A Second Chance, a hercules fanfic

Every person has a rose, the rose is naturally white, but when the rose is yield by its master, it is now the controller's life, saviour, health, love, mind, and death. The ruler's blood leaks into the petals, draining it in red overnight. If the rose is taken by anyone else, the master's life now bends in their command. They will never be able to let the thief go, no matter what the master mind does. Though a life of a flower stays deep in the soul, and is only destructed by the deep and harmonious. Only destroyed by the master's true love ripping it in front of the captive of affection as its struggling to get out of the forest of Hate.

in the shadow of Hate

"Are we there yet," I said, discouraged, from the back of the taxi.

Crystal, from the front of the cab, growled, "For the millionth and one time, NO!"

We were going to see are best friend Leslie and his garden. Ever since last year he started to work on his patch so much he hardly had time to speak, nevertheless see us. But the times Leslie invited us to his garden was the best moments of our lives. Leslie use to stay with Hades most of the time, but that's because of his mother Demeter. She wanted him to "learn from Persephone" because Demeter thinks she's a "good influence", but if you saw Persephone, she's almost as cranky as her mother.

This was the second time Leslie invited us, and I knew that is was going to be better than the last time.

The cab halted to a stop, my face flew into the head of Crystals seat, who knew seatbelts were so important?

We paid the taxi and jumped out the car. Leslie was waiting for us out the door.

He hugged us both at the same time and said, "I missed you two too much."

"Not as much as we missed you," Crystal argued, as she fought for air.

Leslie finally let go. And I gasped with Crystal.

"Leslie," I whimpered, "What-"

"-Happened to you," Crystal finished, horrified.

Leslie's clothes were ripped, his hair was worse than a birds nest, his eyes were red, and I realized, Leslie was really bony. More than he used to be.

Crystal immediately pulled out her magical purple snake skin belt, gave to her by her mother, Aphrodite. It could turn into anything in her command, and only her. Lightning stroked the sky as Crystal's belt sparked into a pink wand. She slashed at the sky as pink liquid cleansed Leslie. Starting from his head, till his toes, Leslie became clean, with new clothes. Being the daughter of beauty and love, Crystal could do remarkable stuff like that.

"Thanks, Crystal; I guess I owe you some answers. Or, you could see for yourselves," Leslie acknowledged.

"What are you talking about,"-I looked up-"ohhh, I see."

Every plant and flower was dead, brown, gone, ruined. All colors were washed away.

"Oh my gosh," I whispered, "What happened?"

"I don't know, I just woke up one day and it was gone. I tried to fix it-" he choked up.

"But it didn't work," I finished.

Leslie nodded. He walked up to a dead rose, and tried to trim it, but the rose just grew back, dead.

I took out my magic dagger. It had pictures of death carved finely on the metal. It was built by my father, Cronus, to take pain away to its master if stabbed, and release the pain when stabbed in an enemy. I hadn't used that in a while. I bent down and tried to trim it again, but it just grew back again.

Leslie shook his head sadly.

"Maybe Crystal could give your garden a makeover, you know, like she did to you?" I suggested.

Leslie brightened up. "Destiny, that's brilliant!"

"I know," I bragged.

"Will this work?"

"Leslie, have I ever been wrong?"

"Well there was the time-"

I put my hand out, "Save it for the hand, Leslie?"

Crystal pulled out her belt as lightning struck and it ignited to a staff. She twirled in a circle as the land burst with color, but only for a second. The color shot toward Crystal, Leslie and I had no time to waste, we shot toward Crystal and knocked her away. A huge mushroom cloud of dirt formed where she had been standing. If we had been half a millisecond late Crystal would have been blown to smithereens.

I guess I am wrong, sometimes.

Crystal started coughing as Leslie looked in horror at the hole in his garden he would have to fix later.

I leaned against a tree.

I saw a boy about Leslie's age, fourteen, walking toward us. He had orange hair and bright blue eyes, his skin was pale and his face was covered in freckles. He wore a leather jacket, like me, over his dark black shirt. His black jeans hung loose over his boots. He really seemed to like black.

"Leslie, you know that boy?" I wondered.

"Who, him?" Leslie coughed, "Nah, probably one of those school kids in my class."

"You're going to school!? So you didn't take my advice to stay out of school? I'm telling you, school is worse than jail, it starts by making you want to learn than slowly rots you into a clone with absolutely no personality…"

"Hello, I am Hate Downinhan and I am new here, and I wanted to meet my neighbour's," introduced the boy in black. That made me jump, I was so busy talking to Leslie about his bad choice of going to school that I didn't realize he had cached up.

Hello, I wanted to say, I'm Destiny Harbour, and single.

"Oh, Hello, Hate," Leslie greeted, "I'm Leslie Clark, don't mean to be rude, but, why is your name Hate, like in hatred?"

Hates eyes started to become watery, both Crystal and I smacked Leslie hard on the back, but managed to still smile at Hate.

"Well… Names don't matter," Leslie quickly changed, glancing at us. "So did you just reach here today or-"

"I'm Destiny Harbour," I budged in.

"And I'm Crystal,"-Hate was about to say something-"Vace Terro Un Bleso Dis Felaned," Crystal took a deep breath, "Nesta Polenda Vetra Lunda De Quantastrifa."

Hate needed a couple moments to adjust to Crystal's very, very long name. "Wow, no really, wow. This place is beautiful; do you think you guys could give me a tour around here?" Hate asked.

We all looked around at Leslie's dead garden.

"Oh, we don't live here," I said, "we were just visiting Leslie, but we would love for you to tag along."

Hate looked at Leslie.

"Fine," Leslie finally agreed through clenched teeth.

Crystal and I started squealing as we took Hates arm and started walking.

Leslie was probably going on about the history of plants and how we depend on it, but all I could here was "Blah blah blah blah blaaah." I was too busy paying attention to Hate. Before I knew it, we were back at Leslie's house.

"What a pity, I was enjoying the tour, maybe I could catch you guys tomorrow?" Hate asked.

"That would just be great!" Crystal and I said in unison. We looked at each other, and then went back to smiling at Hate.

As Hate left, we all thought about the same question. Where would we sleep?

We decided to go to a motel, but we had some trouble getting in, apparently, they didn't like three teenagers sleeping in their rooms with no supervision. But at the fifth hotel we had some luck.

In the morning, I woke up with no blanket on. I checked under the bed, no luck. The sides, still nothing. I called the front desk. I didn't even bother check if anyone else was awake. Outwardly they had a shortage of blankets so they decided to take my blanket. I hung up.

Crystal was just waking up. "Is everything ok, Destiny?" she yawned while wiping her eyes. "Where's Leslie?"

I looked over at his bed. No one was there. But there was a paper; I read it aloud trying to sound like Leslie with a deep voice, "Sorry guys, going to hang out with Hate-"

"-What are you doing?" Crystal asked.

"I'm imitating Leslie, duh." I continued, "Won't be too long. Order room service. Be back as quick as I can, love you, thanks.

Leslie."

"I guess that's ok, Destiny, I bet he doesn't have any real friends here, so he is sorta excited that he met someone."

She didn't look that reassured.

"Yeah, and who needs Hate?" I tried not to think about him.

Crystal started turning red, I bet I was, too. I bit my lip as Crystal started to do something in between the tango and the potty dance.

"I need Hate!" Crystal finally burst.

"Right behind you."

And we competed out the door. Then ran back in the room.

We forgot about are night dresses. And our hair, and are teeth, and why was I suddenly so look cautious?

As we combed are hair, someone knocked on the door.

"Girls, it's me, Leslie," Leslie said through the door.

"Hate!" Crystal and I both squealed at once.

We both ran to the door.

"Hi, Hate," I inhaled, as I curled my hair around my finger.

"Hate, I like that name almost as much as I like you," Crystal snorted.

"Girls, you sound like a bunch of love-zombies," Leslie mocked. "Leave the guy alone."

We both glared at him. Crystal gasped, I flung myself back. Leslie looked almost exactly like Hate, but what really scared me was, I liked it.

2. Lost to a liar

If I didn't know any better, I would've thought Leslie was an alien from planet Hottie. But that just wasn't Leslie, well… the Leslie I knew.

"Who are you and what have you done with Leslie?" Crystal heaved.

"I am Leslie, and I just hit the mall a little-"

"A little?" I barged.

"The mall?" Crystal screeched. "Leslie, you would never be caught dead in the mall!"

"Then I rather be caught alive in the mall," Leslie snappd.

Hate chuckled, "Nice one, Man." They gave each other a fist punch, or whatever you call that.

Crystal and I glared at him. "Sorry," Hate apologized, "but, girls, it's just a little change on how he dresses; I didn't think you would get so mad."

"You're the lunatic that made him dress different?" Crystal screamed.

I pulled Leslie to the side. "Leslie, if you don't want to dress like that you don't have to. You know we liked you for who you were before, right?"

"But I do want to be like this, and who do you think you are telling me what to do?"

My jaw opened. This was not Leslie, what happened? Did Leslie actually say that?

"What's wrong with you?"

"Right now, you. C'mon, Hate, let's go."

I looked at Crystal like I just had just gotten smacked.

We both stayed silent.

And five months ago he was willing to die for me. But now Leslie reminded me of my father, Cronus, lord of the titans.

A terrifying thought made me crash onto the ground. Does Leslie think the same for me?

"Something's happened to him," Crystal finally said. "Someone's influencing him."

I was too shocked to say anything. But Crystal continued, "We should keep a close watch on Leslie, Destiny, otherwise he might start doing bad to other people as well."

I'd rather get shot by a million bullets than see Leslie again. But as always, Crystal was right, we did need to watch over Leslie.

I got off of my knees, and I did what any normal being would do in a crisis, call room service.

Some people may think that I eat when I'm under stress, but I always eat lots, it's in my blood.

After we ate, I found my voice again; we went and tried to track down Leslie. It wasn't easy, but we did spot him.

Leslie was just walking around with Hate looking as cute as ever, his brown hair swaying in the wind. We waited for about half an hour, trying to stay as hidden as possible, till I saw the most terrible thing I have ever seen. And just to make things clear, I have experienced near death experiences, dragons, serpents, Mormo's, and Centaurs, but nothing compared to this. My blood turned literally into ice.

As a frail old lady in a pink wool dress and a walker ambled beside Leslie, he put his foot like a hook, and made the innocent lady fall sprawling on her face.

Crystal got a head start; she sprinted as fast as light (probably using some magic) and nocked Leslie over. He went rolling down the grassy hill. Some people gathered around to see the commotion. Hate moved out of the way as I started to catch up.

Crystal said, "I'll help the lady, Destiny, you take Leslie."

I nodded my agreement as I tore down the hill.

Leslie sat under a tree holding his ankle, probably because it got sprained. I kicked him in the back as I held Leslie's hurt foot down. He cried in agonizing pain. I slapped him across the face so hard it left my hand print.

"Leslie, how could you be so heartless?!" I screamed.

"Heartless," he moaned.

"Yes! Heartless, you idiot!"

He was probably tired of me screaming at him because I will never forget his next move.

Leslie smiled as he lifted his hand and gave a jolt of electricity up my body.

"Heartless," Leslie groaned again, "I know a friend named Heartless."

Before I could react Leslie took out his wand, a skinny stick, and muttered a spell. Leslie collapsed.

Darkness made me crash into Leslie. I have felt light wipe me off my feet, but never darkness. The sun disappeared as the moon appeared. There were no stars out except for one constellation.

Virgo

The constellation of Demeter, I immediately knew that was bad. But it was beautiful, a woman with wings and holding a flower.

But I knew better, as the image started to peel out the dark night sky to a flesh eating killer. Virgo's hair was dark red like her dress, and her skin was pitch black like the night sky. And her wings, made out of wheat, dripped blood. And just to make matters better, she was the size of a five story building.

Everyone started screaming and running away till the streets were totally empty except Leslie, Crystal, Hate, and I.

I unsheathed my dagger, hoping it would scare away Virgo, no such luck.

I started to back away, so did everyone else.

"BAAAARRRRAAAAHHH!" Virgo thundered, her poison's rose slashing in the air. All the hair on my head rose backwards with the blow of the growl.

I glanced back at Hate and Crystal; they were hiding behind a tree, gesturing for me to hide there, too.

I lunged for my right as Virgo tried to smash me with one of the giant rose thorns. It nearly missed my face. It didn't really have much agility, but she had strength. I'm talking thousand times a full forced elephant.

I slashed wildly as it sprang at me again. But I missed by about a meter, and I was starting to get dizzy.

"BAAAARRRRAAAAHHH!" Virgo bellowed, smashing a tree with her bare hand.

If only I had seven hundred pounds of dynamite…

"Good Virgo," I calmed, not looking too calm myself. "Stay, I just want to-"

I got blasted by another blast of darkness, and when I got up, there was one constellation in the sky.

Pisces.

The constellation of Aphrodite. Now I knew that was a good sign.

Two fish with their tails connected together.

I looked at Crystal; she had collapsed like Leslie did. My first instinct was to run to her, but I knew that the best way to keep Hate and Crystal safe was to stay as far away from them as possible.

Pisces started to peel out of the night sky as Virgo got completely startled.

Instead of just two fish, there was also a woman with blue skin and long flowing green hair. Her dress was made out of sea foam and Pisces held the two fish like a double sided whip.

Pisces flagellated Virgo in the head as Virgo punched the rose in Pisces' stomach. Pisces spit poison on her enemy's hand but Virgo just stopped, and bit its hand off, and it grew back. They hit, smashed, kicked, punched, and slashed, but there was no obvious winner. The two constellations had the same strength and speed. But Pisces' one wrong move cost her life. As she tried to grab Virgo's foot, Virgo punched her in the back, and then, she disappeared.

Virgo roared her victory as she started up the hill to Crystal.

"Nooo!" I screamed.

I had to think of a plan fast, but what could I do? It's not like I could go on a one to one battle with that giant pile of wheat.

Then it clicked to me; I would make a constellation. But how? How could I make one of those? It wasn't like my father had a constellation. He was too boring that way, and it made it ten times harder to win a fight. But maybe another titan would, unlike the gods, titans could connect their powers, but a god has its single talent, and that's that.

The titan of constellations… who's the titan of constellations?! Gaea, Uranus, Rhea, Oceanus?

My only hope left me, if I couldn't remember that single titans' name.

"Please," I cried, "father, help me."-I looked up at the sky-"Please."

Nothing.

"We are here for you," cooed a man's voice. It seemed to come from everywhere like an echoed vibration. "Don't worry, Destiny, as the stars protect you."

Virgo lowered her poison wheat to finish Crystal's fainted body. A blue force field protected Crystal; it was woven by the stars. Glowing chains shot up from the ground and hooked around Virgo.

"BAAAARRRRAAAAHHH!"

I smiled. "Good bye, Leslie," I said, as Leslie's constellation crumbled to a dust.

A single sign blazed in the air.

The symbol of Krios, and that, even though he saved me, was a very bad thing.

Crystal was fine, she had a little bit of pain but she was fine.

"How did you stop Virgo, Destiny?" Crystal wondered. "And why is there a giant goat flying in the air?"

Crystal new everything about Gods, absolutely nothing about titans. And I didn't want to tell her about Krios, but I had to.

"Crystal, that's the symbol of Krios," I said, biting my lip.

She seemed to totally forget about the horrible news.

"Where's Hate?!"

I forgot how to breathe.

We searched everywhere, but Hate wasn't there.

"Isn't it weird that a mortal like him didn't run as soon as Hate saw Virgo?" I asked.

"Maybe he's just really brave," Crystal said dreamily, as she cupped her hand and fluttered her eyes.

"I'm starting to get some bad vibes from that guy."

"You said what?"

"But, Crystal, Leslie became bad exactly when he met Hate. I think we should see him."

"But, Destiny, we don't know where he went, how could possibly we find Hate?"

"We have to go to his house."

Then we set off, in the dark, to Hate's house.

Oh god I was stupid. Oh god how I was.

When we arrived at Hates black house, we hesitated at the scull handle.

"It looks like a haunted house," Crystal whimpered.

I grabbed the handle, it felt like ice, I quickly let go. I knocked on the door instead.

A woman that looked very much like Hate answered the door. She only opened it a crack so we could only see her face.

"How may I help you," I woman whispered.

"We'd like to see Hate Downinghan," I answered.

She opened the door fully; she was wearing black high heels with white sculls on them, a long black skirt with a white cloth wrapped around her hips. The woman wore a black corset with a red netted necklace and a white bandana.

The house was much larger than it looked from outside. It had large black walls rounding in like a dome giving around 'space' effect. Nearby was a the most beautiful dining table I have ever seen; it had a scene of a battle happen made out of silver models, with a glass on top. I knew it was the war between the titans and the Gods, it had the same atmosphere. I also know that because I had experienced the war myself as I fought for the titans. Since I'm the daughter of Cronus I have the power of immortality, only if I don't get stabbed. But if I just stay in a room for millennia or two I won't age. I saw Hekatoncheires piling rocks on monsters, Zeus battling Cronus, thousands of warriors dying, killing, and struggling for survival. I even saw Atlas leading warriors and killing eight people at a time. But what caught my attention more was that each figure looked exactly like the actual immortal. And it would be impossible for any mortal to know about the appearance of them. Unless…they were half god themselves.

Above the dining table was a chandelier with every single god, hero, or titan that ever lived modeled and placed neatly in several rods. I looked at each and every hero individually.

Hercules, Perseus, Attis … Destiny?

And there I was, modeled in a red shirt, black skinny jeans, leather jacket, and my jewellery.

I looked beside me, and there, like I thought, was Crystal. In her white shorts on her black and pink leggings, and her pink blouse.

I looked beside Crystal… and there was-wait-Glaucus? Where was Leslie?

Beside those seven rods were another set of seven, and that rack had the entire enemy's, betrayers, and villains that had ever lived in ancient Greece placed on the rods.

Then I saw Leslie, standing right there, looking like Hate.

"Where's Hate," I asked, dying to forget about the sight I just saw.

"He's upstairs in his room," she whispered. The woman sighed as she went back to cleaning the dining tables.

Crystal and I raced upstairs.

"Hate," Crystal called.

Hate answered, "Who is it?"

"Destiny and Crystal," I informed.

Hate opened the door so only his face would stick out like the woman downstairs.

That was defiantly his mother, I decided.

"May I help you," he asked.

"We have some questions; Hate," I said, "and you have some answers."

"I wish I could stay and chat, girls, but I have a huge math test coming up tomorrow." He started to shut the door.

Crystal put her hand out to stop the door. "We need to talk, now."

Hate stared at us for a moment, than let us in. It was dark black like everywhere else, but his room was messy. I looked at myself into his mirror with a scull around it.

Was it just me or was I looking good? Or shall I say swell?

"So what do you want me to tell you?"

"Well…" I began, "you first need to admit you're the one that has been influencing people to do bad. Including Leslie."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hate said, showing a sign of confusion.

"Uh," Crystal said, "you may be good at making me faint, and smile, and fall in love, and laugh-"

Hate smiled.

"The point?" I reminded.

"-but you are no good at acting."
What would happen if he doesn't know what we're talking about-in truth…

"Are you going to accuse me of doing something I didn't do or-"

"-HA! We didn't accuse you of anything!" Crystal stared at him feverously.

"Actually, little miss 'thinks she knows it all'; you did accuse me of bringing the bad out of people."

"Ha-ah!" Crystal said again, "you don't sound surprised!"

Hate looked at Crystal again, than at me, than back at Crystal.

"You seriously want to try against me?"

"So, Hate, you admit you are a villain?" I budged in.

"If the villain admits that he's the villain that would be nice but the villain can't be nice so if the villain been nice he's not actually the villain, Destiny, get it?"

"Wha'?" Crystal and I asked in unison.

"Anyways," I said, "Hate, you need to bring back Leslie, the actual Leslie."

"Now tell me, Harbour," Hate said, "you could have all this,"-he pointed at himself-"and more, if you just leave Leslie."

"That's what Leslie said about Crystal," I growled.

"And now you see what a bad friend he is. Leslie cursed Crystal, he left you when you needed his help most, you would die for him, and you did, but do you really think he would do the same for you?"

"You're the one that made him evil; I won't hurt you if you'd just turn Leslie back."

Hate came really close to my face then whispered, "He's weak, the runt, never in the top group. Till Leslie met you, he was nothing, and he blew that chance. He lost everything. He lost you."

My heart thumped so fast I could hear it, I was scared, no, petrified. No guy ever came so close to me, except Leslie. I pushed Hate away, which gave him shock, than anger, than shock again.

Leslie…would he actually die for me? I shook my head feverously, I wouldn't think like that, not now, not ever. He died for you once, he would do it again. But Leslie didn't want the boulder to fall on him. I forced myself to forget that unpleasant thought.

"There was this one question I was dying to ask you all this time," I said, putting my hand on his neck, "who are you?"

"That's easy, Destiny, I'm Hate Downinghan, who else would I be?"

My grip became tighter, hardly letting him breathe. "Admit, Hate, tell us who you truly are, admit."

"Yeah," Crystal cheered. We both looked at her.

"Close your eyes if you want me to let go." I wasn't letting him breathe at all now. I was literally choking him.

I drew my wrist off his neck suddenly. I stared at myself in Hates skull mirror, mortified. Was I actually trying to choke a person? I suddenly looked more different… evil. Was it true that I actually was becoming like-like…Cronus?

"She let you go, Hate, tell us your true identity," Crystal ordered.

"I'm Hate Khaladaih Zoef," Hate started, "creator of all hatred, anger, and disgust. I have been sent orders from your father to separate you three's bond forever, Leslie fell under the unbreakable trance, but you two are… different. Your friendship is like a toothpick against a massive boulder."

Words of Hatred scraped my brain; abhorrence, detestation, odium, revulsion, disgust, dislike, animosity…

I looked into Hates cold lying eyes; what else was he hiding from me. And to think that I first thought that Hate was just an innocent new kid that wanted someone to hang out with.

"No, every problem has a resolution. Leslie is in a breakable trance."

Leslie…

"You put Leslie in a trance?" Crystal cried, on the range of tears.

"Why?" I whispered. "Why are you doing this to us?"

Hate tried to reason with us. But it didn't work.

"You played with us like an instrument."

"Destiny, Honey, it wasn't my entire fault…"

"It is your entire fault." He raised his eyebrows. "You're the one that influenced Leslie in the first place. You're the one that tormented with his brain not letting me reach out to him. Your right, it was totally not your fault."

"Destiny, your right, I did mix him up. Cronus gave me direct orders to break your friendship immediately. Otherwise I would've let you reach out to him; it would sure be less work. I had to use all my will power not to let him come back when you looked into his eyes."

"I hate you, Hate."

"That is so-sweet!"

"What?"

"I'm 'Hate', you said you hate me, therefore, you hate me!"

"This isn't funny."

"Of course it isn't funny! It's so charming!"

I smashed Hate against the wall. This was not hilarious in the least. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to my face. "Kiss goodbye to your friends and family," I whispered.

I clenched my teeth, as I thought of the most unruly monster I ever encountered.

I got a paper a pencil out of my bag and drew a sundial, how I let me transport, and just before I left, I placed a mormo behind.

"You don't think that's a little harsh?" Crystal asked.

We were back in our hotel.

"Hate tried to get between are friendship, that deserves the worst," I snarled.

"But you saw what the mormo almost did to us, Destiny? Or should I replay the evidence?"

"I just said-" but got cut off by a movie image. It was a sphere of light, it could play any image, and this was from five months ago.

Crystal Leslie and I were closing our eyes as we kept bumping into each other.

I slammed into the mormo. But I thought it was the zebra, but mormo's have horns. In front of me was a pale woman with red eyes and piercing black hair. Her nails were made of complete iron. She was wearing a white nursing costume which rely didn't go with the whole deadly-bad-monster thing.

I bumped into Leslie again. "Do you know if zebras have horns?" I squeaked.

"Of course not- Ahhh!" Leslie let out a scream, a bit girly, but a scream. He jumped about a foot high, where was he in high jump?

I opened my eyes looking a little shocked.

"Mormo!" screamed Leslie.

"What's a mormo?" Crystal squealed.

"A mormo is a demon that bit bad children."

"So you're saying she's a much angrier version of Santa?"

she slapped her belt on the ground and the tunnel shook. It grew in to a full size three foot sword.

The mormo lunged at me, but I moved to my right crashing into Leslie again.

"Quit doing that."

It jumped at Crystal. "How do we stop it!" she yelled, while slashing it through the body. "It won't be killed my physical force. We need to find a different plan."

I took a pipe cleaner out of my pocket thinking it was my knife. I took a rock off the ground cursing at Poseidon for taking my weapon. It looked at me with red eyes.

I slashed at the mormo, but it was an un-dead creature. It couldn't be killed; weapons just slide right through her. She was like the not so friendly Casper.

"Ahhh, die already!" I slashed my rock again. But it just went through the mormo like mist.

"Were we really that bad?" demanded Crystal. "Hey want some pickles. I have some in my bag-" the Mormo slashed and ripped the bag into shreds. "Hey my make-up was in there!" the monster made this huge screech.

I started shouting at Leslie to get his wand out but he just stood there. The mormo jumped on Leslie, he tried to move but he couldn't.

I tried to push the mormo off put I just fell right threw her. Leslie was turning paler by the second. She crashed against the wall like an imaginary wall hit her. But then she got up quickly. I shouted for Crystal to get it off him.

The mormo started to grow into human form. Her image started to flicker to real skin. And Leslie didn't look any better. Her image was soon a ten foot tall woman. But no matter how beautiful she became, she still had those bloody teeth and bloodthirsty red eyes.

I watched in horror as she was killing Leslie.

Crystal started to do her magic; pink liquid started to follow the mormo like rope. The mormo jumped back as Crystal started whacking her on the walls. But that didn't last long because she broke the pink strands like they were made of twigs.

Crystal banged against the wall as the mormo swished her hand. Crystal passed out.

"Ahhhhh!" I charged at the now fully fleshed ten foot mormo. I sliced its head off, it grew back, I cut it in half, it still grew back, and I stuck it in the heart… it still grew back, "Stupid mormo," I muttered.

I took out the slice of pepperoni pizza out of my bag and waved it around for the mormo to smell.

It followed it like a dog. It jumped at it but I moved it away. She made this hissing sound and jumped at it again.

"Bad mormo, sit!" she sat down and started pouting. And the mormo started to act like a dog. Like she started to bark and do stuff dogs would do.

A iphone appeared in my hand.

The mormo growled as I showed it a video of a dog catching a Frisbee.

Now a full pizza appeared in my hand. It started to drool on the ground, and it started to roll over.

I threw the pizza across the tunnel; the mormo ran on four feet to go get it. It started to munch on the food.

Then the pizza started to fly in the air, and went till Canada.

"See?" Crystal hummed, as she tapped her foot. "If you weren't so awesome like that the mormo would've killed us."

"Come on, Crystal." I assumed, "Hate is strong, he has to be strong. Otherwise he can't be the creator of hatred."

"But I'm strong, Leslie's strong, your strong, that's three powerful people, we hardly got out alive. And plus, if anyone should know how to bring Leslie back, its Hate."

"True, but do you really think he would tell us?"

"Destiny, let's go back and save him, stop acting like your father."

I looked in disbelief at Crystal. How could she say that? But was it true? It probably was, but…

I nodded as I made a chocolate fountain appear, and ice cream, and a gift basket full of sweets. I so do not eat while I'm stressed. I started eating, which wasn't long because Crystal transported me to Hates room.

Hate was hanging head first from his chandelier as the mormo looked around the room for pizza.

"Hey, girls!" Hate cheered, "thinking about helping me or what?"

"First we need some answers," Crystal said.

Hate frowned.

I continued, "How do we bring back Leslie?"

"Destiny, Crystal, I will never tell you-"

"Mormo," I said, humourlessly, pointing at Hate.

The mormo made a hissing sound as she attacked Hate.

"Fine! I'll help you…"

I dismissed the mormo, making her melt out the room. I cut Hates ropes. He fell to the ground, headfirst. Hate rubbed his wrists and ankles.

