Thrice Great

Eirena and Demetrios

Hatred and Fear were distraught over the loss of their son, but there was nothing they could do.

The Order of Alternate Louisville, TOAL for short, was the strongest magic government in the world, the capital of the Alternate lands. Attempting a siege or break-in would be suicide, and even though the Kingdom of the Disgraced had the numbers to at least try to invade, it would end in a high number of casualties.

After a while, they just accepted the fact that Nikolaos was dead to them, and they decided to reproduce again.

Little did they know that when Nikolaos was taken, Fear was already pregnant. That December, Fear gave birth to a little girl. However, she died soon after birth, and she was discarded into the trash. Fear and Hatred promised never to speak of her again. So they kept trying for more kids.

In early 2002, Fear and Hatred had twins: a male and female. The new heir and heiress. They named the male Demetrios, and the female Eirena.

In Greek mythology, which we already know is quite real, Eirena is a goddess of peace. It was Fear who suggested the idea of naming their children after figures whose names meant greatness, as a gift of good luck to their children, and as a passive-aggresive jab at the goody-goodies.

The naming pattern started with Nikolaos, whose name meant "victory to the people", then Eirena and Demetrios, "devoted to Demeter".

Fear and Hatred decided to raise the twins the same way they raised Nikolaos, but with more security. They placed a bubble of protective spells around their children's apartment, and taught them dark magic at a quicker pace than they did with Nikolaos.

Of course, the twins rejected their training in dark magic.

Alternate Patras, Greece, November 2005 AD
Once again, it is night in Alternate Patras, and nothing much has changed, except for some buildings and the modern fashions. A spaceship port is being built on the outskirts of the city, as well as a train line linking it to downtown Patras. We are at Fear and Hatred's apartment once more.

Fear sits in a rocking chair, a tiny female demon in her lap. The little demon has magenta energy swirling in her eye sockets. Her hair is identical to her mother's: banged, long, and smoky.

The little demon, Eirena, stares off into the distance, silent. Fear wraps her arms around her tighter, leaning forward and placing her chin upon her head.

"Are you okay, Rena?" She asks.

Eirena nods.

"I'm tired."

She fidgets in Fear's arms.

"When is Demy coming back from his magic lessons?"

"He'll be back when he's completed his lessons for the day," Fear replies, stroking Eirena's hair.

"That could take forever!" Eirena cries out. "Bampás' (dad's) lessons are hard! And they hurt!"

" Bampás said he'll make sure Demetrios is back tonight so he can rest. He said he has a harder lesson for him tomorrow, that'll take a lot of energy," Fear says, in a reassuring tone of voice.

"Bampás lies a lot!" Eirena says, wiggling out of Fear's lap and pacing the living room.

"So do you," Fear says, watching her daughter. "You said you were tired, but yet you're full of energy."

"I am tired! Tired of waiting for Demy to come home!"

Fear chuckles.

"Oh, you're just like your father: full of sass."