30th November, 2005

Questor's POV

I worked on my newest blaster design while looking after my only daughter, Catniss, the joy of my life. I watched, a smile displayed on my lips as Catniss drew something on paper, and I was amazed. Her intent stormy grey eyes from her mother scanned the piece of paper with extreme curiosity, like she was wondering how the piece of paper was made. Her chocolate brown hair waved past her small shoulders, and her lips were shaped into a pout, like she wasn't happy with her drawing. I looked at my project, and then at my beloved daughter, and decided that my daughter always came first. I left my pen on the table and walked over to my beautiful, little girl.

"Catniss, darling, what are you drawing?" She looked at me and gave me a grin, and my smile grew wider. She showed me her picture and responded,

"I'm drawing a building I want to make, daddy! Do you know that Snowdance Cavern has such a weak structure that if a Rammstone hit the walls, the cavern ceiling would squish everything?"

Leo S: O.O She's smart for a 3 year old

Anthony: O.o

Slugcat: :D

I was slightly taken aback by the intelligence of my daughter, who was only 3, but then again, she was Athena's daughter, after all. And I was a son of Hephaestus, so naturally, she would be very smart. Of course, I already knew that Snowdance Cavern could crumble by just one hit, but I didn't expect her to know that at the age of 3. I ruffled her dark brown hair and chuckled, a proud papa smile on my face.

"How did you know that, sweetheart?" I asked, and she smiled as she replied smugly,

"My teacher told me that ice is easily broken and you can see through it if it's thin enough, and Snowdance Cavern is made of ice, and I can see the sleepy Ice Ogres through the ice. And since things can't fly due to gravity, ice cannot fly, and it'll crush anything that's underneath since the ice come down in big and heavy chunks. Big and heavy things crush other smaller things, like mechabeasts. They should put more support on the ice. What if it falls while people are watching a movie?" Her brown eyes stared into mine, hoping for an answer. I smiled and kissed her forehead, and replied,

"Slugcat, my darling, I agree with you. They should really make the ice thicker and the walls stronger. That ought to do the trick, do you agree?" She nodded eagerly and I smiled fondly as I ruffled her hair. She was a very smart and joyous girl indeed. Her beautiful brown eyes filled with potential and intelligence, always wanting to know more. And I wouldn't hesitate to teach her. She's a perfect child. She's my perfect child. Sure, she messed up my study place looking for textbooks and liked to run about, but then again, she's a child. A demigod child. The doorbell disrupted my thoughts as I went to get the door. And standing there, was a beautiful, but independent goddess.

The one and only, lovely, Lady Athena.

She haven't changed. Her blonde, long hair had princess curls tied up into a ponytail, the sleeves of her button up blouse folded up to her elbows, blue, clean skinny jeans. Her stormy grey eyes always looking for a solution, always calculating, fierce but brave and beautiful.

"Lady Athena, what an honor it is to see you again." I greeted as I bowed to her. She smiled and told me,

"Questor, rise. We need to discuss something. It's about Catniss." I smiled and welcomed her in, and closed the door.

"Mummy!" I heard a cute voice filled with joy and happiness, and when I turned around, I saw Catniss hugging her mother, a smile on her face as she wrapped her small arms around Athena's body. Athena embraced her with kindness and joy as she wrapped her arms gently around Catniss.

"Catniss, look at how much you've grown! How's my little girl?" She asked, and Catniss exclaimed happily,

"I'm okay, mummy! Daddy gave me a healing slug! He told me it was a Boon Doc! I named it Kevin!"

Leo S: *facepalm* are you serious

Slugcat: shaddup I was 3 okay

She ran to the kitchen table and gently took an excited Boon Doc into her tiny hands and ran to Athena.

"Kevin's lovely, Catniss. Just like you. Why don't you go take a nap?" Athena suggested, and she led her upstairs. I sat down on the couch, waiting for Athena. After a few minutes, she came down, and sat on the sofa right next to me.

