AN: Those who stand the tallest have the farthest to fall…
Disclaimer: Naoko was never as mean as I am. Of course I am not her and of course I don't own Sailor Moon. So technically, I suppose you can console yourselves that this is not actually canon…nah.
Last Time On Pax: Serenity defeated Metalia, sealing her beneath the Northern Pole. Though the fight exhausted her and left her collapsed on the floor of the Royal Study, all appeared to be well…
THERE WERE TWO CHAPTERS POSTED TODAY (November 8th) SO IF YOU HAVENT CHECKED CHAPTER 20 YET DO SO! SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS.
And if you have…read on at your own emotional risk…
Death of The Guardian
The woman (whom many knew only by her title "Mage" before she assumed the throne) checks Sailor Earth's pulse before pushing lightly on her shoulder. But the Guardian remains still. Her hand hesitates over the young woman's body before reaching out for her left hand, prying a still glowing Golden Crystal from her palm.
She looks down at Romula's Grimoire, eyes checking her revisions to the foreign spell one last time, and begins to speak aloud. As ancient words leave her lips, carrying the magic of Earth's Magae with them, Sailor Earth's uniform begins to flicker. It fades into lavender ribbons around Serenity's body and returns as sparkling magic, back into the Golden Crystal in her hand. As Serenity's plain tunic and trousers reform on her body, the Golden Crystal grows brighter and warmer. She lets the initial verse of the spell trail off, and beginning the next, impresses her will upon the spell. She holds the images of her children in mind, lingering longest on her eldest daughter, now betrothed to the throne of some foreign world, and her youngest son, dead mere feet away.
May no more of Earth's children suffer as you have, she thinks as she concludes her spell. The golden crystal remains warm. She smiles.
~paxlunae~
All the Priestesses are out in the courtyard, dancing and laughing under Sol's light, as the dark clouds that had trapped Elysium shrink and vanish in the breeze. The Mother is sandwiched between Zinea and Maeve and laughing more freely than she has since her youth when she sees the golden pillar in the center of the Cloister begin to glow.
She raises her hand and the revelry around her ceases. All watch as a column of golden light shoots up into the sky, arcing towards the Palace. She follows Zinea when the other priestess rushes back into the temple and out to the atrium. She throws open the front doors and leans out into the front courtyard, watching the golden light reach the Palace. There's a flash within one of the upper floor's windows, and the column fades as quickly as it appeared.
"What just happened?" the eldest Prince, who'd flown down to the temple with young Phaeton barely a half hour before, says as he steps out to join them. She turns to address him, to tell him she hasn't the faintest clue, and gasps. In the irises of his dark blue eyes, is a fading golden glow.
"Well?" Augusto Terran insists.
~paxluanae~
"Serenity…"
She looks around in the bright white dreamscape for Tana, her companion in all of this, grinning as the ancient Guardian appears before her. "Tana!" she cheers, and reaches out to hug her predecessor. Were it not for her memories, she doubts she'd have known how to seal Metalia away. "I did it, we did it." She goes to hug her mentor but Tana is tense and does not return the gesture. She pulls away and frowns. "Tana?"
The old Guardian's green eyes stare past her into the distance. "I'm sorry…I didn't foresee…"
"See what? What's wrong?" she asks, as Tana steps away. She continues to back away, frowning. Panicked, Serenity dives forward and grabs her hand. "Wait."
"I didn't foresee this," she says, voice fading. Suddenly Tana's body is fading too. Serenity grasps for her, but encounters only air. She stares as Tana becomes fainter and fainter. She completely disappears as the white dreamscape around Serenity shatters, light falling away beneath her. She turns and turns facing emptiness in all directions. "TANA!"
Serenity jolts up, covered in cold sweat and gasping from the nightmare. Her hand goes to her throat to grasp the locket.
But it is cold, just as she is. And light…too light. Heart still pounding from her nightmare, Serenity yanks the locket's chain over her head and pries open the lavender case with her hands. It pops open, revealing the empty pocket where the Golden Crystal usually rests.
It's gone! She gasps.
"Looking for this," Portia's voice directs her attention up. Her eyes meet the Queen's through steel bars. She rises off the straw pallet and takes in the bare, stonewalls that surround her on four sides.
She's in the dungeons.
"Portia," she says to the Queen, "Why am I here?"
The Queen hums. "Well at least you know enough not to call me mother anymore – that was the most tiresome farce. You didn't look a thing like my husband."
