The new Goddess

Just when I thought nothing could go wrong it went wrong. I heard it groan in a hallway behind us. A monster. Great.
'This is so unfair!' I said.
'That doesn't matter now.' Tess grabbed my arm. 'Run!'
We ran as fast as we could. For some reason my injuries had faded but that didn't bother me now. Finn took the lead. He took random ways and I really hoped he knew what he was doing. We kept running and I heard the monster coming closer to us. There was not much time left now. I knew we couldn't beat the monster. It was too strong. We had never beat it.
And then a miracle happened. We saw light. We had found the way out! A few meters... Just a few meters left....
I looked back and saw the monster and I almost immediately recognized it at Mathews father, the leader of the monsters.
Suddenly sunlight and fresh air was all around me and we were all blinded by the sun. But we weren't save yet. I saw that the monster was almost outside now and if it would reach us we were doomed.
Without thinking what I did I let the strange energy take control over me again and a huge power shot in the direction of the monster. It howled and for the first time I saw what it was. For the first time I saw what the energy was that had taken control over me for a few times now. It was ice.
I lowered my hands, I was exhausted and that's why I didn't see the monster shooting his last attack in my direction.
A big black ball of I have no idea what shot in my direction. It was too late. The thing would hit me and I would probably die. All these thoughts came to me in one mini second.
The ball had almost hit me when I heard someone scream next to me and jumped in front of me. I fell on the ground and Tess fell in front of me. Black poison and blood dripping from her belly. No. No. No. This could NOT be happening!
The others rushed to us and Callum tried to get the poison out of her. In the cave behind us I heard the monster say his last groan and explode into gold dust. Normally I would be happy if that would happen but now... Now I wished I could go back in time and fight the monster in the cave while the others where running for the exit or something. I would do anything to not let this happen.
Tess looked pale. Like deadly pale and Callum looked nervous, that was not a good sign.
A tear rolled down my cheek. Why? She was so innocent!
Tess grabbed my hand and for some reason I knew what she was going to do. I didn't want to. Not now. How did she even find out? 'Tess...' I said but my voice was so broken I couldn't really speak and before I could try again, Tess showed me her memory.
I saw a little girl (maybe 6?) sitting in a living room playing with Lego. She looked quiet happy. Then a door opened and a man came in. He looked tired and angry. The little girl, now I recognized her as Tess, rushed over to hug the man but he pushed her away. He looked at the building Tess had made from the Lego. 'What is this?' The man said with disgust. 'Is this what you did? You useless piece of...' He didn't finish his sentence, he walked over to Tess and hit the little girl in her face. She didn't cry, she didn't make a noise. Probably because she was too scared. The man grabbed her by her t-shirt and took her to a closet under the stairs. He opened it and threw little Tess in it.
'Think about what you did wrong today.' The man said. 'Maybe you will learn some day to be a normal kid. A kid that I could be proud of to have. A kid that isn't useless.'
He slammed the door in the lock and left. I didn't understand why he was so angry at Tess but apparently that wasn't really necessary for what Tess wanted to show me.
The door of the closet opened again, but this time it wasn't the man. It was someone else. A woman.
Apparently Tess also didn't know her because she looked really surprised, curious and scared at the same time. I felt so bad for the little girl. I wished I could help her. I wished I could really be there in the memory and defend Tess against the man.
The woman kneeled next to Tess and tried to calm her down.
'Dont worry.' The woman said. 'I won't hurt you. You're not useless. And I can know that because I'm Athena, goddess of wisdom.'
Tess eyes widened. 'You... You... You're from my book!' Tess said.
(The little six year old read books about Greek mythology?!)
Athena nodded. 'Ive studied you for a while and you're a smart girl Tess.'
'I am?'
'Really smart. And I can tell you you're not useless. One day you will meet someone who will need your help. One day you will meet someone who can't live without you.'
Little Tess thought about it.
'I know,' Athena said with a smile on her face. You could see how she liked Tess and the way she thought. 'I know it sounds weird but one day it will all make sense. For now, stay strong. Better days are coming.' Athena stood up and Tess followed her example.
