#nugg writes

[n-ugg]

What if, no one came

Charlie watched the final parts of the fire signal burn out. The sun was setting and he can feel that time was up

The groaning from the zombies surrounding him got louder. With each mindless groan it gets overlapped by the sound of the walls that he tried so hard to keep up, getting so easily torn down. He keeps looking ahead of where the final bits of the smoke travel, just holding out for some kind of hope, that maybe someone may come out to help.

But no one came

"This is the end, Charlie" Patient Zero is at the other side and has the herd at bay. All of them are hungry but are waiting for one command

Charlie's bottom jaw hovers as he looks at the direction of the smoke. "They-...they didn't come"

Tommy just scoffs, "No one ever comes." He lifts his staff ahead. "You have a choice here, Charlie; you either choose to fight me and my herd-" seems like he stifled a small laugh. "It's pathetic! You cant fight on your own-!"

"I-I can! I-I-I made it 99 days! One more shouldn't be so hard!" Charlie was desperate to find some sort of way to get out. "With the help from the people I found! With people I have became friends with! They-they-"

"Where are they?"

Charlie lifted his head from his hands and was confused for a small bit. "Wh-what?"

"Your friends. Where are they?"

Charlie's mouth hovers again. He wants to yell out that they will be here. That they need to be. But the tears swell as he knows far too well that it isn't true.

Tommy just smiles. "You are surrounded by my army. You don't stand a chance here on your own.'' he raises the spear over head. "May the best zombie win!" He points at Charlie as the herd rushes to the base

Charlie watched as the herd from all around swarmed closer. Not being phased by the lava barrier, just taking the burning and climbing over. He takes out the mace as the young cackling can be heard. He quickly swings at the one that passed over and is rushing to him. The other end of the base is getting breached.

He swings and gets rid of one zombie but there is still so much more around. There's more jumping over and they are starting to get quicker. He can't handle this many at once.

Charlie looks ahead, in hopes that he can just hear the roaring engine coming to the rescue. Or at least that supposed wizard to come out and help. But...

Nothing

Charlie looks back at a small hole was cornered into. He takes a deep breath before jumping in. He is quick on running down the tunnel, hearing the zombies scream and run right after him. He wasn't thinking, just running towards the only spot that can give some sort of delusion of safety.

The tunnel was a lot more...stretched out than before. Charlie is barely taking note of it as his breath is almost gone. The odd feeling of his legs feeling weaker. The adrenaline is starting to wear off but the groans still sound right behind him. He can't stop running now, if he drops, he's dead.

Charlie continues to run until he can feel his chest burn up. But he kept pushing. Trying to ignore his chest tightening as the zombies are still behind him. But his legs doesn't seem to agree with him. As Charlie's legs began to wobble, he finally looks back and see...nothing

Just the outstretched tunnel he has been running through.

Charlie smiles in relief before taking the pause, then drops.

Instead of landing on the rocks of the caves, it's the wooden floor of a familiar shop. He softly smiles to himself as the goat is still there. Seeming more pissed off at his return after what happened.

The goat hybrid ahead of him glared as he was leaning against his desk. "Real world brought you back?" A slight chuckle leaves him, "Of course it did. Wouldn't have lasted that attack for a second longer if I left."

Charlie pushed himself up, still being out of breath. "Please...give me that apple."

The goat man's smile grew, "That little british brat broke you down that bad?" He laughs as Charlie raises himself up and leans against the wood. Still feeling the cramp in his legs. The goat man held out his hand and there appeared the golden apple Charlie rejected.

Charlie's eyes widen as he watches the apple materialize in the goat's hand. There was screaming from deep down. Yelling at him to turn back and face the herd. This can't be the last option. But his more sensible side, the side that's a part of this reality, knows that this can help in some way. It's worth risking whatever to make sure he won't get torn to shreds by the herd above.

The man ahead chuckles again, "Come on, Charlie. Eat the apple."

The screaming in Charlie's head and the groaning from above started to fade out as he felt himself get pulled closer. He used the wall to keep himself steady, barely stopping when he wobbled to the table ahead. Charlie leans against it as the golden apple is waved in his face. He goes to reach it until his own questions finally speak up. "Wait...how-how do you know my name?"

The goat man laughs as the apple gets pulled back. The sounds of everything slowly reaching Charlie's ears. "What do you think? I already told you, I have seen everything."

Charlie gets a flash of...a memory? That hasn't happened? He was surrounded and trying to fight back. Slowly getting tired but being determined. Charlie moves back as he holds onto himself. Hugging himself to try to shield himself from the scratching that isn't coming but he can feel.

"I already saw what would've happened if I didn't stay."

Another flash

He was getting torn apart. One swing didn't have enough force and it got stuck. The zombies surrounding took advantage of this to latch onto him and start to yank and tear at his body. They are not around, he knows this but he can feel the tearing that isn't there.

Charlie pushes back as he tries to keep himself together. In desperate attempts of keeping himself in one piece. "He-help! Help! Help me! Please!" His voice was strained as it hadn't had any time to recover. Tears start to prick as the feeling of his body getting aggressively torn apart grows. "Ma-make it stop! Please!"

The goat man tilts his head at Charlie falling over and still trying to hold onto himself. He shakes his head and moves the apple in hand closer to him. The feeling that Charlie has slowly melted away, but the stinging remains. "It wouldn't have happened if you took it the first time."

He tosses up the apple and Charlie was quick on grabbing it. The stings melt away but something is still trying to reach out to him. He can feel the undead all around but they can never reach. The voices that were yelling at him to reject it have been fully muffled out by something else. The call to eat the golden apple to be saved from this hellhole. He can hear its promise to save him, he just needs to take a small bite.

And he does.

Charlie raises the apple up to his lips as the fear of danger is faded away. Its promises are growing stronger and louder. He sinks his teeth in and the groaning from before is gone. He can feel the zombies being far far away from him. He swallows the piece and everything changes.

