In the Key of Night

Title: In the Key of Night
Disclaimer: don't own, not claiming to, not making money off this! so don't sue!
Pairings: Ares/Joxer, Cupid/Strife
Genre: angst, slash
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: slash, language, angst, AU, violence, child abuse, incest
Notes: erm...this is the one fandom that can distract me from my Draco/Harry addiction, so I figured I'd make a contribution. ^.^ it certainly took me long enough. first line of the fic came from the title of an Inu Yasha episode.
Inspirations: more fics than I can count. but one especially. "The Fool and the God", by Shamenka. also, somehow (not quite sure how), the song "Dr. Online" by Zeromancer. (...really have NO idea how that inspired it, but it did.)
Summary: An old friend of Ares' is killed, and he has sworn to avenge him. Unfortunately, time has slowly worn away at the memory...
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Prologue

"There. Hidden in the mist."

The young god looked at his companion, studying her intently. Smiling faintly, Gaea gently nudged him forward, closer to the bank of the river. The god paused for another moment, and then took another steps forward. He glanced back at her over his shoulder.

Smile widening, she nodded. "Go on, Ares," she encouraged.

Taking a deep breath, Ares nodded firmly back, a faint smile twitching the corners of his mouth, and continued onwards, stopping at the edge of the water. He hesitated, glancing once more over his shoulder, and then stepped forward—

—onto the water. Relief and elation showed clearly on his face as he placed one foot in front of the other, walking across the surface of the river, and, slowly, vanished into the mist. On the shore, Gaea allowed a brief look of sorrow pass across her face, before it melted into one of joy and pride. Patiently, she waited.

Roughly an hour later, as mortals recognized time, there was a flash of black, pulsing light that cut through the mist, followed by the sound of water roaring upwards like a geyser. Gaea flinched, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, before shaking the fear off and relaxing once again. A few minutes longer, and a mist-shadowed form could be seen approaching across the rushing waters, and Gaea's eyes fixed intently on it.

And from the mist emerged a very wet, grinning Ares, young God of War.

Gaea stood, smile reforming on her lips, as she saw what he was carrying.

Or rather, who.

"Uncle Hades will be pleased," Ares stated softly, glancing up at her, liquid brown eyes all but pleading for approval.

"Yes," she agreed. "He will be."

For a long moment, Ares stared down at the form in his arms, expression unreadable. "Why?" he asked quietly, glancing up at Gaea. "Why, Grandma? Why did he do it?" There was confusion in his eyes, and no little awe.

The Earth goddess smiled sadly. "Because he loved you," she replied, voice just as low. "He didn't want to see you hurt."

The young god glanced down once again, a tiny frown creasing his brow. "Is he dead?" This question was even quieter than the last, barely audible to Gaea's ears.

Tears forming in her eyes, she nodded, biting her lip at the look that crossed her great grandchild's face.

Ares continued to gaze down at the prone figure he was carrying, emotions warring for control across his face. Finally, it settled on one. Despair. With a quiet, strangled moan, he fell to his knees, bowing his head as sobs wracked his body. Again, Gaea flinched, closing her eyes and turning her face away to give Ares at least the semblance of privacy in his grief. Death was a thing almost unheard of among the Gods, and when it did occur, it hit hard.

But this one was harder than any Gaea had previously experienced.

Young Nyx, God of Night, had been Ares' closest friend and companion for three centuries. They had grown up together, though Nyx was a member of the House of Death. They were closer, far closer, than Ares had been with his sister Eris. And Gaea had always been fond of Nyx, for his boundless, unbreakable love for her favorite great grandchild. So many had tried to turn Nyx against Ares—Zeus, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, and especially Eris—but his trust, his love, had never waned. Nyx was Ares' **only** friend, his only ally besides Gaea herself, and, on occasion, Hera. Needless to say, the loss was phenomenal.

