Records of Rebirth

|[Who does she want to kill?]| Aurelia asked calmly.

[The Scorpion Queen...Typhon, there are several.]

|[List them.]|

As Aquila prattled off a number of extensive foes, Typhon and Ophelia were quite startled at the revelation. They included nearly everyone Morgana had ever encountered, and all for minor inconveniences too.

Surprisingly, neither Aurelia nor Ophelia were on this list.

|[Has she met other serpents besides us?]| Aurelia asked.

[No. She isn't interested in them.]

|[Why does she want to leave?]|.

Aquila tilted her head in confusion. [She doesn't want to leave. She wouldn't before killing those she wants, or without taking Ophelia.]

She said this like it was a fact and as Typhon's harsh gaze fell over her, she tried hard not to fidget. 

What was he misunderstanding now? 

|[Why did she take Arsinoe with her?]| Aurelia continued.

[She realised she couldn't do it alone, without taking some…risks.]

[Risk?!] They were interrupted by a sharp inhale. 

[You mean a sacrifice!] Otreia exclaimed. [Why else would she let her follow? She means to kill her!]

[Shh…we don't know that yet.] Oteiza tried to calm her down.

Arsinoe's team who hardly said a word before now were suddenly agitated and Typhon scrutinised them. 

[You don't seem that surprised.] He noted. [You must have known.] 

Otreia, who realised her error, immediately lowered her head and Oteiza who didn't seem to care continued to plead anxiously. [Please, we have to help her! Arsinoe is in danger.]

[You dare!] Typhon snarled in rage. They were this courageous, yet so endlessly stupid. 

Did they know what they were asking?

|[They are in danger.]| Aurelia admitted. |[They aren't strong enough yet.]|

Ophelia wholeheartedly agreed. She had wanted to train Morgana a little more with her first to prepare. Her performance would have improved with more time, and Aurelia was willing to give her that time. So why would she rush this?

Surely it wasn't for a [Legacy] skill?

Ophelia's eyes widened in disbelief. No way.

[We have to help them!] She immediately begged Aurelia. 

[We need to rescue Arsinoe.] Typhon corrected. [Morgana can stay where she is.]

No matter what, Arsinoe was innocent in all this. 

[Typhon!] Ophelia hissed.

Morgana could be redeemed, yet he didn't even want to try.

This was all his fault in the first place! 

She thought Morgana was above it all, but in reality she was just as hot headed and impulsive as the others! If only he hadn't mentioned it.

[It's true!] Otreia revealed. [Arsinoe didn't want this! She saw Morgana acting strange and followed, that's all. She wanted to stop her. She was looking out for all of us.]

[How convenient.] Ophelia muttered. 

Of course they would say that to shift the blame when Morgana wasn't around to defend herself. 

[She should have come to me first.] Typhon muttered. 

He was angry at the inconvenience they were causing. Arsinoe had not changed her ways even after he warned her, and as long as Morgana remained, there would always be some uncertainty about her loyalty. 

The fact remained that Arsinoe's unruliness could be controlled, whereas Morgana's could not. It was the only reason he kept her around for so long.

And yet, something wasn't adding up.

Arsinoe should have returned the moment she realised something was wrong. If she really wanted to, it wasn't like Morgana could overpower her with sheer force.

Typhon felt his mood darken.

He could never imagine Arsinoe choosing to go willingly.

[Can we rescue them?] Ophelia pleaded with Aurelia. [What if something terrible happens to them?]

[Hey…] Typhon glared at his anxious sister who was becoming more and more unrecognisable by the day. He couldn't believe what she was asking. It was good that she had gained a friend in Aurelia, but she seemed to be forgetting that she was also dangerous. 

Asking her to rescue the two cretins that disobeyed her orders was pure folly. Ophelia was getting too carried away!

However, Aurelia chuckled as she stared off in the distance. |[They are still alive, their vitals are quite strong.]|

[Really?!] Ophelia exclaimed.

|[We will get them back.]| Aurelia yawned. |[Morgana owes me a head. I'm eager to see if she can deliver it.]| 

[Ah.] Ophelia's relief dampened immediately. [Yes, she does. How could I forget.] She laughed nervously. [Morgana won't disappoint you. You have my word!]

This…

Typhon wondered if Ophelia had lost her mind. Was she really fine after that blow to the head?

[I'll assemble the team.] Typhon reluctantly said.

This was going to be a long day.

He kept telling himself it was okay as long as she wasn't harmed, but when he looked at the two of them talking, he kept seeing Ophelia's lone red eye that matched Aurelia's perfectly.

