#Thanatos promptly bundles ace up in so many blankets despite his protests

[sparklecryptid]

Because I'm in the mood for angst at the moment - well, I suppose I should preface this by saying that I generally like Regis? It's just - sometimes, it's just *so satisfying* to /blast/ the occasional character. (Usually those in some position of authority.) So - remember the Regis-Kills-Ace-Before-Ace-Is-Implausibly-Resurrected scenario? Imagine if that happened in All The Bastards (1/2)

(2/2) None of the Bastards will ever forget this. Or ever trust Regis

-

It takes a second for Ardor to realize what has happened. In the second it takes him to realize that there is a hole where Ace’s presence in his magic once sat like a gathering storm Jules eyes have widened to saucers behind her thick glasses.

“No,” she says and it’s desperate and pleading and she looks at Ardor for assurance when Ardor has none. He’s frozen and curling his magic inward to look for any sign that Ace is still there. Any sign that his brother is being cruel and not dead. “No. No! Where did Ace go? Ardor - Ardor please where is he? Why can’t I feel him anymore? What happened to our brother?”

Her voice break at the end and Ardor can do nothing but catch her as she throws herself into his arms and sobs.

-

Persephone is cleaning. It’s her day off and she has plans with her husband and Ace and Nyx for dinner. She thinks that she’ll make something rice and some sort of meat and sauce. As for vegetables - perhaps some sort of tomato? Or maybe corn.

She decides on corn eventually and is in the process of pulling the cobs out of the fridge when death latches onto the bond she has with her siblings and she spares a moment to panic before the chill leaves. For a moment she thinks it was a fluke but then she realizes she can’t feel Ace anymore. All of her siblings are alive. She can feel their magic thrumming through her bonds like a live wire. Her siblings are fine.

All of them are fine except Ace. Ace’s magic has vanished and Persephone swallows the lump in her throat. She puts the corn down on her counter and reaches for her phone.

He doesn’t answer.

Persephone’s can feel the rage in her welling to uncomfortable levels. Ace is hers. Her brother. Her brother. Hers.

He doesn’t get to die without them. He doesn’t get to die when she can prevent it.

Persephone calls Ardyn.

He doesn’t answer either.

-

Thanatos is fine.

He is fine.

His little brother could be dead - could because unless there is a corpse in front of him Thanatos is not going to believe Ace let something as stupid as death take him - Ace could be dead and Thanatos knows that he should do something. He knows that he is shaking and that his eyes are glowing and maybe studying forbidden magic was a bad idea because the ground beneath his feet cracks open.

He usually has more control than that. But his brother could be dead.

His brother could be dead.

Thanatos lets out a hysterical laugh and blindly reaches his magic out for Ace’s. If Ace is alive Thanatos will find him. If Ace is dead Thanatos won’t find anything.

Thanatos doesn’t find anything.

He reaches out again, latching onto Ardyn’s magic and Thanatos makes a truly stupid decision. Without a beacon, without anything to guide him but his Uncle’s magic Thanatos forces himself into a warp and finds himself in Regis’ throne room.

“Hey,” Thanatos says as he stumbles in between Regis and Ardyn, “Where the fuck is my brother?”

-

Mercury and Jupiter are in Niflheim when Ace’s magic fades.

An MT helmet is crushed in Jupiter’s grip.

“Hey,” Jupiter says, “Can you find out where Uncle is?”

Mercury is frozen in spot. Stilled for once as too many scenarios run through her mind that she hadn’t ever needed to think about before. Ace was never supposed to die.

“Hey!” Jupiter drops the helm and stalks toward her sister. She grabs Mercury’s face in her hands. “We aren’t gonna find out anything if you freeze up! Where the fuck is Niflheims Chancellor?”

Mercury pushes Jupiter away and pulls out a cellphone.

“Give me a minute.”

-

Bard pause. She thanks her audience and stands up. She packs her instrument away and calmly makes her way to an alleyway. A quick soundproofing spell ensures she won’t be overheard.

She takes a breath.

She screams at the top of her lungs. What happened to her brother? Why can’t she feel him? What happened to her brother?

She doesn’t know. She opens the group chat to find everyone freaking out but neither Thanatos or Ardyn are online.

Neither is Ace.

Bard takes another breath.

Her brother has to be fine.

He has to be.