Note: Everyone stops aging at 25 :D

Tia's POV

Pain. That's all I can feel, that's all I can think of. Just endless agony, pure torture, all over me. I don't know how long I have been like this, it could be anything between a few minutes to a year. I don't know and I don't care. All I can focus on is the pain raging inside of me. 

I could feel the Quartgod cells battling my mortal ones. I don't want to be a Quartgod. It's not as powerful as a demigod, however things like knives and small bombs and falling will have no damage on me whatsoever. Things like a demigod punching me in the face, or red matter, or a powerful bomb will. 

But I don't want to be immortal. They say once you turn into one of the immortal, you are reborn. I think the opposite. You die. When you are mortal, people respect you, people are kind to you. Once you become one of the gods, you are instantly feared. Nobody likes you, nobody wants to see you. I was already on the brink of insanity, and I dread to think of what I'll do once I am given power. Becoming a god is like throwing your soul away, shredding it into pieces and saying, "You're worthless and I don't need you now, because I am powerful." 

At least if I had been mortal I could of convinced the Yogscast to believe me, to realize I didn't want this, I never did and I never will. Now, no one will hear my story. They will just believe what they see on the outside, a hellish devil spawn that no one can go near. A curse to the world, a stain on the perfection that is the universe.

Something that does not deserve to live.

Not only that, since I have been changed by Ridgedog, the ex leader of the VoxelBox, I will be bound by Voxel law, and will need to help them when necessary and meet the current leader, Ridgedog's ex best friend and partner Mexxy, who kicked him off the throne. 

The pain is dulling down a little now. The hell inside my body is cooling. I can already feel the raw power pulsing through my veins, my toughened skin, my senses sharper and more focused. I don't want to be like this. I can hear Ridgedog pacing around, muttering words underneath his breathe that, even with my sharper hearing, I can't pick up.

I know he can turn me back into a mortal, but he doesn't want to and I can't make him do it. Even the VoxelBox will not help me. I was trapped now, and I realize I have been from the very start. I should of realized that he wouldn't let me go once I became his apprentice, wouldn't let me leak out information, would never let me lead a normal life. 

This was my destiny. 

My eyes flicker open. I focus on the cold, grey ceiling, listening to my slow breathing, relaxing a little as the rest of the pain melts away. I blink, and I spot Ridgedog, still pacing next to me. He hasn't realized I am awake. Maybe I could...I brush the thought away. I couldn't beat him, even if I had suprise on my side. The odds of me winning were zero. If he caught me, then I would be in for infinite years of torture. My stomach turns. I was no longer able to die from knives, however they could hurt me a little. He could torture me in a whole lot of ways which would normally kill a mortal but I would live.

The thought of that scared me more than my turning of becoming a Quartgod. 

Ridgedog turns and his eyes catch mine. I wasn't surprised to see his scheming, malevolent grin etched on his face. He leans forward, scanning me with his eyes, taking in every detail. I felt uncomfortable-I wasn't used to him paying close attention to me. My hands and legs are bound by iron cuffs. I snap my arms up quickly, shattering them easily as if they were paper, and I do the same with my legs. I sit up, glaring heavily at the demigod before me. 

"How do you feel?" he asks suddenly. I narrow my eyes.

"I've been better." I reply coldly, and my voice has changed a little. It's deeper...a little menacing. His eyes glint with something that I can't understand.

"How does it feel to be immortal for the first time?" he asks, curiosity sparking a smile onto his lips.

"How does it make me feel? Tricky. It makes me feel like I need to kill you. Or torture you. Or both. Because I can do that now" I snap, temper rising as I rise fluidly off the counter and crouch a little bit as I creep towards him.

"You wouldn't dare." he teases, grinning. He looks perfectly relaxed, no fear diluting his sapphire eyes, and it infuriates me.

"I dare." I snarl, and my hand shoots out like a viper, slamming into his face with enough force to break a tree down. He stumbles back a bit, but there is no bruise on his perfect face. His eyes darken and narrow.

"Do that again and you will no longer have hands to hit me with." he replies calmly. I open my mouth to reply, but his hand smacks my face with incredible speed and power, making me trip and fall. My cheek burns in protest, turning bright red. I touch it, wincing. 

"The chessboard is ready. All we need now are the players, and for my apprentice to learn how to control her temper" he growls, folding his arms. I shakily get to my feet, glaring at him. He was right. He hadn't said it yet, but he was more powerful than me. He could kill me in the blink of an eye. But he chose not to. Which was a relief, because if anyone else had punched him, even a mortal, he would of killed them on the spot.

"I'm never going to forgive you. Ever." I warn, brushing my black clothes. He grins at me.

"One day you will thank me for what I have done for you." I curl my lip in protest, but bite it down, remembering his warning. One more move and I was done for. I grit my teeth, fists trembling. It was hard to control my temper. If this was what it was like for me, what was it like for him?