What if she sustained more than physical damage? Was he right to have been worried all along? 

[Um…Can we come too?]

His thoughts were interrupted when Otreia and Oteiza approached him. Since they still had their heads intact, he supposed they thought they were free to go.

[Get inside!] He snarled. 

It was the cells for all of them.

Aquila who still blinked in a confused daze, Arsinoe when he dragged her treacherous hide home. Idiots, the lot of them! 

They were going to stay buried until he erased everything that transpired today from his memory!

As for Morgana. If they deserved to rot, she should never see the light of day again. Even the deepest pit wasn't good enough.

But perhaps her attachment to Ophelia opened up another solution.

[Typhon.] Ophelia called out to him before he could leave. [We need to talk, please wait.]

When he looked back, she and Aurelia were staring at him rather anxiously.

[What now?] He asked.

[Well…] Ophelia hesitated. [Don't be too hard on them, okay, Arsinoe especially.] 

Typhon grimaced at the sound of her name. [What about her?] 

[Well…] Ophelia looked nervously at Aurelia, then back at him. [I have an idea why she went with Morgana.]

Typhon stared unblinking at the two. It was obviously because she was stupid. Morgana baited her and she followed, even after he warned her to stay away, it wasn't that difficult to realise.

Still, he waited patiently for her revelation. [You clearly want to tell me.]

[Arsinoe has always been jealous of Morgana.] Ophelia started. [And you've been paying more attention to her lately.] 

[Yes, because she's been doing well.] Typhon replied. 

While it didn't excuse her previous behaviour, her hunts were always successful. As long as she was a functioning member of the Pit, he left her alone. 

[What does that have to do with anything?] He asked.

Ophelia frowned at his bluntness. Showing favouritism to Morgana when he never did so before gave off the wrong impression! He really had no idea what that could look like to Arsinoe who desperately wanted his attention. 

[Have you never wondered why she hates Morgana?] She asked.

[She shouldn't have any problems with her.] Typhon said dismissively. [Morgana works hard when she isn't killing anything that remotely offends her.]

Ophelia sighed, at his lack of interest. He could be so oblivious sometimes. 

She then looked at Aurelia for help on how to go about explaining this to him. Aurelia was smart, she always had answers to everything. 

Alas, she only got a confused stare in return. 

Ophelia was startled. Did she and the Nymph do nothing but talk?

[She's trying to win your favour!] She blurted out awkwardly, eager to be done with the horrible subject.

|[Favour?]| Aurelia tilted her head.

[Yes. She likes him.] Ophelia looked away in embarrassment. 

She was suffering to get the words out, but this could hardly compare to Typhon's look of absolute vitriol. If he wasn't her brother, she would swear he wanted to kill her at that moment. 

The only one who remained relaxed was Aurelia, she even perked up to listen with interest before exclaiming suddenly. |[Oh!]|

[I had to say it.] Ophelia flung herself at Typhon who was about to storm off. [It was really getting out of hand.]

[I'm not listening to this.] He menacingly hissed. 

[I'm sorry.] Ophelia tried to explain. She had a feeling that Arsinoe's dark moods had been because of him. She was only trying to help, but it didn't seem like Typhon was going to forgive her. 

|[It's wrong to mislead others.]| Aurelia suddenly declared, her chilling aura forcing Typhon to stop. 

Why was she suddenly staring at him like he was the enemy? 

Typhon felt the need to defend himself against her scary aura, or his life could be forfeit!

[It's not like that!] He hissed. [Don't accuse me of something so absurd!]

[I didn't say that…it's just.] Ophelia muttered.

[Just what?] Typhon roared.

[Nothing! Sorry.]

Typhon promptly slithered away. He wasn't having this conversation!

If Arsinoe truly felt that way, then he would straighten out her crooked beliefs.

[Be gentle with her.] Ophelia called out but Typhon already left. 

She was glad she told him, but he didn't have to be so bent out of shape about it. She just hoped Arsinoe would take it well.

Ophelia felt dark wings sweep over her head. 

[You've worked hard.] Aurelia patted her. [But it's too dangerous for Typhon to go alone so I'll go with him. Are you alright with staying to watch over the others?]

Ophelia nodded. 

With Aurelia coming along, they would be safer, but she wasn't too happy. 

She wanted to get Aurelia away from here for a while as there was plenty she wanted to tell her, but things kept getting in the way. 

So, she made her promise to go away together when she returned under the pretence that she wanted to explore the Labyrinth.

[Deal!] Aurelia was happy to agree.