The Hollowing

Pressing past me, Idun lifted her small delicate hands, releasing a pulse of azure light so warm, I wished for nothing more than to fall into bed; hearing it call my name, a drowsy fog clouded my vision.

"What are you doing?" I slowly muttered, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. Pulling me under, I barely found the energy to resist her frightening aura.

What a dreadful thing sleep is. It was something I loved, but using it against me, I never had thought of such a possibility. Even as a God, I would occasionally sleep. It was an enjoyable pass time in my eternal life.

Idun flashed me a gentle smile and shook her head slowly, "Sorry, but just as you fall into slumber, so to will the Laws around us. Although I am surprised, you are still awake." She said, reaching up on the tip of her toes, touching my cheek with a caring stare, "Relax, and push Soulforce into your Infinity Ring."

Taken in by her words, I saw no reason not to listen. Idun was not one to lay such a scheme. Although I am sure she had it in her, she was forthright. A bit of a klutz, but for the last year and a half, she had shown no intent to kill.

Having my Soulforce touch upon the Infinity Ring dripping a constant divinity, a dreadful revelation shattered my view, twisting it away. My blood began to boil, racing through my heart like fire. The very light became blinding, and the sounds of the world deafening.

The prayers of my acolytes had gone silent, leaving me cold and empty. The songs of praise had vanished, the loud hates of curses, the very sin I own shattered, leaving me empty and alone.

"Ok, that's enough," Idun warned, and I was to agree.

Removing my Soulforce form off my divine ring, I stared dumbfounded at what had happened; it was as if I was a different person.

"What! What was that?" I hesitantly muttered, covered in a cold sweat at the lingering coldness running down my spine.

"Soulbends call it The Hollowing." She said, holding her azure eyes over me, "It is a mystery really as I am not a Soulbender myself, but what I do know is that it is a destructive skill that changes a person. Look, are you still drowsy?" she pointed out, eying me gravely.

Shaken by her words, I shook my head, "No, but I did not like whatever that was. I am fine turning off my emotions, but that is under my control, but this. This was different; I was devoid of everything, even myself. Had I remained longer, then I feared what would happen."

"You are not the first to say that. The effects are always temporary but be sure not to overuse them. While temporary, you could be a mindless devil acting on baser instincts for a long time."

Embellishing in Iduns warm aura to calm that chill that remained, reminding me of a silence I feared. I bitterly nodded, shifting my attention to Freya.

Locked in Iduns domain, the demonic aura releasing from the cacoons began to waver. Diminishing quite significantly, something strange occurred. Both Freya and Mimir had stopped releasing a devilish divinity.

"They are holding it in," I said, a little proud of the new Shadowfell that was about to come into this world.

"I know,' Idun grimly mentioned, drawing closer, "Both Mimir and Freya are stronger than I am, so this little trick to calm the Laws will not work on them."

Taking a few steps back away from the two eggs, my hair stood on end the longer I stared. Idun followed right after me, carrying a solemn expression.

"Seems like there is no containing this, is there?" I said bitterly, as Idun nodded.

"They are both Mid-Gods, and Freya is on the verge of entering High-God if she hadn't already. I will say we need to be careful."

Catching sight of Freya's egg beginning to tremble, an endless wave of endlessly deep cracks started to spread over its surface, glistering with the glow of the Abyss and the Shadows of Noctem.

Touching my chest where my heart should be, a phantom beat ran through my body, sending a chill of excitement down my spine. The ground had begun to tremble, and the walls quaked. Waving my palm, a domain of darkness wrapped around everyone, teleporting them outside my castle and into the blackened skies.

Hovering a little ways below the clouds, the intense heat of this hellish kingdom touched upon Idun and me; Taking in the deep scent of brimstone, my lips curled as more cracks began to appear, allowing the glow of Night and Abyss to spread.

Baring a smile, my blood began to rage with a sweet indiscernible calling. Destroy any lingering effects from the Hollowing. I felt a tether between me and the two eggs before my eyes.

Waiting alongside Idun, Freya's cacoon shattered, casting a pillar that had my blood howling, screaming with unfeathered joy. Piercing through the heavens, hundreds of spiral doors appeared as both the Vanir and Aesir Gods made their appearance.

Storming my kingdom with deadly intent, I ignored them as the pillar that reminded me of Abyssal Night, but different in many ways grew more refined. It was not Abyssal energy, nor was it energy from Noctem, but rather something new, something grand.

"Arsene," Said the one-hand god, Tyr approaching by my side, like a loyal warrior. "What is this?"

"Freya," Idun answered solemnly.

Drawing close towards the far-reaching pillar of unknown energy. The winds pushed against me like daggers piercing through the turbulent air. Shredding bits of my clothing, I lifted my hand as a hand reached out from the night.

Holding Freya's supple hand, the pillar shattered into a million embers revealing both a man and woman.

Standing bare like a newborn, two pairs of scarlet eyes rested over me. There was a bit of innocence in their unfocused eyes. Pulling Freya in, my hands ran through her obsidian hair as a crimson dress wrapped tightly around her.

Clothing her with a dress, Freya, whose unequal beauty was known throughout the Bed of Chaos, looked up at me. Innocently blinking, her ethereal beauty outshone, creation as she smiled.

"Master"