"Why do you hate me?" I ask suddenly. I don't know where the question comes from, it just arises from somewhere. He turns, frowning at my question before his face smoothes over.

"I don't." he replies, walking away. I follow him.

"Why don't you LIKE me?" I ask.

"I do like you" he says without turning round.

I laugh bitterly. "Yeah? Doesn't bloody seem like it to me."

He turns finally, his eyes more weary than angry. "I've given you immortality and my protection, I've given you access to some of the most secret places in my house, and I trust you with some of my worst secrets. Is that enough for you to believe me, friend?" he muses.

I frown at him. "Since when am I your friend?" I ask.

"When you want to be." he replies. He turns his back on me, hovering a little now.

I stare at his feet then remember I can too. I pause and, rather stupidly, jump, willing myself to hover. Nothing. My feet touch the ground again. I focus on the element of flying, air, clouds, anything to do with hovering. Nothing. I angrily jump up and down like a three year old, getting more and more angry with every failed attempt. I look up with exasperation to see Ridgedog staring at me in amusement. "How do you..." I start before gesturing at his hovering feet.

"Just step into the air and imagine there is a step there" he replies. Cautiously, I move my foot upwards and imagine a flat surface there. And then my foot is suddenly floating, like it's balanced on something which I can't feel. I move my other foot in experimentation, and I'm suddenly floating.

"This sucks." I scowl.

He frowns at me and stares at me in bewilderment. "What?" he asks.

"It just feels like I'm climbing up the stairs. Doesn't feel any different. It's boring" I complain.

"Oh stop being such a sulky child. That's just to get you used to being in the air" he snaps. He grabs hold of my arm and he floats forward. I automatically move my foot to step forward but I realize I don't need to. A cold blast of air hits me and I realize we are outside.

Suddenly, he grabs me by the neck and throws me high into the air. I yell, and put my arms out. I stop in midair, and my body automatically straightens up. I glide forward, and it feels weird but fun. I can't keep the smile off my face now. I realize now that it's as instinctive as moving your hand or blinking, whatever you want to do in the air, you automatically do it. It's a strange sensation, one that you don't have control over but at the same time you do. I shoot forward, ducking into the superman position, and I laugh as I fly quickly towards the trees.

I pull up, the wind blowing into my face, and I spread my arms out. It's exhilarating, it gives me an adrenaline boost. It's the same sensation you get when you are on a roller coaster. I spin round, and pull up into the air, shooting towards the stars, my cloak rippling behind me. I spin round and round and round and round, flying past the clouds and I stop. 

It's silent up here as I gaze at the stars. I finally feel free. Relaxed. I smile, breathing in the night air. I hear the rippling of another cloak and Ridgedog is beside me.

"Beautiful, isn't it." he whispers.

"It's amazing." I whisper back. It feels like I can't disturb the perfect, untouched silence in the air. It's so perfect that I close my eyes, smiling as I savour the feeling. Ridgedog's hand suddenly brushes against mine, and I feel like tiny fireworks are shooting in my veins. I turn, opening my eyes, to glance at him. His eyes are already on mine, watching me, studying me. He hesitantly reaches out and touches my cheek with his finger, and strokes it once. Butterflies erupt into my stomach. Why was I feeling like this? This man was insane, an evil demigod who just stole my soul, for crying out loud!

"We need to go back. We need to make preparations before the sun-" he begins, but the rays of the rising sun flash into my eyes, dazzling me. The sky around it turns purple and red, and it's captivating. I turn my eyes from the glare of the sun to look at him. He nods at the ground and I turn off all my thoughts and just let myself drop, grinning as I register the alarm on his face as he shoots after me. He pulls up beside me, going a little faster than me. He smirks at me, and I immediately accept the challenge, swooping down faster.

He speeds up too, and we race towards the mansion. I can hear him laughing as he pulls in front, and it's not the usual evil laugh he has. It startles me, but I pull ahead as fast as I can, laughing as I pull in front of him. He suddenly grabs my leg, and throws me backwards, and I roar a curse at him as he hoots with laughter before touching the door of his mansion and letting his feet touch the ground. I hit the floor running and slam my hand into the door near his face, making him jump. 

He's panting a little, eyes glittering with adrenaline and his face is uplifted, There's something off about him, and I realize there is no insanity in his eyes. Not a trace. "You cheated!" I whine, trying to catch my breathe.

"You had a head start" he retorts and I childishly stick my tongue out at him. He snickers, and is about to say something when the roar of factories starting up interrupt him. He looks away at the distant buildings before turning back to me, his face serious. The insanity and evil glee I recognize all too well is back, building up, threatening to explode. "Come." He orders, gesturing for me to follow. 

"The time has come to play our game."