The Throne I Left

It was pitch black outside by the time they got back to the house. Surprisingly enough, talking had actually made Johan feel a lot better. And the bird was just amazing. It flew in circles high above them as they walked back.

The good mood lasted for the whole trip back. Then he entered the house.

Signe and Wrath were sitting on the couch. Cuddling.

Johan didn’t know what to do with himself, so instead he looked back to where Note was entering right behind him, his eyebrows raising at the sight.

Johan closed his eyes for a second. A mantra of ‘as long as she’s happy’ filling his head. Finally he said, “We need to talk.”

Signe immediately got a look of understanding on her face and quickly sat up on the couch, away from Wrath’s lap and nodded seriously, holding one of Wrath’s hands in her own. “Yes, we do.”

Johan pinched his lips as Wrath threw her other arm possessively over Signe’s shoulders, but he looked away as Signe threw Wrath a small, comforting smile back.

Everyone was silent as Johan sat down on the other couch, opposite them, and carefully kept an eye on the situation. He could still not fully comprehend the fact that Signe and Wrath were so close to each other and there wasn’t any bloodshed happening.

“Right, uhh..” Note started, sitting down next to Johan and gesturing for him to continue.

Well, better get right to it then, get this over with. He took a deep breath. Johan set his eyes on Wrath and saw her back straightening. She met his eyes with something like apprehension.

“I don’t trust you.” Johan said frankly and she flinched but didn’t look away.

“...I understand.” She said.

Johan watched as Signe squeezed her hand and they shared a loving look. This was so awkward. Johan grimaced and glanced at Note.

“I want to know what your part in it was.” Johan continued. One wrong answer and she would be dead. Johan would make sure of it. Any answer that even hinted at Signe or any of them being in danger and that would be it.

“I did not play a part.” Wrath hissed, leaned forward threateningly before visibly controlling herself, sitting back again. She shook her head seriously, eyes on Johan. “I would never do anything to hurt Signe.”

“Maybe not today,” Johan threw back. “But you used to pick a lot of fights with her. I was there, we all were.”

To her advantage she did look embarrassed at that, but that didn’t change the fact that it happened.

“I realize I was wrong. I...” She hesitated. “The fight we had one the day we met- she threw me to the ground like it was nothing. Nobody had done that before. I read my feelings wrong and there is no excuse for it.”

Damn it. She sounded truthful. Johan deliberately didn’t acknowledge the victorious expression Note sent his way.

“And that day?” Johan pressed.

Wrath frowned at the table. Her hands clenched into fists.

“Betrayal of the worst kind.” She growled. “Signe and I had been outside of Heaven for a week and upon our return we were met with a gang of deities invading the Cave of The Dead. I didn’t know what was going on so I let them take her with them while I went to contact Greed and the other sins but I couldn’t find any of them.” She turned to Signe, the rest of her words were snarled. “Suddenly people were rushing to the palace so I followed. I got there just in time to see them cut Signe’s throat.”

Johan watched cautiously as Signe ran a self-conscious finger over her neck, a weak smile on her face and not meeting any of their eyes.

“I left after Note fell.” Wrath continued, looking away from Signe with a small, confused frown. “My mind in a haze, I entered the cave again and found a way into the mortal world from there.” She continued. “I did not look for you, Johan.”

Johan nodded, he knew that already.

“For the last four years I have been looking for you.” Wrath turned to Signe, eyes glued to her face. “Everywhere. In every city, in every forest, among every monster and creature imaginable. I never believed you were dead, and I was right. Because here you are.”

Wait. If she had only seen that much then-

“How did you survive?” She asked in wonder, eyes lingering on Signe’s neck.

“I didn’t.” Signe answered gently, turning her body fully towards Wrath and taking her hands.

“You’re here.” Wrath insisted. Signe shook her head with a small smile.

“Yes, I am. I died and then came back, four years later.” Signe said gently and Wrath’s eyes widened. “Me and Note both came back to life and Johan got us out of Heaven. We’ve been here since.”

Johan recoiled when Wrath’s eyes turned to him. A new, bright light in them. As if she was looking at a miracle.