Tess didn't ask any questions although you could see she had many. She was so polite! (Or shy)
The goddess turned around and faced the door that was slowly opening.
'Thank you miss...' Tess said a little insecure. 'It was a pleasure to meet you.'
'Tess...' The goddess said. 'This is not a goodbye. We will meet again. If you ever need my help, you know for when things are really getting out of hand, just ask for it. I know that you are smart enough to know when things are getting so out of hand that you can call a goddess for help.'
Tess nodded and Athena touched Tess head. A small spark lit up and then everything was dark again. No Athena. Only the little girl sitting in the closet. Thinking about what had happened.
The view changed and now I also saw Tess but she was older, 13 or something. There had been a fight in Tess living room and there was blood on her face and you could see her elf hurt but the man was not there. Maybe he'd left after he'd hurt Tess.
Tess looked nervous, every few seconds she looked behind her as if someone could come in every moment. She put some of her stuff in a backpack and went to the window. It was dark outside. Tess climbed out of it and ran to the woods, following an owl. The owl was light brown and had stormy grey eyes, that could mean only one thing.
The owl led Tess to the place we'd first met: the hut with the sheep.
'Sheep?' Tess asked.
'Its what the mortals see.' Athena's voice said. 'You don't have to look after them. You can just be here and enjoy being save, until she will appear.'
Tess nodded, apparently she knew were Athena was talking about.
'I can't wait to be useful.' Tess said.
The vision changed and I was back in the present. I looked at Tess. 'Why...' I muttered.
'Because I look like my mom.' Tess answered.
'What?' That was not where I was talking about but I knew now that Tess dad was so angry at Tess because she looked like her mom, actually I had only more questions now. Before I could ask her more my vision fade and Tess showed me her memory again.
This time it was I'm the present, well it happened just a few days ago. I saw the group sleeping while Abby was having the watch. The vision zoomed in on Tess head and we went sort of in her dream. I think that was what it was trying to show me.
In the dream I saw Tess standing in an empty room. White walls and floor. No windows and no door. Suddenly a voice started to talk. It was from a woman. It it was definitely not Athena's.
'Tess.' The voice said. 'Youre on a quest with a really important person.'
'I know.' Tess answered.
'Youre quest will be hard sometimes and dangerous of course but you have to make sure she stays alive. Understand?'
'Yes.'
'Its your responsibility from now. If she dies, I will blame you.'
'I would blame myself too.'
'Great. I'm happy we have the same opinion on this.'
The vision faded and I was back by the half dead Tess again.
Callum was still busy trying to heal Tess but from his face I could see it was hopeless. Tess knew it too, we all knew it.
I cried. Really hard and I didn't care what the others would think.
'Dont cry...' I heard Tess say. 'Alex... I want you to know you where the best friend I could wish for.' She tried to smile but it changed into a painful look on her face. I looked at her belly, the black poison was also in her chest now and was starting to go in her neck, I could already see it becoming black.
'Callum, thank you for everything...' Tess said and he bowed forward, she laid her hand on his cheek as a sign to say goodbye. Then she closed her eyes.
No.
'No. Tess! Tess! TESS! Please!!! PLEASE!!' I cried. I hugged Tess body and felt how all the life left her. Tears flew over my face and I couldn't stop. This was not happening. It was all a dream, I told myself. How could they do something like this to a girl like tess? Why was everything so unfair?
Then a bright light in the woods got my attention. It came closer and closer and suddenly Athena stood next to us. She kneeled next to Tess just like shed done in the vision. Then she put her hand on Tess head and a small spark lit up. Nothing happened. Athena sighed. 'Im sorry she said, but the fates want to have it this way.
Although I didn't make a noise, tears were still flowing down my face.
'Shes a protector.' Athena said and Tess slowly started to disappear. 'Shes your protector Alexa.'
While Tess started to fate something appeared on my underarm, a mark. It was an owl. A dark brown owl with bright blue eyes. Tess.
'Why?' I asked.
'Like I said. She's your protector. She will give you strength, hope and she will guide you.'
I couldn't believe it. A few seconds ago Tess had laid next to me and now she was tattooed on my arm in the appearance of an owl.
Athena stood up. 'I have to go to Olympus now, and you four should go there too.'

Notes

Killing my favorite character is the most horrible thing I've ever done...