Regina

The painting I saw back at the coming of age, as I looked at it again. It just didn't look like me, I think it is me?

The High Priest gave me an ear piece, so he could dictate what I have to say in front of the citizens of the United Front.

Only the head priests would be present in the room, he would be somewhere else grinning that his plan is slowly coming into fruition.

I shudder at the thought.

Not only I was in the hands of the enemy, my worse nightmare would be coming true.

I became a tool, a weapon used by my own kind.

A head priest guided me to where I was going to position myself in the viewing room. There was a balcony that showed the entrance of the Temple.

I've always admired the road from the main gates of the temple going to the main entrance, as a kid I thought it resembled the rainbow bridge of Asgard as it glowed an array of colors as the sun hits the way every morning.

Now, it has became a painful part of my life, a memory I will look back to in the future. The day I became lesser than a human.

"That drone there will broadcast your message to everyone, to everyone in the world, whether or not they have a means to see you, one of our priests will take care of that. Just speak naturally."

Your message? I thought.

What I'm going to say is not mine, what I do from now on will not be my own anymore.

"Can you hear me, Persephone?"

I didn't respond. A few minutes passed, "You can hear me. Good."

"Let's start Persephone, repeat after I finish one line. You know what will happen if you say a word out of line, I want to remind you I am still connected to them and with one fault, you can say your prayers to the gods."

"Look into the camera, Persephone."

The dark lens of the camera seemed to swallow my vision, my surroundings slowly darkened and I couldn't hear the High Priest through the ear piece anymore.

My mind went blank.

I was running away from something, I was being dragged by someone.

As we ran, I could hear people screaming behind us.

"Faster, Regina. Don't you dare give up on me."

Regina? I'm in her body again, so that means?

She's going to die here?

"Doxa, I can't anymore. I'm old, I'm not like you. I will eventually die but you, you can't be captured here. They will torture you."

The skin on my hands were loose, white streaks of aging covered my arms. I could feel my feet dragging on the ground, my back ached as I try to follow Doxa's speed.

We stopped in hid, we waited as the people passed us.

"Why did the heavens curse me? I want to die with you sister. I don't want to be alone in this cruel world."

"Doxa, I saw you in my dreams. You were living happily with a husband and a daughter, your daughter will eventually have children and you gave out the warmest smile I have ever seen. I believe what I see in my dreams, Doxa. I have come this far to protect you, but a mere human's life is short. I am destined to die here and new people will come and protect you in my stead."

"I want you, sister. You're the only one I need."

Doxa held my hand, she cried as she tried to give Regina a warm smile like what Regina saw in her dream.

"Leave me, Doxa. You have the ability to conquer what's in front of you, even the world would never dare to hinder."

Doxa kissed Regina in the forehead, Regina sat on the ground as Doxa ran.

I was crying, I didn't know if it was me or if it was Regina but tears fell as longing pained my chest. Doxa's back, slowly fading in the horizon. I wanted to call her back, I wanted to scream to not leave me behind. But it was me who wanted it, not Regina.

She smiled as she remembered her dream, I could see her dream through her mind. Wait?

Her dream? That's my mom! Me, and Hades?!! and grandpa!

We have the same powers? What does this mean?

"I know you're in there."

If I had my physical body right now, chills would be running through my body.

"How?" I asked.

"I just know. I have lived half of my years with this ability, and I never once thought of it as a part of my flesh. I sensed a foreign being inside me, or rather another mind invading mine."

"What happened? Why are you being chased?"

"The heavens fell, and the world was revived. The families were no more, and no other person could remember the time before what happened. Doxa was deemed a witch, an alien, or a monster for not growing old. Everyone thought I was her mother, and scorned me for raising her."

"They're hunting you because of your powers?"

"Powers? Our abilities? This curse? Yes. This is our punishment from the heavens. Killing others for power, for fear."

"But…"

I suddenly left Regina's body, I looked at her and she weak and fragile.

"Are you still there? I don't sense you anymore."

I reached out and tried to hold her hand, but it was to no avail.

I was like a phantom, or a ghost.

"I'm here, Regina."

She smiled, "I can still hear you."

"I'm glad you're here, I didn't want to die alone but I would regret it if I held Doxa back."

"I'm glad I'm here too."

She went silent, I got scared and checked if she was breathing.

She was!

Her eyes were closed, she probably fell asleep.

The people chasing them were nowhere to be found, I couldn't hear them too.

That was a good sign.

Time flew fast, hours went by but it only felt like minutes.

I checked her breathing a couple of times, thank the gods she was still alive.

She opened her eyes, "Are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm here."

"Thank you, but you should leave too. This is where I'll die."

She has seen her own death?

My heart raced with the thought.

"I am not from this time, Regina. So please, let me be with you in your final moments."

She smiled again, I cried.

"Thank you. I have lived my life for my family, for the people I hold dear. Yet, you are here for someone you don't even know? Love is indeed different for everyone."

Her body slowly went limp, I hurried to her side and checked her breathing.

It stopped.

My heart ached, the sight of her, she looked peaceful, she looked like she was sleeping again.

Thunder and lightning echoed throughout, its as if the world mourned her death.

Regina's body started to glow.

Bright golden rays emitted from the silhouette of her body, similar to what happened to Hades during his coming of age.

I thought my eyes were deceiving me, her body slowly formed cracks all over, like she was breaking into pieces.

The golden rays exploded into a blinding light, I closed my eyes for a second and Regina's body was gone.

What happened?

I ran towards a familiar path, and in the distance, I could see the Origin.

Blinding light glowed from the Origin, similar to Regina.

"Persephone, I am the first."

I remembered the voice that echoed throughout the Temple during my coming of age, that was after I touched the Origin with my hand.

"You are last."

My skin crawled, I get it now. I know who this voice belongs to, it wasn't mine at all.

It was Regina's.

The painting I saw in the temple, it was her.

That's why she looked familiar, that why she looked like me.

She was the first to have the power, the unworldly abilities.

When I opened my eyes, "The Temple and the government will lead the United Front as one."

I resisted to panic, I forgot I was in the middle of this.

I repeated what the High Priest said, then a few seconds of silence passed.

"You can breathe now, Persephone. Its done."

I turned around, and Magus was there.

I ran towards him and took him in a hug.

"I was worried." I whispered.

"I was watching you from the monitor at the room I was being held in, remember that time when we were at school together? Those five days were so scary." He laughed.

I don't understand, what does he mean?

"I even called Mrs. Athanasios for help." He continued to laugh.

Hold up, does he mean that thing that happened to me and I was suddenly in Hades' body?

Why is he acting so weird?

"You were so quiet when we were at school, Kore. I sometimes thought you never listened to me, but you said you listened, so thank you for that."

I laughed too, pretended to laugh rather. I understand now.

He knows I had a vision in the middle of the broadcast,

Of course he knows!

"Yes, you're right. I remember that time at school. Though I'm okay now, it only takes a few minutes now so be at ease."

The earpiece vibrated, "Stop the small talk, come to my office."