Burn (Arsen and Richard)

"Sometimes that's for the best." he agreed before shrugging, "And other times you just need to forget. Victims of child abuse often opt to have the memories erased. Some murderers can't handle the guilt."

"Pfft, hell no!" he scoffed at the idea, shaking his head, "Not in the way they are here in England at any rate. In my family being pure blood was a good thing but we intigrated so much muggle technology that we were called blood traitors every generation. Apparently my ancestors were unwilling to turn away useful weapons just for the sake of blood purity."

He frowned a little,

"I haven't the foggiest." he shrugged a little, "I think it's a christmas thing."

Richard raised an eyebrow and examined the knife,

"It's good work." he agreed readily before passing it back, "Bit too decorated for my tastes. But then again I'm a simple creature of blood and death. Designs mean little to me."

He smirked a little,

"And there would be that little spark inside them that would be proud of you despite everything." he grinned a little, "And it would burn them on the inside. The be proud of your advances despite what your advancing for... it's a feeling they can't control after all."

"Ouch Pup! Playing a bit rough with that one aren't you?" he teased before grinning, "I don't want a burial like a normal person. I want to die as a warrior. Perhaps it's just the way I was raised... but I want to go down fighting. My remains? Burn them. And scatter them across my last battlefield."

Richard chuckled a little,

"Most people call that weakness Arsen." he sighed a little and looked up at the sky for a few seconds, "I live with my emotions so close to the surface that it's sometimes much too easy to reach them. To use them. Aspen might have the right idea. But I can't stop feeling anymore. I feel too strongly now for that."

He grinned a little before chuckling,

"I'd hate to see how your charms professor thinks of you." he raised an eyebrow, "Or are you so awesome you don't take it?"

He rolled his eyes a little,

"Great. I get a charity case."

"Yeah well not me i don't deserve to be rid of them. I use them as a constant reminder of what can happen when you're weak." He explained. "Maybe some murderers deserve the guilt. Those that kill for no real reason but for fun."

He nodded. "Yeah here in England it is bad i have no idea how it got this bad though." He said glancing down to his ring. "We talking those gun things? Or something else?" He asked he hated those guns more than muggles themselves.

"Oh right." He smiled then laughed as Rich took his knife now turned ruler. "Yeah sorry about that. Char is protective of me and doesn't want it getting used against me." He smirked taking it back. "She is very clever and since it's forged with fire i can channel my gift through it too." He smirked turning it over in his hands. "I like the detail it's a part of her designs which makes it more special." He smiled sliding it back up his sleeve. "Do you use knifes?"

"I doubt that everything i did was evil to them. I was the devil child that needed to be punished." He laughed. "I think they thought i was following Satans commands or something. See this..." He said turning around to pull down the neck of his shirt to reveal the scar in the shape of a cross on the back of his shoulder. "... that's the lords cross. They thought it would make me repent and convert my ways to follow god instead of satan." He smirked. "They were idiots. Never happy with whatever i did."

He laughed. "Well at least you'll think twice now." He smiled patting Rich on the arm. "I'll remember that i'll burn you myself if i have to. But i'd want to go down the same way. At least i'd die happy." He smiled.

"Well i don't. It makes you stronger for facing up to what you're doing. That's why you're better than Hades he doesn't like to feel he pushes all his emotions aside and forgets about them but emotions just make you stronger. It's what makes you cling on to life as it slowly slips away. It's what made him save me but he's pushed them back aside." He sighed. "I guess some people just dont change no matter what happens."

"Shh don't tell her." He smirked. "No i am awesome Hades just signed me up for it i'm afraid otherwise i would never have gone near that class. I'm loyal to transfiguration... and you."

"Oh no don't call him that. He's definitely not a charity case he has everything. A family that loves him, money just a perfect life altogether he just lacks brains." He smirked.

"The weak do need to see how they were weak. It gives them a way to judge how strong they have become. By comparing the them of those days to the them of today." he shrugged a little, "Most murderers do not premeditate. Most are just regular people who push a little too hard."

"I think it has something to do with not being so FUBAR after the two world wars. Never had a chance to start afresh. When Germany did the Romains were seen as the ideal family as we merged so well." he shook his head a little, "A little bit but not much. We didn't experiment with guns after we realised they were basically one spell wands. No, we went into explosives, chemicals, elements and inventions. Our manor has electricity."

