In the darkness of the night, a single ambulance drove through the empty streets. The flashing sirens lit the twilight like a small flickering flame in a swallowing abyss of darkness as it rushed forward. Inside, a paramedic sat next to a black body bag while a medi-bot drove the ambulance.

The paramedic tried chewing on a fruit bar but the tangy taste of pears and carrots reminded him of the recent scene he visited. The memory of broken bodies and dismembered limbs emerged once more and a sickening knot was formed in his stomach.

"Ungh," the paramedic nearly gagged when he recalled the scene and had to force himself to swallow the mouthful of food. Looking down at the half-eaten bar, he tossed it aside while his stomach churned.

"Should've gone for accounting," the paramedic murmured before downing an entire bottle of mineral water, unaware of the body bag jerking ever so slightly.

As the body bag moved more vigorously, the paramedic noticed and jumped back, startled and frightened. The bag continued struggling, as though the contents within wanted to escape.

Oh my god, he's still alive! The paramedic thought. The idiot who declared he was dead didn't bother to check his goddamn pulse?!

"Hold on, I'll get you out!" The paramedic shouted as he rushed forward to help the person in the body bag.

Before he could unzip it, a scaled hand ripped through the bag and clasped firmly on his throat. The paramedic's eyes widened and he tried calling for help, but only wizened breaths of struggle escaped his throat. The clawed arm increased its grip on his throat till, with a sickening crunch, the paramedic's throat snapped. The lifeless body of the paramedic was thrown away with a thud.

The medi-bot realized that something was off and activated the ambulance's auto-drive mode, but a scaled trail erupted from the body bag and stabbed it. The tail ran through the medi-bot's chest effortlessly but didn't stop; it smashed into the steering wheel and damaged the ambulance's self-driving system. The ambulance ran over a curb and crashed into the corner of a building.

***

"Michelle! Michelle!" A voice echoed as a groggy Michelle opened her eyes in confusion. Her vision was blurry, and smoke filled her lungs as she felt the heat from a nearby flame burning her skin.

"Tenez-vous bien, je vais vous sortir!" The voice said and Michelle struggled to move but a weight pinned her down.

"Frère? Où -?" Michelle hoarsely called out, completely bemused.

Dust permeated her mouth and she choked before coughing. The sound of digging and debris moving neared her as a bright light blinded her and a shadow fell upon her.

"Michelle!" Raphael shouted again. "Restez éveillé, ne dormez pas!"

"Frère," Michelle sobbed. "Je ne sens pas ma main. Frère!"

"Tu vas aller bien," Raphael reassured after a moment of hesitation. The panic in his voice did little too allay Michelle's distress as she began to panic. "Reste avec moi, ok?"

"Ma main . . . mes jambes . . . Je ne ressens rien!" Michelle stuttered after spouting some dust from her mouth. "Frère . . . Aidez-moi! Frère!" [1]

With a gasp, Michelle jumped up from her bed, her sheets soaking wet from cold sweet as she struggled to breathe. A tingling pain from her missing arm pricked her and she frowned as she sat up and looked at the stump.

"Pas encore," she muttered in French as she gently massaged the edge of her missing arm.

Gazing at the clock, Michelle realized that it was late at night, but stood up and walked to the window, her intent to sleep all but gone as the echoes of her nightmare lingered in the back of her mind. The view from the bedroom which she was sleeping in allowed her to see the grounds of the Jones mansion, including the front yard. She gazed at the darkened garden, lost in her own thoughts when she saw movement from the corner of her eyes.

Focusing on the grounds, Michelle triggered an AEM program in her holo-lenses, turning her eyes green as the specially designed holo-lenses' night vision mode was activated. With her enhanced vision, she was able to see someone sneaking out of the mansion grounds.

"Que pense-t-il qu'il fait?" Michelle muttered to herself with a frown before hurriedly dressing herself and pursuing the figure.

Markus walked through the empty streets, two hands in his pocket as he inhaled a cigarette that was on his lips.

"Damn, it's good to get out of there," Markus muttered as he spat out the butt of the cigarette and crushed it underneath his foot.

"Que faites-vous?" A voice behind him asked.

"Motherfu - what are you doing here?!" Markus jumped in fear and surprise before turning around and noticing Michelle.

Michelle was leaning on a wall with her arms crossed, staring intently at Markus with a frown.

