Deimos circled the cage round and round, leaving Chronos guessing and making his head spin, he wanted to start snapping but his mind told him it would be an awfully bad idea, after all, Deimos was the only one with knowledge of just how to get out of locked doors, picking locks, forcing them to open. He struggled against the bars, panting as he whispered "not much good, these are solid"

"We are vampires and we cannot break metal?!"

"Excuse me but I have had an enchanted dagger shoved in me, I am not at full strength and neither are you, you never are"

"What do you want me to do, ask?"

"Hopefully they kill you first, I hope I live long enough to see them choke the life out of you. Who came up with this plan anyway?"

"You did, remember? Hitting them with a tree was not my idea either, clearly it pissed them off. I only hope Lilith is safe now we have left" Chronos snapped as he sat down in his cage. Deimos forced him to stand as three guards marched towards them, their eyes all cold as ice, the ice water that ran through their veins. They opened the cage and practically dragged the pair out, to force them to kneel down to Hecate herself but they did not kneel to her, it was not a woman... not with that blood, the smell so familiar and yet unique... too unique. There stood a man, as bold as brass itself. His hair light as the sun itself, his eyes calming... beautiful... like the night's sky had come to greet them and with this god-like man's permission, the pair got onto their feet. Chronos stood, wondering how it was even... possible but Deimos, Deimos went for the god-like man standing there, taller than the two. He grabbed Deimos's fist, burning it as his eyes glowed orange, like a flame.

"I would not do that if I were you" the god-like man warned in a harsh, hard tone.

"Who are you?" Deimos asked in his typical snappy tone but the man did not seem to care, just stood there. He sat there in a large throne, the statue of Hecate behind him. "Why have you come here?"

"Our creator, he will kill everyone if we do not do the same to him. We know what he is planning, to make more of our kind and we cannot and will not let that happen. If he makes more, he will enslave the humans, kill too many and enslave the rest. Both Deimos and I have agreed, it is best to live in the shadows, hide there where we can be free, taste the blood of our enemies in secret, not in full view of the public"

"I agree but why then must you kill him?"

"Because he intends to make an army of our kind, if I were you, I would kill him or consider curing him" Deimos snapped as he touched the statue of Hecate, his long arms reached out to grab it, grab her.

"I would refrain from touching the goddess, unless you wish to bind your soul to her in which case, touch away. As for Epimethieus, my brother has always been a power hungry monster. I had thought he was dead or had only made off with one innocent but it seems I was fooled. Admittedly I am fascinated, worried of course but just why should I kill him or allow you two to kill him? After all, Hecate blocked you from her temple"

"And yet you move freely, how?"

"Unlike my brother, I never turned my back on the great Hecate so this is my home, my temple... my life"

"What is an immortal like you doing here? Why did Hecate let you stay?"

"I might be an immortal but Hecate has forgiven me. The turning was not my choice; it was not a choice at all... I was bitten... forced to turn. Since then I have prayed to Hecate and she has looked after me since but it is not without its consequences. Since I am what I am, I cannot wield her blade, however I remain here, by her side because of who I am and because my conscience, despite all that has happened, I have forced it to remained clear and that is even against the odds and with the temptation to join you both and my darling, disgusting and selfish brother

"So what can we do? What can be done to stop him?"

"Nothing, I cannot help either of you"

"WE RISKED OUR NECKS FOR THIS AND YOU TURN AROUND AND SAY YOU CANNOT HELP US?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Deimos yelled uncontrollably, his eyes fixed on the man sat in the throne, the man who seemed like the one who could save everyone from their deaths but only seemed to break their hopes.

"No matter what my brother has done, he is still my brother" Alexander snapped as he walked away from the pair of them. Surely he had to do something to protect the people of Greece, to fight for them and against the evil of his brother. Did he look upon Epimethieus and still see his brother? If it came to it, they would have to find another way to kill Epimethieus, to kill that which they had once called 'father' but was unfortunately the same man they looked down upon and saw 'monster' instead when they looked at him. He had turned Lilith against them, turned his sons against himself because of his disgusting attitude. Were they damned to be like him and his brother, forever yo-yoing between lives, between worlds?

