Author's Notes: This is the first chapter I completed of the Lunar Eclipse after I finished my plan. It was a difficult chapter to write, which is why I got it out of the way first, and edited it later while the other chapters were being posted up. The other reason why I finished this first is something you're going to find out during the chapter. Enjoy!

The Lunar Eclipse

Chapter 4: Accidents

Athena had no choice. She had to navigate the darkness. Her eyes were starting to get used to the dark with all her training, but the silence was too unsettling. Her aunt or her cousin should've responded to her by now. She clenched her fists, stilling her trembling hands before heading deeper into the darkness.

She entered the kitchen, where the lack of constant humming from the refrigerator confirmed that electricity to the house was cut. The seventeen year old looked through the window, noting the house next door had their lights on. What happened in this house was too suspicious to be a blackout.

Athena spotted the telephone, and moved towards the bench. Picking it up, she didn't know exactly why she wanted to check it out. Maybe it was just her instinct to be aware of everything, especially of every sound around her. With her sensitive ears, she didn't have to bring the phone up to her ear to hear nothing from it. She slowly placed the phone back down, confirming her suspicions.

Something horrible was stirring. And Athena only brushed its surface.

Before Athena knew it, her training began to kick in. She decided to head upstairs, but unlike every other time she had been in the house, she had to silence her footfalls. This was the stuff out of horror movies she watched with her cousins, where she huddled up between them scared while they bravely watched on.

She cautiously stepped up the stairs, careful not to make a creak. As she ascended higher, she smelled something repugnant. The scent stopped her briefly – Afraid something terrible was afoot. Athena drew out whatever courage she had left to continue onwards. She had no idea what laid ahead, but she needed to know why the house was blacked out.

The smell grew stronger as she advanced towards her aunt's bedroom. Vomit started to build up in her throat, forcing her to hold her breath. Athena approached the door, gingerly grasping the knob. She hesitated to turn it, as her anxieties froze her body in place. But her mind and heart were racing. What was behind the door? She figured there was only one way to find out.

She twisted the knob apprehensively, and pushed the door slowly with her other hand. The stench escaped the room, causing Athena to cough violently. But that curious part of her prevented her from shutting the door. Instead she gave it one more gentle push, gradually revealing the image before her.

The picture wasn't pretty.

The first thing that caught Athena's eyes were two mutilated bodies. One was somehow still in one piece, while the other didn't manage to keep their head on. Through the haze of blood, she recognised the decapitated man's countenance. It was Carter Wells. She backed away, feeling sick she knew the dead man before her. And the woman... Well, there was only one other woman in the house.

Then her eyes picked up the copious amount of blood that painted the entire room red. The bed drenched in blood and red smeared over the walls was too much. Athena felt her stomach tossing over, and her mind working in overdrive. She had to get out. She had to escape.

Blood... Blood everywhere... just like when Mum was murdered.

Athena slapped her ears. It was like survival instinct to protect her precious ears from the deafening silence. But it wasn't enough to shield her from the bloody dismembered bodies of her family members. The disturbing sight drove what was left of her mind over the edge of reality. It was the only way she could cope.

However, the fantasy she found herself in wasn't a whole lot better than the reality she discovered.

The memory of eleven year old Athena walked into a room with blood splattering everywhere. Red stained the floor, red tarnished the walls, and a splash of red on a man's surcoat. So much blood to witness just for one young girl! And the source of all that blood came from one person. Metis Cykes.

The next thing she knew, she was in a courtroom, at the witness stand. She heard everything from the man in the surcoat. His words and every single emotion in his voice, including the ones he'd hidden from everybody else. Although, the hidden emotions sounded loud and clear to her. His sadness, his grief, his sorrow, but most especially, his fear. She tried to fight for his innocence. But her words fell on deaf ears, and he was declared guilty for a crime he didn't commit.

Athena suddenly took a laboured breath, like she was just surfacing from underwater. She dug her fingers into her hair, the pain corrupting her functional mind. She had to find a way out, somehow.

