It had been three months of searching, since Antigone went missing, three long months of torture for Orion. And neither he nor his brother Kalisto had been able to find Anti, any leads were just deadends. He kept his necklace on at all times, three glass beads that were magicked and connected to a matching necklace that Antigone wore, allowing the wearer to speak to and find the other. There was never any answer to his calls.
Antigone had gone to see his mom, it was supposed to have been a short visit to the mirror dimension, promised he’d be back in the morning, but Antigone had never came back home. And then the killings started.
Horribly mutilated bodies were being found scattered across the city, sometimes in pieces left hanging in view for all to see, or abandoned in alleys with their throats slit. Strange symbols were carved into the skin of all the victims. It hadn’t meant anything to him at the time, there was no connection between these people, until it came out that they were all demigods and their families, until the symbols had finally formed his name in Antigone’s bell sounding language.
Rain was pouring down now, making it hard to see more than a few feet at a time. Orion was bolting through the streets, quickly taking to the roof tops to avoid any people that were still wandering around. He had heard screaming, it was so faint that he wasn’t even sure if he was actually hearing it. Until he saw the plants, a vague trail of rotting vines and wilting flowers. The plants were getting denser, the screaming fainter the closer he got, entire buildings and streets almost completely covered in rotting foliage. A mockery of their usual beauty, the only one who had abilities like this was Antigone.
“Fuck!” Orion's foot caught on one of the vines, launching him from the rooftops to the muddy ground below. He laid there for a moment, not caring as he was already soaked through to the bone, slowly catching his breath. Orion suddenly sat up as his senses finally caught up, the screams had stopped, and the rain wasn’t falling on him anymore.
Pushing himself off the ground and out of the puddle, there were plants completely taking over the entire alley, creating a canopy that blocked out the rain. Orion jumped as something wrapped around his ankle and pulled hard, making him fall back to the ground.
“Get off!” Orion slammed his hand to the vine slowly climbing up his leg. It sizzled and began to burn as his fire boiled and evaporated any water it touched.
The vine had managed to drag him further into the rotting tunnel, there were flowers all around now. There were lilies, cyclamens, hyacinths, forget-me-nots, and so many more decomposing and falling from the canopy as he got back up again.
There was a faint light ahead, “Antigone?” He walked on, the flowers were starting to give off a faint red glow, get brighter further in. “Please, please talk to me!” The tunnel was much deeper than it should have been.
And there he was, three months of searching and Antigone was just standing there. As if he had been waiting for Orion, he was covered in blood, a knife in hand. Eyes glowing a harsh green against the red glow of the flowers, instead of their usual gold, there was no recognition.
“Anti?” Orion slowly stepped closer, there was a body behind Antigone, flowers and vines were already taking over it. Antigone gave no sign that he was even aware of what was going on. His eyes seemed to suddenly glow brighter, and Orion had to jump back to avoid being slashed by the knife.
“Kaes ef ataksi yytr tzffb.” The words were harsh and unnatural, it sounded nothing like the usual bells and bird chirps Antigone would sometimes speak with.
“What?” This wasn’t his intended, his body yes, but it wasn’t Antigone occupying it. Orion wanted to scream.
“Wt, kc pfs laf'h lebmdkhreb, pao iewmzfmbrkc.” Antigone looked disappointed almost angry with him.
“Who- What did you do to him!” Every sense was screaming at Orion to run, but he couldn’t, he needed to know. There were plants suddenly pulling him down flat on the ground, they were regrowing faster than he could burn them.
“Q me bf flm ax mflp kafqvil jaq, plk rpuk osfkqzshzfl qe ewev lwi, qcl jfwgdr yrtm ewse ygu. Tw dlk sx emqy r dqszh nycv kgi bvnb oszczlo rgf yzk.” Antigone was standing above Orion now, feet on either side of his waist.
“Stop!” The sound of the voice was hurting his ears leaving Orion disoriented, he couldn’t focus enough to keep burning the plants.
“Qf'k mflp nmmzk, zd gam vrul'b wwdk tytxabx ngbt lvzj lmoczrtc,” Antigone was suddenly grabbing the necklace he was wearing, tearing it off and letting it fall to the ground. “Pq oclcbv'f zomv dwgyvk dc aa zoiu yvp A kfljlz'l vrmc pmv hf vpiew smvpgfzwex fm isg.” He dropped do sit on Orion’s chest, knife held to his own neck, blood already beading where it touched.
“Stop! Please stop hurting him!” Orion tried to buck Antigone off, but the plants held firm as he watched, his beloved slice his own throat open. There was so much blood pouring from the ever growing wound. He was starting to hyperventilate, the vines were constricting further to stop his struggling, he couldn’t breathe.
Bloody hands were suddenly on his face wiping away tears, when had he started crying? There was a harsh tug and his own necklace was ripped from him and was dropped to the ground with it’s match.
