<>------<> Nero <>------<>

‘Father, you called?’

I walked straight into the throne room like a belonged there. Which, of course, I did.

Aeras, Arrow, Midnight and Destiny marched in after me, spread in triangle formation. We were all the leaders of the Sorrows, but I was always at the head of group, being the oldest. Although Arrow was technically older than me, she was turned into a tree a long time ago, so I overtook her in age.

‘Yes. I did, my son.’

Our adopted father was a big man, as in heavily built. He had dark, oak skin and deep eyes like melted chocolate. He was strong, kind, fatherly, understanding.

And also the creator of the universe.

Some know him as Chaos; the creator of all, master of everything. My brothers and sisters and I knew him as Dad; a nice, friendly, approachable figure.

He was sitting on his pure silver throne at the end of the room looking troubled. I glanced back at Arrow who shrugged.

I sighed and stepped forward, flipping back my hood revealing messy, raven hair and sea green eyes that had only got darker over the long time I’d been here. I despised my looks as they reminded me of my true father. But Chaos wouldn’t let me dye my hair, wear contacts or anything. I trusted he had a good reason.

‘What is wrong, father?’ I asked.

He sighed, ‘I’m afraid I have yet another mission for you all.’

I grinned back at the others excitedly. Even though they still wore their hoods, I could tell they were all smiling, too. We hadn’t had a mission in so long. Father always relied on the other units, saying he they were more expendable. We understood his hidden message; I don’t want anything to happen to you.

But something was wrong. Father didn’t only look concerned for our safety. He also looked nervous, like he wasn’t telling us something.

‘Father,’ I ventured. ‘Where is this new mission?’

He shifted uncomfortably, ‘I would rather wait until we get there to tell you.’

I heard a rustling sound behind me, and I knew that my siblings had unfolded their wings. Just one of the many perks of being Chaos’ kid; wings.

I’d learnt to trust Father; there was usually a reason behind everything he says. Like the time he told us that we weren’t allowed to go to Apsi in the Nodina galaxy. I’d ended up in impenetrable stocks, being pelted with intergalactic fruit. Since then, I’d learnt to trust his judgment, even if I didn’t like it.

Especially if I didn’t like it.

‘Ok, Father,’ I said.

Father, Arrow, Aeras, Midnight and Destiny let out the breaths I hadn’t known they’d been holding. Then I realized that they thought that I might get mad at Father for not telling me. I didn’t have the calmest temper in the eight galaxies. The last time I’d gotten mad at Father for not letting me do something, I blown up a mountain six times the size of Mt Everest.

But I’d been working on my temper.

I spread my crystal blue wings and lifted a little off the ground before landing and folding my wings again, ‘We’ll get packed right away. When do we depart?’

Father smiled at me in relief, ‘Tomorrow morning.’

‘In which universe is our mission, Father?’ Aeras called from behind me.

Father got that nervous look again, ‘Lacteus, in the Atreus galaxy.’

I froze. Only three planets contained life in the Lacteus universe; Venus, Pluto … and Earth.

Arrow sensed my hesitation, ‘Well! We should get packing. We might be late for dinner, if that’s okay, Father? We’ll be busy training for our mission.’

Before Father or I could speak, she grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door. She unfolded her wings and flew down the corridors, hauling me along and going so fast I couldn’t unfold my own wings to slow down. She kept an iron hard grip on my arm until we reached the Training Room.

There were two training rooms; one for out unit, the Sorrows, and one for the five of us to sharpen out skills.

Now might be a good time to explain those skills.

When we were first adopted, Father passed powers to us and it was up to us to discover what powers they were. Even Father didn’t know, though he sensed that our powers all had some connection to our past lives.

I had control over water, Aeras had power of the air, Midnight controlled the earth, Arrow had power over fire, and Destiny had the power of time and fate.  Destiny couldn’t turn back time, but she could stop it, slow it or speed it up. Occasionally, she could even twist fate. But it was dangerous.