Crystal tapped her foot, waiting for an answer.

"Ok," Hate finally purred, "To help Leslie you need to find Keledones."

"What?" Crystal and I said in unison. "I let you go to get answers from you, not a mythical creature I hardly know."

"See ya'."

And Hate disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving us behind with no answers, just a whole lot of chocolate.

3.Hateproof

I hate Hate, if that makes sense. He is a liar, such a liar, he can't do anything without ruining it.

"Crystal," I screeched again, from the other side of the motel bedroom. We were going to find Leslie to see if he knows anything to do with 'Keledones'. "Where could he be?"

Crystal yawned as she started drowsily at the computer screen I made appear thinking we could track him down using the phone he got two months ago.

No such luck.

It would be easier to find an ant in outer space.

"AAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!" I screamed.

Both my legs fell asleep during the time I lost track of.

Crystal fell asleep as her chair tilted over; she didn't bother waking up. She started snoring.

I left the laptop screen open as I drifted off to La-La land.

My dream started like this; I saw a grey corridor. It was large and made out of carved stone every inch of it. It was totally empty except for two people-the two most hated people-my parents.

My father looked like a tall, lean, muscular man. Cronus had tan skin and black hair like mine. He was wearing a black suit with a tie with clocks on it. You would've thought he would have been any business man, but his eyes were clocks. Spending time with him, you would always know what time it is.

My mother was wearing her blonde hair in a tight bun and a blue clip pinching on the top. She wore a blue dress with white stitched on the long tight sleeves the bottom was puffy with probably five pounds of fabric underneath a top layer of strong fabric with diamonds on it.

They were in the middle of a conversation.

Cronus believed, "I'm so proud of our little daughter Destiny, she's not getting influenced by Hate"

"No," Sarah snapped; as she looked at her husband sharply, "not at all!"

"Why not, dear, aren't you proud of her?"

"Of course not! This is ruining your whole plan! If she doesn't break up with Leslie and Crystal sooner or later all your hard work will go into the underworld! Grrr… the nerve of that girl-she's totally…Hateproof!"

Cronus started giggling-Sarah glared at him-then he quickly turned it into a cough.

My dream started fading.

I woke up still in my chair, cramped. At least I wasn't sleeping on a tilted chair like Crystal. My eyes felt dry and my mouth felt like it was out of saliva.

I tried to move but by legs fell asleep and my arms felt like they would fall out of their sockets. So I just lay there, looking at the ceiling.

Would Leslie ever come back? Would I ever look into his eyes and see the old him? The boy that knew everything about plants? The boy that didn't make you feel cold? The boy that made you happy? Would I ever get him back?

I thought of last summer from the day I met him. Leslie jumped out the bushes and held a sword to my neck. After I got to know him better he showed me to the underworld to save Crystal. He helped me when I got scratched by Temussion fox, and I helped him when he lost his sword. Together we saved Crystal. The next day I found out about my dagger, and when I thought I was going to break down when Zeus gave me the list, Leslie helped me, stayed by my side. Leslie then made me get tangled up in a mess with Poseidon, but came back to help me. Then I helped Leslie when he was dying, bones broken, in the tunnel in return. He helped stopped me to try to kill Crystal, and her trying to kill me, over the sun god. All to know Leslie had betrayed me, set me up, in a cave, where he put Crystal in a trance, and slammed me against a wall. He came to his senses after Poseidon came and Leslie saved me with a kiss. As Crystal, Leslie, and I tried to get out of the cave, it started to collapse, killing Leslie. As I lay at his dead body, Menoetius came and offered me an offer I couldn't resist. He would bring back Leslie, but I would have to give up myself in return. I excepted as I was whisked away to the castle of the titans. As I made Cronus mad he let me go, and I came back to Leslie. And he was now under Hates power, and I would have to save him again, even if it would cost me my life.

My cramps started to ease. I tried to wake Crystal up.

She screamed while getting up, wide eyed, "Yes! No! Sixty two hundredths! The British won Canada! Old Mc Donald had a boutique, e-ya –e-ya fashion…" she started to drift back to sleep.

"Crystal!"

"Destiny, the sky is falling…" she said drowsily. "Hand me the hand cuffs, Santa, so I could put Mozart in jail."

"What are you talking about?"

"Elvis needs to go on a diet."

"Uh…"

"Stop eating me, giant cucumber! I will destroy you with a high carb diet!"

"Ok then-"

"Unhand me, George Washington! Or else I will call on the pigmy goats!"

"Listen, Crystal, we need to find Leslie."

"Cats, cats, cats…"

"And," I continued, "If you haven't noticed, he's absolutely nowhere to be seen."

"Where oh where did my Leslie go..."

"Crystal!"

"Just call Hermes, octopus."

"Crystal, that's brilliant!" I lightened, ignoring the whole octopus comment.

"As Madonna said; yee' doggy!"

"There's no waking you is there?"

"Did chicken little give up when he was looking for Canada?"

I got up, leaving Crystal mumbling behind as I went out the door.

To tell you the truth, it wasn't easy catching a meeting with Hermes. It was hard enough when he had one job, a mail man, but now he host's a game show; are you smarter than a Greek god? But with some phone calls and a few emails, I managed to get a slot.

Hermes office wasn't how you'd expect it to be. It had yellow walls and floor-that's it. Well…beside a yellow chair and bit of loose papers-that's it. Hermes usually didn't stay there; he was out mailing papers or doing his game show the whole day.

Hermes looked as always, tall in his tenis clothes and mail bag hauled over his shoulder, not a pretty sight, believe me.

Ok, so Hermes has this really squeaky voice which sounds like a chipmunk, its gets super annoying. "How's my old friend doing?"
"I'm-"

"Enough chat, Harbour, I have work to do. You have one minute."

"Wait!"

"One, two, three…"

I started talking extremely fast. "We came to visit our friend Leslie Clark because something bad happened so we came really, really fast but still got really bored and we saw what happened and we met this really nice guy who wasn't actually nice who turned out to be Hate this evil Greek guy and he turned Leslie into his minion!" I gasped for breathe.

"Hey, back up,"-Hermes raised a brow-"Who's our?"

"You know… Crystal?"

He looked at me again, confused.

"My friend…you made us sail across the ocean?"

He pointed his chin to the ceiling. "I'm getting something, Harbour, what else?"

"You tried to put us in a trance?"

"Ennnnggghhhh! Times up! See you soon."

"Gah!"

Hermes' phone rang.

"Hello, this is Hermes' on the line? Yes… uh huh… NO! It can't be! Replacement? How the heck do you think I could get a replacement?!"

"Hey! Hermes, I could be a replacement."

He put his hand on the phone, "Hon, I'm on the phone!"

I rolled my eyes.

"No I won't take a years' worth of curly fries, I want Nicky Minaj!" he hanged up the phone muttering feverously.

"I could be the replacement," I volunteered again.

Hermes looked at me, than at his phone, than at me again.

"Perfect! You could be the new Nicky!"

"What? No! I was talking about-"

"I could picture it already," Hermes breathed, standing out of his yellow chair looking into the blank yellow ceiling. "The crowd cheering for you as you strut on to the stage wearing-"

"Hold up, Mr. Exaggeration, I would replace Nicky Minaj if I could be me, Destiny Harbour. And if you tell me where Leslie is."

Ignoring my comment, Hermes shuffled some security gaurds in to show me my dressing room.

It was all yellow, like everywhere else, and it had a lockable door. It was filled with crazy outfits everywhere. I looked around locking the door. After a long time I finally picked out a dress.

It knee length and stuffed with stuffed animals. I mean it was made of stuffed animals. It also had bright coloured fluffy leg warmers.

I picked it out because I thought Apollo would ike it (long story).

I was shuffled into a different room-it was like a salon-literally. It had white tiles and walls with tubs and hair spray everywhere. There was a full wall lined with different color lipstick and another for eye shadow. It was packed with people.

A tall French looking guy sat me in a chair. He started by putting my hair in a hair net, than putting a pink wig on. It looked like my actual hair. Than he put so much make up on I couldn't see my actual skin.

After he was done my zombie look I walked into the black hallway with security guards behind me. They showed me a black door.

I heard Hermes talking into the loud speakers of the game show stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, young and old, welcome to 'so you think you're smarter than a Greek God', say hello to this week's contestants!"

I knew this was my queue, so I opened the door, and walked up onto the stage.

The interior was amazing; glowing neon lights, fire shooting behind, balloons flying with streamers everywhere.

I walked up to my stand, it was covered with glitter. There was only one thing I could see clearly, it was a giant red button with the words written click here'.

I gave one last wave as Hermes started to introduce my competitors.

"Our friends for tonight-or at least are our friends right now- are five random kids, and one star."

The crowd started screaming again.

"Anda Rosie, Linda Comenskii, Dylan Green, Andrew Christian, and Amy Zalied!"

The cheer went up again.

"And last of all… give it up for Nicky Minaj!"

I had to cover my ears, "Too loud," I muttered, "Too loud."

"Let's go over the rules! I will say fifty questions, whoever answers a question correct, will get a one hundred points, whoever answers the question wrong, will get one hundred points less, and a challenge."

I looked around, so did everyone else.

"First question; how many states does the United Sates have?"

Amy hit the buzzer first. Very seriously she said, "Joe Jonas."

Red lights flashed everywhere.

"Looks like you need a challenge."

Hermes took Amy off the stage as the crowd roared with noise.

The back wall ripped apart leaving a gigantic jumbo television.

On it showed Hermes leading Amy toward a door.

As he opened it, Hermes announced, "Amy, for your incorrect answer, you will be asked a separate question and your challenge will be judged accordingly. Who killed the Minator…, and how?"

"Joe Jonas did," Amy answered, "And with a guitar."

"Interesting answer, Amy, it's not like I ever would have guessed you would say that-"-Hermes looked directly at the camera-"anyways, your challenge has been decided. You will be-"

"-challenging Joe Jonas with a duel?"

"No-but you will be challenging the Minator. But first, you will navigate yourself through a tricky maze with traps and beasts, but you will only have a ball of string. Then when you find the center-if you find the center- you will have to battle the Minator with your bare hands."

"I can't do that, no one can do that!"

"Fine. Amy, you will have a weapon only if you can grasp it."

"Will it be attached to Joe Jonas?"
"No. It will be attached to the back of the Minotaur. Oh, and if you don't manage to get out… Well-you'll find out."

"Great, first no Jonas now I have to battle a Minotaur?" Amy whined, going through the door.

Hermes handed Amy a bright orange ball of string.

What type of game show is this?

Amy started the maze.

It was dark and wet and there were stone walls everywhere with grime on them.

She went running for a while before remembering she forgot to attach the string to the entrance.

She stopped and looked at the yarn, "Stupid String." Since there was no use of using the yarn now, she tossed it into her coat pocket.

Her second step set the first trap. Her leg caught a rope as she shot upside down, screaming as the monsters rushed in. Well… if you call half human half horse monster, those Centaurs were definitely beasts. They were all different colors; some brown some gold. They had big pouty eyes and mostly horse features; they had big noses and mouths (which held humongous teeth). Their hair was shaped like horses manes, starting on their head going down and hooking to their backs. One of the horse/humans had a big green mullet. They had weapons and gears ready.

I myself had an encounter with those knuckleheads five months before, and when I said knuckleheads, I mean knuckleheads. It wouldn't be hard to trick those idiots. But they were scary with their monstrous height and deadly sharp teeth.

The biggest one-black with a white mane attached to its back questioned, "You lookin for som'tin, or ju't crazy?"

The Centaurs started laughing around Amy.

"Looking for something."

"And whut may that som'tin be, ya pride?"

Laughing.

"Jonas."

"Now little girlie's in love, aint she? That boy has some nice hair, don't'cha think?"

"Ya…"

"Of course aint as good as mine, nobody's better thain mine. Anyways, swords up!"

All the Centaurs held up their swords and charged.

"STOP IN THE NAME OF JONAS!" Amy screamed, making everyone stop. "No one has better hair than Joe. And I'm saying NO-one."

The Centaur leader started, "But-"

"LET ME FINISH! I'm going to be let down, you're going to give me your sword, and I'm going to find Jonas! Any questions?!"

Instead of answering, the beasts, now scared of the scrawny Jonas fan, started on bringing Amy down from the wall.

After the Centaurs scattered, the jumbo television closed, and Hermes ran onto the stage.

He broadcasted, "And we'll be back after the commercial break!"

The lights turned on as the people cleared the audience.

People came on stage and started doing the contestants makeup. Like I didn't have enough already on.

"Ok people! Gather up!" Hermes yelled to get over all the chatting. "We need everyone to get more exciting, start a commotion, maybe even get some groups ganging up on a person. We need anger!"

"Um…Hermes? We're not even on camera yet, Amy is."

"Are you trying to question my job?"

I heard Anda, Dylan, and Andrew snicker.

Dylan purred, "Let's group up on what's-her-face over there."

"Excuse me?!" I said, insulted. "Manners Mr.? And that's miss what's-her-face to you."

I guess Hermes got what he wanted, conflict, because that was going to happen.

Instead, the lights dimmed again as people sat back down in their seats.

Hermes came back on stage as the makeup artists left.

"As Amy is finishing her challenge, we should start asking some more questions. Ok, second question… What is an octopus?"

Anda hit the button first. "It is a marine animal with eight tentacles." She gave me a smirk.

"That is… Correct!"

Green lights showered around.

"That's a hundred points for Anda over there. Next question…Is there a next question?"

Linda hit the button. "Of course, you only asked three questions, and you said this was out of fifty."

Green lights.

"Ok-What is the name of the Greek God of H2O?"

"What's H20?" Dylan wondered.

"Poseidon!" I screamed.

"That is correct!"

I did my happy dance (that was going to do something about her Career.)

I gave Anda back her smirk.

"Uh oh," Hermes said, concerned, putting his hand to his temples, "Amy is experiencing some heart difficulties, she's having a heart attack or seizure, this is a matter of life and death."

4.Drowning In The Face Of Love

That had gone too far. If that innocent girl dies I wouldn't be able to think.

Hermes yelled, "Everyone off! We're taking a break!" he left the stage.

Leslie… it's just like what happened to Leslie.

Hermes entered the room, laughing, and on the phone. "Yes…yes, I know. Right? All that just for-uh huh- no I don't have any. Kay, got it, bye."

We all stared at Hermes. He stopped.

"Guess what actually happened?"

"What," I asked, bored.

"She was actually sniffing out Jonas!" Hermes broke into laughter, which didn't really fit in with this moment. "Whatever, were on air in five, four, three, two, and were back on 'so you think you're smarter than a Greek God'. There was a misunderstanding between Amy, she wasn't dying. Let's get back with the question part of the game show."

After about half an hour we got twenty questions done. The score was;

Nicky

Dylan

Andrew

Amy

Linda

Anda

500

700

200

300

"I think the question everybody is dying to ask is-what's happening to Amy? Well let's find out."

The jumbo television appeared on the back wall.

"Joe, Joeny, Joe-doodle, Joey," Amy called.

Tityos appeared out of nowhere. The giant slain by Apollo and Artemis.

Even though it was through a TV, I still backed up.

The seven ton fully grown giant man slashed his armour with such speed and strength you would have to see to believe it.

Tityos' raspy voice echoed in the cave. "I am locked in this cave, starving to death, no way out, I need food, are you food?"

"You're not Jonas. I WANT JOE JONAS!"

"I WANT FOOD!"

"I'LL GIVE YOU FOOD IF YOU GIVE ME JONAS!"

"NO FOOD NO JONAS!"

In a quick flash Amy hit the foot of the giant and started screaming and running into tunnels. The screaming wasn't really a good way to "hide" but I gave her credit, that giant was huge.

A screen showed up with the map of the maze. I was guessing the Joe head was Amy, and amazingly, she was going exactly into the center of the maze. The Joe/Amy head turned back into the scene of Amy screaming. She ran right through a wooden door.

The Minotaur was nowhere to be seen. It was just a big, brick, empty room, Minotaur free.

Amy stopped and started sniffing. She scanned the room like she sensed something. Suddenly, she ran to a brick wall and tugged on a brick. It struggled free and the whole wall collapsed. Now I saw where the Minotaur was; standing ready to charge at Amy.

It did. But Amy side stepped.

"You call that fighting? Jonas could do that with one hand!"

"ZZZGGGAAAGGGHHH!" the gigantic monster bellowed. He put his horns in front and charged again.

Amy easily dodged. "Correction, Jonas could do that with one hand sleeping!"

The Minotaur charged again, full force. Amy Slid underneath, but the Minotaur rammed into a wall.

She got up, walked over the past-out giant, than walked out the camouflaged door.

The giant TV closed and Amy walked up on stage. The crowd cheered. People threw glow sticks in the air.

Hermes hushed them. And he asked the next question.

"If someone put purple die in the ocean, what colour would the sky be, Nicky?"

"Blue," I answered fast, still amazed by Amy.

Red lights.

That shook me out of my day dreams.

"That is-" Hermes started.

Crystal ran on stage waving her arms at me, screaming.

We sprinted out the stage with her security guards behind us. I quickly grabbed anything that might be useful to find Leslie. Finally, after ten minutes of leg breaking chasing, we got away.

We stopped, panting.

"What happened, Crystal?"

"Hermes is our enemy, Destiny, we can't trust him."

"He's the only one that could help us find Leslie."

"Really?" she twirled some rusted car keys on her finger.

"What?"

"This is the key to Hermes chariot."

My jaw opened. "Oh my gosh, are you serious?"

Crystal nodded.

"C'mon let's try it out!"

She started rubbing it between her hands like a lamp, muttering something under her breath.

The scene suddenly shifted into the sky. We were in a blue chariot blending into its surroundings. You couldn't have known that you were sitting if it was not for the gold lines that separated it from the sky. We were going fast, but slow enough to keep balance.

I sat down, feeling a little woozy, Crystal sat at my left.

"You so need to show me how to do that," I told Crystal in awe.

A familiar voice welcomed, "Hey, girls."

I twirled my head so fast it almost flew off.

Leslie.

"Where have you been?" I shouted. He was about to answer till I interrupted. "You know what? Never mind! Tell me why you made Virgo try to kill me? That could have killed you!"

"I wasn't thinking strait, Destiny, I hit my head."

"You hit your head? You think you could get away because you hit your head?!"

"No, I-"

"And now you don't even take the time to apologize."

He rolled his eyes.

"I'm trying to help you, silly!"

Leslie managed to sneak some words in. "I did that to help you." Satisfied with the answer, he slouched down on the chariot seat which wasn't there.

"What?"

"Something bigger is coming, Destiny. You have to believe me."

"How do you expect me to believe you?"

"I saved your butt enough times."

"I saved your butt more, Leslie."

"Always ends with the tantrums. What do you say, Destiny, let's just skip the drama and lets go out already?"

Ok, sudden topic change. I was scared by that sentence. I didn't want to make the wrong choice; I already made enough in my life.

I plopped back down in my seat.

Crystal got up awkwardly. "I think I should be leaving now." She proofed out in a heap of pink smoke.

I tried not to look into Leslie's brown eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes. So where do you want to go on our first date?"

"Nowhere."

"Ok..."-he nodded-"we could stay in the house, I could make that work. But wouldn't a nice walk at a beach be better?"

"No."
"Waves crashing, sky setting as Apollo streaks the sky in colours as he does his nightly drive. You and I holding hands, walking beside each other…"

"Fine! I give up. I'll go to the beach."

Leslie smiled, and just for a milo second, I saw the old Leslie. The one I fell in love with first.

"Why don't you meet me at Olgive beach?"

"No way."

"Oh my God, the time, I better get going."

"Wait!" I stopped, remembering why I came here. "Do you know who the Keledones are?"

"Ask me there," Leslie ordered, starting to disappear in green smoke. He left a split second later dropping a bouquet of roses.

I looked at where Leslie was sitting, than at the roses, I picked them up and studied it. I guess since he's the son of Demeter he could do that. And I could only make watch clocks appear. Totally not fair.

I threw the bouquet of roses out the chariot and watched the red dots swirl in the distance.

Falling, falling, falling…just how I'm falling in love.

Raged

Since when was the world a sphere? Or is it square? Isn't being in love great? It's just like having an excuse to say the wrong answer.

As for Crystal, she was trying to get the truth out of me.

"Tell me what happened! What did you say?" Crystal demanded.

"Oh, we didn't talk much."

Crystal gasped. "You spoke the language of love?"

"Nooo!"

"Really, are you sure? When are you seeing him next?"

I stopped grinning. "We don't know yet," I said, fast.

Crystal shrugged. "Seriously?"

I had a feeling I wasn't fooling anybody.

At five pm I took a cab to Olgive beach. I looked out the taxi's window; the sky was dotted in rainbow colours as the sun turned the ocean dark blue.

As the yellow cab stopped, I paid the man and started for the beach.

Leslie sat on a log, facing the ocean. He was whistling a rather pleasant tune as he swiped his hand over the water.

I walked awkwardly toward Leslie; he turned around.

"So you did decide to come?" he teased.

"Yes." Leslie was about to say something. "-Only because I have to ask you a few questions," I added quickly.

"'Course you did." He got up and started walking. "So… I found out you liked my roses,"-he held up the bouquet of roses up, except it was tattered and brown and it had hardly any petals left.

I had to stay focused to get those answers. I needed to follow Leslie.

"Forcing me to follow you, Leslie, smart move."

He smiled, as did I.

"Anyways, do you know who the Keledones are?"

"Why?"

"No reason," I lied. Leslie couldn't know that if he told me that would make him one step away from turning back to himself. And destroying Hate.

He sighed. "You know you always hid stuff from me, Destiny, I could never understand why."

"Have you ever thought that you tried to kill me several hundred times?!"

"Well… I guess not. But can we restart our relationship from the beginning?"

"A little off topic-wait-you were trying to change the topic! You do know who the Keledones are!"

"If I tell you who they are will you forgive me?"

"No! Yes! I don't know."

He took that as a yes. "The Keledones are singing maidens sculpted out of gold by Hephaestus. Is that good enough?"

What would Hephaestus have to do with Hate…

"Do you know where they live?"

"Yes-why?"

"I told, you, no reason."

"You look beautiful today."

"Uh…you, too. I guess."

That wasn't so reassuring for him.

"How many more compliments will it take for you to kiss me?"

I tried not to gasp, but I couldn't help it, so it came out as a strangled croak.

Leslie probably thought it was from disgust because he looked away and started whistling awkwardly.

The sun was now almost fully set, casting shadows all over Leslie's face. It was warm but not hot. The sky was now deep orange with splotches of red here and there. My bare feet sunk in the wet sand a couple centimeters as small waves splashed on my ankles. I heard a seagull soar above me as the smell of freshly baked bread filled in the air with harmonious scents.

"Uh…Destiny," Leslie mumbled, "How about some croissants-"

"Sixteen," I decided.

Leslie's eyes bulged out, "Sixteen croissants?"

"No."-I laughed-"Sixteen compliments."

He smiled. "Ok, let's see…you are generous."

"One."

"You're cooperative, kind, unselfish, different-"

I raised my eyebrows. "Different?"

"In a good way."

I nodded.

"Funny, smart, humble, sweet, determined, patient, and hardworking. Considerate, discipline, honest, and very punctual."

He closed his eyes and stuck his lips out.

"One more."

"What?" he choked, face turning red.

"One more admiring comment."

"Beautiful."

We smiled as I tilted my head and kissed Leslie.

The weather seemed to rise fifty degrees.

Maybe Leslie wasn't that bad. He seemed pretty nice today, was I wrong? Leslie didn't change, he couldn't have.

I felt something sharp against my neck.

I backed up.

Leslie was holding a switchblade against my neck. But I wasn't that shocked this time, I unsheathed my dagger and flipped his out of his hand.

Leslie started laughing. "You're, as always, full of surprises. That's what I love about you."

I was breathing heavily out of anger. "You don't love me, Leslie. You don't love anyone."

"That, my dear girlfriend, is incorrect. I love you with every inch my heart."

"Well you're hearts small."

I didn't stop holding my dagger at Leslie. I didn't trust him. How could I? He tried to kill me a dozen times, why do I keep coming back? My knife dropped hardly an inch as I started backing away.

"Scared by me, Destiny? 'sigh', that's so unlike you." Leslie started walking toward me.

I ducked just as Leslie slashed where I'd been standing. I tripped him as he tried at my hand again so his dagger flew out of his hand.

Trying to pin Leslie down, I laughed, "Aren't good with a dagger, you were better off with your sword."

At that moment he did a backwards role kicking me in the chin and catching his knife.

Leslie held the knife at my neck, again, and hummed, "No, I think I'm better at both."

Hate appeared out of nowhere. He eyed me cautiously. "Where's her dagger?"

"You're not going to get it," I snapped.

Leslie pressed his knife harder on my skin as Hate pried my dagger out of my hand.

"Take her to the car," Hate ordered Leslie.

"What car?" a black SUV came out silently out the distance. "Leslie, no!" but my plea didn't change his mind. Leslie shoved me toward the car. "You don't have to do this, this isn't right." But Leslie stayed blank faced. "I thought we were friends."

And just for one short moment, a hundredth of a milo second-probably two hundredths-he stared at me with his beautiful brown eyes. But the glassy tint came back faster than it went.

And the last three words Leslie heard from me before shoving me in the back seat of the car was, "I Hate you." And it was true by every cell of my body.

I was squished between Leslie and Hate; Hate looked outside of the black tinted windows sadly. Though Leslie wouldn't take his eyes off me. I just slouched, dazed, thinking about how I could escape.

Top Ten Ways To Escape Leslie and Hate

Pray to the titans to help me again

Go back in time and learn super Karate skills in Japan

Get my dagger back by bribing them

Just die here

Knock out the driver in front and take wheel of the car.

Kiss good bye to my friends and family

Sneak away at midnight

Hope this is all a joke

Sweet talk them into letting me go

Hope their mothers get angry at them for kidnapping me and ground them for life.

None of those were going to work. Maybe number nine, if it weren't for that gag in my mouth.

For the gag, I tried to untie it with my feet, smack it on the front seat till it broke, and bite through it. Obviously, none worked.

I looked at Hate and made a strangled choke. He looked at me, than Leslie, than went back to the window.

I looked at Leslie and didn't make any choking sounds.

He reached for my gag.

Halleluiah! Halleluiah! Halleluiah!

And untied it. I grasped for breath. "Thank you," I breathed. "Thank you so much."

I could feel Hate's stare stiffen. "You weren't supposed to do that," he growled, but obvious he didn't mean it.

Sarcastically Leslie said, "Well you wouldn't expect me to leave my girlfriend to suffer, Hate, did you?" he gave me a brilliant smile. "Don't mind him; he just is a little grumpy today. Wouldn't imagine why." He pulled me closer to him as I let out a squeak.

Hate let out a sigh, "Leave the girl alone."

"Yeah," I said panicky. "Leave the girl."

Leslie gritted his teeth as he pushed me toward Hate roughly. He grabbed me before I cracked my head on the window.

I looked into Hates bright blue eyes as he looked back into mine.

"Are you ok?" I nodded though I was still shocked. "Maybe you should stay with me a little."-he glared at Leslie-"Just in case he goes psycho again."

It wasn't hard to tell that the two boys didn't like each other. Why? I don't know. Maybe because they were both evil.

Hate made no move to get me off his lap. So I started to get off myself. He pushed me down again as he tilted his head down to kiss me.

Leslie's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. I had a feeling he did not like where this was going. The colour drained out of his face. Was this right kissing another guy? Even more with him watching? I guess it's payback for him abducting me.

Hate unlocked my hand cuffs as he pulled me closer to him. My hand went to on his shoulders as his went up my back.

I felt the car stop abruptly as I fell backwards with Hate. I heard the car doors open. Hate let go as he guided me to the destination.

Now it was pitch black. You couldn't see anything because the moon covered the stars. I brushed my hand on the ground. Wheat. We were definably in a wheat field.