They would have to avoid Epimethieus and hope he would fail and given his current successes, it was deemed unlikely... highly unlikely. He was going to do it, fulfil his disgusting yet grand lust for power, make himself king of a world that hated him and yet could not be rid of him. He was going to win because everything that happened, everything that was done was done so he could win. He knew every piece on the chessboard and how to play it, what move it made and when he should move it. For years he had been planning the game, planning every move and counter move until there was nothing left but for him to do it, to end the lives of the two he wanted and gain the rest he needed. An assassin, a soldier, a seductress... everyone made for a purpose, for his own purpose and his own sickeningly cruel goals.

Night fell and soon they would have to run and hide, hide from the monster that they once called father and the same hideous monster that turned the pair of them. Why was he so addicted to power? It was his wine, the siren that called for him, calling his name out and enticing him. It was power that drove Deimos and Chronos to sign away their humanity, their families and their lives. Neither of them, no matter what, would be called human again because Epimethieus decided to play his cards, show his hand, the hand that was going to trap the pair of them and the rest of humanity for never would there be a worse king on the throne than him or a poor innocent who had Epimethieus whispering in their ear, influencing every decision they ever made.

"Hello boys, nice night is it not?" Epimethieus asked as he raced towards them. He tutted cruelly as he walked towards the temple door but Hecate's power forced it shut, bolted shut. He smirked before his long, stick-like claws cut through it, tearing it to ribbons before forcing his way inside. He looked around, smirking as his brother sat upon his throne. "Hello, Alexander. How long has it been, three or four decades since you faced me?"

"And still I cannot stand to be so close to you, you, my own brother. You were my flesh and blood, my brother until you broke the oath we made to Hecate and joined up with her enemy"

"Come on now brother, why should we not settle this together? Come on, brother, come kill me at long last after all you have hungered for this all your life, this revenge and the taste of blood... come on, fulfil at least one before you die"

"Why should I? You come here; defile all that I stand for and for what? Because you are damned where I am not, I am free to move about in the darkness and in the light with the goddess by my side. Where is Hades when you need him, when you pray to him? Where is he when you beg him to come be at your side?!"

"Then pick up your blade, brother, I shall wield mine and together we shall fight" Epimethieus snapped. He threw a large sword to his brother, the temptation to pick it up, burning in his eyes but he threw it to the side of the temple, ignoring it. "Pick it up!" Epimethieus ordered as he lunged at his brother, scratching him.

"No"

"PICK UP THE BLADE AND FIGHT ME!" he yelled as he sliced Alexander's shoulder. His blood dripped on the floor and yet still he refused. He instead watched his own brother slice his leg, forcing Alexander on his knees.

"Father, what are you doing here?" a familiar voice asked. Her flowing red hair blew in the wind as she glanced at him only for her eyes to connect to Epimethieus's. "Father, we need to go... leave the boys, leave the pair of them alone"

"All three of them, it looks like they have recruited. Never mind, though, come my child, we have food to catch"

Alexander bled out on the floor but the tears in his eyes said something else. He stood up, healing his painful wounds before glancing at the door. He muttered something neither of the boys caught and hurried towards the door, fighting the urge. He looked at the pair of them and respectively, like a gentleman said "you are welcome to stay, do not worry nor be frightened, neither of you shall come to harm. I must do something"

He sat kneeling by the statue of Hecate. "My lady, please, I beg of you... tell me, have my eyes deceived me or is it true? I see her and yet it cannot be her... I know she is gone. Please, my goddess, please". He stood up and picked up the blade. He nodded to her statue, bowing his head to her. "I know what needs to be done" he whispered forcefully.

He stole one of the young, wild horses, riding it as he struggled to pick up the scent of his brother; the brother he was once so close to was now a monster in his eyes. What happened to Alexander could not be undone but lies had to be exposed even if it meant opening wounds to expose his brother's evil. He forced the large cave open, the stench of his brother lurking within it as he stood there, the blade in his hands.

"What have you come to do, brother? Have you come to kill me behind closed doors?" Epimethieus joked cruelly. He wielded his own blade but Alexander made quick work of removing it from his hands.

"I do not want to kill you; your blood will not be shed, not just yet. Call her, call your daughter"

"Lilith, come out my child, come to me" Epimethieus begged as Alexander held the sword against his own brother's heart. Lilith came running, she tried to fight Alexander off but Epimethieus merely grabbed her. "There is no point in fighting him, he is a man driven mad by grief"

"Father, what is going on?!" she yelled.