She tried clawing out of those memories. Even though it was the reason why she was in this country in the first place, she refused to wallow in those memories. It wasn't any happier than the room she was in.

Then the smell permeated her senses. The stench of blood she somehow ignored while drifting between her thoughts and memories. The scent brought her back into reality. She didn't know how much time had passed, but everything was still the same. Two disfigured bodies on the bed and blood everywhere.

Athena abruptly lurched forward, gagging the vomit in her throat. And all of a sudden, her mind caved back into her memories. The very same memory she just escaped. She was losing control of her grasp of reality, and if she tried to get out of it again, the cycle would come full circle and continue. She had to break out of this vicious cycle.

Then, a small part of her coherent thoughts managed to surface. Sigmund was still alive. She fumbled through her pockets for her phone, determined to call him. Hearing his voice would keep her grounded, and she would unload everything that she witnessed to him. She dialled his number clumsily, still shaking intensely. Of all times, he'd better answer the call.

The sound of ringing quickly went silent, and she heard him pick up the phone. The relief she felt in this grim situation was the most rewarding thing she experienced in her life. In mere moments, his voice would soothe her nerves.

"Siggy! Oh thank God you answered! You need to come back home now!"

A pause. Strange. He'd usually respond back immediately. Something like "Don't worry Archie, I'll be there!" or "Sorry, I'm a bit busy now." Although, she'd desperately didn't want to hear the latter answer.

"Siggy? What a cute nickname. You must've been really close to him."

Athena felt her heart skip a beat. Who was this woman that answered the call? But most importantly, was Sigmund alive? Athena opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her mind subconsciously stopped her from asking. Somehow, she knew what the answer would be.

"Surprised to hear me? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Sigmund is dead, but... at least he went out on quite the climax. What can I say? At least he died in pure bliss."

Athena's breathing became uneven. There was no one left for her. Her free hand moved up to her uncovered ear, uselessly trying to block out what she heard. She didn't want to be alone after the life she had already lost six years ago due to that harrowing trial.

"I'm so sorry, Achelois. But don't worry, you'll be joining them soon enough. Ciao."

With a beep, Athena was left with her phone in hand, still reeling from the shock. Her entire being was trembling violently at the one word from the woman's message. Her birth name.

Her mind spiralled out of her control again. This time, her imagination ran rampant with Sigmund's dead body, wondering what position he was in the moment he died. She pictured his death being as bloody as the rest of the family, unable to recognise his face under all the gore.

Gripping her phone tighter, she found herself shackled to her memories again. The tiny, sane part of her screamed for this cruel torture to end. She couldn't bear being in that place, a room full of blood enveloping her mind like a black hole. She had to destroy the link between that place and reality. And that could be another phone call away.

With all her strength, she managed to move her hands from her ears. She stared down at the screen, ignoring the scene around her, scrolling down her contacts list until she found the name she was searching for. Gingerly, she tapped the screen twice, to call him quickly.

Another nervous wait had Athena feeling erratic. She wished he'd answer faster to push back those memories from the forefront of her mind and before they possessed her. She swore she would lose her mind if he didn't pick up her call.

Suddenly, she was met with silence again. She attempted to listen out for his breathing on the receiver, hoping he was really the person on the other side. But there was still nothing. Athena held her breath, and took the initiative to speak.

"Ivan? ...Oh please God it better be you."

"Athena?" A recognisable voice responded on other end. A sigh of relief escaped Athena. It really was him. "Why are you calling me already?"

"E-Ev-Everyone's dead!" Athena managed to choke out, "Aunt Candice... Carter... Siggy... They're all dead!"

Ivan's breath hitched. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was a tragedy, and he wanted to shed a tear for the deaths of his friend's sister's family. But he had to be strong for Athena. Her shaky breath and garbled words was a clear indication she was traumatised by her discovery.

"Okay Athena. It's going to be difficult, but I want you to breathe in and out deeply. Can you do that for me?"