"It's late," Michelle said lightly.

"And?" Markus asked glaringly. "What's it to you?"

"Did you forget?" Michelle asked. "I'm to protéger you."

"Protect?" Markus sneered. "It's been over two weeks and nothing has happened -"

"Shh," Michelle frowned and interrupted Markus. She could hear the distant screeching of wheels coming closer. "Ecoutez."

"No, you listen to me. I don't need you breathing down my -"

Before Markus could finish, Michelle tackled him to the ground just as an ambulance passed by. The ambulance continued onwards and crashed into a building. Rolling into a crouch, Michelle pulled out her gun and aimed at the ambulance, her eyes narrowed as she realized something was wrong. At the same time, she used her holo-lenses to activate a beacon, informing AEM that something was wrong with her mission. Almost immediately, she was informed that backup was on the way.

The back doors of the ambulance were kicked off its hinges, flying dangerously close to Michelle and Markus. The latter ducked, but the former barely moved as the door flew past her, blowing her hair aside. A large scale figure came tumbling down, swearing in a strange hissing language.

Filthy Seeker, Salamander hissed. I need to inform the elders. His abilities are proof the humans are now a threat and must be culled.

But first, I need to deal with these interlopers, Salamander turned to Michelle and Markus before smiling hideously, the wide grin showing all his yellowed teeth.

Qu'est-ce que c'est? Michelle thought with a frown. Est-ce même humain?

"Hmm, two more younglings," Salamander hissed and both Michelle and Markus shuddered. "I could go for a snack."

"Fuyez," Michelle said quietly to Markus as she loaded live ammunition into her pistol.

"What? And leave you here?!" Markus asked disbelievingly.

"Aller! Maintenant!" Michelle said loudly as she began firing.

Seeing the scaled skin, she instantaneously concluded that the bullets wouldn't pierce Salamander and instead aimed at his eyes. The bullets bounced as Salamander narrowed his eyes, protecting them from harm.

Clever girl. But that won't help, Salamander thought as he dashed forward. Michelle ducked and dodged his claws, but a swipe of his tail from her blindspot smacked into her.

The air from her lungs were blown away as the impact sent her flying into the air. Her body landed on the street and rolled a couple of times, scraping and bruising her body as she struggled to use her senses to gain a grasp of where her gun flew to.

Salamander licked his claws as he turned his amused glance from Michelle to Markus. Noticing that the latter was frozen in place, he sneered and turned back to Michelle who was trying to crawl to her gun.

Always eat the soft ones first, he thought as he grinned and approached her.

What he failed to notice was that Markus was staring dumbly at the figure behind him that mysteriously appeared in a blink of the eye from the shadows.

Salamander was about to take a step forward when he froze, unable to move a muscle. All around him, ghastly ghosts formed of baleful shadows wrapped themselves around him, pulling and dragging him down with their weight. They opened their mouths to wail and scream silently before biting into him, relishing as they devoured chunks of his flesh.

"W-what is this?!" Salamander panicked and screamed as he felt his flesh being torn asunder by the phantasm. He noticed his life force draining while the ghosts' transparent bodies slowly solidified as they gained more subsistence.

Michelle, who had reached her gun, spun around, intent on firing but froze as she watched the frightening scene in front of her. The gun slowly dropped from her hands as a gaunt figure, cloaked in shadows and a black hood, appeared in front of Salamander.

"Descendant of Monsters," the figure rasped. The cold, grinding voice sounded like it was a breath's moment away from death and it sent chills down everyone's back. "Your time has come."

The figure stretched out an arm, and a dense Aura of Death condensed and formed into a scythe.

"No, no!"

Salamander screamed in horror as he realized that he couldn't escape. The very laws of the universe were sealing him in place as the scythe came down on him, slicing him in half. With a wave of his hand, a small core erupted from Salamander's chest and flew into the figure's hand.

Mon Dieu! Michelle thought as she shook uncontrollably. C'est vrai. Le Reaper est réel!

The Reaper slowly turned to Markus, ignoring Michelle who was still on the ground.

"Child," it rasped. "It is your time as well."

Michelle's eyes widened as she realized what it intended to do.

"Markus, fuyez!" Michelle screamed as she got up.