So this is how it feels like to be blind.

Hate stopped and looked up to the cold night sky. He bent down on his knees and scraped the wheat. He looked back one more time and muttered, "We need to go. Now!"

Ever seen an angry goddess? If not, I envy you.

I had never met Demeter, now I wish I never had. Wearing a dress of butterflies and moths and hair made out of moss with tree bark skin-you would never think she was related to Leslie.

She kept catapulting burning carrots and broccoli out of her shot gun.

I shrieked, "At least I have an excuse not to eat my vegetables!"

Once the angry goddess ran out of burning vegetables, she started to will the wheat field to her power making them grow long and tangle us to the ground. One long piece of wheat got Hate, but I quickly broke the middle. But it was too late; the angry harvest villain powered hundreds of Wheat to life.

It twirled and twisted into a circular cage. It slowly turned into wood, than stone.

The wheat calmed down as Demeter walked through the field toward me.

She hissed in a raspy sick voice. "I know who you are." She put long finger under my chin and pointed it up as I tried to resist, gritting my teeth. "You're Destiny Harbour, are you not?" a long green tongue uncurled from her wooden lips. It didn't take long before I realized it was a gardeners snake.

I rushed back. Eyeing the snake, I crept toward the cage, though Demeter close behind.

"You know who I am, don't you?" she let out a cackle.

"What do you want?" I snapped.

Demeter looked flabbergasted. "I want you to make a choice."

"What choice is it?" clearly annoyed with the unclear answer. "Whole grain or white bread? Obviouslyv white." I turned to Hate.

He sat on the other end arms crossed like a kid on a time out. He moaned, "I got beaten by a piece of wheat."

"I came here!" Demeter screamed. "I CAME HERE!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, backing away quickly. But Demeter kept screeching "I CAME HERE!" and following me fast. She opened her mouth wider than it should've; wood bugs and other unruly insects started to pour out.

I heard Hate groaning again as he rolled on his back.

Was I the only one seeing this? Was this a nightmare?

Demeter stopped; she started hissing her snake tongue at me. "Choice," she muttered. "YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE!"

That just proved she was completely nuts.

"What the heck is the choice?"
"You love him right?"

"Who?"

"LESLIE!"

"No, I use to-"

"I SAID YOU LOVE HIM RIGHT?"

"No!"

"I SAID YOU LOVE HIM RIGHT!"

"Fine!"

"You-you die for him-him, r-right?" she nodded about a hundred times.

I looked at her sadly. "I don't know."

"He's in pain right now, you save him? Or you save Hate?"

"But Hate isn't-" I looked at the cage; it was getting intoxicated by some toxic fumes. "Let him go!"

"Which? Tic toc, tic toc."

I ran up to the cage. "Can you breathe?" that was a pretty lame question to ask considering he dying.

"He did nothing for you. Leslie turned this way because of him. It's all because of him."

"Hate," I cried softly. I nodded to Demeter, tears streaming down my face. She knew what I meant.

Leslie.

I started to transport myself as the last thing I saw was the dying body mouthing, "I love you."

I was transported to a stone room. Leslie was writing frantically on a piece of papyrus on a stone desk.

When he noticed me he stood up, shocked, as he shoved the papers behind his back. His eyes were bloodshot, probably from lack of sleep.

Looking like he was ready to slap me, Leslie growled, "What do you want?"

I stroked his cheek. "Why do you have to make me so dearly raged?"

in the Code of Silence

Good Destiny: Hate didn't deserve to die, he had a long life ahead of him.

Bad Destiny: He totally deserved it. He's the one that destroyed Leslie…

Good Destiny:AARRRGGGHHH! It was because of Cronus!

Bad Destiny: Good Destiny?

Good Destiny: Yes?

Bad Destiny: Shut up.

Why did I have to make that choice? I hate choices! The biggest choice I have to make is between Italian pasta and Greek salad! Why did I have to be in the middle?

As for Leslie, he was going completely bizarre. Screaming while throwing papers in the air. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"Just listen!"

"I HATE you, Destiny! What did I ever see in you?"

"Listen," I warned, "Leslie, I get that you want nothing to do with me, but I need one more thing from you."

"NO! You DON'T get it! You kissed HATE in front of me!"

"Leslie-"

"You will NEVER GET IT!"

Then I snapped. I had sacrificed Hate to see if Leslie was alright and all I get is this. It was my turn to get angry. "What if that happened to me? Then what I get it?"

Leslie's eyes went bright. He brought out his wand. The wand that almost killed me a dozen times, the wand that tricked Poseidon, the wand that had the destruction of a thousand pounds of dynamite-the wand that was a stick. But I knew the appearance was deceiving. A green liquid flew out towards me; I tried to pull out my dagger but Hate had it. I knew it was impossible to dodge the strands so I just stood there. I hit the stone wall hard as the green strands tied me on the wall. I heard something crack, probably my spine.

Next Leslie made a giant green "C" in the air. I knew what was coming next-and I didn't like it. Crystal appeared dazed as Leslie leaned over her-and did what I did to Hate. Only then I felt the pain he had felt; first the tingly feeling that he was going to kiss another girl. Then a feeling like a hot iron rod is piercing through your heart. And lastly, a burning head ache.

He let go of her, breathing hard but still smiling. Crystal was in complete and utter shock. She started leaning to her right tripping over her own feet. And finally, almost falling, Crystal disappeared.

He looked at me, grinning. Leslie finally let me down with a wish of his wand. I fell on my back.

My vision was blurry , I could only see splotches of colour. He stood above me looking down.

Leslie muttered some words, but I noticed the spell. "Now every time we touch you will remember the time I almost killed you, the time that I wanted to kill you."

"I'm so sorry," I muttered, though he already left.

Even though I had things to do, I lay on the cold floor, feeling like killing myself.

How could I do that? How could I kiss Hate? How?!

Now I had to face the big guy myself.

Cronus.

Transporting there was easy. Since I'm the daughter of a titan, just thinking about my parents deeply could lead me to the tower of Titans-or in other words; antiOlympus.

I walked around awkwardly, each one of my steps making a clatter of echoes. I flinched remembering what I did to Leslie.

I forced myself to stay focused. No point in saving Leslie if I wept for myself the whole way. If I truly loved Leslie I would help him no matter how hurt I was.

"Is anyone hear?" I wondered, choking back a sob. "Hello?"

"Hello," echoed a familiar voice, "Destiny?"

Cronus crept up behind me. As usual, he had his black suit and bulging muscles. I looked directly in his clock eyes.

"Why," I growled. "You made them both against me! And killed one of them. And Crystal! Oh my god, Crystal! You made me totally lie to her! My best friend!"

He swallowed. "You don't get it-"

I started crying. I never broke out like that, what was the titan doing to me? What was dad doing to me?

He made two chairs appear facing each other. "If it will make you feel any better I will erase your memories with him."

"He was everything! That's like saying you will brainwash me! I lost him once, now I lost him again. I should have never left him alone." Another tear rolled down my cheek. "I need to make a deal with you."

He closed his eyes and let out a sharp breath. "Today I'm really tight in schedule, Hon. Maybe later-"

I dug my nails into Cronus' neck and squeezed. But he sat smiling like my strength didn't hurt him at all. I looked at the blood rolling down his neck.

I let go and started crying again, covering my face with my hands.

I felt like my eyes were drying out even though it was dripping water. I sensed something caressing my back. I didn't bother looking up, until I heard the purring voice of my mother. How I hated that hum of her expression.

Leslie doesn't trust me…

"Get up," Sarah crowed. "I will not stand this foolish behaviour. Girl, get up. You're embarrassing me."
"Get away from me," I whinnied. "You nothing to me!" I tried to stop my fumbling grammar but my tight sniffles caused interruptions in my speech. "I need to talk to Cronus."

"You should start calling him dad, Harbour, we don't appreciate your hip talk."

I tried to ignore the hilarious comment of "hip talk." (Don't even know what that means!)

I looked up slapping her hand away from me. "Cronus," I sniffed again, "I need to borrow a transportation from you. Suppose a horse, donkey, maybe even a car."

"Why, daughter?"

I gritted my teeth. "None of your business."

"Everything's my business, Harbour. I'm the lord of the titans. Ruler of the supreme. Father of Zeus, Hades, Poseidon-"

"Well I'm whoever that is daughter. I she needs help."

"Oh my wise daughter, you shall only seek your destination if didst shall find hope in nothing, and nothing in everything-"

"Dad, enough riddles, I had enough to last me a lifetime."

The lord of time gave me a piece of paper while rolling his clock eyes.

I snatched it away from him walking toward a positively ginormous stone two way door. It creaked open as my command willed it to. I marched in the time barrier, not looking back at my parents. "By the way," I hummed, "I've seen Zeus' mansion, it's way better."

Ok, awkward! My dad is a total drama queen. Or king, lord-whatever. He could own a whole drama city with the name Dramanis and people/Dramaniens. He could live in a mansion with a dramatic dog named Cheerio.

As for me, totally not dramatic. I wouldn't be dramatic if you put me in a two hundred paged dictionary with only the word dramatic written in it.

Anyways, as I expected, the Keledones were as far away as possible. But super Destiny to the rescue! My dad sent a GPS device attached to a horse!

Totally not crazy.

And there wouldn't be any point in calling a taxi-this place was in the middle of nowhere. I'm talking raining in a deserted ghost town.

The buildings were rusted and torn down by the years of hard weather. Some looked like they were burned by a fire. But the small buildings were bars or other ugly stuff.

Slowly galloping on my black horse, I heard creaking sounds as a metal sign broke in half.

I smirked.

This was going to be easy.

My horse stopped abruptly. I stroked its glossy mane.

"What's wrong?" I whispered.

I was suddenly, totally out of the bloom, shaken off by the terrified horse. I hit the dirt hard, getting soaked as a dust cloud made me cough atrociously. I looked at the nasty animal. I screeched as I saw the true form of the animal. Of course it was still black, but wings sprouted viciously out of the back. The teeth were those of a beastly canine, pointy and yellow. Every step it took with its red hooves a small fire would start. But the flames were quickly put out by the rain. Blood drooped from its gigantic feathers, and jaw. It had no eyes except the fur was pealed in a rough circle so you could see the pink flesh.

"Oh my Horse," I muttered.

It let out another ear piercing shriek. It was somehow so high pitched it sounded low. It spread out its dripping wings as it flapped away into the midst of the raining sky.

It looked back, glaring hard, it dropped something hard from the sky. I didn't know which end it came from. But it was shining hard, so I dragged myself to it. I noticed it as soon as I saw.

I thought I burned that..?

I stared at the two pieces of amethyst stone glinting even though the fog was thickening.

I remembered the last time one piece of the stone was in the stomach of a zebra. Cheerios, I think Crystal named it.

The two pieces of expensive stone put together would make the scarf of Aphrodite, one who owns it will have the power to charm anyone under its command.

I picked the stones off the ground. The most powerful item of the god of beauty was once more in my grasp. I slid it in my leather pocket.

The dense clouds were becoming even blacker. They started to make figures I couldn't make out. But when the arms started to form I knew they were monsters.

They were humanoid, with flowing white dresses studded with paint and oil stains. Faces mischievous, long crooked noses with thin sleek eyes welts, scars, and burn marks covered the rough skin. Black hair fell on the five women's broad shoulders greased with black soot.

I welcomed, "Heledones, nice to meet you. You have a very…" I looked at their disgusting appearances. "-positive presences."

No answers.

"And," I continued, "I hear you work for Hephaestus-"

I stopped abruptly as they all started muttering weird clicking sounds to each other as they got out a piece of papyrus and started scribbling on it.

I started tapping my foot as I got bored, which after a couple of minutes I did.

Finally, after five minutes of waiting, they showed the paper to me clicking (or talking) excitedly. I looked at the sheet; there was a bunch of numbers written on it. It just had to be some type of code, but which one?

Obviously the stars meant a different word started and it was a four word sentence that was asking a question.

Five months ago I remember when the titans tried to train me they taught me how to brake a code. First you have to add the first number to each.

2, 19, 6*26,16,22*2, 15*2,13,10,6,15

I tried to uncover it. btf, zpw, bw, bmjfo,

That didn't work.

I tried adding five letters to the original one, doing that than unscrambling it, etc. etc. than finally I gave up. Nothing seemed to work.

I gave the piece of papyrus back to them, I didn't even bother to say anything.

Starting to walk away I heard the chattering behind me. They shoved a different piece of paper at me. I looked at the numbers on the paper hopelessly. Determined to hand it back to them, I clenched my fist and decided not to as the noise of prattling subsided.

I drew a sundial on the ground, an ancient clock, the only way to let me transport myself, but sadly I could only use it three times a day.

Hopeless, I thought, completely utterly hopeless.

Ever drank coffee? I did at the coffee shop. It was the best thing in the menu. It was way better for giving energy than the ostrich eggs. They said it was chicken eggs but it was totally green. Talk about green eggs and ham. I mean seriously, the coffee was truly disgusting. It smelled nice so I got it, but the taste was bitter which made my taste buds want to kill themselves.

Anyways, I was still trying to break the code. Though nothing would work, I kept trying.

I glanced at the menu on the wooden table; there was a kid's game kit with a crossword and stuff. I took it out eyeing cautiously at m surroundings. I smiled; feeling like a weight was lifted off my back. I remembered the one time I went to a coffee shop with Crystal we did one of these.

I slowly edged it open carefully, eyes open to a slit, though when I saw the games inside my eyes pooped out of my sockets.

I tried using this strategy for the code.

First note: Are you an alien?

I raised my brows. What?

Next note:

What was that supposed to mean? Who's Nemesis anyways?! Titan, god, just plain mortal? Oh my titan this is hard!

Next code:

What? Ok, large would mean the capital letters, second would mean to go one letter ahead.

New code:

Still no sense out of that. I put the paper down as I signaled the waiter to get me another coffee.

"Extra caffeine," I ordered.

Taking another sip to the bitter drink, I got another idea, maybe hopeless, but at least an idea. If I changed it to one letter back what would it be? I quickly encoded it.

My eyes widened with excitement, I dropped my coffee, my mouth went dry.

Lost Secret

Happy dancing was now my number one priority. You may think that code meant nothing or made no sense, but in the eyes of the daughter of a titan, it says everything.

Ok, Pride was something to do with Hate, which in the writing says he's a girl, which makes me totally sick to my stomach, because I kissed him. Gah! Anyways, find would most probably mean kill because I found Hate a million times before. But he's dead now, so is Leslie back to normal? Totally not since the way he reacted to me yesterday, or was that normal? I know I wouldn't be friendly to someone that just kissed somebody while dating me. But why wouldn't Leslie forgive me? Maybe it was late reacting, Hates death.

Back to Pride, Hate definably had a lot of Pride. But it was capitalized just like Hate, and Hates a name. Is it possible that Pride is a name as well? Hate is a weird name so Pride is conceivable.

How about 'Nemesis lives?' I had to find out who Nemesis is, and the easiest way is to ask someone. Someone smart, dauntless, and fashionable.

Crystal was obviously at the mall skimming the clothes racks. She acted like I never left.

She held two yellow and red tank tops and two blue and black jeans. "Yellow and blue, yellow and black, red and blue, or red and black?"

Ignoring the question, I apologized about leaving.

Utterly confused, she bafflingly said, "You never left, Destiny. You said you would meet me at the mall after you did some errands."

"I left for like three days!" I didn't really want it to come out in a yelp but I couldn't help it.

Crystal put the clothes back into the rack. "I don't think any of those matches."

"I'm serious, Crystal, I-"-I gritted my teeth-"Leslie must have put you in another trance."

Crystal jaw dropped than whinnied, "Not again!"

I pointed my chin up a little, "I thought he got his lesson five months ago. No worries," I said, clapping my hands together, "but I have some questions for you."

Crystal nodded.

"Ok, Crystal, first of all, do you know who Nemesis is?"

"Of course, Destiny, she's the god of revenge."

I felt like an idiot. Why hadn't I thought of that? What would she have to do with Hate?

"How about Pride?'

"Oh, I know; that's what Leslie lost when he met Hate."

I laughed. "No, like the person."

"Sorry, don't know. But Orithyia might."

"Who's that?" I tried to ask without looking stupider.

"You'll see." At that moment a gust of wing whisked us away to a different place.

The mountain top was freezing as the cold winds swept our hair messily into the air. My ears pooped as I heard Crystal screaming something over the wind.

Nothing happened. She waited another moment as she looked at me than gave me a thumb up to say everything was working fine. But nothing was, I had no idea where we were, what we're happening, and I was experiencing some level of frost bight.

I felt something tickling my feet. I thought it was just some grass but the weird sensation felt like fur.

I closed my eyes and clenched my fist as I let the strong wind swish my hair. I didn't want to look down, I felt icicles form on my lips. After trying to stop the temptation to look at the ground, my inducement won.

My scream lit up the whole city.

The white and grey ferrets were not the scariest creatures, though two million could make a pretty good impression. Draped like a cloth over the snowy mountain top it looked like a river of fur, teeth, and claws. Their sound were squeaks though there were so many it sounded like radio static. They climbed swiftly up the dead trees and rocks, finally, after a teeth breaking moment, a circle formed around us. We were in the only spot with no ferrets. There chirps almost completely stopped, the only sound was the rustle of the snow falling now softly down.

A figure formed out of snow but I couldn't see it exactly. Nevertheless I still knew from previous of journeys, that this was a god of a hero. Let me tell you a fact that you need to know if you're a child of a god of titan, superior deities like to make a impression on you that there more intellect and magnificent than you. Let me tell you, there not. I remember Poseidon did that, Zeus, too.

Anyhow, the figure started with a long cylinder, than out of that two arms and legs sprouted. Fine features sprouted from the now carved face. The long dress was as white as snow, in fact, it was. Her skin was see-through almost, and her necklace gleamed like a million diamonds which trust me, I know looks like.

I gulped, "You must be Olythya."

Crystal whispered in my ear, "Orithyia."

"Orithyia," I corrected nervously.

She smiled coldly.

"W-who are you?"

Soothing like the winter wind she coed, "Me? I'm the princess of Athens, dearie."

"Actually, you used to," Crystal interrupted, "Now you're the goddess of cold mountain air."

Blue fire sparked inside Orithyia's eyes and for seconds I thought she was going to vaporize Crystal. But she didn't, though not cooling her temper any the less.

"I was raped away from my pride! I never wanted to leave, ever!" her cold breath frosted my clothes.

"Actually, your father didn't let you; you would've happily been with Boreas if not that."

"My father had nothing to do with this! He was protecting me from becoming into the person I am today. Instead of ruling inside my city of Athens I am forced to stay in these mountains. Now look what's happening to you people! WAR! You people don't have a ruler to follow. I'm your leader!"

"We came here for some questions," I broke in.

The frosty breath was starting to very painful, though I forced myself to stay strait faced.

"Oh," she thought with a smile, "I thought you just may be the only, or first, people that haven't come here to ask me an interrogation. Just to come and visit me, but meanwhile I don't get any visitors like that, since I now am abducted by Boreas, they are too scared. I'm forgotten."

I was miserable on behalf of Orithyia. No one should be treated like that. However I needed to get Leslie help, I couldn't let these feelings get into my way.

"Do you know who Pride is?"

"Pride?" she looked at me, face like steel, for a moment, than let out a sharp breath. "You shouldn't know who that is. How, Harbour, how do you know?"

"I don't," I admitted, "That's why I'm here with you."

"Each person has pride,"-I nodded-"Hate, the founder of all hatred, was in danger of the gods and titans when he was an infant."

"Why," Crystal wondered.

Shocked, Orithyia added, "He was born by two separates, a titan and god. With that the two sides were enraged with the information. Hate was supposed to die a harsh cruel death, though the two parents would not let their precious child go."

"What happened?" I asked, intrigued.

"The two finally came to an agreement, they would hide the child, and when he was old enough they would take him back. Under the impression that the titans didn't know their plan, Cronus stole the child and brought him to the titan homeland. He was taught the worst things by the ruler, grown up like every god and mortal was an enemy, his life was almost ruined. But he kept the balance of good and evil, since his mother could also undo her revenge and be very pleasant, the steadiness always stayed there."

"Revenge," I said, looking at Crystal.

"Nemesis," Crystal agreed, glaring back.

"Nemesis lives, Hates still alive.

"Who is the other parent, Orithyia?"

"Styx," she answered, stroking her glossy hair.

"The titan of hatred."

"And you are probably wondering why Pride has to do with Hate. Soon Styx found out that Cronus was making his son crazy, so took his pride away from him. He put it in a lady figure, and hid it. Hate will always have his Pride, unless someone finds her, and puts an end to the strategy. Death. Only that way Hate could die."

"Than what do we do?" I said.

Suddenly all the ferrets began back into motion, covering Orithyia in grey and white. The wind and snow picked up again as my hair whipped me across my face. The mountain wind goddess was diminishing against the force of the furry creatures. But I knew that she wasn't dying, she was leaving us on our own. The lasts of her words I would ever hear ringed in my ears like an alarm clock. "Love is stronger than might, Mexico."

"We're going to Mexico," I informed Crystal. "Anything for Leslie, right?"

She nodded her head but said nothing. I knew she wasn't sure. Why? Why wold she give up? Weren't friend always supposed to be beside each other every moment of difficulty, every cliff or bump? Every crack or crevice? Every step of the way? But the problem was; I didn't know if Leslie was still our friend.

I did not know.

One word came to my mind as I stepped into Mexico.

Pollution.

You wouldn't see clouds, you'd see smog. Every step you would step on litter. Disgusting, complete and utterly disgusting.

Why would Styx send Pride here?

"Crystal," I observed, "Do you think Pride's human? Or animal?"

She looked at me directly, completely ignoring my question, and declared, "We don't have to do this if we don't want to."

I waited a moment. This was one of the few times I was completely shocked. "I want to do this, Crystal, for Leslie."

"Leslie's not Leslie anymore," she snapped. "He's gone, forever."

"And somehow you are, too. You wouldn't give up on him." I looked at the busy streets with red lights and sirens wailing everywhere, smog filling my eyes. "Hate has gotten to you too, make you into an outrageous nothingness. You got to stay strong."

But when I looked back at my ex-best friend, there was nothing but the remains of pink fog. I wasn't surprised; Hate's power was just too strong.

I started walking away slowly, hand in my leather pockets, I didn't look sad of angry, but inside I was boiling. The flame inside me was weak, or, most probably, diminished.

Why has life got to be so hard? Or was it me just falling into the hands of evil?

How would I find Pride? I still didn't know exactly where she was. But even with the traffic and pollution, the food was the best. Burritos were better than good; they were flawless, and way better than the coffee.

Wouldn't it be nice if I could meet her in a restaurant? Burrito restaurant? Hotel? Hotel might be a good way to camouflage into the human ways. That was my best bet yet. And that doesn't mean it has to be a good one.

Hotel Maria Cristina was my last stop; the other hotels had no trace of anything to do with Pride.

Plus, my brochure, 'good days in Mexico', repeatedly showed their logo.

I hailed a taxi to drop me off there. The tattered seats scraped across my skin and reeked of onions.

Thankful to be out of the torture device, I was in awe of the tremendous amount of architecture the hotel had. I stood there in amazement my bag slung over my shoulder for just until a bicycle almost took my arm off.

The large hotel was a shade of pink, shaped cube like. The rectangle windows had a roof of red metal carved wavy on the top while on the bottom is a porch with designed metal on it. The roof was red and crimped like on the windows. Under the two giant windows was a dome like entrance made of finely carved stone, on top of it there was a beautiful green bush shaped around.

Walking inside the hotel was even more amazing. The first thing that caught my attention was the magnificent spiral staircase with beautiful metal linings. The floor was pattered with white tiles with decorative cream colored patterns. Beautiful wooden pillars separated another area with a dark red carpet with a tiled fire place. An intricate picture loomed above on a wall beside cream coloured curtains. Pretty brown sofas sat everywhere with tables positioned in the dead centre. People were rushing ubiquitously.

This seemed like the perfect place for Pride.

Obviously Pride would live in a high materialistic world to raise her ego. Just knowing that Hate didn't have his pride when I met him scared me. Oh how I missed Hate.

Anyways, I went to the granite front desk and questioned, "May I speak to the manager?"

The woman behind the desk had an extremely tight bun in her hair with an ugly grey loose shirt tucked into the tight dark grey skirt which was long and her face was dreary and evil.

"Who are you?" she croaked.

"Uh…" I tried to figure out what to say. "I am doing a project on hotels at school, so I'm going around and interviewing managers."

I don't know if you noticed but mortals are easily tricked by the excuse of a "school project."

"Very well," she sighed. She called a few words in some foreign language. "Please proceed where the man in the blue jacket shows you."

As for that a man came to me as he ushered me to a room. Inside were hundreds of filing cabinets and files, and one desk.

The woman sitting on the other side of that desk was much like the woman in the front desk, nothing like Hate. Grey hair, ugly clothes, and dark eyes. But this was the only lead I had…and I heard they sold burritos here.

She glanced at me from her laptop slightly. "What do you want?" she grumbled.

Now I was starting to see Hate in her. "I need to ask you some questions."

She raised her brows and put her pen down. "What may that be?"

"Well it shows how much of each subject you need to know to be a hotel manager. Or how much percentage of each question was correct."

The manager seemed satisfied, and I think that was pretty good from the tip of my tongue.

"Ok," I started, "Who is Elvis Presley?"

"A famous singer."

"What is the first five numbers of the Fibonacci sequence?"

"1,1,2,3,5,8."

"The Klondike Gold Rush is?"

"One of the most extreme gold rushes in Dawson city."

"How do you spell onomatopoeia?"

"O.N.O.M.A.T.O.P.O.E.I.A?"

"Correct."

She nodded.

"Who is Pride?"

"Me of course-" her face went pale. "Oops."

I started laughing. "Got ya."

"What do you want?" Pride growled.

"Well I want to kill you for one reason. No offense or anything."

"You want to kill Hate? How would you?"

"How would I not?" but I still had doubt in my words. I didn't have the heart to do kill someone, I couldn't. I put my hands over my eyes and let out a sharp breath, I slipped one hand in my pocket. But when I looked up, Pride had vanished.

Dang, I hate when that happens. Especially when they leave a monster back to finish me off, this time it was a Hippalectryon, with the fore parts of a rooster and the body of a brown stallion. It was the weirdest monster I have ever seen. It's green and blue colored hair falling curly on its back. Its beady red eyes looking straight at you as its beak growled angrily, yellow, red, and orange feathers starting at the bottom of its neck. The Hippalectryon's tail made of colored green and blue feathers, getting longer at the top. Its gigantic rooster legs strong and sturdy.

It whinnied at me as I unsheathed my dagger. This monster was strong, and over twice my size.

I felt like crawling into a ball and never coming out again, but I have faced far worse encounters, this was not impossible.

I charged holding my breath, I wasn't tired before but when I went for it my muscles seemed to melt into nothing.

I tried to set my mind strait. Steady, now the Hippalectryon is most likely going to come at me from the left. And it did, so I smashed its nose with my knife, blood poured tremendously as the eyes of the monster flare with anger.

I fell to my knees as something hit me from behind. I remembered only once so much anger from the second Hippalectryon when I hurt its friend. First, it went for my head, than when it almost bit it off I moved, but it aimed for my head. It was smaller than it looked because it was fluffing out its feathers but it was still scary.

I knew from just the attach strategies that one was a female because she kept trying to take a bite out of me or stab the beak into my stomach. But the other one was a male because of him just trying to rip chunks out of me.

It was noticeably agile, strong, powerful, sturdy and smart, almost impossible to beat, but it was worth a try. As I slashed at the male; it whimpered and glided shortly back.

I was amazed for a short period of time before the female tried to nip my head off at the stealth of this giant creature. It weighed tons though could fly into the air with ease.

Anyways, the unhurt Hippalectryon lunged at me and pulled a chunk of hair from the back of my head out. I went in a trance of shock as I fell hard on the stone ground. My vision turned black for a couple of seconds as I closed my eyes, but when I opened my eyes I saw red.

