They looked at each other and said “Watch your step”.

When they walked in hundreds of random object covered the floor. Swords, spears, tables, chairs, shattered glass, and a few chandeliers. And what was what they would identify. They walked passed everything and made it to Morrie's room.

“Morrie?” Said Aurora knocking on the door.

“What do you want!” Yelled Morrie ripping the door of its hinges.

“We wanted to know if Lucius pissed you off too...” Said Hex.

“I swear I would have punched his smug little face. He just, just did everything that could have pushed me over the edge” Said Morrie ramming her fist through the wall.

Morrie didn’t look sleepy for once. She looked more depressed than ever.

“So should we go talk to him?” Asked Aurora.

“I don't really want to see him” Said Scarlet.

“Same” Said Morrie.

“I don't really want to be around him” Said Hex.

They all felt in a similar way.

“Should we check up on Allison and Raven?” Asked Aurora.

They nodded and walked to their homes. They found that he had not done anything to them. They spent the day trying to cheer each other up and when the day ended they went home. Aurora thought he had actually cared about her friends and her. Aurora blamed herself. Athena had warned them. He was nearly incapable of feeling any emotion. Athena had repeatedly told them to be careful and asked them not to blame him for being so detached. He truly cares for nothing. She heard a knocking at her door.

“Aurora, Aurora please open the door. I can explain everything!” Yelled Lucius.

Aurora cover her head with a pillow. She didn't want to hear it.

“Aurora please!” He called out with the dull lifeless voice that belonged to him alone. A full hour passed as he slowly called out less and less.

“Please Aurora, I love you”.

It was the the most hurtful thing he could have said. She ran to the door and knew just what she was going to do. When she opened the door she could see a true whole smile. Not a broken half smile, a full hearted smile. His eyes were a flame so bright they could have eaten all creation. She slapped him as hard as her body would allow. She didn't hit hard because of how badly she was shaking. Her eyes were streaming with tears as she slammed the door shut. She collapsed at the other side of the barrier. She could feel her shattered heart. After two full hour of crying she thought about calling Athena. She wanted to know why Lucius had changed so much.

She got her phone out and called.

“Hey Athena, it's me. I wanted to ask you something about Lucius. He started being really mean to us. Do you have any idea why?” Asked Aurora.

“I haven't seen him in the past three days. He's been missing, I called you but you didn't respond” Said Athena.

“But I saw him a few hours ago” Said Aurora.

“Where are you!” Screamed Athena.

“At my house?” She replied.

“I'm coming over, is he still with you?” Asked Athena.

“No” Whispered Aurora.

Only two minutes had passed and Athena was at the door.

“What did he say to you” Yelled Athena.

“I don't remember!” Replied Aurora taking a step back.

“You don't understand why this is so important, he left his pills at home. The longest he has ever gone without them is two days. He could be dead right now” Said Athena as tears streaked her cheeks.

Aurora felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She may have condemned Lucius to death.

“Maybe he'll come back” Said Aurora.

Someone knocked on the door. When Aurora opened the door Azrin stood with wraps around her left arm. Or what remained of it. Her face had several large bruises and cuts. She looked like she had crawled out of hell.

“I found where they are keeping him” Said Azrin.

“Where who are keeping him?” Asked Athena.

“The shadows, those things that follow him” Said Azrin.

Athena picked Azrin up and lay her on a bed.

“Save him,” Said Azrin with sleepy eyes “I wrote down his location”.

She handed Athena a paper.

“I'll take care of Azrin, please find my brother” Said Athena.

Aurora looked at the paper and ran to the location. It took over an hour but she arrived. It was an abandoned nuclear facility. She looked at the once mighty beast. It had provided power to most of the planet for over a century. She walked down the dead bones of the colossal structure. She could hear things move as she walked down the hall. She made certain the pill was in her pocket every few seconds.

“Aurora!” Cried a small voice.

She began to run. She didn't know, she couldn't have known. Lucius stood at the mouth of another hall. Something massive and dark walked up behind him.

He yelled “Behind you!”.

A massive claw lifted him off the ground and several dozen more claws rammed through his body.

“Aurora! Just keep running, find him. They are trying to…” Aurora turned just in time to see Lucius, or another Lucius get ripped in half by another monster.

“Trying to make you run away they can't hurt you! Find him” Said the copy before a pair of massive jaws split him in half.

Aurora began to follow the sound of her name. She continued to run until she reached what seemed the center. Hundreds of monsters crawled over every inch of the ground, walls, and ceiling. They moved away as she walked closer.

