Part One: Riley and Imy

Chapter Four: Answers

When Riley opened her eyes, she began screaming.

The two were hanging suspended in the air, there was a brief second, and then the two began crashing down towards the ground again.

"IMY WHAT IN GOD'S NAME DID YOU DO?!" Riley yelled as they plummeted towards the ground.

Imy stretched her arm and grabbed hold of Riley's sweater, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate as hard as she could. There was a flash of light and the two were now only 3 feet above the ground. They both crashed and let out a 'Oomph." When they landed.

There was a moment of silence before either of them spoke, Riley was trying to understand what had just happened moments ago, and why all of a sudden she felt very cold. Imy was thinking about all of the dreams she had been having lately, with the pale lady, and what she had just done.

"How'd-"Riley paused, "How'd you do that?"

"Do what?" Asked Imy.

"The teleporting thing." Asked Riley quietly.

"I don't know." She muttered.

Riley looked around, "Do you know where we are?"

The girls were sitting in a heavily forested area, it was night, so the trees had a haunting look to them. "I think we're in the woods outside of my house." Said Imy. She looked at Riley, "What was your mom doing with those...creeps?"

"I don't know." Muttered Riley this time.

"Those 'creeps' are called Followers." Came a voice from behind them.

The pair simultaneously turned around to see a tall woman with black hair and dangerous eyes walking through trees. "Who're you?" Demanded Imy.

The woman let a small smile spread across her face. The girl reminded her of someone, "My name is Jimena. And I'm here to help you."

Riley stood up and began to back away, "No more magically appearing people." She whispered.

Jimena let out a short laugh, and turned to Imy, "I can sense that within you right now there's a lot confusion." She looked at Imy, as if to ask for permission, and scooped up the amulet, "This, is your birthright." She told her.

She looked across the clearing to Riley, and she dug something out of her pocket, "And this is yours." She said, holding an identical pendant to Imy's.

Riley stared at Jimena, not knowing what to do, "What are Followers?" She asked hesitantly, not wanting to take the necklace until she knew what was going on.

"The Followers are slaves to the Atrox." Replied Jimena, sitting down on a partially rotted log.

Imy kept tracing her thumb over the moon amulet, wondering what was going on.

"Atrox." Said Riley, repeating it for herself, "The man, he wanted me to go with the Atrox."

"What is the Atrox?" Asked Imy.

Jimena looked at Riley, "You may want to sit down."

Riley nodded and took a spot on the ground.

Jimena sighed, "Are you aware of the legend of Pandora?"

"Ya, the woman who let all the bad stuff out into the world." Said Imy. "Except for Hope."

Jimena gave Riley a furtive glance as well, "And you know it as well?"

Riley nodded. "We studied Greek mythology in Social Studies last year."

"Well, the Atrox is the being who wanted to steal hope away from mankind."

"Wait a second, there was no Atrox in Greek mythology." Replied Imy, narrowing her eyes at Jimena in suspicion, "And first of all, I would like to know how you found out where we were."

Jimena gave another wane smile, nostalgia kicking in, "We'll get to that part later." She swallowed, "There was an Atrox, but he's not mentioned because his Followers erased that part from history. The Atrox was a being that defied the Gods and became jealous and greedy of human's possession of hope. So, on the day that Pandora let loose all hell, he tried to sneak off and devour hope."

Riley gave a look of confusion, "How does this tie into what happened tonight?" She asked quietly.

Jimena rose a hand, as if asking her for permission to continue. Riley seemed to understand and nodded, "But the Moon Goddess Selene, who is ever watchful of the night, saw the Atrox trying to steal hope. So she sent down her Daughters to defend it against the Atrox and its Followers."

Imy rolled her eyes, "While that's an uplifting story," She said, looking at her watch, "I believe Riley and I have to go."

Jimena sighed, "At least let me finish."

Imy clearly looked as if she could care less, but Riley sent her a pleading look, "I think she's trying to tell us something important." She said calmly.

Imy looked at her friend and then back to Jimena. "Fine. Finish."

Jimena sent a thankful look to Riley and continued, "The Followers of the Atrox are humans that the Atrox has managed to steal hope from. They are full of emptiness, and have an ever-craving hunger for Hope. So they steal it from others, and the circle of the Followers grow."

"So those yellow eyed people are Followers?" Stated Imy skeptically.

Jimena nodded, "Followers despise and fear the full moon." She gestured up to the sky, "For when it is present, their evil becomes noticeable, and their eyes glow from the light. Some Followers are what we call Shape- Shifters, which means that they can blend and become the Shadow."

