"We don't have to watch this. I can take us back right now." Edith said, ignoring the mindless chatter between Young Selene and Tabitha Feather.

Older Selene looked at her friend then back at her younger self. It hurt so much for Selene fo be able to see her mom's face again without being able to hug her or tell her how much she loved her.

"Sympathy from a Necromancer? I thought death wasn't so terrible to you." Older Selene said in a strange voice.

"I never said death wasn't sad. I only said it wasn't the worst thing that could happen. You don't have to do this." Edith said calmly.

"I don't?" Older Selene still couldn't take her eyes off her mother. She couldn't believe she was watching the last day of Tabitha's life.

"No. You don't. Your mother didn't just die Selene. She was murdered. I didn't think this through. When I said I could bring us here, I didn't realize how awful this could be. I'm sorry. Nobody should relive this." Edith said.

Older Selene scratched her nose tiredly. Her eyes were starting to sting badly. She didn't know what to do.

"There's a reason I can't remember this. I need to know why." She said.

"But..."

"If we go back now, then I won't know what happened. Aunt Tianna might be dead because I couldn't remember how to use my powers or anything useful about Rodia. Our lives would be forfeited if Her Majesty finds us before I remember what happened. I can't have anyone else die because I'm ignorant. I need to know. I have to know."

Edith looked at friend's face and knew the girl wouldn't back down. She squeezed her friend's hand twice and let go.

Selene was the bravest person she'd ever met.

The two girls focused their attention on Young Selene and Tabitha who were leaving their home. Tabitha's face was stricken with worry lines. She kept looking around like she expected them to get attacked soon.

Young Selene made up for her mother's silence by talking nineteen to a dozen. The child's innocence prevented her from seeing how worried her mother was.

"I got a gift from all the boys in my class. You saw all those presents, didn't you?" Young Selene asked her mother happily.

"Yes sweetie. You must remember to thank them all. I never did think you were a tomboy." Tabitha said in a distracted voice. It was obvious she was uneasy.

"Why ever would you say that?" Young Selene's face was stricken with horror. Tabitha glanced at her daughter and tried to remember what her daughter had said.

"It seems like most of your friends are boys. The presents you got from the girls were a bit....odd." Tabitha said carefully, like an adult afraid of letting a child know they had been totally preoccupied with their thoughts to bother about the child's silly worries.

"I am not a tomboy! That's absurd! Why on earth would I want to be one? In a couple of years, I'll have boobs. Preferably the same size as yours. Boys don't have boobs and they smell weird. I'm sure they'll still be disgusting in a few years." Young Selene said.

"Where on earth do you learn to talk like this? You'll be the death of me, girl." Tabitha wagged her finger playfully at her daughter. The worry in her eyes faded a little. It was evident how much she loved her daughter.

Young Selene blushed furiously but didn't reply.

"I'm surprised though. I thought Penelope was your best friend. Why did she give you those awful coconut flavored cookies? Doesn't she know you hate coconuts?" Tabitha asked looking a little worried.

"She knows. Penelope doesn't like me anymore. She says I'm a boy freak which is stupid. I don't even like boys. They're weird." Young Selene made a face that showed her disgust.

Tabitha laughed. The worry lines in her face faded a little.

"I'll ask you if you still feel this way in a couple of years. If you do then we'll have an adult discussion about what that means. Let's get ice cream. Strawberry as usual right?" Tabitha asked.

"Yes." Young Selene beamed.

Edith wasn't watching Young Selene or her mother unlike Older Selene. Her eyes were glued to a movement in the corner.

"Did you see that?" Edith asked.

"See what?" Older Selene frowned. She glanced at where her friend kept looking.

"I saw something in that direction. Hallo! Your mom's looking there too!" Edith said.

Tabitha's head had swerved in the direction Edith had noticed. She froze at once.

"Let's go home." She said to her daughter.

"But we didn't even get ice cream." Young Selene looked up at her mother in confusion.

"I'm going to call a cab. Now. If there's time we'd get one before we leave." Tabitha looked very worried.

