of Wonder was very much alive, though Epros would not allow him to leave, would not allow him to return to his loved ones. He was still too new, still too fragile.
But he needed to get back, needed to go to help Wolf, the letter that he had in his possession the key to returning Him to human form.
Violet turned out to be the key, the other end god taking the letter and returning their shared love to human form, though they didn’t tell the hunter of Rae’s fate, a condition of Epros’ for letting them even reveal himself to Fenris.
It would be the newly returned to form man that would tell Aax and Caspian of Rae’s fate, of what Fable had done to their love.
Aax was silent, almost scarily so as he picked up his trident, walking out of the house without a word.
They would walk down to the shore walking into the water slowly, it bubbling and surging with his sorrow, his anger.
Aax was working on instinct, the pull of the water, the pull of their own anger. They wanted blood, they wanted Fable to hurt as much as they did, as much as their family was currently hurting.
There were things that at this moment he knew, the water was in his blood, it was a part of him. The sky darkened and turned to storm clouds, the sheer violence of his emotions pulling violence out of the seas.
He stood, trident going from one hand to the other as he waited, he knew this level of power would inevitably bring the object of his hatred, his anguish out from whatever hole he was hiding in.
He knew Caspian and Wolf had followed him, could tell his love was standing at the beach, the hunter at his side keeping the smaller of the two from following him into the waves.
But he couldn’t bring himself to look at him, not when he was like this, not when the grim smile spread itself across their face as he noticed the distinct colors of Icarus and Fable’s wings coming closer.
He tilted his head as he waited watching them from behind the red lenses of his glasses, he could feel the rush of the water, he could feel everything, he could tell Ocie had exited her home, standing with Caspian and Wolf on the beach. That was good, They would keep his love safe from this, from what he was about to do. What he had become.
Aax wasn’t a violent person, he was made to be one he knew, was made to be a weapon, but Rae, and later Caspian and their other friends, had helped him understand he was so much more than that.
But now Rae was gone, and Aax would be the monster he had been created to be, the new surge of power his grief had given him.
He was made to be a weapon, and he had decided he would be one that protected his loved ones rather than just mindlessly hurt.
But this, this was pure rage, pure agony as he waited, the sea seeming to react and churn for him, almost as if it were a part of him.
He vaguely hoped it wasn’t hurting Ocie, but from what he could tell the personification of the sea was fine, standing with Wolf and Caspian on the beach.
Fable landed on the beach away from them with Icarus not far behind.
“Oh my, with how tumultuous the seas changed I had thought Vorago himself had returned. Aax what has happened? You seem upset.” Fable walked towards the water Icarus close behind.
“You know exactly what’s happened.” Aax let out a laugh that was full of venom, the smile still on his face as he moved the trident from one hand to the other. “And you’re going to pay for it, I don’t care if you’re a god, I’ll find a way to make you pay for it.”
“I haven’t the faintest idea what you mean, please come out of the water and we can talk about this civilly.”
“Oh? You don’t? Does the fact that you murdered someone you called a son really mean so little? Does the fact that one of the people I love more than anything in this world being dead mean nothing to you?” The waves rose as he talked, the water lapping at his thighs and getting closer to Fable.
“Rae..Rae isn’t dead.. Dad just took his shards is all, that wouldn’t kill him!” Icarus protested taking a step forward only to be stopped by Fable.
“What happened to Rae is unfortunate, I should have taken into account how fragile his body was, But once I’m able to ascend all will be well.”
“Unfortunate? My boyfriends life being taken is unfortunate?” The water continued to rise, the Olm’s grip on the trident in his hand tightening.
“d..Dad? That’s…Rae isn’t gone is he? You didn’t, you couldn’t.” Icarus looked shocked, genuinely upset.
“I will restore your brother to you as I will restore all that have been lost in the name of this endeavor, do not fear Icarus.” He glanced at his son for a moment. “All will be well.”
The noise that left Aax’s mouth when Icarus backed down, simply nodding at their father’s words was one of pure rage.
“Get in the water Fable, or I’ll take more than just your life today.” The smile that still graced his face was full of malice and rage.
He was vaguely aware that Caspian was saying his name, that Ocie and Wolf were holding him back, keeping him away from the violence that was about to occur.
“I didn’t notice before, how similar to Vorago you feel.” Fable stepped forwards, the reaver suddenly in his hands, a growl from Fenris splitting the air.
“That.Isn’t.Yours.”
Aax put up his free hand for a moment. “I’ve got this handled, just keep Caspian safe okay?” He acknowledged the group for the first time.
Fenris wasn’t happy about it but stayed where he was keeping Caspian held back and away from the danger.