"That…that doesn't matter anymore," she says, coming up to the bars and pressing as close to them as she can. "Please…Your Majesty. You need to let me out. The golden crystal is –"
"Missing," the Queen interrupts. "Hardly, I have it right here." And from behind her she presents Serenity with a lavender staff – the same one she knows Tana crafted for the Selens thousands of years ago. The Golden crystal is nestled in its spot in the custom made white setting. She reaches out for it, unable to place the unease growing in her stomach. "A much more fitting place for such a treasure don't you think – fit for a Queen."
"Please… I'm hardly going to challenge you for the throne." Serenity complains. "It's been a stressful day your Majesty…but if you let me out and give back my crystal we can sort out the future of the Earth together."
Portia laughs. "Your crystal…you see that's where you're wrong. If I remember my history correctly, this was a gift from a loyal guardian to the crown. I have simply returned it to its appropriate ownership."
And as Portia waves the staff back and forth before her Serenity suddenly realizes what about this feels entirely out of place.
The crystal is glowing, as she's only seen it do for herself and Ronan.
It has never glowed for Portia before.
"What did you do…?" she whispers.
"Nothing that hasn't been done before. I just had much more success." Portia says, taking the crystal from its setting and holding it in her palm. It glows even brighter.
And Serenity cannot feel her magic reacting to it at all. In fact, she realizes, grasping the useless locket around her neck, she cannot feel her magic.
"My husband thought we could use the magical transference spell to absorb Metalia's power," Portia explains. "Hence why I conceded to let Cecelia marry that Uranian Prince in exchange for the Grimoire they'd acquired…you are familiar with the Grimoire yes – that old Martian witch went to quite a bit of trouble to keep it hidden."
Romula, she realizes. Romula and the power transference spell that killed Rema…
"No." Serenity whispers, finally realizing why she cannot feel the Golden Crystal's power, why Tana has disappeared, and why she feels so cold.
"You should thank that predecessor of yours." Portia continues, "It wouldn't have been possible if she had not separated her soul from her magic."
"Give it back!" she cries, tugging at the bars with her hands. But they do not bend, she kicks at them, a sharp pain lancing through her foot. She curses. "That is mine!"
"I hardly think so," Portia says. And Serenity watches in horror as the Queen murmurs "Golden Crystal Power" and the gem flares brightly, the pain in her foot instantly receding. She stares at Portia as the light in the crystal recedes to a soft glow.
"Now, you'd do well not to kick the bars again, dear. I wouldn't want to waste all this power healing your mistakes."
She gapes at the Queen, Portia can use the Golden Crystal. Portia used Romula's spell. Does that mean… "Give it to me." She demands hoarsely, stretching out until the bars bruise her shoulder.
"Of course."
She grasps the crystal tightly as Portia drops it into her hand. Her heart plummets as it cools in her palm, the light within it fading away.
"Golden Crystal Power!" she says, voice wavering. Still nothing happens. "Earth Crystal Power!" she tries again. But the familiar rush of magic doesn't come. She feels no ghost of the earth's oceans on her skin or the kiss of a stormy summer wind. There is only the too-cold, still air of the dungeon and the faint sound of feet clattering across the floor above her. "EARTH CRYSTAL POWER!" She shouts, voice cracking. But still nothing happens. She remains in the brown tunic and trousers she'd worn while traveling the Kuiper belt. In desperation her hand flies to her crescent mark, cool to the touch. She closes her eyes, thinking of the first spell she was able to do, before she could even transform. "Sailor Earth Power," she murmurs, praying to Ra as hard as she can that the crescent will glow. She peeks her eyes open, heart beating too fast, and slowly peels her hand away from her face.
But the corridor beyond her cell remains dim, lit only by the softly glowing lamps.
Portia tuts, hand darting forward to steal away the golden crystal once again. Even as exhausted and shocked as she is, it takes the Queen a few long minutes to pry it from her grip. When she finally does Portia pushes Serenity back. She stumbles back into the cell, tripping on the straw pallet and falling hard onto the floor.
"I wouldn't worry, dear. You said you didn't want a war." The Queen returns the crystal to its pedestal. "Well now that the Earth's power is in it's rightful place – under the ruler's control – there'll never be a war again."
She tries to speak, but only a strangled sound escapes her throat. She bites down hard on her lower lip and looks away towards the wall.
