I continued to scream. On and on and on without any thought. Honestly, I believe that acting in this fashion was completely justified after the dream that I had just endured. Can you blame me?

How could my life have become turned around so quickly? Just this morning I was a normal girl whose biggest issue was whether or not I remembered my History homework. Now I am a shaking, crying mess whose life was slowly being taken from my grasp by powers that I had absolutely no clue how to use. I was utterly clueless, and hated that with every pore of my being.

Having gotten over the initial shock, my screams subsided into quiet sobbing as I contemplated my existence.

Don't get me wrong. I never blamed my issues on the gods. It would have been so easy to do, to hate them for taking away any certainty I ever had. In fact, I was very close to cursing them while I was sobbing in the sheets. But in the back of my mind I knew that what they had given to me had been a gift, and that it should be treated like one. I mean, how many mortals out there have been blessed by ALL the Greek gods?

No. I blamed the entire thing on myself. On the fact that I was not strong enough. Or skilled enough. You could say that I was drowning in a pool of self-pity, which is incredibly ironic considering that I am the child of Poseidon. And I am woman enough to say that the waters almost claimed me that night. I was actually not far off ripping the jewel from my neck and throwing it out the window in rage.

I was so wrapped in pity that I almost didn't notice that arms had encompassed me in a compassionate manner.

As soon as he heard screaming, Luke knew that I had reached the critical moment. And he knew that his actions would determine my fate. While I was living through my nightmare, Luke had dreamed of the two possible futures that could occur.

The first was beautiful. He saw a place with hills, huts, a beach and a forest. He witnessed teenagers racing passed, all dressed in an orange shirt with the words 'Camp Half-Blood' printed on them. They were laughing and having fun, enjoying the sun that was rising over the water and the company that they held. But it was what was in the middle of the picture that dazzled him the most. There I stood, alive, with fire in my eyes and power literally emanating out of my body, surrounded by a strong white aura. I was smiling, and he knew in the instant that we locked eyes that I was in complete control. That I was happy.

The second dream was not nearly as cheerful. Luke found himself in a cave, surrounded by darkness at all angles. So thick was the blanket of darkness that he would not had been able to see save the light in front of him. There I stood, hunched over, muttering nonsense. When I turned around, the jewel around my neck was pure black and my eyes held madness. In a flurry I began to jump, run and wave in circles, and he knew that each movement was being controlled by a certain power. It was visible in the ever changing auras that surrounded me. I was gone, replaced with a body that had no leader to control anything, leaving behind a maddened mess. I had lost the internal war.

When Luke told me about these dreams I found myself horrified that in my own dream I got it so wrong. Just goes to show how active my imagination was. Sheesh.

When he was awoken by my screams, he was hesitant at first, not wanting to be bucked off. Later he told me that he feared rejection that he was so sure I would give. However, after my screams stopped and were replaced with sobs, he hugged me. Attempting to convey his feelings and hope without words. After all, some of the best conversations one can have are completely silent.

And, through all the pain and sadness, I felt him.

Instinctually craving more contact from a caring individual, I returned his hug and pulled him as close as possible. I needed to know that I would be alright. I never felt safer than in his arms, where I would feel his protective yet compassionate hold. It helped calm me down.

Luke realised that I was relaxing, and that his hug was working wonders. However, he also knew that the situation had to be solved as soon as possible for maximum effect. He was seriously afraid of what he had seen in his vision, of the girl who had lost her mind and bright future because she lacked control.

Yet he did not get it. I was a natural born leader, something he had the chance to witness when we worked on a school project together. He knew I had the potential to become of the master of the jewel, as is my destiny. So why could I not get control?

Then it hit him with the force of a fist crashing through glass. The indescribable truth that the gods had only hinted to in his dreams, knowing that he would figure it out.

And it was so simple as well. I had lost my identity.

Although he did not want to push the issue and make me feel uncomfortable, he knew that it was time for me to tell someone about what had happened to make me this way. He felt it through his Egyptian necklace.

Pulling away from my embrace, he took my face in this hands and asked, "Who did this to you?" while maintaining eye contact.

I could not help it. Those eyes that were locked onto my eyes were full of sympathy and comfort. There was something about them that had me realising that he knew what my problem was. And something about the greenness of them that had me spilling my guts as to the horrible reason I had lost my identity.

….

Back when I was in my early teens, fate had not been kind to me due to a certain step-father. Or, more specifically, his best friend. The first time I had met this man I was too naive to understand danger, and therefore did not recognise Michael as the threat that he was. He had been visiting my dad when I realised that he was sitting on my seat.

The one thing that I was always most possessive of was my chair on the dining table. It was not just any chair. It was one of the only things that my mother had saved from her short time with my real dad. Sitting on it gave me a connection with him that I had always wanted, and there were times that I felt as if we were having a true conversation in my mind. Which I knew was absurd, but allowed me to imagine how different things would be if he had stuck around. The first time that Lucas had sat on it, I cried so hard that I had to be taken to hospital. So when I saw Michael sitting on my special seat I proceeded to yell at him, calling him the worst words that I knew while pushing him, trying desperately to get him off. To which he responded by hitting me. Hard. Again and again while all that I saw were eyes full of fury and blood red hands before I lost consciousness.

Let me get something straight. He was not abusive by nature. However, at that time he had some serious unresolved anger issues caused by his hatred of his job. And that day I had happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although he had since explained it all to me, and had apologised profusely, I never trusted him again. Whenever he as around I kept my guard up, actively changing my personality so that he would have no reason to get angry again. As time passed he would visit more and more, having quit his job and being bored. So my faked personality began to take over, and my identity was effectively locked up inside me, kept there by years' worth of fear and trauma.

…

Boy, did I feel so much better getting all that crap off my chest. As soon as I had finished telling my story to Luke, I felt something in his shift.

And then he hugged me in a manner that was both intimate and friendly. "You will never have to see him ever again. Or anyone like him. I promise."

When I looked into his eyes, I saw the honesty in him. As if feeling it too, the jewel began to glow bright green, encasing the both of us in light. For a couple of minutes, I saw nothing but white, until a figure emerged. No face was visible as it blended into the background, but the outline of the arms and legs could be seen if I looked hard enough. And then it spoke with a voice that contained many layers, as if many people were talking at once. Three sentences that unlocked the personality inside me and filled me with its power and truth. In that moment I knew exactly how to control the jewel, how to control all the different powers at once. For it had taught me everything.

"έλεγχό τους δεν είναι η απάντηση. Ελευθέρωσέ τα. Ελευθέρωσε τον εαυτό σου."

Controlling them is not the answer. Set them free.

Set yourself free.