Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Mar 7, 2024 6:14:07 GMT
Content warning: Vivid descriptions of burning, gore, and death. Please proceed with caution.
When she’d first been Chosen by Hestia, Evalynn Knox had just been 14 years old. She’d never really had a home, at least not one that had cared for her. She came from the United Kingdom, a child of a foster system. A runaway on multiple occasions, receiving hate, anger, and smiles in equal measures. People housing a sad child for money, some genuine. She could never bring herself to stay, why should she?
When Hestia had offered a home, a true one, she was eager to accept, hugging the women closely. She remembers the tanned hand running through her red hair, and whispered assurances. When she was brought to the building, called the Pantheon, she was greeted by warmth and firelight. Hestia instructed her on her abilities.
“This home will heed your call,” Hestia explained, voice soft and warm and motherly, “and so will the flames. Careful with them, though, flames have a mind of their own.”
Hestia was right about it, the fire was wild and unpredictable. Evalynn didn’t particularly like it, and the few times she let her fingers coast through the flames, she’d flinch back when they’d begin to grow. Her feelings acted as gasoline for them, and she was wary of what danger such a thing could cause.
Hestia didn’t only bring her warmth and power, but Hestia brought her a real family. The other Chosen were kind and just as forgettable as she was. Atticus was a big hugger and would gift all of them daily with beautiful flowers, and he’d sit on the couch after dinner and tell them the meanings. She had received baby’s breaths, daisies, freesias, white lilacs, yellow orchids, and white roses from him. He always smiled when she asked what they meant, he’d point them out, smiling as he explained that most of the flowers he granted her represented innocence, happiness, and youth. White roses for innocence, chrysanthemums for joy and long life, and yellow orchids for new beginnings.
Atticus had an elder sister named Adelaide, though everyone called her Alice. She was a sweet girl, though slightly reserved. She acted as a leader of sorts to them, though she lacked the motherly quality Adi had, she was like a big sister. The Champion of Zeus taught Evalynn how to use a sword, it wasn’t as pretty as the flowers Atticus gave her, but it was beneficial, especially against the monsters.
Lewis was the funny big brother, the Champion of Tyr always freely gave them jokes and heartfelt hugs. He demanded they watch movies every Saturday night, and he bothered the twins, Raffi and Lynn. On Evalynn’s birthday, Lewis had gifted her a jokebook, one that had her giggling at the terrible jokes within. Along with Lewis came the strange powerless human who had been a better detective than the world gave him credit for. Julien was a sweetheart and boasted often about his sense of fashion and demeanor. He was confident, sarcastic, but funny. He got along well with Lewis and the others, though Diana didn’t think he should have been with them. He was not a Chosen like them, and he was in danger, according to Diana, the longer they kept him ‘prisoner’, though that word wasn’t fitting. Julien had free reign, he just couldn’t leave.
Not like he wanted to.
Atticus, Alice, and Adi (the Triple-A, as they were dubbed) had argued frequently with Diana over the topic. Evalynn didn’t like that all that much, she’d seen so much fighting in some of the homes that she would cover her ears when she heard it, begging them to stop. It’s not like the arguments were bad or people yelled all that often, it was just the fear that it would escalate.
Raffi and Lynn told her not to worry about them, and usually, they’d play some board game with her and the others to ignore it.
Nathan was a bit quiet, and so was Niko. They both had some soft moments. Like when Evalynn skinned her knee during a training exercise, Nathan healed the wound. It may have caused a lot of pain, but being healed was nice, and she had thanked him afterward for the save. Niko was soft-spoken but kind enough. He often spoke about random bird facts he knew, as it was an interest of his. Evalynn wondered if he’d have studied Ornithology had he not been chosen by Frigg. But he carried an air to him that bothered her, sometimes he just went quiet, staring at nothing. He got visions, and sometimes when he touched things, they’d happen aggressively. He was clairvoyant, and he had prophetic dreams of the future. They’d steadily gotten worse, and he became much more frightening, downright mad as time went on. He rambled on and on about how many of them were to die. Newly 15 years old, it bothered Evalynn to no end, especially when he declared she’d be among the first.
The last of the Chosen were those closest to her, Gudrun, who was older than her, and Penny, who was younger than her. She considered herself perhaps closest to the two of them. Gudrun, often called Gwen because Atticus just wouldn’t pronounce her name right and insisted on calling her Gwen, was a softer-spoken and rational girl. Nemesis’ champion was rather rational and coolheaded, but she showed affection still. Evalynn liked that, she wasn’t that outgoing herself, and she wasn’t shy by any means, but she wasn’t outgoing like Atticus, Lewis, or Julien. She kept to herself often or played silly games with Penny and the others. Penny was Evalynn’s closest friend among the others, being closest in age to her. She found herself marveling at Penny’s prowess in her abilities, and hide and seek was always fun, especially because the house would always listen to Evalynn’s commands. If she wanted to hide in a secret corridor that no one else could find, it was easy to do so. Gwen and Penny called it cheating, but she just smiled at the two and put her hands on her hips, claiming she was just using her resources.
