Re: Checking You Out ( Tag: Hal )

C A S S A N D R A . B L A K E - H U M A N - - P R O F I L E - ​ " Never had tea or coffee? " Cass said in genuine surprise. If she was to believe Hope, she knew the man had been dead for the last years, but if he was as old as he seemed, she wondered how he had avoided either beverage this long. But as she thought about her son, she never recalled seeing him drink either beverage. " I'll make you some tea," she said, preparing the mug and tea bag. She would have made Marcus a cup of tea right now if she could. What she wouldn't give to be able to sit down and have another conversation with him, but that was never going to happen. Marcus was gone. She heard Halvar walking toward her; she presumed he was bringing his empty plate over to the sink. He stood beside her, looming over her as she dwarfed him significantly. His hands were empty, and he placed them on her shoulders. She turned away from the cups of tea she had been brewing and looked at Halvar. He spoke highly of Marcus, and Cass could feel the tears brimming her eyes. Marcus was a good boy; he always had been. He had been their rock, hers and Hopes, and they had been floundering without him, barely keeping their heads above water for the last five years. As Halvar embraced her, she stiffened initially, not expecting warmth and compassion from a virtual stranger. As Halvar told her of the memories lasting forever, she softened, and the tears flowed freely. She leaned into Halvar and sobbed against the large man's chest. Her hands covered her face, and she allowed herself to seek solace in Halvar, who offered it so freely. It was a little strange, she had only met the man less than an hour ago, but it was hard not to feel safe in his embrace, physically and emotionally. She had cried a lot over the last five years for her son. On his and Hope's birthday every year, that Hope refused to acknowledge since his passing. Mori's birthday, her accomplishments, every day she grew, and he had missed it. Cass had always tried to smile and make the days as special as possible, but she always cried herself to sleep at night. It was a relief to have someone to share her pain with finally. At least it was till Hope arrived to see her in the half-naked arms of her baby daddy. Her stomach dropped as she realised she had messed up. Word Count: 420

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ Hope hung up the phone, frustrated but relieved. Of course, Nik wasn't awake and hadn't answered his phone, but at least Hope could count on Mori to pick up her damn phone. Mori assured her they were fine, and Hope instructed her to get her cousin out of bed by any means, as she would be home soon. Nik had probably told her about Hal's arrival, and she had some questions, but Hope shut them down. She promised to be home soon and explain everything when she got back and just to wait till she returned. Mori wasn't happy about it, but she agreed, and their conversation ended. She stood in the car park momentarily, contemplating going back inside. On the one hand, she didn't want to leave her mother and Hal together alone for an extended period, she knew what her mother was like, and she was no doubt grilling him for every detail she could get. But Hope needed to get her head on straight. Until yesterday, she had thought Hal was dead, and now he had returned, and he was picking up where he left off, and it was working. Hope hadn't slept like that in years; nightmares haunted her sleep that she couldn't escape, so she had been living off small cat naps to get by. Yet Hal had just strolled in and turned her world upside down again. It was infuriating. She paced the car park with her hands on her hip, trying to get her head on straight. She wanted to tell Hal to leave, that she had managed the last five years without and could do five more. But Nik deserved to have Hal in his life, and as much as she wanted to believe she could just push Hal away, he wouldn't make it easy. The more she tried to put distance between them, the more he reached for her, and every time he did, she took his hand. She didn't know who to be madder at, Hal or herself. She couldn't let herself be distracted; she had to focus on keeping Nik and Mori safe. Although it was hard to think about anything but Hal, as she could feel his residual heat lingering on her skin. Composing herself, trying to push the thoughts of Hal's body and blood out of her mind, she stepped back into the clinic, her tongue sweeping her aching gums. Unsurprisingly, Hal and her mother were no longer in the corridor. She hoped that her mother had the sense to find him some clothes, but she doubted her mother would have anything in the clinic that fit him. She would have to find him something to wear before bringing him back to her apartment, their apartment? Was he going to move in? Did he even want to? ' Get a grip.' she told herself, following her mother's and Hal's scent through the clinic. The smell of fresh eggs hit her nostrils, and she shook her head, managing a slight smirk. Of course, her mother cooked for him. She stepped into the staff room, expecting to see Hal devouring some food and her mother quizzing him. She was not expecting to see her mother crying in his arms, lying against his bare chest. She couldn't help the look of shock that flashed across her face as she stopped in her tracks. " Mum?! " Hope spoke, confused, wondering what her mother was thinking. Cass didn't even know Hal, and yet she felt she could nuzzle herself into his naked chest. Her face changed to one of cold fury as she looked from her mother to Hal. She had never felt more like a fool. " I'll be in the car.... " she spoke in a flat tone as she turned on her heel, ignoring her mother's call for her. It was amazing how her mother injected herself into every aspect of her life. The clinic, the kids, her alliance with the warehouse, and now she had talked her way into Hal's arms and Hal... ' Came back for you, my ass,' she thought as she stormed back down the corridor where only a few hours ago she had been sleeping soundly in his arms. She was livid with herself, Hal, and her mother, but she had no idea why she felt so angry. He hadn't even been in her life for the last five years; sleeping beside him for one night shouldn't have meant that much, but even Hope was finding it hard to deny her feelings. It wasn't just that her mother had been inappropriate, but the sight of another woman in his arms was eating away at her. Realising that she was acting like a jealous girlfriend only infuriated her more. They had known each other for a few weeks when he had died and slept together less than a handful of times. He was Nik's Dad, he wasn't her boyfriend, he wasn't her husband, he wasn't her anything, and she would have to remind herself of that before she got her already broken heart hurt again. Word Count: 851

Halvar kept his hands on the woman's shoulders as he inspected her. He could see that she was tired from trying to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.
The women in this family had the same trait. Cass would be much easier to get through too, than Hope, and Halvar gave her the space and compassion to release some of her pain.
He did not understand the mentality these people had. They let themselves fester with mental wounds without reprieve. They thought emotions made them vulnerable, yet Halvar believed the opposite.
It didn't take long for Cass to feel safe enough to express herself, and Halvar let get, his arms holding her in quiet protection as she cried for her fallen child.
Halvar would have remained in place for as long as Cass needed him to. But he could not. Hope's body silhouetted the doorway, and Halvar lifted his rusty gaze to watch a range of negative emotions cross her expression as she saw her mother in his arms.
She settled on anger; as usual. And Halver watched her in silence as she stormed from the room, upsetting her mother further.

