Atlantis: The Twilight of the gods (BL)

Aether

"Xal, don't be scared. The doctors would just make a little cut and take something from you so they can make your little brother and sister better." Felix patted the little child's head as his stomach twisted with guilt. 

Even with all his resources, finding a match donor for the twins had been so difficult. In the end, Xaloc was tested and he was the perfect match.

Felix wanted to scream but the only thing that was keeping him in check was the words of his wife, 'Dear, between two or one, we have to choose. We can even have all three, it is just a bone marrow transplant, not a big operation.'

But he knew and she knew that it was not going to just be a simple bone marrow transplant.

Maya was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia and Mason, a rare form of Acute lymphocytic leukaemia.

How could two bone marrow stabilize them? Won't they also need blood? Little Xal was just one person.

His hands shook but he smiled, "You are their big brother. You are supposed to protect. Doing this is.."

At this point, he trailed off. He was not exactly going to tell his seven-year-old son that it was his duty to protect his siblings by being a donor for them.

This was not meant to happen to him. He was supposed to have a good family, and provide for and protect them. It was not supposed to be like this.

He has not been able to sleep since he heard the news. Every night his eyelids started to close, they would snap back open.

Helplessness filled his entire being as he lowered his eyes and sighed.

That action prevented him from seeing the gleam of tears that flashed in Xaloc's eyes before vanishing.

"I understand. I have read about it. They would need more than a bone marrow, wouldn't they, Dad."

"You!" Felix did not know if it was the knowledge of the apathy that he said in Xaloc's eyes that chilled him to the bones.

"Filial piety. Since you gave me life, I am to obey and respect you, when you are old, I am to take care of you in exchange for the life, security and food. This piety does not include the twins." The words left Xaloc as he held his father's gaze. 

Felix did not know why he felt very uneasy. His son had always had a mature and unpredictable quality about him that he knew came from his father.

"Let's have a deal. I will donate everything that the twins need, even my organs."

"If I die then I die, if I live then I live but Dad, in exchange I will not owe you any filial duty and you don't owe me either. Just focus on your precious children."

___

Felix blinked, he could repeat everything that happened by that day. Perhaps due to the many times that he had revisited that scene. How many times he had wished he had not taken that deal from Xaloc.

"I can't speak for others but I sacrificed my childhood, one year of school, some minor surgeries, approximately three gallons of blood, four bone marrow and a kidney. That should be it." Xaloc said as he played with the wine in the cup, swirling it to and fro but his gaze was fixed on his father.

There was a long silence in the room. After a while, Xakoc corrected himself, "I was wrong. It was not a sacrifice but a bargain. Grandma, I would like to know why you could not prevent that if you could?"

Karen clenched her fists, "You were helping your siblings, who keep tabs like that. Is that why you want to leave for Jaune College? If we record everything we have ever done for you, do you think you could ever pay us back? And Bargain, what do you mean by that" Compared to the unfamiliar Nyx and the fantastical things that just happened, Karen would rather grasp the things she could hold.

A certain sensation was tightening in Xaloc's chest, a twitchiness in his fingers and swirling nausea in his guts. He wondered why. It was not like he expected anything from his mother.

"Enough!" Felix scolded, his eyes slightly red. "Mum, please answer our questions."

Nyx just watched them. Even after all these years, mortals were still fascinating.

"What I gave Maya and Mason to drink is called nectar and it was the last dose that I had. Just let me start from the beginning, why I am here and what next."

"I didn't know how much Felix remembers from his childhood lessons or how much the both of you know about mythology but you have probably heard of the origin story.

"It probably goes like this. Before this world came into existence, there was in its place a confused mass of shapeless elements called Chaos."

"These elements resolved themselves into two widely different substances, the lighter portion of which, soaring on high, formed the sky  and composed itself into a vast vault, which protected the firm and solid mass beneath."

"Thus came into being the two first great primordial gods of the Greeks, Uranus and Gaea. Uranus, the more refined deity, represented the light and air of heaven possessing the distinguishing qualities of light, heat, purity, and omnipresence, whilst Gaea, the firm, flat, life-sustaining earth, was worshipped as the great all-nourishing mother."

"This story is partly true but it is still incomplete. One other god was born from the Chaos, he is known as Aether."

"Mom. According to the stories I read, Aether is your son. Some stories mentioned that he is the son of Uranus and Gaea. He was not really popular in the stories." Felix asked still a lot windwalled from all the events that had happened today 

Nyx laughed. There was a bitter, helpless expression on her face. She brushed down her hair with her fingers, "Not just in the stories but with us as well. Although he was the same age as Uranus, he was not particularly powerful."

"He was just a bright creation representing that highly rarefied atmosphere which immortals alone could breathe. A bit like Aër which represented the atmosphere surrounding the earth which mortals could freely breathe, and without which they would perish."

"He did have a persona in all pantheons which was rare but with colourful other gods were, that rarity was not paid any attention." Her voice had gone from bitter to placid and it was so similar to Xaloc that it made Felix's heart pound.

"What happened?"

"The Ragnarok happened."