Charlie gets a rush of memories flooding in his head. Each adventure comes back. All from many worlds he was apart in. Feeling everything again, seeing everything. The power that was dormant before surges through his veins. He can feel his godhood return to him.

But within the flood, he found something.

"Schlatt!"

Schlatt cackles, "It's great to have you back Charlie!"

Charlie looks down and sees the golden apple in hand. Seeing the bite he had just taken. The dread returns to him as he just realized what had happened. He drops the apple on the ground as the goat man continues to laugh. "You-you tricked me! I-I thought we banished you! We did banish you!-"

"You can't banish the one that controls everything!"

Charlie shakes his head till he remembers something. Bizly, Grizz and Condi are here! He can save the first two. But-but if he can find the zombie that Condi has turned he-he can reverse it! Right?!

He turns to run out of the shop but there is a barrier that holds him back. He hits the invisible wall as the cackling continues. "Schlatt! I have to go and save them! I need to go! Let me go!"

"Oh don't bother." Schlatt moves away from his spot and walks closer to Charlie. "They're long gone, dead since you ran down here. Those zombies got them."

Charlie freezes at this. "N-no no! They can't! I-I can save them! They-they need me! LET ME-"

Charlie mouth gets frozen open as he can feel the claw land on his shoulder. Schlatt begins to quietly shush him. Charlie tries to move his mouth or to yell something out, but nothing. Schlatt raises a hand to turn Charlie's face to him. He lifts the jaw shut with a finger. The air was suddenly dragged out of his lungs. "There's nothing you can do." There was still a smirk on his face and he goes to lightly slap Charlie's cheek. "Let's get out of here."

There was a sudden breath that returned to Charlie as the fabrics of reality outside of the shop started to tear. He drops and lands into a coughing fit. Kneeling in front of Schlatt as he desperately tries to gain his breathing. He was still muttering something. "Please, pleasepleaseplease. I need them back."

Schlatt knelt down, "You see them again, don't worry."

Charlie looks up to him and tries to keep himself together. "I-I had them here. I just want them back to normal." He plead, just trying to get something

Schlatt's smirk grew as he got up. The floor beneath them starts to fall apart. The cracks from the floorboards tearing themselves apart. The world around them shifted into a plane that was just filled with darkness "Again, you'll see them. It will just be a bit different."

There was a painful headache that suddenly appeared. Charlie held his head as the pain just grew, screaming at the feeling that something was tearing his skull apart.

"Remember, you ate the apple."

Gold liquid started to pour out of his eyes and head. There was a sudden new weight on his head and it's growing even heavier. He felt something tighten around his neck as he was forced to stand. Charlie tries to grab whatever it is but grasp at nothing.

"You just need to listen to me in this new scenario."

Charlie felt the pressure around his neck release him. His body falls as it's weak by the amount of overwhelming pain that he was in. His body shakes against the ground before getting a proper look.

It's...it's the ground from Molympus. It's the green glass from his throne, now having the red from the blood he spat out. He continues to cough as he tries so hard to regain his breath

Three shadows grow closer around him. "Charlie?! Charlie! You are going to be just fine! Condi! Get one of your potions!" It's...it's Grizz! Before the banishment.

Charlie looks up and sees Condi run off as Grizz gets closer to help him to sit up and Bizly takes off his cloak to cover him. The air slowly returns to him as he gets covered by the fluffy cloak and is leaned against the base of his throne.

Condi rushes back and hands Charlie the potion. Charlie lets out a few coughs before taking and downing it.

His three friends surround him, each of them being visibly concerned. He was still shaking as he held the bottle close. His body was still weak but it was no longer on fire.

"Dude..." Bizly spoke up as a small chicken jumped onto his lap. "What the hell happened?"

"Yeah, none of us have ever gotten in this state. And especially not you." Condi added in

Charlie's eyes were still heavy as he tried to talk to them. "It-it was...nothing"

"It wasn't nothing. You were suffocating when we were just talking" Grizz pointed out and all three were obviously not going to just take that answer.

Charlie shook his head, he forced his eyes open and looked over to the group and he was frozen again. Schlatt was back

The goat man was behind the group, none of the three seemed to notice his presence and were focused on Charlie's reaction. The three tried to get his attention but Charlie can only focus on Schlatt

"They don't seem to be listening to you, Charlie."

His eyes start to have a yellow glow. The three men start to get up, not knowing what's going on but knows it wont go anywhere good.

"They need to be punished, right?"

Involuntary, his body stands up on his own as his eyes get completely covered in a golden glow. The cloak drops as the three can see his hand have a light take the form of a sword.

Charlie can see his friends grow more tense. Yelling something out, it's all muffled as the three get into a more defensive stance. Those muffles are completely taken out as he can hear the voice right next to him

"Let's make sure they listen next time"

[n-ugg]

Tired

That's all that Biz-...Zach can feel

Just tired

Tired of the fights of his brothers yelling at each other for who is to blame for what. Tired of this constant pressure being placed on him. Him working to exceed the expectations that were forced upon him just for all of his efforts to be ignored. Fixing some of the loose ends that the others forget about just for him to continue to get ignored.

He is just...tired

Everyone splitting up after a death was...heartbreaking to just watch. Everyone was trying to stick together and that's what divided them all. Charlie was trying to make sure everything was perfect and pretend like it never happened. Condi locked himself away and kept making more potions as an attempt to undo what happened. While Bizly tried to maintain balance between the two. Which made the wildlife more hectic as there was no one keeping an eye on them.

The divides kept getting bigger, all three sides just kept disagreeing. Charlie needs them to follow certain rules. Condi is obsessed with just trying to fix it. Both arguing about what happened, one being stuck in the moment while the other is trying so hard to ignore it even happening. Both are trying to grieve but in the most self destructive way.

