The whole kingdom knew of the break in, gossip and rumours spread fast. All the water people were on edge, fearing this would cause another war. The other citizens were all anxiously awaiting answers to what exactly went down that night. The guard on duty that night were swiftly fired for letting intruders steal such a prized possession. Not only fired but banished from the mainland, Agnemetra was always ruthless with her punishments.

And now, using the information she has from the night of the break in she knew that a group of four, most likely water people with air and fire powers were behind it. Thanks to the cloaks, no one knew who exactly they were, but Agnemetra was determined to find out.

"I want EVERY water person in the realm questioned. Torture them if you have to, I need to know exactly who did this" she announced, the room full of guards dead silent as they listened.

"Two of them are of fire and air element, pay close attention to those who are a water person and of those elements. They could be our culprits. And when they're found, I want to personally set them ablaze..." the queen seethed.

The tension in the room was high, each guard both scared of the queen but still loyal to her thanks to her cult like brainwashing. Although now half the force was banished, she failed to realise she'd just tossed away half of her defence team. That's what happens when you act upon rage, you don't think rationally and end up screwing yourself over. And Agnemetra was a person of rage, all she did was rage.

"I want this mess sorted, and that god damned book back in its place. To work, NOW!" She demanded.

Immediately the room of guards burst into chatter as they began to organise the queens request. She walked out, down the halls and into her office where she leaned on the desk and sighed in anger, her rage making her hands spark and the desk singe slightly.

"Vermin, all of them. Of course it's water people, Merfolk are the scum of the earth and apparently their brethren are not too far behind. Unless... no, I took care of all the Merfolk long ago" she muttered to herself.

She looked up, catching her reflection in the window. Staring herself down, she turned to look at the scars on her back where her wings once were.

"Bastard fish..." she spat.

She may be a queen, but she was just an angry child in a woman's body. Everyone knows that one persons bad action doesn't immediately make the people they're connected to bad as well. That's something you learn as a child in primary school, when the teacher tells you that bullying is bad.

But to her childish mind, she thought that just because she was wronged by one particularly bad mer person, that all mer people and their water based brethren were the same. That everyone who could breathe underwater would tear the wings off a young phenix. Never mind the many Merfolk that had fallen in love with and started families with her kind in the past, never mind that Merfolk were just like anyone else but had a tail. Never mind that hating an entire group of people based on one person is blatant discrimination.

She was too naive to understand the simple concept, and when you give an unstable, stupid person power... things get bloody.

She approached her reflection in the window, adjusting the crown on her head.

"I promised myself every last one would be gone for what they did to me. And if their brethren want to act like them, I'll squash them like a bug too" she monologued to herself.

The water people in the kingdom were restless and anxious about the situation, but thanks to how close knit the Naiads were, they weren't that alarmed. As soon as Styxx heard about the break in, he knew who it was and exactly what happened. And without revealing anything, anytime a fellow Naiad told him their worries about it, he assured them everything would be ok. His only concern was if anyone got hurt, but he knew that the group made it out alive.

After becoming closer with the group and confirming that the mystery top surgery having siren was real, he was able to figure out exactly where they were hiding all these years before leaving. And being the kind soul he is, he figured he should pass the message along that Aries was ok.

Zagreus suggested it like time they met up, Styxx admired Zagreus' care for those he loved. He gladly accepted the request to track down the fae dubbed Momo and tell her that her foster child was alive and ok. So while his family were nearby to help maintain the lake, he took the time to step away for a moment and head into the orchids where the small cottage sat. It was actually nearby another lake a family friend of his owned, maybe he could stop by there and say hello as well.

It wasn't a very long trip, over the river and through the small fruit faming town on the other side.

The cottage was exactly what he expected of a fae that worked on the fruit farms, the whole garden was full of colourful flowers and berries, a pond of frogs and toadstools under the shade of the trees. Sun catchers and wind chimes hung from the patio roof, a table and two chairs by the door. One looked dusty and had a few spiderwebs on it, the other looked recently used.

Walking up the path to the front door, he felt something brush against his leg and when he looked down he saw a little hairless cat with a knitted sweater on.

"Oh hello, aren't you very cosy in your little sweater?" He smiled, reaching down to pat the cat.

It purred against his hands, and allowed him to look at the collar for a name.

"Chicken? That's a funny name for a cat" he snickered.

The cat followed him up the path and strutted through the cat flap while had to knock on the door and wait. It didn't take long for the fae to answer. When the door opened he was met with a short girl with iridescent wings resembling a dragonfly. Her hair was dark and curly, her cheeks dotted with mushroom like spots. He was actually taller than her despite being a lot younger.

"Hey, I know you don't know me but I have information I think you should know... about Aries" Styxx said.