“Why save him? He doesn't care about you. He has never loved you. He wanted you dead. He hated all of you” Said hundreds of voices.

Aurora covered her ears. But she knew it would do nothing to help.

“He knows no love for any of you” Said the voices.

She ran to what seems to be the center and found Lucius. A strange girl stood besides him. She looked like a ghost. Not transparent or floating but she was ghostly pale. She had snow white hair and skin. Her eyes were a pale blue and red. Her face was familiar. It resembled Morrie, Scarlet, Hex, even herself.

“Hello Aurora” Said the girl.

Lucius was tied to a rusted chair. He had the same clothes she had seen him with last. The real him.

“Cat got your young? Well that's too bad. Anyway if you don't mind I'm kinda busy with my chess partner” Said the girl.

She grabbed Lucius and lifted his head to face her. She kissed his lips and placed a pill in his mouth. Aurora stepped forward and was ready to fight whoever this was.

“Are you really going to fight me? You really don't know what I am do you” Said the strange girl.

Aurora took another step forward and she manifested a few inches from her face. Aurora felt her hand slam her face. She hit the floor dazed by the impact.

“Go away” She whispered.

Aurora wanted to tell her she wouldn't leave without him but she was unable to speak.

“So you really won't leave will you” said the girl.

She lifted Aurora by her neck and smiled.

“Let's play a game. I will placed him in the middle of this room and who ever he walks to gets to keep him. Because if he really loves you he will walk to you” Said the girl dropping her.

“Fine” Said Aurora as she wiped the blood from her mouth.

She knew Aurora stood no chance of beating her head on. Lucius had dry blood over most of his body. His eyes held a overwhelming power.

“Walk over there” Said the girl.

Aurora had no control of her body. Each step was out of her control. She could see the chains around Lucius’s hands fall.

“Stand up” Said the girl.

Lucius stood up and stopped.

“Now, walked to whoever you love more” Said the girl.

Lucius instantly started to walk towards her.

“That's it” Said the girl opening her arms.

Aurora felt her hope leave her. She knew this person would keep him forever.

“See he loves me more. In fact he will do anything I tell him. Watch” Preached the girl.

She crossed her arms and said “Kiss me”.

He leaned in and kissed her lips. Random action after random action he did as he was told.

“Now lift your hand” Said the girl.

Aurora let the feeling skink in. Knowingly Lucius would be stuck with this psychopath forever. She heard a loud slap. The girl had her hand over her right cheek.

“You…” She spat before his left hand struck her face again.

She began to cry.

She fell to her knees and he said “I do love her” as he walked away.

“Come back” She cried.

He had almost reached Aurora when he hit the floor.

The monsters began to burn away like ash reforming his tattoos. She continued to cry as she curled up. Lucius sat up and after spasming. He walked over to the girl and picked her up.

“Aurora, she doesn't understand what she was doing. She was just lonely. She never meant any harm. She thought we were like her” Said Lucius.

“What is she?” Asked Aurora.

“A God, so to speak” Replied Lucius.

He reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Shall we go?” Asked Lucius.

“Yeah” Replied Aurora.

She had a billion questions to ask but felt it wasn't the right time. He seemed weary and tired.

“You must be curious, go ahead ask me anything “ Said Lucius.

“What were those things?” Asked Aurora.

“Shards, the best way to word it is parts of me. I made them to learn emotions. They would learn how to feel and I use the feelings” Said Lucius.

“Why isn't she doing anything” Asked Aurora.

“Her power is highly dependent on how powerful she feels. When I slapped her she lost that sense of power. And she lost that control she had. That's why she's a minor God” Said Lucius.

Aurora wanted to ask why she looked like her and everyone else at the same time. She took a moment and was able to muster the courage

“Why did you kiss her and why did she look like Scarlet, Hex and Morrie” Said Aurora with great strain.

“She looked like you too,” Said Lucius “And I kissed her because I thought it was you. And as to why she looked like all four of you. I think it was because she couldn't decide who I loved more so she went with all of you. My mind couldn’t make the distinction in the state of mind I was in”.

Aurora had a slight understanding of what was going on and a wave of jealousy.

“So did you mean it when you said you loved me?” Asked Aurora letting the words slid her lips.

“I do” Said Lucius with a smile, a true smile.

“I know this will ruin the moment but I'm going to take her back to where she came from” Said Lucius.

“By the way, I think Morrie, Hex, and Scarlet are mad at you” Said Aurora.