Blood. My blood.

My image turned black once more for another following. Leslie came into the still black background, wearing a scull bone t-shirt with white pants.

He purred, "Give it up, Destiny, you're never going to change us, your nothing against Hates power."

Who are us?

At that moment Crystal walked into the midnight colored scenery, and I almost couldn't believe my eyes.

Not Crystal!

Crystal was wearing a purple with black lacing tight buster with tight black leggings and multiple gold belts on her waist. Her boots were inches off the ground with a high heel way too high. Crystal's hair was longer than usual and her eye shadow remained way too thick.

My best friend was now in Hate's command once more.

Why, I thought, why does this have to happen?

"He's telling the truth. Save yourself, and come join us, were you're friends, we know what's best," her soothing voice hummed.

"You don't have to worry, work, do anything but have fun," Leslie persisted, bending the thoughts of my brain.

"Of course, follow us, be our friend." She showed me a river of fire that formed suddenly, with only placed stones to cross.

I shook my head rapidly. "I can't."

"Why don't you trust us? We're your friends, Destiny. I wouldn't harm you, I love you."

"I love you to, Leslie, but-" Leslie tilted his head. "But I can't."

"C'mon, Leslie," Crystal started, looking back at me in disgust, "some things are too good to be true."

My vision turned back to me lying with blood soaking the ground and my clothes and me with many broken ribs.

I looked around, half expecting to see the Hippalectryon charging at me, but I didn't. They probably thought I was dead, even I thought I was for some moments.

Now what do I do? I thought, but before I could start thinking completely, I was whisked away somewhere else. But I sensed something. I sensed hatred.

I was took away to a tent. My surroundings were all white and I was on a bed with a vase beside it. Hate was looming above me, putting his hand on my fore head.

"Are you ok," he asked worryingly. But I didn't have time to answer. I had passed out.

When I had awoken, I felt sick to my stomach, my head was pounding, and my teeth wouldn't stop chattering.

Hate was gone.

I looked at myself to see all the blood wiped away, though my ribs were probably still broken. My hair was cleaned and neatly put into a pony tail, and I was wearing pajamas. The pants were fluffy and white with red hearts on them, and I was wearing a white tank top with a fuzzy pink bath robe. My feet were bare.

I snuggled harder to with the white blanket, but a sharp pain sprung a scream instead.

Hate came running in the room. "Don't move; the medicine doesn't have results short term."

"What medicine, Hate, and where am I?"

"It's ambrosia, it will help you If you don't move."

"How do I not move?"

"Just lay still," Hate answered patiently, pushing me gently down on the bed. "I'm sorry for what happened."

"Why didn't you tell me about Pride?"

"Because…because I didn't want you to think-I don't know."

"You turned Crystal around," I said, enraged, "Why are you doing this?" I tried to get up again but Hate pressed me back down.

"I don't know why you don't like us, Destiny. We're just like just like you, we care about each other. You wouldn't be alive right now if I hadn't come to your aid."

"I would have happily died."

"You know you don't mean that," he observed, stroking my cheek. "Come join us, be our companion."

I stayed silent for a long time. "But how?"

"We're going to the river of fire soon, if you want we can move it till you heal, and you can tag along."

River of fire, that sounds familiar.

I needed to make a plan, quick; maybe I could stop Hate there so he could stop sabotaging everything.

"Sure," I lied. "That would be great."

He bent down and kissed me, "I knew you were like us. I knew it forever."

Talk about awkward. Lying temporarily handicapped wasn't fun. Let alone getting constantly stared at by the everyday mind twisting ego maniac.

Leslie and Crystal on the other hand were making me uncomfortable. They came here about an hour after I decided to join them on their scheme to the river of fire.

Crystal just sat on a white sofa texting on her iphone. Leslie kept walking toward me like a complete moron and touching the bald spot on my head given to me by the horse rooster.

"Leslie," I whinnied, "Why do you keep touching my bald spot?"

"What bald spot?" he laughed.

I touched my head, and felt hair back there again.

"H-how did you do that?"

"I'm the son of the Harvest, I make things grow."

And make things die, I added in my mind.

"Can you make this grow?" I picked up a dried up red rose from the vase beside my bed.

Hate eyed us from the corner of his eyes.

"Sure." The rose started by shedding off its red petals and skin till it was nothing.

"Wow," I said unsatisfied. "You made it die."

"No," Leslie said, coming closer to me and showing me his empty hands, "Just wait." A tiny green stem started sprouting out of Leslie's hand, eventually forming a white bud and turning into a white rose. The smell was like heaven; beautiful. But there was one problem.

"Why is it white?" Crystal wondered.

Hates eyes widened, and his mouth opened to scream, but nothing came out, so it was even more terrifying.

But the rose was soon getting leaked with a maroon coloured liquid.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"I don't know," admitted Leslie.

An ear piercing scream left us all shaking. It wouldn't stop. The air filled with the scent of blood. Hate snatched the rose from Leslie and compressed it between his feet and the ground. The scream went much higher pitched, like a whistle, and finally, it stopped.

Hate's eyes stayed wide, and so did ours. This was not normal.

"What happened?" Leslie squeaked.

We all looked at Hate, but he was too busy getting over the shock.

Crystal finally sighed, "Zokhel."

"What's that?"

She looked at us each in turn. "Every person has a rose, the rose is naturally white, but when the rose is yield by its master, it is now the controller's life, saviour, health, love, mind, and death. The ruler's blood leaks into the petals, draining it in red overnight. If the rose is taken by anyone else, the master's life now bends in their command. They will never be able to let the thief go, no matter what the master mind does. Though a life of a flower stays deep in the soul, and is only destructed by the deep and harmonious. Only demolished by the master's true love ripping it in front of the captive of affection as its struggling to get out of the forest of Hate."

"That's crazy," I noted.

"Do you seriously think I'm kidding?"

But before I could answer, Hate budged in, "Anyways, maybe we should move on and forget this ever happened. What would you like for dinner-?"

Crystal interrupted, "Why was that dead rose a Zokhel?" she looked at the vase of roses. "If it's dried than that means that the master of it is dead, why do you have a dead zZokhel, Hate?"

We all looked at him. Hate straitened his posture and pointed his chin. "It-it was a gift from m-my…pet cat." Satisfied with the answer, Hate nodded.

"Could the rest of the roses be Zokhels too?"

I started to slip under the blanket because I was starting to get freaked out, but Hate probably noticed because he came to my side to assure me nothing was wrong. But there was something wrong, there were many things wrong. Even Crystal and Leslie who were under Hate's power sensed something wrong.

"Answer my question Hate."

Leslie said, terrified, "Was the scream a-a person coming back from the dead?"

"No," Hate lied.

My heart started to beat faster.

Crystal put her hands in surrender. "I'm getting out of here." And she left the room.

"Right behind you," Leslie added, exiting as well.

Now I was left alone with a murderer, a serial killer.

I glanced hardly at Hate and asked, "How many people have you killed?"

Hate gave me hard glare, and then sat beside me. He stroked my hair. "I don't want to answer that."

I nodded, feeling tears well up in my eyes for the souls he must've murdered. "Am I going to be one of them?"

Hate didn't answer, I felt the air drop by twenty degrees, and I started shivering. Hate left the room to get a blanket. He came back minutes after.

I figured I wouldn't need to ask him to find that out. Yes, Hate would kill me sooner or later, and there was no questioning of it.

with Darkness

I had to stay in the house for a couple of days because my ribs were badly damaged, but that didn't let me trust Hate nonetheless. But, in that time, I had made a plan to destroy Hate once and for all; I would make Hate trust me that I had fallen into his command, and then steel his Zokhel when Hates sleeping. But I had to stay focused to not realistically bend to his will, because it is easy to fall into the person's path if you are acting like them. I would somehow make the rose die making Hate see the darkness he deserved. The only problem was I didn't know how to take a Zokhel, let alone destroy it. It's got to be harder than just ripping it to pieces.

I dressed into black jeans and a white blouse, my hair was in a high pony tail.

"Are we going to the River Of Fire now, Hate?" I asked.

"Of course," Hate informed, putting on his black hoodie.

We got together at Oliver Lake, even though I could hear Leslie begging on the phone not to. Then we started to discuss which would be the fastest transportation to get to The River of Fire.

Crystal yawned, "We cannot use a chariot made vegetables, Leslie, for the millionth time."

Hate added, "And the last time we tried to do that, a group of seagulls had the off appetite for asparagus."

"Fine," Leslie grumbled.

"I could just transport us by drawing a sundial," I put in, like everybody was idiots.

"Destiny," Crystal said sarcastically, "We don't need you're drawings, we need to get to the river of fire!"

"That's what I mean." I started to draw the ancient clock, and in s flash, we were at the river.

Crystal was dazed as she blinked awkwardly. "I'll give that to you."

The place looked exactly like when I passed out because of the Hippalectryon.

There was a thick line of lava gushing in the never ending mountains of black coal. We were in one of the two lands of coal. The stream of molten red lava occasionally slushed out of the barriers, which made it hard to not transport yourself back to where you came from. But huge grey rocks which made a path were almost the only thing that was not burning, or at least hot. In fact it was freezing, so much so that it had icicles forming on them. It was hard to internalize the bitter beauty of this dwelling, the Coal Mountains, looking like a boundless sea of darkness. The stones in the lava, like a stalactite in a volcano. And the red river, like water filled with boiling blood.

"What are we supposed to do now?" I probed.

"Just wait," Crystal said smiling, "You will see."

I started to see splotches of light in my eyes, as I got a minor head ache. But as I started to get uncontrollably dizzy, it felt like a hammer was knocking at my brain. Every time my heart beat I felt a sharp pain in my chest, my legs felt like lead. I sat down for balance, and closed my incredibly sore eyes, but the feeling wouldn't pass, it would become worse.

"I-I think I'm going to go h-home," I stuttered, getting a stick to draw a sundial.

Leslie grabbed my wrist. "You're not going anywhere."

I tried to pry myself out of his hands but I was even too weak to hold myself up, so I just sat there, sick.

"What are you doing?" I cried.

"You didn't know what the River of fire is, did you," Hate hummed. "It takes away you're memory, you're good memory, Destiny. You become one of us, or as you think, monsters."

"I told you," Crystal taunted, "we will never change."

I tried another vain attempt of freeing myself, but the three overpowered me, greatly.

My knees buckled as my eyes slowly closed. Crystal hovered above me laughing hysterically, like an echo. But I still had one hope, stupidity.

With all my will power I got up wearily.

"You're going to kill yourself," Leslie laughed.

But I threw myself at Crystal; I would never have got her off balance if I hadn't made her so shocked. I took the rest of my will power and punched a hole in her arm. Her scream would have hesitated me, but I was too busy taking her Zokhel out. I took the drooping red rose and walking ghastly-back hunched forward in pain-and held the rose over the river of lava.

"One wrong move and Crystal gets it."

The two shocked boys looked into Crystal's glassy eyes.

"How could you?" Leslie gasped.

"You might want to get away from the lava, Destiny, if it touches you, you will get wiped out of all you're memories," Hate warned, he started to approach me.

I let the rose drop a little from my hand. Hate stopped immediately.

Crystal let out a groan, I looked at her from the corner of my eye; there was blood everywhere.

"You will never get away with this, Destiny," Leslie snapped.

I felt a sharp snap at my back, than followed by agonizing, excruciating pain, then darkness. The lava had touched me.

Didn't remember anything. Not my name, where I was from, who I was, or why I didn't remember anything. All knew was that I had to kill someone named Hate, didn't even know why.

Anyhow, I was just in a white tent. I mean everything waswhite. And there was a vase of dead roses beside my bed.

A boy came in the room. He had orange hair, bright blue eyes, soft features, and freckles splashed on his face. He had a black shirt with a leather jacket on top and black pants. He looked about fourteen-fifteen.

"Are you ok?" he asked, worried.

"W-who are you?" I stuttered; a puzzled look wiped on my face.

"You must have amnesia, Destiny, that blow was pretty hard."

"W-what blow?"

"We were out hiking with Leslie and Crystal and an avalanche broke out. Destiny, you're lucky you're alive."

"Am I Destiny?"

"Yes, you're Destiny Harbour, daughter of the great Cronus."

"Who's Cronus?"

"Oh my, you don't remember anything do you?"

"Are you my friend?"

"Oh, more than that, I'm your boyfriend."

"So can I trust you?"

He took my hand. "With your life."

"I remember I have to kill someone named Hate." The boy's eyes seemed to swell up a little. "I don't know why."

He hugged me. "We will find out who and why, ok, sweetie?"

"Ok."

"Now, since you don't remember anything I guess I should refresh your memory."

Ok, so now I had some clue of what was happening with my life.

"One of my friends' names was Leslie, the other one Crystal. Even though I didn't meet them yet, I thought they were going to be great. I, Destiny Harbour was the daughter of the time titan/the ruler of all titans, Cronus. Leslie was the son of Demeter, goddess of harvest; Crystal was the daughter of the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. And, all of us are on the menu for monsters. Is that correct, Dalen?" I repeated.

"Correct, Destiny, and Crystal and Leslie should be coming soon," Dalen informed, my boyfriend informed.

Right that moment the door swung open and what I guessed were Crystal and Leslie.

The boy, Leslie had brown hair, tanned skin, and mischievous features, his nose thin and long and face bony. He wore a black skull T-shirt and white jeans with chains on them.

Crystal, my best friend-as Dalen informed-was beautiful. Light skin, wavy blonde hair-but not so much that it looked white-and it looked that she was just perfect in every way possible. Crystal had on black shorts and a red sleeveless top.

I got out of the bed suddenly and hugged both of them so hard they couldn't breathe.

"You must be Leslie, and you must be Crystal!" I said, hyperventilating.

"Are you ok?" asked Crystal, worried. "I heard you got amnesia."

"I did, Crystal, but I'm doing fine now, I guess Dalen overreacted on the avalanche problem."

Crystal and Leslie's jaw dropped. "Dalen?" Crystal barged.

"Avalanche?" Leslie heaved.

"Anyways, remember she got hit by an avalanche while we were hiking?"

"Oh yeah," Crystal said, not reassured.

Dalen leaned toward my friends and whispered something.

Crystal and Leslie nodded slowly.

"Ok Dalen," Crystal corrected, winking her eye at him, "what else did you explain to her?"

Hate explained, "How you're her best friend, Leslie's another of her friends and I'm her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?!" Leslie screeched.

Crystal rolled her eyes.

"Ok," Hate continued, "We should probably go somewhere and do something than rather just sit in this room."

"Boyfriend?" Leslie muttered as we all started walking out the door.

Ok, now we were in a park. The sky was bright blue and the streets were s noisy as ever with people rushing in every direction. The field had one huge green slope going down sharply, the grass was fresh and the small was enthralling.

Dalen explained, "This is where I start teaching you how you were before the whole incident with amnesia, Destiny." He gave me an enchanting gaze.

Leslie coughed loudly. "We teach you," he corrected.

Crystal rolled her eyes, again, and I got the idea that the boys were always like this, and we always had to put up with this behaviour.

"Anyhow, Destiny," Hate sustained, "what we friends like to do is windup people, right?"

Crystal and Leslie nodded.

"And we usually never get caught. But if we do…"-he raised one brow and gave silence for suspense-"we give the biggest lie we possibly could do and keep branching out from there till we could flash out."

"How do we flash out?" I questioned. Dalen gave me another one of his charismatic looks.

He handed me a paper with a picture on it. I noticed it immediately.

"A sundial?" I asked.

"The only way you could transport," Dalen informed, grinning.

"How does it work?"

"Magic, the same thing I see every time I look into your beautiful eyes."

Leslie growled, "Oh put a sock in it, Dalen."

Dalen rolled his gorgeous eyes. "Anyways, if mr. can't handle the truth is done yapping I'll continue talking. Destiny, going back to level one of L.D.D.C-"

"What's the L.D.D.C," I interrupted.

"The Leslie Destiny Dalen Crystal association, or the lucky days doing crazy."

Leslie added happily, "Or Demeter dancing crazy leg!"

"Leslie, for the last time, we don't need what you call 'jokes'."

"Fine, how about…loving double decker cars?"

Dalen shook his head.

"Canine donkeys dating lobsters?"

More sarcastic head shakes.

"Lotus dweebs cutting donuts?"

Finally ignoring the disturbing sentences by Leslie, I furrowed my brows and returned my undivided attention to Dalen. "Go on."

"We learn how to pick pocket, lie, and steel in the first level."

"Isn't that wrong?"

"And so is Leslie's grammar, but we don't mind."

"Hey!" Leslie remarked.

"This doesn't make sense."

"Honey, if everything in this world made sense, Crystal would've been in an internship for fashion designing right now."

"So true," Crystal sighed.

Dalen nodded. "So maybe we should start with lying. And, before I forget, I told you about the monsters, Destiny, and this use to be the weapon you always carried. A couple slashes with this and the creature is toast." Dalen handed me a piece of white cloth over something. "It's your dagger."

I opened the white cloth carefully, and inside was, like he said, a dagger. Made out of pure steel, pictures of death carved on it with delicate care.

"Thank you," I recognized, "Dalen, it's beautiful."

"It was given to you by your father, Destiny, hand made by the Cyclops before he sent them to the underworld. If you prick yourself or your loved ones the pain that you have, will go away into the fine steel, but if you stab an enemy, all the pain that was stored in the dagger will fill the predator's blood."

"Wow," I sighed, truly amazed by the magnificence of the dazzling dagger.

"Anyhow, I can't stay too long on one subject; I need to get back to the lying topic."

I didn't want to move on, I had so many questions, and now my memory and life was in Dalen's hands. He was the only one I could trust with the truth.

"Fine."

"Ok, I'm going to act like I caught you shoplifting. Ok, what do you think you're doing?!"

"I was-uh…"

"Wrong!" Dalen said, planting a hand on his shaking head.

"I even didn't do anything!"

"That's the point; you can't ever not wait like you're guilty. Let's try it again."

"Wrong, for the sixtieth time. You're shoulder's backing away from me which lets me know you're uncomfortable."

"This is level one?! And no it won't, it only lets you, because you are paranoid."

"Now try it one more time…"

"Forget it, Dalen, I'm bored."

"You're going to need the training, trust me. It doesn't come that easy."

"Oh yeah, watch me." I started to walk to one of the shops. "Leslie, come."

"Ok," Leslie obeyed, rather squeaky.

"Now I'm going to shoplift, you are going to tell on me, ok?"

"Got it."

I went into a corner store named Hannibal's Elephant, and not to my surprise, there were a bunch of stone elephants made of every stone, little and large.

"May I help you?" asked a cheerful woman behind the counter. She had blonde hair pulled into a tight ponytail and a dress with nevertheless more elephants printed on it.

"N-no I'm fine," I stuttered

I started to quiver. I guess Dalen was right, this wasn't that easy.

I looked at the woman; she was organizing some files. I picked up a small elephant no bigger than my nail made of stone and slipped it in my pocket. I winked at Leslie.

"Um excuse me," Leslie gestured, starting the act, "I just saw that girl slipping that stone elephant inside her pocket."

The first cheerful owner came rushing towards me angrily. "You better stay right there, missy. You are in such big trouble."

I forced myself not to run away and stay strait faced.

"What happened?"

"Oh you know what you did."

"No, what do you think I did that I didn't that you didn't know that I didn't do?"

"What?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You stole that elephant."

"I was just seeing how much it weighed because I'm going to Z-zapan and I could only carry so many bags."

I crossed my eyes and bit my lip rethinking what I said, but it was the best I could think of.

The store owner let out a sharp breath. "Zapan?"-I bit my tongue so hard that it started bleeding. "Sorry, honey, you got caught."

"Wait!" I halted, rejecting the gesture for her to put the cuffs on me, "I meant Japan."

She took out a notepad and pencil. "No can do, I'm a trained professional, I don't get fooled easily."

"At what, selling stone elephants?"

She squeezed the pencil in frustration. "Shoplifting and questioning my job, sigh, I guess I need to right you up for two crimes."

"I'm sorry, it's just I never get in trouble, and I don't do good under pressure, you know what I mean?"

She looked at the roof like she was looking at something. "Actually, I do."

I don't like where this is going…

"Do you see it?"

"No," I said, freaked, walking back. "See what?"

She pointed up where she was looking, not blinking. "My vision."

I looked at the wall where she was looking. Nothing. Just a really bad dry walling job and spider webs.

Even with no clue what the creep was doing, I tried to listen.

"I saved all my money when I was twelve to get a cute retriever puppy…"

Apparently, according to the puppy lover slash crazy elephant store owner, she wanted a puppy but couldn't get one because she kept stuttering and she had no friends to explain for her.

Ok, it wasn't that weird. Just enough to think she was crazy. But I listened to her story and she almost let me go. Dalen was right, my shoulder did matter.

"You liar and crazy puppy hater! I would smell that shoulder from a mile away!" she shrieked.

"Ok," I bargained, "call my parents' number and they'll reason with you."

The woman smirked. "Fine."

She handed me the piece of paper. The problem was, I didn't know what their number was, they probably didn't have one. It was most likely for me to show Dalen I could deal with lying without any help by branching out from the one lie. And that's exactly what I did.

She gave me the notepad and pencil she was holding. I started to write a bunch of random numbers down; 6,8,9,4,2,7,3.

She took the notepad back nodding. "I see, I see." I crossed my fingers behind my back. "Here's my phone, call them now."

"Oh wait!" I interrupted, not knowing what to do next. "I think I put the wrong number.

"Oh no, I don't trust you, you lied enough." She dialed the numbers and then put it beside her ear. I could hear it ringing. "Uh-huh. Yes, yes, uh-huh. Of course, just as I thought. This isn't a number."

"That's what I mean, puppy lady, I mis-did the numbers. Let me do them again. Please?"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but don't even think about doing anything funny."

I took the notepad once more and did some pretend scribbling. I didn't know what to do, but I didn't have any time, the crazy puppy lady was already staring at me intently. I drew one sign and one sign only, than disappeared. The last thing I remembered from HANNIBALS' ELEPHANTS was the notepad collapsing on the wooden ground and the pencil clattering with a hallow sound.

"Well?.." I hummed at Leslie, as we walked on the green field to Dalen and Crystal. "What do you think Dalen will say?"

"I think you did pretty well," Leslie answered, not reassured

"You're lying."

"You know me too well."

"But I don't get it, it seemed so easy, but it actually wasn't, Leslie. Why is this so hard?"

"Don't worry, Destiny, you lost everything you knew before, we wouldn't expect you to remember this."

"But I'm under average! Dalen said it himself!" I whinnied.

"You wouldn't imagine how bad people are at telling lies, Destiny, the good thing is you weren't scared, and you won in the end."

I groaned tilting my head backwards. I saw Dalen and Crystal in the abyss. They were staring at me, so I started to slowly side step cowering behind Leslie.

You wouldn't believe how much I didn't want to see Dalen at that moment, which would be the least of things I would want to do then.

Leslie started stopping as he noticed me cowering behind him as he glanced back at me, brows furrowed. "Destiny, what are you doing?"

"Uh…" I stepped back at Leslie's side. "Nothin."

Leslie took one more long stare at me, then his stern face started to soften. His mouth didn't smile but the on the side did crook up.

At that very moment, as I tried to decide if Leslie thought I was going crazy or not, I fell sprawling on the ground as I raced backwards. I had just enough time to scan back and see a long green vine taking me back.

I reacted immediately, unsheathing my dagger. I tried to reach back but gravity was failing me now, the force of wind blocking my lungs, freezing my brain, working against my hands.

I couldn't see anything but a blur of natural colors. I tried to grab on to something, anything, but it was no use, there was nothing. I felt like my flesh was ripping off my face.

Is this it? I thought. Is it all over, as soon as I come back again?

I raked my brain for something to help me, and something crossed my mind. If you stab an enemy, all the pain that was stored in the dagger will fill the predator's blood. Dalen had said that when he handed me my dagger, and I had took great interest in it, but why had I now forget what it did.

I took to note, but I'm not a predator, I'm the ruler, and what was the other thing it could do?

Something suddenly clicked, like a last piece of a puzzle; if you prick yourself or your loved ones the pain that you have, will go away into the fine steel.

I had not time to waste, I pricked myself in the arm. First I felt excruciating pain, like there were a million needles that just shot up my body, inside out. Then an agonizing headache.

How could I be so wrong? Dalen told me! Was it just a hallucination?

Then everything became clear. And I mean clear. First all the pain went away slowly, than the led feeling in my neck cleared as I could see the abyss again. The speed was still going fast, but I it didn't feel deathly, it felt like a slow gallop on a horse, the warm breezy going through my hair. I slowly glared at the green weed tied around my foot, pulling me toward nowhere.

Was this how scary monsters got? But right then, it didn't seem terrifying at all. It was like an ant against an elephant, a mouse against a cat.

With that thought, I chopped the vine off my foot, with a little bit still wrapped around my ankle. It grew back, but it didn't bother me the least bit, I just sliced again but this time fully. I didn't stop sliding though, like when you sprint a hundred meters and then it's hard to stop immediately, so I solved the easy problem by planting my dagger in the ground. It stopped with a minor spark of pain in my shoulder.

I got up grinning, wiping dirt off my shoulders.

"No one messes with Destiny," I said aloud. "No one except-"

Everything turned black.

But I still could think like I was conscious.

What's happening? Am I dead? Am I dying? Am I under a blindfold?

Everything was still black, but a man's voice came on.

"I am the titan of time, I get back the time of the past like it's part of the present, I never lose sight of the past, it's part of me, it's part of time. And that's the same for you, Destiny dear. You will always get flash backs of the future when you lose your memory, you, my dear, are the daughter of time."

My father's voice was like a slap on the back. I couldn't handle this, I just couldn't.

I returned to reality.

I was still standing, totally and completely flabbergasted.

I muttered, "Oh my god."

I looked at the green hills.

"Oh my god," I mumbled again. And for the third time, "Oh my god."

came true

Surprisingly I was still I the green hills, Dalen, Leslie, and Crystal beside me.

"What happened?" I questioned. "How long was I gone?"

"About thirty seconds," Crystal answered.

"And we just tested how good you are at battling the remaining Greek monsters."

"I could have died!" I argued.

"Uh, hold that thought." Dalen pointed his chin up like he was thinking of a plan. "Yup, you could have died."

I started to breathe heavier. Was this some type of joke? I'm not like them, I can't battle Greek monsters, and I can't fight the gods. It's just not…me. I started fiddling with my leather jacket buckle. "Why doesn't this feel right?"

All of them stopped what they were doing and stared at me, shocked or more closely scared. None of them said anything as they started to give short glances at each other.

Crystal finally stuttered, "W-what do you –m-mean?"

"I don't feel like this is what I did all my life."

Another long moment of complete silence of utter astonishment, this so called quietness was not working out for me.

Dalen suddenly came and gave me a hug, but longer than usual. "Please don't leave us like Zoe Lauderdale."

My body tensed up as I felt something wet on my neck trickling down. Was that a…tear? No, it couldn't be! Dalen wouldn't cry, he couldn't! "Who's that?"

Dalen still wouldn't let go so I moved away from him. He put his hands over his face, and started weeping.

Crystal stepped forward and explained, "She also got amnesia like you, but instead she got the syndrome in a harsher, more painful way-"

Dalen let out another burst of sobs, and I tried to ignore, but even with all my wits into that it was difficult. "What happened?" I wondered.

Crystal took a long deep breath, and when she continued, it was obvious this was a touchy subject, since it was like she was going to burst out crying like Dalen any moment, and her voice went two octaves higher. "She was in a fight with your father, then he-he…snapped, and broke her wrist clean off. She would have healed no doubt with the right medical care and ambrosia, but the pain pierced through her body like a hot iron rod, and she fell to the hard stone ground, and cracked her head."

Dalen's spasm spiraled out of control. So much so that Dalen lost balance and fell to the ground, ending up in more cries. He crouched into a ball on the grass.