Bizly was forced to sit there and listen to them just yell. He has tried many times to stop them but he just can't control two gods. The only thing he has really done is get the attention on him when a fight was close to breaking out.

He can only deal with it for so long before just leaving.

Zach gets up at the sounds of howling and the paws hitting the wooden floorboards. The wolf is right next to him as he sits up from the bed. He rubs the tired out of his eyes before lazily raising a hand to pet the wolf.

The wolf dodges the hand and begins to nudge his leg. Zach looks over to the wolf as they get him up. He does what they asked and the wolf immediately starts to lead the way. The man follows the wolf outside with no questions asked. He can easily get the answer from each of the animals that he passes by. Their minds are still linked with his, but he has chosen to block off the access. Using any of the powers from before just reminds him of everything that he is just trying to get away from. The animals and him are still linked since they still view him as a leader of them all even if he doesn't use any powers against them.

The wolf leads him outside of the cabin to reveal the small pack that's carrying someone on their back. Zach rushes to the person and checks for a pulse first before lifting them up and having them hang off his shoulder. "Where did you guys even find them?"

Some of the wolves just look up to him while one of them tries to push the person to be on his shoulder. Zach looks down to the wolf before rushing back into his small cabin.

He quickly places them on his couch and goes inside of his room to find the emergency medkit that's been hidden away. It's always been kept just in case the animals ever stopped seeing him as a god. Zach rushes back to the person on the couch. Their breathing is still steady and he immediately gets to work trying to clean the dried blood.

.

Zach sits at his table while having a hot chocolate in hand. It took a while to clean and try to keep the wounds closed. Most of the blood was licked off as the rest just remained dried and stuck to the skin. He looks over and the person begins to stir.

The person begins to toss and turn like crazy. Their eyes shoot open as they sit up. Their breathing is getting more frantic as they look at their body to see the bandages. The breathing begins to slow down as they begin to scan the room. Their eyes finally reach Zach, who is trying to keep his distance but inching somewhat close.

Zach slowly gets closer to the person with his hands up. The person scoots a little closer to the wall and that just makes him stop. Zach clears his throat before speaking, "Sorry, but I found you beaten up. I-I just decided to help you out since you seemed really bad."

The person takes a moment to stare at him for a bit. They look down at themselves to see the bandages that's littered around their body. They take a deep breath before looking back to Zach. "Thank you for cleaning these...fucking hell." They muttered the final bit to themselves.

Zach lowers his arms and takes another step to the side to get a little closer to the door. "I have a truck if I need to take you anywhere."

The person looks up and starts to rub their face. They begin to look around on their arms. "I don't exactly have a place to go back to..." they looked embarrassed about it. They look down at their bandaged hands. "Thanks. For helping me"

Zach nods, "Yeah of course." Now he really doesn't know what to do. "You can rest here for now. I don't exactly have an extra room." He begins to rub the back of his neck and looks over to the door. The fuck is going to do with them? "Name's Zach by the way." He takes a step forward and sticks an arm out.

The person looks up to him and stares at the hand for a bit before slowly raising their own to shake it. "Milo." He gets up from the couch to give Zach a proper handshake. It didn't do much due to the pretty big height difference.

Zach squeezes the hand and lets out a small breathy laugh. Milo lets out a small chuckle after the two notice how getting up meant nothing. Even then, the two continue the shaking motion. "Nice to meet you Milo, now get some sleep." Their hands finally stop and Zach lets go. "You need to recover from whatever the fuck that was. I can get you some water."

Milo takes a deep breath and nods, "Yeah I would really appreciate that." He takes the time to sit down and his eyes immediately shoot up at Zack in the kitchen. The man actually had his one hand slightly raised while the other was getting the water from the tap. Milo lets out a small sigh of relief when he starts heading back. The cup gets placed on the small coffee table in front of him.

Zach nods at Milo as he gets the cup to take a sip. "I hope that you don't mind if one of my dogs ever stops by? They were a bit concerned."

Milo looked around to try to spot a dog anywhere. "No, I don't mind. Where is the little guy?" He had a small smile forming on his face at the mention of a dog. His heart warmed up a bit when it was mentioned that they were concerned. He looks down and sees a small head appear from the bottom of the couch. The pup starts to crawl out and runs around Zach before running back to the couch. They go to start to sniff one of the bandages on Milo, pushing the arm a bit.

Zach lets out a small chuckle before getting a few steps closer before just squatting nearby. He keeps his distance from them, "That's Beewee." The wolf heard and turned back to Zach, his tail begins to wag.

Milo begins to pet the wolf with most of the scratches being behind the ears. "Hi Beewee" his voice changed to a more babying tone. Beewee scoots closer to Milo and starts to climb onto the couch which makes him chuckle a bit. "I think the baby likes me." Beewee licks Milo's face as a way to confirm it.

Zach just lets out a small chuckle before getting up from the ground. He gets closer to the wolf to give him a quick head scratch. "Yeah, it seems like he does. Did you already replace me?" He tilts his head at the wolf and Beewee extends their paw out to him. "You're just a big baby." He gives him a quick scratch on the wolf's back and Beewee just fully lays on Milo's lap.

The two laugh at Beewee's antics before Zach starts to take a few steps to the hallway to his room. "Okay, I will let you rest now. Wake me if you need anything and make sure to take care of the big baby for me."

"I will! Thanks for letting me stay here." Milo said before Zach just smiled and nodded as a response.

He makes his way down the hall and enters his room. It suddenly doesn't feel as isolated anymore. He came to this specific place for a reason, to hide away from the outside world letting himself pass by. As a mere concept before the thought just fading away from people's minds. Now the man that lives in the woods has someone that he will need to help take care of. In a way, it makes him glad. To just be seen by another person again. Despite it being the complete opposite of why he even ran away in the first place.

Zach is unable to get rid of the small smile on his face. Getting back to bed, covering himself with a smile still stuck on his face.

