BLOOD AND DARKNESS.

𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃  be  lying  if  he  claimed  there  is  not  some  level  of  envy  towards  the  prince  of  the  underworld.  true,  zagreus  has  had  a  hellish  time  of  it  all;  true,  the  company  he  keeps  is  that  of  the  divine  &&  shades  &&  all  the  dead;  true,  he  treks  up  &&  dies  for  the  sake  of  something  as  unfathomable  as  meeting  a  mother  who  loves  you.  the  jealousy  that  stirs  at  the  mention  of  having  olympus  to  thank  as  much  as  verso  himself  is  almost  nauseating.   verso  takes  the  bottle,  hums,  &&  brings  it  to  his  lips.  the  nectar  eases  his  ire  bit  by  bit,  though  —  when  he  pulls  the  bottle  back,  merely  two  more  gulps  missing,  the  taste  still  rolling  about  on  his  tongue  —  it  is  not  completely  erased. ❝  not  the  entirety,  ❞  verso  corrects.  ❝ just  a  good  handful.  i  doubt  any  of  them  are  rooting  for  my  escape  as  much  as  they  are  for  yours.  ❞  against  his  better  instinct,  there  is  a  hint  of  an  edge  there.  he  drums  his  fingers  ‘gainst  the  throat  of  the  bottle,  a  few  sparks  dancing  off  from  his  knuckles.   ❝  either  way,  they’re  not  my  worry.  they    will    be    if    they    get    in    my    way,    but…  that’s    tomorrow’s    problem.  ❞ 

" hardly something to brag about, my friend. " he does have to wonder if verso has encountered the gods the way zagreus has, in this dark. or do they even know verso is here, cracked free of his cage? he watches verso for a moment longer, his brows knitting. he thinks he might know the answer, but zagreus has always wanted things to be clear.

you're not doing it right.

i'm just going to sit here and watch you.

that's not how it works.

all right, since you're such an expert, why don't you show me?

let me know when you need my help.

is that the best you've got?

you're holding it all wrong.

try to swing your sword.

was that you trying?

i've never done this before.

i look like a fool.

you're getting the hang of it!

you know what they say, practice makes perfect.

i'm never going to be ready in time.

let me walk you through it.

this is where you went wrong.

watch how i do this.

see? it's not so bad!

i feel like i'm making a fool of myself.

who taught you how to do this?

i wish i had more confidence in myself.

i'm never going to get it.

try again. harder this time.

put your back into it.

that was weak.

i expected better of you.

you've really disappointed me today.

it's easier to just give up.

hold it like this instead.

watch me, and then you try.

who taught you to hold it like that?

no no, you're doing it all wrong.

see? a little practice always helps.

keep going. don't stop until you've perfected it.

i'm going to leave and come back, and you'd better be ready by then.

again. do it again.

i'm not giving up on you.

maybe i wasn't meant to do this.

maybe i'll let someone else handle this.

this is too complicated for me.

you're not giving yourself enough credit.

you came this far. don't give up now.

i believe in you.

i know you can do it.

if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.

the last person i taught was your mother.

the last person i taught was your father.

you're just as stubborn as they were.

i'm not letting you give up this easily.

a little hard work, and you'll get it.

i always believed in you from day one.

see that? that's where you're aiming.

deep breath in, deep breath out.

you're stronger than you think.

if you give up, you'll never forgive yourself.

a lot of people are counting on you.

everything rides on your shoulders.

they need you to learn this.

this is the only way you're going to prove yourself.