The weeks turned into months as Thanatos’ rage swept through Magical Fall. Destroying everything it touched, his callous nature rearing its ugly head. Where once they feared his reputation, they now saw it first-hand as he unleashed his cruelness on everything. Even his family had no bearings over him, the king and queen at a loss of what exactly to do. Romulus heartbroken over the loss of Derrick shut down his parties, the sparkle in his eyes long gone.
On a cool crisp day, Thanatos swept through the trail looking for any souls out of place. Stumbling upon a worker who'd fallen out of his range, Thanatos loomed over him. "What are you doing outside of your post?"
The worker's legs shook as he stared at the reaper in terror, "I'm sorry sir, I'm still getting the hang of the trail and I got lost."
Thanatos didn't flinch his body as still as stone, suddenly his mouth twisted into an evil grin, "Lost…well let's see what we can do about that."
He floated the worker into the sky, dangling him upside down. Making an X with his finger, he broke them apart slowly, the worker's legs starting to spread. The further he broke apart his fingers, the further the worker's two legs split, and soon his groin began to rip. Thanatos laughed, his rage quenched at the screams he heard above him.
A soft little voice caught his attention, "Mr. Tanteenose?"
He looked to see Jack and Rose shrinking in the corner. He dropped the worker, who immediately took off, limping from the assault. Rose's eyes were wide, Jack looked down at his shoes clearly afraid of him.
"Beat it." Thanatos huffed, but instead Rose stepped from her hiding place onto the trail.
"Why are you so mean. Y-you, used to be nice to us."
Her little voice was making him angry. Thanatos raised his hand, and Jack ran in front of his sister, both closing their eyes they prepared for the impact.
"THANATOS NO!" Romulus shouted as he banged hard on the tree.
The entire trail shook, and Thanatos fell to the ground. His eyes completely gone, he stared at Romulus who approached him. Romulus extended his hand to help him up, upon grabbing it, Thanatos injected his poison. As the blackened poison veined up Romulus's arm, his eyes glowed white and he injected his light into Thanatos. The two brothers, hand to forearm, stood deadlocked until finally, Romulus spoke.
"You might be stronger than me, but I won't let you go. You're going to have to kill me first. I KNOW it hurts but you have to stop, PLEASE, look around you. Look what you're doing."
Thanatos heard the whimpers of the two children behind him. He grabbed at the spot where his heart should be, breathless he released Romulus. He turned and extended his hand and when the children retracted, he hung his head low. With a soft rub on top of his hair, he lifted his head and Rose wrapped her arms around his neck. Shortly after Jack joined her side and for the first time in months, Thanatos felt his eyes water.
"I'm so sorry." His voice was muffled by the bodies of the children. He hugged them tighter, before getting up to face his brother. Romulus's eyes were reddened, his body smaller. The life in him all seemingly gone. In his own pain, Thanatos had forgotten about his brother's agony, and he wrapped his arms around him pulling him close. "We're okay," his voice shook.
Romulus's eyes teared, "It hurts so much."
Thanatos shook his head, "We're okay," he repeated as Romulus broke down and cried deeply into his shoulder.
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The two men walked the trail in silence, neither wanting to be the first to speak. After some time, they came to the clearing of Thanatos mansion, he gave his brother a small smile. "Thank you for saving me."
Romulus smiled in return, "I'll always be here for you." As Thanatos turned to leave, Romulus grabbed his arm, "Somethings not right about this Thanatos." He etched his brow in confusion, "It just…it feels like we're missing something. It doesn't make sense. I can feel it."
Thanatos looked at his brother sympathetically, "It's because you love him Romulus, you're clouded."
Romulus shook his head, "Stand there and tell me your love for Evie doesn't make you know something isn't right Thanatos."
He silently huffed, before patting his brother on his back, and walked into his mansion. Thanatos gathered the guards and they all sat nervously afraid of what he might do.
"I want to apologize for how I've treated you all as of recently. It will not happen again."
He said nothing else and retired to his room. As he laid on his bed, something kept nagging him over and over. Romulus's words heavy on his mind.
*"Stand there and tell me your love for Evie doesn't make you know something isn't right Thanatos."*
He tossed and turned but the feeling persisted. Could they have really faked it all? The way Derrick stared at Romulus, even Thanatos knew that was love. As much as he didn't want them to, his thoughts went to Evie. Her smiles, the way she protected him, the way her eyes lit up when she looked in his direction. His head ached, his heart nowhere to be found. He just wanted to know the truth. Thanatos continued to lay on the bed and stared up to the ceiling, his mind all over the place. He suddenly leaped to his feet as an idea struck him. He ran to his office in hopes of finding the file.
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Thanatos knocked on the wooden door. He waited, then knocked again. After some time, a kind older looking male soul answered the door. Thanatos cleared his throat.
"You know who I am. I'm here to see-"
The man walked back into the home not letting him finish.
"Please enter," he said over his shoulder, and Thanatos followed him inside the quant but comfortable home. "Through here."
By the light of the candle, the two men continued to walk until they entered the living room. He looked around, his eyes landing on an older woman who sat in a recliner.
"I've been expecting you," she said to him. Turning to face him, he saw that one of her eyes was glass. "Lost it in the war, but I'm sure you remember." He nodded to her in acknowledgment. "I can't say I'm surprised you're here, though I was hoping you wouldn't be. If you're here that means she failed." The resemblance uncanny, from her auburn hair to the sparkle of her one green eye.
Thanatos felt his breath catch in his throat, "I- I need to know everything. I need to know the truth."
She shook her head, "Yes, I agree."
"Then you can tell me Ms.-"
She interrupted him, "No formalities Thanatos, I've known you since you were a child. Call me Angelica please."