"Good question but to whom was that addressed to, to him or to me?" Alexander asked. He could see the look of confusion on her face as he looked into Epimethieus's eyes. "I see the threads of lies starting to unravel... tell her the truth about her father"

"I have, she is my daughter and her mother died years ago"

"Yes... yes she did. Tell her; tell her how Athena died... come on, brother we should have ourselves a little story time"

"Shut up, Alexander!"

"Athena, the most beautiful woman in all of Greece, wife to one man and one man alone... I was that man and you, you, Epimethieus was the desperate man who wanted her, did you not?"

"What happened to her, what happened to my mother?!" Lilith yelled.

"Since my brother is so silent, allow me to fill in the blanks" Alexander snapped. "Athena was my wife, the most beautiful woman in all of Greece as I said. My brother and I worshipped the great goddess, Hecate but when Hecate would not grant him, Athena, he made a deal with Hades himself, immortality for himself and his kin, sealed in blood. Hades was fair, he offered him a chance. If he could resist the temptation to kill then he would be free from his deal. He came to our house and Athena being the good soul she was, let him in without a second thought. He offered Athena the chance to live, be by his side forever or die and she chose death... she chose to be killed, hoping he would not do it... hoping there was still something human left within him. There was nothing, not a thing human left within him, just a monster... he drained her blood and he cursed me, made me this forever but the one kick in the teeth was our daughter, he took her and promised me that I would feel the pain of her loss forever... that baby, my dear, was you and my brother is a thief, a liar and a monster!"

"What are you saying?!" she asked as she looked at Epimethieus in disgust, horror and hatred.

"He is lying to you, my child" Epimethieus lied as he glared at Alexander. "You cannot believe such a snake like him, believe me my child, he is a monster"

"Why would I lie to her? You and I are the monsters, yes; however my quarrel is with you and only you... I have not forgotten Athena"

Epimethieus smirked cruelly; he pushed Lilith away as he grabbed his brother by the throat. Alexander, seemingly the weaker one was powerless against him, even with the blade in his hands and yet he managed to break his grip and kick him.

"You are stronger, brother... possibly mentally stronger but physically, you are weaker against me. Just give up and go back to your little dog pack!" Epimethieus snapped as he held his brother's shirt. Alexander slipped out of it, kicking his brother but losing his blade.

"I might be weaker but I have never turned an innocent, can you say the same?"

"You blocked every creation but three, it is your fault they are like this!" Epimethieus yelled as he his blade lunged at Alexander, he jumped back, sucking himself in as the blade scratched him. He winced as it burnt him, sending him on his knees.

"Time to die, brother, do not worry, I will make it a very slow one" Epimethieus promised as he grabbed Alexander's hair, touching his neck with the glowing red blade. He raised it to get enough swing until he felt something plunge into his back. Lilith pulled it out, dropping it as it burnt her fingers.

She picked up the blade of Hades, prizing it out of Epimethieus's fingers. "You lied to me!"

Epimethieus vanished before she had a chance to pick up the blade of Hecate and finally finish the deed. Alexander vanished, probably going home as Deimos and Chronos panicked. What was going to happen to everyone, to them and their creator? What was going to happen to Lilith, what was she going to do? They couldn't stay in the temple; their hungry eyes watched her followers eagerly, their vampiric natures demanding to be fed. They left in a hurry in search of food, shelter and a way out, there had to be a way to undo that which had been done and become human once again, surely.

"Do you think there is a way?" Chronos asked eagerly.

"A way to what, what are you talking about?"

"To undo that which has been done, to become... us again, no more killing"

"I do not know, tell you the truth, I do not want to know. I know one thing, our father needs to die and if I die too... so be it"

"What about everyone else, everything else? What will we do?"

"I do not know, I cannot answer that"

They parted ways for a little while, no point in staying so close, not when Chronos and he wanted different things, Deimos hated the idea of going back to family, to Chronos that was like joining the gods, his way of life... he wanted to go home ever since, it had been years since he'd seen his wife and his son, he wanted them to know that he no longer hated her and that he loved them, both of them but how could he when Epimethieus was standing over him, standing guard constantly, watching Chronos's every move like a bird watches it prey or a cat stalks a mouse.

Deimos never saw the point in going back, he wanted to move forward, be an invincible assassin or something. It was as if he had plans, big plans and they had to be fulfilled or he'd go mad, become the next Epimethieus. What scared them both was how very alike they were, Epimethieus was very like Deimos and also Chronos, shared traits with both of them. It was by any means, a frightening, gut-wrenching thought that picked at their heads. Was Epimethieus once more... human? Did he once think and feel emotion? Did he care once upon a time about people, about his family?