I looked at the wimp two seconds ago I thought was a proud young warrior. Boy was I wrong.

But truly, I liked the sense of humility and shyness. It showed that he wasn't all pride, that he was willing to take a step back and be someone normal for a change.

I kneeled beside my weeping boyfriend and put my arm around him. "It's all going to be alright," I whispered, "it's going to be all right."

Hid pleading cries subsided for a mercy of our ears. I looked at Crystal; she wasn't bawling like Dalen but you could still see little trickles of water running down her cheek.

She wiped the water off quickly. And this time obviously crying, said in a soft voice, "Zoe lived, and when we taught her how we were before, she happily took the information in."

"Well that's great! Then where is she now?" I patted Dalen's back to try to make him happier.

Everyone went silent, except for Leslie, which was standing there mutely at the side. He continued Zoe's aggravating story. "Crystal said she took the information in, she never said us."

"But how could she do that? Wasn't she you're friend?"

"That's what we thought," Dalen sniffled. "And she said the exact same thing you told us the day she abandoned us. Our name use to be Z.L.D.D.C, but she's somewhere we don't know now."

I looked at the now the three crying warriors. Seriously? I put my arms around Dalen, giving him a hug. "I would never leave you, ever. You're my friends, my L.D.D.C, my family."

Dalen gave me a hug, and Crystal joined in, and Leslie was overjoyed. But as soon as the son of the harvest touched me, I felt a sharp pain on my neck, like a dagger getting held on my neck. My vision suddenly shifted;

The sun in the vision was now almost fully set, casting shadows all over Leslie's face, which was standing beside me. It was warm but not hot, and I didn't know how I could tell that in this trance sort of state.. The sky was now deep orange with splotches of red here and there. My bare feet sunk in the wet sand a couple centimeters as small waves splashed on my ankles. I heard a seagull soar above me as the smell of freshly baked bread filled in the air with harmonious scents.

First Leslie started smiling, then I joined in, tilting my head as I neared his face, than kissed him.

The weather seemed to rise fifty degrees.

The voice of my thoughts streamed through my brain; maybe Leslie wasn't that bad. He seemed pretty nice today, was I wrong? Leslie didn't change, he couldn't have.

I thought I was going crazy. If this vision was true, then why was I saying Leslie changed?

I felt something sharp against my neck, like the one as Leslie hugged me.

I backed up.

Leslie was holding a switchblade against my neck. But I didn't look surprised, in fact I unsheathed my dagger and flipped his out of his hand.

Leslie started laughing. "You're, as always, full of surprises. That's what I love about you."

I was breathing heavily out of anger. "You don't love me, Leslie. You don't love anyone."

What was I talking about?

"That, my dear girlfriend, is incorrect. I love you with every inch my heart."

Girlfriend?! Aren't I Dalen's girlfriend?! Though Leslie did seem pretty shocked when Dalen said that.

"Well you're hearts small."

I didn't stop holding my dagger at Leslie. I don't trust him, said the words raking my mind. How could I? He tried to kill me a dozen times, why do I keep coming back? My knife dropped hardly an inch as I started backing away.

"Scared by me, Destiny? 'sigh', that's so unlike you." Leslie started walking toward me.

I ducked just as Leslie slashed where I'd been standing. I tripped him as he tried at my hand again so his dagger flew out of his hand.

Trying to pin Leslie down, I laughed, "Aren't good with a dagger, you were better off with your sword."

At that moment he did a backwards role kicking me in the chin and catching his knife as I almost got a whiplash.

Leslie held the knife at my neck, again, and hummed, "No, I think I'm better at both."

Dalen appeared out of nowhere. He eyed me cautiously. "Where's her dagger?"

"You're not going to get it," I snapped.

Leslie pressed his knife harder on my skin as Hate pried my dagger out of my hand.

"Take her to the car," Dalen ordered Leslie.

My vision shape shifted again, this time in the back of a dark SUV in the middle of the dark night.

Dalen was in the middle of a sentence, "-psycho again."

Dalen made no move to get me off his lap, which I was somehow laying on. So I started to get off myself. He pushed me down again as he tilted his head down to kiss me.

Leslie's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. I had a feeling he did not like where this was going. The colour drained out of his face. Was this right kissing another guy? Even more with him watching? I guess it's payback for him abducting me, the thoughts nagged.

Abducting? When did Leslie abduct me?

Hate unlocked my hand cuffs as he pulled me closer to him. My hand went to on his shoulders as his went up my back.

I felt the car stop sharply as I fell backwards with Hate. The vision changed abruptly into a dark stone corridor.

"What if that happened to me? Then what I get it?" I screamed at Leslie, who was throwing papers everywhere crazily.

Leslie's eyes went bright. He brought out his wand. A green liquid flew out towards me. I knew in the vision it was impossible to dodge the strands so I just stood there. I hit the stone wall hard as the green strands tied me on the wall. I heard something crack, probably my spine.

Next Leslie made a giant green "C" in the air. Crystal appeared dazed as Leslie leaned over her-and did what I did to Dalen. Only then I felt the pain he had felt; first the tingly feeling that he was going to kiss another girl. Then a feeling like a hot iron rod is piercing through your heart. And lastly, a burning head ache.

He let go of her, breathing hard but still smiling. Crystal was in complete and utter shock, she was probably sleeping as Leslie zapped her here, and she was wearing pajamas. She started leaning to her right tripping over her own feet. And finally, almost falling, Crystal disappeared.

He looked at me, grinning. Leslie finally let me down with a wish of his wand. I fell on my back.

My vision was blurry, I could only see splotches of colour. He stood above me looking down.

Leslie muttered some words, but I noticed the spell. "Now every time we hug each other you will remember the time I almost killed you, the time that I wanted to kill you."

"I'm so sorry," I muttered, though he already left.

I returned to reality. Leslie let go of me and so did the others. I rushed back till I hit the tree that was two meters behind me.

Dalen worried, "What happened?"

But I felt like running away, as I breathed heavily, eyes starting to go bloodshot, and Goosebumps forming on my arms.

Why couldn't I trust them? Why couldn't someone just tell the truth?!

Crystal pulled the two boys into a huddle. They all started muttering with the occasional nervous glance at me, but nothing I could hear. Then a loud "You did WHAT?" by Dalen

Dalen and Leslie started moving toward me, almost in slow motion. I pressed my back harder on the tree trunk, as I was so scared I lost coordination. My eyes grew wider as they approached closer to me. My world almost stopped as Dalen reached out to touch my arm, and I counted milo seconds till the betrayer was going to touch me. At the last tenth of a second I flung myself to the right, hitting the ground hard as I gained consciousness and started sprinting into the distance.

I could hear hard foot steps behind me, thumping along on the green grass, breathing heavily. I looked at the distance; there was a brick building, it was pretty far away and looked completely empty except for a few birds. But if I had a chance of two inhumane boys that were crazily fit, it would be by tricking them.

I started to sprint faster, and misguided them in front of the brick building, till I took a sharp turn and left them shocked where I went.

I stopped sprinting but still kept jogging till I was far away from the entrance as I could be, than slowed down and walked.

I started to take notice of my unruly surroundings. There were two brick walls parallel to each other, which I was in between. They curved at the top so there was only a small gap of sunlight, so small only my pinky could barely fit through it. The ground was made of cement, moss covering almost every corner, damp and grubby, and I thought I saw a few small rats scurrying in holes in the walls. The water was brown and a few centimetres off the ground. It smelled disgusting, like burning tires and rat dung.

I heard an ear piercing squeak then a blinding black flash and wings. The bat would've shaven my head if I hadn't avoided.

I doubled over as I clutched my stomach and started vomiting. I guess that was just too much running, more than I could handle. I fell to my knees still sick. I didn't care that the disgusting water was soaking my pants, I felt horrendous.

At least I escaped Leslie and Dalen…

At that moment something touched my shoulder. I tried to get up but fell backwards into Dalen's arms, I flinched. I started coughing, than blood started trickling out of my mouth. He lifted me, and started to walk away.

I believed, if Dalen would just leave me alone…forever, it would be a whole lot easier-for everyone. It would distinguish the flame of my happiness, but I have more hate I have love, so it would put out that, too. I want to die. I want to die.

My eyes fluttered open, and first everything was blurry, but as time went on my, but as time went on, my vision straightened out.

I started to take notice of my surroundings. I was in a small room; the walls were hazel, and the floor was carpet, and white. There was a rustic antique closet in the corner, and a writing table with a lamp on it. I was on a doubles bed with too many pillows and a plush white blanket. I still felt really sick. I looked around some more; and my heart skipped two beats as I saw Dalen sleeping on the pull-out bed in the corner.

I let out a wimpy scream. I took out all my will power to sound braver. "Why don't you leave me alone?" I growled.

Dalen opened his eyes drearily I yawned deeply. "Good morning to you too."

"Where am I?"

"Hotel Maria Cristina, my friends' friend is the hotel manager, they owe me, and so I called them up." Dalen smiled at me. "Leslie's out to go get breakfast, but while he's gone why don't you tell me what happened yesterday."

I stared hard into Dalen's lying eye, how stupid did he think I was. That lying cheat. "Figure it out yourself."

Dalen stared to get up coming closer to me. "Can I comfort you, Destiny, or are you going to attack me again?"

"Attack you," I answered.

Dalen didn't take that seriously, and laughed. I didn't smile back, but kept that same unwelcoming glassy tint to my eyes. He started to come closer to me, but I didn't react, I started to get out of bed.

"C'mon, Destiny, I'm not as smart as you, I can't figure it out by myself."

Now we were at opposite sides of the bed, looking at each other's every move, if I took a step away he would follow. The traitor didn't look any less desperate.

"Too bad, Dalen, you haven't earned my trust."

"I feel like this is that game we used to play when we were kids, what was it called…tag?"

I smiled faintly by the name of that game. I guess this was kind of like that.

"Yeah," I laughed, "it kinda is."

I felt like I started smacking myself in the head. I couldn't trust him again, not now, not ever.

I straitened my back and took a breath, and walked right passed Dalen ad out the door. And probably half way down the hallway, I remembered something important, and came back. As I walked in Dalen was standing up shining my dagger, he looked up and smiled.

"Forgot something?"

I gave a 'you're an idiot' smirk than went to get it from him. But as soon as I almost grabbed it Dalen pulled it behind his back.

He raised one brow like I owed him something. "The magic words?"

I scanned my brain for the most intricate and complex thoughts, and came up with one answer. "Please?"

Dalen shook his head and tried to mimic me by making his voice very high pitched, "Dalen, please, since you are the best boyfriend in the whole entire world can you just pass me my dagger because I love you sooo much? *sigh,* that should do it!"

"Shut up," I groaned, but Dalen looked at me sternly dodging my hand again. I clenched my fists. "Dalen please-"-he gestured go on-"because your such a great boyfriend please give me my dagger."

Dalen nodded, giving me my dagger; I snatched it away from him.

"Oh, and Destiny, I don't know if you remember but we made lunch plans together, just you and me. Is it still on?"

"Sure, Dalen, I would never forget." And I walked out the door.

Sure Dalen, I thought, I would never forget. I rolled my eyes. Not.

Walking down the hallway so deep into thought I bumped into Leslie. Unfortunately, Leslie was carrying eggs and bacon, and it splashed all over him. Fortunately, I got a good laugh.

Leslie spat bacon out of his mouth. He coughed, "What was that for?!"

"Nothing, Leslie," I said slowly. "I just felt I needed to bump into somebody right about now."

"Anyways," Leslie started, wiping egg off his shoulders. "Breakfast is ruined, but that doesn't matter because it's almost lunch already."

I thought for a while. "When exactly did you set off to get the meal?"

He looked at me for a moment, eyes wide, than quickly lied, "The lineup stretched all the way around the hotel…" I didn't look reassured, and Leslie saw that. "Twice; wrapped around the hotel twice."

I sighed deeply. And I thought I was a bad liar.

"Oh look," he wailed, obviously doing his best acting (even though a chair could do better), "It's…it's…a sack of rice!"

I looked at Leslie awkwardly. "I think I should be going now."

"Wait!" Leslie put his arm in front of me. "Where are you going?"

I looked at him sharply and his arm wavered a little. "None of which you should care."

"B-but I do care, Destiny, I really do."

I started to get even angrier. Leslie couldn't tell me what to do, I was my own person! And why should that liar care about anything except his gigantic ego? That's what he didn't the past, what Leslie does in the present, and that's what he will in the future!

I made an angry grunt and shoved his arm away, but sadly, that reaction wasn't supposed to happen quite like it did.

First my vision went black; than green scenery appeared in front of me. I was in a garden with beautiful flowers and trees, the sky was blue and there was a fountain of fresh water. There were plants everywhere and only a walkway with pebbles that you could stand in. Leslie and I were sitting on a bench talking and swinging are legs.

"I don't know how you do it, Leslie," I said in utter awe, "but you do, and it amazes me every time."

Leslie smiled, and it felt-even though in a vision-like my world was spinning upside down. It was like I was seeing heaven itself, all good things but into a human form, and I loved it. Even though I knew it was Leslie, it looked almost nothing like him. His features were still mischievous but in a good playful way. Leslie's eyes didn't look so glassy and looked like they were enjoying the look of color more; they enjoyed the scenery of the beautiful. Leslie's clothes weren't so sharp, they were just a plain pair of jeans and a white T-shirt that said; I LOVE PLANTS!

"You're like the greatest landscaper of all history! I love this place."

Hold up! Back it up…did I say Leslie make this garden, like in designed it? I knew he was the son of Demeter but this was beautiful! What happened to it?

Leslie took my hand and gestured me to get up. "You haven't even seen the good part yet." I followed Leslie to the biggest wonder of my life put into a garden patch. "I made it for you."

There was every color of flower organized around a giant fountain. And it wasn't just any fountain; it was a fountain of me.

"Oh my god," I exclaimed, studying the intricate details. There it was a ten foot statue of me, wearing a T-shirt, a leather jacket, jeans, and holding my dagger, my hair pressed on my shoulders. Even the detail on my dagger was precise, every single picture of death.

"I asked my friend Kerman, he's the son of Hephaestus, to fasten me up a water clock of you, and he did it."

"Aaahh, Leslie, that's too sweet."

"Thank you, I thought you'd like it."

Around the garden there were green hedges of boxwood to form a square, imprinted than cut into each side was my name.

"See, Destiny, I had planted each plant to correspond with the letters of your name. For D I planted Daisies." Leslie pointed to a bunch of flowers that looked like a sunflower except the petals were painted white. "For E I put Eric John." His hand went to a purple flower with a green stem which branched out crazily. "S is Safflower." A yellowish white color and texture like a cotton ball. "T is tulip." It was of all colours and the petals were shaped like two hands were cupped together. "I is for Ivy, doesn't look like those other flowers but is still quite beautiful." It was mostly five pointed leaves that had a darker shade of green inside it. "N is Nerine." It was pink and looked like a star twisted in the bottom. "And lastly Y, yarrow." It was a bunch of shrunken daisies with fuzz on the bottom of them, and even though every flower was a quarter of my fingernail, I was awestricken by the gorgeousness of the sheer number and mass of the pretty flowers. "And, it is all for you."

I gave Leslie a gigantic hug. "You're the best, and even beyond." He looked a little bit shocked for a moment, than hugged me back.

The scene shifted to reality. And my immediate reaction to seeing Leslie again was to run. But I didn't, too many questions started building up, and seeing Leslie back like this built more.

"Why did you change how you dress?" I said, a little bit dazed.

"What are you talking about, Destiny?" Leslie noted, "I never changed."

But his untruthful eyes said it all.

"You're not telling me something, rather big you left out before I got amnesia. What aren't you telling me?"

Leslie stayed silent for a long, long time. And I grew more and more suspicious.

Suddenly an old man wobbled gingerly through the hallway and in-between us. I wouldn't be surprised if the guy was three hundred years old; he looked like a shriveled apple. His eyes were barely open and squinting very hard and the bags under them hanged loose like the bottom of his neck. The skin was beyond wrinkled and pale, and looked paper thin. No hair whatsoever and he were wearing a dark purple cloak and carried a walking stick. And I thought snails were slow.

Anyhow the old man stopped in front of us, and first looked at me, than Leslie, than finished his slow journey around the hallway.

We both looked at the elder till we couldn't see him anymore.

Leslie, with his eyes still faced where we last saw the guy, exclaimed, "Wasn't that Geras, the god of old age?"

I shook my head feverously, "Whatever. So?.."

"I'm hiding nothing from you whatsoever. Try me, I will tell you anything you want to know."

"You use to have a garden, Leslie, what happened?"

"The crops were ruined by some evil magic, Destiny, and I was never able to remake it again."

"Did you and I ever have a relationship?"

Leslie took a deep breath. "Yes."

"What happened?"

"You cheated on me, with Hate."

A bunch of unknown memories flooded my brain: something about a river, a river of fire. Crystal was lying on the ground with blood splattered everywhere, Leslie and Dalen looked shocked-more like petrified-when I (looking like I've just been in a laundry machine than run over by a bulldozer) held a rose above the river of fire.

"You're never getting away with this," Dalen perused.

"I just have," I croaked. "Hate, Leslie, one step closer and Crystal's going to hell."

"Dalen's not real!" I screamed at Leslie. "He's HATE?!" I saw splotches of red in my eyes, from anger or disappointment? I don't know. "Dalen told me he was Dalen! I mean Hate told me he was Dalen! The only memory I had was to kill a guy named Hate, and he lied to me to make him do what he wanted!" I shook my angrily.

"It's not your fault," Leslie calmed. "And while we're at it, it wasn't my fault either."

"Wasn't my fault…that's the worst lie I ever heard!"

"Destiny." Leslie took my wrist and stabbed a needle into it as I saw some red liquid flow into my palm.

I looked in shock at Leslie. Though I was prepared for more lies and unfolded secrets to wash out. This time I was ready.

And while I was ready, I slapped Leslie so hard in the face he smacked into the wall.

I grabbed my wrist as I wondered angrily what he did to me this time. Poison, chemicals, a potion…? I stormed into the elevator. Oh when I'm done with them…

I hailed a cab over, and one definitely came, horribly. The yellow car ran over a mud puddle which soaked me in guck. I groaned miserably as I got in the taxi.

The taxi driver turned around too looks at me. She was beautiful; her hair was silky and yellowish blonde, tight in a ponytail. She was wearing a pink blouse and white jeans. Her eyes were bright Caribbean blue with dark long eye lashes, her skin was very light brown with rosy cheeks.

"We need to talk," she growled.

I wouldn't call Aphrodite a happy camper, especially now.

We had stopped at Southlye Beach, but to tell the truth, it wasn't really sandy at all. In fact, it was all rocks. The sky grey, rain soaking our clothes and skin till core end, wind rustled my hair wildly and the spray of salt water blinded me like a cloak of darkness. Freezing water crashed against the rocky waters with deathly jagged ends, killing it's unlikely pursuers.

As for Aphrodite and her dazzling smile, nothing bothered her. The goddess of beauty, love, and desire had nothing to worry as the faith of perfectness sat upon her shoulders. Every gust of wind was like a light tap on her hair, all sprays of salty waters grazed harmlessly off her fine satin clothes. All rock burns felt like a light nudge on her arm.

Aphrodite started speaking strong and loudly, and the boom of the mighty goddess was spine chilling. Like if I even merely lied she wouldn't let a life go by…alive. She pointed out, "You are the one that lastly had my beautiful young daughter, Harbour, were you not?" without my answer, she continued, "And, as you cannot deny, you are the daughter of the evil, inconsiderate Cronus."

"What are you getting to?"

Aphrodite glared at me with her blue eyes. Her voice was now very, very loud. "You changed my daughter to your evil ways! The last time I saw Crystal was when she bumped into me at the subway."

"What does that have to do with me?"

The goddess gave me a long glare, and I started to see blurry, till m vision mended till I was looking at a busy subway. Crystal was standing against a light pole with ear buds in her ear and holding her ipod. She was wearing a tank top with some black skinny jeans. She had feathered earrings as long as the midsection of her arm, and Crystal's silver eye shadow was too dark. Under her eyes were black, probably from lack of sleep, and her eyes were sort of bloodshot.

Then I saw Aphrodite racing along the station, every man staring dreamily at her. She was wearing her normal blue blouse and white jeans with very tall high heels with a black briefcase in her hand. Aphrodite was headed right toward Crystal.

They looked like totally different people; you would never guess they were related.

The goddess sped along the station-as the men just started drooling-and bumped head first into Crystal. Her briefcase flew out of her hands and wacked Crystal in the face. Her ipod dropped and I heard a breaking sound. Aphrodite apologized to her daughter quickly.

"Watch where you're going, bonehead," Crystal mocked.

"I shall repay you for the damage I have done," Aphrodite negotiated.

Crystal picked up her ipod gingerly; it was smashed in half only held together by a couple of wires. "My mom gave me that."

The goddess looked at her daughter more closer. "Crystal?"

"Who else do you think I am, stranger?"

"What happened to you?"

"What the * do you care how I dress, whoever you are?"

"Do not curse at your mother like that, young lady."

"Aphrodite?" her mother nodded angrily. "Are you sure? You look worse than road kill."

The goddess of beauty's face fumed with anger. That was probably the first and last insult Aphrodite was getting.

She picked up her briefcase than strutted off awkwardly.

"Waho," I admitted, "Crystal really did have a spaz attack there."

I tried to dodge some of the sea water, and I succeeded. But not long after, a huge wave came and smashed into me. I spat out a whole load of sea water. Oh how I hated Poseidon.

"And that's your fault!" Aphrodite burst.

"Me?"

That was the biggest lie I have ever heard. I mean Leslie and Hate I could understand if I did something, but I would never do anything to harm Crystal.

"Tell that to Tweddledee and Tweedledumb who the lying cockroaches are! Hate and Leslie are the ones who probably are playing with her mind!"

"Enough! You cannot fool Aphrodite!"

"Says the goddess who risen from sea foam!" I got up making lots of puddles bounce harmlessly off the goddess, and started stomping away.

"YOU WILL REGRET IT!" Aphrodite called after me, as the rain clouds settled in. "You know you will."

"Wow," I told Ares, "You have the best war shop I've ever seen."

I looked at the war god. He had pale skin, but was really muscular; I wouldn't be surprised if he could carry an elephant. He had long black hair tied tightly into a black braid. He was wearing a black suit with a tie with weapons printed on it. Even though he had shades on, I could feel his steely glare.

Now the store of weapons and war tools was huge. There were lots of racks hanging from the ceiling and walls, each one stuffed packed with guns on one side. The other side had bullets. It was bloody awful stuff.

Ares spoke in a mild Japanese accent. "What specific thing are you looking for?"

I answered, "I need something to stop a child of the two sides."

The god looked sternly at me, and I felt this burning sensation to turn and run. "You mean half god half titan?"

I nodded slightly.

He opened one wing of his jacket, and there were tens of bullets lined there. Ares opened the other side, and there were guns.

"Fifty bucks from the right, twenty-five for the bullets," Ares budgeted.

Was it just me or was that cheap? That was as much as a gun for a monster, and those were at the bottom of the chain.

"Ok," I agreed, "I'll take one gun and one bullet."

I passed the money to the war god as he slipped the weapons of war into a plastic bag and passed it to me.

"Nice doing business with you."

I left the store, with the now so distant memory of the awkward architecture of Ares store.

There were going to be blood. Lots of it.

Love

Could toes get numb? Because mine started to go white and I couldn't feel them. Maybe I was the first person, maybe I would get a noble prize for finding out toes could go numb!

I felt shaky as I lay in the motel bed, tomorrow would be the day that I finished that was haunting me. This was going to change my life forever.

I never remembered when I fell asleep, but it took a while. But all that didn't matter as a horrible nightmare sent chills through my spine.

The image took place in a room, the walls were dark black like everywhere else, but his room was messy. There were stains in the carpet and his bed was messy with a half-eaten pizza laying on it with a grease stain around it. It looked more like a pig sty than a room. I was guessing it was Hate's room according to the half a dozen posters stuck on the wall with the words; I LOVE HATE CENTAURS, or; I HATE THE DEVIL, JUST KIDDING. There was also a mirror with a face of a scull around so it looked like it was eating it.

Hate was pacing around in a circle with two fingers on his temples like he was trying really hard to think of something.

Someone started knocking on the door.

Leslie's voice called, "Hello, Hate, are you in there."

Hate stopped abruptly, than opened the door with still a state of confusion on his bewildered face.

Leslie had a grin slapped on his face. "Bad news," he informed.

Hate encouraged eagerly, "What happened? Did Destiny find out the plan?"

"Worse," Leslie admitted in a very happy voice, with still an overreacted smile. "Destiny found out that your Hate, and all the dirty lies as well."

"Why are you so happy?"

"I just had a double shot espresso with extra whip cream just ten minutes ago, and I'm really, really awake and feel like I'm going to hyperventilate soon."

"That's why coffee and teenagers don't go good together."

"Anyways, Hate, can I come in?"

With a sigh and a long breath, Hate finally agreed.

Looking like he needed to go to the bathroom, Leslie sat on Hates bed. But abruptly sat up as he, in disgust, picked up a rotten banana and threw it away.

"What," Hate questioned, like he had no utter clue of how disgusting his (if you could call it a room) said to be room was.

"Nothing," Leslie lied, as he sat back down elsewhere. "It's just when I had my crop it was so neat and this is so…"

"Why do you even care anymore? It's gone, Leslie, vamoose." Leslie gave a long, silent pause. "It's Destiny isn't it, she reminded you of that again."

"Well she brought it up and I just had a short glimpse of how the old times were, how happy I was, how happy Destiny was…"

Hate raised his voice louder than usual, in an angry matter. "You know I don't give a thought about Destiny Harbour. I don't care about her and you shouldn't either, she puts you in a trap, you shouldn't be the victim. We just need to put her in a deeper trance, she'll forget everything, we just need her for Cronus' plan, and then we'll finish her off."

I tried to digest all this. Hate was setting up an even bigger lie, and this one was dangerous.

The only solution I thought would do was find one of the most intelligent living being in this universe; Metis, the god of strategies and intellect.

How did I figure this plan out? Well…I was walking on the streets and I saw a sign which said; NEED A TUTORIAL ON ANYTHING? COME TO THE M.E.T.I.S STUDYING AGENCY! Ok so they weren't good at commercials, but I needed some come up. I rushed to the motel and searched on the web.

I muttered, "M.E.T.I.S studying agency, M.E.T.I.S studying agency…Ah-ha! Got it."

I closed my eyes and a cellphone appeared. It now used absolutely no energy whatsoever to make objects appear. I quickly dialed the number on their web page.

"Hello, this is the M.E.T.I.S studying agency, what may I help you with?" asked the women on the other line.

"Do you have by any chance an employee named Metis?" I budged.

There was a long awkward silence on the line.

Than after I was just going to hang up she put in, "You mean the manager?"

"I don't know, I just know I want to set a time with a Metis."

"Ok…" I heard some rustling of papers and some more, 'uh-huh…'s. "Ok, I need your full name.

"Uh…" if it was actually the titan I guessing wouldn't want to give away my identity that quickly.

"Name please," she said more urgently.

"Bilbo…Baggins?"

"Uh, like the hobbit?"

Making my voice a lot deeper, I answered, "Bilbo Baggins, *cough*."

"Uh-huh, city, what subject, how will you pay us, and address for home tutorials."

"Hobbiton, finding Gollum, through jewels and spoons, and my address is-is…" what would I know about the address of a hobbit? "A hole," I confirmed.

"Ok, and now the last thing I need are; how stupid do you think I am Destiny Harbour?" and the call ended.

I sat there stunned for a few seconds. I thought I really pulled off the Hobbit act, but I guess Metis was the titan of knowledge for a reason. I smashed down the phone as a brilliant new idea came to mind. I looked at the hole I just made in the desk, and then awkwardly put a vase over it.

I guess there wasn't only Metis that was smart, there was one more prodigy that came head to head with the titan.

Athena.