“You saved them. My fiancée and my best friend.” Johan watched in horror as she rose to her feet. A flash of light appeared from her blue jeweled ring and a second later a spear was held tightly in her hand. Johan only had a second to wonder why it was different than the one she used to have, before she banged it against the ground, a resonating crack following from the floor.

“The floor-!” Johan exclaimed, then quickly froze when Wrath dropped to one knee in front of him.

“Vero-” Note started forward, alarmed at the sight.

“Shut up.” Wrath interrupted, laying the spear on the ground beside her. She met Johan’s eyes for a second before lowering her head. “You did what I couldn’t. I thank you for that.”

Johan stared at her. What could he even say to that?

BANG

Johan whipped around as the door slammed open against the wall.

“Johan!” A loud, offended voice yelled from the doorway and Johan’s jaw dropped as he saw the small, blond figure.

“How did you find us?!” Johan asked, horrified, quickly getting to his feet.

“Erika told me.” Frey made an ugly grimace and stuck his tongue out. Johan pinched his lips closed. Damn it, why did that old lady have to gossip so much?

That’s when Frey seemed to realize the situation. He looked back and forth from Johan, standing, to Wrath, knelt on the floor.

Johan opened his mouth to explain but then Frey gasped, face turning into the most overdramatic insulted look he could manage, and Johan shut his mouth. He sighed, he couldn't stop Frey anyways.

“You invited her, but not me?!” Frey cried out, pointing an accusatory finger at Wrath, then stuck his hands on his hips, huffing in disbelief. “I can’t believe this. After everything I have done for you! I thought we were friends!”

“Why are you here?” Johan complained, silently thanking Erika for getting Frey there right in time to save him from the uncomfortable situation with Wrath. “One sin is enough.”

“If one is enough then send her away,” Frey waved him off. “I have something important to tell you.”

“I would if I could.” Johan muttered at the same time as Wrath yelled triumphantly at Frey. “Hah, as if! I'm getting married to Signe!”

Frey stopped completely, face going blank.

“You.” He pointed a finger at her, then at Signe. “And her?”

He sounded like he had heard something truly shocking. Johan nodded miserably, completely in agreement with his reaction.

“No wait,” Frey argued. He turned to Signe. “You want her?!”

“What’s that supposed to mean, huh?!” Wrath thundered while Signe burst out laughing.

Johan sat down tiredly beside Note, who in turn patted him comfortingly on the back, despite looking all too pleased at the commotion. The traitor. Johan knew it was his friends but Jotun-

“Well, she hated you!” Frey laughed, stepping lightly out of the way as Wrath charged at him.

“Stop!” Johan yelled, getting to his feet again in anger. They couldn’t just start breaking the house! One hole in the floor was enough! “If this livingroom gets as much as a single scratch you will both be arguing at the bottom of the ocean!”

Honestly, why did so much have to happen in one single day?! First Wrath just had to kidnap Signe, then proposed to her! Then Note insisted on the whole emotional shit in the woods, and now Frey started breaking their house!

He must have muttered it out loud because the next thing he knew Frey was snickering behind his hand. “Wait, Vero, you kidnapped Signe and then proposed to her? How romantic.”

“Frey, shut up.” Note came up beside Johan. “You had something important to say, what is it?”

“Oh, right!” Frey yelled. He turned serious, looking right at Johan. “Heaven knows you’re alive, and they’re coming for you.”

The world stilled. Stunned silence fell over them.

“What?” Johan asked faintly. The room spun around him. “Already?”

Johan glanced at Note. His lips were pinched in a thin line, his eyes on the floor as his fists formed tightly at his side.

Johan clenched his jaw. Note had been right back in the woods. It was getting dangerous.

Johan had made it dangerous. He had known it was a bad idea to go to Heaven, but he did anyway, and he dragged Note and Signe with him.

Frey frowned at Johan. “You broke into Heaven and picked a fight with Carlotta. I was almost caught while waiting for you to get back! I’m surprised they didn’t go after you then, but instead of taking that blessing and laying low, you kill the king and crown prince of the Northern Kingdom!”