He walked towards his house, the place pulled him and haunted him and yet... he didn't know what to do. He could smell the embers, the traces of metal that had been hammered into shape, no doubt by his son. Jason stood outside, carrying in his arms, a small child, barely older than three of four. Chronos's heart sank, his eyes filled with tears as he looked at the small boy... the little child, so young... it had to be Jason's child.

"Jason" Chronos called out instinctively. His son turned his head in every direction while Chronos hoped he didn't actually hear him but his wife walked towards him in a beautiful white dress.

She embraced him under the stars as she whispered "it is such a beautiful night"

"Yes it is... I am sorry. I swear I just heard... my father. Maybe he has joined the stars, I hope he has. His sacrifice means our son, Chronos, never need face war like his grandfather and his father before him"

"We have a lot to be grateful for, my love. Time with him was too short, time with Phoebe will be too... we are never given enough time here, in this world but only so in the other world, we are reunited with those we have lost" she replied gently as she took the baby Chronos from his father's arms.

As his wife walked inside, shielding her baby from the chill, Chronos stepped out from the shadows. Jason looked up at the stars and whispered "father, I would give the world... if it meant you were alive"

"I am alive" Chronos whispered in the dark, unaware he was still cloaked by the shadows, he was sure he had stepped out from them. His son glanced his way. "I am here" Chronos whispered softly, not trying to alert everyone. He stepped into the light of the moon, his darkened appearance at first shocked Jason, horrified him but that horror seemed to soon turn into happiness. He ran towards his father, thoughtlessly, hugging him, clinging onto him. Tears erupted from his eyes like a volcano as Chronos wrapped his arms around him.

"What happened... is this some kind of hallucination or gift from the gods? Have they returned my father to me?" Jason asked tearfully, attempting to wipe them. He touched his father's hands as Chronos moved back; he looked into Jason's eyes and wiped away his tears.

"I would have returned, my son, by some miracle if I were truly dead but I confess, if I told you that have come back, it would be a lie and I cannot lie to you, my son, even if you feel nothing now but disgust, it is disgust whilst you know the truth, not happiness and love knowing the lie. I am not as I was, I am different, perhaps monstrous, a monstrosity on this earth that the gods themselves despise more than anything. I know this to be true, I have seen godly weapons and the damage they will do to me"

"What do you mean, father?" Jason asked with confusion written all over his face, confusion attempting to camouflage the anger hidden beneath, anger due to a horrifying cruel betrayal. 

"I was never truly dead but nor am I now alive. I never eat nor drink water, I cannot taste wine and I cannot always face the sun. I have done this to myself, accepted that which I should have accepted and damned that which I should never have all because I wanted to come home. If I could have, I would have in a heartbeat however life would not allow it, it refused it and pulled me back. I have been living with three others like myself. That is if I can call this life, living... I have wished to see you, prayed for it and there have been moments however before today, I could not guarantee your safety, my son" 

"I waited so long for your return! I WAITED FOR SO LONG AND YET YOU DID NOT RETURN! YEARS HAVE PAST, YEARS AND NOW YOU COME BACK! HOW COULD YOU DO IT?! ABANDON YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, FIGHT THE WAR I WAS WILLING TO FIGHT AND NOT COME BACK FOR YEARS!" Jason yelled at the top of his lungs.

"I tried to come back but I could never guarantee you were safe. If I did not know you were safe, I did not want to come for you. I love you my son, you are my world and I thought I had lost you forever. If I had lost you, I would not have been able to fight like I am now. I wanted to keep you safe so yes, I admit it, I stayed away... for you, son, only for you"

"Did mother know?"

"What?"

"Did you tell her? Did she know you were alive? Did she know you were safe? Did she know that you would one day be able to stand here before me and talk of life?"

"I never told her" Chronos confessed quietly. He wiped a tear as he turned away from Jason. Jason grabbed his arm and asked "are you going, again? Are you going to leave us here, again, no explanation again, no war to fight either? What do I do now with the knowledge that I have, what do I do, knowing that you are alive?!"

"Hate me all you want. I did this for you; it may seem selfish because the act was. I do not want you to know everything, I am afraid of what that will do, what that will mean. I am afraid of telling you everything because I do not want you to look at your father and see a monster"

"You do not get to leave us again! You have a family, remember? You have me and my mother, my mother has mourned you, loved you and gone to the stupid stone that bears your name! You died, we were told that and we were told that for your sacrifice, I will never see war, nor shall my son or his son or his son's son! What happens now to our family? We cannot undo the mourning that has been done!"

