The Monster Murder Song
What do we always say?” Maria asked them patiently in Ancient Greek, the language rolling as naturally off her tongue as it did for Regulus, Nico and Bianca.
“Second chances, backwards glances. Until there is no choice, then we show them no remorse.” They started to sing the rhyming song, also in Ancient Greek. The syllables seemed more powerful this way than when they sang the song in Italian or English.
She nodded proudly down at them. Maria di Angelo was a very tall woman, even more so with the high heels she always wore. “Very good, my little angels. And?”
Bianca grinned, “Monsters can be killed,”
“But no blood will be spilled”, Nico continued”,
“And if someone who is not a monster tries to kill or hurt us,” Regulus's tenor voice sang,
“They also turn to dust.” They completed the song together.
Their mother clapped proudly. "Your singing voices have grown so much better!" She said with a grin, "I feared that you'd end up with your father's beautiful, but melancholy vocal or my high soprano voice, but instead Persephone's singing lessons made them absolutely beautiful and unique!"
Bianca, Nico, and Regulus beamed proudly. That was high praise coming from their mother; Maria di Angelo was far too courteous to scoff at people who gave away compliments they did not mean. They also knew she was not dishonest out of principle.
The bound monster began to shift uncomfortably. “My Lady, I did not know they were your children. Please, show mercy.”
Maria raised a pointed eyebrow. “A monster with common sense?” She asked herself out loud. That did not stop the monster from frantically nodding.
“Hm. You called me ‘My Lady.' Do you know who I am?”
Once again, the monster nodded frantically. “Of course, My Lady! Everyone has heard of the beauty and feats of such a great Goddess like you!”
Bianca stepped towards the monster and scowled - adorably, should anyone ask Regulus - at her. “Mamma always tells us that we must not tell any lies if it is unnecessary to do so! You're a liar!”
The monster gasped. “You, a child, would call me, one of the infamous Arai, a liar?!”
Bianca's eyes narrowed dangerously, somehow resembling their mother even more than she already did. “Did you just call me a liar?!” Her pride and reputation were things she took very seriously; Regulus was proud of her. They were important features to have intactly. Or at least, to have them the way you want.
As a member of the Most Ancient House of Black, he was well aware that having a reputation for not being a people pleaser, even if it was a negative one, had advantages.
Nobody would dare to mess with you if you were dangerous enough. Bianca was essentially a member of the House of Black - sharing Blood with Regulus and having a special place in his heart was enough for that. That was just how it worked. Even though the House did not exist here.
He didn't make the rules - he did - but that did not matter, and he was delighted Bianca understood all of that, even though she was only eight years old. She was as restless and wild as she was sophisticated and cunning. A perfect combination. His sister was perfect. Both of his siblings were, and he couldn't be more proud if he tried.
Looking at Maria, who glared fiercely at the monster from behind Bianca, the Arai gulped, understanding they had just made a very severe mistake. “A-Apologies, My Lady…”
Before Bianca had a chance to speak up, Maria stepped forward, subtly gesturing at Bianca to stand behind her, next to her brothers, and sighed irritably. "Stop the act already. We will not fall for it. I'm curious why you tried to eat my children, given that you claimed to be an Arai, also known as a daughter of the Night Mother and a spirit of curses.”
The Arai straightened in her tightly bound robes. "You are really radiant, my Lady.”, she tried to butter her up nonetheless. At the entirely unimpressed look on her face, the Arai sighed softly. "Very well." Her forked tongue hissed as she exhaled a contented hum. "Godlings smell divine and taste even more so. Yours, particularly, My Lady.”
She cast a hungry gaze at Regulus in particular. "Those gorgeous molten gold eyes simply enhance his appearance, like a five-star restaurant dessert. Like what I imagine Apollo himself would taste like." She licked her lips hungrily. "Truly; should you not be their mother, I would assume Lord Apollo himself to be their parent."
Regulus's hands automatically flew to his face and his eyes to his siblings. He did not like the idea of being eaten for his scent and appearance at all. Less so, his siblings. Of course, he knew that he would meet more monsters than just the ones Bianca befriended, especially after he turned twelve years old, but this was getting ridiculous!