Cass called out for her daughter as Halvar released her from his hold. "Do not worry about it, Cass. She will be fine," he reassured her with a knowing gaze. Hope liked to find any opportunity she could to try and push him away. Everyone left her, and she was waiting for him to make the same choice as so many of the men before him. Halvar didn't care for these tests, nor for the emotional roller coaster Hope wanted to put him through, but he treated it with the same compassion he had shown Cass minutes before.
He wasn't going to leave by choice. He decided that a very long time ago, and Hope could push with all of her might. She could not change his mind. No one could.
"It was very nice to meet you, Cass." He smiled, placing his hand on her shoulder again with a soft squeeze. "I hope to see you again. Very soon."

Halvar walked through the building, following the scent of his lover until he stood in the cold car park, his skin lifting in goosebumps as the air bit at him. "Your anger is misplaced," he called to the sulking woman. He stopped a few feet from the car, content to watch her from that distance. He could not pretend her sullen mood didn't hurt. Of course, it did. He was gone for so long, and only just returned to her, yet Hope already tried to drive him back with a fit of foolish anger.
"Are you eager to punish me?" he let his head tilt, she was angry with him for dying. He wouldn't deny her that emotion, unreasonable or not. "You are angry with me for dying?"

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ As Hope exited the clinic, she couldn't help but see her mother sobbing in Hal's arms. He was tender and soft with her, and Cass was a pathetic puddle against him. She didn't need to guess what she was crying about. Only one thing set her mother off like that and infuriated Hope to no end. Her mother had given up on Marcus five years ago and was acting like he was dead, but he wasn't dead; he was in the basement, alive. He wasn't back to himself, but his soul was still with them, and while it was still here, there was still hope. Hope hated to see the irony in the name her mother gave her and how lacking she was in it. Hitting the concrete, she rummaged for her keys and pointed them at the car to unlock it. She was sure she heard Halvar following her but refused to turn around to check. Her mother could act like an emotional child, but Hope refused. Halvar couldn't just swan back into her life, sweep her off her feet and expect her to swoon. Her hand wrapped around the car door handle when Hal called out to her, keeping his distance. She turned to look over her shoulder, seeing him still half naked in broad daylight in public. What was he thinking? Hope sighed as she walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk. The trunk was full but well organised, full of weapons, three "to-go bags " in case Hope needed to bring the kids out of the city in a hurry, containers of food, and a folder full of passports, ID's and various currencies. Nestled away in the back were some blankets Hope had packed should the kids and her ever need to sleep in the car, and being half-human, they felt the cold far more than her. She walked toward him, unfolding the blanket and realising that it wouldn't cover him as much as she would like, but it was the best she could do. " If I wanted to punish you, I'd let you freeze," she muttered as she held the blanket out for him to take. She preyed he would decide to cover up. She didn't know how to explain a naked goliath wandering around Saints to Coran. She turned her back to head back to the car when in his usual bluntness, he called her out. She stopped in her tracks, almost in shock. It had been years since someone had dared to try and speak to her about her emotions. They thought she had lost her sanity with Marcus, and she was happy for them to believe that. But Hal never backed down; he was infuriating. " Angry with you for dying? " she said, almost scoffing like it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. " No, I'm not angry with you for dying, Hal; I'm angry because you thought it was ok to kill yourself so you could go to your precious Valhalla and leave me here alone and pregnant with your son, who has been having those little explosions like the one in the Woods since he could walk. " Hope's outburst had been unexpected, harsh but honest. She hadn't even realised how angry she was with him for his " heroics " that day in the woods when they were doomed anyway. They should have all died that day in the woods, but she had survived and hated herself every day for it. " So yeah, I'm angry, Hal... " she said and then went to turn to end the conversation before she turned on her heel to face him again. " and you know, seeing you half-naked with another woman in your arms after we slept together isn't going to put me in a winning mood. " Hope hated herself at that moment for showing her jealousy and possessiveness of Hal. She didn't care that the other woman was her mother; if Cass wanted a shoulder to cry on, there was a warehouse full of men who would no doubt volunteer. Cass didn't need Hal, and although Hope would never admit it, even to herself, she needed Hal. Word Count: 707

Hope turned to look at him with an exasperated expression. It was enough to chafe the usually calm man as he watched the woman turn away from him with anger in her eyes. His eyes followed her as small golden speckles started to creep into his irises. Hope was a hard woman; she was unkind at times, and Halvar accepted that about her. However, this childish jealousy was unreasonable, and Halvar bristled against it, eyes following Hope as she moved to press a blanket into him.
"Then let me freeze," he snapped as he snatched the blanket from her hands. Hope had angered him for the first time, and he did not hide it. Halvar was at one with his emotions, negative as well as positive. That was where they differed. Hope only seemed capable of showing anger or lust; everything else was locked behind this hard shell she hid behind.
He slung the blanket around his shoulder, placating her desire to cover him up. It barely made a difference and would have been laughable if he wasn't so angry.

Her words were like daggers as she let loose her barbed words, Halvar wasn't easy to wound, but he immediately felt anguish. His eyes averted from her for a split second as he tried to command the rumbling power that wanted to let loose in an act of self-protection.
He looked back to her once he was sure he had control, his eyes a mixture of sad anger as she finished her verbal assault.
A tension-rich silence fell once she silenced herself, and Hope was the first to break it.
Jealousy coursed through her words as she threw him comforting her mother back at him. Halvar would have laughed, but he was still reeling from her previous words; he was fighting a losing battle with himself. He wanted to stay silent; so he could ruminate on her awful words, but he could not. His anger only grew with his silence, until the Viking broke his silence.

"Enough!" The volume of his voice betrayed the anger he was trying to control. He took a step back, wanting to distance himself from her.
"You say that I left you with my son?" his head shook with rage at the mere thought of it. "You think I would leave OUR son because of a desire to be in Valhalla? You think that I would sacrifice myself when there were other options, just so I could leave you with our child?"
He laughed now, but the sound had no happiness inside of it, only angry disbelief. "I died to make sure our son lived, Hope. To make sure that you lived. Had I not, you and Nik would be nothing but dust. You resent me for making sure our child lived? Are you really such a bitter creature?" the words left a sour taste in his mouth.
"I died because I loved you. Because I loved our son. And I will never apologize."

