Ragnar's POV.

Skye ran into the house while Ragnar stood motionless holding a stone very similar to the one Lars had used years ago to nearly put his eye out. Ragnar stared at them devoid of all feeling as Lars shielded Axel with his body and Axel wept.

Unable to look away, Ragnar was surprised that this image, sad as it was, did not stir anything in his heart. He felt no pity or compassion for them. He tried to remember the good times they had had together as children, but he wasn't even sure there had been any. He knew that if he killed them, if he stained his hands with the blood of those who had been his brothers, he would carry that burden for the rest of his life, but at that moment he was more than willing to do it. Perhaps tomorrow's Ragnar would regret it, but that was no concern for him that day.

"Ragnar."

Yule's voice, weak but firm at the same time, hit him like a gale toppling his thoughts. He dropped the stone to the ground and did what his reason told him he should not do under any circumstances: he turned his back to Axel and Lars and walked towards Yule.

Yule took an awkward step to get closer to him, but Ragnar hurried and held him in his arms so he wouldn't collapse. Yule wrapped his arms around his torso and rested his face on his chest, closing his eyes dilated by the drug Axel had given him and breathing calmly as if any trace of danger had vanished.

Ragnar pulled him tight against himself and exhaled hard, slowly. It was as if he had been holding his breath for hours, dying quietly.

"It's all over, Ragnar," Yule said without breaking away from him, and Ragnar realized he was trying to hold him tighter with what little strength he had.

No, he wasn't just embracing him. Yule was holding him in place.

Ragnar hunched down to bury his face in the cat's wet hair and squeezed his eyes shut. Once again, Yule was trying to save him. The rainwater, growing scarce, slid down his cheek, camouflaging the tears that began to well up under his eyelashes as Yule stroked his back with his hands as if to comfort him. He wanted to kill them so badly, he knew he had to, but he was also relieved at the impediment.

Skye came down the steps of the house, helping Ethan walk. Together they approached them, and Skye rested his forehead on Ragnar's shoulder. Ethan, a little bruised but looking pretty good, touched his forearm and nodded as he looked up at him with a smile.

"Thanks, boss," Skye whispered, and with those simple words and the warmth of his family surrounding him, all the pent-up anger that had poisoned his brain vanished like dust in the wind.

He looked back to where Lars and Axel stood still as if in a child's game where you're saved if they don't see you move.

"You deserve each other," Ragnar said aloud. "I can't imagine a worse punishment than that."

And as if agreeing to the end of the conflict, the sky poured its last drops over the green meadow before the sun rose to give them all back the light they had lost.

<<It is over.>>