“HEY, DUMBASS!”

  Arnold jolted awake as he fell out of the tree. “Damn’t!” He cursed under his breath. Arnold stood up in a tired daze, rubbing his eyes. Emma was standing in front of him, rolling hers.

  “You can’t keep doing this,” she glared.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Arnold sighed. “I’ve been falling on my ass since I was six, and it hasn’t caused any real damage.”

  “You can’t keep spying on me,” Emma snarled. “I told you that I didn’t want anything to do with that life.”

  “Well, I guess I can just stop and go home then... oh... wait... You’re still an Olympian who is being hunted by the Four Horsemen. Whether you accept your real identity or not, your life is in danger. And I refuse to let the one woman I love die! So, I guess I can keep doing this!” Arnold snapped irritably.

  Emma looked at him in shock; her eyes widened. “Did you just say that you... that you’re... in love with me?”

  “What gave it away?” Arnold sighed. “...You honestly couldn’t tell how I feel about you? After all these years. It’s been you. It’s always been you.”

  Emma looked like she wanted to scream as she punched her fist into the wall of her house.

  “Emma! Are you —?” Arnold started.

  “Oh, god, do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” Emma snarled as she stormed off in anger.

  Arnold leaned up against the tree trunk and took a deep breath. “...Sometimes I think she should be the God of War.”

  THE DAY ONLY GOT WORSE as school started. Arnold failed three tests, which resulted in him receiving afternoon detention. When he arrived in the mostly deserted classroom, seeing Emma and Hector there surprised Arnold. Principal Gia was the one who would be residing over their shared three hours of misery.

  “Mr. Regan, so nice of you to join us,” said Principal Gia. “Please, take your seat.”

  Arnold nodded and took one in the middle of Emma and Hector. Hector raised his hand.

  “Yes, Mr. Ramirez?”

  “I really think this is unfair, m’am,” said Hector. “What I did might have been a little unethical, but it didn’t really hurt anyone.”

  “You cheated in the class elections,” Principal Gia sneered. “You should be expelled for stuffing the ballot box. So, be thankful I’m allowing you to stay in school.”

  “Yes, m’am.”

  Emma raised her hand.

  “Yes, Ms. Berggrias?”

  “Can I serve my detention on another afternoon?” Emma asked desperately.

  “What’s wrong?” Principal Gia sneered. “Not comfortable around your old lover?”

  Emma squeezed her fist tightly as she tried to control her temper. “I haven’t screwed anyone, especially not Arnold.”

  “Perhaps you have, and you just can’t remember,” Principal Gia smirked. “I mean, that’s the thing about the wrath of heaven, isn’t it? The lord just has a wonderful sense of irony. Turning the slutty Goddess of Love, who only cared about peace and prosperity, into a bitter, bitchy young girl who fears her own emotions. And her lover, the God of War, into a weak pacifist. I just had to take a moment to savor this.”

  “...You’re one of them,” said Arnold. “You’re one of the Four Horsemen!”

  “Oh, god,” said Emma, “not another bird-bitch.”

  Hector looked at Emma and Arnold, confused. “What are you three talking about?”

  “Hector,” said Arnold, “run! Now!”

  “But where is he going to run, Ares?” Principal Gia laughed as she raised her hands, and the ground beneath them started to convulse. The classroom floor burst open as roots from the trees outside and vines wrapped around their bodies.

  “WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?” Hector shouted.

  “HOW IS SHE DOING THIS?” Emma screeched.

  “SHE’S FREAKING MOTHER NATURE — THAT’S HOW! SHE’S THE EARTH GODDES GAI!”

  “Guilty,” Gai laughed. “I would say this isn’t personal, but I always did hate Aphrodite. So arrogant. And for what? It sure wasn’t your IQ or battle skills that drove men and gods wild. But, at least now, you leveled out some, sweetie. Too bad, it’s a millennium too late.”

  Gai walked over and stroked Emma’s face gently.

  “DON’T TOUCH ME!”

