See you soon, but not too soon!

-I'm pretty sure we got lost, Minho said. Can you feel something?

-No... Jeongin sighed. Just... Death.

-That's not new.

-What is that? Seungmin pointed to a boat approaching them.

-Is that... Minho furrowed his eyes in fear.

-Charon, Jeongin confirmed. The ferryman of the Underworld. The one that leads the souls to their final destination.

-He... he brought mom here, Chan mumbled.

-That's him, Jeongin felt a lump forming in his throat.

Charon had his face hidden by his cloth. He stopped the boat as his skeleton hands pointed towards Jeongin and called for him to come closer.

-Not in a million years! Minho protested. We're not getting inside your boat. We're still alive.

-I thought that maybe they had time for a little story, he moved his head to face Chan.

-You took my mom when she was bitten by the snake. You know what happened down here. What are they not telling me. You know what Hermes did to them.

-I know everything, he took a deep breath that sounded like his last one.

-Don't listen to him. Let's go! Minho tried to ignore the man, but Jeongin stood still.

-You know Hermes?

-Very well. He is an old friend of mine.

-Will you tell me about him?

-Gladly, Charon nodded and made way for the four to get in.

-Jeongin, this is a trick.

-It will be faster to reach the others. And... I need this. I need to know who he is, Jeongin explained. You have a loving mother, but me? I have no one but him. And he feels like a stranger to me as well.

They sat down in the boat and waited for Charon to unravel some of the secrets of the gods.

-Hermes, huh? he suddenly asked with no heads-up.

Jeongin flinched a bit, but kept his eyes glued to the ferryman.

-Hermes was always difficult. If Ares was wild and hard to put in place, Hermes was ten times worse. It wasn't that he didn't listen to his father. He just had his way of twisting the words and used them in his favour. And he loved to make deals. To play with lives. When he got tired of Zeus and his rules, he searched for another playyard. Poseidon was almost never there. He didn't need Hermes. Hades was his last choice. It was perfect. Hades had a wife he loved. Something you don't see often among the gods. Hermes was intrigued. Also... here he found a good number of minor Goddesses that satisfied him.

-I don't wanna hear that, Jeongin made a disgusted grimace.

-Who's your mother, little god?

-I don't know, Jeongin confessed. It's not like I have a list of names from which to choose. I have no clue.

-I see... You are aware Aphrodite had a big part in Hermes's love life.

-I do. But I'm not her son.

-Perhaps not, Charon got lost in his words for a bit. Ah! Maybe... He had a thing for Hecate!

Jeongin shook his head.

-I met her daughter. I can feel mom's signature in me. It's not that. It wasn't a match.

-Then... Oh, I know!

-I don't need to know who she is. She is as much of a parent as Hermes was. Both were absent. The sea nymphs are my family.

-I was about to say that you look a lot like Peitho, Charon pointed towards Jeongin's face. Your eyes and lips. Just like her. She was Hermes's favourite. It wouldn't surprise me to learn he kept her child.

-Peitho? Minho asked confused.

-Goddesses of persuasion. Seduction. One of Aphrodite's servants, Jeongin explained. The rumor has it she was so beautiful that she wasn't allowed out of her temple.

-She was witty and sneaky. She was the only one immune to Hermes's tricks. I think he liked that. Although Apollo seemed to think otherwise, he added.

-Apollo? Jeongin snapped back from his thoughts and became alert again. What role does Apollo play in this?

-He was Hermes's best friend.

-Just like you and the little guy, Minho pointed out.

-You said Hermes settled for the Underworld, right? What did he do here? Jeongin asked.

-He was Persephone's squire.

-Hermes? Having a job? My father Hermes? Is that why he didn't spare a moment to see me all these years?

-When lady Persephone gave birth to the prince, she was up there for the spring. Hermes offered her a ride down here in exchange of protection. It seems that he had a bad feeling about one of the gods. He made a deal with our queen. If something bad were to happen to him she would share the same fate.

-Hades sent Changbin to find Persephone, Jeongin recalled the conversation they had. Someone must have happened to my father and it forced her to dissappear as well, he concluded. And since he was close to Apollo, his missing has something to do with it as well. Maybe... Jeongin got up in realisation. Apollo did something and Hermes knew about it. Whoever took them didn't want the gods to know what he did. He did something after the Trojan War ended... But what? he furrowed his eyebrows and analysed every step he took since the moment he met Felix. Felix! he widened his eyes. The blood, the hair. Apollo gave Felix his blessing. Why? And why is it such a big deal? Why was Felix... Charon! he turned around, almost making the boat turn over.

-Easy! Minho held tight to the edges.

The last thing he wanted was to fall into the Styx River.

-Charon, you saw every soul that died during the war, didn't you?

-Indeed.

-You saw Andromache, didn't you?

-I did.

-Was she alone?

-Yes.

-That's it...

-What? Chan asked intrigued.

-Your song... Jeongin turned towards Chan and closed his eyes to avoid another migraine from the curse. When we danced in the village... what was about?

-An ode to the sun.

-There we have it, Jeongin smiled proudly.

-What? Minho asked on the edge of his seat.

-Felix is the son of Hector and Andromache. He was left alive by Achille. He was rescued by Apollo and given protection. He was then left to his current family. Apollo paid the price for that and so my father who knew about it. Son of Hector is destined to bring war. The gods would have killed him if they knew. Someone wants this war to happen. Did Hermes make any more shady deals down here? he asked Charon again?

-One.

-Oprheus, Jeongin gulped in fear.

Chan stared in fear at the ferryman, feeling the anticipation eating him alive.

-He helped Orpheus get his wife out of here. But with Hermes nothing is free.

-What did he ask? Chan talked this time. He demanded to know the truth.

-He asked their son's life.

-What?

-He told them their son would die by the hands of his son. He said his son was meant to be a hero and needed a villain in his story.

Jeongin froze. Everything linked so smoothly in his brain. Why Chan attacked him. Why Hermes disappeared. Why Felix healed them both on the North Mountain.

-Did he said those exact words? Chan got up angry.

-I don't remember the exact-

-You remember everything, Chan cut him off.

-Carefully, mortal. A single push ends your bloodline.

-I'm not afraid of you, he stepped forward. Tell me what he said.

-"They are meant to fight and one will stand above the other."

-Fight, not kill. I knew it! he clenched his jaw. They lied to me, he broke into a nervous laugh.

-Care to share the joke? Minho asked.

-They told me if I don't kill him I'll get killed first. That's not what Hermes said. He said fight. We fought. He stood above me when he saved me and I-

-You what? Seungmin chimed in out of curiosity.

-I was wrong to attack you. My apologies, Jeongin!

-I only forgive you because dad wanted us as enemies and I'm sick of him controlling my life.

-That works just fine with me, Chan cracked a smile.

Suddenly the boat hit the land, shaking everyone in it.

-You can walk from here, Charon signaled them to get off.

-Can I ask you something? Jeongin remained behind.

-All you did up until now was to ask questions.

-What did you gain from this?

-The souls of the death are so depressed. They whine and cry and mourn. I barely have a good talk with master Hades every Thursday. I needed some fresh faces and voices to play in my mind. Besides... Hermes was also the hot topic here. I wouldn't have missed seeing how his son ended up to be, he laughed.

-A disappointed?

-Someone he can't control. Just like Zeus couldn't control him. Runs in the family, I guess.

-I guess... Thank you, Charon! I'll come visit.

-Hopefully not on this very boat, he laughed again. Some morbid jokes make the situation lighter. Farewell, son of Hermes! See you soon, but not too soon!