"Which would explain how they showed up unnoticed." Said Riley, deep in thought.

"Yes." Stated Jimena, "There are also Immortal Followers, but those are rare nowadays. Most of them are simply Mortals with no hope."

Riley looked up and locked eyes with Jimena, "A man asked me to join the Atrox, and I almost accepted. Is that what would have happened? I would have lost hope?"

Jimena nodded. "The Atrox tries to trick people into coming over with empty promises of granting whatever the person wanted."

Imy looked up, "Explain these." She said, holding up her pendant.

Jimena smiled, "Now the fun part." She muttered, "The moon amulets are symbols of your power. Your power as Daughters of Selene."

"What exactly does that mean?" asked Imy.

"It means that you are descendants of the Moon herself, and are gifted with special powers that are to help you fight the Atrox." Stated Jimena matter- of-factly.

"My dreams," Said Imy, beginning to understand, "The dreams with the bright lady, that was Selene?"

Jimena nodded, "Yes, she was trying to tell you that I would be coming."

"And who are you exactly?" Asked Imy.

Jimena smiled, "I am the Magna Mater, my job is to mentor you in your fight against the Atrox and to help you control your powers."

"But that's what I don't understand." Came Riley, "You say I have a birthright to be one of these Daughters, but I don't have a power." She paused, "I'm taking a big guess here in saying that Imy has some kind of teleportation gift, but I know I cant do something like that. Also, I never got any dreams from Selene."

"But you do have a power Riley," Stated Jimena, "It's simply less obvious than Imy's."

"What is it then?"

"Have you ever heard of the term Empathetic?"

"Yes, but that's not a power." Replied Riley.

"Normally, it is not, but you seem to have extreme empathy gifts." She looked at her with a twinkle in her eye, "Have you ever felt someone happy around you, and then discover that you were happy yourself? Or nervous? Or excited?"

"So you're saying that I can feed off of other people's emotions?" Riley asked cautiously.

Jimena nodded, "And I wouldn't be surprised if you could influence other's emotions as well."

"I think you made a mistake." Said Riley plainly.

"Why is that?" asked Jimena.

"I can't be a Daughter... My mother... She was with the Followers."

Imy's eyes widened and she suddenly felt overwhelming pity towards Riley. Riley looked up, as if she could feel it and slowly shook her head. Imy understood, she didn't want pity.

Jimena put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Listen. Simply because your mother has succumbed to the Dark does not mean you must." She paused, curiosity getting the best of her, "What is your mother's name?"

"Cassandra Zalank." Riley mumbled.

It was now Jimena's turn to be surprised. A daughter of Cassandra shared the fate of a Daughter of Selene? She tried to calm herself, "Riley, you can not go back home." She stated.

Riley sighed, "Then where can I go?" she looked at Jimena, "She is still my mother."

"No." Said Jimena a little too harshly, "Cassandra is a slave to the Atrox." When she saw the hurt on the girl's face she tried to calm down, but some grudges die hard. "For now, you can stay with me, until we figure something out."

Riley looked up at her. She trusted Jimena, but at the same time she felt obedience towards her mother, "What if I were to go back?" she asked.

"Then it is very likely you would be a Follower within the next few days." Replied Jimena.

Riley sat down on the log. After a few moments she sighed, "Goddesses huh?"

Jimena smiled, "Goddesses."

Imy looked up, "This will definitely get interesting."

::::::::::::::::::

And thus, the end of Part One: Riley and Imy

Next Up: Part Two: Aria Chapter One: Welcome to Turney High

TO THE REVIEWERS

Thursday: Nope, not their best, but good all the same. I really love the song 'Never' off of it. Fav Cure album would have to be the Head on the Wall though, I really like it. The Tour was a blast! We got to meet Derek from Alkaline Trio and #2 from Anti-Flag it was sweet. My favorite bands are AFI, Tiger Army, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Misfits, Muse (I lub em), The Smiths (again great band), Joy Division, VNV Nation, and Nirvana. Never listened to Radiohead, are they any good?

Evilnymph15: Havent before no, but I'm only 15 : ) I have a couple of original stories but I don't have them posted on the net cuz I'm not finished (Working on one about werewolves as of now). I really glad you like my Fanfics though, it means a lot :) have you read Sons of the Dark yet? I've finished the first one, it's alright. Not as good as DOTM though.

Toodles!

!nym!