It was a strange thing, to have the last time I had seen most of these people there had only been anger and grief on their faces and now to see something completely different.

“Well, that’s a good thing, right? They’ve moved on past Pollixa’s death.” Alsig said.

No. It isn’t. I thought back. My former classmates looked at me like I was an alien, something strange and unrecognizable, when they weren’t pretending to be caught up in conversations with each other. Caesia and Kato had said that everyone wanted to make up with me, but no one seemed eager to approach me.

“You were always a step apart from the others, Adrias. Even before activating your bloodline potential, you were the one to raise up Antonias, Kato and Caesia to Bronze.” Alsig said. “And later, the others knew that you weren’t normal.”

There is a difference, I thought to her. Between being a step apart from people and from being an island in the sea far from everyone else.

We were gathered on top of one of the barrack complexes, they had dragged chairs and iceboxes filled with drinks and music was blaring. Most of the group were people I had been on the strike force with like Kato, Caesia, Andarias, Clodias, Quartias, Aurelia, Thorania, but others like Caias and some people I didn’t recognize were there too.

“Something’s wrong.” She said suddenly.

I scanned the roof and even the rest of the makeshift city.

I don’t sense anything. I replied mentally.

“I’m using your senses.” Alsig said.

I focused. There was something off, something that unsettled me, but I could not find it.

Caesia handed me a drink.

“Thank you,” I replied absentmindedly.

I’m practically a god in Apollo system, I thought. You heard what Persias said, I’m basically immortal.

“That’s arrogance speaking.” Alsig said. A bit of fire and some Silver and violet in your eyes doesn’t make you invincible.”

Maybe not. But focusing on my power made me feel less uncomfortable. Gods didn’t need friends, only followers, and I wasn’t sure any of these people were capable of seeing me as a friend anymore. Perhaps less uncomfortable was the wrong words. It was not ease that went through me at the thought, more numbness. A fact of nature, a stark reality that said I was not a freak but that everything was as it should be.

“That’s a horrible way to look at things.” Alsig said. “You should reconnect with these people.”

“So, what’s new?” I said to Caesia, awkwardly. Inwardly I cursed. I sounded like an acquaintance seeing someone after years. I might as well have asked her what she thought of the weather.

“Well, we’ve been trying to get over Toni.” She said.

“If I could have used my full power, I would have saved him.” I assured her.

“I know. Toni was your friend as much as ours.” Caesia replied.

“I should see his parents after we take Iulius.” I said. “I’m sure they’ll hate me, but I guess they’re right to do so. I’m the reason he left Sunburst Station.”

She shrugged. “I doubt they’ll accuse you to your face. You’re properly terrifying now.”

“Thanks.” I said.

“I didn’t really mean it as a compliment, but you’re welcome.” She said.

“Sorry. I’ve never really been great at… social things.” I said.

“I can tell.” She laughed. “We all can. You have a rather clear accent of a low class rural Lavinian, if one knows what it sounds like, and your solution to interpersonal problems usually involves punching.”

“I kick people sometimes too.” I said with mock seriousness before smiling to show I was joking.

“That you do.” Caesia replied.

I took a sip of my wine. Then I frowned.

“Don’t like the vintage?” She asked. “I think we have another.”

“No… I just keep on getting an odd feeling, like I’m being watched.” I said.

“Silver senses are strong. Maybe someone is viewing you from orbit?” Caesia replied.

“It feels close.” I said. I shook my head and drank more wine and tried to relax. I had nothing to fear.

There was a subtle shift in the air and I tensed.

“Told you.” Alsig said, smugly.

My eyes flicked to a corner of the roof and my Sicarii moved around me in a defensive formation.

“Show yourself.” I commanded.

Dio materialized out of his windform, unarmed and unarmored, but the determination and anger in his eyes made it clear we wouldn’t be sharing a drink.

Kaome’s Sicarius moved with frightening speed, but I ordered her back telepathically.

I observed him with a calmer expression than I really felt on the inside. My mind worked furiously. How had Theseas’s youngest son hidden himself from a Silver’s perception? Some psychic trick taught to him by his father. The stillness of his windform?

