"Blake?" I asked dismayed. What was going on here?

"You can't go through with this Melantha," Blake replied forebodingly. Before I could even react I was thrown by a tremendous force against the wall behind me.

My head throbbed as I lay there motionless. My whole body writhed in pain. I felt paralyzed. I watched as the Daughters and Stanton reacted.

The Daughters ran to protect me, and Stanton shadowed. I understood, if he were seen helping me, my father would have his ass burn for eternity in hell so quickly it wouldn't even be funny. I just hoped he was quick enough to get away before Blake saw him.

"Come on, we'll get you to some place safe," Vanessa replied as she slowly sat me up.

"Catty! Can you open the tunnel? We need to get her to a hospital quickly, she bleeding from the head," Serena shouted desperately.

The Daughters held onto me as Catty's eye began to dilate. My skin began to tingle and I watched as the tunnel opened with a bright flash.

Before we could even get in, the tunnel closed quickly. Blake came towards us all in a rage. We didn't have much time left. Something had to be done quickly.

I tried to speak but it was useless. I couldn't find my voice.

Blake said darkly as he headed towards us, "It's useless Goddesses. Melantha must pay for her betrayal. Leave and you won't get harmed!"

When the girls wouldn't move, Blake suddenly parted his hands in the air. The girls went flying away from me.

Serena and Jimena went into the parking lot where they were knocked unconscious. Catty and Tianna were flown in the opposite direction. The position I lay in wouldn't let me see where they had landed. Vanessa was knocked harshly into the wall and landed beside me.

Her body was lying there in a sickening way. Her arm was bent out of shape. I prayed to Selene that these poor girls would be alright. It was all my fault. I could feel a stray tear run down my cheek as Blake lifted me up.

He shadowed us away and I lost consciousness.

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The next few days came and went. I faded in and out of consciousness. There were few things I could actually remember.

The first time I awoke slightly my father had my up against the wall choking me. Slapping and yelling at me to wake up.

When he noticed I was finally half-awake he started grumbling, "How could you? After all I had done for you. How could you betray your father? I gave you everything you could have ever wanted!"

I tried to choke out a reply but I could feel my neck breaking, making me unable to talk.

I saw Stanton and Blake appear in the background, they calmed him down. He let me go and I slumped to the floor. I quickly fell back asleep.

At one point I remember waking at this grand ceremony. The whole Cincti encircled me, cloaked in their honors. I saw Stanton in his place next to father, looking solemn.

I was suspended in mid-air draped in a long black robe.

They began chanting and started moving counter-clockwise around me. I realized they were performing the power stripping ceremony.

They stopped chanting and a dark cloud violently swept into my body. I screamed in pain. It was unbearable. My whole body felt like it was on fire. I screamed and hollered until the pain finally stopped. I felt like I was dead.

I gently was laid on the ground, and once again I passed out. I could still feel my body tingling from the extraction.

The next time I awoke, I was in a dark room. There was a single candle in the distance. I knew it was just an illusion, if I were to follow the light I'd never reach it.

I slowly sat up, in a daze. I wondered if what I had seen actually was true. I hoped it wasn't. I supposed it was though. It would make sense. I was lucky to be alive if it were true. Most immortals didn't survive the process.

I desperately wished someone was there with me at the moment. It would help me get through things. I was so used to having someone with me at all times. It was strange to be so alone.

I wondered how long I would be in this imprisonment. Was I left here for dead? I wouldn't doubt it. I had betrayed my father in the worse way possible, and he did have this thing for grudges.

Suddenly a dark shadow appeared. I tried to enter their mind and see who it was, but it was useless. There was nothing there.

I couldn't even use my powers. It felt so strange not being able to. It was like trying to breathe but finding out you have no lungs.

Suddenly I was filled with sadness and remorse. I felt extremely guilty. I wondered why I would suddenly feel those things, and who was in the room with me. I was hoping it was Stanton.

As if on cue, I heard Stanton say, "I'm so sorry Melantha."

He appeared in the light and quickly came to me. He bent down and held me comfortingly in my arms. As he caressed my face I winced in pain. I guess I had a few bruises from my beatings.

I couldn't believe it when a tear ran down his face. Stanton was crying? That was a first. I finally found my voice and said jokingly, "What? Do I look that bad?"

Stanton choked out a laugh and replied, "No, I just," He paused and looked away ashamed.

I lifted his face to meet mine and answered for him, "I know. It's alright. You couldn't have done anything unless you wanted your ass burned like mine. So what's going on in the world?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"It's been a month," Stanton told me.

"What? Really? I've been out that long? Wow," I let out a whistle.

"Yeah, they preformed a power stripping ceremony on you, as you know. Blake and I stopped your father from trying to kill you several times. I convinced him that stripping your powers would be better than losing you forever. At least then you wouldn't be able to escape," Stanton paused and looked at me expectantly. He knew I was going to be mad.

"Why?" I demanded sadly. "Why did you do that? I would much rather be dead then stuck in this hell hole for eternity! You know that!" I started crying on his shoulder. Stanton jerked away for a moment before embracing me. He expected me to hit him rather than cry.

I wasn't actually mad at Stanton. I was just filled with hopelessness. I would be stuck here forever, no place to go or hide. This would be my imprisonment for eternity.

"Melantha, I would rather you be alive. I can't stand the thought of losing you. This was what you had hoped for to begin with right? That's why you wanted the Daughter's help, so you could be free of your ties to the Atrox," Stanton said as he stroked my head.

"Yes, that's what I wanted but not in this situation!" I said as I wiped away my tears. "I wanted to be out of hell and into the actual world, have job, go to school, have friends," I paused my listing and started crying again.

"How are the girls anyways?" I asked, my voice muffled from talking on his shoulder.

"They were all put in critical condition. They recovered miraculously though. It was amazing. I think they had help from the gods above. Their wounds healed quicker than anyone could imagine," Stanton replied in disbelief.

"Really?" I asked in amazement. A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. They were going to be alright. I was so happy none of them had died.

"Yeah they were all so worried about you. I think after that night they forgot they were mad at you and thought of you as a close friend," Stanton said gently as he rubbed my head.

I was filled with happiness. I actually could now say I had friends, people who didn't treat me like a princess but as an actual person. Maybe my life wasn't as bad as I thought.

I was so caught up with my emotions that I didn't see another person shadow into the room.

"Aw, how sweet," Blake called out mockingly. "You two really do make such a great couple."