Ch. 2

'Good night mom and dad,' Perseus said.

'Good night, my son. Remember to tell me all about your trip tomorrow!' Sally said.

Perseus slowly walked to his chamber, exhausted from the journey. He put off his clothes, slipped into his sleeping attire and fell on his bed closing his eyes.

The journey had taken him and his father three days of traveling. The road had been unusually quiet: no other travelers, no traders, not even bandits or thugs. It made Perseus worry about why there seemed to be no-one around them. It could just be a coincidence that they had passed no-one but Perseus highly doubted it. Something had made sure that either all other people on the road didn't want to be near them or, what Perseus feared, made sure there was no-one left on the road.

Perseus thought back to the Dracaena he had met on the market back in Athens. It made him wonder... Could she have followed them along with some other of her kind? Maybe she did really want her revenge...

'No,' Perseus thought. 'I am just tired and a bit paranoid from the journey. Father said Dracaenae can't work together and if anyone knows a lot about those creatures it is father.'

Perseus cleared his minds from all thoughts and closed his eyes, to escape all his worries. Unfortunateley, he didn't get his good night sleep. He was immediateley plagued by a nightmare.

As a child, Perseus had had some nightmares. Most of them were something like being attacked by a monster. Those were scary, but the one Perseus was having was way worse. It wasn't that he was being attacked or something like that. No, he was doing the attacking. And he wasn't killing monsters either. With a sword in each hand he was mowing down innocent people. It was all so livid, Perseus could really feel his hand gripping the swords and slashing them at everyone who came close. But although that was terrible, it wasn't the absolute worse. No, the worst thing was that Perseus could feel his dream-self enjoying the slaughter, screams and blood. It fueled him to kill even more people. He kept killing. And killing. And killing...

Suddenly everyone disappeared. Only one small girl stood in front of him, just staring at him. But his blood-lust hadn't calmed down. Perseus could feel his dream-self raise his sword and with one slice...

Perseus awoke heavily gasping. He slowly composed himself and willed his breathing to slow down. The dream had been way too livid for Perseus taste: he could even feel the adrenaline flowing through his veins. His chamber was dark. It was probably still night.

Perseus rubbed his hands over his face. His hands were unusually warm and also very wet. Perseus slowly lowered his hands and looked at them. They were entirely red, from blood. Perseus almost got a heart attack before he saw that the blood had seeped out from under his bandage, that was loosened because of the frantic movement he had probably made in his nightmare. Slowly his heart rate slowed to normal levels again. He stood up from his bed and went outside to wash himself in the nearby river.

To get to the nearby river you had to go through a forest. Most people were scared of the forest at night, saying bad spirits lived there. Perseus wasn't though. He felt kind of... relaxed walking through it. It also helped him forget about his terrible dream. Perseus hoped it was a dream, and not a vision of some kind of what was to come.

After a ten-minute walk he reached the river. He pulled his clothes off slowly and stepped into the river. The water was freezing cold but Perseus didn't mind it. It helped him cool down from the nightmare. When he felt he was cooled down enough Perseus stepped out of the river. He put on his clothes again and started the walk back to his home.

The path back home was weird; although Perseus had walked this path what felt like a million times he somehow didn't really recognize anything. Eventually he reached a weird open spot in the forest where no trees stood. Instead, Perseus saw three what looked like old ladies. Perseus knew by looking at them they certainly weren't your regular old ladies.

'Looking for the path back to the village, ladies?' Perseus asked politely.

The three women looked at him at exactly the same time.

'Wow, he is charming,' one exclaimed.

'Of course he is. Perseus here is the son of two good people. I can feel it in their strings,' another said.

'Shut up you two,' the third one said. 'We need to get to the point.'

Perseus was curious. 'How do you know my name?' he asked.

'Haven't you found it out yet, boy? We are Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. We are the Tree Moirai, the Tree fates.'

Perseus was shocked but didn't show it. 'So, what are the Tree Fates doing in this forest in this hour of the night?'

'We have come to warn you,' they said in unison.

'For what?' Perseus asked confused.

'Clotho, you made him a bit dense when you spun his string, didn't you?' one of them said.

'Oh, hold your tongue woman,' the one named Clotho said.

'You were going to warn me?' Perseus asked nonchalantly when the Fates had started squabbling with each other.

'Right Perseus,' they said after they had resolved their little squabble. 'Your mother and father are in terrible danger right now. Your village is, right now, being attacked by multiple Dracaenae.'

Perseus cursed. 'I knew there was something up! I have to get back.'

He started running away.

'No!' the Tree Morai shouted, teleporting in front of Perseus and blocking the way. 'That's why we have come to warn you: your father's and mother's life are coming to an end now. I can feel it: soon I will have to cut their strings.'

Perseus was shocked. 'Then get out of the way! I have to help them!'

The Fates shook their head, again in that strange unison. 'You can't go against fate. Their fate is already sealed, but yours isn't. We came here to make sure that you didn't rush in blindly and got yourself killed.'

