Chapter 31 - Alive

Mia wakes up early in the morning but, the weather is not good and It's raining outside. Thunder is keeping on banging up the sky. Just like how the two women feel. It's like the weather is joining them with their cries and regrets. She went downstairs to make a coffee for herself but, Chandler is there, made a coffee for her already. He didn't sleep because he can't sleep. Mia's situation is bothering him. Like, how he can help her and more. So he went downstairs earlier than her. To make her some coffee. 

It's cold. Maybe because of the weather. Mia smiled at him before she gets the coffee and sips it. The hotness of the coffee is giving her the warmth that she needs from the cold weather. 

'Thank you.' she says while she sips it.

'If your thankful, give me a kiss then.' Chandler said, makes her feel uncomfortable and shy. Her cheeks turn red, looking down. Chandler smirked at her then he leans near her. Pulling her towards him, closing his eyes as he kissed her. Mia feels every moment with Chandler, she's falling for him day by day. 

'I love you.' he says of a sudden. Mia looked around to see if someone's there. After she checked it she smiles.

'Me too,' she replied happily. 

'Drink your coffee.' she nods and sips it. 

'Good morning.' Andra greeted Chandler and Mia. She bows to pay her respect to her Commander. Chandler smiles at her as she sits down and prepares two cups of coffee. Mia looked at her confused.

'Two coffee's?' she asked in confusion. Andra couldn't speak straight, the coffee is for Leo but she can't tell Mia. She sighs and smiles at her.

'I...I forgot Athena is not here anymore.' she lied and act sad. Mia didn't suspect here and nods her head. 

'I hope she'll be back here.' Mia said sadly, which makes Chandler to get worried for her. As soon as, Athena leaves the mansion. Amari grabs the chance to convince her. To make her side her. She followed Athena but Athena didn't notice that she's following her. She's not at her proper pace. She's too preoccupied with the things that happened to her. She can't forget every tear that drops from Vince's eyes. Every word that Vince utters. And in every expression, she sees on Vince because of pain.

She rents a small house near the ocean. It's silent. Far from the barios and to the city. In where she can think clearly and to give time for her broken self.

"I will make them pay Vince. For taking you away from me! They will pay!' she screamed. Her voice lingers in the four corners of the room.

"You want revenge?" A witch tone replies to her rants. She gets herself ready for it was a demon. She feels it. 

'Who are you?!" She asked. Amari laughed and it was a pain in her ears while hearing that humor. It makes her blood boil "stop hiding and face me!" She screamed in a commanding tone. She's not afraid. She knows she's strong enough to defeat that demon. But it's Amari. No one defeats her except Jethro "Really, you are not afraid of me?" Amari asked. Athena didn't show any fear. She's not scared. "What do you think?!" She said sarcastically. She will never be. "I can help you," Amari said in a very sweet tone. 

'I'm not interested" she said. Without any doubts. She will never ask for help from a demon. A demon is their enemy and it's her role to kill them. "How about... Vince?" Amari thrilled her and laugh at her again because her hard expression, turns into a soft one. The pain hits her again. She even forgets that Amari was there looking at her awful expression. 

"Don't you ever mentioned him!" A tear fell from her eyes "He's gone. He left me already" she sobbed and she can't control herself anymore. "Really?" Amari raised up the tension within her. Oh yeah! Feels really good. Amari is happy with what she is seeing. It gives her different chills. The cries and suffering from the people gives her strength. Athena didn't answer. She just cried and sob. "What if I'll say... that, he's alive?" that's what Amari said before leaving the awful Athena. 

Athena stops sobbing and looked at her back but she's already gone. 

'How! How can you bring him back?!' she shouted as she was kneeling on the floor. She folds her fist and exhales, she would do everything just to bring Vince back into her life. They can live happily and peacefully, that's what is in her mind. 

Jethro just watched Athena, shooking his head he can't even imagine Athena would go on the dark side. He trains her well, educates her well but he failed her. Failing to teach her to not be attempted on what demon's offered. Jethro folds his fist and disappears. 

'Commande-...' he looked around. ' Where is he?' 

Jethro quickly went to Athena's place. He saw the young lady on the ground laying, sobbing in a dark room. Jethro enters, Athena opens her eyes immediately and ready her weapon. 

'Who are you?' she points the weapon to her back, surprisingly it was Jethro. Her Commander. She let go of the weapon and bow at him. 

'Commander,' she says.

'I'm disappointed in you, Athena. I didn't think you would take the dark side but seeing you right now? Looks like you will betray your companions. I will not interfere until I can hold on to it. But... If this would go through far? You can't stop me.' Jethro warned her as he left. 

Athena left speechless. 'What am I doing?' she asked herself as she stood. 'No matter what he would say, my decision is final.' she added. Jethro felt guilt, he failed the second time around. It makes him get angry at himself, he wants it to stop but he can't. The painful part is, the one who betrays him is the one he raised and taken care of it. The one he protected for all this time. 

Amari went back to her castle. As she sat on to her throne, her two slaves approach. "Give me a glass of blood wine. I'm celebrating" she said with a smile crept on her face. She's very happy because her plans turn out well and she got a new one who will sure weaken by the other side. "Let's see. Who will win" she laughed? The happiness she felt right now is unreachable. Finally, she'll get to used to Athena and her powers. The slaves delivered her the blood wine and she didn't wait any minute for it to drink it. She drinks it immediately. Her two disciples approach her. "Commander, what happened?" The other one asked out of its curiosity about why their commander is happy. Amari won't laugh easily. "Accompany me to the grim reaper" she didn't answer its question and quickly went down to her throne. To go to Vince location. 

'Vince, Vince, Vince,' she summoned him. Amari knew that Vince didn't die. Vince just hides and want to get away from Athena to protect her. Jethro was the one who orders Vince to fake his death to protect Athena. But instead of protecting her? It was worst than it was planned. 

'Who are you?' he asked as he gets his weapon and points it at them. Amari laughs evilly at him. 'What do you want?' he asked as his voice trembles. 

Jethro was on his way to his room when he saw the monitor and saw a very familiar face. He stops to look at it. His eyes widen as he saw Amari. 'What is she doing at this monitor?' he asked himself inside the room. 

"A-Athena" he went near the monitor. With his trembling hands, he reaches for it and caressed the face of Athena on the screen. He missed her. He wants to touch her, embrace her, and kissed her but, he's being cage at Amari's castle. Can't escape. "Hahahaha! You really are stupid young man" Vince looked at Amari angrily. Amari's brow turns into a sarcastic one. And then laugh again. "What did you do to her?! Why did she cry?!" He shouted at her. "Oh?! Not my fault" she said with her hands up. It's like, playing with Vince through words. Vince tries to use his powers but, the intensity of Amari's palace is stopping his powers. "How dare you!" She just laughs while Vince is looking at her angrily. What did she do to Athena? What did she say to make her cried! He is trembling because of disappointment. If he could only make it properly, it should turn out like this. He can still see Athena and hug Athena. But... It didn't.. "It's your doing. You hurt her Vince. You made her cry. You put her in that situation" Amari said blaming him. And she was right, he's the one to be put in blame. "Don't worry, I'll just use her and pah! you will never see her again. Not even in your dreams" then she left the underground. Laughing.

To be continued...