Prologue

The sun was slowly setting down behind a mountain near a small Greek village. Silence reigned almost the entire village. The only thing that could be heared was the quiet whistling of birds who sang their last song before going asleep. A few people were still on the street, walking back to their houses and to their families. Eventually only an old drunkard remained, who lay sleeping on the street from one to many drinks.

The peaceful silence was suddenly interrupted by a loud scream from a woman. 'Alexander, I think our child is coming!'

A middle-aged man who looked muscular for his age quickly looked up at his wife. 'Sally, Are you sure?'

The woman nodded fiercly as she felt her insides cramp again.

'Then we need to get a doctor here now. I'll get him and after that make the necessary sacrifices to the gods,' the man said. He then smiled slowly. 'Our child is finally coming, Sally.'


The old drunkard that still lay on the streets was woken up as he constantly heard screams of a woman who was birthing her child. He grumbled something about the newer generation making too much noise before he stood up and slowly walked back to his home to hide from the screams.

Alexander didn't notice this. He was too busy running with a just bought sheep hanging over his shoulder. Luckily for Alexander the sheperd was still awake when he got there to get the sheep needed for the sacrifices. Alexander barged into his house and quickly lit the altar's fire. He looked worriedly to the chamber where his wife Sally lay but quickly focused on the task at hand: making the sacrifices. As a man he wasn't allowed anyway into the chamber until the baby was born.

Alexander shook that thought away and grabbed the sheep firmly by it's head. He then grabbed his seemingly glowing bronze knife out of it's sheath on his belt and slit the throat of the sheep. It bleated one last time before it slowly bled out. Alexander cut open the sheep making sure that no blood came on his tunic, as that would bring bad luck. He skillfully removed the liver and lay it on the altar.

He gasped as he inspected the liver carefully: it was almost pitch black. Alexander began frantically searching the liver for some other sign but couldn't find anything. He slowly sighed desperatley and walked back. The moonlight that he had previously blocked with his body now shone bright through a window. When the moonlight fell on the liver it suddenly shone bright grey, silver almost.

Alexander looked at it startled. 'This must be a sign of the gods,' he mumbled in himself some hope for this child shining through.

He grabbed the liver and carefully laid it in the fire. It slowly crackled and then started disappearing. Alexander stared at it for a while before he heard his wife scream again, but even harder then before. He stood up and ran to the chamber door.

Alexander heard his wife cry out one more time but this time he also heard another small cry. He quickly rushed into the chamber where his wife was. He saw her with a small bundle in her hand. In it a small boy was crying loudly. Alexander looked at him stunned before slowly smiling. This was his child.

He slowly walked to his wife never losing his newborn son out of his sight. The child looked back with piercing sea green eyes. Something that he had gotten from his mother. When Alexander arrived at his wife's side he pulled his eyes away from his child and towards his wife.

'We need to give him a name,' Alexander said.

Sally looked over to her baby. 'I think I will name him Perseus.'

Alexander didn't let the shock show in his eyes. Instead, he turned around and closed his eyes slowly and pondered on all of this. First the black liver, and now his wife suggesting their child to be named Perseus, Destroyer. This couldn't be a coincidence: the Fates had something in store for this boy. Alexander swore to himself right there and then to make sure that Persues was going to be ready for whatever thing he was destinied to do; even as Alexander knew that thing was going to be terrible.

For now at least, he would also hide this from Sally; she would be absolutely devastated if she were to hear it. No, this was a secret that only him and the Fates would know and eventually Perseus.

With his mind made up Alexander opened his eyes again and turned around with a half-forced smile on his face. 'Yes, that is a good name.'

Alexander then turned his eyes to the sky. 'From now on this child will be called Perseus! May the Gods favour him!'

The moon shone brightly back. That made sure Alexander was a little bit more reassured; at least the Gods were watching out for Perseus.

Alexander turned to his wife again now smiling fully. 'Can I hold him now?'


Author's Note: Reviews are appreciated, as this is my first story! This is only the prologue, other chapters will be longer.

(BTW: I know Sally really isn't a Greek name.)