We have been over this. She maybe here but clearly she doesn't want to be found. Am tired, am cold and exhausted. I need my rest. Am aching.

I tilt my head up and the rain plummets hard on to my face. Am soaked to the bone. We all are. I wring out my hair for the millionth time but I know that will make no difference whatsoever but I just do it. Artemis just won't quit.

The ground is soaked. We have been sweeping the mountain for what sweeps like hours. no river. No shack. No lady. nothing. I push my heavy body forward weaving through the trees. the rain is making the already dense detritus heavier.

" I am not taking a step further." Jake screams as he slides down or a nearby tree sitting his face forlorn. I follow his example sitting on the soggy ground. we are all wet anyway.

"I can't help but feel we are looking the wrong way." Thoren announces as he walks over to where am seated massaging my sore legs.

"My thoughts exactly" I look up at him tiredly. The rain has not let up since today morning and Temi has made sure we don't get any rest too. It is night fall. We could have been barely able to maneuver the darkness if it was not for the light my sword casting. keeping a steady flow of light is also taking its toll on me.

"How does the rhyme go again" Karim shouts as he heads over with Emmeline and Shen in tow.

"In the wee hours of the night          When the moon is nigh                     The gate is open                                     The fierce Goddess attends to your cognomen                                    As you draw up colors                        Black as night.............." Artemis continues chanting in a trance as the gears shift in my mind.

"Stop." I abruptly jump to my feet ignoring the cold. The sword glows brighter reacting to my excitement. I point to the sky. The path is as clear as day. I am hopping it is wee enough.

"The moon has been high and full since we arrived. Doesn't strike you as odd that it is pouring but since nightfall the sky has been clear?" Everyone is in quiet contemplation. I start to move from under the slim shade of the tree into the middle of the down pour. I look up hopefully at the moon feeling warm for the first time since we started searching.

In the wee hours of the night when the moon is high, the gate is open. It is so obvious.                       "Quick make a circle" I instruct them and they obey without question. The fierce Goddess attends to your cognomen.

"Say your cognomens." I instruct saying mine first. " I Athena of the light" It reminds me of Eric. he always called me light beam. The rest follow after moments of consideration.

"I Artemis the archer" Temi without hesitation o the moniker she has chosen.

"I Jake of Balance" Jake truly keeps that balance wherever he goes. It is true to him. 

"I Emmeline of Grace" Her grace truly knows no bounds. Even as she speaks now. I approve. I feel like a moderator here.

"I Shen of spirit" The boy speaks true to his nature unfalteringly. I turn to Thoren. Am curious what his cognomen is. I want to know what he has chosen.

"I Thoren of Darkness." I gasp involuntarily his dark eyes boring into mine with sinister intent. I blink and it is gone.

"I Karim the True." He seems almost set on this as his voice carries unwavering determination that breaks my trance on Thoren. All around us the rain drops to a light drizzle. 

" Jake. A knife please." His hand reaches for one in his pocket and he passes it around until it reaches me. I gaze into it. Temi already knows what am thinking. She takes the knife and places it in her palm tightening on it until it cuts into her skin.

She hisses in pain. Blood drops to the ground dissolving in the dense forest floor.                                 "Black as night" I chant. A steady wind picks up.

She passes the knife to Shen besides her. He does the same. Then to Emmeline, Karim follows steadily cutting himself without flinching. He passes the knife to Thoren who is unbothered by cutting himself then to Jake who returns it to me after slitting his palm. 

"Red as blood" I shout to no one in particular but I have a feeling someone is listening, Drops of blood continue falling.

I don't like cutting into myself but everyone is looking at me expectantly.

"Oh dear. We seem to have walked into something............unexpected" A voice comes from behind Thoren. It sounds so familiar. I instinctively hide the knife. Not that it would do any good as everyone is fully weaponized now.

The elderly couple Emmeline and I ran into earlier today are immobilized staring at us. We are screwed. What are they even doing here in this violent downpour? It is pouring heavily except around the circle we have made. I have no idea how to explain this.

"What are you doing here?" Emmeline's soft voice rings out with clarity. The elderly couple's smiles turn sinister.

"To kill you of course" The say as they morph looking grotesque every passing second. They have spiked tails like the demons that first got me. I subconsciously raise my hand erecting a barrier around us. It is so easy with my heightened power. Their spikes just bounce off.

They look immensely annoyed as the launch themselves at us desperately clawing at the barrier. It holds with ease. something calm settles over me. I grab the knife and run it from my wrist to elbow never taking my eyes off the demons my making my resolve clear.

"White as stars" I Shout as blood burst from my arm trickling to the ground. It stops pouring and the inside of the barrier starts to warm up. The demons stop trying to break the barrier. I drop to my knees the others following my suit trusting my barrier and actions. I feel useful.

"We bow to you and implore to you eternal creator, lend us wisdom for the rite" The circle warms more. I continue chanting.

"The gatekeeper" A white magic circle erupts around my barrier incinerating the demons to cinders their dying howls satisfying the darkness inside me. I continue.

"Guardian of cross roads, Universal key holder" My eyes start to swim and my barrier collapses as I bleed out. I keep my voice steady.

"Breath of the Universe" Dark spots dance in my vision.

"Mother of Angels" I barely get that out before I hit the ground dizzy. It is soft and wet.

There is a loud flash and suddenly we are not in the forest. It is day time. It is warm bright and sunny here. I breath in the warm air that smells like flowers and berry pie. There is an old shack in front of us. The door opens and no matter how much I strain my vision goes black.