“You’re supposed to be monitored.” I said to him. “How did you escape watch without an alert being sent to me or Lord Persias?”

“I would be a poor student of the psychic arts and an even poorer son of the true Governor of Apollo system if I couldn’t fool basic surveillance.” Dio said dismissively.

He waved his hand just as Persias did to create artificial silence, though the result was different. Dio’s gesture caused an illusory duplicate of him to form, identical to mere visual perception.

“You can’t expect this to end well for you. Leave peacefully and I’ll leave you unharmed.” I promised him.

“A son who doesn’t try to avenge his father’s death isn’t worth the carbon in his cells.” He replied.

“When I first met you, you were burning a graffiti image of my grandfather and your father doing lewd acts together.” I said dryly.

“Just because I thought my father was a heartless ass that neglected my mother to focus on his other wives and didn’t care about his children doesn’t mean I’m going to let his killer walk around with my father’s signet ring.” Dio said.

Didn’t care about his children? I thought about telling him that the command code for the Sicarii had been Dio’s name, but perhaps that would have been too cruel.

“Let me walk around? Dio, you can’t really think that you can control anything I do.” I said.

“Don’t call me Dio.” He growled, his eyes blazing like violet coals. “We’re not friends, you bastard.”

I finished my wine and handed the cup to Caesia.

“You want to try and end me? Go ahead.” I said.

Dio charged and I moved like a lightning bolt, clasping his throat and teleporting upwards in a series of skips through space until we were high in the sky and I held us aloft through levitation.

“I could just drop you, you know.” I said.

He tried to shift to windform, but I pressed the weight and gravitas of my will against him. Failing that, he resorted to pounding me in the head.

“This is pointless.” I said with frustration.

He held his fist oddly against my chest, pointed against my heart like he was holding something intangible.

“What could you possibly do to me, Dio.” I said with contempt.

“That’s what I said to him too.” He whispered.

“To who?” I said, confused.

“The forgotten god. Hermes. My patron.” Dio replied.

I felt pain in my chest, a knife of glowing ice appearing in his hand and replacing a chunk of me where it overlayed my flesh. If Dio had tried to stab me with a Bronze’s speed, I would have killed him, but I had let him bring his fist close enough that when it turned solid the change was instantaneous.

“He told me your two weaknesses were coldness and your heart.” Dio said casually. “Such an obvious target really, bright as a star, but most people would go for the head.”

“I’m going to snap your neck.” I snarled, even as a terrible chill was spreading through me.

“Oh, I’m sure. I just want you to know that you have a third weakness. You are always, always convinced being bolder and more violent means you’re destined to win.” He said.

I began to shake, and ice was forming on my skin. Trying to call Heracles’s power just made it worse.

“Kill him! Kill him, Adrias.” Alsig cried.

I wasn’t done talking yet though.

“I will destroy everyone who stands against me and take the throne on Iulius.” I seethed.

“Oh, I’m sure.” Dio choked out as I gripped his throat. “But if you think you can keep that throne by burning everyone you dislike to ash, you’re delusional.”

“You don’t know anything about me.” I said. “Or how I’ll rule.”

Dio tried to say something, but my grip was too tight. I relaxed it enough for air to pass his lips.

“I know you’re easily baited.” He said. “And even more easily manipulated. You think Persias is following you because you’re strong? Or because you did him a favor by killing my father? The man is a snake.”

“I don’t have a House of my own. His family will gain power under my rule.” I reasoned.

“He could rule on his own, just as my father did. Better than a rabid berserker like you. And yet he let you live and is orchestrating your dominion.” Dio replied. “Why is that?”

“I don’t know.” I said.

“Thought not. You’re too stupid to-“

I snapped his neck and let him drop.

“Adrias? Your vitals are plummeting!” Alsig said.

I pulled the knife out. It brought with it frozen blood and frostbitten chunks of cardiac muscle.

“Ice. And divine power.” I said hazily. My levitation wobbled. “Alsig?”

“You need to get to a Medicus! She cried.

I laughed bitterly. “I don’t think they can fix this.”

Then I fell too.