"Welcome back, old friend."
   This place was nothing that I have seen. It was the definition of limbo. There was no form of life anywhere, just the voice.
   Just the cold and warmth.
I shivered rubbing my arms as the cold wind blew over the warmth of the place.
  I walked, almost covering a mile.
The cold I felt was replaced by a great heat. I was sweating profusely. And I could feel the paranoia nibbing in my thoughts. I only realized now that I wasn't wearing my normal leather gear but a silk red dress that had thin sleeves but still I was suffocating.
    I walked further and I saw a garden.
    Filled with beautiful flowers of different colors and patterns. I walked into it and I saw a rose in the middle of all other flowers.
  A beautiful giant rose. It glimmered as I reached out to touch it's petal.
   Something was wrong with this rose.
   It has thorns like all other roses but it's thorns were on the petals and not on the stem.
     The thorns on the petals pricked me and my blood dropped on the petals.
   I withdrew my fingers. Wincing from the pain.
   "Why?" I questioned.
    But I got my answer from the mysterious expansion of the rose. It just kept growing and growing until it was towering over me and I had to look up at it. It was no longer that little beautiful rose but now a giant rose.
  And then it transformed into a man.
   He should be a stranger but was not. I knew this man but I was not surprised by this fact.
   I was now having the memories of Crystal. All of it.
   As I stared closely at this man. Warmth filled my heart and I smiled warmly.
  This man was Callisto. Crystals first and only love. My greatest grandfather.
   I backed up. Feeling oversized and little. He stared back at me. I could feel his hazel eyes burning through my soul. Searching for something. Something I didn't know. Something important.
   I could see the mighty resemblance between him and my father. Only that his red hair was outstanding. It wasn't your normal shade of red like mine but his were bloody red. I would say it was dyed   but considering the fact that this guy has been here for almost eternity. I would refrain from even thinking so.
    "  How is he?" He questioned. I was not shocked by the deep baritone laced in his voice. He certainly was not the voice that greeted me to this place. What was the source playing.
    I ducked my head to the side. Not quite placing who he was asking about.
    " Who?"
 
   " Your father!" He answered.
  A frown made it's way to my face and I suddenly felt more sick than I was initially.
     " Honestly, I do not know. I wish I knew. " I mumbled.
    He sighed and then turned on me. Walking further into the garden.
  
     I stared after him not quite understanding why he just walked away without saying anything.
   " Hey." I called after him but he didn't stop. I had no other choice but to run after him.
   I suddenly stopped running not because I was tired but because the garden was gone. Everything. The flowers. The colours.
Gone.
    I was back to the void and emptiness.
    I wasn't quite sure what the source planned on doing. I wasn't loving the charade. Time was running out. Rhea was still out there. My family was still under Rheas bonds and same with my father. The only biological father I had left.
    " Hello?" I called but I was answered by an echo.
     " Hello. Anyone there? I don't understand. Okay. Tell what to do. What exactly do I have to remember? Tell me please!" I cried.
   I dropped on the cloudy ground. Weeping. I have never believed crying to solve anything. It was forever the weakest weapon I could think about. I hated the feeling. I hated the aftermath of it. I hated everything.
    " Old friend!" The voice said again.
    I stood abruptly wiping the tears.
    " W..ho are you?"
    " Why ask when you already know the answer?" It chimed excitedly.
    " Why are you doing this? I do not have time for this. You asked me to find the book. I did. Now I'm here. What the hell am I supposed to do!" I yelled.
    It sighed satisfyingly.
   " You've already done it!"
   " Huh?"
   " You awakened the rose of eternity."
    " Why don't I feel anything. Why do I still feel useless."
     " You are still holding back. Your magic is a part of you. A life source  that flows in and through you."
   " So what now?" I yelled again.
    " Growth can only be established within your powers when you know the the right thing to do."
    " What's the right thing to do?"
  No answer.
      " Hello? I don't know what to do! " I screamed.
       I had never been this devastated in my entire life. What am I supposed to do again. It wasn't about me anymore. It was about everyone else whose lives were in danger. It was for all Astralians. It was for peace.
   I got upset.
  And I got a very silly idea in my head. I focused my energy and intended to create something from the past. If there was something I feared. It had to be something that hurt me. Something I didn't want to remember. Because let's face it one wanted to remember that thing that hurt them. That incident that killed them inside. I had to face my fear it was the only way to get my victory.
Defeating my defeat.
   I created a wall of memories. And I saw them all.
My pains.
  
     The first scene was when I - Crystal - was running in the woods. I remember what I was running from. It was my siblings. Matilda, Kilem and Zipporah. I felt the sting in my chest as I saw the smile in their faces as they chased after me. The second memory was when they all stood in front of me as we all wept.
   " Please don't do this." I pleaded with them.
  Zipporah came forward patting my head and then proceeded to kissing my forehead.
   " We have to." She muttered breaking my little heart. I wept more. I remember this day like it happened yesterday.
        It was the day, they had to sacrifice their selves for the balancing of the source. I was not in support of it. I had cried the day before begging them not to do it, but on that day there was no changing of their minds.
        Thinking about it right now, I had never felt the aftermath of sadness at their disappearance, I had only taken it as the will that had to be done. Following the words of Matilda.
"You have to forget us and keep the balance."
 
