After coming back from the trip, his mother put Arthur and me in the crib to take a nap.
I thought about sleeping, but my curiosity about the new energy I found got a hold of me. Meanwhile, Arthur decided to once more escape and go to the library to study. I stayed in the crib, fake sleeping.
The energy that I observed from the dead dog started circulating around my body through the River Styx, as if it was guiding it somewhere deeper, trying to connect with my divine soul.
Mother Nyx said that as a god, any foreign type of energy one absorbs would be adapted to the nature of their soul rather than the other way around. That was probably what was happening to me right now.
The energy wasn't simply moving through my body — it was being adjusted by it. More specifically, my soul was taking it in and changing it so it could properly exist within me. Not rejecting it, not purifying it, just making it compatible.
That's what she said at least.
Like it was learning the rules of my existence while my soul made sure it followed them.
It didn't feel forced either. The circulation was steady, almost automatic, as the energy continued to pass through the Styx before settling back into me again, each time a little more stable than before.
'Ok, it's circulating. I wonder what I can— AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH—'
Zagreus' baby body started to burn like nothing ever had before. He had never experienced a similar pain in his whole life.
Decapitated, burned alive, cut in half, cut into quarters, eaten—
This was worse.
It wasn't surface-level pain either. It felt internal. Like the energy that had been calmly circulating a second ago suddenly stopped behaving and started forcing changes through every part of him at once.
The circulation through the Styx didn't stop, but now it was dragging something along with it. Every pass felt heavier, denser, like the energy was being compressed and reshaped before being pushed back into his body again.
His soul wasn't just making it compatible anymore.
It was actively adapting it.
And his body — mortal as it currently was — had to keep up with whatever that meant.
The heat kept building with every cycle, settling into his bones, his veins, his core, as the energy slowly stabilized into something that fit within him instead of something that merely passed through.
The energy tried to compress into an orb close to his solar plexus, but his soul destroyed it, and instead, the energy flow throw his whole body, as if it was veins.
And in the burst of pain he feint.
When he woke up he though it was time to eat, so he went out of his crib.
He started walking to the dinning room, but throw the corner of his eye he saw Art meditating, so he decided to get close to him and see what he was doing.
'Let's see what my baby brother is do-' Before he could finish thinking, light come out of Arthur's body, and by the next second the whole house had exploded.
His body, as expected from a mortal, was instantly destroyed in the second.
His brain... well what could have been a brain was mixed with eyeballs, teeth, and i guess the tonged or what was left of it. The rest of the body was scattered through the back of what was the house.
'...'
The narrator said.
Few seconds passed, cries could be heard from the front of the house.
Out of the pool of blood made by what was left of Zagreus body, came once more the prince of the underworld unscratched.
'I should have expected that and a decapitation or whatnot.' Zagreus though sarcastically. This was the first time he was killed by an explosion. 'Might as well add that to the ways I've died. I'm sure Hypnos would be amused.'
Over the debris of the house, his father came with a worrying and scared face. That until he looked at his first born which instantly changed his facial features with a mix of happiness and relief.
He run at him, and took him in his arms.
"Thank the gods you are not hurt Rey." He said while hugging him. "I though I lost you."
He let himself go limp in his father's arms, mostly because that seemed like the correct response when your mortal parent thought you had just narrowly avoided becoming part of the furniture. Over his shoulder, he could see what used to be the hallway. Or maybe the kitchen. Hard to tell now — it was all mostly _outside_.
'Art is gonna be in sooooo much trouble now'
One year later.
'Art did not have any trouble or whatnot'
I couldn't help myself to remember all of what has happened last year.
Aside from re-building the house, Art and I learned how to read and write. Which I already new, but kept to myself to not cause any suspect on my parents. This relates to the fact that I learned that kids would normally not go to the library when they are newborns.
I was putting my own circumstances onto mortals. New born gods come to the world already knowing how to read and write. Basically the so called 'prodigies' of mortals. My mistake.
