Cole's POV:
About a month ago:
"I carried you for about a week back to Camp from Khione's Castle, Frostbite. You're one heavy sleeper by the way."
"I'm well aware. I've been beaten quite a few times for it."
"Wait what? By who? Who hurt you?" I became immediately worried.
"Cole, calm down."
"Who, Myra?" I asked. She didn't reply to me. I knew. I clenched my fists and grinded my teeth in anger. "It was Khione, wasn't it? I swear to the gods.... I'll-I'll....." I was furious.
"Cole don't." She said trying to calm me down.
"She conditioned you into thinking different thoughts! I bet that's what she did, the little snake. Myra, I think I know what can help you get you're real memories back, but you have to trust me." I had thought of a solution, and it was crazy. I didn't exactly know how to pull it off, but Myra can't be expecting anything.
"This sounds sketchy, Cole. Maybe you should just take a few minutes to cool off..."
"Do you trust me or not, Myra?" I asked even though I knew the answer.
"Of course I trust you."
"Then let me do what I have to do."
"Alright..." I took her hand even though she had a suspicious look on her face. It just might work. Afterwards, I left Myra with Will to go gather Rose, Ben, and Nathan. They're the only ones I could trust not to tell Myra anything. I finally found all of them and got them together. Rose brought us to her cabin to her new, separate, bedroom underneath the cabin that had an illusion ceiling of being underneath the ocean. She exclaimed Percy has been building it for months now. Ever since she first left as a matter of fact. She said it was the perfect place to talk since there wasn't anybody around. We all sat down on the various places to sit throughout the room.
"So why'd you want to talk?" Rose asked.
"Well, I think I may have figured out how to get Myra's memories back." Everyone got excited.
"Seriously!? That's amazing, how?" Ben asked surprised.
"Well, I was just with her and we were talking. She kinda told me that Khione torchered her. It was probably horrible..." I trailed off trying to hold back my sorrow.
"Cole? You okay?" Rose said in a concerned tone.
"Yeah yeah, sorry. Uh... as I was saying. With Khione hurting her in such a way, she may have conditioned her to these horrible memories of you guys. But... maybe we can reverse it. Remember, she wanted to kill us all at the castle?"
"Yeah, what about that?"
"Well... I was thinking, maybe if Myra had the choice, she would grasp her memories. So she tried to kill us because it was the only way to get those memories. Like, maybe she knew how to get her memories back without even knowing it." They all gave me confused looks.
"So, you're suggesting letting her kill you all?" Nathan asked confused.
"No... well not exactly. We could just make her think that we're dead."
"And how exactly are we going to do that?" Rose asked. We all had the same expression. We were stumped. Then, Nathan spoke up.
"Wait, I've been working on a hybrid plant with my powers that does this kind of thing. Basically, when you consume it, it stops your heart temporarily. I was planning on using it for future quests just in case something happens. You know, always trying to be prepared for the worst."
"Seriously!? That's sick, bro." Ben exclaimed. "Why don't we just use that?"
"Well, we can. But I haven't finished the cure yet. I'm close, but it may take a little while."
"How long?" I asked.
"Maybe a couple weeks if I start tonight or tomorrow. Then we can do it."
"Wait wait wait." Rose stopped us from getting excited. "She's going to think something's up. It's suspicious to say the least. We have to simulate a situation where this type of thing would happen." We all thought for a minute. She was right, it did seem sketchy. Myra wouldn't believe we all just died for a second. "How about this," Rose began. "We let her go. But, before we do, we knock her out. Will can bring her to the forest, cover her sword and hands and clothes in animal blood, and leave her there. Then, we lead her to a clearing where we'll be lying covered in blood. She'll assume that she did that to us and believe it because... that's just what she wanted." I thought for a moment.
"That's a good idea, but when she does get her memories of us back for real, she'll flip out. She might try to kill herself." I became saddened by the thought.
"Well Nathan doesn't have to play dead, so he can be watching from behind a tree or something. And if she tries anything, he can stop her and then bring us back."
"That could work... but maybe I don't have to be temporarily dead. I kinda jogged her memory with recreating the drawing I gave her the day you guys left for the quest." I said trying to get out of it in order to be able to watch out for Myra myself.
"But we have to know for sure. She probably just recognized you from the picture, but that doesn't mean she has the complete memories of you." And Rose, of course, had a point.
"That may be true..."
"Cole, we can't risk anything. We need her to have all of her memories back in order to complete this quest." I sighed, knowing she was right.
"Alright. Let's do it. Nathan, we'll give you a month or so so that Myra doesn't suspect anything. Then, we'll go for it." Nathan nodded in response and we all stood up to leave and go back to our scheduled activities. I then went to archery practice and to get some food after that for Myra and I for dinner.
Present Time:
"After that, we planned everything out whenever we had a free moment. Myra, I'm sorry I put you through this but it was the only way. I hope you can forgive me..."
"You... You manipulated me..."
"I had to, Myra. I couldn't think of any other way... and I guess you could say I learned from the best?" I said the last part trying to break the ice that had formed in this conversation. At this point, Rose, Nathan, and Ben had already left saying quiet goodbyes.
"You're lucky I like you."
"So you forgive me?" I asked with hope.
"I'm wicked traumatized now, but I forgive you." I smiled at her, but we fell into a silence. Myra started to peel off the dry blood from her sword. Scratching at it every other second.
"Uh... hungry?"
"I just watch you die! I feel like I'm gonna vomit!"
"So yes?"
"I'll try to eat I guess."
"Well I am the one that was dead so I'm hungry, you can watch me eat. After we get cleaned up of course."
"Fine. I'm not letting you out of my sight again anyways."
"Don't worry about me, Frostbite. It wasn't for real. I'm not going anywhere."
"But it felt real..."
"It had to feel real. I'm so sorry I had to do that..."
"Like I said you're lucky I lo-like you."
"I love you too, Frostbite."
"Shut up. I'm still sort of angry."
"When are you not?"
"Good point." We walked to our separate cabins first and grabbed changes of clothes. After we were showered and were clean, we went to dinner. I made Myra eat a bit of food, but she didn't seem well enough to eat the meal. I remembered something Nathan told me when I woke up from being temporarily dead. This was while Myra was talking to Ben.
"Hey, Frostbite. I've got a question." I said with a smirk turning towards her.
"What's that?" She said playing with her food.
"When I woke up, Nathan said you were saying something and called me your, and I quote, 'oversized badger'? Care to explain?" Her face instantly lit up red.
"Uh... I-I don't think Nathan uh... heard correctly?" I laughed.
"He said it was a Harry Potter thing?" She smiled awkwardly.
"M-maybe." I smiled at her widely.
"You're so freaking adorable I swear to the gods." She playfully punched my arm.
"Shut up." She smiled and we went back to eating. Once we finished, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. Rose offered that Myra sleep in her room tonight, which Myra declined several times, but was forced into it eventually by Rose. I went to my Cabin and got into my bed. My mind started going back to the earlier events of today. I felt horrible still for doing that to her, but it, honestly, was the only way. I know, over time, she'll be able to get over it. But she'll never forget, and that's what will haunt me for the rest of my life.