Many months had passed since Zeus had swallowed up Metis. Through the weeks that she's spent there she has observed many of Zeus's memories, dreams, and thoughts. Apparently Zeus was still worried about her child. From his memories Metis had learned much about him, and all his terrible secrets. She always observed and studied them, trying to find weaknesses. But she couldn't help using them to make nightmares. As he slept she entered his dreams had played with them which resulted to him waking up in cold sweat. She enjoyed it.

Nine months had past and she was large from pregnancy. She could feel today was the day that her child would be born. She searched for a good place to give birth and found it in one of Zeus's dreams. It was in a small opening in the forest, the ground was covered with soft grass filled with flowers, and trees stood tall giving shade. Rays of sunlight rained down from the cloudless blue sky.

It was nice and quiet, perfect. She started to feel the child kicking and sat down under the shade of a tree. She felt the pain and a terrible yell came out of her mouth followed by many others.

She spread her legs and started to push. The pain was almost unbearable, and men say they had the bigger job when it came to children. She grunted and shook her head violently side to side. Hot tears ran down her cheeks. Her hands turned into fists and pounded the ground white cold sweat covered her body. For eight long hours this went on, for comfort she remembered that it would all be worth it in the end.

With one last push it was over. She happily sighed when she heard a sudden cry. She didn't hesitate to pick herself up to hold the child. With sweaty, trembling hands Metis lifted the child, covered the infant in red silk, and held the baby to her breast. She looked at her child with prideful eyes. The baby had the same olive skin, and a little bit of chocolate brown hair growing from its scalp in contrast of the mother's snow white hair. She then checked the gender.

"A girl, a beautiful baby girl."

She stroked her cheek gently which made her stop crying and open her eyes. It revealed the infant's beautiful sparkling grey eyes that shined more than silver. For a moment she was sad that the girl had her father's eyes instead of her sapphire ones. But forgot the thought when the baby smiled at her, and Metis gave a warm smile back.

"What would be a good name for you…I know, Athena. From this day forward you shall be called Athena." Metis gained little from marrying Zeus, but she thanked him silently, because she finally gained something worth everything.

Six years had passed and Metis was currently giving Athena battle lessons in one of Zeus's memories with a training ground. Athena was quickly demolishing a wooden dummy.

"Rhythm Athena, rhythm, do not get sloppy," Metis said.

Suddenly five wooden archers appeared from higher ground. Athena dodged several with swift jumps, flips, and ducks. After dodging many she jumped into the air, and while in midair, grabbed five throwing knives and through them at each wooden archer, each landing in either the head or the heart, then doing a perfect backflip and landing gracefully in a kneeling position. With one arm on one knee and a fist to the ground she looked up with a fierce look in her eyes.

After ten years of learning a knowledgeable education of math, science, literature, languages, and an education of battle strategies, fighting moves and techniques, slitting someone's throat while they sleep, and so much more. Athena was had become well trained, and was indeed a deadly warrior…despite being ten years old and looking like one too.

Athena turned around to find approval in her mother's eyes. As her mother walked to her Athena took this time to stand up and dust herself off.

Metis put a hand on her shoulder and said, "My daughter, you have excelled in your training today." Even though she had first class soldier training, and the strength to rip of someone's head without hesitation, she was just a little kid that couldn't help but be childish. She giggled at her mother's complement and thanked her with a wide smile on her face. Metis smiled at her daughter. "Walk with me my daughter, there is something I must tell you." As they walked they entered a portal which led to another memory. The scenery changed into a path going through a forest.

"My daughter," Metis started, "the time has almost come."

"For what?"

"The time to leave this place."

Athena looked at her mother with wide eyes.

"When?"

"In a few weeks."

"This is wonderful mother, you and I will finally leave this place, together."

Metis than stopped dead in her tracks. How was she going to tell her child that her mother wasn't going with her. When Zeus swallowed her, he cursed Metis to be trapped in his head forever, but made a mistake not cursing Athena. She knew it was right to send her off into the world, even without her, she knew this not only as the goddess of wisdom, but as a mother. Athena deserves a better life than to be imprisoned forever. But how would she react to this? React to losing her mother. React to loss. Would it leave her broken? Leave her not feeling invincible, but vulnerable…

"Mother," Athena asked worriedly.

"Many wish for invincibility, some have even died for it. But what is invincibility? Is it not being able to feel harm, or more? Pain isn't just for the body; the mind can also be betrayed, changed, broken, and harmed. To be invincible you must be untouchable. But how does someone get that way? To be shielded wholly you must become unreachable. Both body and mind must be impenetrable from pain in any form or manner. The body could be guarded by armor that would never break, physically you'd be invincible, but then your weak point would be your mind. The mind can only be hurt so many times. It is the most complex of all mazes and puzzles. Understanding it is limited even to gods. So how is something like that be made invulnerable? But really, what is it about the mind that makes it a weakness in the first place? Is it freedom of thought? Of course not, what the mind holds is both a weapon and a flaw. Many have said they have seceded in containing it, but in truth they never have. This one thing is what makes someone secede or fail, live or die. After all, where would one be without emotion? Emotions are very dangerous. They can be powerful and unstoppable, and for this reason the can do practically anything. They can cause life and death, make and stop things, change fate itself. Why, some might wonder, because that is what they are meant to do. Maybe the greatest pain someone can suffer comes not from the body but the mind. Because the mind is the only thing that can make feel the ultimate suffering which is…loss"

After saying those very deep in meaning words Metis turned to the expressionless Athena.

"Why are you saying this to me?" Athena asked.

"Athena, my darling, I won't be going with you."

"What, no!"

"Athena, you have to."

"Not without you." By this time Athena was starting to cry.

Metis kneeled down to her daughter's height and put her hands on the shoulder of the sobbing girl.

"You need to go out into the real world; you don't deserve being trapped here. And by leaving, you might gain a father."

"But I would lose a mother."

Metis was starting to tear up herself, but before she could answer Athena quickly backed away and ran. Metis tried to catch her, but Athena was too fast. But as fast as she was she was not fast enough to outrun the sounds of her mother sobbing and screaming her name.

After she was far enough away, into another memory, she could not help think of her mother's last statement. She might gain a father. "Does this mean that if I go I will lose my mother and only might gain a father," she thought. She turned around to find a memory version of her father looking at scrolls. Out loud she thought, "Do I risk losing something that I love, only to have a slight chance of the void in my life that I might gain being filled again. Should I risk the pain of loss?"