Note: It's getting close to the reunited chapter...or is it this one? Get reading and find out...Also, this and You're Different are incredibly close to 1000 reads each, and Apprentice is nearing 2000 by the time this goes out, so THANK YOU ALL! :D

Liam's POV

"Where to now?" I ask, after we've all had a happy reunion. "First things first, we need to camp out and talk. We haven't rested for a while" Deamon says firmly, before flying away from the crater to begin to build it. "You morta-I mean, you guys can go dig up the ores if you want" Anastatia says, waving a hand at the giant crater and chuckles when she hears the yells of excitement as they all run down there like a child seeing a giant bouncy castle.

"Deamon, what happened whilst you were up there?" Tia asks quietly. She stil has her grip firmly on Ryan as if she were scared he would disappear again as soon as she let go of him. "We had to stay in a cell with everyone. Then we escaped." he shrugged. "And Ridge? Why is he still there?" she demands, eyes boring into Deamon's head. "Like we've told you, he stayed to fight Mexxy and Cisco off to allow us to escape." he explains, finishing off the giant tent.

"I don't want to rest, I want to keep going" Tia snaps as Deamon offers her his hand to help her up. Deamon sighs. "We are all tired since we've been tortured and held in a cell for ages, we need to rest" he says sternly. "You didn't get tortured!" Mitch snaps from beside me, still clinging onto my arm. "Yeah, but I'm still tired" Deamon says warily. "I was the one who got tortured, along with Deadlox and Ridge, and Ridge is still up there! He risked his life to save me-twice!" Mitch's voice was rising in volume and everyone was turning to look at him. Tia nods in agreement, glaring at Deamon.

"Feel free to leave then" Deamon says simply. Tia frowns and looks at Deamon in shock. "Seriously? You're not going to help us?" she asks. "I'm tired, I've been robbed of my powers twice and I've been cut by red matter, now I need to go rest. If you want to carry on, be my guest, but don't expect me to come with you."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snap. Deamon looks up, glaring at me. "You're best friend is still up there probably being tortured-" I cut off, looking at Tia with an apologetic glance, "-and you want to go to sleep?" I ask. By now, the gang has come together again and are sitting in a circle around us watching us quietly as we argue.

"Deamon is right" Anastatia says quietly. Tia looks over to glare at Ridgedog's sister. "Though I too want to badly rescue my brother after he risked his life to free me, we need to rest" Mitch steps forward towards her, his stance alert. I knew what this meant. He was getting angry.

Very angry.

"You listen here, demigod" Mitch seethes, "You lot are all demigods and you are all oh-so-tired, and I'm mortal! I had more torture than any of you had! And I'm all set and ready to go! So I don't know what the HELL you lot are complaining about because you have NO excuse to NOT rescue him!" he yells right into her face. 

She barely flinches. "Say what you will, mortal, I do not argue with your kind" she says calmly, before going into the tent. "Well, screw you lot then, I'm off to rescue the father of my children who risked his life for you. I can't wait to see his face when we tell him you decided to stay here and sleep rather than rescue him" Tia says. Her voice is quiet, but it's flat and deadly as she stands. "Anyone who wishes to stay here and rest may do so. Anyone who wants to come with me, rescue Ridgedog and get this stupid quest over and done with can follow me."

Mitch steps forward towards Tia, tugging me with him even though I was going to go with her anyway. My sister needed me, and I needed her-she was the best protection I could ask for, apart from Mitch. 

Sky and Deadlox both nod in agreement, standing next to Tia. Lewis and Simon also go next to her, and she smiles at them. Duncan hesitates, before joining the duo. Sips and Sjin just shake their heads, going into the tent, and so do Ryan, Tato and Ash. 

"Come on Robin, Ryan" Deamon says. "Excuse me?" Tia hisses, putting a heavy hand on each of her children's shoulders. "They need to rest too, you're pushing them too far" he says in a matter-of-fact way. "Don't you DARE tell me what to do with my children!" she spits, grinding her teeth together in obvious distress. "Mum I want to rest" Robin says quietly, looking at her younger brother who had his eyelids drooping.

"We will carry them" Mitch says quietly. Tia nods, picking up Ryan and offering him to Mitch. Mitch holds him tightly and Robin still hesitates. "Robin, stay here." Deamon urges, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Come rescue your dad" Tia says softly, putting her hand on her other shoulder. 

Robin looks from left to right, her face crumpling. 

"Tia" a soft voice says from behind her. It's Lewis, his eyes gentle. "Let your kids stay here. They will have the protection of demigods, they will be fine." Lewis says quietly. Tia looks torn, not wanting to leave her kids behind again.

"Fine" she says finally, letting Ryan and Robin go into the tent. She glares at Deamon. "Long ago, I thought you were our friend. I have sacrificed a lot to get to where I am now. I trusted you. Thank you for proving me wrong." she says, before she sets off into the forest.

I speedily follow my sister, Mitch also by my side. Sky and Deadlox come soon after, followed by Lewis, Simon and Duncan. Together we set off into the forest.