Older Selene and Edith watched Tabitha reach for her phone to order a cab that would never arrive. They watched her desperately move around checking for a signal that never came. It was around that time that she realized that the end was near.

Tabitha looked up from her phone only to notice the street had suddenly become deserted.

"Stay close to me, Sweetie." Tabitha said urgently.

"Something's not right." Young Selene frowned. The little girl's brown eyes began to glow under the moonlight, searching for signs of the unknown presence that troubled her.

"Yes I know. We have to get out of here. Hold my hand." Tabitha held on tight to her daughter. She was so worried that she didn't scold her child for using magic in public.

They began to walk briskly in one direction. Young Selene must have sensed the urgency. She didn't complain even though her mother was practically dragging her along. She kept trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Going somewhere, Magi?" A hissing voice said in front of them.

Tabitha froze. Her breath quickened. Young Selene stared at the weird creature in front of them, struggling to see in the dark.

The creature was an extra replica of the Hunters of Rodia that had attacked her a few days ago back at Camp Indigo once again proving that they were part of the reasons she couldn't remember her past.

The creature had the same scaly skin and cobras for hands. Its eyes were cold and menacing showing that it had come to exert harm on those present.

The most terrifying thing was that the beast held the corpse of a dead man in his arms. It was the same man who had sold Tabitha and her daughter movie tickets that night. The Hunter licked the blood dripping from the man's neck and tossed the bloodless corpse aside after it had finished its snack.

"There's nothing more refreshing than hunting and killing your prey. Having a mistress who understands the pull of human blood has its advantages, don't you think?" The creature hissed.

Tabitha held on tight to Young Selene's hands as she tried to back away from the advancing beast.

"Going somewhere?" A voice behind her said.

That was when she realized they were surrounded from all sides. The creatures were just a few feet away and were slowly cornering their prey. Even the mere sound of their boots on asphalt was enough to instill fear in anyone's heart.

Edith and Older Selene watched Tabitha with sinking hearts. It looked like a helpless situation in their opinion. The woman couldn't even have fought and defended herself had she been alone. They were too many.

Tabitha didn't wince or shrink back in fear. She clutched onto the necklace on her neck—the one Older Selene now wore.

"Barrier!" She screamed.

At once, she and Young Selene were surrounded by a golden barrier. It didn't stop the Hunters from advancing.

"Fool! Do you really think that would keep us out? Hand over your demon child so that we may leave. Perhaps we might spare your worthless life, if we're kind enough." The snake creature hissed.

Tabitha didn't reply. She squeezed her hand on her amulet whispering words in a language she hardly spoke ever since she came to earth. It began to rain broken glass but the barrier prevented it from wounding her and her child.

It pierced and wounded several of the Hunters. Some of the glass entered into their eyes. They fell back screaming in pain giving Tabitha and Young Selene a chance to escape.

Grabbing her daughter's hand, Tabitha began to run through the gap they'd left. They ran in a zig zag manner to prevent being followed easily. Tabitha saw an uncompleted building a few feet away and ran straight to it.

She helped Young Selene enter through the window then climbed in after her daughter. They hid in the shadows shivering and panting.

"How could this have happened? How did they find us?" Tabitha whispered in shock.

"What are those things?" Young Selene's eyes were filled with tears. The little girl looked so worried. Though she possessed rare power, she was still a child who had watched a dead man get drained of his blood.

"Hunters. I need to create a portal for us to escape. If we try to outrun them, they'd catch us in an instant." Tabitha clutched her necklace.

"But...you can't cast so many spells in such a short time. You could tap into your life force. I can help." Young Selene said.

"I know but I don't want you to use your power until you have to. Those things...they're not human. Your Telepathy might not work on their minds. So just...stand back. Let mommy create a portal. Okay?" Tabitha asked.

Young Selene nodded. She looked afraid but was trying to be brave so she wouldn't distract her mother.