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ The golden speckles in Hal's eyes hadn't gone unnoticed Hope as her words reeled him. She had been watching Nik for five years for any trace of gold that appeared because she knew what happened when they did. She remembered that night in the Black Woods when Hal told her who and what he really was. How the skies had opened for him, and she anticipated hearing the thundering overhead, but Hal was doing a good job keeping control, considering he had only come back from the dead a day ago. But Hope could see the anger written all over his body as his muscles tensed, and he looked away from her. She tried to convince herself it was better not to get attached again and cut the chase before he inevitably left, but she couldn't ignore the knot in her stomach that was forming. For the first time Hope could remember, Hal raised his voice at her and stepped away from her. She showed no fear on her face; she didn't honestly believe that Hal would physically hurt her, but he must have been concerned if he felt the need to move away from her or if he started to hate her and needed to get away from her. He was shaking as he emphasised that Nik was their son, like she needed to be reminded. She had been the only parent in his life so far; if anything, he was HER son. She wanted to remind him of this, but she bit her tongue as Halvar tried to tell her he had no other choice. Of course, he had a choice; he could have continued to fight or gone after Bade before he got to Marcus, but instead, he sacrificed himself to take down some choppers. ' A bitter creature.. ' Hope wanted to laugh, but her jaw was tense; it wouldn't have escaped. She had been called many things over the last five years on hushed whispered breaths, but Hope had heard them all the same. Mad, heartless, cold, insane.. the list went on but bitter wasn't one she had heard. Did he really think she resented him for sure Nik lived? He was the one who had tried to kill him yesterday, and she was preparing to throw this fact in his face when he floored her with his following statement. Her tight jaw dropped as she went from a state of fury to complete shock as she tried to process what Hal had just admitted. Their time together had been short, full of passion and lust, but the word love had never come into play before now. Hope stared into Hal's gold-speckled eyes as she looked for any sign of a lie, and although there was a lot of anger there, there was no deception. Hope folded her arms across her body as she tried to process the turn this conversation had taken. She wished he was still yelling at her; Hope could handle anger, but what was she supposed to do with this bombshell? Hope's features were softened now as she tried to pretend she wasn't reeling from what he had said. " I didn't ask you to apologise, Hal. " Hope said; the ferocity in her voice had been dampened. " But I won't apologise either. You died, and I had to stand there and watch... " Hope's voice trembled, it was slight and barely noticeable, but she hated it and swallowed, trying to force her composure. " I'm angry, Hal, I've been angry for five years, and it's not just going just to disappear overnight. If you don't like it... " Hope's anger was flaring again, but this time she quashed it before she took it too far. She sighed, looking back at the car and then at Hal. God, she wished she was back in that bed sleeping beside him; it was a lot simpler. " I can't do this, Hal... " Hope said, sounding defeated. She couldn't fight with him after he said he loved her, but she also couldn't talk about their feelings. She was too sober for that. " I have to get back home, you're welcome to come, or you can stay. It's up to you. " Hope said, sounding exhausted as she scanned his eyes again before heading towards the car. She had no idea whether Hal would follow her after their fight. She assumed he would, not for her but for Nik. He promised to talk, and Hope knew he would keep his word. But part of her panicked at the thought. If Hal came, things would change, and Hope didn't like change. But there was no way she could keep Hal and Nik apart. Loki was starting to make moves against their son, and Hope, as hard as she tried, couldn't prepare him the same way Hal could. All she could do was support Nik and keep what little of her sanity she had left. It was a feat as Hope's vines were trying to creep down her arm and hand, but Hope stopped it in its tracks and grabbed the barbed vine in her palm, prinking her skin and drawing blood. The pain was a sweet release and distraction; the physical pain was far easier to tolerate than the emotional one. Word Count: 888

Halvar didn't regret his words, not even when he saw the conflict they caused Hope. He was gone for such a long time. Hiding the truth seemed pointless now, not when he didn't know what was around the corner. She needed to know how he felt, as did their son. However, the Viking would not force himself into their lives if he was not wanted.
The tremble in her voice was hardly detectable, but Halvar knew Hope well enough to hear the pain she tried to hide from him; it gave him hope that she still cared for him, despite her cruel attempts to push him away.
She could not let go of her anger, and Halvar let loose a sigh of frustration. He could not go back in time and change his actions. He would not change them if he could. He did what he needed to do to protect the pair, and he would do it again without hesitation. He feared Hope's resentment would push them apart, but he remained quietly unwilling to argue with her any further. Hope had to be angry. Without anger, she would have to face her other emotions, and Halvar knew she was not ready to do such a thing; he doubted she ever would be.

"Then don't do this," they were getting nowhere fast, and Halvar started to consider going back into the clinic. The night air was cold, but Hope was colder, and Halvar had much to think about. He needed to grieve losing five years of his son's life. He had missed the boy's whole childhood. He didn't have the energy to fight with Hope, not when he felt such heartache.
She moved away from him, and Halvar remained in place to think through his options. He did not particularly want to be around Hope right now, at least not in such close proximity, but he wanted to see his son. Nikalos was his priority, so with a nod of his head, he followed Hope, and climbed into the car beside her.
He had so many questions for her, he wanted to know every detail of Nik's childhood, from birth until now, yet he sat in silence, resting his hands against his knees, careful not to touch Hope.
"I would like to see the boy," he sighed, hating the feeling of not knowing one of his children. "That is all."
He couldn't go through round two with Hope, not now, not when he felt such vulnerability. Their reunion should have been a thing of beauty, but Loki had ruined it, and now Hope's anger stood just as strongly as his father, blocking any chance for Halvar to find peace in his reawakening.
"I would like to know my son." he gave a slight shake of his head, turning his face away from Hope, not wishing to share his pain with her. "I will leave once I have spoken with him, and you will not have to lay eyes on me again until you are ready."