Athena nodded out of instinct, even though he wasn't directly in front of her. Her breathing was very unstable at first, with the deaths of her relatives prominent on her mind. Even when she closed her eyes, the stench was a constant reminder that their dismembered bodies were so close by.

Then Ivan's soothing voice spoke like a mantra, telling her to focus on her breathing. She did exactly what he ordered, taking notice of her breaths, and worked on a steady and slow rhythm. Eventually, her breathing was deep and her thudding heart was beginning to slow down. Athena wasn't exactly calm, but she was in a better state of mind than she was previously.

"Now, I need you to listen to me very carefully and answer my questions. Is there anybody else in the house?"

"I... I-I don't know." Athena quickly grew unnerved again. She felt bad that thought didn't cross her mind before she discovered the bodies.

"Then use your ears. Remember what you did in the forest."

The seventeen year old was so glad that Ivan guiding her through this. He recovered her rational mind in such a testing environment, and she believed she could make it out somehow.

Right. Like how I heard him trekking in the forest. I'm capable of hearing anybody else coming... If they're still here.

Ivan fell silent on the other end, allowing Athena to fully take in her surroundings. Unlike the training simulation, this was a matter of life or death. Her eyes remained shut, listening out for an unnatural noise. She tried to clear her mind of the trauma and emotions running rampant throughout her body, but they were screaming at her. She was in huge danger. She should get out of the room. But her rational mind kicked in, warning her that the assassin could be lurking nearby, ready to strike when she least expected him.

However, she heard nothing. Perhaps there was no reason to be afraid. She was alone for the time being, and wasting precious time to escape. Her body wanted to bolt out, but again it was a completely foolish idea. She had to let Ivan know she was alone.

But as soon as she opened her mouth, a new sound pierced her hearing. The hand holding the phone began to tremble. There was indeed an uninvited guest in the house.

"Athena?"

Now wasn't the time! Athena was tense, trying to figure out where the murderer was. She only needed to hear a few more sounds to pinpoint his location. She had to know how much time she had left to speak to Ivan before her low voice was in earshot of the killer.

Two more creaks came. Slightly distant. He was at the bottom of the stairs. Athena had a little bit of time left.

"There's somebody else here, and I think he killed my aunt and Carter. What do I do?"

"When he strikes, lose him. Is there anywhere nearby you know he won't chase you?"

The footsteps of the killer moving up the stairs became louder. She had to end the call soon. Fortunately, the adrenaline that was already rushing through her body accelerated her thought processing and she churned up an answer.

"There's a new home being built nearby. But why couldn't I just leave earlier? The killer-"

"The killer would've caught up to you." Before Athena could protest, Ivan immediately went to the next topic. "Now, after I hang up, remove the SIM card from your phone and destroy it."

"What?"

"I'll explain later. I'll be on the closest main street to your home. I doubt this assassin would want to make a public spectacle of your death. I'll see-"

"Wait! There's one more thing."

"Make it quick Athena!"

Good advice. The teenager sensed the assassin just finished climbing the flight of stairs. Time was short.

"The lady who answered Siggy's phone... She called me Achelois."

Ivan was stunned into a brief silence. The mention of that name only meant one thing. Athena was in tremendous danger. Suddenly, the man heard a loud bang over the phone. And a beep followed.

Ivan made up his mind immediately. There was no time to lose. He had to drive to the main street Athena was going to turn up... If she lived to tell the tale.

Athena hung up her mobile phone immediately, backing away from the door. From the bang on the wall, the assassin was close. She had to formulate a plan, fast. And it didn't take a lot of effort for her to think of one.

She crouched and quietly moved towards the door, on the side where the hinges were positioned. There was a murder mystery novel she read last year where the killer situated himself to hide behind the door to escape a locked room. It was an incredibly risky idea, but she was mostly confident with her training that she could pull it off.

As soon as she was comfortable, the door swang open, almost smacking Athena in the face. The assassin entered the room, twirling his surprisingly clean knife in his left hand. The teenager covered her mouth, physically telling herself not to make any audible sounds. She knew she would be dead in an instant the moment the assassin spotted her, being trapped between the open door and the dresser. The man would've cut off the only path of escape if he spun around. Luckily, he didn't think to check behind to find her.