  Emma tore free of the vines restraining her and tackled Gai. Arnold heard a loud slash as ichor splattered around the classroom. The roots around Arnold and Hector vanished as Emma stood up over Gai’s dead body, two silver daggers gleaming in her hands. When she turned to look at Arnold, it was like staring into the eyes of a raging animal. “Two down, two to go.”

  “Oh, so now you believe me,” Arnold said with a small smile.

  “Well, when the ground opens up and tries to drag you to hell, it’s pretty hard not to,” said Emma. “I’ll help you kill the other two horsemen, but I’m not her anymore. I don’t want to be, and I’m not going back. No matter who claims to be our kids.”

  Before Arnold could protest —

  “What in the hell are you two talking about?” Hector interrupted nervously. “You two aren’t — you can’t be —!”

  “It’s a long story, Hec,” Arnold sighed, shaking his head.

  “And where did those freaking daggers come from?”

  “Those are her Deicides,” said Arnold. “Every Olympian is bound to one. Deicides are weapons made in the forges of heaven that can kill any angel who claimed to be a god. It’s one of the few things that’s deadly to all of us. We can only summon them in times of great danger.”

  “All I did was get pissed off,” Emma shrugged.

  “We don’t always do it willingly,” said Arnold. “Most of the time, it’s by instinct. Watch.”

  Arnold raised his arm and acted like he was going to throw a football as his large silver axe materialized, flying into the chalkboard in front of them. The axe then flew back into Arnold’s waiting hand.

  “Okay, that was cool,” said Hector. “But all of this shit can’t be real, right? It’s crazy!”

  “Welcome to my world,” Emma let out a mirthless laugh.

  “We had better get out of here,” said Arnold. “If one of the Horsemen had been hidden inside the school this whole time —”

  “— then it isn’t safe,” Emma finished.

  The trio walked out of the classroom and into the deserted hallway as someone came running towards them.

  “Pria?” Hector asked in shock.

  His girlfriend wrapped her arms around him as Arnold rolled his eyes, and Emma raised her eyebrow.

  “I felt the earthquake and knew you were still here,” said Pria. “So, I came to make sure you were still okay!”

  “Yeah, honey, I’m fine,” said Hector. “Thanks to Arnold and Emma, anyway.”

  “I’m so... happy to hear that,” said Pria as she kissed Hector.

  Emma nudged Arnold on his shoulder.

  “What?”

  “Something's wrong,” she whispered.

  “Tell me about it.”

  “No, dumbass,” Emma looked in a panic. “Pria doesn’t love him! I — I can feel it somehow! She doesn’t love anyone. Her soul is — empty!”

  “How do you —?”

  “I don’t know,” said Emma, “but trust me — Pria’s not human!”

  BANG!

  “HECTOR!”

  Arnold and Emma’s screams came too late as Hector fell to the floor, bleeding in his chest. Pria stood above him, smirking as she held the still-smoking pistol.

  “WHAT DID YOU DO?” Emma shouted at her.

  “Just wait for it,” Pria sneered.

  “Oh, good lord,” Arnold gasped. “Amelia was right.”

  The bullet in Hector’s stomach popped out in a second as his gunshot wound healed instantly. He looked up at Pria in shock and horror. “What just happened? Why? How did you —?”

  “I had to be certain,” Pria sneered. “You’re not a god like your friends here. But you are a demigod... Son of Hades.”

  Chapter Six

  Arnold

  Hell Have No Fury...

  “Have you freakin’ lost your mind!” Hector snarled. “I have a father, and he’s not a god!”

  “Oh, him?” Pria smirked. “You were adopted, sweetie. Didn’t anyone ever tell you? The ruler of the underworld’s ichor runs through your veins. And soon... he will come to claim you.”

  “Why wait until now?” Arnold asked. “Hades created Hector ages ago. Why would he come now?”

  “Because the Twilight of the Gods is approaching, Ares,” Pria giggled. “It’s not just a thing where you all get reunited and get redemption. When all of us awaken, the final stages of this pitiful mortal world will begin. Either angels or the Olympians will reign over the mortals and decide their fate. It is a war to decide whether the real God will save the world or the Olympians will damn it. But I guess your bitch of a daughter left those details out. Imagine that.”

