"You really fail to save anyone don't you," said a mysterious voice.
When Astrea opened her eyes, she wasn't in Holt's house anymore. Instead, she stood at a crossroads that shouldn't exist. Three roads meeting where no map could place them. The sky was permanently caught between night and dawn, a bruised violet-black smeared with ash-colored stars. There was no sun, but there was light. A thin, cold, and directionless light.
Everything felt like it was waiting for a decision that has already been made.
A flash of light appeared in front of Astrea. Suddenly a woman appeared as three figures sharing one shadow, their forms slightly out of alignment. Her faces shifted as her single eye lingered. Young with grief, stern with judgment and ancient with knowledge though never all visible at once. Fiery-bright eyes burned in the dark, revealing intent rather than light. She stood patient as if every possible path waited at her feet.
"Who…Who are you" Astrea said, almost forcing the words out of her mouth.
"My name is Hecate darling. However, who I am is not important I'm much more interested in you. You see, I want to give you the chance to chase your dream." Said Hecate
"My dream?" Astrea said confused.
"Your dream darling, to gain power whatever the cost; I can make it happen. Though you're far too weak right now to make use of my power." Hecate mused.
She moved closer towards Astrea raising her hand to her face, cradling her cheek.
"Though you could be my Avatar. All the power you want, right at your fingertips." As she said this, she interlocked her fingers with Astrea's, bringing her face closer simultaneously.
Astrea stepped back.
"Umm, I'm not sure" she said.
"What even is an Avatar" She thought.
Hecate seemingly confused waved her right hand. In the same moment Astrea saw visions of what seemed to be her life. Except these things had not happened. She saw herself, half her body changed to mirror Hecate's, moving towards a man cowering in fear.
"That man…Sodom" Astrea thought
In the vision Astrea stretched out her hand. Sodom started to convulse, his body going through what looked like a seizure. A glowing white orb started to force its way out of his mouth, clawing to escape. As it left his body Sodom's eyes went white with no life left in them, his body limp with like a doll left out in the rain.
The scene changed. Astrea saw herself walking towards Holt who had been left tied up in a wooden deadbeat shack. Untying him, Astrea walked off without any words left guided only by a will other than her own.
The vision ended there.
"That could be you, if you so desire," said Hecate
Astrea remained silent quietly thinking over what Hecate had showed her.
"What's wrong darling are you afraid?" asked Hecate in a sympathetic tone.
In her thinking Astrea realised that what she saw wasn't the power she sought. In that vision she was a little more than a weapon.
"I don't want your power," said Astrea.
"You think you can be forgiven by saving him. What's forgiveness worth without sacrifice. I can be that sacrifice."
At these words Astrea looked downcast clearly bothered by Hecate's words. However, she held firm.
"Still, I don't want it, I can't accept your power. I will save Holt by myself."
"That's a shame darling. I don't have time for people who don't know themselves," said Hecate.
The world around started to collapse. The sky fractured and shattered while the ground cracked underneath Astrea's feet.
"What the hell is happening" Astrea thought.
As the ground cracked more Astrea lost her footing falling into the void that lay below. As she fell, she thought she heard Hecate say something, but she was too far at that point to hear her.
"She'll be back, at her core she's just like me after all." Said Hecate absentmindedly to herself.
With that Astrea opened her eyes once more.