He just approached the bed, taunting, "Come out come out wherever you are, Achelois!"

Unbeknownst to the assailant, the small gap between him and the open door was just wide enough for Athena to fit through. This was her only chance. To glide across the floor like a dancer, while being as silent as a ninja was how she had to move.

Brushing her fear aside, Athena moved like a phantom. Weaving between the door and the assassin was the biggest thrill Athena felt in her life as her very life was hanging in the balance of her ability to remain silent. Once she escaped the jaws of death she carefully stepped out of the room and quickly darted out of the doorway, resting on the wall out of sight.

Relief washed over her. She couldn't believe she managed to get out of that perilous position. But she was not out of the woods yet. She still had to make her way out of the house without being spotted.

As Athena sauntered next to the staircase, her gaze wandered to the window at the end of the hallway, overlooking the backyard. A fleeting thought came across her mind to just jump through it and land in the garden unscathed. As cool as it was, it was a foolish idea. The breaking glass would've alerted the assassin to her location instantly. So she disregarded that option, turning her attention towards the stairs.

Although, as soon as Athena loomed near the flight of stairs, the assassin suddenly emerged from the bloody room, immediately locking his dark eyes on her. She spun around and bolted in the opposite direction – To the window.

Looks like I'll be going out this way after all. Athena pulled her hood over her head and crossed her arms in front of her body. She needed all the protection she could get running headlong into a window.

She lowered her head just before leaping through the glass. The impact she made and the shattering glass was uncomfortably loud for the teenager, but she brushed off the brief moment of sensory pain.

She lurched forward in mid-air, landing with a roll to her feet on the grass. She was slightly dazed and was reeling in pain from jumping two storeys above ground. At least the grass softened her landing considerably. She ran to the back fence and scaled it quickly. Athena didn't look back. She kept on telling herself she was going to be safe. That she was going to shake off the murderer. She just had to reach that construction site.

With those thoughts, she ran faster, ignoring her screaming muscles. The construction site came into view. She just had to keep up the pace a little while longer.

Moments later, Athena was rapidly approaching the site. It was much larger than she anticipated, even though the area was very empty. The steel girders that served as the skeleton of the building were three storeys tall and the foundations for the floor space were massive.

But Athena didn't think about who had enough money to splurge on such a project. She was much more concerned how she was going to scale one of the girders. Momentum was important so she had to keep on sprinting to lessen the forces of gravity.

However, there was the problem of holding onto the smooth flat surface of the steel. The night had been dry, so it wasn't slippery, but the climb was long and risky. One slip up could cost her her life. But she couldn't go back. She must reach the top frame of the girder to lose the killer, or he'd catch up to her.

The teenager jumped on the girder, gripping the edges of the bar and moving her hands up hastily. Her feet pushed her up slightly and kept the forces of gravity from making her slide down. Athena wondered how she managed to keep her grip despite her sweaty palms. Her eyes quickly wavered to her hands, then she remembered what Ivan told her about her new suit.

"They are a bit unusual, aren't they? They only cover your fingers, but that's all they need to cover. It's so they allow your fingers to grab onto anything and you'll never slide off or lose your grip while you can still feel the environment. Enemies will also find it very difficult to disarm you."

Athena felt a ton more confident scaling the girder. Her reach extended and her feet pushed off with a lot more force. She was covering distance quickly; probably more than what was humanly possible. Before she knew it, she was pulling herself on the top of the steel frame.

The teenager never felt so relieved resting on a column of steel three storeys above the ground. It was practically heaven for Athena, knowing she was finally safe. If the assassin could climb up the girder, he would take so much longer than she did. And he clearly wasn't wielding a gun, as he probably would've fired a bullet by now to stop her. She could finally rest. Finally.