  “You’re one of... us?” Emma asked.

  “I was once,” Pria glared at the thought. “My name was Persephone. I was Hades’s wife. Until I saw what he... and all of you were capable of. The innocent people you slaughtered. You weren’t gods, angels, or demons... you were much worse. Every tragedy that happened over the centuries has been all your fault. This wasn’t the first time you all were reborn. This has been happening since before Christ and is still a plague that has yet to be stopped. Do you even remember what hellish atrocities you committed for Olympus?”

  “You’re lying,” Arnold growled.

  “You weren’t actually under the delusion that you were the heroes of this story, were you?” Pria let out a mirthless laugh. “Just four years ago, Hades unleashed a Beast he created that almost wiped out every reality in existence. The only reason that didn’t happen was because a group of Chosen mortals slew it on the ruins of Camelot. And you know why Hades did that? Why did he risk trillions of lives? Because he was preparing for Twilight, for the day he would be reunited with his family! All of you! Who were at times even worse than him! The only difference was, he escaped before he could be punished!”

  “...She’s telling the truth,” said Emma in horror. “I can sense her honesty, her righteousness. That’s why she doesn’t have a soul; she chose not to have one.”

  “How is that possible?” Hector asked in shock.

  “Having souls was what damned all of you,” Pria sighed. “It’s what drove all of you to the brink. Angels were never supposed to have souls like the mortals do! We’re different from them — we can’t — it destroys us! Only a few of our family agreed not to go through with obtaining one, and we were the only ones who remained pure because of it!”

  “Who else sided with you?” Arnold asked.

  “You’ll see soon enough,” Pria shrugged. Pria aimed her gun and fired three shots as the world faded to black.

  “YOU MUST BE — STRONGER!” Tristan yelled as he whipped Arnold’s bareback.

  “I’m trying!” Arnold shouted in agony.

  “Trying isn’t good enough!”

  Arnold was inside the Hoof, supporting three car engines above his head as Tristan continued to strike him.

  “Do you think the Four Horsemen will go easy on you or Mother?” Tristan snarled. “Because they won’t! They will only stop after dragging you to hell!”

  “I told you that I —!”

  “What? Aren’t good enough? That we’re wrong about you? Well, we’re not! You are Ares, the God of War! And it’s time you accept that. Stop being weak, Father! Or do you just want to lie down and beg for your life when the time comes? Because it will! They’ll kill your love, your friends... and the woman who raised you. Hell, they’ll probably start with her first. What will you do when they’re all screaming out your name in terror, begging you to save them? But all you do is... nothing.”

  “SHUT UP!”

  Arnold threw the engines at Tristan, causing him to fall down the nearest stairway. Tristan stood up, shaking it off, and smirked. “Now that... is stronger.”

  “Why the hell did you just do that to me?” Arnold asked in frustration. “I COULD HAVE KILLED YOU!”

  “Hardly,” Tristan scoffed. “As for why I did it — you’re the God of War; your powers come from anger and fury. When used properly, your rage makes you stronger than any of the others. The hard part is getting you to acknowledge it! And stop being a bloody pussy!”

  “...You’re right.”

  ARNOLD WOKE UP, SHACKLED in the basement next to Hector.

  “Dear God, I’ve got a massive headache,” Arnold muttered. “What did that bitch do to us?”

  “I think she shot us in our damn heads,” Hector moaned. “At least your wound has already healed; I still have blood running down my face.”

  “Where’s Emma?” Arnold asked as he tried to break his chains unsuccessfully.

  “I don’t know,” Hector sighed. “I just woke up a few seconds before you did.”

  “Great,” Arnold let out a mirthless laugh. “Just freaking wonderful! I was supposed to protect her... and you.”

  “Me too, huh?” Hector chuckled. “I’m flattered. Is that why we haven’t spoken for a damn month?”

  “Amelia, my fully grown immortal daughter, told me she thought you were a demigod,” Arnold sighed. “Which were the children sired by mine and Emma’s people, and those kids usually turned out to be the worst kind of demons imaginable. They would commit even worse sins than us, apparently. So, they were all killed by the angel Uriel. And if he or anyone else had discovered, you were the last surviving demigod... well, y’know? So, she asked me to keep my distance from you. That way, the Horsemen couldn’t gain your scent when they attacked me.”