The Queen does not spare any more time to gloat. She barely hears her slippered feet as they pad away towards the stairs.
There's the taste of copper in her mouth. She swallows hard. Her mind is stuck on one thought. She draws her knees up to her chest and curls into the corner of the cell, laying her head in her hands.
But…but I'm the Guardian…
~paxlunae~
Royal Cousins:
It is with great pride that we upon the Earth celebrate the return of our world's power to its rightful custodians. Following The Guardian's failure against a domestic daemon, the Earth called upon her monarchs to use the Golden Crystal. Upon success of our campaign against the daemon, one that has cost us the lives of civilians and members of our royal family, the Earth deemed it appropriate to permanently award control of its Golden Crystal to myself and my blood-successors. Henceforth, Earth's power shall be stable and strong – a leader in our chaotic star system. We accept with the utmost humility the responsibilities of guardianship over our world and its neighbors, and look forward to meeting with you, esteemed cousins in leadership, to discuss how we shall cooperate as we move into this bright, new Golden Age.
I await your envoys no later than the next quarter-rotation of Sol.
Faithfully Yours,
Her Royal Magesty Queen Portia Terran, Chief of the Magae, Governess of all the land upon the Earth & Steward of all trade upon the seas.
His Royal Highness Prince Augusto Terran, Knight of the Realm, Heir apparent to the throne of Earth
Her Royal Highness Princess Eleanora Terran, Squire to the Queen, Duchess of the Northern lands.
His Royal Highness Prince Gaius Terran, Duke of the Southern lands.
~paxlunae~
"They say you haven't been eating," Augusto says. "I mean…you should. Mother doesn't want you to starve.
She doesn't acknowledge him, staring at a fixed point on the wall. Despite the humidity of the noon hour she shivers.
She has not felt warm since she awoke. It is as if it is heat rather than magic that has been wrenched away from her. Has she not been eating? She hardly cares. The hunger is miniscule compared to the ache the echoes through her, emptiness where magic used to buzz.
"She's exiling you," Augusto says after quite a while, his voice painfully like his father's. "I thought…I thought I'd let you know. So you could be prepared."
She has not dreamed of Tana once since waking up in this cell…
"And they buried Father today…and Ronan…and Helios. I know you were close to the priest I uh," there's a pause. She sees something fall softly towards the stone floor. "I brought this…from the ceremony."
She actually does look when she hears him shuffling impatiently beyond the cell. It's a red rose on the floor, brightly coloured and wilted, dead.
She sighs. "Go away, Your Highness."
She's the faintest bit pleased when he coughs and shuffles his feet, seemingly uncomfortable with her addressing him by his title. "You should…you should eat when they bring your dinner tonight. I think, I think the trip is going to be long. They're going to send you away tomorrow."
She shrugs.
"Please… You saved my life, I want to help you."
It is only then that she looks into his eyes, cringing slightly at the vibrant blue color, the same as Portia's eyes, Terrio's…Ronan's.
Terrio is dead…
Metalia may as well be…
Shouldn't I be too?
"Can't I do anything?" he pleads with her.
"Get me back my crystal," she says, her voice dry and unrecognizable.
"I…I can't"
"Please, Augusto." She begs, swaying as she stands up so that they are the same height. "The Golden Crystal belongs to the Guardian."
"Well…they say we're the guardians now," he says. "And…and anyways. You wanted Peace. Well now we'll all get it."
She stares at him blankly. How can he possibly think…? "I defeated Metalia for you."
"I know…" he sighs. "But…but if you hadn't had the Golden Crystal…if it had just been the crown's to use the whole time…well then Father wouldn't have turned to Metalia at all…and we would have been able to defeat it long ago.
She stares blankly at him.
"Don't you see," he persists. "You'll just be a normal person now, and you won't be attracting evil to us by being so powerful."
"I didn't bring Metalia." She protests in a strained voice. "Augusto…"
"You did though, didn't you?" he continues. "You're the reason Father kept going to her about the fog and supporting his power. You're the reason he let her become more and more powerful. I heard you know – it wanted the Golden Crystal's power more than anything. Perhaps if it had always been under our protection Metalia never would have tried." He swallows. "And my brother would be a live…and Father…and Cecelia would still be here."
"All of that is your father's fault!" she cries at him.
"Because he was terrified of you!" Augusto fires back. "I'm not blaming you – just your powers. But they're gone now, and you'll be gone. And you have to eat. Please. I told Mother it'd be better to let you live."