We had learnt that, somehow, our powers were the elements, all except Destiny who had an important role of maintaining the balance of the Galaxies. She insured that people went when it was there time and walked their paths. She could see the past and present, but not the future.

That power belonged solely to Eden. My sister could see parts if the future. She often had little or no control over what she saw, but she could understand what was coming. But most of the time she didn’t tell us anything she saw. It was dangerous, knowing the future.

The rest of our other brothers and sisters had varying powers, some having the same. We could all fly thanks to helpful wings on our backs, a gift from Father. But the rest of us only had a particular power that we were given.

The most comment power was telekinesis; the ability to move objects with your mind. That power belonged to Autumn and Corby, daughters of Hades, and Charlie, son of Zeus.

Kiralee and Willow, respective daughters of Zeus and Jupiter, both had the power of invisibility. It’s useful until they use it to sneak up on you.

Aaron, son of Jupiter, had the ability to shape shadows and turn them into solid objects. He couldn’t create anything magical or edible, though. His twin brother, Ewan, was our only healer. He claimed the effort was tiring, but he could heal any injury.

My brother, Fabian, had the power of telepathy. He could communicate with anyone and read their thoughts. He was useful when we got separated.

Neveah, daughter of Hades, had the rather unique power of self-duplication. She could make a copy of herself and control both bodies with a single mind. I’ve asked her about it, and she says it give her a headache.

Amber, daughter of Pluto, could teleport places. If it wasn’t too far and she knew the place, it was easy. She couldn’t jump galaxies or planets, but she could go from one end of the castle to the other, which was usually a 45 minute walk.

Henry, son of Hades, rather prized his power of x-ray vision. It was always helpful, but it was often interesting. His brother Abraham, son of Pluto, had a similar ability called intangibility; the power to walk through solid objects rather than see through them. Together, they could get up to a lot of mischief.

Lastly, Holly and Trace, daughter and son of Zeus, both had super speed. Again, useful until they use it to get to the fridge to eat the last chocolate before you.

Our training room was big and grand. It was twice the size of an Olympic swimming pool and four times as high. It has exercise equipment that we never really needed, a sparring mat, an archery range, a magic proof room to practice powers and a whole lot of other stuff to help sharpen our skills.

Arrow released my arm and shut the door as soon as they others were through. She whirled around, whipped down her hood and gave me a look I knew well.

Her eyes looked scarier than they had on earth. The once electric blue colour now had flecks of fiery orange, symbolising the fire powers we never understood how she ended up with. She had dyed her hair dark brown on an undercover mission a few centuries ago and hadn’t bothered to change it back. Not that I minded. I liked her with brown hair.

‘You can’t back out of this,’ Arrow warned. ‘You backed out of that Earth mission a few thousand years back. You can’t do the same with this one.’

I turned away. She knew me too well. If she looked in my eyes, she could as good as read my thought as well as Fabian.

I simply said, ‘I know.’

I could sense the four behind me, watching. I heard someone come up behind me and I waited for Arrow to say something. Instead, it was Destiny.

‘We’ll be there,’ she promised gently.

I sighed and faced her. She slipped off her hood and studied my expression. Her light brown hair had faded to a dustier beige colour over our time with Father. With her bright, intelligent, golden eyes, she occasionally reminded me of Kronos, which was scary.

‘You know what happened with the others,’ I said accusingly. ‘You were there, you told me.’

Destiny struggled to keep up a positive attitude. ‘Yes. But we don’t know for sure that this mission is on Earth. And even if it is, we might not even run into them. We didn’t last time.’

I bit my lip, ‘I suppose so.’

She smiled, ‘Good. Then let’s get training.’

The five of us scattered. Aeras and Midnight went to spar on the mat, their magic silver swords a blur. Arrow practiced with her bow, though I didn’t know why, she was a perfect shot. Destiny and I settled for practicing our powers.

‘You ready?’ she asked with a smirk.

I returned it without hesitation, ‘Am I ever not?’

‘Well you often lose when you’re versing me,’ she replied.