.

"Zach! Zach get up!" He lets out a groan as his beloved roommate smacks the pillow against his head. "Beewee! We need him up for FOOD!" Another smack and a sudden shift on the bed.

Beewee jumped on the bed and began to sniff around Zach's arms. Zach moves his arms around to try to cover his face. The wolf goes to try to squeeze themselves in the arms and lick his face. Zach immediately shoots up as Milo begins to laugh at them. "Gross Beewee just licked my mouth!" Zach sits up and tries to rub the slobber off his face.

Milo hunched over as the wolf went over to go sit by Zach, believing they did a good job. "That's what you get for refusing to feed me!" Milo sat on the bed then stretched out to Beewee, who immediately laid his head close to Milo to get the head scratches. "Good job on getting the big meanie up." He was talking to them with a baby voice as their tail wagged.

Zach looked down to the wolf, "Beewee that was the meanest and grossest thing you could have ever done to me." They continued to get affection so the disappointed tone never registered in the wolf's head. Zach looked up to Milo, looking hurt. "What did you do to them to make them hate me?"

"Be a better father." Milo didn't even look up.

Zach's head immediately dropped as he tried to hide the chuckle that tried to get out. "Hey that's not true!" He grabs a pillow and throws it at Milo, who took it on the face and fell back.

.

It has been five months since that night. The sudden change was definitely weird, needing to somehow fit a new person in a house that was designed for solitude. The cabinets didn't have a single crumb at the time, the water and glass was created in the moment. The very few times that Zach even used any of his old powers. When asking Milo what he wanted as a snack, he quickly tried to create a small portion of it before they had to drive into a small town.

Now that's where the two are coming back from now. With the truck having food that Milo has chosen and a few snacks that Zach has grown to enjoy. He doesn't need to eat since his body naturally sustains itself, but he learned that it's somewhat nice to share a meal with someone. Let that be that it slowly turns into an light hearted argument about who stole whose food. It was nice just to share with others again.

The truck pulls up by the cabin, the music is still lightly playing as Milo opens the door to exit. "You need to take down the frog."

The car ride takes some time and the radio is set to whatever Milo's playlist. He has managed to keep a phone while trying to get by, still completely cracked but it works. He would be singing along with a few songs, but his attention has been taken up by a small frog bobble head that's sitting on the dashboard. The way that convinced them to get it was just by them making the 'BOING!' sound effects. They are still doing it whenever a speed bump is hit

Zach looks at the bobblehead that's still shaking as he turns off the truck. "Wait why? I thought we wanted a third driver here?"

"For he won't melt." Milo shuts the door and starts walking back to grab a few bags.

Zach gets off without the frog and starts heading to the door. "I'm not getting him! We still need our third driver!" He yelled out, he glanced back to see the reaction as the door was unlocked.

"If you don't get him, I will be throwing out your soda!" Milo yelled back.

Zach lets out a chuckle as he opens the door and gets inside. He takes off the sunglasses and the layered jacket. He looks back to the door as he sets the jacket on the kitchen table.

Milo isn't coming in...

His smile immediately drops as he walks back to the door. "Milo?" He can only hope that the truck is hiding him. That he wasn't joking about hiding the soda somewhere. Closer he gets, the more of the mess he sees on the ground. "MILO?" He yells out again when seeing the groceries on the ground.

No response from anywhere and now he is really paranoid. He frantically looks around the forest and runs the way where one of the items was thrown. While running, his mind is flooded with what happened.

Did a killer find them and decide to pluck Milo? No, because the bears that live around the area usually scare them off. If they get passed them, then the wolves that surround them would've taken care of it

The snapping twig brought his spiraling mind back to reality with this odd new sight in front of him. Milo's arm was stuck in a bears jaw but there's two things very off;

Did any animals stop listening to him? Maybe, but it should be him not the person that stumbled into this.

Milo's screams are silent

The bears eyes are golden

Zach was hesitant with his actions, slowly taking a step against the bear. The eyes kept him tense but the small glance down to Milo. The friend that's desperately trying to yell out for help. Bleeding out and in so much clear pain. It was enough to break him out of the small fear he was stuck in.

Zach runs closer and gets himself ready to free Milo. The bear pulls Milo back and he can tell that Milo tries to scream again but nothing. He doesn't even take a moment for the bear to think, he just runs straight at it with fist burning into its face.

With this sudden new force, the bear falls back and lets go of Milo, who finally lets out an audible scream in pain. It staggers back and shakes its head with blood starting to flow. The bear begins to stand to try to take a stronger presence, which Zach ignores and dives straight into them. The power of an old god courses through his veins and he is essentially beating the bear in a fist fight. Its mind was already consumed, he could feel that this bear was no one going back to normal. The one controlling it is looking for blood, it wasn't going to just stop at Milo. But Zach is going to make fucking sure it will.

The fight wasn't long, it was all over the moment that Zach was on top of it. It locked its jaw on his arm and he pushed down. Using the arm and his other hand to apply pressure on the head. Pushing and pushing till the head splattered on the dirt below them and the skull was broken. He wasted no time on getting off and running towards Milo, who was just behind them and still bleeding.

Zach scrambles by Milo's side and tries to inspect the heavily wounded body. "Milo! Milo you gotta stay with me!"

Milo tries to look as he is trying so hard to regain his breath as his arm is completely limp right next to him. "You fighting a bear was super fucking cool man..." The free arm is trying to hold on the side that was completely torn into.

Zach looks at what the arm is trying to cover and he immediately pulls off the jacket to cover it. "Milo I am not letting you die due to a fucking bear."

Milo can barely hear, it's just ringing all around him. "Zach...thank you for taking care of me." His eyes continue to get heavier as Zach is just trying to scream at him. But it just comes off as ringing till it gets louder and it's all that he can hear. Eyes close as the final breath is drawn.

