Chapter 3

Emilia woke on her floor. She stood up, wincing when her knee cracked.

Suddenly, everything rushed back to her. Was it real? Was she an all-powerful goddess?

Emilia held out her hand in front of her, willing the air to swirl into a mini cyclone. It did.

So it was true. Emilia was Fertes, the goddess of air.

She glanced at the clock. She should head to Central Park now.

Emilia snatched a couple of steak knives from the silverware drawer and hid them away. Who knew when they would come in handy?

She slipped out of the apartment, a knife in hand.

She could sense her brother in the park, waiting for her. How could he have done this to her over and over? Rage bubbled inside of her, but she pushed it back down. Now was not a good time to get a hothead.

Emilia arrived at Central Park within a few minutes. Having air on your side, especially when you were in a hurry, was pretty great.

"So, you decided to show up," said a voice behind her. "I was getting a little skeptical."

"What choice did I have? Fight you and risk the fate of this universe? Risk seven and a half billion lives?"

"Yes."

Emilia turned to face Jul, a scowl on her face. Oh, how she hated the smug look he wore, how she had to surrender, how she had to give up herself again and again, through thousands of lifetimes, to save the lives of others.

Her bitterness clouded her head with fogs of yellow and green. She pushed them out and held up her hands in the universal sign of surrender.

"Take me already. What are you waiting for?" Emilia said to Jul.

"Fine," Jul said.

Emilia screamed as fire erupted around her. Her skin bubbled as the flames turned from yellow to blue.

Air swirled around her, putting out the flames and healing her burns.

"What the hell was that?" she screamed at him.

"A little taste of what's to come." He walked up to her a grabbed her wrists, proceeding to drag her over to one of the trees. He threw her on the ground and opened a portal. "Go."

Emilia stepped through the portal, praying she wasn't making a mistake.

Emilia sat in her cell, tapping her fingers on her knees. It'd been three days since she'd gone through the portal, and she hadn't seen Jul since.

"Get up," said the guard who had watched her for three days.

Emilia didn't move. She would not take orders from him.

The guard drew his sword and pointed it at her. "Get. Up."

Emilia rose, glaring murderously at the guard.

"Better," he said and sheathed his sword.

It wasn't better. At least, not for Emilia. She knew who was coming, and she wasn't thrilled.

Loud footsteps echoed through the stone hallways. Jul was coming.

Emilia stood up straighter. She would show no weakness toward that monster.

Chains clacked, coming with the footsteps. What prisoner was he bringing to make her break? Had one of her fellow gods been captured?

No, she could sense that this was a mortal. But who?

Then, Jul and the prisoner came into view.

Emilia dropped to her knees. No.

Cameron walked in chains, led by Jul, to her cell.

"You-you traitor!" Emilia screamed at Jul.

"What did you expect? Me to suddenly become all happy and joyful and easy-going once I caught you? Well, get a reality check," Jul said.

Emilia screamed with rage, and air pushed Jul against the bars of her cell.

"Wh-what?" Jul said, fear lacing every syllable. "H-how?"

"Did you think I would let you take me without having any way to defend myself? Get a reality check," Emilia snapped.

The air stopped, causing Jul to fall to the ground.

"Guards!" Jul shouted, turning toward where he had come. "Take her to the torture chamber!"

Guards in golden uniforms rushed in to fulfill their master's wishes. But when they looked in the cell, Emilia was gone. And so was Cameron.