Even though I'd told Finn that I'd be back in his apartment, I ended up in an entirely different place altogether. Lost in my thoughts I soon realized where exactly I was wondering too, my stomach churning with worry but I pushed it aside. This had to be done; we needed to talk.

The large mansion rested on top of the hill, and I walked up the pathway, banners flapping in the wind overhead as the sun disappeared behind the height of the estate. It hadn't sustained any damages during the storm I'd created, and any areas of Gabrian that had were already back to normal by Secta's hand. The only remaining reminder of the past events was the ugly stretch of torn up forest and the remains of a shattered plane.

The tube was empty and I rode it up alone to the main entryway, the halls lined still with Secta's breathtaking paintings that meant more to me now than they had before.

I observed them as I walked, taking them in with new eyes. Images of a beautiful woman were as numerous as the stars along side the depictions of a happy family, a lovely baby, flower gardens, and summer sunlight streaming down through ivory clouds.

They were paintings that for an untrained eye would stir up their wildest fantasies and purest dreams, blooming with sweet nostalgia and memories of happier days. But to Secta the art must have told an entirely different story.

They were his nightmares, the ways the world had tormented him for centuries to the point where the only way to free himself of what he had lost was to paint it out of his mind to find peace. The paintings were what the world took from him, what his duty as a god cost him. As I walked the halls, I couldn't image what his existence felt like constantly surrounded by what he could never have because of who he was and who Fate had made him to be.

I turned around a corner as I headed to Secta's office. A door opened in front of me, and to my surprise, a familiar face greeted me.

"Good afternoon, Kate." Reynolds said, two trays of food in his hands. He nodded his head towards the door, which I closed for him.

"Hi, Reynolds," I responded. "I'm here to see Secta."

"I'm bringing up his and Cybele's lunch. Come along with me then." Turning, the man proceeded down the hall in a direction I hadn't been before, and I followed along in his footsteps. Through one of the corridors we turned, walking up a separate staircase to where a grand set of golden doors rested.

Reynolds gave me an expectant look before I realized that he wanted me to open the doors for him, which I did. Pulling on the thick handles, I managed to yank the doors back, which slid open with ease.

Sunlight poured into my eyes, dozens of open windows and flowing curtains everywhere. Elevated on a platform rested a large bed with carpeted steps leading into a central living area, fluffy couches around a wooden table. On the other side of the room was a longer table with wooden chairs, Secta resting in one and Cybele in another. They sat close together, talking softly  and unaware of our arrival.

"Lunch has arrived with a side of Prodigy." Reynolds announced, making both Secta and Cybele stand to their feet as their chairs squeaked.

They both looked at me as Reynolds set down their trays before the man walked away, giving me a pat on the shoulder as he left. Cybele was the first to move of the two, wrapping her arms around me in a soft hug.

"How are you doing?" She asked me, her voice low and a bit hoarse as though she'd either spent hours talking or crying.

"I'm alright. How are you? I was worried about you." I replied, giving her a squeeze before pulling back. Her cheeks were red, eyes glassy as she gave me a weak smile.

"I'm fine, and do you even know how much I thought about you?." She said, and even though I didn't believe that she was stable, I left the matter alone. "We both have been meaning to talk to you."

My eyes flashed up to Secta's, his eyes almost haunted without their usual shine. He cleared his throat, "and I owe you my deepest apology."

"I never knew that my father planned to... hurt you if you weren't our Prodigy, Kate." Cybele said, wiping one of her eyes. "You must believe me when I say that the two of us never had a plan to use you for ourselves. We care about you deeply, and we haven't ever wanted to manipulate you like Felix said we have."

"I believe you." I said, "he's the one who got caught in his own lies, Cybele."

"I want you to tell me about her." Secta said, his voice shaking. I looked up to him where he'd braced his hand against the back of his chair, drawing in a deep breath. "Penelope."

Just hearing her name in the air seemed to make my skin go cold, Secta falling back into his chair as Cybele closed her eyes like she was stuck in a bad dream. She went and sat beside her father, resting her head on her hand with her wings curled around her slim body.

"She's alive." I said, walking towards them and taking a seat in an empty chair.

"That we know." The god replied, "Karmen called to inform me."

"What... did she tell you?" Cybele asked, a few tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. She wiped them away, shaking her head.

I swallowed, "you won't want to hear it." Secta gave me an expectant look as Cybele looked up from where she cupped her face in her hands. Taking a breath, I started, "when I woke up after they drugged me..." Another thought ran through my head as I looked at Cybele, "you know what that's like, don't you?"