Finally, the god's sobs faded, and Gaea turned back to him, two crystalline tears trickling down her cheeks. After a long moment of silence, she stepped hesitantly forward and lowered herself to her knees before Ares, reaching out to gently touch his shoulder. "Would you like me to—"

"No," Ares interrupted softly. His eyes were red-rimmed and puffy from tears, but there was a look of such terrible rage in them that Gaea recoiled slightly. "I'll do it." Carefully, still holding Nyx in his arms, he rose to his feet, Gaea moving anxiously with him. He swallowed and closed his eyes, before licking his lips nervously. "Can you—?" She nodded wordlessly, and gently took hold of one of his hands before flashing them down to Hades' castle. Ares, still being young by godly reckoning, was not powerful enough to take someone else with him. However, Gaea realized, the emotional turmoil Nyx's death had caused could very well change that quickly enough. The God of War relied strongly on emotion for his physical strength, and the rage he was feeling now was strong enough that, knowing her grandchild, by determination alone he would stop at nothing to avenge his childhood friend. Especially something so measly as not having enough power.

They arrived in Hades' main chamber, where he judged the dead. The King of the Underworld glanced up at them, but there was no surprise in his eyes, only sorrow. "Ares," he greeted quietly, watching with sorrowful eyes as his nephew approached.

Silently, Ares strode forward, head bowed and eyes on the floor in front of him. He stopped before his uncle, dropping to his knees. "Lord Hades," he whispered formally, voice hoarse and ragged, "I have brought you the body of Nyx, deceased God of Night and Darkness." He paused, and then, voice breaking, continued, "I thought—"

"I know," Hades murmured, and he lowered himself to his knees, before collecting the body of his grandchild from Ares' arms. He paused when Ares leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his friend's forehead as one more tear trickled from the corner of his eye.

No one heard Ares' whisper. "I will avenge you, Nyx. I swear."

Silently, Hades stood, shifting Nyx against his chest, and looked down at him mournfully. "I can only say that I am glad I rule the realm of the dead," he said softly, "because I can see him whenever I desire. Ares—" He glanced at his nephew, only to find him nodding in resignation.

"I know," the war god said grudgingly. "I am not allowed in your realm."

With that, he flashed out, and for another long moment, there was silence.

Gaea looked at her grandson. "You will find a way to bring him back."

It was not a question, but an order. Hades nodded without hesitation, allowing a small smile to play at his lips. "Of course," he responded. "I just hope that, when I do, it isn't too late for Ares."

The Earth goddess, bit her lip, glancing down at the floor in an attempt to hide the tears burning in her eyes again. "That's what I'm afraid of," she whispered.
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NOTES:

well...this kinda flowed from my fingers. ^.^ that was nifty. easier than I thought.

by the way. Nyx IS a real figure in Greek mythology. however, Nyx is actually a goddess. according to the pantheon.org, Nyx is the goddess and embodiment of the night. According to Hesiod in his Theogony (11.116-138), "From Chaos came forth Erebus and black Night Nyx; of Night were born Aether being the bright upper atmosphere and Day Hemera, whom she conceived and bore from union with Erebus her brother". Also from the Theogony (11. 211-225); "And Night bore hateful Doom Moros and black Fate and Death Thanatos, and she bore Sleep Hypnos and the tribe of Dreams. And again the goddess murky Night, though she lay with none, bare Blame and painful Woe, and the Hesperides who guard the rich golden apples and the trees bearing fruit beyond glorious Ocean. Also she bore the Destinies and ruthless avenging Fates who were regarded as old women occupied in spinning, Clotho the Spinner of the thread of life and Lachesis the Disposer of Lots, she who allots every man his destiny and Atropos She Who Cannot Be Turned, who finally cuts the thread of life who give men at their birth both evil and good to have, and they pursue the transgressions of men and of gods, and these goddesses never cease from their dread anger until they punish the sinner with a sore penalty. Also deadly Night bore Nemesis Indignation to afflict mortal men, and after her, Deceit Apate and Friendship and hateful Age and hard-hearted Strife.

From that great work we find that Nyx produced a host of offspring. Other sources give Charon who ferried the dead over the rivers of the infernal region as being the son of Erebus and Nyx, although according to the Theogony he was born from Chaos. Also according to Aristophanes, Birds 693 ff, "in the infinite bosom of Erebus, Night with black wings first produced an egg without a seed. From it, in the course of the seasons, Eros was born--the desired, whose back sparkled with golden wings, Eros like swift whirlwinds".

I've taken a few liberties and played around with the mythology slightly (hell, it IS my story after all), made Nyx male and a lot younger than she actually is, but...the basic principal is the same.

I hope you enjoyed this prologue. hopefully, I'll be getting around to the first chapter soon enough. ^^;