Markus's body shuddered and life returned to his eyes. He glanced at the Reaper once and turned to flee, but - with a wave of its arm - the Reaper called the baleful ghosts, people it had previously reaped, to prevent him from running. From among the ghosts, the phantasm of a soulless Salamander appeared and clung into Markus. Without devouring him, as they had done with Salamander, the soulless phantasm simply dragged him downwards, preventing him from flooring while grieving soundlessly. Just as before, the Reaper summoned a scythe and prepared to cut Markus down.

"Non!" Michelle screamed as she dashed forward and placed herself in front of Markus; if the Reaper were to swing his scythe, he'd kill her as well.

Michelle closed her eyes and raised her mechanical arm in front of her. Her heart thumped repeatedly in her throat, but the killing stroke failed to arrive, leaving her confused yet frightened. Opening her eyes, she saw the Reaper staring intently at her as it lowered the scythe. The Reaper vanished from her sight as she blinked, before suddenly appearing right in front of her, a breath away from her face. The empty, faceless darkness beneath the hood peered into her eyes as it slowly became bigger and bigger with her delusion until she could see nothing other than the darkness. Fear gripped Michelle as she realized that she couldn't see a face under the hood; it was as though there was nothing underneath, nothing but a dark abyss that seemed to swallow all light.

"Child," the Reaper whispered hoarsely. It stretched out a thin hand that seemed more ethereal than solid and stroked her cheek, as though it wanted to confirm that she was real. "It is not your time, yet. Why?"

Why interfere?

Michelle gritted her teeth and used all her might and willpower to open her mouth.

"He - he's innocent!" Michelle finally answered in one breath, her shaky voice trembling as much as her legs.

The Reaper said nothing. It remained silent staring at Michelle without moving a muscle for a while. What seemed like minutes stretched into hours before it pulled back, the scythe it formed dissolving into a black mist while the ghosts wrapped around Markus crawled into nothingness.

"You are connected to him," the Reaper finally rasped. "Send my message to the Wolf. The eve is approaching. Soon, I will reap his life. Soon."

The last words echoed around Michelle as the Reaper slowly merged with the surrounding darkness. The baleful atmosphere that weighed upon her was lifted, and Michelle breathed out a sigh of relief as she collapsed. Looking behind her, she saw that Markus was unconscious, though she couldn't tell when he fainted.

"Le Loup?" Michelle muttered to herself, unsure of whom the Reaper was referring to.

***

Briefly kissing Elizabeth goodbye, Jason returned to the mansion after dropping her off at Hotel Belvedere. Upon arriving back though, Jason was surprised as he noticed all three kids, Alina, Alice, and Maple, eating ice cream in the living room while watching a cartoon show. Jason sent Alice an exasperated glance full of reproach, knowing full well that she could be the only one shrewd enough to suggest eating ice cream again.

"Oh, hey," Alina said as she licked a spoon of ice cream. "Want some?"

"No, thanks. We already had some," Jason stressed the last few words while staring at a guilty Alice who looked away. "Outside, less than an hour ago."

"Ahaha, crafty little fellow, isn't she?" Alina chuckled when she realized she had been tricked by Alice. She turned to grin at Jason before saying, "Guess she inherited that from you."

"What?" Jason pointed at himself as he asked Alina, "Why are you pointing a finger at me?"

"Do I really need to answer that?" Alina asked with a roll of her eyes.

". . . No."

"There you go," Alina said before patting Alice's head. "As long as you don't follow your dad and use your charm to control the boys around you, it's fine and all."

Both Alice and Maple exchanged glances before each of them sheepishly looked away.

"No way . . ." Alina noticed it and muttered with an incredulous gaze.

"She can get all the boys to give her their sweets," Maple explained in a barely audible whisper.

Alina was stunned for a moment before turning to Jason with disdain.

"See what you've done? You've led her astray!" Alina reprimanded.

"How is that my fault?!" Jason asked before turning to glare at Alice. "And if those boys go near you again, I swear I'm gonna . . ."

"It's not my fault that they want to be my friends!" Alice hastily explained, worried that she would lose her sweets 'factory'. "And I can't help it if they want to give me their snacks!"

Jason silently watched Alice and realized that she was just using the boys to get more food and sighed.

"Yeah, you're right," he said as he turned to Alina. "This is probably my fault."

"Was there any doubt?" Alina asked rhetorically.

