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1. Minos

Greek mythology is full of farfetched lovely things, indulgence, flowery imagery, etc.

And bullshit, he thinks, a lot of bullshit. The man was well read, for certain, though book smarts was not all there was to life. All the intelligence in the world will not save you from lack of sense. Sense he had too, nerve as well, money worked for to acquire, power a recent asset.

Intelligence is of little use without sense, and sense is little use without power, and the Greek gods had the third by default, though the first two were give or take. He was no god, and daily this was a reminder, despite the advancements, despite the technology, the pills and the creams and the enhancements and the injections. And even if he could live forever, society would crumble, as societies do, and the sun would eject its luminous shell and leave a pale remnant.

Close to a god though- devoted followers, emissaries and employees, sweet intoxicating power, within proper restraint, and the frequent task of choosing who should live or die. Who wants to live forever anyway? Doubtless you'll get bored. Kill some folks, be a little more than comfortable, rise above the American (or Canadian, or Chinese, or European) Dream. Of everyone's dreams.

And then you die, as many of his victims had a tendency to do.

Still, being a god would be fun.





2. Minotaur

On the topic of mythological bullshit, take Minos: who disobeyed the gods by keeping some white bull instead of killing it. And what happens to him? His wife falls in love with the bull, gets an architect to build her a bull suit and ends up having sex with it. No lie. No matter how pretty one can make that look in writing it's still really shitty.

Minos ends up with a child, a half bull, half man monstrosity, the Minotaur, who he is so repulsed by that he keeps him in a labyrinth, but finds enough use in him as a monster to threaten his neighbors. Sacrificial humans for his malformed son. Throw them in the maze, they don't come out.

Minos was a king. In many ways, this man, this would be puppeteer of lives, was also a king.

And like Minos, he had a Minotaur, only this Minotaur was also a shadow, a reminder, a burden, a mirror.

But far from a monster, for monsters do not wilt or whimper. Disgusting, abhorrent.

And a splitting, crying, wailing, mourning image of him.





3. Maze

This King is not just and fair, and his Minotaur will not get sacrifices. But as repulsive as this shadow's weakness, what was even more repugnant was his potential.

After all, this boy was him.

And he was a monster.

And monsters eat other monsters.

But then again, this King is also very careful, so he's not worried too much.