My head feels like I have a ton of bricks instead of a brain. I sit up wincing. I don't want my head to even move an inch. God it's agonizing.

I open one eye and close my eyes again. I lie back down gently and the pain fades to a full thump at the back of my mind.

I am in my room at the mansion. I sigh. Then everything comes back and tears start flowing down my cheeks. The petal like curtains draw them selves as I shakily get out of bed upsetting my pounding head.

I am weak but I need to go. I step into my my golden sandals which were laid carefully on the floor. I grab my sword from the bedside holding on tightly to settle my now spinning head.

Making short work of the stairs, I quickly cross the yard fast entering deep into the forest and I don't stop running until I find the tree that would lead me to my destination.

Thank fully I meet no one even if it is early morning. Late birds. I step through it and my feet land on the soft grass. Only then do I let it all out.

I sink to my knees hugging my sword, no my mother's sword. Hiccups and sobs I have been holding in wreck through my body am afraid I might explode.

I hold my midriff as I stand up making my way to the lotus river. I cry and howl so loudly. No one can hear me from here.

My head hurts so badly. It's not pounding but it feels like there's a demolition derby and buildings being knocked over in my head with a really loud bad band.

So does my body but my heart hurts most.

I can't believe I am remembering that horrible moment all over again. I can't believe they made me forget my brother, sister, Aunt. My family. It all hurts so bad and I agreed to it.

All the lies inside my head. It's all been a lie. More sobs wreck my body. I lay down and curl into a ball as I sob more. I am in so much pain.

As the memories keep flashing before my eyes, I hurt more and agonize, I howl more. Remembering is so painful. But am not sure which is worse at this point, remembering or complete amnesia.

Sure it's nice to be clueless and not remember all the bad things. Almost like a new life. But there are things no matter how painful I don't want to forget.

Remembering is a pain, am not sure either whether it's a welcome or unwelcome pain.

I want to forget again but I also want to remember. Am torn. I curl more into myself crying.

I know I am alone here. I don't think anyone would bear to see me like this especially Temi. She'd be so heartbroken.

Our parents. All of them were lies.

Now I know what Maeve meant when she said everything will become clearer.

Something brushes the hair from my face.

I jump so fast unsheathing my sword in the process. Thoren stands infront of me unfazed by my sword but holding out a black handkerchief with a poker face. I blanch.

"How did you find me?"
I sniffle. My voice thick and barely audible. I lower the sword and drop it as more tears threaten to spill.

"I followed you."
He steps forward closing the distance between us and he gently wiped my tears. Well my Mom's sword now that I know. I remember.

"Why are you crying so much?"
More tears flow. It is so painful to remember.

"Hi, it's okay you don't have to tell me."
He croons as he tries to wipe more tears.

"I can show you."
I hiccup between sobs. I must be red.
I pick up the sword and move to the river bank getting my golden sandals wet.

If my memory serves me right I could do it like this because I didn't know what my light power would do to him. I used to do this countless times with Jake and Temi.

I impale the sword deep in the shallow water and fix my hands on the hilt. I will it to flow around me. I am perspiring lightly, this is going to take some out of me. But I want him to see badly for some reason.

I weave the water around me like a gigantic bubble .Perfect. Now I channel my memory and cast it on to the water. I can imagine it is like watching 360 degree TV. I guess that's how it is or what Jake said.

"You cheated, I will get you next time." I nudge my sister tickling her abit. She squirms laughing.

"Everytime I win Thea it's cheating to you."
She swats me lightly on the head with one of her arrows. I giggle.

"Girls, breakfast it's pancakes Mom's recipe"
Dad calls from the kitchen window.

"Am getting first batch"
I wink at Temi as I teleport. My power is cool. She comes in thirty seconds later panting, giving me a murderous glare.

"When's Mom coming back Dad? She's been gone for days."
I ask mid chew of the batch I just won.The pancakes are so good. But Mom still makes them better.

"Am not sure yet but finish all your pancakes. You need all your strength." He pats my head as he heads for the fridge to pick out juice .

"Yeah she's already old with her white hair. Eat up granny."
Temi snickers. I give her a look. It's always the same teasing about my hair.

"My hair is silver you half wit. By far more interesting than you raven hair" I shoved more pancakes in my mouth to ignore bickering with her.

"But I have some silver in my hair too so stop badgering your sister Artemis and eat up."
Dad comes back holding a jug of juice.

A loud thunder clap sound resonates through the house and Mom crashes on the breakfast table.

She has cuts all-over and her dyed blond hair is matted all over with blood.  A huge gash running all the way from her left ankle to her thigh is oozing blood.

A huge black portal opens up above us shooting sharp black tendrils at us. I skid back narrowly avoiding one.

