Karia waited for Arch to show his mark and looked at her mother, expecting a response but not exactly the one she got. As she began to murmur about Zeus and such Karia raised an eyebrow but was otherwise unfazed. The woman had always been odd, not at all daunted by her daughter’s ‘gift’ of sight, having odd preferences for places and people, and general odd tastes but it was something mostly lost on Karia. As her mother walked away Karia looked at Arch and spoke softly. “I have one too.” She then tore a wide elastic bracelet off her left arm and stretched her arm out, palm up. On the soft skin of the wrist a pale emblem was present, appearing between a tattoo and a birthmark, in the shape of a skull. She was not comfortable showing arch the images, having a skull birthmark in southern town didn’t make one popular, but she needed him to know.

“It has been there as long as I can remember.” She looked at Arch for a few moments then heard her mother murmuring in what sounded like Greek. It was of the weird things she did as they were not Greek. “Mom?” She turned and stepped a few paces forward to see into the living room where the shadows seemed to creep in even though the lights were on. Suddenly Arch reached out and pulled her back, pushing her behind him, and she didn’t argue. She watched around the larger boy and the lights flickered and died as the darkness became almost palpable and the air thick. Karl suddenly felt very uncomfortable and grasped the kitchen table before becoming very sick looking.

“Mom!” She grapsed Arches arm as she peered around, wanting to reach for her mother but feeling the boy keep her at bay.

“I am not about to harm her but you, boy, your safety is not guaranteed.” The voice was booming and was for a moment disembodied, till the pale form appeared dress in dark black clothes and hair as dark as night. Once fully formed the man was neither old nor young, very pale with sharp features, and eyes that were penetrating. It was the eyes that her mother saw in Karia…and the temper. Hades stared at the boy and immediately the hatred was felt, his eyes turning red as he looked the athletic boy over. Every bit his father’s child.

“And who in the hell are you!?” Karia now stepped forward, unafraid for herself and rather a bit fed up. As Hades shifted his gaze his face immediately soften and his mouth opened a bit, only to shut before he looked to Karia’s mother who now seemed ready to cry.

“Karia this…is your father.”
“The hell he is!”

“Apt term.” The now vocal man grinned, not at all turned away from the infuriated scowl he received for the now glowing red head. “Yes she is most certainly mine.” He was far too pleased but also a bit heartfelt, a mix that confused her.

“You said you didn’t know who my father was!”

“Well that was a lie.”

“Really mom? I hadn’t figured.” The sarcasm was thick. “Is he why I was attacked by lightening goblins?” 

“What?” The room became suddenly quiet then and Karia turned to look back at the man she suddenly thought to be her father. He had gone from bemused, to confused, to raging in what seemed like seconds. The darkness became thick and the only thing keeping Arch and Karl even remotely comfortable was the fact that they were in the kitchen. “Did he do this?”