"Questor, Catniss isn't an ordinary demigod. She isn't dyslexic, but she can still read Ancient Greek. And the power she radiates...she'll have the power to destroy Olympus before she finishes puberty. Do you know about the Authors?" Horror dawned upon me as I realized what she meant. Catniss was an Author. She was an Author. Her life would be in extreme danger, danger I can't protect her from.

"Catniss is an Author, isn't she?" I asked solemnly, and she nodded sadly. We had a moment of silent grief, then Athena continued,

"Protect her the best you can until she reaches the age 11, then send her off. No less than that. It's for her safety. When she turns 11, explain everything she needs to know to her, why you need to send her off, everything. Tell her a snowy owl will guide her when you send her off. On the year she turns 8, protect her the best you can. Keep her indoors, make her wear shin pads, protect her at all costs. I can't tell you why, but let's just say a TV show is walking to life. Teach her how to use a blaster, and make sure she can use a blaster to defend herself by age 8, in case you're not there to protect her. She has my blessing, I put it on her just a few minutes ago. She'll be one of the smartest people in Slugterra, and she'll be able to equal a great warrior in battle." I nodded and took down notes. When Athena sent Catniss down from Olympus, I was overjoyed. She became my main reason to live. And now, hearing that I only have 8 years with her, grief hit me like a train. 8 years. Only 8 years. She's 3 now, so I only have 8 years with my only daughter. But this is for her safety. I rather see her leave than see her die. I looked at Athena, and her expression told me she didn't want to separate me and Catniss. But she had to. It was her duty.

"Questor, I know this is hard for you. But if you don't do this, both of you will die. And I don't want that." I forced a smile and told her,

"I rather see her go than see her die. I understand why you're doing this, and I thank you for that." She smiled her beautiful smile and pressed her soft lips on mine. I kissed back, knowing this may be the last time I'll see her, knowing she'll be the only woman I would ever love. We separated and she smiled at me before I looked away as she flashed out of the room.

Crystine's POV

I never knew my life would change so quickly, all because of a masked man with a knife. One moment I thought about fairy princesses and Christmas presents. The next moment, all I thought of was my life and how to keep it. I was playing with my dolls in my living room, and my mother was reading a blue book called The Lightning Thief. We heard the door budge, and my mother jumped up, her book still in her hand. I looked at her, and asked with worry,

"Mummy, what was that?" Her eyes widened and she replied,

"Nothing, dear, I was just surprised." But nothing could hide the fear in her obsidian black eyes and the tremor in her voice. She took a cane from the storage room, and opened the door.

That was the moment my life changed forever.

A man stormed into the room, the irises of his wild eyes golden and filled with pure anger.

"KRISTENINA SANDS! YOU KILLED MY FAMILY, AND NOW YOU WILL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!" He yelled, and unsheathed a bronze sword, which was about a meter long, and deadly sharp. My mother dashed to me and stood in front of me bravely. I cowered behind her protective stance, tears flowing from my eyes as she replied,

"At least I'll go down fighting." She tossed her cane into the air, and as it spun in the air, it became two twin daggers, black as night and more powerful than any being on Earth. She caught the daggers in her hands effortlessly. She gave one to me, and turned to me quickly. She kneeled in front of me and kissed my cheek.

"Crystine, my baby girl. I love you so much. Go to the back door, run to the police. They'll help you." She whispered to me hastily, desperation in her soft, angelic voice. I asked her,

"What about you, mummy? I don't wanna leave you!" I whined, and she hushed me.

"I'll be here when you get back." She took out a pen and wrote down a few words and numbers, and said,

"Tell the police mummy is in trouble and when they ask where you live, show them this." She whispered, and with tears in my eyes, I nodded and hugged my mother for the last time. She kissed me on the cheek and with tears in her eyes, she told me,

"Crystine, I love you." Those were the last words that ever came out of her mouth as the man stabbed her in the heart with the bronze sword, a wicked grin plastered all over his face.