“Why?” Asked Lucius as the girl shifted.

“You said some really hurtful things to them” Said Aurora.

“Is that why you slapped me?” Asked Lucius.

Aurora felt ashamed. She had hurt him and he had done nothing wrong.

“Yes” Replied Aurora.

Atlas had made a deal with Scylla. If he could prove four people who were not related to him by blood loved him she would let him free. But if he was wrong, she belonged to him. Atlas was confident and placed his fate in their hands. He thought they would have had his back. But he had lost. He had believed they loved him. He visited Aurora first because she was the closest. And when he said “I love you” and heard her running down the stairs he believed she truly loved him. Her soft hand was the most painful thing he had ever felt.

“What did I say to make you so mad?” Asked Lucius.

“You said you hated me and didn't care about me or love me” Said Aurora choking up.

“I care about you and love you. If I didn't I wouldn't have, you know” Said Lucius.

Aurora recalled having to explain what they were doing. His innocence was adorable in her opinion.

“It was a lot to take in wasn't it” Said Aurora.

“Is that some sort of payback? Because I did say taking it slowly would have been best. The explanation you gave was too much for me” Said Lucius.

“This is why I don't think you understand what people are saying and what they mean” Said Aurora.

“I don't understand innuendo or word play very well,” Said Lucius “the little I do understand is because of my father”

“You talk about your dad like you don't really like him” Said Aurora.

“Well better now than never to give you an understanding of what my life is like. My father is a good enough man. He loves me and my sisters, but my moms more than anything else. I'm not very fond of him because he loves more than one person. My mom and my sisters mom. I love both my moms but I don't understand how he could love two people. My main problem with him is that he just likes everyone. He just enjoys far too many people. He had no respect for my mother. I strive to not be like him” Said Lucius.

Aurora found it funny yet sad. Did he mean he only loved one of them?

“So you don't love me?” Asked Aurora.

“Of course I love you” Said Lucius.

“So you don't love Morrie?” Smirked Aurora.

“Well, I do...” Said Lucius looking toward the city.

“How about Scarlet or Hex?” Asked Aurora.

“But I have known them all for some time now. And that is different… kinda” Said Lucius.

Scylla tugged at his ear and said “Do...do you love me?” Lucius set her down and held her hands.

He looked into her eyes and leaned in close “Like a friend”.

Aurora didn't know what to think about her. She had almost killed Azrin after all.

“Why did you attack Azrin?” Asked Aurora.

“I didn't, he did” Said Scylla.

“What?” Replied Aurora.

“He attacked Azrin not me. He was the one who did that to her” Said Scylla.

Lucius looked away from Aurora.

“It was part of me. One of my main emotion proxies. If I had killed it I would have lost my only connection to human emotions. Without them I would be hollow” Said Lucius.

He knew if he did nothing would have held him back.

She was just barely able to understand the situation. Those monsters were him. He had been the monsters. When they arrived home Azrin was half awake. She lay in a bed with splotches of blood everywhere. Lucius walked up to her and she smiled.

“Lucius” Said Azrin with a weak smile.

“Don't worry about your arm. I'll fix it” Said Lucius.

Aurora gasped when he cut a symbol into his hand and placed it on her head. Her wounds disappeared but reappeared on his body. His arm because a white almost ghostly pale. It began at his fingertips. Falling like ash in a storm. He nearly fell but Scylla caught him. She kissed his cheek and his wounds began to heal.

“I'm only helping because I need someone to play with” Said Scylla.

Lucius opened his eyes and stood up. Aurora had no idea what her life had become.

“I need to go home” Said Lucius.

He seemed afraid.

“Let's go” Said Athena picking Lucius up.

His eyes seemed sleepy and they along with Scylla walked home.

Aurora spent the next few days working on a book. She had write down the first day they meet to the current day. She had even included the time they spent trapped in the strange world together. She had changed their names to make it seem more distant and intriguing. She had chosen the name Atlas for him in the book. She thought it suited him because of how he looked beneath his bewitching garbs.

She recalled the first day Hex decided to take her little hands to see Lucius. She laughed to herself and asked why she thought Morrie was his sister. Athena the school sweetheart, loved by everyone. Aurora counted her lucky stars that Athena was his sister. Aurora had taken off the necklace Lucius had given her and was unable to find it. She knew Morrie, Hex, and Scarlet had also removed the necklaces and bracelets they had. They had done it when they got mad at him. Aurora looked at the framed picture she had of Lucius.

She loved him and knew they would be together forever.