She looks away from the Prince. "Your parents murdered mine for the throne."
"Well," he shuffles uncomfortably. "I – I'm sorry. They were bad rulers though. The drought they let rage all those years ago. And…everything else I suppose. The people, they weren't happy. Now they are. I mean, I don't think it's right but…but it's over. And Mother says Metalia had a hand in all the decisions they made back then. But now she's gone. And the throne is strong again…and I'm sorry that you're on the losing end…but," he sighs. "I'm going to rule better than them."
"I could rule better."
"Yes, well…the Earth chose me." Augusto protests. "After all, Mother says it transferred the Golden Crystal to her when she defeated Metalia for you."
Her fists clench at her sides as she looks away. So that's the lie Portia is spreading. "And you believe her?" she insists.
"Course I do," Augusto huffs as though it's unthinkable that she imply his mother has lied. "See here, whatever you think happened, Metalia must have addled your head. Mother says you tried to attack her once the daemon was gone. That's why she put you here initially. She thought you'd been working with the daemon. I convinced her otherwise."
That's a lie, she thinks. All of that is lies.
But he won't believe her anyways.
"They're bringing you food in a couple hours." He says. "It'll be your favorite cheese, I think. Promise you'll eat it."
She doesn't say anything, but she does jerk her head in a stiff nod so that he'll leave. Once he's gone she slams her fist hard into the wall, the force of it splitting open the skin across her knuckles and rattling through her arm. She presses her head to the cold stone and lets her knees sink again to the floor.
~paxlunae~
It is much later –they'd doused the dungeon lamps – when she hears someone shuffling from foot to foot outside her cell again.
"I ate the food, Augusto," she snaps. She didn't, but what does it matter anyways?
There's no response at first, and she's so tempted to ignore his presence entirely and pretend to sleep, but then she hears a sniff. She frowns.
Augusto does not cry.
"Your voice sounds horrid."
This voice makes her turn towards the cell door and then shuffle towards it, and towards the small blue-haired boy leaning through the bars. Phaeton.
"Augusto said you were alright but you're not are you?"
"I'm fine Phae…the fight with Metalia took a lot out of me," she says, wrapping her hands around the bars.
"You hurt your hand – here." And he puts his hand over hers before she can protest, a soft blue glow lighting up the air around him. When he lifts his hand away her knuckles are healed over with fresh skin. She rubs along the knuckles with her other hand. She'll never heal a wound even as simple as that one again. "You shouldn't use magic so soon after that battle." She cautions him. "You nearly died protecting Augusto and yourself."
"I'm fine," he insists. "It's been five days now anyways."
Five days… five days without my powers... She still feels their absence acutely, constantly trying to call them forth, but having nowhere to look.
"They say Metalia possessed you…and that the Queen stepped in and saved you with the crystal," the boy says. "I don't believe them. I tried to tell Augusto too…but he called me a little kid." He sniffs again. "I miss Ronan."
She reaches out through the bars and grasps his shoulder. "It doesn't matter whether Augusto believes you or not," she insists. "You are right…and… and they're going to tell you a lot of false things Phae. But believe in yourself alright." She tries to smile. She doesn't quite manage it but she get's a wobbly smile from Phaeton in return for the effort. "And thank you…for believing me."
"Papa always said to believe you." Phaeton says. "He…he remembered in the end. Everything. He says you were the reason. You healed him once, did you realize."
I never did. She shakes her head. At least he died remembering his life, knowing what he was dying for… "I don't think you should be here Phaeton."
"Of course I should!" He bursts out. "They're…they're sending you away tomorrow and nobody even told me. And they shouldn't be. I don't want them to." He curls closer to the bars. "You saved my life… I want to go with you."
His faith in her very nearly makes her feel warm again but…
But his father's buried here… and his best friend…
"I need you to be very brave Phaeton." She tells him, unsure how it has come to her telling an orphaned child that they must stay amongst people she herself doesn't trust. "I need you to stay."
"No!" he gasps. "Why?"
"Because…" she sighs. "Because you know your father's stories… you know his magic." She squeezes his small shoulders. "You know the truth. And Augusto trusts you." She waits until he's stopped sniffling, until he wipes away his tears with the cuff of his sleeve. "This world needs you Phaeton. Augusto knows nothing of it's needs or it's wants…or it's magic. He'd make a mess of it."
"He could learn."
