Father is the image of a God of War. He's larger even than the stories she told me. I glance at Nathaniel.

What are they really doing? I look away. Probably delivering me to Dion. I don't hate the idea actually.

He was...my only friend. I don't mind dying by his hand I suppose. That woman, that Monika is pregnant.

I wonder if anyone else knows. I watch her. I wonder if she's as great a mother as Nathaniel touts. Oh well. It doesn't matter now.

It's time for me to be discarded now. I've failed my reason for existence and I have no place in this family.

I know that.

Slade sets me down for a moment.

"Snack time," She says, growing a tree in between us.

She glanced at me. "Do you have a favorite fruit?"

I don't say anything. Just look away. How sickening. I am not able to be forgiven. I wish they would stop pretending.

I close my eyes, turning my eyes up to the sky. She's gone. Mother. I think I feel a little free. Disappointed, perhaps.

I touch my scar.

I remember the day I got it. I'd wandered off, trying to find a gift for her. I picked her a bouquet of flowers. I was nine years old.

She stared at them, at my scratched hands.

She took them and threw them away. I couldn't seem to find out how to make her care for me. She would tell me, close her eyes, and set me in her bony lap the only time she would hold me.

You must destroy Slade.

That's all. When she wouldn't turn attention to me, I would get hurt. Over and over. Losing fingers. Cutting myself. Burning myself. Playing with fire.

But the wounds healed too soon, and soon, she stopped looking even at that.

I look over at Monika. That's her name. She doesn't seem to hate him. Nathaniel, I mean. I wonder why. My mother would curse me if I'd done that.

Cursed me, locked me up. She's feeding him apples. Heh.

Slade sits next to me. He's in his human form now. His hand reaches out.

Slade is a god. He is not normal. No matter what he does or what he wants you must oblige. That's what she said.

He touches the scar. "The only time gods scar is when our souls scar as well." He murmured.

He lifts his shirt, revealing a small scar. "I have one too."

I scoff. What scarred him? Anyway, it's just nonsense. I touch it.

"We're almost home," he informs me, taking off his fur. He wraps it around my neck. "I'll be calling Dion, Fallon, and Solice home."

Dion...

I look away. "Is this your way of telling me to fuck off and die?"

He looks over at me with a frown. "You shouldn't interact too much with Dion. For the first few years, I'm going to have you sectioned off. Monika, Nathaniel, and I will visit you frequently. Fallon probably will too, but be prepared for her to hurt you a bit."

His red eyes glow, gaze now locked on her.

I take his sword from his side. He lets me. I slash my hand, watching his face.

He frowns deeply. "Azareal," he wraps his hand around mine, healing. "You're going to make me pad your room. Another suicidal child." He sighs.

Monika is in front of me now. That was quick. She looks at the scene.

"Are you okay?"

I scoff. Disgusting. Absolutely...I look away. Absolutely fucking disgusting. To pretend to care about me.

"I'm a god. I heal." I shrug. "It's just a big deal."

Monika throws her hands up. "You two!"

We two? Oh. Nathaniel. He must've said something similar. Slade frowns at me deeply, obviously discontent.

I would sneak off when they were asleep. Heh. But they don't sleep. Eventually, we're swept to a temple. It's large and elegant nothing like the broken mess I grew up in.

How fitting. When we get there, the rest of them, appear next to us. I glance at Dion. He looks at me.

He told me once I wasn't a bad kid. Heh. I bet he regrets that. I'm sure he regrets that. Me. But I don't regret him. He was the only person who ever looked at me.

So I step back. Chatter erupts among them. Everyone slowly migrated into the temple. I slip away.

I am not wanted here. This is not my place.

And then I hear it. I never did figure out why they came to my kingdom to start with. In the excitement, I never inquired again.

And then, I feel myself being pulled back by an invisible force. The girl, Fallon I think her name is starts screaming.

It takes me a moment to see, really see what's happened. Slade has pushed us all back with his power. Two entities, stronger than I've ever seen in my life land in front of him.

He draws his blade.

That's when I realize what the girl is screaming.

She's screaming. She keeps screaming one word.

Mother.