A flash of bright light blinded Athena as she went through the portal. Ares was thrown over her shoulder, wincing with every step she took.

  Wren and Solar followed close behind. As soon as her boot left that universe, the portal zipped shut. Soon, they were in some blank white space, with thousands of colorful openings bursting, opening and closing immediately.

  One in a thousand could be home.

  Her tiny body grew back to its normal size. She was fourteen again. She quickly ripped off a piece of fabric from her sleeve and pressed it to Ares’s stomach. Solar chirped solemnly near his side. Wren kneaded his paws with worry.

  “Ares, please Ares come on!” She choked out.

  Ares lay unmoving on the ground of the white pools. When his chest stopped rising and falling, Athena pressed the fabric more. She had to stop the bleeding, she had too!

  “A-Ares, come on. We’re gonna meet everyone!” Athena laughed. “They’ll think you're amazing!Please Ares!” Athena’s chuckled faded into a faint sob.

  He lay unmoving.

  Athena slammed the ground beside him. Snowy droplets dropped into the air, before settling back into the pristine pool.

  “I never got to meet you. Or Octavia. Can’t you just stay?For now?” Athena cried.

  Wren curled near her legs, meowing softly.

  Solar curled on Ares’s chest.

  Athena looked at all the portals. One in a thousand.

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  “Ares, how will I know where to go?I’m scared. I can’t do this. I’m not a queen!I’m scared, all of this is scary!” She looked beyond the portals, it was never-ending. “I’m no queen. I’m not even supposed to exist.”

  She curled her knees to her eyes, and buried herself in her own grasp. She was all alone. No one to guide her, no one to help.

  A hand held hers tightly. She looked to Ares, who had his icicle blue eyes open, and was crying as well.

  “I’m scared too,” he chuckled.

  Athena laughed and hugged him, not too tightly.

  “In my jacket pocket there should be a little piece of paper, with a leaf-shape on it.” He murmured.

  Athena saw the paper sticking out halfway, she grabbed it and handed it to him. He–with a shaky hand- pressed it gently to his stomach. With a white fire, the blood was gone, the gash was sewed back together, and his scrapes were gone.

  “Why didn’t you do that before?” Athena laughed.

  Ares batted her playfully on the head. “I was unconscious!” He scoffed, with a silly tone.

  Ares examined all the portals, his eyes widening. “Woah, this is gonna take a while..”

  “Definitely.”Athena murmured.

  Athena flexed her battered hands. Her veins pulsed ebony blood, and her finger tips were a faint purple. Without thought, she strained her hands together, a purple flash being made in the middle. Suddenly, a vine sprouted from the haze.

  A strand of a delicate lily rested in her palm.

  As she kept her eyes shut, the lily changed. It grew old and black, with rotting petals. Athena grunted, throwing the flower to the ground. As it left her touch, it returned to normal.

  Ares looked at the lily, then Athena’s hands. It soon came to his realization that she was no longer young. But taller, with messier and much longer black hair.

  He smiled and hugged her again. “AWH!Athena you grew up so fast!”

  She jumped, and shoved him off. “Stop it. We need to focus.”

  Wren stood by her side, looking with fear at all the portals. She smiled and extended her hand. He crawled up her arm and rested on her shoulder.

  Ares struggled to get up, but eventually did. He walked over to her side, resting a skinny hand on her shoulder.

  They stared into the unknown. One in a thousand...