"Who'd have thought that my incredibly awesome genes could create such a gorgeous kid that absolutely nobody - nobody, not even me - can say no to? Hah, even being amazingly dashing is sometimes oh-so tiring."

". . . You shamelessly narcissistic piece of -"

After joking around a bit more, Jason clapped his hands and picked up both Alice and Maple.

"Alright, kids. Time to go to bed," he said. "But first, we need to take a shower."

"Yah, bath time!" Alice raised her hands and cheered before asking Jason in an excited voice, "Daddy, can we use the giant bath? I wanna go swimming!"

"Sure, sweetie. Anything for you," Jason agreed easily.

"Well, you're right on one thing. Looks like not even you can say no to her," Alina muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Jason asked with a smile that was not a smile, despite hearing her clearly.

"You're a jerk and a horndog," Alina answered with a roll of her eyes before changing the subject. "Right, then I'll use the shower in my room. Wanna come, Maple?"

"No, it's okay," Maple replied after thinking it over. "I wanna swim with Alice!"

"Alright," Alina said before turning to Jason. "Make sure you watch over both of them. I know Alice knows how to swim but Maple . . ."

"I know, I'll be careful," Jason replied with a nod before leading the kids upstairs.

"Alright kids," Jason paused outside the large bathroom and turned around to Alice and Maple. "I need to go and look for some clothes for you two. Don't go into the pool while I'm not around. Wait for me, Alice."

Jason sent Alice a knowing look when he saw her pout; he could tell that she was planning on ignoring his advice and reminded her not to before quickly heading out to search for some clothes.

"I need a maid," Jason muttered to himself as he searched a big drawer full of Alice's clothes.

"Jason," a voice from behind him called out.

Turning around, Jason saw Ava standing with two sets of pajamas in her hands. With a smile, he took the pajamas from her.

"Where would I be without you?" Jason asked merrily.

"In bed with a redhead?" Ava suggested in faux mirth.

"Ah," Jason's smile faded as he noticed Ava's displeasure.

He watched her carefully for a moment, studying her stoic facial expression before grinning even more widely. "Why Ava, dear . . . are you . . . jealous?"

". . . No," Ava answered calmly after a moment of consideration.

"Oh? Then why the new style?" Jason teased as he glanced at her flamingly dark red hair.

Damn. I am a sucker for redheads, Jason thought as he appreciated the red hair. He then gently gazed into her baby blue eyes as she spoke, mesmerized by the unique color of her eyes as well as the touch of coldness it emanated.

They're like Elizabeth and Katelyn's all at once, he thought. She's really going all out this time. Must feel threatened somehow.

"I've been meaning to change my hair color."

"Hm? Does that include your new blue optics?" Jason asked as he leaned closer to study her new eyes.

Ava, in response, took a step forward and gently, almost lovingly, brushed Jason's cheek with her hand.

"Maybe I wanted to keep your eyes on me alone," she finally said.

Hmm, Jason groaned. She's taking her droid's subroutines a little too seriously.

Although Jason had developed Ava, her robotic machine was a custom-built order. The body was a fully functional humanoid that had all the features, including sexual subroutines, installed from the manufacturer. After adding some additional improvements to the body, Jason had connected Ava to it, but discovered, much to his initial dismay, that she was interested in the subroutines. Particularly - especially - the sexual ones. One thing led to another and this resulted in Ava testing the subroutines . . . physically. Since then, Jason noticed that Ava held an even deeper interest in lovemaking, even spying on his trysts with other women for, as she put it, experience.

Maybe it's cause I haven't touched her in while? Jason thought. And she's probably curious about my affections for Elizabeth. Either way, this is good. It will allow her feelings to grow more exponentially.

"Thanks for the PJs," Jason said as he waved the clothes to her in an attempt to draw her attention away from the previous discussion. "I'd better get back to the kids."

"Jason," Ava called out to Jason who was leaving. "You created me. I will never betray you . . . Nor am I bound by destiny. And I will never be held back by a curse."

Jason paused, shocked that she knew his secret despite him never telling her. He failed to realize that Ava had been with him for a while now, and had noticed his occasional bouts with his previous incarnations. Although she could only hear Jason and not their response, her analytical electronic mind was able to deduce the correct hypothesis. Jason began to slowly digest the meaning behind her words before turning and smiling at her, a weight lifted from his shoulders.

"I know," he finally replied softly. "We're together in this. Till the end."