Momo immediately lit up, her interest peaked and emotions going haywire inside her.

"Aries? Oh my- yes come in, please" she replied.

Letting him in, Styxx was met with the kind of decor he'd expect someone's grandma to have. Lace, flowers, vintage cookware and little knickknacks lining the antique shelves. Momo eagerly sat him across the dining table and was practically bursting with questions.

"Alright. Long story but I promise it's worth it. I'm Styxx, owner of Aralua lake. Years ago there were rumours among us Naiads that one of us who runs a clinic had given a siren top surgery off the grid, so it couldn't be traced by the kingdom. No one really knew if it was true or not but just recently I met a merman who fell into my lake. I promised to keep him a secret and he told me that he was part of a group of 4 who were scouting the island for a place to plan a rebellion-" Styxx began.

Immediately Momo knew where this was going. A recent break in and theft of sacred item, a merman in Izroulia? A rebellion? It could only mean one thing.

"Don't tell me... Aries stole the grimoire?" Momo said.

"Them and three other Merfolk they found in the human realm. Shortly after I met the merman Zagreus, I met the rest of the group and sure enough the top surgery having siren is real. Aries is alive, they're safe and they're behind the break in" Styxx replied.

Momo was stunned, while she absolutely expected Aries to be dumb enough to go through with something like this, she was both relived to know they were alive and terrified for them.

"Of course they're planning a rebellion that's just like them... and three? Three other Merfolk? In the human realm! What on earth..." Momo gasped.

"From what I know, the Merfolk that fled during the war are still in the human realm but they've moved locations and only three... and Zagreus' parents are still on the coast of point break bay where Aries is right now. The goal is to make Izroulia safe again so they can find the pod and bring them back. And honestly I think they can do it... a miracle happened, they have the chaos gems" Styxx explained.

Momo almost fell out of her seat hearing the last part, as if this wasn't wild enough but the primordial power of Khaos was involved? That's how she knew this situation must be dead serious, and that Aries might not be so crazy for planning a rebellion if they have that power on their side.

"The gods have blessed me, they're alive and they found more of their kind... I want to cry but I'm so- so buzzed I just can't! Gods I'm so relieved they're ok..." Momo sighed, hand over her beating heart.

"I thought you should know, Zagreus suggested I find you and tell you so when this fight goes down you know what's happening. And when Aries shows up at your door after it happens you won't have a heart attack" Styxx replied.

"Thank you, so much. It means the world to know they're safe. I promised their parents I'd take care of them, and they're all grown up now as well... they lived this long I'm sure they'll survive this"

"I can promise you that the other three, Icarus, Pandora and Zagreus are all amazing people and they're the best friends Aries could have. The four of them can absolutely pull this off, just the fact Zagreus suggested I find you to pass this on tells me he really cares for Aries and the girls"

The fae smiled from ear to ear, no words could describe how relived she was and how happy she was to know that soon, she'd be able to see Aries again. Aries may not biologically be her child, but goddamnit that was her baby. She raised them, she loves them. DNA be damned, Momo always thought of Aries as her own.

"I begged the gods to watch over them all this time I'm so glad they answered. Thank you so much for this, I can't express it enough. The best I can do is offer you some of this years harvest" Momo said.

"Oh it's ok! Really, I want Merfolk back as much as they do, I'm in on all of this. I'm keeping everything secret from the kingdom, you're the only one I've told because you're their mother, you deserve to know. I know my mum would have lost her mind with worry if I disappeared" Styxx replied.

"I'm so grateful, really. And this Zagreus? He suggested you find me? Send my thanks to him as well. Hug him for me"

Styxx smiled, admittedly liking the idea of hugging the merman.

"I can definitely do that, I quite like the idea of hugging a pretty merman" Styxx laughed.

"Oh he's pretty is he? Of course Aries has pretty friends they always managed to find such adorable people to hang around" Momo giggled.

"He's gorgeous, long blond hair, these bright green eyes that match his tail, he used to kite board before he transformed so he's pretty ripped too..."

Momo could sense the crush from a mile away, she did when Haru caught feelings for Micha too. Even after Aries left Haru would still check in with Momo, the two of them comforted each other over the tragic situation.

"Hmm a pretty merman who's also a kind person huh? Seems like a catch" Momo teased.

Now Styxx knew where Aries got the teasing nature from. He couldn't help but smile, a slight pink dusted on his cheeks.

"Yeah, he's one hell of a catch..." he admitted.

Momo was overjoyed with the news. Not only was Aries alive but they'd finally gotten top surgery they wanted so bad, found other merfolk, make amazing friends and even have the power of Khaos to held them on this rebellion. She could hardly wait for the day the siren showed back up on her doorstep, keeping the promise to come back as soon as it was safe.