    I chose to forget the love that was dearest to me, the love of my siblings. The only thing that gave me joy and peace back then we're the times I spent playing tag with Matilda, Creating magical flowers with Kilem, and naming rocks with  Zipporah. My magic n cer faultered but now, I realized that I had never forgiven myself for letting them go ahead with the sacrifice.
       I wept more, I should have said or don something but I let the regret kill me slowly and that was affecting my energy core.
     The second memory was when I, Luna, held Grandma Lumen in my arms as she took her last breath. I couldn't do anything. Right from that moment I had lived with the regret of not being able to save grandma but could only watch as she died.
     And then, I realized that I was just the problem to myself. The reason I have not been able to actualize my full powers is because I blamed myself when I should be forgiving myself.
       Grandma Lumen wouldn't want me to live feeling that way, she had always said that I was the saviour of her world and that I was my mother's daughter. Neither would my siblings want the same thing for me, I shouldn't let their sacrifice be in vein. They entrusted the realms to me for the keeping of the balance.
          And the balance I would keep.
      At that realization I felt an unlocking inside me like a new door had been opened. I charged as I yelled into the emptiness of the space around me. This time I wasn't answered by an echo but an outburst of light flowing out of me and pouring into the ground of the space. I watched as what was void began to flourish with the presence of life and by life I meant plants and trees of all kinds. My appearance gas changed as my red gown flowed down to my ankle. I turned around as I admired my new dress and then I stood smiling at the transformation of the place. It was beautiful and my heart blossomed with a new found joy. I felt a heaviness on my head and I dared to create an orb of reflection  to  see what the it was, and I was amazed at what I saw. Placed on my head was a golden crown with diamonds imprinted on each Pinnacle. I dismissed the orb.
      "How do you feel my friend?" The voice chimed.
      " Oh I feel better than ever!!" I mused.
     "You know what to do now right?" The voice asked.
      
       "Certainly old friend."
   I was about to set off. When I felt hands on my shoulders. It was Callisto again. This time he was a giant but was still about a six feet tall. I looked at him with a sad  smile. He responded by pulling me into a warm hug. I sighed out of relief at the closure. I finally found peace.
    " I know you don't need to know, but I bless your union with Hadrian. Love him as he would love you. You two would make the perfect partners in crime."
  I giggled.
  " Thanks Callisto."
He pulled me out of the hug. He took my hands as he placed a little bottle of potion inside.
  " As you know I am the rose of eternity. Give this to your father. It will help him recover his core energy."
   " I will surely do that. Thank you for still thinking about him."
   " No need to say Luna. He has suffered enough. His father wouldn't have dared to survive." He kissed my forehead and I close my eyes. Relishing the peace and serenity that came from the whispers of all the creatures around me. The new twirls of power surging within me and then I teleported back to the room.
     .....................
   I wasn't exaggerating when I said they all pounced on me at my arrival. Apparently when I fell unconscious, I wasn't dreaming but was teleported both body and soul to the source.
    " Luna she'll be here soon as it is approaching the fall of the full moon." Hadrian informed.
    " Unfortunately for her we'll be prepared this time." I smirked.
    " Anyone knows how we leave this stupid room? Since it's fueled with her blood or some shit?" Zuka reasoned.
    I summoned a new gear on me, revoking back the dress and crown that was given to me by the source.
  No one said anything at that. They all watched me with a wow girl you're on fire look.
   " I know just what to do."
   I took Hadrian by the hand to the door. I placed his palm on it and then touched his wrist releasing my energy into him. It took few seconds until we head the twisting of internal knobs and then the door rolled open.
   ' How did you do that ?" Storm chimed.
   " Bloody hell Luna. You have to teach me that." Zuka announced.
  " We only needed a first blood of hers to access a lock by her. Nothing more than that."
   Wait how did know that. I now knew things without even thinking. Perks of having the memories of two beings inside you.
    " Let's go, there's no time." King Asteroid instructed.
Everyone nodded. Moving out.
    Hadrian and I were the last to leave the room. We were all walking through Rheas laboratory of growing new generation of creatures. I could hear the remarks of the others in front at Rhea's works.
   " She really was serious about creating a new generation." Hadrian voiced. I saw the concern in his eyes as he watched the things around him. I placed my hands on his shoulder and looked at me.
   I smiled.
  " You tried. We tried. We can't save her." I said.
He nodded.
  But he kept staring at me.
" What?" I yelled feeling the red rushing into my cheek.
  " You look badass. And I'm not complaining. I love it." He confessed.
I turned to my side. Trying to stop blushing like an idiot.
   " Thanks!"
    " I love every side of you Luna. The angry, the shy, the one who always speaks her mind. The badass. The wood goddess. Every side."
    I stopped walking and he did too.
   I didn't say anything, just stood on my toes as I pulled him, touching his lips with mine. He sighed into the kiss. Making me smile sweetly.
    He pulled out.
  " I can't wait for all this to be over Luna." He muttered.
   " We'll survive."
   " Now let's go kick butts and take names."
  " Yes."