It was the fifth monster that had tried to eat him this week and it was only Friday! Every day one monster! And they were not even the kinds his sister - despite his pleas to stop befriending them - befriended! Those were always relatively harmless. Or, at least, pretended to be until they needed a good dusting.
Even some of the new, freshly tailored suits he had gotten for his twelfth birthday (he had had an enormous growth spurt out of nowhere, so they needed to be replaced) from his mother had become so dirty they couldn't be cleaned again because of the monster dust!
Really, the only saving grace was that it honestly was pretty fun to kill the monsters with his family, especially after their mother had made the song they had just sung together. It had become a tradition to sing that song when they dealt with yet another monster.
Their sword and fighting skills, in general, also grew significantly because of it. Though four years older, Regulus was not the best fighter in their family. That honour belonged to Bianca, who took to it like Nico had taken to the card game their father had given him for his fifth birthday.
It was as if she was made to be a warrior.
Perhaps his mother should not have named her Andrea; warrior, because it appeared that the Morai had been with her when she picked her name.
It made him worry about the future. He was the protector, which was true. Bianca already was a warrior, even though he hoped and prayed she would never have to fight, but that meant that Nico would be the unconquerable.
Which all combined together painted a very grim picture.
He hoped that they would not have to fight in the brewing war. Although they were shielded from the worst news, he recognized the signs. He had lived through a war himself. He had fought in it. He had died trying to end it.
Fortunately, his siblings were still young, so perhaps they wouldn't need to fight in this war.
It was a game called mythomagic, unlike anything he had ever seen before. Besides being enjoyable, the game also was informative; they constantly were reminded of detailed facts about Greek monsters, Gods, Titans and even Giants.
No one could defeat Nico in the game, however. When they knew the rules, Nico could dream them. He had even started to collect the figures that seemed to be handmade. Should Regulus ever meet the maker of the game his brother was obsessed about, he would thank them.
Maria chuckled coldly. “Telling me how much you would like to eat my children?” She asked. “A bold and audacious attempt to be killed, and thereby cursing the one who killed you.”
The Arai's eyes grew wide.
Maria nodded. “Yes, I know what you are and what the consequences of sending you to the House of Hades would be.” She hummed, as if thinking something over. “Although, you do not know who I am.”
The Arai laughed coldly, her face turning cold with it, all pretense now forgotten. “That is true. I do not know of you, meaning you must be an insignificant minor Goddess. Probably one of those annoying Half-Bloods turned into a God. How you managed to have three Half-Blood children with such a powerful scent, I would never know.”
Her cold laughter turned unhinged. “I have already won, however! There is no need for you to kill me anymore; you are already cursed! You said the name of the lord of the Underworld! He does not forgive such things easily!”
Instead of looking frightened, what the Arai had undoubtedly expected, both Maria, Regulus, Nico and Bianca doubled over in laughter. Nico and Bianca even wiped away tears from their cheeks.
“What?” She asked.
When they remained laughing, she shrieked “WHAT?! WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING LIKE LUNATICS?”
Regulus cleared his throat. “Why, did you not expect to be outdone in your insanity?” He looked at his nails, “You assume far too much anyway.”
She hissed angrily at her, he thought she resembled an angry Kneazle an awful lot. Or Giallo when he wasn't allowed to get any snacks because he had chewed on the furniture again. Really, he had seen far more scary things than some fork tongued lady throwing a fit.
“Just wait until the Lord of the Underworld will soon damn your souls for how you have insulted him, little Half-Blood! He is merciless! He has no love for Demigods! In fact, he despises them!”
Maria sighed disappointedly. “This is getting awfully repetitive.” She yawned softly. “Like my son said, you assume too much.”
Maria stood straighter. “HADES! PLEASE COME HERE IF YOU HEAR ME! UN IMBECILE THINKS SHE CAN TRICK US INTO KILLING HER AND BEING CURSED!” She shouted into thin air.
The Arai's smug grin only widened. Regulus couldn't wait for it to be wiped off her face already.