Zach looks in utter disbelief as his grip softens on the bloodied jacket. "Milo?"

No response

"Milo!"

Nothing

"MILO!"

Zach's vision begins to blur as he begins to shake. He can't lose someone else, not again. He looks at the bear corpses ahead of him and a small spark of rage starts to form. This wouldn't have been prevented so fucking easily if it wasn't for the demon.

But the rage reminds him of the power he has.

Zach looks down at his hands and then at Milo's corpse. He takes a deep breath before placing a hand on the massive wound around the stomach. A blue light begins to surround him and the ox horns start to reveal themselves. The disguise that was hiding all previous features started to fade away. Covering the dirty grey tee with his old fur cloak. Being forced into his old self has the most disgusting feeling crawling all over him as this process continues. The light begins to transfer to Milo and begins to cover him.

The light covers the wounds and begins to close them. The light travels to the head and stays a little longer before revealing baby ox horns on his head. Milo gasps for air again and shoots up, frantically looking around. Flinching back at Zach being close then looking at their arm where it should've been in shreds.

Milo is trying his best to regain his breath, "I-I was supposed to die! The hell happened?! You're not supposed to have tHAT! AND-!"

"Milo, Milo, Milo." Zach put his hands on Milo's shoulders as an attempt to calm him, which immediately works. "It's a lot to explain but Im not exactly human-"

"Yeah I figured that out." Milo was obviously trying to process everything. Zach lets go of him as he lifts his hand to run through their hair, immediately getting pricked by the small horn forming. "What-DID YOU ALSO GIVE ME HORNS?!"

"-I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN-"

"-HOW DID YOU NOT KNOW-"

"-THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I EVER GAVE SOMEONE SOME OF MY POWERS BRO! IT AIN'T NORMAL!"

The two stare at each other for a bit after the last comment. This really is new territory for the both of them. Milo looks down at what should've been a destroyed arm again and lightly feels it. "So what am I now? What even were you?"

Zach looks at the arm that Milo is inspecting and some semblance of guilt can be seen on him. "I was a god...that would make you my angel I think." He rubs his face with one hand. "It's a...really long story"

Milo looks up to him and places the arm on his shoulder. "You can tell me this shit later. What we need to do is figure out what's happening now."

Zach lets a small slaugh escape him, nodding. "I'll tell you everything soon. Let's just go home now" he gets up and offers the hand to Milo, who immediately takes it. They begin to walk back with a new future ahead of them.

"So did you connect to animals?"

"Yeah, it also means you can talk to Beewee"

"I CAN TALK TO BEEWEE?! I CHANGE MY MIND BEING AN ANGEL IS THE BEST!"

[n-ugg]

The Fall

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four End

A brother has been more hidden than usual. There's been tinkering on the other side of the massive door. Locking all of their brothers out and blocking out every time they try to reach other to him.

It's been about time for them to pay their brother a visit. Hopefully before whatever they locked themselves away with has tainted their mind.

╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗

It's been an odd week.

It's already been hard with each of them being unable to work the same as before. Everyone taking their own form of a break with trying to keep the other two in check. They had a small system that kinda worked.

So when Condi refused to get out and just started acting more closed off, the two were getting more concerned, Bizly and Charlie tried to get him out. With Bizly trying to bring in a wolf as some sort of company and Charlie bringing in some new invention that he had been messing with.

Condi just kept taking the wolf out, the two always finding the animal outside and pawing at the door or laying next to it. With each item, just being placed somewhere within the palace.

Every time they were lucky to even get a proper look at him, Condi was tired and more jittery. Always flinching at their actions, fumbling with his words and trying to leave sooner, constantly mentioning he needs to finish a test. When before, Condi remained in his lab messing with any possible new potions. But he always kept an open door to them, having them allowed in and not locking everyone out for the week.

The two gods look at the door that's been locking them out. Bizly looked over to Charlie, who took it as his sign to take the lead. The two knew each other better and Bizly trying to take over would've been out of his place. Being younger than the previous three.

Charlie takes a deep breath before raising a hand to knock. "H-hey Condi, do you mind if we come in?"

Silence

Bizly starts to speak up. "Um, you-you good in there buddy?"

Still silence

Charlie moves his hand over to the doorknob and freezes a bit. The two take a small pause before opening the room. The two were tense but Bizly can tell that Charlie was trying to be more like a shield in case anything happened. It helped a bit but the list of possibilities still kept spiraling in his mind.

The room was dark with a light only being shown above and only a bit of clattering was heard. A bit of muttering that neither can figure out.

The two start to take a few steps and Condi shoots up. Slightly turning his head to look at the two, his eyes were covered by some goggles. "Get out."

A chill goes down Bizly's spine at the sudden change in demeanor. He looks over to Charlie, who stood his ground. "Condi, we need to talk." Charlie spoke up as he stayed in front of the younger god

A drained laugh escapes from Condi. "We have nothing to talk about."

Bizly takes a deep breath before taking a small step ahead, standing next to Charlie. "You've been staying locked away without really getting out much...we just got concerned, that's all."

Condi shook his head at them, "Sure, sure. Or just concerned about me no longer holding back."

The two were just confused, "What do you mean"

Condi just laughs, for some reason it felt familiar. "Oh you're just acting dumb now." He turned to face the two and Bizly was lightly pushed back. "We could've brought him back. But you refuse to let us use our full powers."

Charlie just shook his head. "I-...I didn't. I would never do that. Whe-where are you even getting this from?"

"Oh stop acting dumb. We could've brought Grizz back a long time ago. But now-" Condi raises his hand up to lift the goggles, revealing a golden glow from his eyes. "I'm getting extra help from an old friend."

The hand that was up lightly falters after seeing the eyes. Bizly can feel the room's energy getting overtaken by something else. Something much stronger than him suddenly wraps itself around the room. It was a suffocating new force.

