The Darkness

“I don’t get it. Why am I being used as a weapon for Valke?” She asked as they walked back to the library.

“The rest of the prophecy states that the one who has the strongest connection to death with a white soul can bear the mark. Your mother is Death meaning you have the strongest connection to her.” He explained.

“But my soul isn’t exactly pure white now is it. I’ve murdered people.” She reminded him.

“Not without a cause.” She stepped in front of him and set her hand on his chest, making him stop.

“Maybe not but that doesn’t change that their blood is on my hands now does it. I was dead for four Hel years before I took the throne and was revived. You know as well as I you can’t just bounce back from that with a clean soul- a full soul.” She looked up at him, her eyes hard, “I have died and came back two times leaving a window for him to take over and control me. I can use this hole in me to my advantage, but if I’m going to do what I need to do I need you to promise me something.”

“What do you need?” Serafina could tell that he dreaded her answer.

“When the time comes, I want you to kill me and make sure I can’t return.” Her voice was cold as ice and her face was emotionless. Thanatos, who-mind you- has known Serafina since she went by Nikita, found it hard for it to be the same girl was before him a few seconds ago. What was in front of him wasn’t a girl, it was a soldier.

“What are you planning, Serafina?”

She shook her head, “Promise me, Thanatos.” Silence, “Promise me!” She gripped his shirt tighter and pulled him forward a centimetre.

He cast his eyes down the floor, “I give you my blood oath.”

She let herself smile, “Thank you.”

She uncurled her fist and let go of his shirt before taking a deep breath and walking away. She needed to ascend before she could continue with her plan or else, she wouldn’t be able to do it. She found Talo’s study where she first met him and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” He called.

She grasped the brass door handles and pushed the double doors wide open and closed them behind her.

“How long until I start my ascension training?” She sat down in front of him without another word.

“Your mother and I talked about it and we decided that you would begin in 2 months.” He sat down on the corner of his desk.

She shook her head, “I need to start soon.”

“Why are you in such a hurry to ascend?” She lowered her head so she wouldn’t have to look in the green eyes that mirrored hers. She knew she would crack if she looked and she couldn’t have that. She didn’t want to tell him and then disappoint him.

He had treated her more like a daughter than the people she called her blood and it would kill her to see shame in his eyes when he looked at her.

“Serafina?” He called once more, craning his neck down so he could try to look her in the eyes. She flinched at the sound of him calling her name with such urgency.

“I have to do something you won’t approve of and I want you to promise me that no matter what happens- no matter what I become- I will still be your daughter.” Her hair covered her face and the tears that were staining her face.

“Serafina,” His voice was soft and filled with confusion as he called her name. He set a hand on her shoulder and could feel her shoulders rise with each silent sob.

“Promise me παμπάς.” She whispered, lifting her face and showing him the tears on her face.

He nodded, “I promise. I promise.” He pulled her in for a comforting hug. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder as she silently fell apart. He held her without saying anything as she pulled herself together. She pulled away from him and wiped away the tears. Her eyes were red as was the rest of her face.

“What is this all about Serafina?”

“I can’t tell you that. I just...I need you to trust me and that I know what I’m doing,” She told him.

He sighed and nodded, “Okay. Thanatos and your brother will train you for your ascension starting tomorrow.”

She stood up and nodded, “Thank you, μπαμπάς.” She turned to leave but stopped and looked back, “And I’m sorry I can’t remember you. I’m sorry that I can’t be Nikita.”

“Serafina wait.” He walked around his desk and pulled out an old journal and handed it to her, “This was yours. There is more in the box in your closet.”

“Why are you giving this to me?” She asked, taking the leather-bound book and flipped through the pages.

“You would write constantly in that book- more than usual- until you were reborn on earth,” He explained.

She closed the book and wrapped it back up, “How did I end up being reborn?”

Talo shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged, “Hopefully the answer is in that journal.”

She looked down and ran her hands over the brown cover, this held her thoughts when she knew who she was. “Thank you.”

“Serafina, be safe.”

She nodded, not being able to say she will because she didn’t want to lie to him. She didn’t want to tell him she might not make it back, that he might have to lose his daughter twice and she won’t come back afterwards.

If Serafina died before she could complete her plan and she was resurrected again she would be an easier target. The hole in her soul would increase, tilting the balance between her and Valke- giving him more power over her. She unwrapped the books binding and turned to the first page that was written.

’Dear Diary,

Death has befallen one of our many brethren today; A Greek god named Apollo. The Greeks are blaming us for his death and declaring us enemies until we are proven innocent. I fear that the Greeks might be correct in their accusal against my kind as of late. There is a darkness spreading within us yet everyone turns a blind eye. I fear that Apollo’s death will not be the only one and that war will rage among the gods.

12/1/1993’