"I tend not to need knives but a piece like that is more a work of art than a weapon." he smiled a little and his right hand flashed, changing into a triangular silver point, "I am a knife if I so desire."

"And they seemed to believe in a god that doesn't exist. Not to you. Not anymore." he tapped the side of Arsen's head, "You are a warrior Arsen. And as a warrior there is only one god. And that is Death. And the only thing to say to Death is something very easy to remember..."

He grinned,

"Not today my lord, not today."

"Aye, I'll think twice. But I'll still probably ruffle your hair." he joked before grinning, "And I would be proud to be sent on by someone like you Pup."

"It works for some people I suppose. Makes them feel safer. Makes it so much easier to get their work done. Just think about how hard Hades would have it if he could feel pity or remorse? The man would blow his own brains out." he shook his head, "I suppose my emotions are a part of my power, just as they are a part of my weakness."

Richard grinned again and hugged Arsen a little tighter,

"And I'm loyal to you as well Arsen." he knelt down to eye level with his apprentice and placed a hand on his shoulder, "You are the son I wish I had Arsen. I'm not afraid to admit that. You have the makings of a great man."

He nodded. "Yeah it helps a lot to think bad. If i could go back in time and talk to myself i probably hit me and tell me to grow a spine. I seriously just use to let them walk over me." He frowned annoyed at the old him. "But not anymore."

"So your a war family?" He asked he loved listening to family histories he found it all interesting. "One spell wands." He laughed. "I like that i'm going to use that if you don't mind." He smirked. "Wow i love explosives. What's it like? That electricity?" He asked he had heard about that but it all just seem too good to be true.

"But it will get the job done." He smirked looking down to the knife that was Richards hand. "I should have known that. Duh! Transfiguration master." He smiled shaking his head. "Can you turn your head into a hammer? To be a hammer head?" He chuckled.

"So you don't believe in the whole heaven and hell thing?" He asked wondering about his beliefs. He knew for a fact that hell existed, Hades was a walking example that it was there. "I am!" He smiled. "I'm sure i can remember that." He smirked.

"Is there anything that will stop you?" He asked folding his arms. "Thanks. Promise me if i go before you that i get cremated if i don't spontaneously combust before then. I don't think my spirit would be able to cope if i was put into one of those underwater or underground coffins i wanna be free." He smiled.

"Hmm i suppose but it also makes it hard to know if they mean what they are saying. Hades wears he's changed and i know he want's me back but i don't think he has. I can't live with someone i don't trust." He said. "And that's why you are stronger than most."

He hugged Rich back slightly surprised. "Thanks." He smiled looking Rich in the eyes now that he could. "Aw don't say that." He frowned looking just over Richards head before he returned his gaze. "You have no idea how much i have wished for my father to be like you. I'd would give anything. I would have been so much happier if you were, you've been more of a father to me than anyone." He smiled hugging Rich once more.

"There's nothing to do about the past Arsen. My mentor once said to me..." he grew serious and drew himself up a little, "'If you retreat; you will age. Be afraid and you'll die. Walk forwards and never look back and you will find yourself victory.'"

"A family forged by war. A family defined by war. And a family intent on fighting war." he grinned a little at the mention of explosives and electricity, "Explosions are always cool. Especially muggle ones, you can time them, set them to be triggered by movement... and they can explode with the fires of a thousand suns. And electricity... it makes everything seem so bright and clear. Once you've lived in a house with lightbulbs you wonder how anyone can live by candle and wand light alone."

Richard rolled his eyes a little and waved his hand. His ears flashed before growing into two flat, heavy, metal surfaces,

"This what you had in mind?" he asked before turning them back to normal, "You keep that knife safe Pup, it's setimental value to Charlotte would be massive."

He shrugged a little,

"I believe that human beings have souls. I believe that there are good people and bad people, hence good souls and bad souls." he frowned a little, "As for whether or not there is some lake of lava and a horny red man with a pointed stick ready to poke me for the rest of time? I don't really care to be honest. Even if the bad I've done outweighs the good I will have known heaven already."

