God's Promise

Chapter 2

Lilith saw the flames -- heard the screams. She always did, her hearing piqued as she unsheathed her longsword, seeing the God of Wrath and his battle ax, wishing then she hadn't been so jealous of Max. That he was there below with her. But he wasn't. He was, as she thought, long gone. He wouldn't make it in time to help with such a small war. She had to do it all on her own. That was fine, though. She'd done many things by herself. This would just be another one. She took a deep breath before charging forward. Towards the God of Wrath.

Liam smiled at the sight of the War Goddess racing towards him, brandishing his ax at her menacingly before parrying a blow from the Goddess' longsword. He laughed with a smile as he saw the Goddess' face screw into a look of rage as the two battled in a deadly dance.

Max raced towards the village Lilith and Liam were in, just barely spotting his sister engaged in a battle that would surely be her end soon enough if she continued, only to run into a larger threat. A different God. "Hello." The God said casually, smiling as he brandished his mace. "Ready?" He asked with a giggle before attacking Max. The second God of Wrath -- the older brother -- Colby. In short, the God that could end Max.

Caspian raced after Max, calling out his name fearfully. "Be careful!!" He managed to yell as he stopped short, seeing Max forced to join in battle with the older and more powerful God of Wrath. His body shook with fear as he swallowed back a fearful scream. He wanted to scream. He wanted to so badly. But he didn't. Stay strong, he thought, Don't show weakness, or they'll kill you, too. He took a deep breath, counting out three short heartbeats before taking out his bow, loading an arrow onto the string. "Okay." He said aloud to himself, nodding, "Okay." Before he could fire, however, he felt a knife slam into his backside...

And straight into his God heart.

He felt the tears come. Hot and fast as he fell forward, managing a noise that sounded as if he was being strangled. He looked up to find Colby over him, smiling in a sickly pleased manner. When did he get there...? Caspian weakly thought. Gods weren't supposed to kill innocent gods... He hadn't even fired a single arrow. He wasn't even going to kill. He was going to use his arrows tainted with strengthening potion. To help. Now... He had a knife in his back. He had a knife through his heart. A knife crafted by the God of Wrath, himself. A knife to kill Gods. He heard Max cry out in anguish, running towards them. Caspian on the ground, Colby standing on top of him. He felt Colby bend down as he whispered in the dying God's ear, "Sometimes..." He said, "We just have to break promises... To get what we want." Then, Colby was gone. It was just Caspian, God of Love, son of Eros, dying on the ground, and now gently being held in his crying lover's arms, and Max, son of Ares, brother to his sister, distraught and heartbroken, gently cradling Caspian as he cried. Caspian couldn't speak, his body starting to become heavy as blood filled his mouth and lungs. He could barely breathe as tears formed and fell out of his own eyes. "Max..." He managed as Max looked at him.
"Y-Yeah...? What is it...? Do... D-Do you need anything?"
"... Tell... Them... Co..." He gasped for breath and coughed up blood as he tried again, "co... C-colby... Betrayed... B-broke his... Promise." He said as his eyelids fluttered. He was in the final stretch of death.
"Okay... O-Okay, I'll tell them. Just keep your eyes open. Please -- Caspian -- keep them open. Please." Max begged as he held Caspian closer, his cries beginning to turn to sobs as the chaos around them died down. Liam and Colby had left... This wasn't just a warning, Caspian realized, This was their beginning. He soon saw Lilith arrive with them, with only a mere cut on her arm as she sank next to her brother. "Max." She said sadly, seeing Caspian lying there, dying. Lilith said nothing then, gently hugging her brother the best she could without Caspian being jostled at all. As the last bits of life left Caspian's body, he tried his best to keep his eyes open as they slowly shut, and he died in Max's arms.

The God of War couldn't help but yell out in sadness. In heartbreak. In fury. He was mad. He was so mad. So enraged. The Gods of Wrath did it. They made this all happen. He felt Lilith still hug him, knowing she was trying to help, seeing small tears fall from his sister's eyes. He stopped yelling. He didn't yell anymore. He was quiet, then said, "We need to get back to Olympus. Tell Eros, Mother and Father." Lilith nodded as the two stood, with Max gently cradling Caspian's body in his arms. The young God looked like he was sleeping... So peaceful... Max took a small breath and started walking. Walking to Olympus. To their home. They had much to do.