I went to the community grocery store to get some fruit. I loved every edible fruit known to man; strawberries, pomegranate, blueberries, plums, raspberries, dragon fruit, grapes, peaches…maybe just the only one is a tomato, because I still don't get why that was considered a fruit.

Anyhow I was walking through the aisle with dirty white granite floor and old fashioned tables, the fruit stacked high and delicious. I got a basket and filled it with everything, in that lane.

A tall woman walked feverously in front of me texting speedily. She had long curly black hair dangling from her shoulders. Her nose was thin and so were her eyes, her skin pale. She wore blue jeans and a white shirt, her grey scarf wrapped thickly on her neck.

"No," she muttered. "No," she said louder. "No!" she yelled. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

I looked at her awkwardly. She reminded me of one of those psycho's who keep stalking innocent strangers. With that thought she reminded me of someone. I went back to looking at the fruit; I tossed in a couple apples. I went back to looking slightly at the women.

She shook her head wildly like she was disagreeing something, her curls sprung everywhere. She told herself, "Crazy. Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, cra-zy."

You're telling me?

I bit my tongue when I remembered where I recognized her from. You know sometimes on the internet these side commercials pop up? Well I was searching the web and I saw one. It showed the same exact girl except she was wearing a red dress with several other men and women, above all them said; have you seen this criminal?

I started speed walking away. I had enough problems without a serial killer. As I kept walking my mind kept saying, run, run, run… run…

Something patted me on the back and I nearly jumped out of my shoes. My fruit went flying, and I tripped over one of the apples and fell hard on my back. I looked to expect the women glaring down at me, but to my surprise-and embarrassment-it was a frail old lady with a pink dress on.

"Sorry if I might've frightened you, dear," she apologized.

"It's my fault," I said, getting up, wiping fruit off me. "I just became a little bit…" I thought for a while. "Stupid."

In fact, I felt like such an idiot right now I felt like I didn't deserve my fruit (and you don't know how much I love my fruit). I mean I killed monsters, I'm battling Hate and Leslie, and I get scared of some women I saw on the internet?

She started yawning. "I have to go, Destiny Harbour."

Stepped back abruptly. "How do you know my name?"

"I did not say your name, I don't even know you."

But I knew that I heard my name if it was her or not. I wasn't crazy.

"I heard my name, you said it."

"I did not! It's that horrible music you're listening to, you kids' hearing difficulties make me flabbergasted!" she started to mutter to herself while waddling away slowly.

If it wasn't the odd old lady then who was it? Maybe it was just my imagination. Maybe I was going insane. Maybe I needed to finish picking up my fruit.

I started placing the berries in the basket, two by two. I kept checking if there was anyone behind me because I still had my nerves from her (supposing) she said my full name.

For the last time I was coming to this grocery store, I was too scared-no, let's say…cautious.

I went in the lineup and started tapping my foot. I didn't know if it was from restlessness or me being petrified to my core.

People started looking at me. I concluded, "Ok I'll stop."

I knew it was that I was scared when I started to bite my nails, tap my foot, and shiver every two seconds.

"Excuse me?" someone pardoned. I just knew it was another complaint, but I turned around anyway. My immediate reaction was to run, but for some reason, I couldn't move, I was frozen to the ground, my arms glued to my sides, legs stuck together. It was only my mouth that could move, which was fine since I was usually good at back talking.

As I saw the murderer start walking toward me I almost passed out. This was not something I was not use too. The first time I saw this world again after my bad hit with amnesia I was scared, I guess I could say my whole life that I remember I was fearful. Now I was beyond nervous. I felt like every time she took a step closer the earth shook beneath her feet, and even more adrenalin gushed into by brain. I didn't even know that was possible.

"Destiny Harbour?" she announced. "What do you want?"

"To get my fruit and a decent lifestyle," I responded dramatically.

She rolled her eyes like I was the crazy one.

Surprisingly no one even noticed. It was like they were frozen in time as well, except they weren't aware of what they were seeing.

"I'm Athena, genius. And let me guess, you had a question, Metis didn't answer it, and I was your second choice."

I totally ignored her correct comment. "Why were you on the internet set as a murderer?"

"Hey, who says a goddess can't kill these days, you're so judgemental."

"Then why is it on the news? Why would you want to come to earth and kill, why don't you stay in Olympus?"

"Olympus is on earth."

"You get my point."

"Yes, if I put my mind in a psychologist's point of view and recognized the sarcasm in your voice but even more then the tone your body language was telling me a lot, did you know eighty percent of communication is actually body language?"

I had to cut her short because my mind was starting to hurt with all this information. "Now I get why you're the goddess of intelligence, and…annoyance."

"I'm not the goddess of annoyance!"

"Now you are."

She coughed loudly like she wanted me to answer the words that never came out of her mouth.

"What?"

"Answer me."

"Answer what?"

"Why you called me."

"I never called you."

"I'm a busy woman I can't be here all day."

"Tell me why I called you." Even though I didn't call her.

"Well I don't know. You didn't really ask me to come, but since you thought you wanted to see me I came."

"Ok," I thought awkwardly, still trying to put together it in my brain."

"So..?"

"Well I wanted to ask you about how to destroy Hate. I mean I already found one way but I need some back up."

"Hate? Hmmm… like the son of Nemesis and Styx?"

"Yeah."

She took out a white tablet from nowhere and started doodling with it. "Uh-huh, yup, uh-huh." I waited for a while as she kept nodding her head. "Well there is one other way, you will have to find this stone, it's called the thederlatter, and it burns the flesh of any child of Nemesis, and scorches the kids of Styx."

"Waho, isn't that a little harsh?" I remarked. Athena nodded evilly. "I like harsh."

"Good, that evil rodent was getting under my skin lately and I don't have the time to deal with it."

"Where do I find the teeter totter?" I said as my hands trembled with excitement.

"It's tedderlatter, and there's only one problem, it's in the mountain of Oita, and its guarded by Oxylos, a rather cruel and unpleasant god and the animals there are deadly."

"Like bats?"

"Dear, much, much worse than bats." She let out a smug look, "And he irons his socks, who does that anymore?"

This is great, I thought; now all I have to do is find the stone and Hate will be over with!

I still didn't get why exactly I needed to do something about Hate, but still, I had that gut feeling about this, and all the fact I had led to bad things.

I took a deep breath and announced, "I will go the Oita, Athena, but tell me where I will find the mountain."

Athena exploded into mixed annoyed emotions, "God! Don't anyone know the myths anymore? AARRGGHH! Now you people are making me say the stories are myths! Curse you."

"Hey, watch your language," I pointed out.

"Literally." Athena disappeared in a dust of gold and blue smoke. Everyone unfroze and went on to they're day like nothing had happened, no time freeze, no nothing.

If here was going to be adventure in my life, it was going to be now. Now was it, now was everything.

Ok, I wouldn't call it the prettiest flower in the garden. It looked worse than a one legged toad with pink eye and athletes foot. It was obviously abandoned for decades or even centuries. Now I won't disgust you too much about the description of the unwelcoming place, but I tell you some of the not that bad areas so you could picture the uglier places without my help. Well… first off, the skies were dense with grey fog and there were so much pollution there were a scary humidity of oils floating around (You could hardly breathe). The ground was so dense in bat dung if you misdirected your path you could sink to your knees. Even worse there were mosquitoes and other unruly bugs stinging your skin like crazy, and the trees had ticks. Lots of them, the covered the trees so populated you couldn't even see the bark. By that not full description, I can guess you have a picture in your mind of how ugly the horrible place by now, but, sadly, I'm not done. The bats, full of leeches and bugs swooped down, almost taking out my eye. But in a short glimpse, I saw their teeth, as sharp as a samurai sword, and the gums full of parasites. Now I didn't want to know the worse animals Athena told me about.

I walked slowly, grimacing every time I stepped into the guck. Oxylos was not the one I should have been worried about. I tried not to scream as I felt something prick my clothes than into my skin; I stopped and closed my eyes, as I held back my yelp. I didn't want to look down, I couldn't, I was too afraid of seeing a seeing the worm-like body of a tick, I didn't want to see the blood.

Walk it through, Destiny. Just walk it through.

Keeping my eyes closed, I kept walking, even though it wouldn't benefit me at all, I just couldn't handle it. I felt the tingly feeling go away.

Phew, I thought.

But I soon felt another puncture, then another, than another. I started to bite my lip so hard trying to hold in my screams that I felt blood trickle slowly down my neck. I heard a shriek, than a gust of freezing wind as I felt something land on my head, than start to lick the blood. It felt like sandpaper cross my icy face, and the ticks started to get progressively more populated. I didn't know if it was my diminishing blood or my shear horror, but that nevertheless made me dizzy.

I was so muddled I started talking to myself.

Destiny one: what's the spell, what's the spell..?

Destiny two: I don't know, maybe it's that we don't know any spells?!

Destiny one: I know; that's Leslie's job.

Destiny two: no, Leslie's job is being an idiot.

Destiny one: hey! Over here! I'm dying over at this point; maybe it would be better if we fasten up a plan by now?

Destiny two: Hey I'm dying.

Destiny one: We're the same person, idiot.

Destiny two: Ha ha, you just called yourself an idiot!

Destiny one: ..?

Destiny two: Whatever.

I started to feel tired, and I soon fell into a never ending sleep.

Ok, so I didn't really die, but it felt like it!

I opened my eyes, and saw the awful scenery once more. I lay, my back to the ground, as I looked up to the foggy skies. And to my disgust, there were dead ticks everywhere.

What happened? I thought. I figured it would be better if I didn't talk because I wouldn't be surprised if the air I was breathing was toxic. Ok, I assumed, the ticks must've died by my blood, because that's the only thing they had alike. But how would that be possible? My bloods not toxic! I scanned my brain for an answer. It could be that they drank another animal's blood, before me. But wouldn't that mean they died then? It seemed every theory of mine had a difficult problem at its tail.

No time, I recognized. If I wait here and think it won't be long till another batch of ticks come and suck the rest of my blood.

I started waddling to the middle of nowhere. "Osiris?" I called. "Osiris..?" My mistake of calling out loud, though I was too late to fix my misdeed, they had heard me. It started with a big boom, than an echo, as my blood chilled and I heard thousands of shrieks. Not just any screech, the screech of a ferocious creature, a deadly machine not bigger than your hand, but the vicious bite of a crocodile.

Bats were flying this way. A flock of black creatures, like a curtain draped over the sky as it rushed strait at me.

My thoughts didn't have time to organize a plan; they were little, but fast. I processed one word and word only, run. I started sprinting to what looked like the only safety, a cave behind me; I could hide there and make up a plan. It started with my legs, and by started I mean going numb. I had lost over two fourths of my blood. I had two difficult choices, I could choose to think, or I could choose to run. None seemed promising.

I heard the screeches come closer as there flapping wings swished my filthy hair around like a super-fan.

It didn't matter that I was going to get trampled by bats; I knew death was close to me anyway. Ever since a few months ago, when I was at the under-… what was I talking about again? I felt like this memory that could change my life was so close to coming to me, but either it was a mistake of the gods or my brain didn't have enough blood to maintain the thought.

Could it be happening? Would I be going to Hades now? Would this be the end? I hoped not, or it was just the buckets full of adrenalin gushing throughout my brain. Well on thing was for sure, I wouldn't reach the cave. All hopes were gone, nothing, I guess this was all for nothing. I wouldn't remember what I had before in my old life, what I really had, I would never grow to thirty, get married, and die of old age peacefully. What was I thinking?-I was never going to rest in peace, I was half titan-demititan?- it was never going to normal. And, I concluded, Hate would never be stopped.

I felt my blood start boiling, as my nose flared. Hate would be stopped, he had to be. With that thought I regained my confidence, as I had renewed energy3. Kill Hate, stay alive. But even with that I knew I couldn't stop the bats completely, I still couldn't stop the bats with that.

I thought for a second as the bats soared closer. I had a plan. I had a plan to stop Hate.

denies

"Stupid bats!" I screamed, as I tried to walk the first few out of my rustled filthy hair. "Ever heard of order?!"

The bats were coming closer. Two hundred yards, one hundred…but I stayed concentrated, my plan had a fifty fifty shot. It was either going to save my life, or destroy it. That was a chance I was willing to take.

I was raking my sore brain for an enemy for bats, if I just knew what it was, I could summon one up and the bats would flee. But sadly, I couldn't think of it.

They have to have an enemy, they have too.

Eighty, fifty…

I had the idea, and I was almost sure it would work if I just found out their enemy, and this time I was almost forty percent confident.

Twenty, ten…

Then it struck me, but I had only seconds to react. I would summon up a snake, the only enemy I could think of. And not just any snake, the one from ancient history, one Hercules had a tough time destroying.

The hydra was a scaly six headed snake demon. It had a long muscled body like a panther or a lion, but blown up two thousands of the size. From that corralled up six snake heads of fascinating speed and nauseating looks. The eyelids here all opened with fully black eyes, like a sharks, and it never blinked so it looked like they were stapled up. Two rows of canine fangs sat in chunks of rotten meat, and there were…-dried blood? Its tongue waved angrily swatting hundreds of bats every swing, as it sensed its dinner. There were think armored plating's over his back to his extremely oversized tail, on its green and grey scales. Its claws were about half the size of me, but ferociously sharp, and dangerous. All I knew was, I didn't want to get in a fight with that.

It was disgusting, revolting, bloodthirsty, and deadly.

I loved it.

I even found out the best name for it…-Melissa-considering it was a girl.

I didn't take long before she finished off the last bat. And the last one-the most pesky-well…Melissa went on her hind limbs and gave it the whack of its life. Or would it be more appropriate to say death?

That didn't matter because I turned out to be very bat-like to the hydra.

It started by stopping, turning around and facing toward me, then tilting its heads like they were confused. Then Melissa started to stalk toward me.

"Good Melissa," I calmed, not very calm myself, backing away slowly. "Good Melissa."

It started running, sprinting fast and loudly, making hissing sounds as drool disintegrated the dung around it. If the hydra's spit could disintegrate filth, I didn't want to see what its teeth could do.

"BAD MELISSA!"

I started sprinting (I wasn't good at running anyways, the blood loss didn't help), but the vicious snake heads had amazing agility and stealth. I would have been awestricken by the adaptations if there was a very thick glass between us.

I decided running wasn't going to help. So I stood my ground, as I unsheathed my blade (covered in dung). I saw splotches of black as I tried to do my first strike at Melissa.

When good Hydras go bad…

It immediately cut a slit through the armored scales, with some blood, but probably not enough to cause an injury. The two ton monster tried to trample me as I climbed a tree, but just as easily as I could break a twig, it broke the tree.

"Oh my donut eating maggot!"

I tried to swing again, but the scaly skin made the dagger slip out of my hand. I didn't waste any time as I lunged for it, landing on my stomach. One of Melissa's heads hissed, followed by six more. It spat out some slime, but I rolled to the side as the spot it hit turned to ashes.

I eyesight looked like a kaleidoscope-pictures dancing everywhere, confusing me even more than I was. Then everything turned upside-down-literally. I still couldn't see clear enough and my other senses weren't any better, but I had enough consciousness to know that I was falling from the sky, the wing rustling pass my ears, the wind scorching my skin like icicles. Now I was totally blind, I couldn't see anything but white. I felt like two hundred pounds of weights landed on my back as the wind stopped. Maybe I was hallucinating, but I could see a figure of a human, but I didn't know which gender it was, because it was too unclear. Like how it looks underwater when you don't have goggles on. Maybe it was Oxylos?

My eyes started getting heaver. And my mind started to fall into sleep, but it felt more like a trance, or maybe death.

I felt a loud bang, like a gunshot, then everything went black.

I woke up on a giant piece of asparagus surrounded by broccoli. And before you think I woke up in a grocery store, it was just my dizzy kaleidoscope eyesight going crazy again. I was actually on an island, surrounded by glittering blue water and white sands. The green trees branched so thickly everywhere it was almost impossible to see the sky, so I felt like I was in a giant bowl of mint leaves with sugar placed underneath me. As tempting as that sounds, I was actually in a hammock, weaved tightly with twine, so it was just about as impossible to tear as Velcro.

I was looking as beautiful as I possibly could, as to say dreadful. I was bad enough without the scabs on my legs and the dried blood in my extremely knotted hair.

My bloodshot eyes darted everywhere like they couldn't get enough of anything. What was I doing here? How did I get here? What happened?

As to answer my question in the worst way possible, TweedleDee came. In other words; Hate.

My sworn enemy was wearing a white T-shirt, black and white skull khaki shorts (nice style, right?), and flip flops-the typical outfit for an immortal nightmare.

"What…" I said, dazed. But I didn't stay bemused for long; I broke out into a series of screams and curses.

"Nice to see you, too," he greeted, his brows lifted, like Hate was shocked I wasn't happy to see him. "I see you're in a good mood."

I tried to get up, but I felt like I was carrying the sky on my shoulders. If I could just draw a sundial…I washed the idea out of my brain. Where would I go? It wasn't like I had a home or anything. Well at least a home where my parents didn't want to feed me to piranhas. I would just be on the menu for a million monsters-not that bad.

"I need to ask you a few questions-"

"Where am I," I snapped.

"Well…let's see; to gods and titans, demigods, call it Lefkai. But the modern Greeks call it Leon, or was it Souda? Anyways, a couple thousand years ago, when the sirens won a contest against Muses, the Muses had an out of control temper tantrum. Because of their fair failure, they plucked the feathers off the sirens, and threw them into the ocean. And they turned into an island; typical for a monster."

"What do you want?" I asked, even though I knew the answer; death. "Never mind, 'cause whatever it is, I'm not giving it to you."

I must've looked like a zombie with my bloody hair and ripped clothes, scars running along my face like tear-stains.

Hate made a chair appear, and sat on it. "I have some questions…that you may be able to answer."

"Didn't you just hear me?!" I shrieked. "I'm not going to answer your questions!"

He started tapping the tree of my hammock, like he was trying the obvious fact that Hate was scraping his brain for a plan. I was still adjusting to the light, but it was clear there was a vein snaking up his forehead.

"Right. How about a deal-"

"No deal, I'm not going to answer any questions." I was firm and decisive about that, if I accidently slipped and said something I wasn't supposed to, it could depict my lifeline.

"Destiny," he soothed, faking the harmony. "Sweetie…"

"Hate," I mimicked. "Idiot..."

There was a sequence of emotions after that. Anger, then shock, then a look like he just got whacked in the face with a metal pan. I guess he wasn't used to people not falling under his siren-like voice. But I wasn't subsiding for that, I had too much anger built inside of me from the past.

His hand started shaking like Hate was going to hit me in the face with a metal pan.

He's got to have a lot more brain if he's going to fool me again.

"What's gotten into you?" he noted.

"Says the guy who faked about my identity, and lied about amnesia, and tried to kill me several million times. That's got to jog your memory."

He grunted like I was really getting on Hate's nerves now. "Why won't you answer me?"

"Why won't you answer me?"

"Stop copying me."

Hate pursed his lips. "Just because you add emphasis doesn't make it different." Ok, so he wasn't a complete moron. But still, I want going to budge that easily, and I think he got the idea. "What do you want me to do?"

"Go away and wear deodorant, Hate." I made a signal to permit him away, but that just gave me a nasty hiss, added to the rest of my long list of 'annoyed people'. "If you hadn't noticed yet, I'm not telling you anything, ever. Not in this life or the next-"

I was cut-off by a loud boom then the sound of water. My mind immediately drifted off to the last moment of my consciousness. The huge sound, then the black out, the memory was mild, because I was hardly aware when it happened. But it was a gunshot. I knew it.

"Was that-"

"A space ship landing? Nah…that's just what mortals think when monsters are trapped and try to get out."

"Monsters..?"

"Yup." He started fiddling with a leaf like Hate wasn't expecting to give a description.

I gestured my hand for him to continue, because it wasn't him to figure out small things like that.

"Oh! Ok…well; when people or things get bound to an area or thing, they are destined to stay there all there immortal or mortal lives. In other words; trapped. Anything they do to get away from that destiny won't work-"

"Wait," I interrupted, "isn't these islands, like, 'them', to say." I felt more and more aware that I was on this island. "Aren't they dead?" please tell me they are dead.

"They aren't dead, they're immortal, or at least like us. So…sometimes they try to break free with a powerful effort, and they build so much pressure under the earth's atmosphere that they crack or fracture some part of places. Like what you just heard was a boulder-most probably-falling from a mountain."

I started to feel more nervous then I already was, biting my nails. "Could they harm anyone on…this, island?" I struggled to say "this", cause I didn't want to believe it.

I thought back to the sound before…-that was definitely a gun shot. Adrenalin broke as I checked out my gun. Surprisingly it was still there; bulletless. I stared at the empty gun, and wondered how Hate would die with just a gun. Would I go back to get a spare? Maybe they were out. I started at it one more time, than looked at Hate.

Before he knew what I was going to do I knocked Hate out with the butt of the gun. I smiled. That had to do for now.

I immediately dragged the motionless body to a nearby tree, dragging it over rocks and mud on purpose. I started to unweave the hammock, to use the twine to tie Hate to a tree. I started by tying his hands together tightly, and then repeated with his ankles. Then I tied him to a tree, so Hate couldn't try to battle me, I wasn't in good shape, and even if I was, it wouldn't help.

I started to the water, glimmering with the rays of the sun. I washed off, and then cleaned my clothes.

I started to hear whispering, so I stopped to listen better. I couldn't understand what they were saying, or who. I heard another boulder fall into the water, then another, then another.

If what Hate was telling me was true, the sirens were getting angry, and were trying to break free. If it was true, and they couldn't get out, I couldn't shake the scared feeling that if they could get out. If they did, what would they do?

I headed back to Hate to see if he'd woken up yet. Plus, I didn't want to be alone, even if it did mean I had to stay with a serial killer. Oh my titan I was a wimp.

The disturbing sound of the sirens didn't stop, or even become quieter, but I did my best to ignore it.

Ok. So Hate woke up, but that wasn't the worst part.

"Hi, mom," I forced distastefully. "What are you doing here?"

She was wearing her normal gown and high hair, her makeup splattered all over her face like a clown. She'd let down Hate, and were sitting on another hammock, shuffling cards. Mother's hair didn't move the slightest bit as she whipped her head toward Hate.

"Do you have an ace?" she asked.

"Gold fish," he replied.

Like I was a ghost, they didn't make the slightest sign that they noticed I was here. And as always, I was the one that had to signal them. "Hello…" I waved my hands in the air. "Notice anyone?"

Hate looked eagerly at his deck of cards, as he examined each card close up to his face. He glanced up for one second, then went back to playing.

"Oh, Destiny," Hate reminded. "Have you changed your mind about answering me yet? Seven of spades?"

"Gold bar," Sarah said calmly.

"Uh…lady Harbor, its goldfish."

"No! That's just silly; they don't make gold fish! They make gold bars!"
That lead Hate to put down his cards, and listen to what I had to say.

"What?" I probed.

"I need to ask you a few questions…Now."

I thought about that for a little, and then ended up with daydreaming to make a plan. And I know a plan seemed pretty useless at the time, but why not? Why not just sit down with a cup of tea and think about a plan? Maybe add some chocolate to the menu.

"I'll make a deal," I final figured, still thinking about the tea idea. "I'll listen to your questions, and you'll do something for me in return."

Hate thought for a while, and then blinked rapidly. "Fine, I'll do it, if what you want does not have the possibility of suicide or killing, and then we'd have a deal, Destiny."

Great, I thought, what else would I want from the guy? Wasn't like I was going to ask him to do my lawn or anything-actually, come to think of it, might do me some good.

Hate smiled-I hated when he did that-as he took that as a yes. "Ok," he started, "first question; do you know who Achilles is?"

"What type of question is that?"- He raised his brows, as I rolled my eyes-"Of course I know who he is! What do you think, I'm like you?"

Hate put his hand on his chest like that hurt him. "Hey! Not nice! Though-don't forget our deal. Anyways, next question; I heard five months ago, you went on this adventure with Crystal and Leslie. What Greek creatures did you meet?"

I glared at him like I was trying to see through Hate. He asked the worst questions. Why not say 'how's your day' or something? "Orthrus, centaurs, Geryon, a dragon, Poseidon-"

"Poseidon's not a creature."

"Have you met the guy?"

Hate, after the whole time I remembered, he gave the first genuine smile. The first real smile.

"Ok, anyone else?"

"Zeus and what's his face? Ah! Menoetius."

He thought for a second like he was calculating a difficult problem, and then finally said, "So, Destiny, you remember?"

"Remember what-" I stopped mid word. What was I talking about? Had I encountered two gods and a titan? Had I really faced an Orthrus? Or was Hate just playing with my mind? At that point I couldn't trust the guy. But for one moment, for one short second, it felt so real. "No," I said half-heartedly, "well, almost."

"Ok, I'm done. You're dismissed."

Trying hard to ignore the "dismissed" comment, I tried to peruse Hate to answer one question that had been picking at my mind constantly. "What's with your name?"

"Well…" Hate hummed while making a twine chair appear. "Obviously gods or titans aren't good at choosing names, like take Crystal for example; I mean Aphrodite was probably looking at crystals while she chose that name. And you, your name was probably chosen for good omens or while they were drinking a bottle of Destiny soda-"

"Hey!" I disagreed angrily. "I like my name!"

Hate continued, not paying any attention to my hurt feelings, "Demeter was the only one able to pick out a decent name like Leslie's. Anyways, Nemesis wanted my name to be Revenge, though Styx wanted it to be Hate, and they had a huge fight about it. So they did what every titan or god would do in a moment of crisis, what could end up in a tough battle between brutal titan and tough god; they flipped a coin. In that matter the problem was fairly resolved. It landed on heads and Dad won, and my name is Hate. With that they dodged a cruel ending for both of them, and inventing gambling at the same time."

"Well…" I hummed awkwardly. "Nice to know." I felt eager to slap out my gun and give Hate another good nock upside on the head, and find out a way to…you know. Instead of saying "death" so much, why don't we say…hug?-but beside all of those constant thoughts of hugging, I decided a one-to-one combat with Hate wouldn't have the best consequences.

"Bye," Hate chimed.

"Ok, bye," I confirmed.

I turned around to leave, and after just a few steps, I felt a clang on my head, then it all went dark.

My eyes fluttered open, and I was immediately subdued by my surroundings. All around me was a hollowed out rock, and I was on the dirt ground in the side of the room. Leslie was in the middle of the room (if you could call it a room) poking a small fire with a scrawny stick.

I tried to get up, but from nowhere someone's shoe came crashing down on my chest. I had to force each breath into me because my lungs couldn't inflate properly.

I looked up, and I would've screamed if I had any air left in me. How do I describe this? How do I describe a Gorgon?

She had a more usual upper body and head; a paled women with long orange hair, with three pairs of glasses on (not including the ones on her head), and both her arms full of watches. Her white floral dress didn't match her long snake tail for legs. I think the colours clashed with each other, and the occasional scales. She was sitting on a wheelchair.

As for the shoe on me, well…I guess the wheelchair had a custom made robotically enhanced leg.

In an English accent, she spoke, "Hello, pumpkin! How are you doing today?"

I let out a strangled croak, trying to indicate my lack of oxygen.

She pursed her lips, as she pressed a button on her weapon-her wheelchair. The automated shoe lifted off me, as I gasped for breath.

I started coughing helplessly. "Wha'?"

"You like it? I bought the foot custom made from Hephaestus, from hisonline website- 'autofly', by more for less!" I nodded helplessly as my throat swelled in pain. "You want one? You could get for fourteen ninety nine just by…"-she whisked out a laptop from some secret compartment in her wheelchair, as her hands flew over the keys.

"NO! I mean, no. I don't think I'd ever need a giant…foot, to help me."

"But, oh, Pumpkin! It is quite handy indeed! Don't think otherwise." She put her laptop away and brought out something else. "How about a miniature fishing rod. It could fit in your pocket, but could catch a hundred pounder with ease. Think of it as a souvenir from-"

"-getting kidnapped by a gorgon," I finished. "And by the way, since I looked in your eyes, shouldn't I be turned to stone by now?"