"You mourned the man, what stands here for you and anyone to see is not a man, what died was the man, what remains is the remains of that man and a monster... a creation so disgusting, so cruel and horrific, the gods themselves attempt to kill it"

"You make it sound so horrible... stay, at least see mother, let her see you... please" Jason begged. Chronos stood in the doorway as Jason walked inside. Chronos looked around the door; he tried to step in only to be pushed back. Jason rolled his eyes and said "come on in"

Without a problem, Chronos stepped inside. Jason's wife could not even face him as she cradled her baby son. A worshipper of Hecate, he recognised her gifts, her talent for keeping evil out. Chronos made his way towards Phoebe's room, she lay there, an older woman, three years had taken their inevitable toll on her. He held her hand as she stirred, finding the strength to wake herself from her sleep.

"You came for me" a frail, hopeful voice whispered as her delicate hands touched Chronos's face, caressing it. "I was told you would come for me in death... that you would bring me peace, end my suffering... now you have... come for me"

"Not yet, my love, not yet but I live... for you" 

"I did a great wrong, I know that now... please, my love, if you can then please forgive me" she begged as she coughed. Chronos held her hand tightly, his fingers locking into hers romantically.

"I will never leave you now, Phoebe" 

He cuddled her for most of the night. Deimos surprisingly hung outside, on guard like a loyal pet. He and Jason's wife exchanged looks of disgust as he circled the property, protecting that which he had to and that which he should. Chronos was a loyal friend and wife, his son, his daughter in law and grandson all needed protecting so Deimos was perfect for the job, he was good at being hidden if he wanted to be, good at being noticed if he wanted to be. He could blend in with a crowd or stick out like a sore thumb.

Chronos left sometime before dawn. He did not want to upset Jason's new bride, he loved his son too much for all that. If Jason was happy then so was Chronos, no matter what Jason chose. It did not matter to him; not really, he had no say in it. He left Jason and his mother, he deserved all the hell he got for that but leaving them broke him in two, broke his heart into millions of tiny pieces. He loved him and his wife, leaving them was too tough and yet he did it... he managed to do it.

He left with Deimos, hoping everything would settle. Jason barely looked at him, just kept asking Chronos about everything, wanting to uncover the secrets surrounding his father. Chronos didn't blame him but there were some bits and pieces that were not worthy of uncovering, too dangerous to uncover. What would he do if he knew? What would he say if he knew his father's secrets? How do you tell your son that you've been made a vampire, that you are cursed forever, going to be made to suffer for all eternity thanks to a deal you blindly made? 

"You cannot tell him everything, it will kill him to know" Deimos warned in his typical harsh voice.

"Not knowing is killing him" Chronos whispered.

"He will get over it, probably realise it is because you want to protect him... my son did, when I refused to tell him... who I was... an assassin, I mean. I attempted to shield him for a while... then I opened up my world and it got him killed"

"What happened?"

"He got brave... one night, I was attacked. It was nothing special, just the usual... he tried to defend me. I was overwhelmed, they took me to the block and they were going to kill me... my son defended me... it killed him. Since then I lived without rules, only honour because my brothers turned their backs when I needed help. Now I work alone without a wife or a child... totally alone"

"You have me as a brother" Chronos promised.

Deimos put his hand on Chronos's shoulder. He looked at the bright sun as he whispered "I have no doubts about that but I have a feeling, one I cannot shake. I think I shall soon join my son, in death or... slumber. Either way, we shall meet again, I have promised him so"

"What do you mean?"

"It is a promise we say over the body of a fallen dead, we promise we shall see them again. I promised such things, for reasons unknown I feel that soon, I shall meet him again"

"I am sorry for your loss" Chronos whispered as he hugged Deimos. Deimos pushed him away, not wanting to be touched but nodded, that was his thank you. Chronos walked down the street, the familiar feeling, an unsettling one, ripped through him like claws digging into his wound. What was it? What did he sense? 

"Alexander, what is it?" Deimos asked as he appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed the pair and said in hurried voice, a haunting one "there is no time to explain, we have to go, now!"

The two did not argue nor want to. Even if they stupidly did want to, they could not for by the time they came to their senses, they saw it, the darkness others were oblivious to. What was it? What had happened, where was it coming from?