‘That’s because you pretty much stop time, grab my sword and call it a win!’

She laughed, ‘Okay, I promise I won’t do that this time.’

I was wary, but I yelled, ‘Go!’

She attacked with her sword, going straight for my neck. I leaned back as far as I could, my wings keeping me from falling over. I shot up in the air and sent a wave of ice after her. She threw her hand out and stopped the ice in its track.

Destiny squinted at me and I inwardly groaned. Suddenly, I dropped from the air like a stone. I tried to flap my wings, only to find them stuck.

‘Oh, come on!’ I shouted.

She laughed, ‘I promised I wouldn’t stop time and grab your sword. I never said I wouldn’t stop your wings.’

I grimaced. With my wings frozen, I had to go for a ground attack. I thrust my hands out and turned the ice around her into mist. The steam drifted up, surrounding her in a confusing cloud. I took the moment she was disoriented and sent more ice out. It crept up her legs and rooted her to the spot.

‘Oomph,’ I heard her stumble, her feet frozen solid.

‘Cheater!’ she accused.

I laughed, ‘Am not! This is the power room!’

I couldn’t see her through the steam, but I imagined her thinking hard. Whenever she did that, her eyes seemed to glow in the dark, a soft golden spark. I took the moment to appreciate how beautiful my sisters were.

Suddenly, I couldn’t move.

I glanced down at my feet. They looked completely normal. It took a moment, but I figured it out.

‘You froze my feet, I freeze yours,’ she grinned as the steam wafted away.

I summoned some water and crafted it into the shape of a bow and arrow. I froze them to ice and shot at her. Destiny yelped and ducked. The ice arrow sailed over her head and shattered against the wall behind her.

She stared back at me in mock astonishment.

‘You could’ve killed me,’ she fake gasped.

I laughed, ‘That’s the idea.’

I summoned more arrows and shot at her. She did all she could to duck and weave with her feet frozen in ice. I smirked; I was winning.

I was winning, until the ice suddenly melted from Destiny’s feet.

I stared in shock. I had complete control over my powers now. Accidental use didn’t happen anymore. How could I melt the ice without knowing it?

‘Wasn’t you, Seaweed Brain.’

Of course.

‘I thought this was one on one, Arrow,’ I said. ‘Who invited you in here?’

She shrugged, a ball of fire forming in her hand, ‘My training room. I can do what I like.’

A soft breeze blew the door open and closed again. No one appeared to have come in, but I knew better.

I chuckled under my breath.

‘Aeras,’ I called. ‘Come out; come out, wherever you are.’

‘Why should I?’ his voice came outteasing and disembodied, echoing around the large space.

I smirked as I formed a ball of ice in my hand and threw it up. Halfway to the ceiling it exploded in a rain of snow. It settled on me, Destiny, Arrow, and a cloud like shape that hovered in the corner.

‘Found you,’ I said in triumph.

Aeras became visible. He flicked his hood back to brush off the snow. Over the last 10 000 years, his hair had gone from blonde to almost white. His eyes had faded from electric blue to sky blue, and the scar on his lip was more prominent than ever.

‘Very clever, Nero,’ he grinned. ‘But not clever enough.’

A sharp rock suddenly jutted out of the earth in front of me. I tried to stumble out of the way, but with my feet still frozen I ended up falling backwards.

‘Midnight,’ I sighed. ‘Is it team-up-on-Nero day again?’

‘Hmm,’ Midnight came into view, his hood thrown off. In the last 10 000 years, his hair seemed to drain of all hue, leaving it a dusty, sooty colour. His eyes looked less like cold stone and more like melted chocolate, with all the warmth and friendliness.

But right now, that friendliness was not aimed at me.

‘What have we here?’ he grinned mockingly. ‘A wild Nero! We must observe it in its natural habitat!’

‘Yeah, that’s gonna happen,’ I said.

I moved my finger in a discrete, circular motion and the ground below Midnight melted into ice cold water. He fell in. The others and I laughed as he spluttered and coughed. Finally, he used his own powers to create an elevator of rock that lifted him up to floor level.