"Oh! Silly! I don't turn people to stone! Though I do have a setting for that if you want it's just somewhere…" she started shuffling through different things through her wheel chair, pressing buttons, setting off different traps.

"NO!" I cried, a little too soon. "I would be much happier, alive. And since you don't turn people to stone, what are you? What type of gorgon doesn't turn people to stone?"

"No one except Medusa, she's the only one with that curse. And my name is Arima, Pumpkin-"

"And my names Destiny Harbor-not pumpkin."

"Sure, Pumpkin!"

"Anyhow…why am I here? Who are you?"

A male voice interrupted, "I could answer that for you." I nearly jumped out of my shoes-again! It was either I was clueless or Hate was really good at sneaking up on me. "This is my half-sister, Arima, daughter of Styx and Peiras. Parents of some of the most successful monsters in all of Greek history."

"Wow." I looked at the frail old women in the wheelchair-so terrifying. Without the snake tail for legs she looked like a normal sick human. "Like who?"

"Oh many. Like Cerberus, the hydra, Chimera, Orthrus, gorgons, skylla…"

I looked one more time at Arima, just checking if this was the same person he was taking about. She did not look scary whatsoever. She looked more like a dried up apple than a monster. But I knew better than to trust my gut. Leslie told me a lot about how most monsters are illusions, a trick to the naked eye.

"And I'm here because…"

"Were done with you," he replied bitterly. "We have seen the future, and you will ruin our big plans if you stay alive." He started pacing around the cave, and then I got a flashback.

There were screams everywhere as fire streamed the burnt ground. I saw the Eifel tower half broken and disserted. I saw ranks of monsters lining up for war, and against the human army in the distance, they were ginormous. As the scene shifted I saw the Colosseum in Rome nearly burnt to the core, Styx in Egypt destroyed, as for the Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China, and the statue of Liberty. All torn to shreds.

I saw a graveyard, then my gravestone. And notice I said my gravestone.

I returned to reality-I was in a jail cell. Nice way to start the moment! All around me was natural rock, and for the gate, stainless steel rods-unbreakable-and probably magic-proof. No one was there.

I groaned, as I tried to make myself comfortable. Even though I knew I wouldn't be in this jail much longer-or this life-I did what anyone would do in a moment of crisis. Take a nap.

As my eyes closed, and my hand fell asleep, the nightmare that followed wasn't the best thing for that moment.

The scene was at a playground. Kids were running everywhere carelessly, as others played on the swing or slide. I remembered how when I was young I played with Crystal at those types of places (Crystal supposedly said), though it only lasted for a day till my life was mortally ruined forever. Anyhow, couples were having picnics beside on the grass, laughing, and as clueless as the kids. And why do I keep saying clueless? Well there was to giants playing hopscotch on the sidewalk. Talk about stranger danger.

They were Cyclops, with the typical one eye in the middle of the forehead. Typical for a monster. But why was I getting shown this? That was a harder question.

Just to make weird matters weirder, there was a miniature hurricane, and several people in leather suits appeared. The tallest girl took off her sunglasses.

"The plan is working, Hate just called," she tuned. "She will be dead by tomorrow. C'mon, we'd need to hurry if we're going to reach in time. And, Cyclops?" she ordered, "Stop eating the grass."

The naïve monster looked up from its dinner. "Grmph?"

She rolled her eyes. "Any questions?" all six people raised their hands. "That does not involve the odd appetite of the Cyclops?" everyone's had same down awkwardly. More eye rolling.

"Actually," called one of the males. "What are they going to do to Harbor, miss Elizabeth?"

She smiled evilly, as she put back her shades. "Let's go, we don't want to be late for Harbor's…trip."

My dream came to an end as the hurricane started again. If that wasn't my worst dream yet then what would? I had just seen my death certificate, though my ignorance denied.

must die

Ok, I told myself, this is the last time you are going to get killed. Enough is enough, now I'm putting my foot down. Now if only that was true. Why didn't I just tell Hate 'get away from me, you psychotic murderer', but I am afraid that wouldn't help. If reincarnation was real, I am not being the daughter of an immortal again.

I looked around to see my surroundings; nothing. The key to open the padlock was at least ten meters away. My arm wasn't that long. I tried magic, trying to think about the key to make it appear-it worked-if you were attempting to get heartburn. I had nothing with me, except my dagger, and whatever Arima gave me.

I glared at the key. "You come to me!" I demanded. "Now!" Nothing happened.

I looked at the gadget from Arima; it looked like a fishing rod. And what did she say about it? It weighed a hundred pounds? Didn't feel heavy, it was only a couple of grams, and no bigger than my ring finger. I wheeled it back, and aimed at the wall; it hooked on the wall. I pulled it back, and a huge chunk of the wall came out.

I raised my brows. Wow.

I did it again. And again. And again. I thought if there was one thing that could take me out, this would be it. But as usual, I was wrong; every three times I reeled in a boulder, they would magically go back in place.

I sighed as I sat on the ground, making a small mushroom cloud. I threw my mini fishing rod down. I looked at the metal rods, and then tried a vigorous attempt to break them. Nothing. I even tried desperately to cut through with my dagger.

I knew that if I didn't figure out a plan soon, I wouldn't have time to negotiate.

I looked at the key, than the fishing rod, than I jumped up and went to work. I aimed at the key, and missed horribly. But I tried again. After about the twentieth try I heard a door creak open, then voices. But I got the key, and I spun it in.

"Yes," I muttered under my breath. "Yes."

I fell off the hook, but that didn't matter, it was just between my reach. I snatched it and unlocked the door.

The voices were getting closer.

I got my dagger and supplies and raced to the middle of nowhere, just to get as far away as possible from the noises. Maybe I could have enough time to scratch a rough sundial on the narrow stone walls. I looked straight into the distant, though I could not see a foot in front of me.

I heard a woosh; than the next thing I knew,a girl was holding a sword to my neck. I examined her, as she did the same to me. She was the same girl from my dream-Elizabeth, I think they called her. Elizabeth looked even more terrifying then in the dream, and nothing helped that.

"Well," she smirked, prodding my neck with her sword. "You are quite smart, aren't you, Harbor?" she cackled evilly. "Too bad we have to end you here." She started walking around me, the tilt of her weapon not wavering. "My brother told me a lot about you-"

I interrupted, "Your brother?"

"Yes. Hate. I think you heard of him."

"Why don't I have cool siblings like he does?"

"Technically you're the sister of Poseidon and-"

"Why would I want to be related to the god of tuna and tap water?"

Hate came in the tunnel and stood beside his sibling. "Got a chance to meet her?" he asked.

"She's annoying," Elizabeth informed.

"So I see you have."

"Hey!" I budged in. "Hello! Why did I end up here? I went to find the tedderlatter-" I stopped abruptly as they both started to smile. "And I fell for the trap." I shook my head vigorously. "But Athena? Metis I can get, but Athena?"

Hate acknowledged, "She found you annoying-"

"Not like that's a surprise," Elizabeth mocked.

"Oh, and by the way, it's not Osiris, its Oxylos." The relatives nodded to each other. "Elizabeth, send her to the gas chamber, and make her death,"-he looked at me-"As inhumane as possible."

I looked at both of them, terrified and hopeless. "Or you could give me a stern talking to." But they were already taking me to my death.

I started walking with Elizabeth trying half a dozen times to escape, but all I got was anther half a dozen bruises. After about a kilometer, a Cyclops took the lead. And I repeated the same routine.

After what felt like forever we got to where my grave would be laid, where the end of my short life will end, where everything was bitter and hopeless. We got to a door.

Anyhow, what do you think I could explain about my death? Let's see…THE END. That's all I could think of.

The door creaked open and I was immediately drenched in the deathly scents of gasoline. I was instantly in a state of insanity, like the all of common sense was soaked up in a sponge. I never knew the dreaded feeling of the oxygen replaced by gas till I took the first breath.

The Cyclops pushed me into the room. It was like a public shower, though no water came out. Only poison. The Cyclops stayed unharmed by the open door, so if I found a way to get out, I couldn't get out.

I remembered monsters when the pain started to scroll up my "near death experience" list. Orthrus, mormo, Demeter, Temmusion. It wasn't long before it reached the top. My eyes stung as my consciousness slowly slipped away from me.

My phone rang, but I didn't do anything to answer it.

I started to puke, but I didn't have much time for disgust as my knees started buckling. My neck felt sore, and so did the rest of my body. I stabbed myself in the arm with my dagger, though the gas kept refilling my lungs, and I didn't have much more energy to restore.

Riiinnnggg...!

I felt the splotches in my eyes grow till it was like heavy layered smog.

Riiinnnggg..!

I guess, I thought, my last word could be on the phone. I thought a little bit more. Or I could die trying. Nah, I'll go with the phone.

I slowly and weakly took out my phone. The Cyclops looked at me like the phone was a disturbance. I switched it on, and then I heard a screech. The Cyclops covered its eyes and started running, but it smashed into the wall, and disappeared.

I dragged myself out of the chamber, and weakly took out of dagger, a scratched the world's ugliest sundial that ever took place in history on the wall.

Home, I thought. Take me home.

I reached the middle of nowhere. Somewhere in the desert, but it was impossible to tell exactly where. It was either my sundial was seriously messed up or this place was going to be my home. Maybe I would die here?

But it didn't matter at the moment, because sleep took over shortly.

My dream wasn't the worst, but that's not to say it wasn't horrible. I saw Hate in a dark corridor. There was a cedar table with a purple silk table cloth. The book shelf was holding more vases then scrolls, but there were still many. The two pairs or parallel chairs were occupied. Hate and Elizabeth were in two and Crystal with Athena in the others. "I told you it would never work," Athena scolded, as she made scrolls appear as she jotted notes down.

"How did she even get out?" Crystal said. "The walls in the chamber are immune to magic."

Elizabeth noticed, "Just like how Harbour can't stay put?"

"Exactly. And she couldn't get past the Cyclops, she would be too weak. Though the monster is vulnerable to light, the darkness is its only home. Did Destiny have any light?"

"No," Athena answered, "just her dagger and that fishing rod. If she caught some light she could have reflected it off around the tunnel."

"No. There were no cracks for light. And even if she found one it wouldn't be enough to kill a Cyclops, and it would catch our attention anyways."

Hate stayed quiet at the corner. "She's not going to live," he whispered. Everyone swung their eyes on him. "She has poison. Leslie gave her poison."

Before I could see their reaction the scene changed. Leslie was at an empty beach on a stormy night. He was sitting against a log twirling a stick in the air. Green liquid made shapes in the sky.

"Why am I doing this?" Leslie asked him. "I know it's-it's wrong, but I can't stop now. Can I?" He shook his head miserably. "I'm hopeless."

A small tear trickled down his cheek as he pulled out a rose from the basket beside him. "I'm sorry," Leslie cried. "Destiny, I'm sorry." He wrapped the rose in several layers of silk, like it was worth a life. "I took something from you, something I can never replace." Another tear.

Leslie looked at the sky, then his hand. "I will never forgive myself, Destiny; I will suffer for my sins for the rest of my life."

He started walking away, till Leslie was lost in the fog and rain. And the vision ended.

I woke up suddenly. As I felt something curl up my foot. But that minute nothing mattered. Leslie mattered. Tears streamed down my face, and even thought I was in the middle of a desert, I felt as cold as ice.

After regaining as much strength needed to get up, I started hobbling through the desert. I tried multiple times to draw a sundial on the sand, but the wind wouldn't let that happen. I finally saw a river in the distance, though I didn't know if it was a mirage or not. Let's just say Nike was with me now. As to say; victory!

I sprinted to the water and threw myself in, I hadn't realized it before, but I was unusually warm and dry.

As I was relaxing in the cool riverbed, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I swung my head back only to smash my face into someone else's. I grabbed my nose and looked at the person that just scared me to death. The man was about forty or so with long dry brown hair and beard. He wore a white robe and a turban around his head, which worked like a very bad sunhat, noticing the sunburn on his face. His callused hands held his bloody nose as his dark eyes penetrated right through me like a dagger.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized. "I didn't mean-"

He held his hands out, and I stopped. He introduced, "I'm Momus, and you are?"

"Destiny Harbor. Do you live here? Do you know where I am?" my eyes darted toward the clear blue sky.

"Destiny Harbor, ey? The famous daughter of Cronus and the other one? Being half titan is very special, you know."

"Who are you?"

"Me? Well, I'm the god of-well let's just leave it at that."

"I think I read about you some time ago. You are the son of...Nyx? The night god if I'm correct. You were kicked out of Olympus for mocking Zeus and Aphrodite, and were forgotten forever."

"Don't remind me. And I wasn't exactly forgotten, daughter of Cronus, if you know me." He brought out a candy bar, and started to chew on it. "It all started when that chatterbox Aphrodite bot the wrong pair of sandals and it made such an annoying creaking sound, and I got in trouble with Zeus almighty, or Zeus the dopy. And then I told the complete truth about him being violent and unreasonable."

"Yes, Momus, because that's not mocking at all."

"Don't sass me, girl, I could be ruthless at best." He unwrapped another of his candy bars, and stuffed his face again. "Beware, daughter of Cronus, for though I am your worst enemy." He yawned like he lost interest in threatening me and went back to eating. "Want some?" Momus offered.

Losing my appetite, I asked, "How do you get out of here? Do you know anything about Hate?"

"I do know that his Pride is casted off into a women's body, so you can't kill him by hand. You have to kill Pride first, though its frankly impossible to catch her, and I see you have tried that already, though you have failed miserably."

Digesting all of the information wasn't that difficult, though thinking that it was unbearably hard to kill Hate's Pride, or impossible, I dreaded the feeling. "That's the only way? That's the only way for Hate to die."

Momus informed, "Well…one person knows, his name is Deimos."

"Fear," I muttered. "That means fear in Greek. He accompanied his father Ares in war, with his twin brother Phobus-panic. What would they know about Hate?"

"He once went to them with questions; they said they would answer the questions if Hate would do them a favor in return. Hate agreed. But when the two brothers asked him to take care of their dad's shop, he ditched them. The store was robbed shortly after. Phobus and Deimos agreed to steel his Zokhel, so he would always be bound to them."

"What's a Zokhel?"

"A rose which holds the lifeline of the person. If taken the theft has put the person into a hypnotized trance, so they would do anything for the theft."

"So your supposing I should steel Hate's Zokhel?" I suggested, looking grim.

"I suppose you steel Hate or Pride's Zokhel, though your way works as well." A cloud formed in the middle of the dessert and rained just on Momus. Seriously? "Cloud-face does not want me to say any more than I have." A shriek of thunder almost zapped him on the head. Momus took a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. "Here, daughter of Cronus, this is the beginning of your journey, and is also the beginning of Zeus' payback!"

"Uh, what?"

He answered quickly, "Nothing."

There were three words on the paper; Deimos, Phobus, and Los Angeles California, Universal studios.

So getting there was easy, Momus helped, finding my way through an eight hundred and ninety square kilometer place isn't exactly what I call "easy." Now don't even mention the oversized lollypop stuck to my leg, that's what you get for walking passed a hyperactive five-year-old. I. couldn't. breath. It was so jam packed with people, and don't even get me started with the street clowns. When I was smaller this was the ideal place to go; now I was getting blinded by flashing camera's and sugary treats.

Why and where the gods of fear and terror would be here? No idea-wait!-I sort of got the idea when pigs started to fly. Literally. If you count them being attached to a crane looming over a ride.

I walked beside a gift shop that wrote 'HADES' ANGELS', which was unusually inaccurate, since Hades had only three old wrinkled women-called the fates. Anyhow, I saw a whole bunch of toys shaped like the twelve gods, and couldn't help but going in-hey! Hydra venom does that to a person! I studied the dancing bobbleheads of monsters, which I had encountered before. They were not cute. I glanced at the baby hanger with Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon hanging by their necks; now isn't that what you would want your child to have access to? And to go with that I saw Phobus and Deimos.

Deimos was wearing a knitted lion hat, with a purple knitted sweater, orange disco pants, a lion cape way too small for him, and a pony wand. He had dark eyeliner and face paint to look like a very playful cat.

Phobus wasn't much better. He had a black and white sweater and pants, plus a panda hat and cape. True that for his face paint. And for his mighty wand that killed millions!-a donut?

How did I know they were the two gods? They had extremely colourful nametags, to match their socks.

Deimos was lounging in his chair, his feet on his desk, yawning. Phobus playing with a bobble head boxer, which did very weak punches if you tap it.

"Hello, Destiny Harbor, how are you doing today?" Deimos greeted, doing the worst Elvis Presley impression in the world.

"Man, you know your acting strikes fear into our customers. Wait!-awesome!" They high fived there victory. "Anyways, Momus told me about you, and you're here to ask about Hate, if you dare." Phobus started to eat his donut.

That didn't seem like the worst god I have ever seen. "I do dare, so, um…what can you tell me about Hate?"

They both groaned like they heard that name too many times. "We know more than you can understand," Phobus filled in. "We have his Zokhel, want it?"

"That might help. How does the Zokill work?"

"It's Zokhel, and you've been having way to much dreams lately. So, I-I-I…" he looked at his brother and whispered, "I don't actually know." He straightened his back and came back to me. "You know that's really not my job to say. And by the way, I was kidding by saying I would give you Hate's Zokhel, it's the only way I get it to fear me. It's the only weapon I have against him."

"But," Deimos informed, playing with his pony wand. "If you like, for a trade, we can give you something else, something valuable."

For a trade, Ithought, for a trade…

I looked around the room and finally decided, "I'll by one of your bobble heads."

"Deal," Phobus and Deimos said together. "Buy first, deal second."

I picked up one of the Poseidon ones, with his trident an actual fork. I'd love to his face when he sees that.

"Ok," Deimos lectured, "There is this place called Hesperides there is a tree with golden apples. A potion that makes you go back in time is from that tree, hidden in an apple. The only problem is there is no way to travel there by magic, the closest you can get is about a mile away. Oh-and there's a dragon."

"Well that sounds promising."

"Better get there by sundown, or-well-you'll find out."

I there's one thing I learned, "finding out" is not the best scenario. "What will happen by sundown?"

"Let's just say; Hate has plans. And it's not friendly."

Ok, so finding the place was easy. Again, I used the power of the sundial symbol to get me as close to the garden of Hesperides as possible. I than started to walk there, occasionally stumbling across a burrito shop and was too tempted not to get one. I ended up eating two burritos, one left because it was too spicy. I also only had to walk a quarter of a mile, because sky trains and buses did most of the work, and I only had to walk that because the road started to end. But that was fine with me.

I looked up at the mountain, it was a kilometre high at least, and it was already one o' clock. And if Deimos was right, I wasn't going to last very long if I wasn't on time. But I had no choice, I had to walk.

As I got half way up, I knew time was flying. But finally, after attempting to use magic to get to the top, then getting a huge rash, I reached. I was panting heavily, and all I wanted to do was curl in a ball and go to bed, but I knew that was not possible if I wanted to stay alive. This place was probably crawling with monsters, not to mention the giant man eating dragon. And I could feel the power of the gods straining against my magic, trying to tear me apart. But I struggled to my feet, and started doing the slowest walk ever.

It was three twenty five.

This place was beautiful. It had white marble buildings with gold etched around it, and the life sized statue of every minor and major gods. There was bright green moss on the ground, but it wasn't gross, it was actually more beutiful then grass. The sky was bright and the sun was shining making everything glow with a yellow tint. There were ponds and fountains everywhere, flowers and roses growing everywhere.

In figured this would be Leslie's dream if he hadn't changed.

I started to shiver, even though it was the perfect warmth. I felt cold to my surroundings, like there was only one raincloud, only on me. Why did Leslie have to suffer for Hate, why did he have to me the victim?

I would've got completely sidetracked if I hadn't set my gaze on some giant stuffed toys. They were giants, I mean titans. I mean giant titans. I saw all of the nasties in line, my dad, Pallas, Rhea…it wasn't long before I noticed that they were life sized voodoo dolls, with spears and swords stuck in them instead of needles. I wondered if they worked.

Forgetting the time I climbed on them one by one as I willed a permanent marker appear, and gave facial hair to all of them.

My job is done here.

As I jogged a little bit farther, I found what I was looking for, the thing I was ready to encounter, the burrito shop of a lifetime. Ok, off topic, but it was there, and I was dragged to it like a magnet.

Top Ten Things I Hope Would Be there

An endless selection of burrito's

Make the burritos free

Have a 'make your own burrito section'

Oh! Make number four shaped like a burrito!

Have a chandelier with glowing burritos instead of lights.

Have a cute casher

…dressed like a burrito.

Have everything shaped like a burrito.

HAVE THE STORE ALL TO MYSELF!

Have it be monster-free.

I ran inside, forgetting everything. It was everything in the list, literally. It even seemed to change to what I thought I wanted, like when I wondered about a bag of chips, a vending machine appeared. But I didn't take that against me, even though I too can make stuff appear-but only small stuff like cellphones, swords, blankets, etc. The biggest thing would probably be a flat screen TV.

According to the woman at the casher, everything was free. I hardly noticed how she looked like because I ran to the nearest 'make your own burrito' centre. But would I did notice was she was wearing a white 'mother chef' apron on her green shirt. Matched with jeans. Her eyes blue, hair jet-black and pinned in a ponytail.

After I was about going to die from my exploding stomach I thought of a couch, laid on it, and went to bed.

My dream had the women from the casher talking to another woman with the exact same features. If one of them wasn't wearing a chef costume I would think that one was just looking at her reflection. Anyways, chef made a sneer.

"She has a record of dodging the impossible, Kharis," she exclaimed. "We only have so much to our name, to our power."

Madam Apron let out an exasperated breath. "Pasithea! Do not speak like that! We will strive to Zeus' command, Harbor must die."

Yay! Another immortal at my bad side!

"It is already four, the sun will set at seven forty three, and she cannot wake up from her sleep. And even if she will, our friend Ladon will take care of that. The heart of the world depends on her, and when she dies, the world's getting a seizure."

I woke up immediately, as their words echoed in my brain. I had to get out of here. As I started to leave I checked the time; it was five, which meant I had only about four hours left. As I sprinted out, floor underneath me rumbled. Ladon. I remembered that dragon, guarding the golden apple tree, with rising fifty feet and one hundred heads stacked on its many necks.

I didn't want to meet Paithea and Kharis' "little friend".

One word came up in my mind. Run.

, Sprint, Usain Bolt

Running with a full stomach isn't the easiest, in fact; I only made it three meters before I heard a roar. So, in future references-I'll tell you if I have a future.

I knew running wasn't helping me, so I started to think (and no I can't think and run at the same time well.) I scanned the room for something useful-nothing, as always. I did have my dagger with me; if I get very hurt it will take the pain away, though it doesn't necessarily fix the problem. And somehow the pain didn't flow out to the victim like it did before, so it was just an ordinary dagger.

I left all my thoughts and made a cup of lemon juice appear-that was one of the best strategies you could use to get out of a bloodthirsty Greek mythical monster-and I poured it over me. What type of monster would want to eat a sour human? And I know that sounds pointless and silly, but once you get on the deluxe-menu for all immortals and monsters, you learn to do anything to stay alive.

I heard louder thumps as the fifty foot dragon appeared in front of me. It had stunning red eyes piercing through you like a laser (or it was the burrito's coming back up). Its plated silver skin etched with sharp knife-like teeth. Its tail waving as it smashed through drywall and brick, its legs the size of houses, and large ones at that. And that wasn't the scary part, it had hundreds of heads placed everywhere, looking like a bushy tree-with razor sharp fangs which spit poison. But one head, the biggest of all, in the middle, was the real thing that scared me-it breathed fire, and was more gruesome. The oxygen which he breathed turned into green slime on the ground.

I didn't get dizzy, though I was frightened dearly. The thousands of teeth grinding together as they melted the food and furniture down.

Its feet started pounding toward me, as I started backing away momentarily. I was pushed back so far the dragon raced me to a chair. I sat down horrified as I stared at the agitated beast.

Not cool.

I did the only thing I could do, make more lemon juice, and get soaked. For one second I was fine, the next, I was scattering like crazy with the sourness in my eyes.

Ladon tilted his heads, like he didn't know to chase me or to laugh at me. But it soon came to the focus that I was its next meal.

As we started the goose chase, the pain started to melt, and I started to get slower. This wasn't a good sign. So when I had my chance I let the hydra ram into me (good choice of words, eh?).

Three, two, I counted, and I didn't get to three before jumping on its back and stabbing it repeatedly. Then I got the whack of my life as I flew into the nearest burrito machine. Though, luckily, burritos make a comfy landing, and I was bruised with only minor scars.

As Ladon homed in on its next meal, gnashing its teeth like a built in deathtrap, I did what seemed to be the worst idea ever. But, as usual, those were the only ones I had. I scanned the room for my bag, because it wasn't on me, but luckily it wasn't in a too dangerous place. Just kidding, this was the beginning of the end. And as he pounded toward me, I ran straight toward it.

As the dragon momentarily went into a confused trance, I ran under its legs and grabbed my bag. I scrambled through it, but Ladon was wiser (Gee, I never thought I would say that), and it sprayed liquid and melted all of my things. My dagger was the only thing that didn't melt, because it was enchanted, but without the curse it would've been hopeless. Like my poor shoe.

I cast an eye over the room once more, but was flipped across the room and smashed into a 'make your own burrito' centre. But that's what I needed.

With amazing agility, I wrapped the world's fastest burrito and smothered it in vegetables and…-other ingredients.

I gave one more defining stare that said, "You picked the wrong day to mess with me" and through the spicy hot burrito into its mouth.

I immediately sprinted out the door, jumping at the last four feet, as I felt the blast of the bursting burrito shop behind me. As my lips cracked and my hair got singed, I stifled a smile, as the monsters fire was quickly put out by the will of the gods. The titan voodoo dolls couldn't have given me a thankful smile, but I felt as if they were. Like their feelings were suddenly caught in time, sort of like the Mona Lisa. But my moment of joy slowly faded as I checked the time. It was five forty seven. My time was almost over.

I cursed at the smiling attacked dolls, as they made me hopeful. It was better if I had no dreams so they wouldn't be crushed, then have hopes and die in peril as they won't happen. I had almost given up, I will admit, but, as I was about to turn back, I finally saw the beautiful tree of Hesperides.

It looked like a weeping willow, with an array of textures of light shining down, making a beautiful circle around it. It had drooping bland green leaves coming off of the thick stump. The dark colours mixed with the light were even more endearing. The golden nuggets that hung were huge. I mean the size of my foot huge. I knew they were apples as I got closer.

If I remembered correctly, Phobus and Deimos said there would be a would be a potion which enables you to go to the past in one of these apples. So I started checking in the first one, knocking it to see if it was hollow, resisting the constant urge to steal them. After about the fiftieth one I gave up, and I couldn't help but slipping the very heavy object in my bag. I wonder if one really mattered. Anyhow, I continued, knocking everyone, but none of them was the one.

I stabbed by dagger into the tree as I checked the time. Six ten. This wasn't good. Sundown was at seven forty three, and I didn't want to know what Hate wanted as my punishment this time. What would I get for escaping death?

I marked a sundial on the tree trunk, and then started to transport. Deimos and Phobus had a little explaining to do.

So the gods of fear and terror were actually pretty good at fighting. I learned that the hard way.

Deimos cared about his cupcake, and when he wouldn't answer me, I squashed it. Then he somehow grabbed my neck, and then it didn't seem to me that Deimos' pony wand (Which turned into an actual blood thirsty horse) was that funny anymore. I even suggested that I could by them both a cupcake, and that saved my life.

The gods were both so pleased that they even answered my question-sort of.

"Well," Phobus started, licking pink icing off his lips, "First of all, you didn't listen to me correctly. Second of all, I said it was from that tree, I didn't say it was still on it."

"Uh," I moaned, tilting my head back. "Why do you people always speak in riddles?"