"NO!" I yelled in shock and disbelief as I ran to my dying mother, who was coughing blood and her life was fading as the seconds flew by. She smiled at me before she looked up onto the sky, and never moved again.

"MUMMY, NO, PLEASE, WAKE UP!!" I shouted, shaking her limp body, my body shaking with sobs of grief and sadness. Mummy was dead. Mummy was gone.

"Now for you." He cackled, and I did as my mother instructed me. I bolted for the back door in the kitchen and ran. I ran like my life depended on it, which it did. I heard footsteps behind me, yelling, but I didn't stop to see who was shouting, because I already knew. I ran to the police station, my heart hammering in my chest and my tears blinding me as I arrived at the police station. I rushed inside, and I saw 2 policemen looking at me, concern in their eyes. One was tall and thin with jet black hair and obsidian black eyes. The other was short and plump, like he ate too much donuts. He had ginger hair and brown eyes.

"Little girl, what's wrong?" The tall one asked me, kneeling down so he was eye level with me. I stated to cry as I told them what happened, how my mother got murdered, how the masked man stormed in. I showed them what Mummy wrote on my hand and they nodded.

"Wexon Place, 234." Just then, a woman came rushing down. She was wearing a blue police uniform, her beautiful hair all kinds of brown. I could see more different shades of brown as she took a black rubberband and tied up her hair. Her blue eyes sparkled in the light. A silver badge on her shirt said "Hazelle Shane". She asked one of the policemen,

"Arthur, what happened? My son Eli was calling me about his school project, I didn't hear." The tall policeman responded,

"Murder at Wexon Place, House 2, no 34. This girl's the only survivor. Can you take care of her?" She looked at me, sympathy and pity in her eyes as she softened from her hard gaze and answered,

"Sure, she seems nice. She might get along better with my sons back home, though." I looked at the pretty woman, and I noticed she looked familiar. Looking at her triggered memories of yummy cookies, shopping for my favorite toys on my birthday and Christmas, games of hero and villain, tag, hide and seek with 2 guys, only a few years older than me.

"Aunty Hazelle?" I asked with fear and curiousness. She smiled at me and gasped as realization dawned on her.

"Crystine?" She ran to me, and hugged me.

"Crystine, dear, what happened?! Where's your-" Her look of relief was replaced with horror as her eyes filled with tears.

"No, please not Kristenina...." She muttered, her eye filling up with tears. She was Mummy's best friend ever since kindergarten. I saw the two policemen run out as I told her,

"A masked fat guy came into the house and stuck something sharp through her stomach, and she smiled at me before she closed her eyes." As I spoke, tears came out of my eyes, but I continued,

"She said she loved me, before she closed her eyes. I couldn't wake her up. And the masked fat guy came after me, and I ran here." I told her, and she pulled me in for a hug as we both sobbed on each other shoulders. Her for her lifelong best friend, me for my mother, and my only family. After a while, she helped me wash up and we walked to her car. She strapped me up into the seat beside the driver's seat, and she sat in the driver's seat, and she drove to a familiar house. It was white with paintings on it. Near the bottom, there were handprints in all types of colours and sizes. I saw mine in bright blue, and I saw a lot more in bright colours, dark colours, strange colours. She parked the car, and she got out of the car before she opened the door and unstrapped me from the seat. She helped me down, closed the door and locked her red car. She held my hand as we walked to the beautiful, familiar house. There were green ivy running down from the roof to the walls, and paintings of strange creature which had two antennas, big eyes, and different unique patterns. She opened the door, and I saw two boys, the older one with jet black hair and startling blue eyes, and the younger one with hazel brown hair and blue eyes as well. Both of them caught in the act of eating cookies from a cookie jar which looked like he was just recently opened. A man walked down the staircase, a white, sleeveless shirt and a pair of purple sweatpants. He had the same jet black hair as the older boy and the same eyes as both of the boys. The younger boy turned to me and grinned.