"I suppose I might not do it on your birthday or special occassions." he considered with a smirk, "Who would ever want to bury you at sea? People afraid you would rise from your own ashes? No I'll scatter your ashes in Italy somewhere."

"You would just need to trust in them when they say they've changed. Since you can't then you can't believe what he says. Simple. Without trust there can be no acceptance." he shrugged a little, "I'm not as strong as I could be Arsen. You can always be stronger."

Richard hugged Arsen back with a small smile,

"I might not be your real father Arsen... I might not even be related to you through blood. But I will always be here should you need me." his smile grew a little, "You will always be welcome in my family, should you decide to join it, in any capasity. I'd ask you to be Annie's godfather but she's convinced she want some muggle actor from something called 'Doctor Who' to be her godfather. I'll tell you when I can bring her round to the idea."

"Oh that's good i like that. You'll have to write that down for me so i can use that in the future with my apprentice." He smirked. "Poor kid."

"Wow how do they come up with these things? I would love to see that, fires of a thousand suns." He smiled his eyes lighting up. "What so this light bulb lights up a room better than fire?" He asked. "How is that even possible? Fire is light." He frowned.

"Hmm kinda i was talking the whole head but that's good enough." He smirked. "Oh i will this isn't leaving my side." He smirked sticking it back into the brace on his arm.

"I know hell exists." He frowned. "And it's not a good place to go. But if there is a god out there i'm pretty sure you wont go to hell. Your a great guy there's no way you'd go to hell it would throw the whole world out of balance." He smirked.

"Oh great well todays tuesday i celebrate tuesdays. It's just very tuesday like it deserves to be celebrated. So now hair ruffling for you." He smirked. "Oh that would be so cool rising from the ashes like a phoenix would scare any enemy." He laughed. "Oh good thanks you know me so well. Make sure it's a good bit of Italy and not some deserted place." He smiled. "Those aren't fun places to be."

"I don't think i can ever trust him again. Not after what i know." He frowned shaking his head. "No he will just have to earn it the old fashioned way like everyone else."

He smiled. "Thanks but you already are apart of my small family. You, Char, Willow and Fang are all i need right now. I'm happy now with you guys than i ever have been." He smiled. "Even Fang's parents are kind enough to let me stay with them. Which i did not expect."

"Really?" He smiled. "Wow i would be honoured if she excepts me over this doctor guy. Doctors are muggle healers right? But he's not really a doctor he just pretends." He smiled thinking out loud.

"Pfft you'll just have to remember it off the top of your head like I did." he teased with a small smile, "When you have an apprentice of your own I think you'll find I've been going easy on you. It's easier to learn this stuff under duress."

"The fires of a thousand suns... a reference used to describe nuclear weapons. Muggle weapons of such power that they are the only things in existance that can kill every living thing on the planet." he shrugged a little, "It's like a really concentrated fire."

"I could but it kinda makes thinking a bit sluggish when you do. Also I'd be rather top-heavy." he grinned a little, "Good boy, you might just keep that girl."

"HA!" he barked out the laugh, shaking his head, "Oh I deserve to fry in hell for some of the things I've done. And that's just the stuff I regret!"

"Pfft. Stupid Italian traditions... celebrating tuesday... celebrate a good day like Wednesday instead!" he muttered before grinning, "How about Florence? Nice place."

"I suppose that's reasonable." he paused before chuckling lightly, "I'm honestly surprised I've been this nice about the guy in a conversation. Maybe I'm losing the hold on my hate..."

"Well it's nice to know you've got yourself a support network." he announced with a grin, "As for the Doctor guy... the only thing I like about him is his weird metal wand. Works wonders with muggle stuff."

"Hmm i'll have to drill it into my head then so i wont forget." He said. "You've been going easy on me? You throwing cutting curses at me is easy? Wow id hate to see what you'd do if you weren't." He smirked.

Nuclear weapons? What and they have lots of these?" He asked wondering if Hades knew about these. They could wipe out the whole of their race if aimed at the right places. If the location of Hogwarts got out they wouldn't stand a chance.

He shrugged. "It probably would be much use even if you did." He smiled. "Maybe be you have regret. Regret can do wonders for the soul... or so i've been told." He smiled. "Besides your turning your life around not many people do that once they started like you did."