But since Niko’s visions worsened, since his snap, declaring Evalynn would be the first to go, the attitude of the Home had been somber. Evalynn knew it was the foreboding nature Niko had caused. His words had rattled them, and their foes had become more…dangerous. She wasn’t entirely sure what they were fighting, there were the monsters, for one, but Hestia warned her to be wary of those around her too. Warned her that war would come, because there was a power imbalance, it seemed. The easiest threat to understand came from Lewis and Niko’s ‘enemy’, a giant wolf, though they had only been warned of him. Atticus had written it off, because what was some misunderstood dog going to do to hurt them? Evalynn guessed that was good enough.
But still, Niko’s visions put them on edge. They were unyielding, and he no longer seemed to have true moments of clarity. Trapped within his mind, repeating that death would come, that it couldn’t be avoided. They’d tried to get him to rest, keeping him separated from the group. He’d tried to attack Julien on several instances. Diana had argued once more to free the man, but Alice had insisted their secret may be revealed. Julien himself seemed wary, a wicked-looking cut marring the side of his face, near his ear from Niko’s latest attack. In the end, he stayed, attempting to smile as if he wasn’t terrified of their abilities now. As if he didn’t fear closing his eyes and having a knife at his throat.
It was Evalynn’s turn to visit Niko. She didn’t have to, the older kids argued they shouldn’t have Gwen, her, or Penny near him in this state. But she insisted on bringing him dinner at least. He hadn’t been violent to anyone other than Julien, after all, and she refused to be afraid of a friend, even if his words scared her.
As she approached his door, she glanced at the door knocker outside his door, letting her voice carry softly, “please knock on Niko’s door,” she requested the House. It followed her command, the door knocker lifting and clinging three times, and with her hands full, she waited.
At his soft call to come in, she looked at the door, focusing on it and nodding, “Open, please.”
The door opened in reply, and she walked into the dark room, the steaming bowl of soup in her hands filling the space with the smell of cream and onion. Niko was sitting on his bed, a notebook in hand filled with a repeated set of words. Names, it appeared, a list that ranged from those he kept claiming would die. Strangely enough, his name was among them, sat at the top of the page, crossed out many times in red ink. It unnerved her slightly, but she cleared her throat.
He looked him from his scrambled writing, not seeming to recognize her at first. He went back to writing, disinterested in her, and she found her annoyance flaring. First, her burdened them all with this talk of death and darkness, and now he ignored them?
“Niko,” she called, voice edging on annoyance, “It’s time to eat. I’m not standing here forever while you work on the Death Note, buddy.”
He stilled then, looking at her with those horror-filled eyes, and a clarity that was haunting on his face anymore. He was silent for so long that she almost turned and fled, but then he spoke, “French onion soup?”
How did he manage to make everything sound so creepy anymore?
“Uh…yeah?” She questioned, uncomfortable, and moving to place the bowl on his bedside counter. She couldn’t deal with his creepy nature any longer. He was in one of his ‘death’ moods, and she didn’t want to hear the clairvoyant go on about her possible future death again.
Except, as she went to place it there, he grabbed her hand to stop her. His eyes were watering, and a few tears tracked down his cheeks. She froze, staring at his pale face, the bags under his eyes, and the painful hold he had on her arm. It was bruising, and she stared at his hand for a few moments.
His eyes hardened slightly, and he turned her hand a bit painfully, the bowl falling to the ground and shattering in a burst of ceramic and soup. She went to back away, spooked, but his hold was unyielding.
“Niko, let me go!” She demanded, tugging at her arm, but he had a vice-like grasp, staring at her, more tears strolling down his face.
“I thought we had more time,” he whispered, horrified, and she fought harder.
“What are you talking about!?” She questioned, trying to wrench away.
“Your time, Evalynn,” for the first time in a while, he addressed her by name, clarity in his eyes that he hadn’t possessed for a while, and a doomed look in them, “It’s come.”
“Are you on about that again!?” She questioned, glaring at him. They both had red hair, he was a curly mess, and hers was much straighter and perhaps more vibrant, now. She used to view him like a brother, but those views change when someone keeps insisting you’re to die.
“You can’t hide from it, Evalynn.” He said, tugging gently as if to get her to accept it. How had soup triggered this? She went to call for the others, but his next words stopped her, “This is the way it’s meant to be.”
“Why do you want us dead so bad!?” She questioned because his seriousness was getting to her. Her fear was mounting, a burning under her skin that was starting to strangle her.
“I don’t,” He said, somber, “That’s just the way it is. I’m sorry!”
“STOP IT!” She yelled, frantic now, he was acting like she was going to die. She wasn’t. She wasn’t going to die. He just needed to let go of her!