"Athena teleport your mother to the bedroom and come back. Artemis create a portal to three blocks to here then go to your Aunt. I trust you know how to do that." 
Dad thunders instructions at us as he puts up a shield.

I hold onto mom as I envision her in bed. I land her  there softly but she barely has a heart beat. I can't leave her like this.

I put my hands over her heart and chant the words she taught me to help me concentrate while healing. I take a deep breath and momentarily blank my mind.

"To love and heal. From the power within."
I set ablaze. My hands gold and her heart  picks up all the cuts closing up with the  terrifying gash.

"Athena."
Dad screams downstairs. I swallow.

"Go to her."
Mom whispers again faintly but her blue gray eyes burn into mine with great intensity. I choke back a sob. Why does it feel like the last time I'll see them?

"Hurry, go. They can't get you."
She lightly squeezes my hand and smiles.
"It's going to be alright baby. But promise me whatever happens you will protect your brother and sister. Promise me Athena"

I look into her pleading but intense eyes. I let go of her hand and stand up.
"I promise."

I teleport back downstairs and it is hell unfolding. There are cracks in the shield  that Dad put up. He looks beat and he is perspiring. Temi has the portal ready.

I run up to Dad and hold his hand sending some of my energy to him to reinforce the shield. He smiles weakly.
"You have to go dear it'll be okay. Your mother and I are going to be just fine." He smiles down at me. The tears flow.

"Then why does it feel like goodbye?"
I am fully crying now. He shakes his head lost.

"Lets go together to Aunty's. She will fix Mom. Let me go get Mom and we can all go."
I beg him.

"No dear listen. They will find us. They will kill both of you and we wouldn't want that to happen. You need to go now."
He pleads but I don't get why I have to leave them here.

"Am not leaving without the both of you"
I shout at him.

"I cant hold on much. Promise me you will take care of eachother. Without both of you........"
He shudders
"Promise me you will always look out for eachother and watch your backs."

"We promise."
Temi holds my hand. I hold hers tighter.

"Alright now, give me a hug." 
We wrap our hands around him and he kisses both our foreheads. The shield is breaking.

"I love you both so much. Keep your promise and I'll send your Auntie a message to return you to us when it's safe. Thea take your mother's sword and Temi take my bow and arrows. We'll leave them where you can find them."
Why do I feel like he's lying?

A force sends us spiralling directly into the swirling portal Artemis is sustaining.

"Dad"
I scream regardlessly knowing it's useless. The last I see of our Dad is him battling black tendrils from a portal that is probably from hell as he smiles at us. I lose sight of him.

We both hit the side walk hard startling an elderly couple. We probably look like a mess, both of us in jeans with messy hair with weird colours and ripped workout t-shirts appearing out of thin air. Definitely a normal day.

I turn to look back in the direction of our house. It is in ruins with a thick black cloud over it that only both of us could see.

The roof caves and the whole structure crumbles taking our parents with it disappearing into itself. I drop to the side walk my legs giving in letting out a silent scream.

Then the cloud vanishes and a feminine laughter catches my ears.
"We have to go to Auntie. It's not safe here Thea they'll find us."

I don't budge. A pair of dark blue eyes flecked with gold looks deep into my grey eyes. They are startling sober in the light of recent events.

"Okay, make the portal. let's go"
I had made a promise to my now late parents and I have to keep it.

Temi checks to see if no one is watching as I take one last look at where all that I loved had fallen and is buried.

"Hi, we have each other now and that's all that matters for now. We'll be back but let's leave for now." 
For now?

I shake my head and hold her hand tightly. No matter what I couldn't let go and together we jump into the portal that would lead us to somewhere safer as our dead parents had instructed.

I momentarily see stars as I sway to the side, the water resuming it's normal course. I am so dizzy. My head hurts so bad I don't even feel the pain anymore.

Painless pain.

Thoren helps me to the grassy area under an mango tree to shield me away from the morning rays and lays me down gently.

He plucks a Mango and starts peeling it with a small knife quietly. That's the beauty of him, he never asks questions unless it is absolutely necessary. A good leader.

He passes peeled slices to me slowly one by one as I eat gratefully making short work of it fast.

"Slow down. Death by a Mango is lame."
He chuckles. I am so hungry.

"Let's go find you some breakfast."

"Alright"
I smile and my face feels tight. Smiling feels foreign now. I stand up and go  back to the river.

The beauty of this river is that actual golden lotuses grow under the water on the river bed. I wash my hands and face. Then it hits me. I stand up my back ramrod straight. Receiving.

The confusion. Then the pain. Then she calls for me. She is awake and I need to go and find her. Now. With no warning to Thoren, I just turn and take off to find Temi running as fast as I can.