  “That’s why you started the fight with me about Pria?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You never had a problem with her?”

  “I wouldn’t say that.”

  “Good,” Hector laughed. “At least one of us has good taste in girls. I just wish you would have been honest about all this shit. I would have listened to you.”

  “Really?”

  “Well, you would’ve had to do your cool magic trick with a battle-axe, but yeah.”

  “I’m sorry, man,” Arnold sighed. “I screwed up so freaking much. I trained my ass off for a month because I was convinced I was supposed to be this great warrior god who was going to save and redeem his people. But it turns out it wasn’t even like that. I was a monster. We all were. If we did any of what Pria suggested... maybe we deserve to go to hell. There might not be any hope of redemption for us.”

  “Bullshit,” said Hector, bluntly. “Did you ever even read your Bible or go to church?”

  “Not for years.”

  “Then think hard about this,” Hector said calmly. “God forgives; it’s that simple. It doesn’t matter what shitty things you do; as long as you feel remorse, he forgives you. Which means if he thinks all of us are worth a damn, then we can all find some kind of redemption. It’s just a simple fact. If you want to avoid being the monster you used to be, then just do it! Change your destiny while you can. Be who you want to be, not who everyone tells you to. Because the Arnold and Emma I know, are the best damn friends a guy could ever ask for. I mean, look at me. Apparently, I made out with my biological father’s ex-wife, and I’m not going to give up on myself because of it.”

  “Actually, I’m not sure if they ever divorced.”

  “Well, damn,” Hector frowned and let out a low whistle. “I did screw up on that one, didn’t I? Doesn’t matter, though. I’ll make up for that mistake. We all will,”

  “You got a lot of faith in people who don’t deserve it,” Arnold smiled sadly.

  “No, I don’t,” said Hector. “I have faith in my friends. Always have.”

  “I hate to interrupt this little reunion,” came a familiar voice from up the school stairs.

  Arnold recognized it immediately. “You have to be kidding me!”

  “I’m afraid not,” Amelia smiled as she fully entered the basement.

  “You both played me from the beginning,” Arnold snarled.

  “I did,” Amelia laughed. “But Tristan didn’t. He actually loves you and Mother.”

  “And you don’t?” Arnold gritted his teeth.

  “Not really,” Amelia said casually. “You see, I was made by you... with a mortal woman centuries ago. I still remember when I slit her throat and watched her blood drip into her dinner. I thought I would feel bad at first, but I just wondered if you would be proud of me. But you weren’t... you beat me within an inch of my life... until Uriel came and finished the job. I lost count of how long I burned in hell. But then Persephone came and offered me a chance to get my vengeance, and I took it.”

  “What vengeance?” Arnold rolled his eyes. “You killed your own mother? What did you expect me to do?”

  “YOU WERE MY FATHER!” Amelia shrieked. “YOU SIRED ME! YOU MADE ME THE DEMON THAT I AM! AND YOU TURNED YOUR BACK ON ME! ON ALL OF US!”

  “I’m sensing some deep-rooted issues,” said Hector. “I know you’ve been in hell for a very long time, but we now have these wonderful new experiences called: Family Therapy. And I think you two could really benefit from it. And I already know this great doctor. What do you say?”

  Amelia gave an evil smirk and stabbed Arnold in his chest.

  “I don’t think she’s crazy about that idea, Hec,” Arnold groaned.

  “No, but she is crazy,” said Hector.

  Amelia leaned in close over Hector. “I think I’ll slit your throat first.”

  “Amelia — that’s enough!” Pria said as she entered the basement. “Unchain Ares.” Pria removed a long, thin black blade from the sheathe she was now wearing around her waist.

  “Deicide,” Arnold muttered. “You’re going to unchain me, then try to kill me? I think you got this whole murder thing backwards. It’s easier to kill someone who can’t fight back.”

  “Dude, don’t give her pointers,” Hector sighed. “Do you want them to kill us?”

 

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