"He won't though." She sighs. "I need to know there's someone here who can keep watch if Metalia rises again… and someone to make sure Augusto rules well."
"That's… that's a lot." He stammers.
"I know…but you'll be grown before you have to do all that." She says. "But since Augusto's going to need you…you need to do something for me now. You need to stay. And keep reading all those books you and Ronan read. Keep practicing magic like your father was teaching you. Keep believing in how things are meant to be." She smiles. "Be this world's guardian in a way…since I can't"
She watches his watery eyes grow round as saucers before he straightens up, squares his small shoulders, and bows deeply to her, his mop of blue hair falling over his eyes. "I swear I'll try," he says in a rush. I'll defend it as well as you ever did."
Defend it better than me, she thinks.
"Oh," he says. "And I brought you this." And he shoves a handkerchief-wrapped package into her hands and presses a flask of water towards her as well.
She smiles. "Thank you…now you need to go. I don't want you to get in trouble with the Queen."
He mutters something about never getting caught before but heeds her advice, wishing her a goodnight as he rushes from the dungeon.
She unfolds the package and scrambles to catch the small rolls that tumble out of it. A few of them roll across the damp stone and under the bars of the cell. She manages to keep three and returns two to the hankerchief, staring for a long while at the food between her hands.
She sighs and begins to pick at it. Perhaps food will make her feel less hollow inside.
It was a silly hope, she realizes once she's half way through the roll and still feels just as empty. But at least she isn't hungry anymore.
~paxlunae~
They come to her cell just a few hours later. She's barely gotten to sleep when booted feet march to the door of her cell and a key clicks into the lock. Her door is yanked open and the two guards storm in, lifting her up under the shoulders. One steps on the rolls still wrapped in Phaeton's hankerchief.
"I can walk!" she insists, pulling away from them. But for whatever reason her strength fails her and they nearly pull her arms from their sockets keeping her between them. They're half-way up the dungeon stairs before she decides to cooperate. She hangs her head and lets her loose, blond hair hang in a curtain beflore her, masking the blush that shames her face.
She can feel the servants watching as she is frogmarched through the ground floor of the palace and out into the courtyard. Even the low light of dawn is blinding after so many days underground. She cringes away from it, squinted eyes peeking through her hair and spying the great carriage hooked up to the two Juper horses.
They must want to send me to my place of exile quickly, she summises but furrows her brow. But wait…Augusto said it was a long trip…
"Well don't just stand there," Portia snaps from nearby. "This is hardly something we want to attract attention for." And suddenly the Queen is before her. And she forces herself to meet Portia's contemptuous gaze. "This is where we part ways, Serenity." The Queen says. "But just to be sure you don't fall back on any…uncivil ideas.
She can barely breathe as the Queen's lavender staff is leveled at her forehead, her own Crystal directed towards her. The queen says something in the language of the Magae and at once there is a searing pain in her head. She grits her teeth to hold back a scream and collapses in the guards grip.
"It'll fade once you've. I do apologize for the discomfort." Portia says dismissively. "It's just to ensure you are never able to return to challenge my children for the throne. A mother has to look out for her own, you know."
She glares at the Queen, "You have not won."
"I think you'll find that is a lie my dear girl." She says. Then turns to her guards. "Well hurry up – get her into the carriage." And she's being dragged again, across the courtyard and up the fold-away stairs into one of the carriage-bed. There are no seats. One guard sets her down across from a few stuffed burlap sacks and ties a rope around her hands. She closes her eyes. The pain in her head is unbearable
The crystal did magic on me… she struggles to process the thought and buries her head between her hands, waiting impatiently for the carriage to move.
She grits her teeth as a cacophony of sound outside intensifies her headache – which now seems to be spreading through the rest of her as well.
"Send all of us or none," she hears a familiar voice say. "We'll wait…but surely you know we shant tolerate you on the throne if we're forced to stay."
She covers her ears with her hands as the noice level outside rises to shouting, many voices rising about eachother. Then too-long afterwards the carriage shakes as other people clambor into it.
"By Ra what has she done to you?" She lifts her head as a gentle hand comes to rest on her arm, another brushing her hair away from her face. "Milady…"
Cornelia fusses over her, undoing the rope that binds her hands even as she sees The Mother on her otherside uncorking a flask of water. She groans as the carriage jerks suddenly forwards – the horses picking up speed as they drag the vehicle up into the air. "Why are you here?" she asks, noting several other priestesses in the carriage…and priests…and even some civilians she faintly recognizes…those she healed from the fog."