Cybele's bottom lip trembled as she nodded her head. "I do. I really do." Secta rested his hand on her shoulder and she closed her eyed, sniffing as she rubbed her nose.

"I'm sorry that happened to you." I said, my voice soft. "You didn't deserve any of it."

She didn't say anything, only reaching out to rest a hand by my swollen neck. Cybele swallowed, channeling her strength again as she nodded for me to continue.

"She wanted me to join her to kill you both. Penelope wants revenge for what you've done to her." I paused, Secta covering his eyes with one hand. "She said that you deceived her, lied to her, and had plans to kill her once she wasn't enough for you. You pretended to be her family and that destroyed her since you knew she was an orphan. Penelope said that Noxia took her in and is the mother she never had."

"Bullshit." Secta snapped, digging a hand into his hair. "Bullshit!"

"I thought you said that she was dead." I said.

Cybele shook her head, "We thought she was."

"She'd be better off dead." Secta hissed, banging a fist against the table. "I thought that I was miserable before, but now hearing what lies Noxia has taught her... death would have been more merciful than this."

"Don't say that." Cybele said. "Maybe we can help her..."

"She wants you dead because you turned out to be my daughter and she wasn't. That was never a trick, and I apologized to her for how wrong I'd been. I think she's beyond helping if she is so enraged that she'd rather see us both dead."

"How can she just... forget everything?" Cybele coughed, shuddering. "All our adventures, our secrets, and how much I... how much I loved her? How can she just look back at our times and assume none of it was real?"

"She thinks that you're an amazing actress." I said, touching Cybele's arm. "I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."

"I thought that... that she'd be one of the few people in my life to actually stay around. I thought she was one of the only people in my life who knew me for who I was. Oh my Fate, she was my best friend."

Thick tears were rolling down her cheeks now, my chest constricting as she tried to blink them away without success. "Hey," I said, "you have a lot of people in your life now who aren't going anywhere. You have me, your father, Finn, Raph, and now you have Nocen."

"Like the demon counts." Secta said, sipping his tea.

"He counts more than all of us." I replied, narrowing my eyes. "You still want to crucify him after everything he's done? I wouldn't be here right now without him. And while we're on the subject, you can't keep me from Finn any longer. I'd be standing right beside Penelope and Felix if it weren't for how much I loved that man, so you better fucking shut your mouth about who any of us get to love. I'm sorry about Noxia, but we get to make our own decisions. I get to be with Finn, and your daughter can be with Nocen. He's a good man no matter what you think about him."

Cybele stood to her feet, eyes flaming with her sadness and her strength. "You've stalled me here long enough, Dad. I'm going to try and visit him again."

Secta's lips twitched, "I hope he doesn't break your heart like she did mine."

"If he does, then so be it." She replied, wiping her tears from her cheeks before she turned on her heels. Her long, white wings fanned out behind her as she went, streaming out like fluffy clouds. Through the open doors she disappeared, and I prayed to Fate that for once in her life she'd finally feel relief.

I turned my head, looking back to Secta. He was resting his forehead on his clenched fist, eyes closed as he took in deep breathes. I cleared my throat, "I'm sorry for you too. I know you love both of them and want what you think is best."

"I apologize for thinking that what was best was killing you." The god replied, eyes still closed. "I'm losing my mind, I feel it. My memories of Noxia and Penelope, that demon beside you, and your dark hair... it was all too much for me, too familiar of a memory that I'd lived through twice. It would have been better if Noxia and Penelope died than turn into those damn monsters..."

"You wanted to kill me since you thought Noxia and Penelope should have died too." I finished for him, shaking my head. "Dark thoughts, my friend."

"I don't think I could have survived it a third time. Anyways, if you had to choose between becoming a monster and death, which would you pick?"

"Precisely," I said, leaning closer, "it would be my choice, not your's. You don't have as much control over us as you think you do."

Secta drew in a breath, his light eyes meeting mine. "It appears my power is dwindling. Yours though has only begun to bloom, and Fate has made it clear to me that you are in another league than even I."

"She worked through me, Secta. I didn't create that storm alone."

"No, you did." He said softly, rubbing his chin. "She only inspired you, gave you the confidence. Fate didn't make that on her own; the only thing she did was strike you with that lightning bolt, and she appeared through you. I haven't seen her in a long time, and now I know for certain one thing."

"That is?" I asked him.

Secta let out a breath. "Times are changing. I used to be the most powerful merakian in Ordinem, and now I'm an old man. My time is almost up; she told me that herself. The road's going to get tougher for you, because sooner or later you're going to be on your own. I'm not going to be able to defend you from the darkness any longer, and you'll have to fight a greater evil alone."