"Did you just call us people?" Deimos said, shocked. "I will haunt you in your sleep, as you will think of what you just said." He switched his accent into somewhere between Chinese and the hiccups. "I-o very-o disappointed-o in your behaviour-o!" Then going into African. "You got such a loud mouth, girl! You 'ought to be ready." Then switching back to normal, he repeated, "Be ready!"

With that the two psychos disappeared. And I was left with nothing. Again!

But that didn't stop me this time. I knew exactly where I was going to go to London, United Kingdom, Olympic stadium.

Ok, so you may be wondering why there. Well I thought for a while about the apple tree and remembered when it popped up in history. In a foot race, Atalanta would surely win. That's why when she was going to have to get married, she tricked her pursuers into racing her, and if they win, they would have her hand in marriage. Though if they lost, that would be the end of them. But when Hippomenes came, he used cunning thoughts to trick her. Every time she ran ahead of him, he would throw a golden apple, and she would pick them up. He hesitantly won.

So what was one of the most famous running stadiums in the world? The London Olympic stadium of course. I didn't remember too much about Usain Bolt, but I did know he made a bunch of records in sprinting.

Getting in was easy, I just climbed over a fence, snuck past a sleeping security guard, and headed for the warm up area. It looked like an aluminum dome with the top sliced off, and with hundreds of seats stacked on top of each other. There was a circle of red and a smaller box of green in the middle.

I slowly walked to the finish line.

"Thank you," I cried, "I can't believe I just made a record for the hundred meter dash! It was always my dream to-" I stopped myself as I got back to work.

I needed to find the apple before it was too late. Distractions weren't the answer. I started by ducking under a couple of the bleacher, and not to my surprise I found nothing, average luck for me. But then I saw it, the shimmering gold wedged between a statue near the exit.

I sprinted toward it. It was six fifty, that didn't leave me much time. I saw a little blond head pop up close to the statue, as it started toward it.

I started to go faster, but to go with the day; I got one of those stupid visions. I saw Leslie holding a dagger against my neck, as a series of images appeared for a second; it was of Crystal and Leslie and I, we were hugging. Than of me struggling to get out of the gas chamber, as Crystal was battling a giant serpent. Than probably every single shocked or sad face Leslie and I made appeared.

I felt torn. But I didn't know why. I didn't remember any of these images, but it felt like some secret part of me was rising, remembering. I tried to forget everything and wake up, but my consciousness kept drifting into things I didn't remember. If all of this stuff was so important, I should've been able to get the golden apple, and the potion inside of it.

Finally, after both sides of my brain started talking together, I woke up. And before I even got full consciousness, I started running toward the apples, or at least I thought. I went to find something to get rid of Hate, but I ended up with a face full of security guard.

The reddened guard demanded, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Running," I squeaked, keeping my promise. And if the red faced person could get any redder, he did. "See ya."

I could barely outrun the muscled guy behind me, but that wasn't my only worry. The blonde in the front was almost at the apple, and I wasn't going to take any chances. Running was never one of my skills, in fact, nothing was. I only cared about my friends, and I wanted to help them.

I started to take control as I thought of how Hate had pushed my friends around like they were rag dolls, and tried to kill me enough times to hold a grudge.

The guy started to fall back, and I was almost there. Just as the teenager plucked the apple from its place, I did what was necessary. I tackled him. He let out a muffled scream as I pinned him to the ground and snatched the apple. I took the gold and examined it. It had no hatches to open, but it was unmistakably hollow, so I smashed it on the ground. It wasn't that hard to break open, not much harder than cracking a coconut. A small wooden box emerged from the ruins, as I slipped it in my pockets.

I already started drawing a sundial when the boy struggled up. All I knew before I disappeared is that he was younger than me, and looked frankly Germen.

I grasped the box tightly to me as I snuggled in the corner of an abandoned toy factory. The light was dim, rods and pillars supporting the big building. Wheels and automated hands scaled across the dark ceiling.

It wasn't the ideal place to stay, but it was good enough. I only came here to check out the potion. The two brothers said it could make you go back in time, and let you change one thing and one thing only. But cannot change if you will get murdered or die. But as soon as I was about to unwrap it from the silk, a bunch of lights turned on.

Machines roared to life, people streamed in switching on lights, building toys. So much for that idea.

"Destiny," Zeus laughed. "What are you doing here? Finally you took up that offer of going to tartarus?" He smiled, causing wrinkle lines to snake over his pale face. And by my glare, the god took that as a no. "Maybe you want to take a tour of my new business! I took a part time job at Hephaestus' online store auto-fly. 'Get more for less!'

I felt the potion in my hand getting warmer, or maybe it was my curiosity. "I need to get going, Zeus, maybe next time-"

The goofy expression on Zeus' face was replaced by a stern piercing look. I didn't think he was too happy about my parting, and not because we were friends. I didn't remember too much of the journey five months ago, only that I ran into a whole bunch of deadly monsters and a couple not-so-friendly gods. Including Zeus. I didn't know if I made him angry or not, but I was about to find out now.

As the lightning god's arm whisked a lightning bolt at me, to his surprise, it bounced harmlessly off my skin. And it repeated as he did it again, and again, and again. As if I was coated with invincible iron.

Zeus didn't give a much more shocked look as I gave. "That's impossible! How can you-" He looked at my bag. Than growled irritated. "You have my apple, I can't hurt you.

Oh yeah!

"I need it back immediately. Do you get it?"

I heard a whiny at the end of the room as two horse men appeared. One of the centaurs remembered, "Hey! We remember you! Tiffany, right?"

"No," I replied dryly.

"So, Tiffany, you still friends with Goose?"

Zeus groaned, "Its Zeus!"

"Whatever, Goose. So, Tiffany, how's it going, remember us?" I shook my head diligently. "You know when you went on that search for the dragon five months ago? You bumped into us twice, and the good thing is, we only tried to kill you twice! But after you called us stupid we forgave you! Hugs?!"

I shook my head again. I didn't know how I could hug a man twice the size of me, or the obvious fact that he was half horse. And the other observable is that they weren't that bright-at all. But I guess you kind of saw in the "you bumped into us twice and we only tried to kill you twice" comment.

The talkative one wore a hard hat and a bright construction vest, and a tool belt. That's also what the other two hundred people wore. Which I really didn't get the hard hat part because the heaviest thing that would come falls down would be an avalanche of Zeus figurines. Which in that case might be helpful.

Ignoring the high caffeinated centaurs, I started to judge Zeus, or according to Momus; cloud face-which I tend to like better. "Why is your immortality based on an apple?"

"A golden apple-"

"Ok, friends, let's go to the grocery store and my some immortality!" It was either my hyperventilation or plain stupidity. But whichever, Zeus took it fairly well.

"It's actually a gold apple."

"Even better; let's go to the jewelry store!" My breathing started to quicken. Was I going crazy? No, that would be impossible. I already was crazy.

If my face was red it wasn't as red as Zeus', strawberries would be jealous.

Oops.

"Hand over my apple-"

"Is it just me or does that sound wrong? Anyways, I'm not giving you the apple in till you explain something about Hate." After that we had a stare-off till I finally broke out. "I will give you your apple-as wrong as that sounds-if you give me some information about Hate."

If any god could do a lousy puppy dog face, cloud-face could. It was more like a one hundred year old trying to rob a bank. After the god realized unnecessary frightening, he finally accepted. "GGGAAHH! Stupid no good puppy dog face! Fine! He has a weak spot on his ankle, if you touch it he will freeze for three seconds at most."

Ankle, maybe that's why he asked me who Achilles is, he didn't want me squashing him like the bug he is.

I threw the lunging god his beloved immortal apple, and he collapsed on the ground. "You're welcome." But I didn't have any time to do anything. One I was running out of time and Zeus was now able to through lightning bolts at me.

The boy wasn't the most pleasant to be around. By the boy I mean Gwen Eleanor. His sister Autusa was the exact opposite; we both loved burritos, she loved tennis, we both were about to get killed. But before I get any further, I should explain.

Five minutes after, I ran into the blonde kid-Gwen-literally. After he got a nose bleed and screamed, "Oh my god! You're trying to kill me! Why did you just punch me in the face?!" After that, the busy streets of Los Angeles all turned toward me-including the police officials till there was silence except the engines of the cars. I had a feeling he got me into a lot of trouble.

I whispered out of the corner of my mouth, still facing the angry people, "What are you talking about? I didn't punch you in the face!"-I turned back to the people closing in-"Oh no, this is a misunderstanding, he was-was…" the police officers were nearing. "Was a prank," Autusa filled, as she suddenly appeared from the mob. "My little brother is always a…a brother," she decided. "Underline the little."

Gwen's face turned red. "Only by five minutes," he muttered. His sister gave him a frown. "And twenty seconds." Gwen didn't look so intimidating anymore, and he never was, otherwise I wouldn't have knocked him out at the Olympic stadium. Gwen was just rude, immoral, and annoying.

When the crowd died down, Autusa apologized, "Sorry about that, my brother Gwen is just like his mother. But before I forget, I was wondering if I could ask you some questions, maybe we could have lunch?"

"Whatever," Gwen encouraged. "As long as I get fries."

We went to the nearest fast food centre around the block, which wasn't too far. It was nothing fancy, we just got some fries, as Gwen reminded every three second. And that was when he was not talking about characters from his favorite movies. But it didn't matter much because I was still trying to figure who they were.

As if to read my mind, Autusa introduced herself, "Oh, oops, I forgot to introduce myself. This must be so weird for you. I'm Autusa, and this is my twin brother Gwen." I was about to say my name. "No need to explain, I know who you are, everybody does, your Destiny Harbour, daughter of Cronus."

"Are you mortal? Demigod?" I asked.

Autusa gulped, and said nothing. But that was ok, because her brother answered for her. "Demigod," he hummed mouth full of fries. "Kids of Kakia, goddess of sins and immoral badness."

She tucked her blonde hair under her ear, looking down. "I didn't want to say anything. Just because our mom is the immortal sin doesn't mean we're like that or you should be afraid of us! Well… maybe Gwen, but not me! You have to trust me on this!"

I said, "I trust you."

"I SAID YOU SHOULD TRUST ME!-wait…"

"I said I trust you."

"Me? Why?" Her mind seemed to wander off, as she cooled down, and her voice turned into a whisper. "I'm sorry, Destiny. It's just that I really need your help. We need your help." Autusa looked at Gwen, half longing, half disgust.

I nodded slowly, getting her started. "Ok, Destiny, so I should first explain how we got into this mess. It all started when the glowing orb took us to Atlas."

"It was round," Gwen informed, "Very round, like an orb should be." Maybe he didn't have enough room in his stomach so the fries slowly went to his brain. "And blue. Glowing blue. And-"

"Ok we get it, Gwen. Anyways, we were dragged off to a cave, where Atlas was standing, holding the earth on his callused hands. Then he tricked Gwen into holding the earth on his shoulders-"

"Atlas did not trick me," he spitted. "I was pushed."

"Whatever, any way you still were carrying the weight of earth. Atlas said he would only let Gwen go if we'd get Zeus to bear the sky, and I…I agreed."

"It's ok, Autusa, you were loyal to your brother. But if Zeus would leave and Atlas would be free, that would complete the titans, and the gods would lose their only master. Well besides Hera, she's just a-" I bit my tongue and smiled at the younger kids. "-Never mind. That could start a war bigger than the Trojan, this could hurt innocent mortals." All of us looked around at the cheerful people-they didn't seem to notice we were about to plan what could end up in the end of happiness.

"That's why we need you! Who else is better than you at manipulating immortals?"

"No one, I guess. And is that a compliment?" No answers. "I will help you, but you guys can't go out of my sight, 'cause now I'm responsible for you." I didn't explain why, and I wasn't planning to. If Hate would hurt Gwen and Autusa because he wanted my death, I would never forgive myself. And I had only so much time, I already got sidetracked by the whole Gwen malfunction. "We should start soon; I need to get out of this place as soon as possible."

They didn't need to be told twice, we got up and left. Well, this is where it gets complicated. It started with the walking hamburger. I pushed the kids behind me, which they didn't mind, since we were too baffled to think. It wasn't that we were scared-actually it was that we were scared. It wasn't every day that you get attacked by a food product. I mean what was the worst it could do, destroy us with high carbs. More than that-it could hold a sharp French fry. Do not ask me why.

"Is that a burger?" Gwen wondered.

Autusa said, "No, a doppelganger. An illusion, it's probably a monster like the temmusion."

He turned green. "I'm never eating from this place again."

The monster through itself at me, slashing its French fry rapidly. I sliced through the middle, but it just lifted the tomato and I cut thin air. I was starting to rethink the 'you are what you eat saying'.

As the twins cowered behind me, I did the best one to one combat you could have between a trained professional and a burger. I wasn't surprised when I finally caught it; it spewed ketchup instead of blood. Then finally, after slowly crossing the burger to the corner, we hugged it. No, killed it. Wait, are we still doing that?

I wiped the sweat off my brow. If this tired me out what would Atlas do? Could I really do this fight, or was I walking into suicide?

from Heaven

I remember when Crystal and I did a prank on Leslie; we started by getting a retractable plastic knife, then instead of blood we used ketchup. Crystal and I started to break plates and bang the walls, yelling like we were in a fight. When we heard Leslie coming, Crystal quickly played dead as I poured ketchup over her, and attached the retractable knife to her. As he walked in and screamed, I pressed a button to release a mound of raw eggs on him.

Ah! Good times. If this was ketchup, not Gwen's blood, I would be a lot happier.

So the siblings took me to the cave where Atlas was, and suddenly, when we were cautiously walking, Gwen suddenly crumbled to the ground. He was unconscious and bleeding terribly, out of nowhere.

"Gwen!" Autusa cried, kneeling beside him. She touched his forehead, as if checking for a cold. "Are you ok?" OK. We both knew Gwen wasn't ok, but what happened next was just weird.

It started with the ear lengthening, then the other elfish features. His chin started to grow, as he started to lose hair on his head. Gwen started to grow a horse's tail, and I am aware of how odd that sounds. But when the greenish tint appeared to his face, and the horns stuck out of his temples, it wasn't a laughing matter. Fur started to cover his full body, like the werewolf he was never supposed to be. Donkey teeth sprouted slowly from his mouth.

Gwen suddenly burst up, whipping his hands around like a drunken donkey. He looked at his hairy fingers, and then Gwen started shivering. "Awesome!"

"Awesome?"Autusa snapped. "Awesome?! You've turned into a mutant beast and all you can say is awesome?!"

"Uh…Really awesome?"

"Gah! Forget it! Are you alright?" Autusa looked like she was going to die of fright and worry. I guess she didn't ever see her brother as a goat alien before. But there's a first for everything.

"Alright? Alright?! Of course I feel all right! I never felt better in my life!" Gwen proved his point by karate kicking the cave wall and made a minor rumble.

I froze up as I remembered a memory; even though it was short, it was horrifying. Crystal, Leslie, and I were running through a cave-in, with boulders flying everywhere. Crystal and I were ahead, and we got out first. Even though it was a vision, I felt relieved. Just until, louder than our panting, a scream pierced through the night sky. I ran in, and I saw the figure of Leslie in the distance. I sprinted faster, as I saw a gigantic rock start rumbling above him, and even though Leslie was running, the boulder was huge. He wouldn't make it.

I returned to reality feeling icy cold, even more than I was before. I think I remembered seeing this vision before, though it didn't seem any less disturbing. It must've been fake, if Leslie died then, than why would he be alive today?

I didn't even notice the ten foot titan sneaking up behind me, till the bickering sibling started to tap my shoulder recklessly, though scared. If I could get any more clueless I wouldn't remember if I died till I was in the underworld.

Anyhow, unlike the myth, Atlas wasn't holding the sky on his shoulders. It was said it was a sphere, shaped like the earth, ten times the size of the colossal titan. Instead he wore a green t-shirt that originally said "HELP EARTH!" but now it said "DESTROY HELP EARTH!" And Atlas wore a green baseball hat that said the same thing.

"What happened to earth?" Gwen wondered. He realized how stupid his question sounded and rephrased it. "Why don't you have the weight of the sky bound to your shoulders?"

Atlas looked at goat boy. "I do, right here." He tossed a mini earth key chain in the air and caught it with his finger, then started to spin it around. "Impressive, right?"

As I saw Gwen look in awe at the unnecessary gestures, I started to get my nerves back. It wasn't that I underestimated the power Atlas could strike at you, but he just didn't seem so frightening right now. I decided to still stay wary at his every move, but not after long, I started to daze off. That happened after Gwen kept getting shocked of the titans' lame talents. Autusa started to do the same when Atlas started to teach Gwen how to armpit fart. So we sat down in the corner, vaguely aware of what was happening around us, and I started to write down what I wanted to say to her on a paper. Just in case Atlas tried to go smart with us and listen.

Me-how do we stop Atlas?

Autusa-he's not that strong right now. If I cause a delusion in the front you could come from behind and take him. Then Gwen and I will join.

Me-will he know whats happening? This is going to be quick as five seconds.

Ignoring me, she started to do hand signals as Gwen noticed her. So did Atlas, but he probably didn't know what she meant because he started to make piles of origami birds. Gwen followed, but kept close eye. And Autusa gave me the look, as to say go.

I walked slowly and awkwardly behind the titan, and he didn't seem to notice me, and I didn't blame him, Autusa's chicken dance almost got me stumbling into a wall. I almost forgot to do my part of the plan until she paused for a second; Atlas caused a frown as he noticed the short stop. But Autusa saved it by smacking herself across the face. It was enjoyable for everyone to see.

I reeled back, than sprung myself on Atlas' back, stabbing him repeatedly. The twins jumped into the commotion as well, but even with the three of us, it was desperately hard to keep the titan down. I guess holding the earth for thousands of years will add a few muscles. Even if it was just a key chain.

Finally after Gwen did a donkey kick in Atlas' face, Autusa got him in a choke hold. I would've helped except Gwen's kick finished on me.

As Atlas struggled to breathe, he negotiated with Autusa, "I will help your brother if you let me go. Otherwise he will die." We all looked at Gwen in his giant bunny form. He looked fine beside that, until he doubled over. Autusa flinched as she finally gave in, and let go. "Good, girl. Now, about Gwen…Hera was mad at Bromios and proceeded to do harm to his fellow men. She ruined their fields and turned them into goat slash donkey men. Gwen's now one of them, he will slowly die. That's it. bye."

Recovering from the encounter with Gwen's foot, I grabbed Atlas' shirt and lifted him up. "You're not going anywhere."

"Yes," said a voice behind me. "And neither will you."

I checked the time. It was seven forty three-sundown. And Hate had arrived.

"You couldn't just give me five more minutes?" I complained. "Just five more minutes?" Hate took that as a no. "I would do anything for you to leave me alone. Though would you ever be a genuine person and do that? Nooo! You rather kill people!"

After giving me daring glares, he finally answered. "Fine. I'm timing. Go."

"What?!"

"Four fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven…"

I didn't waste any time. I turned toward the shocked Autusa. "Gwen?" I did some mixed hand signals like Autusa, but I had no idea what the heck I was doing. But I guess it meant something because he knocked Atlas out with his hoof. The still dazed little girl didn't do anything. But that didn't matter, Gwen finished him off. Even though titans are immortal, they still have to pay their time in the underworld. Like how in the Trojan War they sliced Cronus into so many tiny pieces and spread it so far apart in Hades that he stayed there for thousands of years.

Hate put his hands in the air. "Times up! Now I get to bother you." He pointed his chin up and cleared his throat. Hate went back into serious mode. "Now that that's over, I'm going to finish you. I can honestly say that I'm impressed that you got away from your first punishment, Destiny, but you surely cannot get away from my next idea."

The point of my dagger tilted as Hate inspected me; almost like I was a second hand car and he wanted to see if I was worth anything. Usually with that attitude I would get even more hope, but today was different. His shining sword (even though you could only see a chink underneath his shirt) was aggravating. Just the thought that Hate could unsheathe his weapon any moment, just the times when he tried to kill me with it, just the lives it took.

I heard a clatter of metal in the distance, which really broke the frightening moment. Leslie came holding his wrist and two swords sticking out of his shoe, which shook me back to reality. And even more than that, the unpretentious smile he gave me, and it felt like a thousand worlds colliding.

"They're coming," Leslie huffed. "But they're slowing down, Hate, but we don't have much time, still. Do you think we could do this another time?"

If anything was more obvious, I haven't seen it. Leslie was trying to buy me more time; he realized I wanted to help Gwen and Autusa, even though he probably didn't know who they were.

My breathing stiffened as Hate neared me. Something I knew for sure, I was going to die here and soon. I don't know where the feeling came from, but it was like Hades was whispering in my ear. It wasn't like I was happy I was going to die, but I didn't feel sad either. I didn't feel angry that I lived a sort life span, or that this was unfair, I felt like this was me. I felt like this was Destiny. And I couldn't be more certain.

I took a deep breath, and I could already smell the scent of blood, and started, "You could do what you want with me. Kill me, whatever, but just leave Autusa and Gwen go unhurt. I…I promise." I put my head down.

"Destiny, no!" Austusa cried. "This isn't your time to go, and we'll beat whoever this is together!"

I smiled softly. "But this isn't your time either. I told you this moment, remember? No matter what don't go in front of me, I knew this was the day. I knew this was going to happen, Autusa."

"But wouldn't you be scared? You acted so solemn, so strong, I had no idea…" she burst into tears.

Hate faked sarcastically, "Oh, boohoo. I love to sit here all day and listen to your sobs but I have a job to do. Destiny, thank you for trying to kill me, it entertained me even though you would never be able to do it for real. And do you remember my name is Hate, right? That means you're going to hate me forever, 'cause you are immortal."

I knit my brows till I realized what he was going to do, and then I screamed. The light cage around Gwen and Autusa was not part of the plan; I would rather die than hurt these innocent children. They started coughing and spluttering.

"NOOOOOOO!" I screamed. I burst into tears, as I felt my heart exploding.

I ran up to the cage and tried to break through. Autusa whispered as she slowly closed her eyes, "For Demigods." And that was the last of Gwen and Autusa Eleanor.

I turned all my anger towards Hate. How could he do this? If I was going to die I would do it with importance. I wouldn't be the people that tried and never succeeded. I would never let Hate hurt another family. I had a plan.

I got my dagger ready and ran straight into Hate. If it wasn't the element of surprise I would've died already. I punched his heel as he went completely limp. I dug my nails into his arm and ripped out his Zokhel.

Blood covered every inch of Hate and I as I started toward Leslie, feeling more confident than ever. As half a minute passed Hate got up wearily, but when he saw the blood then the Zokhel in my hand, the weirdest thing happened.

In the dark I could hardly see him but I knew something was different. His eyes were glowing red, his jaw was pushed out like a shark and he had the teeth of a monster. His nails grew three inches and his back was sloped like a dogs.

And that was the sound of evolution trying its best not to through up.

Even though he was barely noticeable, his voice was even more scary. Hate's raspy croak hissed along the walls of the cave. "Give it back!"

I ignored him and went to Leslie. "I know you hate me, Leslie. What I did was wrong, but please, if you care even the slightest about me you will give me my Zokhel. Not even me, think about Gwen and Autusa, they just wanted my help, they didn't do anything wrong." I tried for a faint smile but that was hard when you have blood smeared on your face.

It finally came to me. Leslie had my Zokhel, which was why I never left him. I didn't stop trying to save him even though he kept trying to kill me.

Leslie wavered for a second, as he looked at Hate. But then hugged me tightly, and pressed my Zokhel to my chest. I didn't have time to say thank you, Hate lunged at me. I knocked him over with my elbow and started to rip both his and my Zokhel together in front of his eyes.

A life of a flower stays deep in the soul, and is only destructed by the deep and harmonious. Only destroyed by the master's true love ripping it in front of the captive of affection as its struggling to get out of the forest of Hate.

With every petal I tore off, I felt searing hot pains spring out of everywhere. By the time I was at the last petal, my eyes could only see red and yellow splotches.

Well, Destiny. You have learned and seen a lot in your life, you accomplished killing Hate, where will the underworld take you?

My life flashed before my eyes. I saw me cheating on Leslie, then him screaming, throwing paper into the air. I saw the time where we were kissing under the moonlit sky, and me playing a board game with Crystal. I saw Leslie and me sharing fries at a fast food restaurant. And then I saw what was happening now. Hate was dead, Leslie leaning over him. I could see my dead body splattered on the ground as well, and what was even weirder was that I was smiling, grinning actually. Leslie walked over to Autusa and Gwen's cage, and saved them. Even Gwen looked normal. I had freed Leslie from the curse of revulsion. I had 'freed him from the forest of Hate' like I wanted to ever since I had met Hate.

But now was my time to leave. I had got a letter from heaven.

Hades booming voice echoed around the gushing green river of Styx. I was in a brown row boat with an old man, probably Charon, rowing. Was it just me or were there bones in there?

"You know I hate you, Destiny Harbour, and it would be among my greatest wishes for you to go to the pits of Tartarus."

My heart pounded. Everything I did-everything I ever lived for was for the better of mankind. But now I would go to the worst of the worst places for all eternity. I would be going to Hell.

"Though, Harbour, you have made one exception; you have killed Hate, so even though I want you to suffer so much, you, Destiny Harbour, are going to Elysium.

I sat at a pond, on the nice hot day. There were a family of ducks swimming happily on the surface, by a bunch of lily pads. The day was unusually bright and joyful. The grass I was sitting on was juicy green with the fresh new smell in the air. The puffy clouds were so low I could touch them, but there was still a warm breeze rustling the wild flowers around me.

I skimmed a stick back and forth over the water, making ripples. Even though this was a beautiful place, it was probably the least wonderful. Why was I limiting myself? Was it that hollow feeling inside? Like I was falling inside an endless pit of darkness? Like there is a huge chunk missing from me? Like I couldn't live without Leslie. But it didn't feel like that because I was under the spell of the Zokhel, it felt like…love.

I thought my death would be my final relaxation, but it was more like an open book, as hard as I try to finish it, I just couldn't seem to see. I accomplished other people's goals, but I did the bare minimum of mine. I thought destroying Hate would be it, but no. Is it not weird that as soon as die I find out what I truly want to do?

14.A Second Chance

It is like I could see Leslie on the other side of the river. Maybe he died or something and came to Elysium? Whatever it is I can see him, and I fall for it, with all the other two million times.

Leslie is wearing a brown sweater vest with his usual nerdy glasses. This is the real Leslie.

I reach out to touch him, but it all goes dark. I wake up almost immediately in the same cave, blood still everywhere, Hate still dead. I see Leslie looming above me, a stern look on his face.

I sputter, "H-how did you do that? How did you bring me back to life?"

Leslie looks away. "I'm the son of the harvest, I make things grow." A tear rolls down his cheek. "I guess this is goodbye now, Destiny." I almost choke on my own yelp.

"Don't say that! We've known each other since forever! I can change," I plead. "I can be better!" I get up wearily. "Please don't do this, Leslie, you're my everything."

Leslie knits is brows. "You should have thought of that before you made out with Hate. Just because I brought you back doesn't mean I still love you."

I shiver as those words sink into like the harsh reality suddenly made sense. My world ended in one sentence. All my hopes and dreams, loves and accomplishments. All that mattered to me is Leslie. He is the spark of my flame, the centre of my universe. And right now I don't see the reason to struggle, to breathe, or see, or live. Leslie is my love. Leslie is my life.

"Please," I whispered. "A second chance."

Book one

Drops of blood

Join Destiny in her epic battle against good and bad, god and mortal, titan and human, on a race to save her home. She uncovers a deathly family secret; nothing was going to be the same ever again.

-Once again Destiny Harbor runs into the mystical Greek world of mythology with another raging problem. This time for her two best friends, Leslie Clark and Crystal (seriously can't pronounce her last name.) Now her cruel family seek revenge, and sends one of the great secrets of mythology to mess with her mind, and to more important, her loved ones. As the world turns against the one fourteen-year-old girl, all chances of hope are slim, Destiny needs a second chance.