Fact that I only learned when mother and father were talking of Art being a prodigy, and that they needed to start training, etc. So I decided to keep the fact that I could already talk to keep enjoying a normal mortal life.
Living with this family has been one of the better experiences I've had. Watching how mortals treat their newborns has made something uncomfortably clear — my own childhood was… lacking, in certain areas. There was never anyone to play with me growing up, aside from Mother Nyx. In hindsight, I think she valued the time we spent together far more than I ever realized. I just wish I'd understood that sooner.
Mother Persephone -my mother throw blood- thought I was dead for most of my life, so I never could really experience the bond of a true family. Nevertheless, having a little brother who you could spend time with was also an experience itself.
So I decided to keep the fact that I had also was a 'prodigy' just so I could enjoy this happiness a little longer.
Going back to the 'mana' situation. My energy didn't feel like 'mana' at all. It felt dead, while mana felt alive. Two very different types of energy. Made me wonder that I managed to change 'mana' to a new energy. But I quickly discarded that idea, because the energy I posses now comes from a dead dog. I didn't change the energy, I just adapted to it so now I posses it.
All of this has left us in our current situation at the dining room. Mother and Father were arguing about getting Art a tutor, while me and Arthur were eating our food. He looked kind of concerned about the discussion. Maybe wondering how would it impact his future? Perhaps.
Mother and father looked at Arthur, stopping their discussion.
"Art, you have a say in this as well. Do you want to go to a big city and have a real teacher?" To which my brother put the most 'Wait, he's letting me decide?' face ever. I knew him too well.
"Can't mommy and daddy come too and meet teacher together?"
_Mother. Father. Are you silent, or were you silenced?_
I reached under the table and gave Arthur a quick high five. What a comeback.
"I guess we really didn't think about all of us going together!" To which both of the started laughing.
"What do you think of this Rey? Would you like to go to Xyrus City?" Asked my father while looking at me finishing my meal.
"I'd like it, it is a great opportunity for Arthur, and as his older brother I need to support him as much as possible." The words came easily. If this really was in Arthur's best interest, then—as the oldest—it was my responsibility to stand behind it.
The room went quiet for a few seconds.
"I'm glad you want to support your brother, Rey…" my mother said, looking at me with a mix of surprise and happiness.
Fair enough. Up until now, I hadn't exactly shown off an advanced vocabulary. But when it came to my brother's future, I wasn't about to keep pretending.
"Thank you, brother. You don't know how much that means to me," Arthur said with a wide smile, giving me the look that meant _now_.
"Everything for you, Art," I said.
I nodded, and we went through the handshake we'd been practicing.
The rest of the conversation was filled with laughs, and smiles.
Author's Notes:
Hey, I hope all of you are enjoying the chapter so far, once again, some clarifications.
I was checking the Hades wiki and well well well look what I found.
So in Greek myths. Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. In the game however (i guess to make it more coherent or family friendly) she is the daughter of Demeter and a random **Mortal Farmboy**.
Now, in my story we will stay with Persephone being the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. For future powers and stuff. And more drama. Because I love drama.
Also because I want Zagreus to be 100% god, not 3/4.
I'll need to accommodate the relationship of Zagreus and the Olympians but it's fineeeeeeee. Nothing much will change.
Just for future reference.
Now the Aether:
In the wiki it says: (and I quote)
"**Mana** is a liquid in a cup, changing to fit any shape, always in motion and flexible. In this metaphor, **Aether** is the cup itself, rigid, immutable, and without much strength. It is solid and will never change without some external force."
Well well well, guess what. Now Zagreus is the cup and Aether is the liquid. Why? I don't know, you will see.
Now from the three forms of Aether that are Vivum, aevum, and spatium. Zagreus will have one. If someone that comments wants two and gives me a good reason of why. I'll change it. But not three.
Will I make something similar to Arthur, where Sylvie, him, and Regis each have one to meet Fate, I might think about it.
Anyways, that's it for the chapter. Thanks for reading.