Subsequently, Athena heard a loud clang and felt a tremble through the girder. She suddenly sat up, noticing a small steel object that wasn't exactly part of the structure. Her breath was trapped in her throat. She scrambled to her feet and began moving as quickly as she could along the bar. It wasn't over yet.

She was incredibly scared. One wrong step and her life was going to take a fatal tumble. It was the most weighty thought on her mind as she briskly moved across the steel. And she knew her supersuit wasn't going to save her from the fall.

The teenager felt the assassin make his landing through the steel beam, but didn't look back. She had to create distance between her and the assassin in order to safely climb down and escape. She doubted his device could allow him a quick and safe landing, deducing that his descent would be slow and cautious. That would give her the time to run out of his sight. Athena strode forward hastily, despite the huge risk of plummeting. Determined to make her plan work, she had to take her chances.

However, her ears picked up a loud pop followed by a grinding sound. Just as she realised what it was, she tripped and fell forwards. Fortunately, she landed on the beam. Her body stung from the shock, but she reminded herself that her trip could've been a lot worse. Carefully, she turned her body around, with her back against the steel.

Jerking one of her legs, Athena quickly discovered sheer force wasn't going to set her free. As she reached forward, she witnessed the assassin wrapping his grappling gun around the beam, securing her position. Athena was terrified. She was right where he wanted her.

The teenager was barely watching her progress with untying herself, her gaze fixed on the assassin looming closer to her. A shiver went up her spine watching him draw out his knife. She knew the moment her complete focus went to the wire around her ankles he was going to pounce.

"The end of a dynasty is upon us. And this time Daddy's not here to save you!"

Before Athena could process those words, he launched himself at her. Athena's hands swiftly grabbed his wrists, holding him in place. The knife was only centimetres away from her neck and was inching closer. Somehow, she had to push it away, but he was outmuscling her easily. In an attempt to shake him off, Athena struggled to free one of her legs, but the coil wasn't loose enough. She grunted, frustrated that her legs were useless.

Athena refused to let him kill her though, not without a fight. Her muscles were straining under the pressure of his weight and force, but she was still searching for a way out. It was then she realised she did have a bit of wriggle room left.

Abruptly, she collapsed, keeping a hold of the assailant's wrists. Dragged forward, the man lost his force and his weight behind the attack. Athena felt a dull pain to her right, but she finally had an opening. She straightened her legs, and with all her remaining strength she rammed her right forearm onto his chest, toppling him over the edge.

Suddenly, the teenager remembered where she was fighting this man. As he plummeted, Athena spun around and extended her arm. But he had fallen out of reach.

And in that moment, she watched a man plunge to the concrete ground, landing head first. Athena swore she heard his skull crack upon contact. The world froze around her as the last sound echoed in her ears.

Again, the disturbing silence filled the air. But it was for a completely different reason. Athena was paralysed. She was alive, her heart hammering hard against in her chest, but she found no solace in that feeling.

In a shuddering voice, she strangled out, "What... What have I done?"

Athena already knew the answer, but she didn't want to believe that this transpired. She sat up, slowly untying the wire around her ankles. As the pain in her right shoulder was felt throughout her body, she hoped that this man somehow was hanging onto his last thread of life. But she had to know for certain.

Once the wire was removed, she dropped the hook to the side, letting it swing. It was the only way she could safely get down from the lofty heights. She carefully made her way to part of the beam where the assassin secured his grappling gun, the item that trapped her to the steel beam. She wondered if she wasn't caught by it that things would've ended differently.

Athena shook her head, and cautiously found her handle on the still wire. When she was ready, she climbed down, moving her hands in a steady rhythm, despite the shooting pain in her right arm. As she descended, she had the courage to check if the man had moved, or tried to. But he hadn't budged.

When her feet finally touched the ground, her breathing became uneven. She immediately noticed the man was bleeding profusely from his wound. She rushed to his side, checking his pulse.

And all her hopes for this man's life were dashed. Her hands retreated from his body, holding her arms tightly. Athena wanted to scream her lungs out. She refused to accept that this happened. She couldn't believe she caused this. But the shell at her feet was proof before her.