The arm straighten itself out, "You saw him, didn’t you?" Charlie was back on the defense, trying to provide himself as a shield for Bizly. Who was just forced to see this escalate

Condi's smile grows. "Yeah, I finally realized that he won't try to hold me back.-"

"-I didn't-"

"The one that didn't hold Grizzly back and broke him!"

"I DID NOT BREAK HIM!" Charlie tries to take a bit to control himself, not to lash out again. "He's lying to you, Condi."

Condi scoffs before turning his head to Bizly. "Do you really trust him to help you? He was so quick on throwing out Grizz-throwing out our brother! What makes you think he won't be throwing either of us out the moment it appears?"

Bizly's mouth hovers open for a bit. Admittedly, he doesn't trust Charlie. At least not with his life. "He-...he won't. We all had the same reaction after Grizz fell. Why would any of us want to repeat?"

Condi seemed amused by the response. "You don't even believe yourself." He starts to lightly laugh to himself.

Bizly bites his bottom lip and looks down as Charlie continues on. "You know that none of us wanted to do it. I fucked up and killed our brother. I don't want to do it again."

"Well, too bad that I don't believe you." Condi was gone with purple particles taking his place. The two are unable to spot him until his voice is behind them. But it also sounds like someone else was speaking with him. "Say hi to Grizz for me"

The two were able to move out of the way, being able to get out of the area of the sudden sound of glass breaking and a burst of fog that started to form. The fog was quickly blown away to reveal Condi having the trident ready to use again.

Bizly jaw clenches at the sight and he gets ready to defend himself. He looks over to Charlie, who has a hand out and ready. "Condi, I don't want to fight you."

Condi raises himself up, seeming like a rag doll with his movement. The eyes are brighter, and the smile is wider. "Oh but I do. But let's make some space"

He was gone again and Charlie immediately knew what that implied. He begins to run towards Bizly as he was more confused on being brought out of speculating.

The particles start to form again and Bizly raises his arm up to block. Transforming the forearms to be like polar bear arms, but was too high. Instead of a slash, he was met with two prongs stabbing into his abdomen. Hissing at the pain as there was a sudden mist around. Bizly reaches up to try to grab Condi or the handle of the weapon. Being completely unable to grab anything due to being blinded.

The fog starts to circle around Bizly and makes it harder for him to breathe. His vision became blurred as there was a dry ball build up on his throat. Something toxic got in and he doesn't know how.

The feeling was gone and he was thankful that it wasn't able to grow. The fog was blown away and so was Condi, seeing an arrow flying by. Charlie runs up to Bizly to catch him. The younger god continues to cough, spitting blood on his hand as he tries to stop it. The potions are much stronger than they should be, the potions usually don't hurt them. They're just an inconvenience for a bit with a running nose.

The bleeding on his stomach stops as it slowly starts to heal itself. Suddenly, Bizly feels himself getting pushed and drops on the ground. He turns to see Charlie taking a hit for him, with Condi stabbing the trident deep into his chest.

Hissing at the pain, Charlie's hand shakes as he reaches up to grab the handle. Having light purple swirls appear on his arms and go to the weapon in hand. The sound of glass breaking is heard again as the fog grows. Instead of heading straight to the two, Charlie blows the fog to go against its user.

The trident is pulled away as the fog wraps itself around Condi, causing him to fall into a coughing fit. The fog dispersed, showing Condi getting up, with his head hanging and stopping the coughing. Just wiping away the small bit of blood that dripped out.

Bizly got up as the wound was able to fully heal. He stumbles up to his feet and tries to get to Condi. Only being stopped by Charlie's arm, having the other hand lay on his own wounds.

Condi fully gets up and a broken laugh escapes him. "You need to stop protecting that thing." He raises his head and the two can see tears. Condi's voice gets layered with another that only one of them recognize. "It's just prolonging our battle."

Charlie's wounds close as the words strike at Bizly. "Condi...you need to let him go"

Condi's tears continued to flow but the smile remained. "I don't think he can hear you anymore."

Bizly, not wanting to watch anymore, changed his form and ran towards Condi. Charlie tried to stop him but was too slow.

Bizly was running up in a wolf form and Condi was quick to use the handle to block the bite. His hand slipped a bit, causing Bizly to bite down on it. Having an odd sudden sting fill in his mouth.

Condi freezes at the bite before having the dread to kick in when he realized which hand was bitten. Bizly didn't even mean to bite the hand but still tried to take out the trident. Wincing at the pain, he still took advantage of Condi's frozen state and fully pulled the weapon away.

Bizly tossed the trident up and grabbed it once changing back to his human form. Barely noticing the bleeding having a different look than usual. Being a golden liquid instead of the usual red.

Bizly looks up to Condi, who's expression has completely changed. From a massive confident smile, to a much more panicked forced one. With tears rushing down and the smile being pushed way past its limitations. Bizly tried to reach out, but the two bodies got overwhelmed with a massive amount of pain. Both hunching over and falling over themselves. Condi tries to hold the arm that was bitten and Bizly tries to use the trident to hold himself up, but ends up stumbling and drops.

Bizly's throat is starting to burn. Where the previous dry mark that was stuck, came back with a burning and suffocating sensation. He starts to cough, trying to spit out the fake blood that went in his mouth. But it's still taking a hold of him on the inside, keeping the burning sting.

He heard something running by and immediately to Condi's side. Bizly looks up while still trying to clear his throat, to see Charlie kneeling by Condi's side.

The other is shaking on the ground while trying to keep the arm close. Flinching at Charlie's hand being raised. Condi mutters something that neither can hear while trying to push himself back.

