Greece—Typhon [Fall of Constantinople, 1453]
"All monsters, every abominable creature you can imagine, descends from the same father. Typhon."
Greece listened attentively as Mother continued her tale with a whispering voice, the lights from the nearby fire making her seem like a muse, a supernatural apparition.
"The most atrocious of them all, even the Olympian gods fear him. His coming is announced by earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and his roar is enough to make the greatest hero die of fear. His breath of fire can burn cities to a crisp..."
She paused and observed Greece. No signs of discomfort whatsoever. He listened almost like he was taking notes of her discourse. That made her change her tone to a merrier one, take him in her arms.
"Of course you know the Typhon can't harm you or anyone. He's well secluded for all eternity. I'm so proud of you, my little man..." She said, kissing him.
There came a day when Mother stopped believing in Typhon, in the Olympians, in the Elysium, and Greece supposed they were just fairy tales for children like him.
Until disasters started shaking the world. The Great Roman Empire died. The plague devastated the countries. Summer didn't come one year. Gigantic waves submerged cities. The earth trembled.
And they encountered Typhon face to face.
She had hidden Greece behind a false wall, in a desperate attempt to protect him, the only thing left to lose. Right after doing so, they clashed. They were in the next room, although the child couldn't see anything, he heard it all fine. The clashing of the swords, the grunts and yelps, Mother shouting: «Out, damn you!».
Then her sword falling, Typhon's cruel chuckle. Then his sword swinging, her head hitting the floor, her body following some instants later.
Greece felt, but didn't show.
Steps, walking around the whole palace, looking for something—someone. Stopping right in front of him. Approaching. Hands feeling the whole wall, until they found the mechanism which opened it.
Greece felt a shiver when he had him in front of him, but it wasn't fear.
You don't meet a legend every day.
He guessed he understood why Mother had fallen. He didn't look the way people depicted him. He didn't have this fiery breath, or a thousand dragon heads, or had a snake's tail or was hundreds of meters tall. Greece would have never guessed that the father of all monsters could be a richly dressed man who was wearing a mask, and a turban, and many jewels. A clever disguise.
Typhon, the greatest monster of them all, unleashed from his prison, now unstoppable, extended his hand towards him. Greece didn't think of resisting. What for? He took his hand, and let him do whatever he wanted with him.
"Aren't you afraid of me, little one?" Typhon asked with an exotic accent.
As a response, Greece kept looking at him to the eyes. Mother would have wanted that.