~ Chapter Twenty-Five - Part 1 ~

They had been riding on Cerberus’s back for a while when Katalina let out a soft groan as she slowly lifted her head. “Where are we?” She asked in a rasping voice.
Jacques rubbed her back. “We’re almost to the barrier,” he said reassuringly.
Katalina let out another groan as she sat up. “What happened?” She asked as she rubbed at her face.
Jacques sighed heavily as he gently played with her hair. “You managed to keep the water apart just long enough for Cerberus to get us to this side of the river. But, as soon as you let go of the water, you collapsed. You’ve been unconscious ever since.”
Katalina rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. “The sooner we get out of here, the better. I’m so exhausted.”
Jacques rubbed her arms soothingly. “We’re just about there. If you look closely enough, you can see the barrier.”
Katalina finally opened her eyes and blinked a few times at the brightness. “Good. I can’t wait to get home.”
They went quiet as Cerberus walked up to the barrier. When they got there, Cerberus lay down. Jacques easily slid down Cerberus’s side and landed on his feet.
Katalina looked down and grumbled to herself. She moved to copy Jacques’s movements but stopped when Cerberus started moving. He moved one of his heads to right beneath her feet. She slid onto his head, and he carefully lowered her to the ground. When her feet were firmly on the ground, she hugged Cerberus's head in thanks. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Jacques chuckled. “He loves you,” he said in awe.
Katalina giggled. “Well, I love him too,” she turned to the barrier with a sudden frown. “Okay. Watch my back. I’m not going to be aware of my surroundings while I do this,” she said without looking away from the barrier.
Jacques kissed her forehead. “We have you covered, little one.”
Katalina smiled at him. “I love you. You know that, right?” She asked.
Jacques chuckled. “I know. I love you too.”
Katalina walked up to the barrier and took a deep breath. She rested her hands on the barrier and closed her eyes, sending her very essence into the barrier to learn how to break it. It took her a few minutes, but she finally figured it out. She pulled away and raised her voice just enough for Jacques and Cerberus to hear her. “I’m going to need one of you close to me. What I’m about to do will make me pass out.”
Jacques moved to her side while Cerberus took a protective stance in front of them.
Katalina gave Jacques a nod before placing her hands flat against the barrier. She closed her eyes again but went further into her mind and body this time. She found that unknown power deep inside of her. An ability that was so strong, and she knew she hadn’t been able to tell anyone about it yet. She may not have known what it was or exactly what it could do, but it didn’t matter at that moment. The only thing that mattered was that this newfound power would be able to break a massive hole in the barrier.
Katalina focused solely on that power and pulled it to the surface. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She did that a couple of times before her eyes snapped open. She took a final breath before unleashing that new power on the barrier. She used every drop of that power to create a hole big enough for Cerberus. She made sure that the hole was smooth before it became too much. She fainted as the last of her power and energy made the tear permanent. Her world turned black as Jacques caught her.

Jacques stared at Katalina in awed amazement. Shining as brightly as the sun in her eyes was a power he thought was gone for eternity. The last person gifted with that power was the last of her bloodline. Or so everyone had thought. It had been a time of war and death. He wouldn’t be surprised if she had a child and hid that child away from the world. At the time, that would have been the only way to save any children that may have had.
For Katalina to have that power was an honor and a gift. Yet it could also be a curse if anyone knew that she possessed the old, ancient power because the power thrumming through her very being was a power of the gods.
Jacques could do nothing but watch as she unleashed that magnificent yet terrifying power on the barrier. It attacked the barrier, creating a hole big enough for Cerberus.
As soon as that ancient power finished creating the hole, Katalina fainted. Jacques was quick to catch her but hissed at her ice-cold skin. He took off his jacket and wrapped her in it. He glanced at Cerberus. “Are you coming with us?” He asked, even though he knew where the kind-hearted beast would stay.
Cerberus walked closer to them and gently nudged Katalina. He let out a low whine at the feel of her skin. “We’re going to get her help,” Jacques promised Cerberus as he carefully picked her up.
Jacques held her close as he walked through the hole that Katalina had created. He didn’t have to look behind him to know that Cerberus was following him.
As Jacques passed through the barrier, Roman appeared in front of him. His eyes widened as he watched Katalina work on the barrier. “What the hell happened?” Roman glanced at Cerberus. “And how the hell did you tame him? Hades can barely contain him. Let alone tame him enough for him to look like a concerned mother hen.”
Jacques chuckled. “Katalina,” it was all he had to say. “We need to get her home. Now.”
Roman nodded. “How am I supposed to take Cerberus?” He questioned. “I don’t think he’ll let me touch him.”
Jacques turned to Cerberus. “We need to get Katalina home quickly. You’ll have to let Roman touch you if you want to come with us,” he explained softly.
Cerberus let out a grumble before he lowered one of his heads to Roman. “I can’t believe it,” Roman whispered.
Jacques just shook his head with a small smile. “Anything for Katalina.”
Roman touched Cerberus’s head and Jacques’s shoulder. Then, he teleported them to Damien’s home office. When the darkness faded, they found Damien already standing with a dagger in his hand.
Damien stared at them in shock before dropping the dagger on the desk and rushing to Jacques. Damien moved Katalina’s hair out of her face with trembling fingers. “We need to get her into a hot bath,” Jacques said as Damien caressed Katalina’s ice-cold face.
“Why is she so cold?” Damien demanded in concern.
“I’ll explain everything after she’s taken care of,” Jacques promised as he let Damien take Katalina from his arms.
Damien held her close to his body as he said. “Okay,” he let out a rough exhale. “Jacques, you’re with me. First, Roman, can you teleport Cerberus outside with Orthrus? Then find Benjamin and Axel.”
Jacques chuckled as Cerberus let out a low, echoing growl. “He isn’t going to leave her side. He’s been with us since she saved him from a group of phantoms,” he explained.
Damien shook his head with a small smile. “Of course she did,” he sighed as he studied the three-headed hound. “Okay. He can stay, but I have no idea how he will get through the doors.”