"Hey! That's is an Arsen tradition and being your apprentice you should respect that by leaving my hair alone." He smiled sticking his tongue out. "I do celebrate wednesdays. I celebrate everyday." He thought for a second. "Florence is good Aspen took me there once. As long as it's closer to the Perugia borders rather than Bologna i grew up there and i'd rather not live there again." He smiled. "Or Rome... Romes good."

He laughed. "I'm surprised too. I think you're losing your touch old man." He chuckled. "Want me to teach you how to hate again? Wait... your losing your hate for him? After everything he's done."

Richard looked down at his apprentice with the same sudden and cold indifference his own master had regarded him with in their lessons. The facial expression of someone who really didn't care if you lived or died. The steely stare of a man who could, and might, end your life without a second thought. He stared deep into Arsen's eyes as he answered the boy,

"I could have tried." he replied coldly, "Limbs can be re-attached and blood can be replaced."

He shook his head to clear the expression before smiling,

"Wow... I sounded just like my master then!" he joked, chuckling lightly, "Not a nice man at all..."

"Almost every major Muggle country has nuclear weapons but the USA and Russia have enough, individually, to wipe life from the face of the planet." he shrugged, "They've advanced to the point where one missile would destroy hundreds of miles of land. And the radiation would rush across the land, stripping skin from bone."

"I guess regret can be considered a strength..." he grinned, "But from where I'm standing it's just a pain in the ass."

"Ha! Sorry kid but it works the other way round! You respect the master's traditions." he teased before shrugging, "I'll scatter you in many places in Italy... happy?"

Richard shrugged a little,

"Hate is a double sided weapon Arsen. Hurts those you use it against. Hurts to use it." he shrugged a little, "And to be fair I try not to think about him. By all accounts I 'won' our little 'struggle'."

He looked back at Rich glad he wasn't like that usually. "Okay your master was not nice. I guess im lucky to have you. I've seen Lucians master and i know it's not the same but he is awful. He's not allowed to do anything unless he is given permission." He frowned shaking his head.

"Yeah that was slightly creepy." He smiled. "Let's not do that again."

"What and they are allowed these? Do the other countries not say something? I know i would i could be one of the targets." He asked wondering why no one had placed a ban on them or something.

He frowned. "Well it should work both ways. What traditions do you have then?" He asked before nodding. "Erm kinda." He smirked.

He smiled. "Yes you did and im glad. I would be mentorless and that would not be good. Who else would teach me to control my gift?" He asked.

"My master was a man very much like myself." he answered with a small frown, "We were cut from the same cloth. He knew my pain because it was like his own. I know your pain, because it is like my own. The only difference if I don't use my knowledge to push you to want to kill me."

"Deal." he agreed quickly, "I really don't want to turn out like him..."

"Oh they've put bans on some countries having them. Those with them bully counties without them." he shrugged, "Oh and their numbers have already been drastically reduced. They've just gotten better and making them. One rocket can carry dozens of smaller ones nowadays. Never underestimate a muggle's instinct to kill Arsen."

"Me? None to speak of. My family? Too many to count. Only a few will actually count for you." he chuckled a little, "Oh there's a great one! We have a thing about hunting animals. When we do we vow to use every part of the animal we've killed. Eat it, wear it or drink it. If you hunt you drink it's blood."

Richard shrugged a little,

"I suppose you'd just have to do it yourself." he smirked a little, "Except you'd not have my charming personality."

His eyebrows raised. "You wanted to kill him?" He asked slightly amazed. "I don't think that will happen to me unless you hurt Char then i would have to kill you." He said both joking and being serious. "Good he does not sound like the kind of guy i'd want my mentor to be."

He frowned. "But why not all? Surely it's not fair for some to have them whilst the other can't. Why dont those countries join together to stop the others?" He asked these muggles were weird. "I wont they wiped out my family remember. They didn't think twice before pulling the trigger."

He smirked. "The hunting sounds fun but the drinking the animals it ugh! I think i'll leave that to Aspen... when you say eat do you mean eating it raw? Cause that is disgusting." He asked his face screwing up in disgust. "So what do you do with the bones? Make a crown?" He smirked.

"Hmm i don't think i could do it without having to fear for my body." He smiled. "I kinda like it in one piece. As for your personality... meh i've seen better." He smirked with a wave of his hand.