Fear me, Love me

The Aboveworld

"THORN!"

***

Thorn kept low to the ground where the air was easier to breathe. The smoke was blinding but his cold children led him by the hand through the worst. Voices found him through the thick haze.

"You can do it." He heard Murias' teeth clack eagerly together and winced. Knowing he was close, Thorn went still and focused on listening. "You did it before. You got into the Desolate Plains and made contact with the Demon Queen. It should have been impossible."

"I'm not like anyone else." A male voice replied – American, complacent but crisp. The speaker wasn't awed by the presence of the Warden.

"Yes."

"Why should I help you with this? The gods are nothing to me – they can rot in the aboveworld for the rest of time."

Thorn held his breath. He had some knowledge about this. He'd asked his father about the others gods – he'd wanted to see them.

"They're trapped in the aboveworld." Hades had explained. "I escaped their imprisonment because I made a deal with the Reapers. I gave them the place of judgement and the afterlife – in return I got to keep my kingdom of monsters. A fair trade. I was bored of the dead."

"Do you miss them?" Young Thorn had asked. "The other gods?"  Hades had surprised him. He'd shaken his head resolutely.

"My wish has come true," the American pointed out, "vampires are finally on top."

"Oh?" He could hear the Warden's smile in those words. He could only imagine it was a horrific sight. "But what about your precious werewolf keeper?" A pause. "You've heard haven't you? How she died. She's not in the Empty Edge. Her soul belonged to them – they gave her their powers..."

"I free them and-"

"She'll be able to come back too. Aha... I see you're on board." The Warden cackled happily and Thorn cringed at the sound.

"Yes but we still have a problem." The American sounded shaken, gone was his confidence and the swaggering edge of his tone. "I was able to get into the Desolate Plains but I couldn't free anyone – I needed Hannah to break down the wall."

"Just make contact, the gods will know the rest and they'll tell you. And you'll be reunited."

"Why do you want this?" 

It was a question Thorn was very keen to hear the answer too. He'd only known one god – Hades – and he didn't want him back.

"Because life was better with gods. It worked." The Warden explained, his headdress creaking and his wings scrapping across the earth as he walked. "Take a look at what this place is – it was once a kingdom – now it's just an oversized cupboard. There's no staff, no discipline, no order. We're becoming stagnant. Souls leave the body unsupervised and get eaten by the beasts or they come here where the back log's so bad they fade away before they can be judged. Finally I have the power to summon you here – you're our last hope. Make the world colourful once more. Let gods and man talk like they did in ancient times."

As Thorn climbed the walls of the pit once more, he dwelled over this discovery. He wondered if that was why Lord Mishael had sent him. He couldn't imagine that a warlock - who'd imprisoned the god of death to steal his throne - would have a brilliant time if the gods were unleashed once more.  Thorn didn't want the gods to return either. His aunts and uncles might be even worse than his father.

***

"You barely talk. Sometimes it seem you're the perfect submissive." Ryder had commented once. "But you're eyes – you're eyes never bow before me." Thorn had quickly looked down at the ground. Ryder had chuckled darkly. "Oh they pretend. They're good at that. But if I look closely..." He'd gripped Thorn's chin, forcing it up so that he'd look at him. "Unconquerable armour." Thorn had thought that was unfair. He'd surrendered to Ryder completely but he couldn't control his eyes – his mother eyes.

"Jensen and Bram, you little shits!" Ursula Acciai had screamed at her two eldest. "PUT THAT CHILD DOWN NOW!" 

They hadn't complied and the little boy's face had started to turn purple. The boys had found the small child in the park and kidnapped him for fun.

Ursula had gotten out the flame thrower. Her eyes had brightened with menace and she'd grinned at them. "Oh I'll enjoy this!"  

Jensen and Bram had scarpered and Thorn's mum had taken the little boy to hospital. The child's mother had taken him to church to be blessed when she'd heard he'd been inside the Acciai house.

Thorn had been aware all his life that people avoided him.

"It's because your Satan spawn." His mother had told him matter of factly. Thorn had frowned thoughtfully but his little sister had tugged at their mums arm.

"Why doesn't dad stop them? He could make everyone be nice to us."

"Never ask him for anything." Ursula had warned them sharply. "There's always a price."

"But I'm his daughter."

"He has more daughters then you can count, Sally." Urusla had pushed her greying hair behind her ears. "He doesn't care about us." 

Sally had cried, wailing that it wasn't true and that she hated her mum. Secretly Thorn had thought his mum was wrong. Hades visited them and he always seemed so happy to see them. Not Jensen, Bram or Cyrus admittedly- but Thorn didn't love his brothers either so he didn't mind that. It would take a few more years for him to realise that his mum was right.

Hades was intrigued – intrigued by a woman that defied him her whole life. Intrigued of Thorn, the only one to inherit some of his father's talents. Intrigued by Sally – the most innocent and gentle of his numerous brood. But he didn't love any of them.

***

Lauren was waiting anxiously for Thorn when he returned to her cage. He told her what he'd heard in as few words as he could manage.

"You can't kill him." Lauren protested, appalled. Thorn's eyebrows quirked in question. "I don't know how this works but I...I think there has to be a Grim Reaper. If you defeat him - then I might have to take his place again." Her emerald eyes filled with tears. "Please Thorn. I hated it. I hated reaping souls. I don't want to do it again." Thorn pursed his lips. She reached through the bars and touched his hand. "Please."

He remembered her earlier question. 'Is Ryder here with you?'

Thorn thought she'd  looked disappointed not to see the warlock again. She loved Ryder. Thorn frowned. She was stronger than himself, louder, angrier more demanding – she'd always stand up to Ryder. She could hold Ryder back, persuade him - fight him if that was what he needed. She could save him. Thorn had recognised that in her from the beginning. She was the one for Ryder. Reuniting them was the right thing to do. 

Thorn gave her a small smile and nodded. He wouldn't defeat Murias - not completely – not even when his gut warned him to fear the Warden's plans. Saving Lauren was more important.