‘Are you kidding me?’ he grumbled. ‘I hate getting wet.’

‘Shouldn’t have tried to impale me then,’ I provoked with a grin.

‘Oh you’re asking for it,’ his eyes flashed.

‘Yes,’ I admitted cheerily. ‘I am.’

Midnight sent a rock projectile at me, but Arrow threw a fireball that exploded it and Aeras blew the little pieces back over Midnight.

‘Every man for himself!’ Destiny shouted delightedly.

Aeras flew around the room as a wind, blasting as all with Arctic air. Midnight stomped his foot and broke apart the ground, islands of rock floating everywhere. I filled in the gaps with water.

‘Now this is a fight,’ I yelled with joy.

Arrow blasted us with fireballs. I sent ice chasing after everyone. Midnight crafted his own version of snowballs and pelted us from behind a rock shield. Aeras blew us all over with his wind powers. Destiny stopped us all randomly, freezing our wings or our legs.

We laughed and injured each other like we did every day.

We couldn’t do anything like this on Earth. Here on Aurae, in Moonhaven, we could do whatever we liked. We could go to town whenever we wanted, go anywhere in the palace. We were treated like royalty. We were royalty. I had brothers and sisters here.

Eventually, we got tired from using our powers and went to the Mess Hall to relax.

The Mess Hall was an indescribably enormous room with a sitting area on the left decked out with a 78 inch TV, three incredibly comfortable, pale green couches, and a glass coffee table. Resting on the coffee table were magazines, games and a few books.

A kitchen was settled just to the left, complete with a fridge, microwave, stove, oven and coffee maker. A huge wooden dining table with twenty matching chairs was set up near the kitchen towards the back of the room. A delicate, crystal chandelier hovered over the table.

A door near the dining area led off to a simple bathroom that was the most pristine white colour. In the centre of the room a dance mat dominated, set for the occasional party night.

The ground was made of pale wood planks that never squeaked. The walls were painted a light cream that always made the room feel bigger. There were fluffy green carpets underneath the coffee table and dining table.

The place was officially called the Mess Hall, but I liked to call it the Family Room.

‘Hey!’ Amber called. Our brothers and sisters were sitting around for dinner which Neveah and Trace were scheduled for tonight. ‘You guys look like you ran through hell.’

I chuckled, ‘Not today, a long time ago.’

Midnight glanced at me but I stared straight ahead, determined not to meet his eyes. I did all I could not to remember that place, or the person I had shared the experience with.

Ewan jogged over to tend to our more painful injuries.

‘You guys duelled again?’ he asked in disbelief as he mended a gash on my arm. ‘I thought we agreed, no more than twice a week.’

I grinned guiltily, ‘We got bored.’

‘Anyway, what’s for dinner tonight?’ Destiny asked hungrily.

‘Spaghetti and meatballs,’ Trace announced, setting dishes on the table.

Destiny ran over to take a seat, and Midnight, Arrow, Aeras and I joined her. Neveah and Trace served out the plates and we all began to eat. Chatter rang through the room like a gong. I felt like I was back in school with the students talking while teachers shushed them with no success.

I gazed out over everyone as I played with my food. And I couldn’t help thinking that these people were more of a family than I’d ever had.

But tomorrow morning, I might end up seeing my old family again. But they weren’t my family any more. I was Nero now. I didn’t love them anymore because they were the ones who used me; the ones who shunned me; the ones who betrayed me.

They were the ones who killed Percy Jackson.

~*~

That's chapter three. I've got something coming up that should help with remembering names and powers. I hope you liked this chapter. I felt it was a bit boring, but there will be better chapters to come. I have also decided that I will update every Sunday, my time. That way, I have a whole week to write a brilliant chapter for you all. This chapter is dedicated to Love_Your_World for her amazing comment. Next dedication goes to a commenter, so please vote, comment and follow. Thank you so much!
~MissMythoMagic