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“You have been claimed by Thanatos, god of Death, Protector of the Doors of Tartarus. Hail, the Son of the Underworld.”
Eyes locked onto the boy that had just entered the camp. Large, green eyes gazing up at the symbol of an upside-down torch floating above him, the Centaur’s voice echoing in his ears.
He didn’t even know where he was or why he was still alive. How was he gonna know that he would be immediately snatched up by this Mr. D dude?
“He’s clearly too young to learn. Look at him.” The older man pointed at him accusingly, a Diet Coke in his other hand.
“Uhm… sir, my apologies for interrupting, but I am not a boy.” He mumbled.
“Yes you are. I can tell.”
“But… momma always told me I was a girl.”
“Well, your mother lied. What’s your name, kid?”
“…Aldith Norvvandater. Sir.”
“Mmmh… doesn’t fit ya. What’s the name of the thing in your lap?”
He looked down at his new friend. The small dragonette he found before he was sucked into this nightmare of an earth. “…Turrent. She’s a dragon.”
“Looks a bit small to be a dragon.”
“She’s still growing. Dragons are common where I’m from.”
“Well, you have to train her if she’s young. Yknow, like a dog. Make sure she doesn’t eat people.”
“Okay, sir… am I free to go?”
The man looked at the Centaur next to him and sighed. “Sure, kid, go ahead. Just go to the Hermes Cabin. There is no Thanatos Cabin. Not yet, anyway.”
He nodded and stood up. He didn’t understand anything of what was happening. Why was he here if his family was back in Nedstrand? Oh, his father was going to be so mad at him…
He eventually found the Hermes cabin (Why was everything here written in that weird loopy language? And why did he understand it?) and slowly pushed open the door to walk inside.
It was packed.
He wasn’t used to this many people. Sure, he had a ton of siblings, but there were easily 30 kids in here, some older, some younger.
One kid came up and inspected him. Another walked around to look at Turrent. He felt so uncomfortable just being here, it made him queasy.
“Back off of the kid, you all. He’s clearly stressed.” A boy pushed the other out of the way, shooing off the one looking at the dragonette in his arms before looking down at Aldith.
“Hey, you're the new Death kid, right?”
“…Uhm… yes, sir.”
“Heh, no need to call me sir, kid. Makes me sound old. I’m Chris Rodriguez. What’s your name, little buddy?”
“Uhm… Aldith Norvvandater. Mr. D said it doesn’t fit me, though…”
“Mmh, yeah, you're right… I think the name Damien would suit you.”
“Dam… e… in?..”
“Yep. Damien. Sounds good?”
“…Yeah… I like it…” He smiled to himself as Chris stood up and led him to the back of the cabin, where his little area would be.
——————
“…I am sorry, my son… But it is your price for existing…” Thanatos whispered, cupping Damien’s cheeks as the Prince of the Damned sobbed silently.
Golden tears dropped down from his eyes, Ichor staining his skin and making it glow in the dim light that radiated through the Underworld.
“…Life is a bitch, ain’t it, dad?” He chuckled sadly, resting his head against the taller immortal’s shoulder.
“Life is that, I must agree… but that does not mean you should weep. You have a gift, my son. A gift to lead, to protect, to live a mortal life.” The god of Death mused, moving one hand to his son’s hair, slowly threading his fingers through the black strands.
They stood there for a while. Damien listening to his father’s breathing. Thanatos listening to his son’s heartbeat.
It was…
Peaceful.
For once in Damien’s rather chaotic life, between the deaths, the rebirths, the pain, the nightmares…
He was calm. Just him and the man he had begged to meet.
The man that would always be so much better than the man he was raised by.
“…Your uncle would be proud of you, my dear.” The god mused as his son slowly fell asleep against him, his body tired from the long day of fighting.
For once, he felt like he belonged. Like he was a kid again.
It was nice.