Perseus was devastated to hear this. 'Is there nothing I can do?' he said in a broken tone. A tone that indicated someone who was about to lose his entire life.

'No. But we will give you this favour: we will wait with cutting your parents' string, so that you can speak with them.'

'Thank you,' Perseus said.

He turned around and got ready to rush back, but he still wanted to ask one thing. 'Why are you telling me all of this? I am just a mere mortal.'

'Oh Perseus, you will be so much more. Your fate lies somewhere far from here. It is crucial for everyone that you stay alive,' the Fates said.

Perseus didn't ponder on that for too long and ran out of the forest to his village. At the edge of the forest he stood and watched. All the houses in the small village Perseus had now called home for 15 years were on fire. People everywhere lay on the ground dead or wounded beyond recovery. Perseus felt an immense guilt swell up in him. Was he the one who had caused this by bumping into that Dracaena? If he had just walked past it than it would never have recognized him...

Perseus shook that thought away; now was not the time to think about that. He needed to find his parents. If what he had heard from the Fates was true, Perseus needed to find them as soon as possible. He exited the forest and sneaked from building to building trying to reach his house. The Dracaenae were already gone. Destruction and chaos is the only thing they had left behind.

Finally he reached his house. The door was kicked open and lay on the floor behind the entrance. Perseus walked inside with shaky legs; he didn't know if he was prepared to see his dead parents. He carefully openend the door to the chamber of his parents.

Perseus almost collapsed at the sight he saw there. His mother and father both lay there, a giant puddle of blood around them. His father had clearly put up a fight: three dead Dracaena lay there.

Perseus walked over to his mother and father. 'Mom? Dad?' he said crying softly now.

'Perseus? Thank the gods you are alright,' his mother said. 'Perseus... I can feel my life slipping away. Come, say goodbye to me.'

Perseus walked over to his mother. Tears kept falling out of his eyes. He hugged his mom.

Sally stroked Perseus's back. 'It's alright darling, it's alright: you are strong and you will survive. Knowing that I can die peacefully.'

'Mom, don't..t..t, don't go. I don't want you to go,' Perseus said.

'Hush, my son. My fate has been sealed here. And I will never be gone. Inside of you I will live on,' Sally said.

Slowly she fell backwards, taking her last few breaths. She looked over one last time to her husband. 'I will see you in the Underworld, my love.'

Alexander nodded and grabbed the hand of his dying wife one last time before she collapsed.

Alexander coughed up some blood before saying something. 'Those Dracaenae... did follow us,' he said. 'I should have taken your worries more seriously.'

Perseus shook his head. 'No, it's not your fault.'

Alexander smiled. 'Always so compassionate and loyal. I admire that about you, it's something you inherited from your mother.'

Perseus was quick to reply. 'You are very compassionate too, dad.'

Alexander shook his head and smiled again. 'Something is keeping me here Perseus and I know what for. I need to explain to you what I saw at your birth.'

He coughed again before continuing. 'As is usual when a child is born, I sacrificed a sheep to the Gods. Of course that meant I also read its liver. But your liver Perseus, it wasn't normal. Pitch-black, all around. You know that isn't a good sign. I knew then that you were going to face something terrible, but I didn't know what. I had almost given up hope until I moved back. Then moonlight fell on the liver and it glowed silvery almost. That's when I realized there was still hope yet. Almost immediateley after that you were born. I rushed into the chamber where you were conceived. And there were you.'

Alexander wheezed and struggled to breath for a while. Perseus thought his father was gone too but the old monster hunter recovered himself. 'I... I remember that was the most beautiful moment in my life, seeing you there. I walked over to you. Your mother and I said that we needed to come up with a name. Your mother said, without a doubt, Perseus, Destroyer. Then I knew what terrible thing you were going to face. I am sure you have figured out what now.'

Alexander grabbed his son and pulled him close. 'Don't ever lose yourself in the destruction son. Promise me you won't.'

'I... I... I promise,' Perseus said shaken from this new revelation.

'Good. Remember to take my dagger off of me and all my armour with you. You will need it. Go to Hyas, he will help you; the rest of our equipment has probably been looted,' Alexander's vision started blurring.

'Perseus... It's time for me to join your mother. Know that I am so very proud of you. You are more of a man then I ever was,' Alexander said.

'B-b-byee dad,' Perseus said his face now wet from all the tears.

'Bye, my son,' Alexander managed to squeeze out before the life slipped from his body.

Now Perseus totally collapsed. What was he going to do? His parents had just died in front of him. What was he going to do, in the gods' names?

He stayed like that for hours. Staring at his parents, crying, and cursing his life until the sun began shining through the window. It was like a warm blanket and encouraged Perseus to finally stand up. He needed to cremate all the bodies and put a drachma under their tongue. They deserved to get a passage to the Underworld.

It had taken him the whole morning, but Perseus had finally managed to set out what he wanted to do. A giant pyre with all the villagers Perseus had known his entire life and next to it a smaller one, just for his parents. Perseus sighed and put both pyres on fire. He stared at the villagers for a second saying goodbye to all of them. Then he turned his full attention to the one from his parents.