“Gam dffp btabx.” The knife was plunged into his throat.
———
Jackie was sitting up suddenly, hand to his throat as he started crying, he was ok, he was home in bed. Kalisto his brother, Silver, had come to save him before the situation had gotten that far, but he couldn’t stop the sheer panic from taking over him.
He nearly fell off the bed when something moved beside him, a tired voice spoke up, “Jackie?” Anti. Anti was here, he was safe and sane again, and-
Anti was wrapping him up in a hug, “Hey it’s ok, I’ve got you,” he was rubbing circles into Jackie’s back, trying to calm him down.
He pressed his face into Anti’s shoulder, not caring to silence his sobs as he held Anti tight. Jackie was grateful that he didn’t ask about the dream, the memory brought just as much pain to his fiance as it did for him. He didn’t want to make the other relive all the awful things he had been forced to do while possessed. So for now they would just stay in each other’s arms trading kisses and words of comfort.
Glass was scattered all around them, their soft white glow making the shards sparkle like stars. Their shoulders shook with silent sobs, the tiny bundle shifted in their arms. A child. Their child, born from sacrifice, they had been foolish to think that they could create without sacrifice. Narci curled around the sleeping child, they didn't envy them, but to be blissfully unaware of the loss surrounding their creation would be nice.
Hagne had been a good friend, the lesser spirit, had taught them how to live in this desolate place. “Mirror dimension” she had called it, as it reflected the human's world. It didn't though, the ground was shattered leaving grey, floating islands throughout the inky abyss. Reflective surfaces were scattered about all around, there were people in them sometimes, previously the only source of color here, but very rarely were the people consistent.
The loud man, with the odd contraption on his head, had caught their attention years ago, one of the only consistent reflections. The mirror was shattered now, the pieces weren’t fading like they should, his familiar voice echoed quietly from them. That was good, It meant it could be fixed, but not by them, not anymore. How fitting that her little one be created from his mirror, an unfortunate tie they had tried to avoid. To break it now would only hurt the child, and leave the little one as colorless and trapped as they were.
Rising shakily, careful not to wake the baby, they wiped stray tears from their face. He was beautiful, and they already loved him so much. There was some discoloration along his neck, it didn't seem to bother him though so they weren't too worried about it.
They spoke quietly, the sound soft like bells, not something that a human could make, “I will call you Antigone.”
And even though they had lost a friend, this was the happiest they’ve been in a long time. And for the first time, the surrounding darkness wasn't as suffocating.
Notes:
I was trying to write more than this, but my attention span is shit, so I just felt like posting what I did have written. Feedback would be nice, but a like is ok too.
(part 2/2) TW for a bit under the cut, blood and gore, all that fun stuff. It will be bolded.
And that’s how a tiny 6yr old Orion(Jackie) falls in love with an 8yr old Anti, and just like a small child with many dreams he goes, “I’m gonna marry that pretty boy someday~!”
So after that meeting, Orion starts to seek out Anti and eventually introduces him to Kallisto. These three are inseparable. Years pass and the kids are older Orion and Antigone have decided to (the equivalent of being engaged in that time), Orion has seen Anti’s parental at this point. Kallisto has been travelling and has come back to check in on home base. Narci hasn’t been doing to well, they’ve been using too much energy as of late. Anti isn’t quite sure why though, Narci won’t tell him.
Until she asks him to come back to the mirror dimension for the night, as Anti has been staying on the outside with Orion. Orion doesn’t mind, kisses him goodbye, and goodnight. Anti doesn’t come back
Narci has been attacked, overtaken, and infected by a stronger demon, of the mirror dimension. Narci is no longer, and the demon controls the body now. They called for Anti to infect him as well, and the attack is to sudden for Anti to prepare for. From then Anti only returns to the other side to do the demons bidding he’s not entirely in control of himself, and after fighting for control. The demon decides that he’s too stubborn, but to useful to kill, and starts messing with his mind, and thus the murderous Anti we know is created.
Fast forward (a couple months? a year? who knows?? not me!)
Orion and Kallisto have been searching for Anti ever since that night, but Orion hasn’t been able to give his full attention to the search for a while. Bodies have been turning up, and nobody knows who or what has been killing people. Orion is part of the law enforcement, and has been investigating the deaths.
Anti was standing there in what seemed to be a daze, covered in blood. Those once golden eyes, now a toxic green. Orion was shocked and devastated, Anti was kind and wouldn’t hurt anybody, but why was he standing over a mutilated body, knife in hand. And that was when Orion made the mistake of calling out for Anti. Finding himself, for the first time, afraid of his boy, when Anti’s full attention was now on him. There was no recognition from Anti. The attack was brutal and left Orion with many scars, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He would have been killed had Kallisto not gotten to them in time. Orion swore to save Anti, and over the years he prevented many more attacks from the demon. They've both left their own marks on the other.
