A New Day

Chapter 24

Even while she was saying it, Athens didn't believe it. Her mother had described Aramis to her, but she had also said that Revos had frozen her. So, how could she be here? Then again, she matched the description perfectly. Athens felt like she was looking into a mirror almost. The same jawline structure. The same brown eyes. The same full lips and expressive features. It was her. It had to be. But how?

"It seems you have questions, but first let me say, it is an honor to met the last PureHeart!"

Athens stared at her. She knew that she was staring, but she didn't care. She had used the title "PureHeart". How much did she know? Why did she seem so familiar?

"How do you even know me?", Athens asked her, "It is highly unlikely that our paths have crossed. I mean, aren't you supposed to be dead? Revos killed you after you started another family!"

"Actually", Aramis started, "Revos did NOT kill me. He just showed your mother that to make himself appear vulnerable to her."

"But why would he do that? What is so special about my mother?" Athens asked.

"Nothing", Aramis said curtly, "In fact, she is so unspectacular that I feel sorry for her plight. Revos has taken advantage of her grief to make her a pawn in his boring game." She yawned.

Athens grew angry at Aramis for speaking of her mother this way. How dare she? But her answer also confused her. Didn't she love Revos? But no, the Deity had removed her feelings and memories for him. This was insane!!

"Yes, the Deity removed my feelings for Revos, but he cared for me and my child after he killed my family. Those days were hazy for me. I didn't grieve for them, because something about it always felt wrong. You have to understand, I loved Revos. Deity removed him from his presence just because I had pulled his heart away. I wasn't sorry about that, because I really loved Revos. But what Revos has refused to admit is that his heart was darkened long before he met me. I saw the signs, but was just so attracted to him. He was, is charisma defined. So, you can imagine when Deity called me before him and removed my memories and sent me away, I was confused for a very long time. I would see this man standing outside of our dwelling, but his presence calmed me. He was never frightening. One day I went outside when I saw him, and he began pressing me with questions. When I couldn't, or didn't, give him the answers that he wanted, I saw an anger flare up in him that made me fear for my life. Then he just disappeared, and I didn't see him again until he murdered my family and took me and my unborn child hostage." Aramis explained.

The older woman gazed curiously at Athens, trying to read her expressions. Athens, for her part, stayed perfectly still. Aramis could tell that the younger one was trying to filter her new information against what she had already been told by her mother, and what she had experienced with Revos, so she waited just a few more minutes before continuing.

"Revos was always good to us. He provided for us in this house for a very long time." Aramis explained.

"But how did you know who he was? Deity took your memories and feelings for him. And why and I even here?" Athens responded.

"Deity restored me.", Aramis said, "After Revos accepted that I wasn't going to remember him, he left us. There was no more food, no more provisions. My child became deathly malnourished, and she also had darkness growing in her from just having contact with Revos. I did what any mother would, and I cried out for Deity to help us. I can't really explain what happened next, except to say that Deity came to me and he touched me. When he did, I found my former self, and realized how wrong I had been to steal Revos away from him. When Deity placed me back into my body, he told me not to exit this basement, no matter what happened outside of it. At first, I didn't know what he meant, but as time passed and my child, A'launa grew up and got married, and then everything broke loose with the Terrors."