Athena had blood on her hands.

It wasn't supposed to end like this. She only wanted to run away from the man who brutally murdered two members of her family. Not become a killer, even though she was forced to defend herself.

Athena couldn't keep her eyes off the pool of blood around his head. It was so difficult to comprehend that she was capable of killing a man. And her mind began to spiral back into her past, seeing the silhouette of the man she was trying to save. The corner of his lips crooked into an unsettling smile, an illusion that everybody was fooled by, except her.

"Once you come of age, I look forward to seeing you in the clink Athena."

Athena stifled a shriek. Simon's voice was a horrible awakening to the reality that faced her. She was going to prison for killing the man at her feet. And unlike Simon, she actually did commit the crime. After all, she pushed the assassin purposely over the edge, despite her actions being in self-defence. She still snuffed the life of a man, even though her family were murdered because of him.

Surely though, the body would be discovered by tomorrow morning. It was right in the middle of a construction site, with practically nothing obstructing the view. There was only one thing she could do.

Run.

Ivan was likely waiting for her at their spontaneously arranged area. She had to hurry before he thought the worst had happened to her. Athena stared at the assassin's remains for one last time, pitying the man who met his end by a simple push.

Then she took off as fast as she could. She never wanted to be around this place ever again, as the horrible memories etched themselves into her impressionable mind.

Driving on a main street, it should've been easy for Ivan to spot Athena under the bright lights. He had an eye for seeing a man in purple garb with a hood concealing his face. However, he was scouring for a girl much shorter than a man he was familiar with.

The more he circled around the block; he grew concerned if Athena escaped with her life. He would call her, but the risk of the assassin picking up the phone and jeopardising his life was too great. Not to mention the call was likely to be tracked down by the enemy, potentially finding his base of operations.

He drove slightly slower, aware that nobody was behind him to hammer on their horn obnoxiously. He scanned the area, looking to the right first, where there was a line of small shops. He could easily see Athena didn't appear there. His gaze then went to the left, noticing a silhouette holding their right arm out. Ivan pulled up beside her and opened the passenger door. The shadowy figure observed their surroundings, hesitantly stepping into the car.

Ivan smiled slightly, knowing he picked up Athena, even with her cowl covering her face. Then his eyes darted towards her cut on her right shoulder blade, moving slightly inwards to her collarbone. She wasn't bleeding profusely, but she required medical attention once they set foot in the base. When she shut the door, he turned the key, switching the engine off.

"Aren't we supposed to be going?" Athena was clearly agitated, understandably as she discovered the corpses of her family members.

"You're safe here. The assassin won't come after you since you're with me."

"Yeah. I know."

A wave of uneasiness came over Ivan, despite knowing that Athena wasn't exactly here with him. For a moment, he thought something else happened during her escape. But he brushed that thought aside, believing she'll bring it up soon. For now, he needed to pull the teenager back into reality.

"Athena, did you do what I asked you to do?"

"What did you ask me to do?"

Ivan grunted before shoving his hand in Athena's pocket. Athena grabbed his arm, protesting against his invasion. He promptly drew out her phone and threw it out of the open window, where it landed in the middle of the road. Athena then heard a speeding car crush it unknowingly, fully snapping her out of her thoughts.

"What the fuck! Why did you do that?"

"I lied before. But now I can say, with confidence, that we're completely safe now."

"I had pictures of my family on that! There was even a photo of them just before I left last week! And I'll never get it back!"

"Do you want everybody to die, Athena? Do you want to lead our enemy to the base? Do you want to be responsible for the deaths of our employees? Because of that bitch, she could easily track down your phone, and pinpoint our exact location! Now do you understand why? Our lives are more important than a picture on your phone!"

Athena dwindled back. On the verge of tears, she was glad her hood concealed her face. She'd already seen enough lives lost tonight. She couldn't bear if any more blood was spilled because of her existence. The sight of blood and the stench she could still smell remained with her, as if the room became a part of her.