Bizly tries to get closer to the two. He can hear Charlie begin to whisper something. "-not too late. We-we can take it out. I-I promise-"

Another broken laugh escapes itself from Condi's mouth. "You can't-"

"Yes I can-I will figure something-"

"N-no no you can't. It's impossible to get rid of" Condi was shaking his head as it remained hung. "We need to do it another way"

Bizly's eyes widened as he heard that last bit. He tried to get closer with a hand reached out to grab him. The hand only landing by Condi's leg, "Look, I don't know what's happening...but I know there's something-"

He was cut off by another broken laugh, it kept getting louder and grew more manic. "Its way too late" There was a golden glow that started to grow around his arm and light from his eyes started to get brighter. His hand wound starts to close, with the golden blood starting to stitch the wound close.

He reaches out and the trident shots itself back to his hand. Coming from behind the two. Charlie tackles down Bizly as a way to shield him, with Charlie having one of the prongs of the trident dig deep into his back.

The hand starts to grow, the blood beneath his skin starting to bubble up. It starts to tear through the arm and begins to make it take a newer form. With each bubble against his skin bursting and making it grow. It continues to grow around the left part of his body, with it starting to burst. Taking a newer form, the gold starts to dig itself deeper into the body. Making the left side starting to tear apart, with more blood pouring out.

Bizly pushes Charlie off and tries to get them both away. Just trying to get themselves out of the way and not knowing what's going to be unleashed.

Condi raises the trident and slams it into the ground, breaking the marble flooring and having the cracks rush up to the two. Gold digs into the cracks and heads straight to them.

Bizly looks at the gold that's heading straight towards them. It starts to rise above them, being way taller than the two. The jagged good poles shift and start to strike at the two. Bizly was able to get out of the way of the strike, raising himself up and getting away from the cracks. The marble breaking where he should've been.

Ahead, he can see the golden pole being pierced into Charlie's leg. Letting out a scream from the golden blood starting to grow around him. Bizly starts to dash after him as the other poles start to fall back into the cracks.

Charlie was stuck on the ground and breathing heavily as he tried to sit himself up. Being pinned down by his leg and the pole stabbing through the ground. "We...we need to stop him."

Bizly nodded, "Ye-yeah, I know" goes to reach for the pole. Charlie reaches up to stop his arm. "Let me help you"

"N-no! Don't help me! Just-just focus on stopping them!" Charlie takes a deep breath, "We-...we need to kill him."

Bizly's body stiffen, "I'm not doing that"

Charlie lets go of him and focuses on the pole that's pinning his leg. "We don't have any other choice-WAIT-"

Bizly gets up and runs to Condi, who is getting the blood rush back to him. Not listening to the yelling from behind. The golden blood surrounds Condi, lightly floating around him as his body is loosely being held up like a rag doll. His body is limp, it seems like the gold around them is holding him up.

The eyes are brighter than before as the tired smile remains. "Well, it's finally time for me to kill you. Any last words?"

Bizly takes a deep breath before raising his arms up and having the gun appear in his hands. Aiming straight at him. "I have no idea what's controlling you but I promise to get it out."

Condi bursts out laughing at the gun aiming dead on him. Two shots ring out and hit the right arm. The laughter just got louder. "You're so stupid!" The golden blood starts to burst out at the other side, more of it starts to spread. "This just helps me!"

The golden pillars grow and double in numbers. They grow tall as he watches how badly he fucked himself over. They started to rain down around him and he wasn't so quick this time. The ones around the ground cut up his leg causing him to fall back. Dropping the gun in the process. Then the moment his back hits the ground, there was a golden pole stabbing into his arm.

The stinging from before returned and its so much worse. It feels like his own blood was trying to burn him from the inside and was trying to claw its way out. Starting from the arm and coursing through his body.

The other poles fall back as Condi gets closer to Bizly on the ground. He lightly laughs at the god desperately trying to pull himself away, but freezing at the overwhelming pain coursing through him. "So much on your promise"

Bizly looks up to Condi, still shaking and trying to claw at the pole keeping him down. "We will find something. I-I refuse to go down like this"

Condi scoffs at him before pulling the trident back. The golden poles grow into jagged spikes and ready to strike down at the trapped god.

BANG

Before Condi had the chance to strike, there was a golden spike through his chest. The golden blood from around drops as his wounds continue to bleed out profusely. The golden pole on Bizly's hand fell and he was able to get back up again. But he was stuck in shock of what had happened. A weak laugh escapes Condi as he shakes on spinning to see who shot.

Charlie stood there with the gun in hand and standing still. With a terrified but certain look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I needed to."

Another laugh, "Oh I know you did." He sounded weaker, but that didn't make the confidence fade away. Even if he is dying, it sounds like there's still more awaiting them. "Just didn't expect to die with my own weapon. I'm not done yet." The final words sounded slurred as Condi fell.

Bizly shoots up and gets to Condi. He starts to push him, to try to wake him up. There's no reaction as the body is starting to feel colder at the touch. Bizly continues to shake him but...no reaction

He looks up to Charlie, who is still holding the gun and staring where Condi once stood. "You-...you fucking killed him!"

[n-ugg]

The Fall

Part one Part Two Part Three Part Four End

After the fall of one brother, how have the others handled it? They have all tried their best to bring them back. With one getting more obsessive of the fact that it could happen

After many failed attempts and being able to speak to the others among the council, he stops. He tries to let go of the goal that seems so out of reach. But theres a bit that holds out some kind of hope that it can be reached. That it can be done, they just need to try harder

Its always in the back of his mind

But what if that goal was a little closer? What if it required to be reached in a more harmful way?

╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗

The old broken obsidian portal still stands. With the faded and torn apart pug portrait that was built behind it. They couldn't bring themselves to bring it all the way down.

Condi stares ahead with the obsidian in hand. The ones around the portal were cracked and crying. With only having two new ones, only missing one more block to complete its broken frame. He takes a shaky breath before placing the final piece then keeps a hand laying on of the crying blocks.

Condi can feel the deep sorrow it contains. Looks like his emotions are taking hold of what he controls.

