It had been almost a year since Steve had disappeared. The Party had not taken it well.
Dustin and Robin were the most affected, obviously: Dustin lost his older brother, the first person aside from his mother that had ever loved him unconditionally, his confidant. Robin lost the other half of her very soul; she feels like a shell of herself, a hollow corpse drifting through space.
Eddie threw himself into the search with Eleven: they barely stopped for basic needs like rest or food, too busy chasing every lead (El's connection to the Upside Down seemed unable to locate Steve, but Eddie swore that he could feel his "warmth"). Max, through her recovery, writes down every achievement, every setback, because she wants to share them with Steve. Lucas quits basketball; being on the court sends him back to every evening practice with Steve, and the loss makes him so sick that he genuinely cannot play. Will draws scene after scene of the party rescuing Steve, although each picture grows more ethereal- Steve's image starts to change, his features lost to a golden shine, his clothes shifting from his cozy sweaters and jeans to shining armor and a white cloak. His eyes, though, maintain that same warmth, the same kindness, obvious even in a painting. Nancy pretends to be fine, but she's always felt responsible for Steve: it's her fault he was ever involved, and she'd been so cruel to his in '84. It's her fault he's missing. Jonathan is distraught: he and Steve were on great terms before California, but there's always the guilt carried from giving Steve his first concussion. Argyle doesn't know who Steve is, but if everyone is this upset, he's down for getting the dude back.
Hop is on the warpath.
****
Pelor fights with Vecna proudly for the cause. The vile creatures destroying their homeland are insatiable, and it is through Vecna's grace that Pelor was saved.
But things are starting to make no sense. It has been a year since Pelor was saved, but Vecna's story is starting to make no sense. These enemies, as he watches, and barely more than children. Watching them for too long makes Pelor's head hurt, especially when the curly-headed one sings that soul-searing song in the middle of the night.
"Don't be fooled by them, lord," Vecna advises. Pelor hums.
*****
Fighting the child soldiers feels.... wrong. They're crafty and innovative, making weapons and clever plans, but at the end they're just children. The redheaded one is easily incapacitated, for example, her body already weak from battle. Pelor can't bring himself to truly harm them, though.
And then the curly one starts to scream. "Steve! Holy shit, you're alive!" He cries, running at St- Pelor. His cries make the others freeze.
"That's not Steve," the small, angry woman snarls.
"Dust, get away from him!" The ugly one shrieks. Pelor steps away, glancing from each child warrior and trying to stave off the splitting headache.
"Eddie!" The curly one cries. "Eddie, sing his song! The song!"
The pretty one, who was near the back of the squadron, scrambled forward like a newborn foal. "You can sing it too, Henderson!" The man wails. The curly one and the pretty one bicker for a few minutes, before they both decide to start singing (only after the dark one and the red one start screaming that stupid fucking song that Dustin wouldn't stop complaining about-). The song splits Pelor's head in two.
∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆
@amoris-no-smut-allowed imagine if you will, Eddie = Kas the Bloodyhanded and Steve = Pelor, god of the sun, summer, and agriculture
Pt. 2
