(past tense) Styxx sat back on the new couch of his new apartment, staring around at the startlingly white walls. He'd asked for this, but he hadn't prepared for the outcome.

He leaned forward and picked up an envelope off the desk in from of him. Inside were five things: a birth certificate (stating his last name was Didymos. very original.), a social security card, the lease for his apartment, and a credit card with a note saying "You may use this as you see fit."

He stared at the card, which also had the name "Styxx Didymos" on it. He put it all back on the table, rejecting Acheron's gift. He was a prince, and he would find a way to support himself.

That thought died quickly. He dressed in a suit and made himself presentable. He would find himself one of these "jobs" and make his own money. He discovered that one, he hated people, especially those who thought themselves his betters. And two: he didn't know what "skills" he possessed. He knew nothing of how to survive in this modern age. He'd just figured out how to work his cell phone!

The week (maybe less. Who's counting?) after that, he spent most of his time working out how the television worked. Styxx had finally worked out most of the controls when Acheron flashed in, an angry and terrified look on his face.

"What? I didn't do it this time." Styxx tossed the remote onto his coffee table and sat back, arms crossed.

"I..." Acheron sighed, then took off his sunglasses. "I know I told you I was done with you, but I need your help."

Styxx snorted softly. "With what?"

"I need you to pose as me, go to the Atlantean hell realm, and save Soteria." Acheron stated impatiently. Styxx let out a short laugh, remembering how well it went the last time he'd posed as his brother.

"Who?" Styxx sat forward, curious about the woman who had been mentioned.

"Soteria." Acheron repeated, taking a seat next to his brother, causing Styxx to shift uncomfortably. "I love her. The only woman I've loved like this in a very long time. And she's in danger. And I can't do anything to save her without ending the world."

Styxx nodded slowly, knowing how it felt to love a person so much. "What do I have to do then?"

Acheron clapped his brother on the shoulder and stood up as another man flashed in. "Put the sunglasses on." Ash smirked.

Styxx grabbed them as he stood up and put them on, looking down at himself as his clothes changed. "What is this?"

"If I hadn't seen that myself," The blonde man with Acheron spoke up, pointing between the two of them. "I would've sworn there were two of you, boss."

"There are." Acheron smirked. "Thank you, Styxx."

Styxx looked at his twin, one eyebrow arched above the sunglasses. "Are we going to get this over with or what?"

Acheron nodded. "Urian." He gestured to the blonde who stepped forward and grinned a moment before the world changed around Styxx.

One moment he was in his living room, the next he was in Kalosis, surrounded by an army. Styxx tried to put off the aura of "mess with me, I'll kill you where you stand." And it seemed to work.

A tall man with black hair stood forward, glaring at Urian. After an exchange between the two, Styxx growled.

"Enough of the family reunion bulls**t. Where is Soteria?" Styxx prayed that he'd gotten her name right. That was one thing that could set this mission back.

"She's over there." A blonde, beautiful woman appeared next to him, pointing at a door not too far from him. "At last, mi'gios. You've come to set me free." The woman leaned in to kiss his cheek. "You protect them, Styxx." She whispered. Somehow he felt it was more of a threat than a request. He embraced her for a moment before letting her go and heading to the room she'd pointed to.

Before he'd opened the door, a brunette woman ran out and threw herself against him. This was the woman his brother wanted him to save? Styxx was at a loss as she reached up and kissed him. If this was indeed his brother's woman, Styxx would never speak of this moment.

Styxx held her close as Urian and the man that had been in the room with Soteria got into an argument. Styxx moved the two of them into the room, watching the army behind him.

"Urian," Styxx tried to get the blonde's attention. "I think they're catching on."

"Catching onto what?" The dark-haired man asked.

Soteria rolled her eyes. "This isn't Ash." Ash? How does one get "Ash" from Acheron? He'd barely had that thought when the world again changed around him.

As soon as they finished materializing, Styxx released the woman to his brother, who embraced her lovingly. He walked over and sat at the bar, watching the pair. That was what relationships are supposed to look like. He sighed and turned away, grabbing himself a bottle from the unattended bar.

"Styxx," He heard Ash call. He sighed again and stood up as his his brother said, "Take her out of here. Keep her safe." That surprised him. Acheron trusted him that much?

Styxx stepped forward to talk with his brother and his woman when the army they'd just escaped appeared, led by the man with black hair. He turned as one of the men came at him with a dagger, a sword appearing at his side.

He grinned and silently thanked Acheron before drawing his blade, the memories of his training flooding back to him. He deflected the dagger and ran his sword through the man's chest, causing him to burst into dust.

Daimons. He'd heard of these ones plenty when he'd worked against his brother many years ago. As he fought he was pushed farther and farther from Acheron. He tried to move back to his twin, especially when he saw the black-haired man heading towards him with what looked like an Atlantean dagger.

Styxx dropped his sword and rushed forward, pushing and dodging and reaching Acheron in enough time to get between him and the blade, the knife burying deep into his abdomen. Losing his balance, he bumped Acheron, the black haired man cursing and yanking the blade out.

"Sonuva..." Styxx fell to the floor, pain exploding through his body. He couldn't tell if it was the same pain or worse from the first time he'd died.

When he decided it was definitely worse, Acheron knelt by his side and started inspecting his wound. Styxx looked up at his brother, his lips twitching into a small smile. "You know, brother, you're never supposed to close your eyes in battle."

Acheron laughed. "I wasn't the one training to be a general."

Styxx glanced around at the men around them, wishing he could earn the respect that were in their eyes for his brother. "Perhaps. But you do a much better job of leading them than I ever did. I definitely think Father trained the wrong one of us."

Acheron didn't speak, he only put his hand over Styxx's wound. A string of curses, not all of them English, poured out of his mouth as his brother healed him.

"Am I dead yet?" He asked sarcastically. Of course he wasn't. As long as his brother lived, so did he.

"Not yet. You still have a few years to seriously p!ss me off."

Styxx grinned. "I look forward to it."

"You did a good job for me. Thank you." Acheron said.

"Yeah well, next time you need someone to descend into a Daimon sanctuary, pick one of your other a**holes to do it. I don't have the powers of a god when they come at me and it puts me at a definite disadvantage." Acheron shook his head and helped Styxx to his feet.