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ " That is all. " Those words hurt more than Hope would ever admit. She didn't think it was possible. She thought her heart was broken beyond repair, and there was no way it could hurt or fracture any further. But she could feel what was left of her heart splintering. She closed her eyes and refused to allow herself the tears. She told herself that if this is how it felt now, it was better to end things now before she got in any deeper. What would it have felt like if they had rekindled their .. fling? Relationship? Hope didn't even know what they were, but she was confident that if they picked up where they left off, this would have hurt more than she could have bared. Hope sat in the car and grasped the steering wheel as she listened to him speak of Nik. He turned his head away from her as he stared out the window and spoke of her never laying eyes on him again. She remained silent as she turned the key in the ignition. She wondered why he even returned if that was how he felt. One minute he had " come back " for her, and now he was leaving, only staying for Nik. That was for the best; Nik deserved to know his father. Hope had done her best to try and learn about Vikings and their Gods, but most of it was mythology. There were stories of their powers but no mention of golden outbursts or how to stop or control them. Hal was the only person who could help Nik, and although there were many times over the last few years Hope had wished for Hal to be there to help her understand what was happening with their son, the hurt part of her wished she was grieving the memory of him whether then facing this reality. " We need to make a stop. " Hope spoke, not wanting to acknowledge his need to be away from her. " You need some clothes," she stated as she drove through the streets, trying to keep her eyes off his barely-covered torso. Her hand adjusted the dials on the dash as she turned the heating up for Hals's sake. She could see the goosebumps all over his skin, which she desperately tried to avoid looking at. A few hours ago, they were wrapped up in each other's arms, and now they couldn't feel further apart despite being so close. She gripped the wheel tighter and scolded herself for feeling bad about what had happened. She reminded herself once again this was for the best. She pulled up outside the warehouse, stopping but leaving the car running so Hal wouldn't feel the cold. " Wait here; I'll grab you some clothes. Then we can go home...back to the apartment. " Hope quickly corrected herself, realising it wasn't Hal's home, and it wasn't really hers either. Her car was evidence of that. She never got too attached to the property in Saints. She had watched every home she ever had been burned to the ground; she had been caught unaware both times, it wouldn't happen a third time, and she was prepared to take the kids and run at any moment. " Wait here," she said, shutting the door car, not wanting to bring a stranger into Coran's warehouse unannounced and then have to explain who he was. She wasn't prepared for those questions yet. She wraithed her way through the building, not wanting to interact with the humans her mother and Coran were so fond of. Hope didn't dislike them, but she wasn't trying to make any more friends, at least not fragile ones. She rummaged through the storerooms and found the biggest sizes possible in a tank top and some joggers. She grabbed a couple of pairs of trainers, unsure of his shoe size. They didn't have standard-issue underwear, so Halvar would have to go without it. She took a moment to force her fangs back into her gums at the thought of him not wearing any underwear under his clothes. The vines on her arms constricted, longing to reach up and dig into his flesh and draw his blood to the surface. She hated her body for betraying her, and she would have to really concentrate around him so that she didn't let her body leak her secret. Composed, with her body in check, she now walked through the warehouse in her true form. She got a few strange looks as the humans wondered where she had come from. Some of them were visibly tense seeing her, they remembered what she had done five years ago and Hope was happy for them to fear her. Her mother's so-called best friend appeared and called out to her, but Hope just glared at him and didn't answer his question. Her mother had been too quick to replace Knigh shaped hole that had been left in their lives, but Hope maintained her distance from her mother and everyone else who wasn't her kids. She stepped out of the building without incident and returned to the car where Hal sat. She walked to his side of the car and opened the door, holding out the clothes for him to take. " Here, you can get changed in the back. " Hope suggested, although it probably sounded like an order. She waited for Hal to take the clothes from her, and she walked towards the driver's seat and stepped in. She closed the car door and looked in her rearview mirror as always, but this time the view was very different. Hal was removing the blanket and throwing it on the tank top. He then got to work on the knot she had tied on the bed sheet. Had things been different, she would have cheekily reminded him that she told him to keep it on. Instead, she averted her eyes and began driving through the familiar streets, heading back to the apartment. She should have felt relieved going back to the kids, but she felt nothing but dread. Their whole world was about to be turned upside down, and whether she was ready, Loki was targetting Nik, and she and Mori were going to have to prepare to be caught in the crossfire. Word Count: 1060

Hope was angry with him. He could feel it bubbling from her as they drove in silence, she was often angry, but Halvar couldn't recall a time when that anger was aimed in his direction, and he did not like it. Yet he was just as angry with her, if not more so. He wanted to smooth things over, but his anger did not let him. He loved Hope and was elated to see her again, but her wrath stood in the way, and Halvar could not look past it, not so soon after returning from the dead. He didn't deserve her anger.

He was cold. Hope noticed and turned the heating on. It was a small kindness. One that The Viking would usually have acknowledged with glee, but silence remained between them as Halvar watched the world pass his window.
His grief for lost time felt like a python at his neck, constricting him, but it was nothing compared to this new pain. Hope was breaking him, and Halvar briefly lamented his return. The darkness didn't seem so bad now, not when Hope shattered his heart with her spite. The thought of Nik kept him in the car when all he wanted to do was leave, but he would not do that to his son.

They made their pitstop at a large warehouse. Halvar waited at Hope's request. He heavily sighed once alone, shaking his head to himself, trying to let go of the anger that ate away at him, without succeeding.
He wasn't alone for long before Hope returned, opening his door to present him with a small pile of clothing. "Thank you," he nodded curtly as he accepted the clothes from her. He paused to let Hope move away before he climbed out of the vehicle moving into the back seats.
The clothing was small for him, but he managed to squeeze into them. The tank top strained against his shoulders, bunching the material underneath his armpits uncomfortably, and the trousers were not better. They only covered him until mid-shin, and they bit at his hips. He didn't bother with the shoes, choosing to remain barefoot rather than hurting his feet. The whole thing was somewhat comical. He struggled into them and could have laughed at the absurdity of it all, but the humor was lost to the tension in the car.

He remained in the back of the car until they pulled up outside of a large building. Rust eyes moved to the mirror, looking at Hope for guidance before he climbed out of the vehicle, his shoulders straightening from their hunched position as he stood to full height, his eyes moving to look at the many windows that looked down onto the street.
He was surprised to see that they were living in such a central location. There were no trees to be seen and he didn't like that, but the woods were gone now, and he had to be thankful that this new location had offered their son a protected life.
"Should I wait out here?" he questioned, concerned about forcibly inserting himself into Nik's life so soon. "This is your home. I do not want to overwhelm the boy."