"Till the very end," Ava nodded and repeated quietly as Jason left. Her mechanical eyes whirled as she frowned and raised a hand to her forehead.

"I-it's get-getting wor-worse," Ava muttered to herself, stuttering inconsistently in a garbled voice that broke down several times.

***

Returning to the bathroom, Jason noticed it was empty and groaned. He entered the first room, a small preparatory room and noticed that both Alice and Maple's clothes were haphazardly placed on top of the washing machine.

Damn brats, Jason thought as he picked up the clothes and placed them in the washer. Even though I told them not to . . .

After undressing himself and covering his lower body in a shower wrap, he entered the bathroom. The bathroom had several different baths; on one side was a Japanese-style onsen, at the other was a small swimming pool, and beyond that was a jacuzzi big enough to fit ten people. That was without counting the multiple showers, of various kinds lined up against another wall.

Within the bathroom, Alice and Maple were gaily running around playing tag while Alina tried stopping them.

"Finally! What were you thinking leaving them alone?" Alina noticed Jason and admonished him immediately.

"Had to go get their clothes ready while telling them," Jason replied before turning strictly at the two children. "To wait."

He then turned back to Alina and frowned.

"And for god's sake, wear some clothes. I'm here too ya'know."

"Wha -? I'm wearing a swimsuit!" Alina was shocked before protesting, her eyes gazing at Jason as though he were crazy.

Jason stared back at her with disdain as he gestured to her two-piece swimsuit that was - in his opinion - a tad bit too mature for her.

"Really? That 'swimsuit' shows off your midriff. You do realize that literally looks like underwear? Yeah, a bra and undie. You wanna wear swimsuit, go get the one I got for you."

"That one-piece with frills?! What do I look like - eight - to you?!" Alina asked in a disbelieving voice, speechless at Jason's overprotectiveness.

"Yeah. Why else do I call you kid?" Jason asked bemusedly as though it were quite obvious.

"Ungh! You are so - mph!" Alina stretched out her arms and gestured at Jason's neck as though she wanted to strangle him before shouting in frustration and stomping away.

First boys and now my clothes! Alina thought with a huff. He's getting worse by the day! Honestly, who does he think he is, my dad?!

"Oh, and you can't wear this swimsuit outside in public!" Jason called out after her.

"Screw you!" Alina shouted as she disappeared.

"Huh. I think that went well," Jason said to himself. "Good talk."

"No, it wasn't."

Both Alice and Maple muttered at the same time and Jason turned to them with narrowed eyes and a smile that wasn't a smile. He still hadn't forgotten how they disobeyed him and tried sneaking into the pool without adult supervision.

"You two say something?" Jason asked and both shook their heads instantaneously, not wanting the spotlight to shine on them. "Good. Let's get you two washed up and then you can enter the pool."

After washing the two up, Jason made sure both knew how to swim before allowing them to play in the pool. He, however, moved to the jacuzzi and gingerly placed himself in the water with a sigh. The hot, bubbling water felt intensely good on his tensely taut muscles and, soon, he leaned back and relaxed from all the tension he built up.

"Ah, that hits the spot," Jason muttered as he closed his eyes, unaware that Alice and Maple had stopped playing and were watching him carefully.

"Isn't that water bubbling? That looks like it'll burn," Maple whispered to Alice.

"Yeah, it does. I once put my finger in and it turned red. Like a lobster!" Alice exclaimed in a low voice while clutching her finger. The very memory of the incident haunted her to this day.

"Really? But it doesn't seem to hurt him," Maple tilted her head and asked in a confused voice.

"Aunt Alle said that daddy has thick skin, so thick it could bounce bullets off!" Alice explained.

"Ooh," Maple awed as she turned to watch Jason with worship in her eyes. She recalled how he would go out at night like a superhero from the comics and nodded with understanding, believing that Alina meant it literally. "Yeah, then that makes sense!"

Jason's mouth twitched as he heard them clearly with his enhanced hearing.

Goddammit, Alle, Jason thought as his face darkened. What do you mean I'm thick-skinned?! My skin is so thick, I'm goddamn bulletproof?! Although . . .

Jason paused and thought about his shamelessness before shrugging and relaxing once more.

I can't really deny it. Damnitall.