Out of the shadow the Arai made, Hades, dressed in his soul-toga and helmet of darkness - which Regulus felt so much more stronger now than he had the last time he had seen it; which made sense, as that was around six years ago when Nico was born. The power it radiated almost felt intoxicating. Something instinctively in him hungered to touch it. To experience the power for himself.
This was not the time for that, however; he'd have to ask his father later.
His mother gasped, relieved. “You came.”
"Maria, my angel," Hades said tenderly, caressing her face. “I will always come when you call.”
The Arai's arrogant look turned into one of utter terror.
Regulus smiled vindictively at the sight. Looking to his right and left, he noticed identical smiles on his siblings' faces. Their eyes gleamed with glee. He wondered if his’ looked the same. They probably did.
He could not see his father's eyes, but he rather felt the air around them become colder, and saw the shadows grow larger and the grass underneath his feet die. The air became thick with his father's power.
Hades turned his head slowly to the Arai, who started to tremble.
“You dared try to eat my children and insulted my beloved?” He asked calmly. If not for his surroundings, Regulus would have thought his father to simply ask about the weather. His voice was that calm.
She gulped. “I thought that Maria was a Goddess.”
“She is a Goddess among mortals, true, but you have no right to speak her name.” He replied, somehow even calmer than before.
Regulus had heard the saying 'The calmth before the storm' before, but he had never imagined it could be so literal. Things like this reminded him how powerful his father was. It was easy to forget, with how gentle he always was. Neither his mother or father had ever raised their voices in their presence before (at least not to them), and he was glad for it.
It made him wonder what someone must do to make his father - and mother to an extent - scream in fury. It was not something Regulus ever hoped to find out.
She looked around frantically, but soon realised that nothing around her could help her.
“Very well, Lord Hades. I accept my death.”
He chuckled coldly. “Oh, but it is not that easy, I am afraid for you. You know far too much.”
After a moment, Hades smiled. “I will not kill you, if you swear on the river Styx to never make anyone aware of the existence of any of my living children.”
She let out a breath of relief. “You are a merciful God, My Lord! I swear on the Styx to never make anyone aware of the existence of any of your living children.”
Even though it was a sunny day with no cloud in the sky, a booming thunder strike was clearly visible and audible, completing the promise to the river Styx.
With a wave of his hand, Hades unbound the Arai.
She bowed down to him. “Thank you for your mercy, My Lord!”
Hades laughed again. It was much, much colder than before.
“Do not thank me too soon, you insolent creature. You disrespected my family. You threatened my loved ones. You disrespected me. I stated I would not kill you; because you are an Arai, anyone who kills you will be cursed. Do you understand your penalty?"
The Arai's face turned as white as freshly fallen snow. “.....no…..”, she gasped. “No! Please, don't make me! Please, have mercy!”
Hades’ face looked as if it was carved out of stone. “Mercy like you would have shown my children? Mercy, like you said I have?”
“Think of the Ancient Laws!” She shouted desperately. “The Olympians will not stand for you of all Gods raising such powerful Godlings!”
“A pathetic and insolent last attempt.” He stated boredly, handing her a butter knife made out of celestial gold.
The Arai tried to flee, but was before she could even set two steps grabbed by the angry God.
Her forked tongue snarled rapidly, knowing she had no other choice. She quickly stabbed herself in the throat with a butter knife, then turned just as rapidly to dust.
The knife dropped to the stone floor, making a loud, drawing sound.
“Well,” Hades spoke, undusting them with a sigh and a wave of his hand, “That was rather anticlimactic, all things considered.”
He turned to face them, and his appearance transformed to the latest Italian suit, which happened to be the exact one Regulus wore. He'd even styled his hair the same manner! Regulus felt giddy at the sight.
“Now I'm here already, we might as well celebrate this wonderful Spring weather by inviting the Spring Goddess to have a nice family picnic outside.” He said excitedly.
It was such a contrast to the too calm voice he had used earlier, Regulus blinked. He smiled just as excitedly, and once again saw the same look reflect on his siblings’ faces.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Maria replied.