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ The drive from the warehouse to the apartment was relatively short, but Hope thought they would never arrive. Hal sat silently in the back, giving her the worse case of the silent treatment she had ever had. It was so uncharacteristic for him to be so quiet. He was usually yammering on about some Gods or laughing at some joke he had made. There was no worse punishment he could have given her. Nothing he could have said would have hit her harder than his silence. But she reminded herself that this is what she wanted, it would be easier if he hated her, but she couldn't help second-guessing herself as she felt a familiar ache in her chest. She pulled up in her designated car space outside the building and turned off the engine before glancing back at Hal. This was probably the last thing he expected, considering he had only known them to live in Death Manor, but they were trying to hide in plain sight and for five years, that had worked. He seemed hesitant as he looked up at the building. She stepped away from the car and stopped, surprised he wasn't following her. He seemed hesitant, and Hope would have smirked had the mood been better. He will fall from the sky to take on an unknown enemy, but facing his son terrified him. She would have teased him if she wasn't guilty of the same thing. She would rather face all of Mayhem than risk her heart breaking any further. " It's your home to Hal... " she muttered before she realised that Hal probably didn't want to stay there with her. " I mean, until we can get you your own place," she added. She wasn't comfortable with Hal staying anywhere but in the safety of the Block, but she couldn't force him either. She thought about asking Cass for the use of her apartment since she hardly stayed in it anyway, but she would think twice about it after seeing her sobbing in Hal's arms. " And don't worry about Nik, he had a good head on his shoulders .. when he decides to take something seriously. " Hope added as she walked towards the door with Hal. She slipped the key card from her back pocket and pressed it against the door panel. " I'll get you a card so you can come and go. " Hope offered, not wanting to put any barriers between Hal and Nik. However, she would have to speak to Mori if Hal would be a frequent visitor. She walked through the central foyer, and thankfully it was practically except for a couple of housewives who eyed Hal up and down as he passed them. Hope's jaw tightened as she tried to resist the urge to gauge their eyes out and walked faster towards the elevator. She stepped in and waited for Hal before she pressed her card to the panel again. The doors automatically closed, and they ascended, heading straight for the penthouse. The elevator ride was almost as awkward as the car, as nothing but silence passed between them. She glanced at him, noticing how tight the clothes were on his body, and tongue massaged her gums that ached every time she looked at him. Whatever energy transfer he had done yesterday had helped with her blood loss, but it was nowhere near as satisfying as drinking from him, and it was all she could think of as his scent surrounded her. She had never been more grateful for the elevator doors to open as she felt like she was seconds away from pinning him to the wall, hitting the emergency stop button and sinking her fangs into his neck. The ding snapped her out of the growing lust for blood that was getting harder and harder to ignore. " This is it. " Hope said, stepping out of the elevator quickly, wanting to put some distance between her and Hal. The smell of blood lingered in the air, but it was human, so Hope presumed Nik had been helping himself after his encounter with Hal. She rolled her eyes and sighed, she hoped Nik hadn't overdone it or we would be hyper and restless for days. " Kids! " Hope called out, hearing their footsteps moving upstairs. Rulakh appeared beside her, and Hope looked at him, silently communicating before the wraith nodded and disappeared before Nik or Mori could reach them. Karne had done the same to her as a teenager to keep tabs on her, but he hadn't counted on her being able to see them. Lucky for Hope, neither Nik nor Mori seemed aware of the wraiths, so it was much easier to keep tabs on them even when she wasn't around. " Do you want a drink? I'm going to need one. " Hope asked as she moved towards a cabinet in the hall. She pulled open the doors and crouched down only to see most of the bottles had little to nothing left in them except for one suspiciously full vodka bottle that Hope was certain was water. She sighed, disappointed; she'd be impressed if she didn't need a drink. It would seem that Hope would have to face the kid's barrage of questions sober. Could this day get any worse? Word Count: 892

" It's your home to Hal... " Gods, Hope bewildered him, and under ordinary circumstances, he would have rolled with the many punches she threw his way, but Halvar was feeling uncertain of himself- unsure of them. His chest ached with conflicted emotions. They clouded his mind. His hurt made him want to recoil from her, but he wanted to see his son... at least that was what he told himself. Of course, he wanted to see Nik, yet it was more than that. Halvar didn't want to be away from Hope again, even if his intuition screamed at him to protect himself from the pain she was inflicting on him.
" I mean until we can get you your own place."
There it was- she didn't want him, not anymore. Her desire to push him away was at an all-time high, and in his vulnerability, Halvar felt himself emotionally retreating from her for the first time.

"I'm not worried," he answered quietly as he followed Hope into the building. He kept close, yet not as close as he normally would have. He was creating a stir among the building's residents, as usual. However, he kept his eyes down and disengaged, not wanting to create more reasons for Hope to become angry and resentful toward him.
They moved into the elevator, and they were forced closer together, though Halvar took care not to touch Hope as he settled to press against the wall, his eyes locked on the doors as he let silence consume them. It was unnatural, and he hated it, tension was something the Viking didn't deal with very well, not when he was usually the one breaking it.

The ride up to the penthouse was uncomfortable, to say the least, but the real discomfort came when the doors opened. Hope couldn't get out of there and away from him fast enough, and Halvar could scarcely keep the pain from his face, his expression tightening as he watched her rush inside to get away from him, almost like he repulsed her.  
He let loose a sigh of tension, coppery eyes taking in the parts of the penthouse that he could see. It looked clean, almost clinical, without many personal touches. It was cold, like Hope, and he didn't like it. He missed the dark and miserable-looking woods, missed the smell of moss and damp earth.

So much had changed. It felt like a lifetime had passed, almost like his reawakening into the modern world all over again. It seemed insane to think that only five years had passed.
The wraith emerged, and Halvar regarded it quietly, seeing it was still as devoted to its master as always. It was an unsettling creature, but he remembered its protection in the wraith realm as he lay dying, and he nodded to it respectfully before it moved from his sight again.
Hope called to him, breaking him from memories with a question. Of course, she wanted to drink her way through their reunion. He shook his head, "No, thank you." the last thing he needed was a belly full of alcohol. He needed to keep his emotions under control and needed to not let the hurt he felt cascade from him like molten lava, especially with Nik around.

He didn't move to follow instead, he stayed loitering in the hall, feeling an unsettling separation forming. He didn't belong here. Hope's attitude was making that clearer, and he felt his heart shattering further by the second.
"Does he like living in here?" he pondered out loud, wondering if their boy liked being in such a manufactured type of home. "Is he happy?"