After a few more minutes of bathing, Jason dragged both kids out and dried their bodies' with a spell before encouraging them to brush by enchanting their toothbrushes to chase them. Once their hair was completely dry and they had begrudgingly brushed their teeth, he lifted each one in his arm and walked them to Alice's room. Placing each of them gently in the bed, he tucked them in and brushed their head before Alice grabbed his hand.

"Can you tell us a story, daddy?" Alice asked pleadingly with doe eyes.

"Sure," Jason answered as he sat down on the corner of the bed. "Once upon a time, there was a princess and a prince. They got together due to a political marriage and lived happily ever after. Well, for about a day. The end."

"That's a terrible story," Maple said after being stunned for a moment.

"No, it's not. It's a short and wholesomely realistic story," Jason answered and Alice pouted.

"It sucked," she said and Maple nodded.

"Hey, no S words, remember?"

". . . Then no sorrys either?" Alice asked cheekily.

"Heh, always outsmarting me," Jason muttered with a shake of his head before rubbing Alice's head. "Oh, alright. I'll tell another story. How bout . . . Jason and the Argonauts?"

"Another Jason?" Alice asked with wide eyes.

"Better. The first Jason, the original one! Who I was . . . named after," Jason added sheepishly with a wink. He then cleared his throat and began narrating his story in a low, deep voice.

"Long ago, there was a region in Greek wherein a kingdom lay, called Aeolia. It was a great kingdom, known for raising heroes and having friendly relations with mythical races, such as the Centaurs and the Myrmidons.

"It was ruled by a king, named Aeson. He was a wise ruler who managed his kingdom with both mercy and strictness. Yet he was mired with naivety, as he failed to realize that his brother, Pelias, was drowning in ambition and jealousy. Jealousy that soon became hatred. Hatred that soon gave way to desire.

"Eventually, Pelias - with the power of his father, Poseidon himself - overthrew Aeson and locked him deep within a dungeon so deep, the light of day could never be seen."

Maple gasped and Alice's eyes widened as they both listened intently, their eyes glued to Jason who wet his parched mouth with a sip of water before continuing.

"And thus, Jason - the son of Aeson, prince and heir to the throne - was forced to flee the region. Abandoning his father to his fate, his mother to her death, and . . . his older sister, Helen, to a life of imprisonment. He fled, with the aid of Hera, running and running without looking back, till he met Chiron, the ancestor and God to Centaurs."

"God? The Centaurs had a God?" Alice asked.

"Oh, yes. Chiron was once a Thessalian God. He was capitulated by the other Gods, the Greek Pantheons and forced to join them. Unfortunately, his appearance as a half-man half-horse reminded the Pantheons of a beast, like his fellow brethren amongst the Devils and Monsters. He then became a mere Centaurian servant to Apollo, the God of Light."

"Devils?" Maple asked. "And Monsters?"

"The Pantheons are much like humans. The righteous were deemed as Pantheons while the evil ones were known as Devils," Jason explained patiently. "Of course, between these two factions existed another, the Monsters. But I digress.

"Chiron, despite being a slave, had the wisdom and knowledge of a God. He was a peaceful and kind Centaur, and this humble humility allowed him to become the teacher to many a great heroes in the Greek world. From Perseus flying atop his Pegasus to Herakles the son of Zeus himself who could crush a boulder into powder to finally . . . a lost child named Jason.

"Chiron took pity on Jason and trained him in many of his arts; he was trained in archery, medicine, even music. And the latter was so gifted, he picked up these skills in a matter of years and drew the attention of the Pantheon, such as Artemis and Apollo; Pantheons who were known for their skill with the bow and medicine. But his most shocking talent wasn't with a bow or a potion, it was with the sword. What Chiron didn't know was that Jason was secretly receiving training from one of the most fearsome of Pantheon: Ares. The God of War, who resembled the Devils, taught Jason not for appreciation, but merely to sow the seeds for chaos and destruction. Athena noticed his schemes and, to subvert Ares's expectations, taught Jason the wisdom of battle. Yet it could not allay the damage done, and Jason left Chiron's peaceful tutelage to become a fearsome mercenary.

"Years passed, and as Jason grew, Aeolia's prosperity stagnated, despite the success that followed his uncle, King Pelias. The new king was fearful, in part due to Hera's dislike of him, and in part of inheriting the throne through ill means, and his fears began to turn into paranoia. A paranoia that he would be usurped one day, not unlike how he had done to his brother. And so, he set off in search of an Oracle and made his way to Delphi, where the Pythia resided."