"Word spread you were being exiled." The Mother says, pressing the open flask into her hand and coaxing her to drink it. Cool water rushes down her parched throat. She coughs. "Easy…the Order of Ra decided we could not continue on with Portia as the Queen…and that the best way to prove we'd no confidence in her was to leave." The Mother smiles at her. "I doubt many fools will take heed of the act…but it is a powerful statement."
"Several dozen civilians also joined us on our march to the Palace," Zinea says from farther down the carriage. "They'll be coming up on the next carriage."
She gapes at them, unable to comprehend. "I…I don't know what to say."
"It seemed a much better thing to do than live under her rule anyways." Cornelia huffs. "She makes that crystal of yours look more sinister than a youma. Milady we shall have to get it back at some point."
The pain in her head is receding as they climb up higher into the sky. How high are they going to go. "I don't think you can." She says, shame burning her face. "Zinea… Portia has Romula's Grimoire."
"How?" Zinea demands. "Why that would have been destroyed centuries ago…or at least the Martians said…"
Serenity shrugs. It seems the Martians lied. Her heart twists painfully as the realization dawns on the faces of the Priestesses and all the others who know the history.
"Oh how could she…" The Mother fumes "That wicked… Serenity, are you alright?"
She looks away. She cannot answer their questions.
It is a long while later – of her staring at the floor and of her three closest companions sitting in vigil at her side, before anyone speaks.
"Hey look!" one of the civilians across the carriage says as he pulls something from one of the burlap bags. "Fancy them sending this along."
She gasps as he unsheathes Moonlight from her scabbard, reaching out for her favored weapon. The grip is as familiar in her hand as it has ever been.
But she feels none of the magic imbued in it. She lifts the jeweled pommel to her forehead and begs for some echo of Tana to reach her, some of the familiar advice she's come to depend on. But the sword is only cool metal – as hollow as she is.
"Zinea," she says. "If my powers are gone…shouldn't there be a new Guardian of Mars by now."
"I…I don't know, Milady." Zinea says. "Presumably you are still the Guardian."
"But…" she swallows the lump in her throat, though it doesn't go away. Darkness rushes past outside. I thought it was morning? "But if the Golden Crystal's bound to the Terran bloodline…it'll always be active…even if I die right?"
She watchs Zinea's eyes flick to The Mother's, then down to the floor, her hands wringing in her lap. "In theory, yes…that's how the Golden Crystal works. As long as it's rightful owner is alive it remains as active as ever."
"It's not mine anymore…so." So the power of the Guardian is stuck on Earth. She realizes with horror. There'll be no Guardian of Mars now, nor when I pass…no other Guardian ever… "I'm… I'm the last Guardian." She realizes. "I am aren't I. I've killed it."
"We don't know that," The Mother says. "Now stop filling your head with worries."
But she can see the same anxiety in the Mother's eyes…and Cornelia's and Zinea's…
Suddenly the carriage dips, flying downwards at last. A couple people scramble to look outside. She grits her teeth as the horses land roughly, slowing until the carriage rolls to a halt. She stumbles to her feet, clutching Moonlight close, and steps down from the craft, anxious to see where they've been flying to for so long.
They're on a beach, she thinks at first, strange, pearly water laps at her bare feet. She hears the two guards who'd flown them here unload the people and bags from the carriage before urging the horses back into the skies. She watches the powerful beasts soar up into the lavender sky, past strange pink-hued clouds, out into the strange looking sunlight.
And they're flying towards something. Her eyes widen as she takes in the beautiful blue sphere peeking up over the horizon. She can make out swirls of white like clouds and snow to one side of it, and the green of trees… She's only seen it once before, on the trip home from Jupiter: The Earth.
You'll never return, Portia's words come back to her, the pain had lingered in her head until they'd left Earth's atmosphere.
I can never go home," She realizes. I can never go home…and I've failed them all. All the old Guardians…all those who might have been…I have ruined them.
She doesn't feel the impact of her knees in the freezing lunar water, nor does she see Zinea turn into The Mother's shoulder, or the civilians looking away, or Cornelia kneeling beside her with her eyes hidden behind her hand. For she has hunched over on the beach, bent over her sword, as sobs tear through her.
None of them can look, for none of them can bear to watch the last Guardian cry.
~À Suivre~