“Fable, you’ll find that I’m a bit harder to catch and hurt than anyone else you’ve gone after.” Aax tilted his head and that smile was back. “So please, come closer, let's see who the better fighter is. Either you’re going to come fight me or I’ll show you how much pain losing someone you love is.”
Fable started forward as the waves grew higher, Aax pulling his ax out to hold along with his trident.
He prepared to swing his ax at the god of creation, a manic smile still on his face at the thought of getting a swing in at him, of getting rid of the danger to his remaining loved ones.
As they grew closer to each other it seemed like time stilled, portals opening to swallow up Aax, Caspian, and Fenris
They were surrounded on all sides by the shimmering void, a familiar figure in front of them, fully grown horns and a tail now present on his form but it was familiar nonetheless.
He was hunched over his breath a bit labored as he gave the three with a sheepish smile. “H…Hi.”
Aax froze his weapons disappearing in an instant as he and the other two rushed forwards swallowing Rae in a group hug, the olm’s anger vanishing as he began to bawl, fat tears rolling down his pale cheeks as relief filled him.
“Hi…oh gods…hi” Caspian held onto Rae and Aax tightly. “I was so scared. I thought…I thought I lost you, I thought I was going to lose Aax…fuck..don’t ever do anything like that again, either of you.”
Fenris enveloped the three of them in his arms resting his forehead between Rae’s horns. “Gods above and below….don’t ever do that to me again starlight, I’m not worth losing you, I thought…gods why didn’t Violet tell me.”
“You are worth everything Wolf, don’t say that. As for why we couldn’t tell you..Epros…is a bit protective of me right now, both Violet and I really for different reasons. This space Fable can’t access, and if he doesn’t know I’m alive then I’m safer…Violet too.”
“What do you mean? Why would Voi be so protective of you- oh…you’re not…are you?” Caspian moved back a bit to look at him.
“The Vessel of Wonder, it…has a pretty good ring to it doesn’t it? I’m sorry I scared you all…”
“As long as you’re here….I don’t know what came over me, I was just so angry…I wanted to hurt him like he hurt you.” Aax was still clinging to Rae as the taller reached up to wipe his tears away. “I’m sorry..” They looked at Caspian, the malice and anger gone from their features. “I almost left you too…I’m so sorry.”
Caspian pulled Rae and Aax back into a hug. “Just…neither of you do that to me again..please, I couldn’t take losing you.”
Fenris sighed softly and kissed Rae’s forehead, relief seeming to fill him. “I’m just glad…I’m so glad I didn’t lose you, and..if it's you I wouldn’t mind you calling me Fenris.”
“Fenris?” Rae smiled softly as he looked up at the hunter.
“My name, Fenris Sonett Nightingale, it’s what was in the letter you gave Violet, the one Fable had. It broke the curse on me, I’m free.” He hummed softly.
Rae smiled and leaned up to kiss him, not letting go of his other two partners as he did, making it a bit harder but he managed. “It suits you, Song.” He smiled softly.
Caspian, having gotten over the shock a bit, looked at Aax. “promise me you won’t ever do that again, that was terrifying, I thought I was going to lose you! You can’t just go around fighting gods!”
“I second that love, what if I hadn’t been able to pull you here? Even if I had died I wouldn’t want you doing anything like that! Caspian would have lost both of us and what would that accomplish, other than more pain?”
Aax looked up at the two of them. “I’m sorry…I was running off of instinct and well I didn’t really think? I just wanted it to stop, wanted him to stop hurting the people I love.”
“We aren’t angry at you Aax…just..please don’t do that again.” Caspian pulled them close once more.
“Can we go home?” Aax looked up at the two. “That…took a lot out of me.”
“I can send you all home but…I can’t leave here just yet, as much as I want to be in our bed all together.”
“I’ll keep an eye on them, you focus on getting stronger, I think we all would rather you be safe.” Fenris pulled from the little huddle they were in.
Caspian and Aax reluctantly agreed with Fenris, as much as they wanted him home, they had survived Rae having to be away before, they would survive it again.
“I’ll come and visit as soon as I can, okay? And if you ever miss me too much I can try bringing you back here to see me…It just takes a lot of Energy.” The void prince gave each of his partners a kiss “see you soon.”
With that a portal opened and the three of them would find themselves back in their own home, safely away from any fighting.
Fenris would corral the two into his room and help them into pajamas, checking Aax over for any injuries as they all changed, before settling on the large couch with the dogs.
It wasn’t perfect, and there was an obvious scientist sized hole in their midst, but it was better than the alternative of there being two people missing from the cuddle pile.
They would deal with the rest when they had to, but for now they would keep each other safe.