“I’ve seen it. I’ve smelled that soup in my dreams, I’ve seen you here, hundreds of times. I’m sorry,” he said, shaking suddenly, his hand holding her wrist tightening more, causing her to cry out in pain at it, “I’m so sorry.”
“NIKO, LET GO!” She commanded, feeling a fiery red-hot anger under her skin. She was only 15 years old, she wasn’t going to die just because he saw some vision.
“Don’t blame yourself,” he said softly, shaking his head more, “I’m sorry, Evalynn, you’re going to die today. I’m sorry. I’m sorry-”
Warmth was a thing that Hestia brought her, that Atticus, Alice, Adi, Lynn, Raffi, Lewis, Julien, Nathan, Niko, Gwen, Diana, and Penny provided. Burning was something she’d only felt a few times. She ripped her hand out of Niko’s grasp, pushing him harshly and backing up, falling to the ground and grabbing at her chest as something deep inside her struggled to free itself.
Death? Why would Hestia choose her, just for her to die? Why was everything hurting!?
Niko was on the ground in front of her, but his skin was turning scarlet the longer she looked at him. There were chunks of ceramic sticking from his skin, but he still reached out to her, “It’s been nice knowing you…goodbye, Evalynn.”
He offered her a soft, comforting smile, she felt anger flare in her chest. How dare he taunt her!? He decreed she’d die, then smiled at her!? He was approaching her still, reaching out again, and she couldn’t breathe. Her breaths came strangled, panicked. The closer he got, the worse the anger and panic became. As he approached, crawling closer, his hand held out towards her, she felt a wave of something in her bones lash out as she shoved her palm towards him, “I’m. not. going. to. DIE!”
From her hand came a blast of inferno, scorching and burning in the heat. It was so hot she could feel the flames themselves practically burn the flesh from her hand. She retracted it just as quickly as she threw it out, but the blaze continued, scorching through the wooden floorboards and catching on the curtains quickly, surrounding the room in firelight.
And at the center of it, she caught sight of a figure, on the ground covered in red and ash. Blisters formed where skin was not incinerated, blistered and melted. Parts were black and charred, and his hands were barely discernible among the rubble of the flames, fingers charred, some melted together, pulled into a fist before him. Niko’s eyes were open still, locked on her, melting away in their sockets. They kept gazes locked for moments, and Evalynn found herself unable to move. The flames roared around the two of them still, hot and scorching. His deep breaths sounded scared, but his gaze seemed resolute and accepting. His gaze was paralyzed by pain for moments before it shuttered into a more empty one as his nerves burned away. For a few moments, he seemed almost fine, but his breath seemed to be slowing, almost as if it was stopping. It was loud and choked, a noise that reminded her of eerily of water being splashed around in a jug. The squelching noise was perhaps worse, and for moments she stared at him, surrounded by flames, his fiery red hair burnt away, leaving burnt skin behind. The smell was thick, smelling of burnt hair and cooked flesh. The noises of the pained, labored breathing grew even fainter, wet on her ears. His limbs shook out a few times before stilling, and she watched in horror as his breathing fell to silence.
“Niko?” She questioned, crawling closer and placing her burning hot fingertips around his head, lifting it into her lap. It moved so easily. She shook his head, tears prickling at her ears, “Niko!?”
No response came, and his eyes were overcome with this glaze. His face and skin were covered in blisters, darkened in color, and some areas almost blackened like coal. Around them, the flames grew in intensity, and she dropped his head in horror, letting it clonk back onto the wooden ground as she crawled back, horrified noises escaping her throat as she looked at his still frame. His head split made a wet sounding splat on the ground as it fell back, skin and blood oozing from him. She could feel bits of it on her fingers, and it made her even more sick to her stomach.
Everywhere she moved caused an inferno, and she could hear startled shouts in the distance. Her tears evaporated from her cheeks, a painful burning enveloping her body, and her bones, as she curled into herself. Her powers were burning her from the inside out. She couldn't help but feel she deserved that. What kind of monster killed their friends? She couldn't hear her sobs and cries over the raging inferno. She cried out for her friends, for Niko, for Hestia.
But no one was there, no one was coming. The fire was spreading, and she could feel her own skin begin to succumb to the burns. The tears evaporated almost as fast as they came, and the pain was becoming unimaginable. Flames eating her at her arms and legs, even ash she tried to back away from them, they followed her, just as Niko's warnings had.
She could hear distant cries and screams as the inferno spread to everything she knew. The doors in the halls slammed shut, the windows shuttering from the pressure of burning flames, and distantly, even Adira would succumb to the fire, searching for the two and unwilling to leave them behind.
But within the realm of Niko’s room was Evalynn Knox, surrounded by firelight. As the flames scorched at her skin, she dug her fingers deep into her hair, pulled at her skull, and screamed.