"Any other child would have been screaming bloody murder in your situation." Edith murmured to Older Selene who didn't reply. Her friend was breathing hard.

Tabitha whispered words while clutching her necklace. Her eyes began to glow.

"Spread out and search the area! They couldn't have gotten far! We must not fail Her Majesty!" A hissing voice commanded.

They heard the sound of boots hurrying along. Tabitha tried to shut it out as she casted her spell.

"You can run, bitch but you can't hide. It's only a matter of time before we find you." the hissing voice said.

Young Selene held her hand to her mouth so she wouldn't scream in fear. Tabitha didn't even bother turning around.

"I've never known a Magi to be a coward but that is what you are. All of this could end if you just surrender that demon child in your care. Her blood is needed by My Queen, your Queen." The hissing creature snapped.

Older Selene leaned closer to Edith. They were both standing close to Tabitha.

"What do you think he's taking about?" She asked.

"I wish I knew." Edith shrugged.

"We have no grudge against you even though you're a despicable human being. Why can't you come out so we can play?" The hissing voice appealed.

He didn't speak anymore. Tabitha wiped her sweaty brow and kept whispering the words to create the portal. She had gotten to the last sentence of her spell when the wall exploded behind her.

"Hello!" The hissing voice said triumphantly.

Tabitha cast a barrier over Young Selene so she wouldn't get hit by the rocks. There wasn't enough time to cast a barrier to protect herself so she got hit by many rocks. One fell on her leg causing it to snap hard.

The beast began to wan towards the little girl who was watching her with her small pink lips parted in fear.

"For a product of iniquity, you're quite beautiful. I guess this proves you are indeed the Child of Black Day." The hissing creature walked towards Young Selene's. His snaky arm kept hissing and biting.

Young Selene tried lifting some rocks off the ground to attack the snake creature. Some rocks hit its metallic armor but the thing kept advancing.

The creature smashed Tabitha's shield away like it was a child's play thing and bent down to lYoung Selene's eye level intensifying the force of his glare.

"I have been alive for a long time but I haven't come across a Telepather. You have the power but not the training. It's a pity." The creature hissed.

"Don't look into its eyes!" Tabitha hissed in pain but it was too late.

Young Selene froze just the way the older version of her froze at the pond a few days earlier.

"Look into my eyes, child. Can you see all those dead bodies? All of that happened because of you. If you surrender now, many children will live. You're the antidote to an ancient curse. You are nothing but what I tell you. You were born to die." The creature said.

Older Selene held her head because it suddenly began to hurt. Edith tried to touch her but she got waved away.

"I can see them. Dead children. They're so many. So many bodies. Why? They couldn't have died because of me." Young Selene shivered. The beast had broke the little girl so easily.

"You are the Child of Black Day. A child of death. It is your destiny to die but your mother ran away to protect you. Her selfishness has caused many parents to weep. But you can end it all. Give your life now and put an end to a decade of suffering." The creature urged.

Tabitha squeezed her amulet causing a heavy boulder from the ceiling fell onto the Hunter. She managed to stand even though it was obvious the falling rocks had bruised her badly.

She pulled her daughter along with her, trying to make her hasty escape. They ducked behind a corner. It was obvious to Edith and Older Selene that Tabitha was too wounded to be of much use any longer.

"Listen to me, honey. Can you do something for me?" Tabitha looked into her daughter's eyes which were filled with fear.

"I saw them. Dead bodies. Little kids." Young Selene was shaking visibly. She couldn't see her mother anymore. She was hunted by that which she has seen. It was too much for a little girl.

"I need you to snap out of it, Selene. You are a Telepather before you are anything else. Don't let that thing get into your head." Tabitha said.

Young Selene managed to nod even though it was hard.

"I tried creating a portal but I couldn't get us out in time. Do you think you could use your Telepathy?" Tabitha asked.

"I can't. Those children....my fault..." Young Selene shivered.

Tabitha looked at her daughter and knew they had broken her spirit. There was nothing left to do. Her destiny had come and it was time for her to die.

#M.M