Robin's POV

I've never felt more torn in my life. I felt like I was being ripped apart. I wanted to rescue my dad badly, but I was so tired my muscles were aching. 

As soon as we entered the tent, Ryan dropped to the ground, exhausted. I followed him, my eyes shutting. "Look at them, they can barely stand. As if she wanted them to go on the quest" Deamon snorts. "Deamon, their father is being tortured. You have to understand why Tia was upset" Anastatia says quietly from her side of the tent. 

"But-" Deamon protests. "I will have no more arguing. The paths have been chosen" she finishes, and a quiet descends in the tent, only disrupted by the occasional owl hoot. 

Two arms wrap round me suddenly, and I know from instinct it's Deamon. Wriggling slightly, I allow him to pull me to his chest. I feel his breath on my ear and his deep, smooth voice whispers, "Thank you for staying with me". 

"I didn't have much of a choice" I whisper over the sound of Sips' snoring. Sepia and Ellis move in their sleep. Anastatia is motionless, sleeping too. Ryan was out like a light, and the other Ryan, Tato and Ash were sleeping comfortably. 

"I know, but..." he trails off, beginning to nuzzle my neck gently. I giggle, telling him quietly that it tickles, but he just chuckles and carries on. He begins to bite my neck, and I whimper, tensing a little. It felt nice, but it hurt a bit too, and I could feel drops of blood leaking out. He licks the wound gently, and I wince at the stinging sensation, but at least I'd stopped bleeding. "What was that for?" I ask. "I'm marking you to show everyone that you are mine" he declares quietly, and I snuggle closer to his warm chest, knowing I was truly safe here.

Note: Plot twist: Deamon is a vampire xD JOKING...Robon? Deabin? Strawberry chocolate demon? I don't even know anymore. Now...back to my favourite POV!

Tia's POV

"Where do we go now?" I ask, still boiling with rage. How could they? My own children were refusing to come help their own father...my mind refused to deal with the fact that I knew Deamon was right, and they were tired. And they wouldn't be much help anyway. And they had better protection there...but still. I was their mother-they should listen to me!

"Well, when we were in the cell, there were two television screens. One was for the temple, one was in the budder kingdom, so I guess we have to-" Mitch begins, but I cut him off.

"What do you mean there was one in the temple?" I interrupt. Mitch looks down for a moment. "Oh, I might as well tell you" he sighs. "Tell me what?" I demand. What the hell was going on?

"When Ridge and Deamon thought we were sleeping, they were planning. Ridge was meant to watch you and Liam die, and so was I. But..." Mitch hesitates again. "But what?" I ask, beginning to feel suspicious.

"You have this power that means you can explode things, right? Well, they wanted you to use that power and use it to disable Mexxy. However, they needed you to use it again for you to be able to use it and not go into a coma. So...they hatched this plan. Deamon knew about the trap all along-" Mitch says. "Wait...what?" I whisper, coming to a stop. Mitch shuffles, looking guilty. "He knew all this time? That I was going to walk into a torture chamber and probably die?" I snap. Mitch nods before carrying on quickly.

"Ridge did too. He...he agreed with Deamon that you would go in there" he says. "Ridgedog wanted me to go into a torture chamber" I confirm. "Yeah. He knew you would get hurt but you would survive. Anyway, turns out Mexxy outsmarted them and the red matter turned off your power anyway before you could use it. That's why Deamon was panicking." he finishes.

I couldn't believe what the hell I was hearing.

Ridgedog wanted me to go and burn probably to death whilst I was carrying our unborn child. 

How romantic.

"That's sick. That's just f***ing sick!" I spit. Mitch looks away with a guilty expression. "I'm pregnant! I could of died in there! And Liam could as well!" I yell. Mitch automatically wraps his arms around him.

"Tia, we need to go to the budder castle. We will find Mexxy waiting there, probably" Liam says. I was shaking badly, still infuriated with this entire situation. Lewis puts his hand on my shoulder and Simon pats me on the back. "Come on, friend. Let's find out the truth" Simon says, his usually cheerful self now serious. And pitying. 

I hold my head high. I had been betrayed by the people I trusted the most. Ridgedog had betrayed me. Deamon had betrayed me. My own kids had. Well, I couldn't really blame them...I think.

Without a word, I set off, flying quickly through the forest.

~EPIC TIME SKIP (Let's just say they managed to get there somehow in one day :D )

"Here we are then. The Budder castle" Sky says, stroking the golden walls sadly. "I used to rule this, but when I stepped down I decided to just leave it" he sighs. Deadlox kisses him on the cheek, and Sky smiles. "Time to find out the truth" Mitch says, putting a hand on my back.

"Come on sis, let's go" Liam urges, giving me a small nudge. I was frozen. This was it. This was what this whole quest had been leading up to.

It was time for answers.

Jogging up the golden steps, I throw open the door.

Note: ANNNND cliffhanger :D