Athena stood outside her bedroom door. She leaned against it and sighed. Her heartbeat was rough in her chest as if it was going to pop out any second. She was about to start the first part of her plan. Getting Celso, his friends, and her brother out of here. She hoped everything went the way it was supposed to.

Athena stood up straighter when she heard footsteps coming toward her. She looked down the hallway to see Kassach. She relaxed just a little.

"Are you ready?" he asked her once he stood in front of her.

Athena nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be." She turned to her door and opened it up. Grabbing Celso's hand, she pulled him out into the hallway. Kassach threw a large hood over him and pushed him towards the dungeons. Athena took deep breaths. She had to be calm for this plan to work. If she wasn't, something terrible could happen and she could never see Celso or any of her friends and family again.

"The potions already down there, correct?" she whispered to Kassach.

He nodded. "Yes."

Athena sighed with relief. Earlier that day, she had successfully made a potion from King Buledal's supplies. The potion was supposed to make people invisible. She squeezed the potion tightly against her chest and took a deep breath, slowly letting it out.

Hopefully it will, she thought to herself.

During her training, she had learned how to read the demon's language. It had come to her as she practiced her magic. She couldn't explain how she learned to read while not even once looking at the language, but she did. After learning that she could read, she used this to find the potion and make it.

They walked through the door and walked quickly down the stairs. Athena's eyes became wide when she saw the guards at the door knocked out. She turned to look at Kassach, but he was already halfway down the hallway with Celso. She jogged to catch up to them as they stopped in front of her brothers cell.

Athena unlocked the cell door with the keys Kassach had given her and ran towards her brother. He surrounded her in a hug and kissed the top of her head. Athena smiled at him and waited as Celso and Kassach rounded up the rest of Celso's friends.

"Are we really going to do this?" Derek asked her quietly.

Athena looked up at him and nodded. "Yes. I need you guys to get out of here and warn the others. If you don't, destruction will be on everyone. Trust this plan, Derek. Please. I'm going to get you all out of here."

Derek smiled down at her and nodded. "I trust you."

Athena smiled and turned around when she heard footsteps behind them. Kassach and Celso stood there guarding the cell door while four other people stood in front of him. Athena recognized one of them as Coleen from when they tried to rescue her. The three other men beside her she did not recognize.

"Introductions can come later," Kassach spoke quickly to them. "Miss Athena, we have to get them out now."

Athena nodded and passed the potion bottle to Celso. "Take a small sip of this. No one will be able to see you for a while. It's not going to taste good." She watched as Celso took a sip from the bottle and handed it to the black-haired man beside him.

Celso cringed as the potion hit his taste buds, making Athena smile and shake her head. She watched with amazement as Celso slowly disappeared in front of her. "Once you all are out, wait until you hit an abandoned village. Light a small fire and let the smoke fly, but only for an hour."

"By the time you come onto that village, the guards will be having their breaks. No one will be able to see the smoke besides Miss Athena or me," Kassach explained.

"Athena," Derek started.

"Please, Derek," Athena interrupted by holding up her hand. She turned to see him holding the potion bottle in front of him. He hadn't taken a sip of it yet, but was looking at her with sad eyes. "This isn't goodbye, Derek." She reached towards him and hugged him. "I'll see you again." She pushed the bottle towards him and watched as he drank it. Athena held her breath as she watched her brother disappear in front of her.

"You all must go," Kassach ordered them. "Now."

Athena heard footsteps walk out of the cell and disappear down the hallway. Her breath was caught in her throat as she heard a door creak open and close. She closed her eyes and sent up a hopeful prayer.

"Take me to my room, Kassach," Athena told him. She opened her eyes when she felt a soft touch on her shoulder. She looked at Kassach before taking the lead out of the cell and out of the dungeons.

Silence covered them as they walked to her room. When arriving at the door, Athena turned to Kassach.

"Please, watch for them," she whispered. "Let me know that they are safe."

Kassach bowed slightly. "I will watch for them." He then turned and walked away from her.

Athena opened the door and stepped into her room. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. Closing her eyes and sighing, she brought all the strength she had and held it in her hands.

"What do you think you're doing with that, Athena?"

Athena jumped at the sound of King Buledal's voice. The energy left her hands as she slumped against the door again. She looked around to find him sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Relax, Athena," King Buledal's voice tried to soothe over her. "I'm only here to ask you a couple of questions. Why don't you sit down? You look like you've had a rough day."

Athena tried to right herself up on the door as well as she could and stood up straight. "I'm fine, King Buledal, thank you." She slowly stretched her hand towards the doorknob and rested her hand against it.

"Very well," he nodded. He stood up and looked at her. "I noticed a few supplies missing from my herb closet. Would you know who took them?"

Athena knew he wasn't stupid. She chose to keep her mouth shut. Thankfully, he didn't give her enough time to respond before he moved on to his next question.

"Where are they?"

"Who?"

King Buledal smiled and shook his head slowly. "You know good and well who I mean. Where did you send them, Athena?"

"I'll never tell you where," she bit down on her lip to prevent herself from saying anything else.

The King sighed and stepped closer to her. "I'm guessing it's no big deal. After all, I just needed you."

Athena glared at him.

"I was only keeping them here to bribe you. Now that they are gone, you can finally become the weapon I want you to be."

Athena pressed her back up against the door and twisted the doorknob. It wouldn't budge. King Buledal reached his hand out with lightning speed and grabbed her throat. He lifted her up into the air and started to speak in a gravely and strange language.

Athena clawed at his hands and his hand closed around her windpipe. She struggled to breathe. She tried to kick him, but he was too far away.

Something inside her felt different. Athena wasn't sure what it was, but it felt as if something was taking control of her. Wanting part of her. Her body felt weak and her mind was foggy. There was no point of trying to fight off whatever was inside her. Whatever this kind of power was, she didn't feel the need to stop it. 

Athena let her hands drop to her sides as blackness consumed her vision and mind.