N I K O L A I . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Dhampir || Shapeshifter Profile ​ Nik paced the marble floors of the apartment as he waited for his mother and his apparent fathers return. Despite his mothers orders to rest, Nik had been up all night trying to make sense of his father's sudden arrival. He had tried talking to Mori but she didn't believe him and why would she? Of course it was hard for his cousin to believe his Dad and therefore himself were some kind of god. He would think she was joking if the tables were reversed but it didn't make it any less frustrating. His mind was full of questions, mostly for his mother, but a lot for his father too. Where has he been for the last five years? Why was he back now? Could he see him when he was sleeping.. No wrong myth. Instead of resting he took a cold shower and tried to calm himself down but he couldn't shake the feeling. It felt like every cell in his body was vibrating, it made him feel jittery like he was hyper or buzzed. Despite dispelling a lot of the energy his father had given to him, it still lingered and mixed with his mothers blood she had fed him and he felt like he couldn't sit still. He had tried to remain in the apartment as his mother had instructed but after the second time Mori complained his pacing was keeping her up, he decided to go to the roof and let his cousin sleep. The rooftop was Nik and Moris playground over the years. Mori, according to Hope, had the same affinity for nature that her father had and judging by her garden, Hope wasn't wrong. It was a green oasis compared to the concrete jungle they grew up in and it was usually Mori and Prims place to hang out when they were together. But Nik had managed to keep a small corner for himself with a simple metal frame that was beginning to rust. Romal and him had put it together a couple of years ago and it was Niks favourite place to work out because it had the best view. He placed the ear buds in his ear and began his usual routine, a mix of cardio and gymnastics all performed on the bar. The sun rose but Nik was still on the roof working out when his mother called him. She said she'd be home soon and despite having presumably spent the night with his father, she sounded in worse form than usual. His mothers mood confused him, he had thought she might have been happy, well less miserable with Hal's return but then again he really had no idea about their relationship. The only thing Hope had ever said about him was that he had died in the Black Woods battle. He couldn't help but wonder how anyone survived if Ox Corp was able to take down a god. But he wouldn't let those thoughts linger. His mother may not be happy but he was. Jumping off the frame he landed hard, knowing that the roof would shake Moris ceiling. He heard her complaints and chuckled. That would never get old. Stepping back into the apartment, he dried himself off with a towel trying to. Make himself presentable. He looked at the time and realised they were late for breakfast. In five years their meals were always at the same time, Hope was meticulous in their routine and Nik smirked. " Hey Ri, I think the world is ending, I'm pretty sure a late breakfast is one the four signs of the apocalypse." Nik laughed never understanding why his mother focussed so much on their feeding schedule although he would be lying if he said he didn't begin to feel an ache in his gums as he acknowledged the lack of a meal. Still, his body seemed to be coping just fine without it as there wasn't a scratch on him despite being almost killed the night before. There was a familiar beep of the front door opening and his mothers cool tone filled the apartment. She summoned them and Nik also called up to his older cousin. " Cuz, daddy's home." Nik remarked as he moved towards his mother and Hal. He did his best impression of his mother and crossed his arms as he stared at the pair like a disappointed parent. " And what time do you call this? You were out all night, don't you know how dangerous that is." He did an eerily accurate impression of Hope's tone before he cracked into his usual bright smile. As Nik approached their scents were all over each other and Hal was in some spare warehouse issued clothes. They didn't suit him, they just looked wrong but Nik didn't have anything that would fit Hal's wide frame so it would have to do. He had overheard Hal questioning hisother about his happiness but Nik knew what buttons to push with his mother and when and given she was choosing whiskey for breakfast, he decided not to lay it on too thick. " Happy? Sure but I'll be happier when I can rub the fact I'm a god in Moris face." Nik teased, his volume increasing so his cousin could hear him. His eyes suddenly grew wide as he pulled out his phone and began typing furiously. " I have to tell Octivian, who's the cooler cousin now.... " he muttered as he began to move into the apartment. He turned back to see Hal still standing in the hallway. " Come on," Nik said, wanting him to follow him to the living room as Nik grinned and chuckled " You're not part vampire too right? You don't need an invitation. " Word Count: 956

It was warmer than Death Manor and brighter but still had that chill he was accustomed to in the air. Hope still kept the place as minimal as she could, but that wasn't anything new. His eyes moved around slowly until a ball of light caught his eye, Nik coming into focus.
Halvar didn't notice in the woods, but Nik had a glow seeping out of him, and the Viking looked at him with a renewed interest. It mimicked the energy that lived inside of him. None of his sons has ever had such a glow, and the Viking instantly knew that this boy was special, he was strong and would be stronger than any of them.

"Daddy?" he whispered back to himself, his expression bemused as he glanced to Hope and then back to the boy again, his eyes drinking in his image with a warm sensation of pride rippling through his chest. Nik was funny, there was no denying that, and Halvar was soon smiling, despite the turmoil he felt.
"That is uncanny," he chuckled, enjoying the Hope impression, even though she didn't seem to. But she didn't seem to find much funny anymore, at least from what he could see.

He stepped closer and put more space between himself and the cold woman he longed for, not wanting her unkind mood souring him meeting his son any more than it already had done.
"A God, is that so?" he questioned, seeing that Nik had latched onto that concept. "A Demi-God," he corrected him, waving his hand over his own chest as an example, "Like me. We are hybrids. In many ways we are better," he smirked, glancing to the ceiling before he looked back to his son, watching the way his blue eyes looked back at him with an inquisitive gaze.
The boy was full of energy and started to move away from him, and Halvar could not stop himself from glancing at Hope. She was his reason for returning, and his reason for remaining, but she'd hurt him and he didn't look at her for long before Nik called back to him.

Halvar followed without hesitation, laughing heartily as Nik quipped about vampires. "No, I am not a vampire, do I look cold enough to be a vampire?" he smirked, ducking his head as he moved beneath the doorframe, catching up with Nik as he moved through the penthouse.
"Where are we going?"