"Hi Crysty!" Leo greeted, chocolate all over his mouth. He looked the same as always. He was just a year older than me, and we played with each other when Aunty Hazelle brought him and his older brother, Eli, to my house. Leo's 5 now, and his brother is 7. My mom teased that I used to have a crush on Leo, because I would usually play with him more than Eli.

Leo S: Oh gods...THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I NEVER MENTIONED CRYSTINE

Alana: Aww Leo has an admirerrrrrr

Leo S: -.- why Alana why I thought you loved me :(

Crystine: Hades no, Leo's only girl is Alana

Ally: I kinda lowkey ship Leo and Crystine

Leo S: *is running away* OH HELLLLLLL TO THE NO NOOOO *slaps Ally*

Eli smiled at me, then he and Leo got a tissue each wiped their mouths and ran to me, Eli's dirty tissue on the kitchen table, and Leo's one in the dustbin.

"Crysty, where's your mommy?" Eli asked, and I looked desperately at Autny Hazelle. She hastily responded,

"She's busy." Uncle Will gave Aunty Hazelle a concerned look and Eli suggested,

"Let's play heroes and villains!" Leo and I happily agreed, since I seriously needed to get my mind off my dead mother and the masked murderer.

Hazelle's POV

Will saw my distress and once the kids ran up to Eli's room, Will walked to me, putting his arms around me, and asking with a concerned tone,

"Are you ok?" He carried me bridal style and placed me onto the couch, and he sat down with me. I tried to stifle my sobs as I told him everything: Kristenina's murder, how I couldn't adopt her because Will was only home for a a few days before going to Slugterra, and that left my dreaded, abusive sister in law, Aubrette, to take care of the kids while I'm at work. She abuses them, I can see the bruises, the wounds they get after each visit. Everyone else can see that too.

"And now with your sister abusing our sons, Kristenina, gone and murdered, and me having to face the fact that I can't adopt her only child." Will was about to speak when the doorbell rang. We both answered the door, and two policemen, the policemen who were there when I saw Crystine, were at the door. Horus, the short one, asked me,

"Hazelle, where's the child? The murderer's in prison, but the child needs to be sent to an orphanage. You know you can't adopt her." I heard Will walk upstairs to get her, and in a few seconds, I heard her walk down. I glanced behind, and I saw Crystine walking down the stairs, holding Eli's hand, and Leo grinning crazily from behind, like he liked the fact Eli and Crystine were holding hands.

"Crystine, dear, it's time to go."

Esther's POV

It was near my children's bedtime when my husband, Eddie, walked in, his sea green eyes filled with sadness and his fake smile brightening up the room, making my two children Serenaza and Johnathan squeal with happiness as they ran to their father, excitement in their eyes. I chuckled as the kids began bombarding him with questions and what they did during the day.

"Ok, kids, why don't you both get some sleep, it's your bedtime." He looked at me and pleaded with his eyes for me to stay down here while he brought the kids upstairs. A few minutes later, he came down, a frown replacing his faint smile and tears in his eyes.

"Esther...I'm sorry." He sobbed, and hugged me. I hugged him back, just to comfort him, and I asked,

"Why are you sorry?" He let go of me, and sniffed as he replied,

"Johnathan....he's....he's not a normal demigod. He'll have powers, dangerous, but great. But he'll be hunted by countless monsters. He may not live as long as a normal demigod. He's an Author, with traits only the Fates have." My heart shattered into a million pieces as he told me this. My son, my youngest child, who was only 3, hunted by monsters who could kill him with one move of its claw.

"Eddie, are you sure he's an Author? He's just a baby." He responded,

"Yes. Poseidon told me, and he told me...he..." He stammered, bursting into tears again. I inquired softly,

"What did he tell you?" He sniffed as he exclaimed,

"He told me that you only have 6 months left of your life."

JBV: NOOOOOO

Serena: NOOOOOO

Eddie: NOOOOOO

Leo S: OH SHIT

Anthony: OoO

Ally: So...