Hel (HOAM Spin-Off)

Catching Up With the Past

Luk woke up late into the night, wondering what had jolted him from his troubled sleep. He sat up slowly, feeling the cool sheets against his skin. "Hel?"

"Something's waking up." She whispered. The moonlight slanted through the parted curtains, making her bones stand out in sharp relief.

"What?" He stood and went to where she stood by the windows. "What do you mean?"

She hugged herself tightly and stared out the window, her eyes glazed and far away. "Something powerful."

"Is it close?" He could go look for it in the morning.

She nodded. "Whatever it is, it's alive. And confused."

He pulled her closer and frowned down at her. "Darling, you're not making any sense."

She waved the thoughts away and turned in his arms to look out the window again. "It's probably nothing."

He kissed her neck affectionately and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist. "I heard Zagres talking today... He said a portal opened in the wastelands a couple times recently. They couldn't trace it. Perhaps that's what happened?"

She shook her head. "It's different. A shift in the energy but it's... It's alive." She sighed. "I don't know. Something's about to change."

Luk followed her gaze and watched the stars. "I've got you." He murmured, hoping he could protect her from whatever it was she felt. Hel took his hand in hers and turned her head to kiss his cheek.

"I know."

.........................

"Where is it?!"

Luk struggled under Alek's grip, his lungs begging for air and his vision wavering. He gasped for breath and clawed at his brother's hands.

"Bring her here." Alek shouted towards the door. The door opened and Luk turned weakly to see Zagres and Megath dragging Hel in. Her hands were held in front of her, chained together. Her feet were shackled and her clothes torn. She was crying silently.

Luk struggled again, fury bubbling inside him. Alek let him go but held him from attacking his brothers. Luk pulled against him. "Let her go! She has nothing to do with this."

Alek shoved him down and leered at Hel. He went to her, gently running a hand down the side of her neck and to the chain that lay between her breasts. "What's this?"

He cried out as Luk's weight threw him down. They rolled on the palace floor, the dull thudding of punches and their angry growls filling the room. Hel pulled against her chains, trying to gain some form of control. Luk slid across the floor, curling into himself as Alek's punches came one after the other. There was barely a moment to think, to react. He took the blows in silence, gritting his teeth as he felt a rib crack. His lip split and he hissed at the sting.

"Stop!" Hel screamed.

They paused. She was breathing heavily, gasping for air as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her knees gave out and Zagres hurried to hold her up. He lowered her to the floor where she knelt in terrified silence. A low whine escaped her, a sound of pure terror.

Luk scrambled to his feet and ran to her. He winced and one hand went to his broken rib. "Hel, what's wrong? Look at me." He pulled her to his chest and held her tightly. "Look at me, darling. It's alright. I'm here. Tell me what's wrong."

She gripped his shirt tightly. "He's awake. Oh gods, he's awake."

"Who's awake? You're not making any sense."

"Sir!"

Luk looked up as Amet ran into the throne room. The advisor skidded to a stop and stared with wide, fear-filled eyes. "The Titan is missing, sir."