H O P E . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Vampire || Wraith Profile ​ “ Does he like living in here? Is he happy? “ The question had caught Hope off guard as she looked back at Hal. She had never considered anyone's happiness when it came to their living arrangements, not even her own. Living in Saints City wasn’t done for want or joy but for survival. Coran’s men ensured Ox Corps influence was kept to a minimum and living in a building full of humans below meant there were plenty of bodies to get through before any Ox Corp soldier reached their penthouse above. It was a cold and heartless strategy and Hope had never voiced her reasoning for living this way to Coran when she first proposed it. She vaguely remembered saying something about strength in numbers, a scheme that had failed her in the Black Woods five years ago. Now, she would let every human below her face Ox Corp’s wrath if it meant Nik and Mori were safe, if it gave them even the slightest advantage then she’d kill them herself. Shrewdly she hadn’t shared these sentiments with Coran who had a strange affinity for humanity particularly a certain red-headed one. Still, Hal had given her pause. She had never considered Nik’s happiness, not because she didn’t care but because he always just seemed so happy. He always had that cheeky grin on his face, that mischievous glint in his eye that Hope knew came from Hal and his heritage, not hers. Really, there was very little of herself she saw in her son even though those teal eyes stared back at her. Still, they weren’t her eyes. Her eyes were cold, dead, Niks, his were warm and full of life. Another attribute he no doubt inherited from the man who rendered her speechless more than once. “ Daddys home.. “ Nik called out, answering his father's question saving her the effort. Still, the words made Hope’s stomach sink as she thought of her brother. As much as Nik saw Mori as a sister, she wasn’t. Hal was not her father, Marcus was and it was an unintentionally cruel reminder that Hope had failed to bring her brother back to full health. To undo whatever that so-called vaccine had done to him and ensure his daughter was not an orphan. She could only imagine how those words cut Mori if this was the effect they had on her. The word's effect on Hal was far more evident as a smile graced his face. Pride shon from him and Hope almost joined in the feeling until Nik mimicked her, mocking her concern for them. Her eyes narrowed sending a warning her son was all too familiar with. He would pay for that the next time they were in the woods training but she knew it wouldn’t stop him. No matter how hard she worked him, Nik was Nik. He was always smiling, always joking and teasing and as much as that scared her, she couldn’t bring herself to break him. Life would do that for her in time. She filled the crystal glass with some whiskey and allowed Hal and Nik to speak without interruption from her. She could feel Hal’s gaze on her as Nik proclaimed himself a God. She took a large mouthful of the drink as she realised just how insufferable her son would become and Hal wasn’t helping by encouraging it. Nik was strong, but young and often foolish. He thought he was untouchable, a privilege of youth and naivety that living in this concrete tower had given him. But Hal was more a god than Nik and even Ox Corp had managed to wipe him off the planet for the last five years. Unfortunately, Hope feared that like with most things, Nik would have to learn about his fallibility the hard way. Hal's eyes moved away from her and she swirled the liquid in the glass trying to figure out what to do with herself. The sweet amber colour only served to remind her of Hal’s eyes and Hope sighed. Looking away from the glass, she watched Nik lead Hal into the living room, he was already a better host than her as he had proved countless times over. If it wasn’t for the practical jokes and pranks he delighted inflicting on their guests he would greatly outweigh her in popularity and seeing the ease in which father and son interacted, her chest tightened. They were smiling, laughing, Hal taking in every inch of Nik as if he was going to vanish at any moment and Nik sizing up his father, getting as much information as possible like this was his only chance. It was so easy for them and couldn’t help the jealousy she felt. Motherhood hadn’t come naturally, having children had never factored into the equation for her, not while Ox Corp was still a threat anyway. But grieving Hal and her brother while trying to raise two children in the aftermath of war, she barely comprehended it at times. She had been so focussed on ensuring their survival, giving them the skills they needed that the nurturing got left behind. Yet, Hal seemed to take to it so easily despite his absence and Hope almost envied it. She stayed leaning against the doorframe, watching them from a safe distance. She wasn’t ready to play happy families or figure out how to navigate this new dynamic. She was content for the moment to sip her drink and watch, noting that Mori hadn’t come when Nik called. Hope couldn’t blame her and debated going upstairs to check on her but decided against it. She had often wondered what life would have been like had Hal not been so self-sacrificing, if he had been around to see Nik grow up and now it was happening. She at least would allow herself to silently enjoy the sight before her. There has been little to celebrate the last five years and although from the outside, her face read as her usual cold indifference, she was happy for Nik to finally meet his father but wouldn’t allow herself to think about what Hal’s return meant for her. But the salty scent that still lingered on her skin from spending the night together brought back memories that Hope had tried to forget. Those eyes, that aura, his taste, her gums ached and Hope’s tongue ran across her teeth as she forced those emotions down. Hal had disappeared once, he could disappear again and Hope couldn’t risk it again. She wasn’t sure she would survive grieving him twice. Word Count: 1094

