Her eyes darkened many shades more.

You ruin everything...

He waited. Smiling.

"You..." she spluttered. "You bloody fool! You nuisance!"

Every known colorful word spurted out. Zeus still stood there. Smiling. Waiting with outstretched hands.

Amoris took a deep breath. She glared at him. Her heart was burning with hatred. With a deep passion.

"Nyx..." she called out.

She'd wanted Nyx to consume him. With fear. Zeus frowned. "Nyx? How can she hear you? After all, she's pretty old..."

Amoris felt like throwing the gift at him. "Why are you against me?"

"Me? Now, let's see...you broke the rules..."

"One man!"

"Still broke the rules," he counted. "You fell in love with a wizard. Wrong. You loved him. Wrong. He transcended all magic. He was akin..."

"To a god," she completed. "To Poseidon. Jealous, are we?" She laughed maniacally. "I am not crazy. You are. You all are and Athena top it off."

"Maybe."

She wondered why Zeus didn't get angry. Didn't bring out the lightning bolt. And then, it seemed to dawn that'd they'd come to Pandora's.

"Wait. How come you got in? Everyone passes Meriba," she frowned.

"Perhaps, I should say, that Meriba prefers men," he looked at his nails.

"Chauvinists!" she screamed.

She thought about hitting Meriba. About how she wanted to strangle such patriarchal people. Men and the world. Women just to be beloved. Men to conquer. And women to suffer. Men could sin and be called saints. A woman would slip and be called a sinner. A whore. Much more.

And in the midst, a sentence came to her. Who was she?

"My name is Amoris," she answered herself.

"And where hath thou come from?"

"From Aphrodite and Hades."

"And is not one of them a part of you? Is not love a seed inside your being? Else you don't deserve the name. Amoris means love."

She frowned. "Are you preaching? Cause I'm not perfect. It's because of forgiveness that we women suffer."

"But it is also because of forgiveness that you got your dad back. Because he forgave you."

"I've not sinned."

"People perceive differently."

"Maybe, I don't know. But, I will fight for Rex."

"Fight you may. And it may seem you're a heroine. But love is not complete. If needs be, it must complete a circle. And yours is half. Half Rex. Where's the other?

"The other? Hades."

"So, it may seem. And will it be fulfilled by hate?"

She removed the voice, struggling with the gift. It shook, waiting to tear the wrapper. The voice was irritating. Who was it to preach? Had it known love? Never.

Zeus smirked at her expression and looked at the gift. "Well?"

Amoris glared at him. She closed her eyes. "I am a shape shifter. Nine tails. Nine factions. I can transform."

She heard a cackling and didn't feel herself transform into anything. That was when the fear took a possessive hold on her. Or well, it seemed that they had struck quite a camaraderie. 

********

Veronica sat cross legged on the soft grass. Her eyes were closed as she whispered words over. Her back was upright, and she seemed to emit some kind of faraway aura.

"Vero-Veronica?" called Hans.

"This is weird. If I could prepare a potion, I would have done so. But, it takes time. One year. I doubt we have that," fretted Zest.

Mirabel sat quietly in a corner, kicking a stone and rolling it over back and forth with her foot. Her mind thought of Eric, if her love was worth it all. I wish he'd know, at the very least...I don't think I'll even have courage to tell him...She bit her lips, frowning. She knew that Sera must've used some fruit from the garden. Nymphs' Garden was quite powerful with all the fruits. She'd never visited, but she knew. She glanced at Veronica who looked like she was meditating.

She walked up to them and stared at Veronica whose eyes just shot open.

"I know you think I am weird, but we can go there."

"Go there? I just thought Phantasos said that it was dangerous," said Zest.

"Maybe. But our souls can. Except that our bodies will be here," she said quietly. "Well? We can work there. But, remember, that nobody knows it is our souls."

"So-so, you mean...th-that no-no...body will harm us?" asked Hans, struggling slightly.

"Not exactly. You can hurt souls. But they don't know that. So, if anyone comes to harm, just pretend to run. There's no need to be scared."

"Does that last for long?" asked Mirabel.

"Quite a bit. Nymphs practice it sometimes. When they need to experience things with their souls, not bodies. So...the plan is to simply imagine being there. The only problem is that no one should find out where we are. Or...well, if they kill our bodies, we don't have any place to go."

They looked at each other. Mirabel knew her mother would be scared if she'd tell the truth. Zest's parents already knew that she was helping Amoris...and Hans...

"I don't know..." said Hans.

Veronica looked desperate as Mirabel's eyes set. "Okay, we'll do it. Well, I am in any case."

They all nodded. "For Eric and Amoris and Rex."

*******

Amoris tensed as she heard the deep rumbling laughter of her enemy.

"Transform all you want, little girl."

Amoris felt something like a twines wrap around her wrists. The box didn't seem to be there anymore.

She shivered; it seemed her soul was shivering. She rocked on her heels, back and forth and back and forth...the coil around her wrists got tighter like the jute ropes. Her eyes opened and she screamed at the sight.

*********

if anybody figures out why Sera is still after Eric, message me! I would love to hear your comments and views!

Yours always, until the clock strikes twelve and then, adieu for some time.

Rose