"Ooh. What's a python?" Maple asked curiously.

"Pythia," Jason corrected patiently with a smile. "It's the title, uh, title for the head oracle of Apollo. She is the most famous and known Oracle, despite occasionally being described as . . . fallible."

"What does that mean?" Alice asked.

"Means she wasn't always accurate," Jason replied, a mocking smile on his face. "And how could she? The Gods are as fickle as mortals. Why would they maintain their words and not lie?"

"That's so complicated," Alice muttered and Maple nodded.

"Stories reflect mankind's nature, especially stories like these," Jason stated, his eyes flashing as he thought of the many sins he had committed. "You'll find the life of grownups just as complicated."

"So the bad king went to the pythons," Maple summarized with glowing eyes. "What happened next?"

"The Pythia gave a prophecy to King Pelias. 'Beware of the man wearing a single sandal. For he is the beginning of your reckoning . . . and your doom.'"

"The man with one sandal . . . that's Jason, right?" Alice excitedly asked but Jason didn't answer and only smiled.

Seeing his cunning smile, Alice had an inkling as to what would happen next and she groaned when it came true.

"We'll find out next time. In the meantime, it's time to go to sleep."

"Awww."

Both Alice and Maple were disgruntled and groaned with impatience, but Jason didn't bulge in his decision. Instead, he checked to make sure they were tucked in comfortably before preparing to turn off the lights. However, a hand quickly reached out and grasped the hem of his shirt.

"Wait, daddy . . ." Alice called it timidly. "C-can you keep the lights on?"

Seeing the distress in Alice's eyes caused a sharp pain in Jason's chest. It only worsened when he saw the discomfort on Maple's face as well; though they played and acted normal, it was clear that they were traumatized by the incident in the orphanage.

Gently, Jason bent down and stroked Alice's hair and cheeks before doing the same to Maple.

"Sweetie, I'm so sorry," Jason said to Alice with a hug. He looked down at the bed, considering if he should stay the night with them but realized that the bed was two too small.

"How bout we all sleep on my bed together?" He finally suggested. Alice's eyes widened but she said nothing; she was filled with delight that Jason understood her feelings of not wanting to be alone, yet trepidation prevented her from asking him to stay.

With a shy nod, Alice agreed and Jason gently picked up both her and Maple before walking to his bedroom. Alice and Maple laid down next to each other and Jason could see their linked hands as they curled up.

They're both still scared, Jason thought. He also laid down next to Alice and prompted himself up with an elbow before turning to the two kids. But they feel stronger together.

Jason frowned, wondering what he could do to help comfort them when he recalled the song Elizabeth would occasionally sing to him. He hummed a slow time before opening his mouth.

"Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme

Remember me to one who lives there

She once was a true love of mine."

Jason sang quietly, his deep voice low and gravelly, yet mesmerizing none the less. Alice and Maple closed their eyes, finding comfort in the reverberating voice that echoed through the mattress and into to their chests. They both felt warm and safe as a large hand brushed their head alternately, patting them both gently and lovingly.

"Tell her to make me a cambric shirt

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme

Without no seams nor needle work

Then she'll be a true love of mine,"

Even as Jason sang, he closed his eyes. He could vividly recall the night Elizabeth first sang this, the warmth as he snuggled in her chest, the sound of her voice rumbling from between her bosom, and the scent of roses that lingered in his nose every time he breathed. It was a strange sensation that was completely foreign to him: he had never been held before, much less hugged. And that moment, that event, changed him fundamentally; he finally realized why people craved warmth and love, and what he truly lacked.

"Are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme

Remember me to one who lives there

She once was a true love of mine,"

Jason came to and looked down at Alice then Maple. Both were sleeping soundly, deep breaths of comfort billowed out from both and he smiled before leaning forward to Alice.

"I love you, kid," he murmured before kissing her forehead and Alice smiled sweetly as though she heard him in her dreams.

Turning off the lights, Jason laid back down after putting both hands behind his head and closed his eyes, drifting into a dreamless sleep.

[1] Michelle's memory of when she lost her arm. It is a recurring nightmare for her, where she remembers Raphael trying to help her whilst she panics when realizing she can't feel her arms and legs.