Athena swallowed. "You still haven’t told who you are."
He smiled again, patiently. "If I told you," he said. "You wouldn’t like the answer."
"Try ."
He stepped close enough now that she could feel that strange warmth again, stronger this ti, settling deep in her chest.
"Let’s just say," he murmured, "I’m the part of you that never broke. The part that watched the world hurt you and decided to stay silent until the ti cos to make them pay."
Athena’s heart pounded violently. "That’s not possible."
"Most important things are," he replied easily.
She stared at him, fear and curiosity twisting together in her chest. "...And what do you want from ?" she asked quietly.
The man’s blue eyes softened just a little.
"I don’t want anything," he said. "I’m here to remind you of what you already are, before you forget it completely."
"Okay, fine. Then tell , what am I? Tell . I want to know."
The man’s smile widened, almost... fond.
"That’s my girl," he said softly. "I would love to tell you everything, but it would be too much for you right now. Still... I can end the pain you’re feeling. Once and for all."
Athena’s breath hitched. "My pain?" she asked. "How would you even be able to do that?"
The man laughed, light and easy. "You still underestimate the man standing in front of you." His eyes flickered with sothing unreadable. "I can read your mind, Belith. I know what keeps you awake. I know what kept hurting you. And if you’re willing... you could do far more than I ever could."
Her heart skipped violently. "More?" she whispered. "Then tell how to end it. I want it all to stop."
She was willing to go extra miles to make her pain stop. She wanted to stop craving four n at the sa ti and also stop causing destruction between them.
"Good," he said calmly. "But understand this, everything cos with consequences."
A bad feeling crept into Athena’s chest instantly, but she ignored it. She was already drowning. What was a little deeper water?
"Tell ," she insisted.
"I’d rather show you," the man replied.
She frowned. "Show ?"
"Yes. You’ll have to follow ."
Athena took a sharp step back. "No. I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t even know who you are." Her eyes narrowed. "I don’t even know your na."
The man paused, then smiled again, unbothered.
"If that’s all," he said, "you can call Pa."
Athena tilted her head, suspicious. "Pa?" She scoffed lightly. "Fine. But I’m not following you anywhere if you don’t tell where you’re taking ."
Pa chuckled, like the sound belonged to soone who had all the ti in the world. "You’re cautious," he said approvingly. "Good. That will keep you alive."
Athena crossed her arms, lifting her chin. "You didn’t answer my question."
"I’m taking you nowhere dangerous," he replied smoothly. "Not yet."
"That’s not comforting."
"It’s honest."
She studied his face, searching for sothing, malice, deception, anything, but all she found was calm. Like soone who knew the ending of a story she was still trapped inside.
"And if I refuse?" she asked.
Pa shrugged lightly. "Then I leave. You go on living like this." His eyes flicked briefly to her chest, where her pain still sat heavy. "You survive. You ache. You pretend you’re fine. Sa cycle, but different day."
Athena’s jaw tightened. "...And if I follow you?"
"Then you’ll see," he said.
"See what?" Athena asked.
"The truth," Pa replied. "About you. About . About why the pain won’t let you go."
Silence stretched between them.
The wind picked up, brushing past Athena like a cold reminder of where she stood. She exhaled slowly. "And where exactly is this place?" she pressed.
Pa turned slightly, gesturing toward the open air beyond the rooftop. "A place between mory and reality. Sowhere your mind already visits when you sleep."
Athena’s stomach twisted in pure frustration. "You expect to believe that."
"I don’t expect you to believe," he said gently. "Only courage."
She scoffed. "You really like dramatic speeches."
Pa smiled. "You really like pretending you’re not curious."
That hit her too close. He was right though. A small part of her is curious, no actually, a big part.
Athena looked away, then back at him. "If I follow you... can I co back?"
Pa didn’t answer imdiately. "Everyone who goes cos back changed. But yes, you’ll co back."
"...Changed how?"
He t her gaze. "That depends on you."
Her heart pounded. Fear whispered at her to stay put. To walk away. To choose the familiar misery over the unknown. But another part of her leaned forward.
"Fine," Athena said finally. "I’ll follow you."
Pa’s smile deepened, proud and oddly tender. "Good choice, Belith."
"Don’t call that."
"Oh," he said, turning as the air around him seed to ripple slightly, "I will. You’ll grow into it."
"Last chance," he added casually. "Once you see this, you can’t unsee it."
Athena clenched her fists. "I’m already living with things I can’t unsee," she said. "Lead the way."
Pa laughed softly, the sound low and almost pleased. "That," he said, "is exactly why you’re ready."
He opened his arms wide toward her.
Athena raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Co here," he said simply.
She eyed him from head to toe, suspicion written all over her face. Every instinct told her this was a bad idea, but she was far past listening to instincts. With a reluctant sigh, she stepped closer.
Pa wrapped his arms around her. In an instant, a violent gush of air exploded around them, knocking the breath from her lungs. Athena squeezed her eyes shut as the world seed to tear itself apart.
Then, silence.
When she opened her eyes again, she was no longer on the rooftop. She stood inside a massive black structure, more a cathedral than a house. It was dark. The walls stretched impossibly high, forming a cone-like ceiling that vanished into shadow, as though it reached straight into the sky. It was endless, suffocating. And sowhat beautiful.
Their footsteps echoed softly, the sound bouncing back at them like whispers.
Athena pulled out of Pa’s arms and slowly turned in place.
There wasn’t a single hint of white anywhere. Everything was black, a deep, rich black, with streaks of dark red woven subtly into the design.
The walls, the floor, everything was polished marble, so glossy she could see her reflection staring back at her from every angle.
There were no chairs. No furniture. Just space and statues.
Creepy creatures carved into the walls, so with wings, so with claws, so with expressions frozen between agony and rage. Their eyes seed to follow her as she moved.
"What is this place?" she asked, her voice low as she kept looking around.
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