Taking in a shaky breath, he closes his eyes and slowly lets his energy flow through him and to the portal. It doesn't take much to light itself back up again. The purple glows as the heat starts up, lightly burning his hand.

Condi pulls back and shakes his hand. The burning didn't mind him so much, you'd grow used to the burning when you rule over hell.

He takes a deep breath before passing through. The feeling is odd but familiar, it's been a while since he went through one. They all took their time away from the portals since...what had happened. But at some point, they had to return. With the main thing drawing him back is the growing feeling that something is off. It is his godly duty to check it and keep everything balanced.

Condi walks out of the portal and sees the familiar site that they haven't seen in so long. They... couldn't tear it down. The memories connected were horrible but...they just couldn't.

Condi swallows the lump in his throat as he continues to walk. Seeing the passage they all walked the first time. Nether wart began to grow in some bits. He just lets out a small chuckle before reaching the hole with a slime bottom for a safer landing.

The rows of apples still appeared fresh and remained on the wall. The beckoning grew stronger. That he is closer to the unbalance. He took a deep breath and jumped.

The cape flew behind him as he was made to bounce. The moment he was back up in the air, the flowing fabric immediately got stiff as he landed on an invisible platform. Taking steps down to the opening that lead them to the hallway to the makeshift arena.

He walks down the hallway. Having memories flood back. They were so scared of what was happening, confused on where it brought them. He couldn't help but to lightly laugh at them being stupid.

He got to the arena. He was still in his blue area. Ahead was the red throne, having nether wart grow all over it due to months of abandonment. Tears pricked as the memory of Grizz flashes through his mind.

Seeing him alive

Seeing what they turned him too all thanks to pity fit of rage

The guilt returns and grows stronger than before

Condi forces a smile as a hand raises to cover his eyes. Fuck they were so fucking stupid. They could've prevented this

A shaky breath escapes from him. "C'mon Condi." He mutters to himself. Hand lowering as he was successful in forcing the tears back. "We need to see what's wrong." Taking a deep breath, he begins to walk forward.

The closer he got, the stronger the feeling got. The guilt grows as he reaches the throne. This...is the source

Condi walks around to see any sort of obvious problem. Seeing nothing but cracks in the throne. He knows its hidden in...but fuck does he not want to break it.

Taking another deep breath, a light comes from his hand and forms a pick axe. He raises the pick, taking a brief pause, before slamming it down. It feels like the guilt just drove a pick into him. Feeling horrible about needing to do this.

Another swing, breaking one block and he can notice something in the hole. Something...golden?

Pulling the pick aside, he kneels down to inspect it closer. Only feeling safe with getting closer since he can easily control it. Slowly raising his hand up then putting into the hole to grab the shimmering. Only to pull out...a golden nugget.

Condi lightly hums to himself while inspecting the nugget. Having the feeling that this is what's causing the unbalance. Confused but still places the broken piece back into place. Putting a hand against it for the cracks on the throne be repaired and the warts shrivel off.

He takes his leave passing everything with a small smile on his face. Everything he passed seemed to mend itself. With the cracks closing itself and the wort shriveling. It might be bad memories, but still memories.

No one wants to get rid of a god that was trying to help.

No one would want to get rid of their brother that they held close.

Condi reaches the portal, going back to the overworld. The sound of the portal shattering behind him, so did the sudden, but familiar, dread that made him freeze in place. He quickly grabs the golden nugget out of his pocket. Fumbling with the small shard.

With it being so tiny and so unimportant, it contains the overwhelming amount of force from it. Shaking while holding the small nugget, for some reason being completely unable to let it go.

A sudden pain starts from the tip of his fingers, starting to spread down his hand. Condi tries to drop it, but the pain just gets worse. Having the stabbing pain turn into a melting and ripping one. With the hand feeling like its been melting into the nugget then the ripping trailing down the arm.

Condi drops with the overwhelming pain rocking his left side. He reaches over to look at the arm to see the nugget fusing itself on his skin. His breathing worsens as it feels like his throat is getting tightened. His body shakes as he uses his free arm to try to keep himself up. Completely shaking as the pain starts to trail down his arm.

"I...can help"

Condi whips his head back to try to find the source of the voice, to find nothing. With his arm still shaking, he pushes himself up. "Who-who's there?" He tried to keep his voice steady and make it louder. But the slight crack exposed his facade

"I can help." The stabbing pain starts to subside. "I can bring him back."

Turning back around to see nothing in the spot. Before looking down at the arm Condi bites his bottom lip as it continues. Can it? He looked down at the arm and the gold from the nugget seemed to drain. Just leaving a silver nugget in its place, he drops it as it's no longer attached.

Condi stumbles back up to his feet, with his arm feeling numbed out by whatever happened. Whatever that thing was, got in. Even with his much higher power, he can't figure out what even got in. Holding the arm close to his chest, he begins to run to Molympus. He needs to find something to get this thing out. He can't let this thing grow-

"I can bring Grizz back. Just stop and listen"

Condi freezes in his spot. N-...no it can't. It's just lying. If the three gods can't bring him back, what can this thing even do?

A laugh rings through his head. It's so familiar but his head is so clouded that it refuses to be placed on anyone. "Thats where you're wrong. I can do way more than help."

Condi is practically frozen in place. Holding the arm tighter to his chest. His mouth is dry for a bit before managing out; "H-how?"

"You're a smart man, right?" The feeling of another hand lightly covers his numbed out one. "Take me to your lab and I can work my magic." The numbness starts to fade. "We can find something to bring him back."

Condi lets out a shaky breath as he begins to inspect the arm. Holding it up and moving the fingers. No stabbing pain from it. He swallows the lump in his throat before nodding. "I-...I'll let you help." He knows this is wrong and could lead to something horrible later. It's way stronger than him and has no idea if the three can even take it down.

But...it can lead to bringing Grizz back...

That's a risk worth taking