<span style="color: #0040BF">"Alannah, don't let go... but uh, I think you're cuttin' off my circulation."</span>Dimitri said, with a feint smile at the whole situation.<span style="color: #0040BF">"Y'know, maybe with you down here, seamonsters'll know not to mess with us."</span>Dimitri teased. He felt the urge to tell Alannah it was too dangerous, but with the uncertainty in his chest, Alannah's hand made him feel like he was home. He made the promise to himself that protecting Alannah would be top priority over anything else.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0040BF">"No, I wouldn't go willin'ly dyin' for that... <span style="font-style: italic">abomination</span>."</span>Dimitri said with disgust. Nereus wasn't a man, he was technically a god, but Dimitri refused to refer to him like that.<span style="color: #0040BF">"But whatever's down here ain't weak, that's for sure. Lately I've just felt a lotta dread, goin' place to place. It's just been so rapid, I haven't'ad time to catch my breath."</span>Dimitri recalled his entrance into Boston was followed by chasing after where he was told to go then being forced into a confrontation with his ex-girlfriend. From there it was a beating that he could still feel, and after that it was all running around and planning. Dimitri sighed a breath of relief. At least at the current moment there was nothing pressing directly in his line of sight.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0040BF">"Her name's Asya."</span>Dimitri replied with her name first, as it fascinated him.<span style="color: #0040BF">"Just like I said b'fore, she's like us, she knows all 'bout what it's like to live our life. I never really got to see her powers, but from what've gathered, they're underdeveloped. Her uh... her parents died."</span>Dimitri was never comfortable talking about things so tragic like that, at least when they were real.<span style="color: #0040BF">"She was gettin' attacked when I found her. Me and some other people brought her here. She's stayin' with some people called the Ocean Eleven."</span>Dimitri paused, looking for what to say next.<span style="color: #0040BF">"Listen, she's really actin' out now, but I had to help her. I know she has a pure heart."</span>Dimitri made eye contact with Alannah, the subject was that important to him. But just as he locked eyes with her, his peripherals spotted something.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">-----</div><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Dimitri fell on all fours, he didn't have much fight left in him. He'd been warned about being beaten in a Boston alleyway before, but it was usually being warned about muggers or bad sports fans, never godly parents.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BFBFFF">"You ask very many questions, yet none of them are within reason. It's your job to do as your god tells you to. We are not to be angered.</span> Nereus warned, violently. <span style="color: #BFBFFF">"I've given so much for you, and you simply take. You take, with no appreciation. Now, I ask of you-"</span><br/><br/>Dimitri stopped interpreting his words. The events of the night had already weighed on him, heavily. Nereus's statements only layered on the events of the past weeks, months, and even the past two years to fall on him once more. Dimitri could hardly think straight in the moment. Nereus had taken everything from him, all of his friends, family, and otherwise loved ones. Even now, any friends he made would only be temporary until he was ripped away. Everything in Dimitri's ears became a distant ring.<br/><br/>The next few moments were a blur for Dimitri. All he was certain of was that one moment he was on the filthy cement, and the next all of his weight was thrown into his fist, which hurled into Nereus. Dimitri wasn't sure what surprised him more; the fact that he made the attack or the fact that it him him.<br/><br/>Nereus reacted very human-like, flinching in pain and shock, but only for one single moment. A million thoughts went through Dimitri's mind in that single moment, but his expression was shocked and he didn't move. His eyes locked onto the small amount of precious golden liquid, now slowly oozing out of his father.<br/><br/>Ichor, precious blood of the gods. Dimitri was so shocked that he hadn't even registered the unholy hellish fire that was about to be unleashed upon him.</span><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">-----</div><br/><br/><span style="color: #0040BF">"Alannah."</span>Dimitri said quietly, attempting to get her to look where he was. He led her over to it, but he already knew what it was. The golden liquid all fluently flowed together in a big clump, refusing to let the water pollute it.<span style="color: #0040BF">"Something godly bled here."</span>Dimitri announced. There were no fish or otherwise anything living near the ball of ichor. But there was a comb that Dimitri was curious about. It looked as though it was made of seaweed and shells. Who owned such a thing?