N I K O L A I . D E A T H - R E I G N - M A T A S H I N A Dhampir || Shapeshifter Profile ​ Nik glanced back over his shoulder as he took in the man standing before him. If anything was uncanny it was their resemblance. If the guy shaved and got some proper fitting clothes they could probably pass as brothers. His chuckle was warm, his eyes glowed as he seemed to appreciate his impression. Hope had been very cloak and dagger about who his father and his side of the family was. She had said he was of Nordic descent and he had died. He had crossed his mind that his mother may have lied but she seemed so shocked to see him that he gave her the benefit of the doubt. He had never caught her a lie yet, half-truths and omissions yes, but never a lie. Not many people would have given his mother this benefit but he had never doubted her love for him and Mori even if she had weird ways of showing it. If she had kept his God-like heritage from him, there must have been a reason, he hoped there was a good reason. “ Demi-God? “ he parroted back, seemingly playing with the word. “ Doesn’t have the same ring to it. “ Nik beamed, clearly embracing the new title he had given himself. He could already feel Mori rolling her eyes, he looked past Hal for a moment, Mori hadn’t come down the stairs when he had called. It was unusual but he was too excited about his father's presence to worry about that right now. She was probably giving them some space before joining them later. The glance between his mother and father didn’t go unnoticed and his mother seemed extra moody today. Her glare was enough to tell him that their next sparing session in the woods would be excruciating. It was worth it though, it always was to get under her skin. Still, as he saw them looking longingly at each other, he wondered what they saw in each other. His father was tall, broad and made his mother look like a petulant child. He was warm and inviting whereas his mother was every inch the apex predator she wanted the world to believe she was. He decided his father either had a death wish or was very patient. Nik flopped casually onto an armchair, one leg hanging off the arm, dangling, daring his mother to correct him but she had gone eerily quiet. Nik’s shoulders shrugged as his father asked if he looked like a vampire. “ You never know with this family. “ he teased. He and Mori were more hybrid than his father probably realised, he assumed that everyone was part vampire somewhere down the line, ‘ Never underestimate your opponents, even the human ones. ‘ His mother's lesson echoed in his head as he watched her watching, keeping that distance from everyone. “ I’ll have mine on the rocks. “ Nik gave his mother a toothy grin that went ignored. His mother would never give him alcohol, apparently, his human body couldn’t process it as quickly as her immortal one and he needed to be ready in case Ox Corp attacked. It had been five years and Ox Corp didn’t even know they existed and his mother still acted like she was in a war zone. He wondered if she was always like that and luckily for him, he had the perfect witness to question. Turning his head away from his weary mother, his focus was now on Hal who had followed him into the living room, wondering where they were going. “ Well I figured you didn’t want to stay in the hallway all day. “ he smirked as he waited for Hal to place himself in the room. It was a little strange, being in the middle of his parents who had reunited and then fought. Broke up? He didn’t know, maybe he could have Prim’s mum figure this shit out before his Mum built a wall so high that even he couldn’t scale it. “ So are you here to bring me to the Heavens where I can take my rightful place among the Gods or is this just a flying visit? “ Nik laughed trying to navigate this conversation with humour and sarcasm. He had heard from his Aunty D that Nik got his sarcasm from his mother. He didn’t believe her. It was hard to imagine his mother any other way than the cold stoic boot camp officer he had known her to be. Still, she had managed to lure the jovial man into her bed somehow. Maybe she was different before losing Uncle Marcus and his father. “ Get it, flying visit? “ Nik smirked. “ You shapeshift too right? “ There was excitement in Nik’s voice as he finally had someone to talk to about this particular set of gifts. The only other people he could ask were Prim and her ridiculous amount of siblings. What was there twelve? But it wasn't the same, they were wolves. Nik had a wolf form but it wasn’t his favourite. ‘ Stop showing off Nik, don’t show your hand, always keep an ace up your sleeve. ‘ He was pretty sure only his mother and Mori knew about his hawk form. Eager for his father’s answers, he rolled up the sleeves of his arm casually but intently. He wanted his father to see the birthmark of three interconnecting triangles on his arm. He wondered if Hal had a similar one. Nik couldn’t help but hope that it was original to him. He had googled it long ago, he knew it was referred to as the Valknut. A symbol of Heaven, Earth and Hell which he now realised was more accurate than even he knew. It made him think of him and his cousins. Mori, the reasonable, logically grounded one with her green fingers and Octavian the literal heir to a hell realm and now it turned out he was a God. He was going to have to try harder to convince his cousins to get matching ones when he told them about this. Word Count: 1001

"Yes, A Demi-God," he pronounced the words slowly, in a playful tone, hiding the fact that the question struck pain through him. Had Hope hidden their son's heritage from him? Was she ashamed of where the boy came from? He silently questioned himself, feeling that this was more than Hope trying to protect their son. There was more to it than that, he could feel it. She couldn't deny what Nik was, not anymore. The boy was stronger, stronger than any of them could fathom, and Halvar wouldn't let him waste that. The world was cruel. The humans attacking them proved that, and they were lesser beings. There were much stronger threats lurking in the night, and Hope couldn't protect the boy forever. Halvar would make sure he knew exactly who he was and what he could do. Nik would make his enemys cower, he was a God Slayer.

Hope settled against the doorframe, yet she didn't follow them, and Halvar looked back at her for a moment longer before his attention turned back to their son. If she wanted to separate herself from him there was nothing he could do about that. Hope always ran from happiness, that was why she hid their relationship in the first place. But the Viking was not about to let that ruin his first proper meeting with his son. He wanted to treasure these moments, and he looked at the boy with warm eyes as Nik stretched his long form down into the cushions of an armchair.

The living room was a little more 'lived in' than the hallway, but Halvar still found it cold. He missed old wooden shacks with large fireplaces in the woods. He missed the wilderness, but he wasn't going to dwell on any of that now, he wanted to focus on his boy. Nik was all that mattered.
Nik was hiding anxiety with Jokes, obviously testing the waters with his 'flying visit' comment. He wanted to know if Halvar was just passing through or whether he was going to stick around, and the Viking couldn't blame him. He was an absent figure for the boy's entire life, of course, he didn't want to drop his guard with someone who was going to vanish and hurt him in the process.
Halvar walked slowly into the room, lowering his head to avoid a low-hanging light fixture as he moved to a large leather sofa. It was enough to seat three men, yet Halvar made it look small as it groaned underneath his weight. He adjusted himself to find comfort as he listened to Nik, his hues settled on the boy's blue eyes with complete attention. "No, it is not a flying visit. I do not plan on leaving you anytime soon. I will look to find somewhere to stay, maybe another apartment in this building, if one is free." he smiled, hiding any strain from his voice. Hope had hurt him, he did not want to share a bed with her, he didn't want to feel the barbed spikes of her words, not when his reawakening opened wounds he didn't know he had.

"I do shapeshift," he chuckled, seeing the light in Nik's eyes at the question. "I shift into a lupine form- a wolf. Or I shift into a raven, like Odin's ravens, yet my feathers are darker than theirs," he smiled broadly seeing how Nik listened intently. He wondered if Nik was restricted in any way, or whether he could shift into anything he wanted to.
"I met the wolves that used to live in the Blackwoods with your family first. Then I met with your mother and her kin," he shot Hope a fast glance, yet looked back to Nik within a second as the boy rolled his sleeves up to expose an intricate Birthmark.
Halvar's expression lifted in surprise as he rose from the creaking sofa, the material almost sighing as his weight shifted from it.
He moved slowly to his son, lifting his hand slowly to Nik's arm to give him ample time to pull away from him before coarse fingers ran over the soft skin.
"You were born with this?" he questioned, his eyes trailing along the mark.
Halvar had seen this mark before, and he looked at it with quiet contemplation before he turned Nik's arm within his hands, feeling again that the boy was warmer than Hope yet Colder than him.
"This is a valknut. You are marked by all realms," he smiled, pride crinkling his eyes. "What a son to have," he marvelled to himself, allowing Nik to move his arm away as Halvar took a step back.
"You will be a very strong man Nik, a great warrior...That is important indeed. But not all, you will be something much better than that. You will be a great man."