All sorts of emotions ran through him. Guilt, anger, sadness, despair. It was sickening. But Perseus finally settled on one feeling: revenge. He would do what he was good in: hunting monsters. That was what the Dracaenae were: nothing more than monsters. He would hunt the one who had led them all here and would kill her. He would kill them all He would enjoy it too: nice and slow, like his mother and father had...

Perseus stopped himself there. This was exactly what his father had warned him for: losing himself in the destruction. If he would kill the Dracaenae like that, he would lose himself in the process and eventually turn insane, just like his dream. He would be a shell of himself; someone who killed because it was fun.

No, that wasn't going to happen. He would get his revenge but not lose himself in the process. It was the least he could do for his father; Perseus had after all promised it.

With that mindset Perseus left the village, his father's dagger on his hip, and set off to Hyas, in Athens.

In the distance Perseus saw Athens again. But now he wasn't impressed by it. He had only one goal in mind: find Hyas, get supplies and weapons and start hunting the Dracaenae. Perseus walked to the city, determined about his goal.

Perseus found the entrance to the market after an hour of searching. He was exhausted from the trip to Athens; everything in his village had been looted, so he had gone without food for two days. In those two days he had barely taken a break; Perseus just constantly walked

He slowly opened the door and walked inside. Perseus saw Hyas sitting behind his desk. Perseus walked over to him.

Hyas looked up from the noise. 'Perseus! What are you doing here alone? Where is your father? And why do you look so terrible?'

Perseus barely managed to push out a few words. 'My father... dead. I need help,' before collapsing. Everything slowly went black...

Perseus awoke with a roaring stomach; it demanded some food. He slowly stood up from the bed he had been laying in. It was pretty humble, but it certainly wasn't in a poor man's house. Perseus opened the door and exited his room. The smell of food drove him downstairs. There Hyas was stirring in a pot.

He looked up when Perseus stormed in. 'Perseus! Are you alright?' he asked.

Perseus sat down in a chair next to Hyas. 'Yeah, I'm fine. Just traveled a bit too long.'

Hyas nodded. 'Now tell me what happened to your father.'

Perseus told his story to Hyas. He was shocked to hear what had happened to his old friend. Perseus could barely talk about his parents' dad without crying but eventually he came through it.

When Perseus was finished, he got a bowl of the stew Hyas had been making. Hyas waited for Perseus to finish before asking a question that had nagged at him when Perseus had told him the story.

'You want to take revenge, don't you?' Hyas asked.

Perseus nodded. 'I owe it to my parents. I promised my dad that I wouldn't lose myself though, so it will be just like another contract.'

Hyas looked worried. 'Are you sure? You say that know but when you stand before the Dracaenae does that still count?'

Perseus hadn't really thought of that. 'I will have to. It's the only way I won't lose myself.'

Hyas nodded. 'I know where you have to search. There have been reports of Echidna herself having been reformed from Tartarus. All the Dracaenae have probably flocked to her.'

Perseus stood up. 'Then I need to go now.'

Hyas understood. 'Wait Perseus, I will help you. You will need some equipment and supplies after all. I assume you fight the same as your father? A bow and a sword?'

Perseus nodded.

'Okay, wait here,' Hyas said.

He later came back with a sack full of supplies, a quiver with a bunch of arrows in it, a beautiful bow and for some reason a bronze hair clip. He put them on a table. 'That bow used to be from me, back when I was still hunting. Now I am just an administrator, so I don't need it anymore.'

Perseus grabbed the bow from the table. It was really big; probably made for one shot to begin the battle before you grabbed your sword or dagger. 'Where is the sword?' Perseus asked.

Hyas threw the hair clip at him which Perseus caught. 'That is your sword. Just flick it.'

Perseus flicked it and suddenly a beautiful celestial bronze sword came out. 'Awesome, what is this?' Perseus asked amazed.

'It's something I got from one of my sisters. It's called Anaklusmos, Riptide. It has got a long and tragic history. My sister didn't want it anymore, so she gave it to me to safe keep. I am sure she won't mind if I gave it to you,' Hyas explained.

'Thank you, Hyas,' Perseus said after he had put the sack over his shoulder, the quiver and bow on his back and the hair clip in his pocket. He had also put on the celestial bronze chest plate, shin guards and arm guards from his father.

'No problem, it's the least I could do for you; I owe it to your father to help you,' Hyas told him. 'One more thing you need to know before you go Perseus: you won't be the only one hunting Echidna. I am almost certain that my sister and her companions are searching for her too. So watch yourself with them and if you meet my sister just tell her you know me. I hope she'll go a bit easier on you then.'

'What is your sister called again?' Perseus asked.

'Zoë Nightshade.'

Author's Note: So next chapter the Hunters and Artemis will most likely appear. Sorry to everyone for killing off Perseus's parents early which is kind of cliche (something I really try to avoid) but it is needed to further the plot. As always, Review, Follow and Favorite.