Yet, she believed all of this wouldn't have happened if she never became the Lunar Eclipse. Her assassin's death, by her own hand, stood out from everything else. Instead of the heroic reputation of the Lunar Eclipse, Athena Cykes became something she couldn't fathom.

"Now do you understand?" Athena could figure out that Ivan was trying to hide his growing frustration. She knew full well that this wasn't a real live superhero fantasy she was living. This was about protecting and saving the innocent from horrific murders and criminal acts.

"Yes, I do understand." Athena paused, but then shook her head. That photograph of her family couldn't be replicated again. "But I've lost everything! I can't bring back my parents! I can't bring back my relatives! I can't bring back what I was before! I killed a man! And if I can't-"

"How did you kill him?" Ivan bit his lip. He hoped the man Athena was describing was the assassin, not an innocent bystander.

"I pushed him off, but he was going to stab me. It... I-It was an accident. I-I-I didn't mean to kill him but I forgot where I was fighting him and... and... I couldn't save him."

Ivan knew it. He figured the only person with a weapon on the scene had to be the man who slaughtered her family. He placed a hand on Athena's arm, pleased to hear that it was the assassin.

"Accidents happen Athena. But you did the right thing. He deserves to die for what he has done."

"W-What?" Athena's trembling voice uttered. Her mind was reeling. How could her actions be justified? "How could you see this as an accident? I intended to push him that way! No... No one deserves to die for their crimes, no matter how horrific they are."

"The world isn't black and white Athena! That man, if you call him that, was out for blood – your blood, especially. He would've butchered you if you gave him an opportunity!"

"As far as I'm concerned, if I wasn't the Lunar Eclipse, this whole thing wouldn't have happened! I wouldn't be a murderer! My family would've been alive! I... I wouldn't have to be this way."

"Athena." Ivan stared at the road, eyeing off the teenager sitting in the passenger seat. Gritting his teeth behind his closed mouth, he had no choice but to point out an event that troubled him. "How did that woman know your birth name?"

Athena felt her heart agonisingly thud in her chest, a similar reaction when she heard the woman's voice. Painstakingly, she searched through her foggy memories, knowing there was a reason that woman distinguished who she was speaking to.

"I found out my original name, before my Mum changed it, was Achelois Selenic. I'm really glad she did that. Achelois is such a dumb name."

"What are you talking about? I think that name sounds neat. In fact... I want it to show up on my phone. You know, whenever you call me, I'll know it's my baby cousin Archie."

"It's Athena!"

Athena shuddered as her fingers slowly took ahold of her arms. From that memory, she connected the dots, and there was a very clear path to how that woman obtained her birth name. That recollection was the cold truth. And she only had one person to blame for causing the assassins to murder the rest of her family.

"N-No... How... How could've I've known..."

"I'm so sorry that you had to learn the hard way Athena." Ivan spoke reverently, but almost as if he knew what sparked the bloodbath. He stared at her again, noticing a stray tear run down her cheek. "Do you see what I mean? The people who are after you would seize any opportunity, no matter how small, to see you dead. And if they don't kill you, they'll kill the people you care about the most. That's how ruthless these assassins are."

Athena nodded reluctantly. She could see clearly now - how malicious these people were. They were willing to kill innocents to send a message to their target, and she found that act in itself unforgivable. She was saddened by the possibility that this could've happened to somebody else, and the survivors didn't have the power to stop them from committing more of these atrocious massacres.

"Once you are done grieving, toughen up. Accidents happen all the time when you're a superhero, and your assassins will murder anybody that gets in the way of their interests. Don't ever forget what happened tonight Athena. You will stop these murderers one day in the future."

Ivan then switched the ignition back on, and slammed his foot on the accelerator. Athena cringed at the screeching tires as the car quickly took off, but the hum of the engine soothed her auditory pain. She stared out into the darkness, wondering if she would ever recover from this traumatising night. The bodies of her family flashed in her mind, reminding her she had no family.

All the remained for this adolescent was a guilty conscience and a silly purple outfit.