The crown prince? Why did that sound so familiar-

Wait. Killed?!

Johan paled.

He had only meant to scare him.

No. How did he forget that?! Johan sucked in a deep breath, Frey’s scolding fading to the background as memories flooded back. The pale face. The thud as he hit the ground. Johan stared at the ribbons in his hands. The red color suddenly reminding him of blood.

That was right. Johan had killed someone. He had killed that prince. A person. A living person was now dead because of him. Johan had killed someone.

His hands shook.

“-That’s where Heaven gets most of their human soldiers! Now Heaven thinks you’re planning to take the city! It’s a miracle they’re not here already! You unleashed all your powers against them, killed the king and then left witnesses to tell the tale! All while you’re supposed to be laying low! What were you thinking?! Turning day to night and leveling the earth they stood on? Did you not think that was going to give you away? As if there’s anyone except Fate himself that can do that? You should at least have killed all the witnesses!”

“What?” Johan asked. He latched on to the first distracting thought and looked up from his shaking hands to stare at Frey. Turning day to night? Leveling the earth? “I can’t do that.”

“You don’t remember?” Signe suddenly asked, eyes wide where she stood by the couch.

Remember?! He never did it!

Johan shook his head hurriedly and turned to Note for backup, but paused when Note avoided his eyes.

“You told me I passed out.” Johan said in confusion. When he had woken up on the way back to the island…A bad feeling settled in his stomach.

Note didn’t meet his eyes, instead he glared at Frey. And suddenly the pieces snapped together so violently that Johan flinched.

Note lied to him. Note had told him the fight ended soon after Johan passed out. Was that true? What else had happened?

Johan had never felt so angry before.

He stalked forward and grabbed Note’s jaw, forcing his head around to look at him.

When their eyes met Johan desperately searched for anything, anything that told him he was mistaken, that Note didn’t lie. But all that met him was pained silence.

Johan let go like he was burned. He turned away with a sharp intake of air.

It was true.

He felt sick.

“Johan-”

“I killed all those people?”

“You didn’t need to know.” Note said harshly. Johan laughed darkly.

“I didn’t need to know that I killed hundreds of people with some powers I didn’t even know I had, and also somehow managed to piss off the very people that want us dead?!” Johan’s voice shook. “Tell me the truth. What. Happened?”

Note was quiet for a long moment. Signe, Vero and Frey were all watching them in shock but Johan couldn’t find it in himself to calm down.

Finally Note gave in. “You snapped when Hymir died. The sky turned pitch black, bright stars exploded and the earth shook beneath us. It was too dark to see exactly what happened. It was over quickly. The the sun came back, and you were in the same spot, bleeding from your eyes and…” Note made a frustrated sound. “Then you fell. The army was already dead around us, the king too. The last few ran off while we were taking everything in.”

So Johan had killed them all. He sucked in a deep breath, a deep chill spreading in his body.

“Johan-” Note started but Johan didn’t want to hear it, instead he turned to someone else.

“Tell me everything you know.” Johan demanded Frey. He felt himself start to space out but pushed against it, he couldn’t afford to miss anything Frey said.

It was in times like this that Johan really appreciated Frey. The only redeeming quality he had was that he was serious when necessary. At Johan’s words, he shook out of his shock.

“Rumors are going around in Heaven. They say you’ll come and take back the city. First you turn up alive, inside Heaven, then you kill their biggest supplier of soldiers and even take his heir down with him. People are starting to believe it. They want you dead before you become a real threat.” Frey explained.

“Do they know where we are?” Johan asked.

“No.” Frey answered seriously. “And we’re keeping it that way.”

Johan let out a shaky breath, relieved.

“Good.” He said simply. That meant they still had time. He would need to let Odin in on everything but other than that it seemed they didn’t need to enter the fight just yet. They just had to stay under the radar.

Johan turned to Note, who’s eyes were already on him, watching him intensely. “We need to tell Odin what’s going on.” He hated to say it but- “We might need to leave the island.”

Note pinched his lips and left through the door without a word.