The Minoan Rhapsody

The Zagreus Rite

"Kukura ju Seroija?" One Sintian murmured to the other who shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

They approached the shadows carefully as to not be discovered. With a clear view ahead, the brothers met each other's gaze with puzzlement. The shadows were there, but there was nobody in sight.

The shadows stopped and seemed to be looking around.

The brothers stood up. One of them stepped and cracked a twig.

The shadows disappeared.

The brothers looked around, but all they saw were a few black ants, marching on a single file. The brothers shook their heads and without thinking much about it, resumed their way.

#

Arindraai didn't eat, drink or rest. Only one thought occupied her mind, to get back to her mother as soon as possible. As her home was within sight, she ran towards it, feverishly yelling for Asterion. There was no answer. She stormed through the door. The house was empty. Broken pieces of pottery were scattered all over the floor. She saw a broken chair and a large dried blood pool by the center hearth.

"Mama!" she yelled searching each empty room. She rushed out of the house, crying, "Mama!" Her eyes scanned from side to side, until they locked on a parched spot on the ground by the east side of the house. She crossed her arms, quivering in fright. She walked hesitantly, not wanting to get there, but she had to. Burnt wood and charcoal spread into what seemed like a hastily made funeral pyre. She stepped in its middle, dropped to her knees, and began to look within the cold coal and scattered ashes. "No." Her eyes watered as she gathered charred bone pieces. "No!" Half a skull remained intact. "Mama!" She howled. She embraced Asterion's remains against her chest, rocking back and forth, waling. She didn't need anyone to tell her what happened. Deep inside she knew. There were no coins in the ashes. She was gone without a prayer, left to endlessly wander the shores of the Styx.

#

It was late at night when she saw her father return home. She sat on top of the dried pool of blood on the floor, Asterion's skull on her lap. By her side was the ax they used for chopping firewood.

"The other witch has returned!" with glazed and bloodshot eyes he proclaimed while leaning against a wall. "Where are my sons?! Where have you taken them?!" He stumbled towards her.

Arindraai's face was expressionless, covered in ash except for the dry path left by her tears.

He clumsily tried to grab her.

She dodged him effortlessly, then placed the half-skull on top of a table.

"What did you do with my sons?!" He yelled, strong ale in his breath. He managed to take hold of her clothes.

They struggled for a moment.

He was too drunk to put up a fight.

She knocked him to the floor. As he tried to stand up, Arindraai grabbed the ax and chopped off one of his feet.

#

Hephaestus and the brothers heard a repeating dull thump coming out of Ari's house. He limped inside, followed by the Sintians.

She was drenched in blood. Exhausted, she kept chopping with the ax at the unrecognizable chum that used to be her father: a bloody mess of chopped meat, blood and bones. Barely able to lift the ax above her head, she would just let it fall on its dead weight, onto the remains.

The Fallen One slowly approached her.

She was in a trance, unaware of his presence. As she held the ax above her head for one more chop, Hephaestus grabbed it. She looked at him, too tired to be surprised. Fresh blood, ash and drool covered her face. She let go of the ax while falling onto her knees. She began punching repeatedly her father's spilled brains. No words, just punches.

The Fallen One threw aside the ax and kneeled with her. He embraced her as she began to weakly punch him instead.

Arindraai stopped and surrendered into his arms.

He softly pressed her head against his chest, while lowering his eyebrows and pressing his lips. He took a deep breath. Sometimes I wished there were no Fates.

She lifted her head towards him, almost as if she heard his thoughts. Her eyes were glassy.

He brushed her hair and rubbed the ashy blood off her lips.

Her glassy eyes were on him.

With the help of the brothers, they stood up and walked outside.

"Turisa pi," the Fallen One ordered the Sintians, as he led Arindraai out the door.

The brothers didn't bother with their father's remains. They knew they also lost a mother. They set their former home on fire.

Together, the three siblings left their past behind. Their father would no coins or receive prayers, just like their mother, Asterion.