A/N: Thank you for all your reviews, I really would like to read more from you... and like you said, Athan was kind of a jerk to Serenity I know...but well, death is always unexpected and unwanted. A new stage is about to begin...so stay tunned. Enjoy.
Divinity: A question of Honor
Chapter twenty five
Artemis's steps echoed on the floor, walking past the two tall doors he entered the Lord of Time's throne room, swallowing hard he kept walking until he stopped a few meters away from Chronos' throne.
The Lord of time smiled slightly, knowing who the man in white tunic was "You have come all over from the Moon, what you have to tell me must be very important"
He knelt before the God of time and lowered his head in respect "Her Majesty Queen Serenity asked me to call for your assistance to the White Palace"
Chronos frowned "I do not sense any paradox in time…is she alright?" his voice was full of concern.
"King Athan is dead…" Artemis's voice echoed in the room, causing Chronos to stand up immediately.
"What are you saying?" the Lord of time lowered his gaze.
"We were attacked…and…" Artemis trailed off and raised his head "Queen Serenity is devastated"
Chronos turned to the doors behind him and closed his eyes "You need to be here, your presence is required with urgency"
In a flash of deep blue and black a man in a black attire appeared. A man with black hair, tied up in a low ponytail; his grey eyes soon after opened revealing all the depth he represented.
Artemis tried to dissimulate his fear for the God of the Underworld; he had never seen him in his life and heard he was a man with a complex character.
Chronos turned to look at him "Did you feel it?"
"A new soul has entered the underworld, it is still trapped" Hades deep voice echoed.
"Are you aware of which soul are we talking about?" Chronos asked.
Hades turned to look at Artemis kneeling on the floor "The Moon Kingdom has lost its King…" then turned to look at Chronos "I will have to go to take the rest of his body so his soul can be judged and taken to the place it belongs"
Chronos nodded and turned to look at Artemis "We will follow you, Artemis…"
00000000000000
Serenity caressed his face one last time and kissed his forehead, her tears fell on his face "I always loved you…and always will…"
The Gods of Time and Death walked through the long corridor behind Artemis, several men from the army were standing outside the royal chambers. Artemis stopped in front of the door and hesitated in opening it.
"We will take care from here Artemis…" said Chronos with his hand on the knob, Artemis nodded and waited outside like the rest of the army.
Both High Gods entered the room, Chronos looked around and saw the mess, walking further more he saw Serenity sitting next to her dead husband; feeling their strong presence she raised her tear stained face at them.
"Chronos…" she whispered.
Hades walked to them without saying a word and looked at Athan's lifeless body, closing his eyes he placed one hand on his forehead and opened them minutes after and turned to look at Serenity.
"His soul will rest in the underworld and will drink of Mnemosyne's fountain water so he can be sent to rest in Eliseus Fields" Hades said and placed his hands on the king's chest, a strong energy started to flow from them and filled Athan's lifeless body with it turning it into a sphere of light blue energy.
Serenity watched how her husband's body disintegrated, her eyes started to fill with hot tears again. Hades stood up with the energy made from his soul in his hands. It was time to say goodbye.
Serenity stood up next and looked at it and then directed her gaze at Hades "Thank you…" she whispered.
Hades nodded "It is very ironic how an immortal can actually cease to exist. But one thing is life and the other is the energy that nourish it, if one thing is taken away from the other there is a misbalance…and turns into a mere mortal body. In the end, our immortality cannot be eternal…"
Serenity watched the blue sphere on Hades' hands "We Gods have an uncertain life…"
Hades sighed and looked at Chronos "It is time…"
Chronos moved his staff and opened the link that connected their realm to the underworld with the help of Hades the room started fill with a dark blue light; a hole underneath their feet was formed. Hades turned to look at Serenity "He will rest in peace…" walking to the circle on the ground he soon disappeared. With a swift movement, Chronos closed the gate again.
"Athan…" the lunar queen sobbed.
Serenity's face was swollen for so much crying; her eyes were red and incredibly puffy, her usual style was down and her dress was wrinkled and stained.
Chronos hugged her tight and let her cry her heart out for another while. He knew that she called him not because she couldn't ask for Hades but because she needed him to be with her; he would be the one that could help her deal with the pain she was having, but he needed to know what happened.
"We need to get out of this room" Chronos' deep voice reached Serenity's confused and hurt heart.
"I can't Chronos…If I leave…I don't think I would be able to return and that means I'll have to leave what we had here…all those memories…" Serenity said softly.
"Serenity…"
Serenity raised her face at her friend "What am I going to do now Chronos? He was my husband, my friend…the father of my child…" the white queen gasped "Serenity…"
Chronos sat Serenity on a chair; kneeling in front of her he moved her bangs away from her face "You have your daughter that is going to need all your protection and guidance"
"He had an affair…" her voice was raspy and cold, new tears started to fall from her tired eyes.
Chronos looked at her with wide eyes "What are you saying?"
"I suspected it… we had so many difficult times…but I never imagined who might be the woman sleeping with him…"
"Why do you know all this?" Chronos wanted to know what happened, placing a hand on the white queen's shoulder "Serenity…what happened? Who killed Athan?"
Serenity stood up, wiping the tears off her face with her hands brusquely "Nehelenia…"
"What?" Chronos stood up "What was she doing here?"
"She came to meet Serenity…but she had so much hate towards me, my daughter and my mother…and…"she trailed off.
"And…?"
Serenity lowered her gaze "Athan had an affair with her…"
Chronos remained silent with wide eyes; he didn't know what to say. Serenity walked around the room and started to pick some things from the floor.
"Nehelenia was the woman who stole his thoughts those hard years I had with him. Nehelenia have always wanted this kingdom…her ambition took her very far… when she appeared here, she looked hurt and couldn't stand the fact that Athan and I were having a wonderful relationship and now had a child. She couldn't stand it and ended up killing him…" Serenity placed a broken vase near the hearth of her chamber's living room.
"I don't know what to say…I thought his behavior was because of Metallia…" Chronos said, helping her move a small couch back to its normal position. He knew she was doing that to distract her mind; the room didn't have any blood traces, just misplaced furniture and broken glass.
"She cursed Serenity, that is what worries me… even though I managed to use the sacred crystal and sealed her away on the mirror, she still cursed my child…" she sat on one of the small couches, Chronos followed.
"We all take care of you…you are now the head of the Alliance"
"I don't care about the Alliance anymore Chronos…that's something I built with him…and now that he's…" her voice was starting to break again and her eyes started to fill with fresh tears.
"Now it is more than ever that you have to keep the Alliance going…protecting your child was his last wish…we all going to fulfill that wish" Chronos held Serenity's hand.
"I will go and talk to the High Gods about what happened and start to prepare the funeral ceremony" Chronos stood up "Please…don't be alone in this room"
Serenity raised her head and looked at him "Take me with Luna and my child…please…" Chronos nodded and extended his hand.
000000000000000000000000000
"We got another announcement letter from Olympus…" Eris said with a soft voice while holding her child.
Ares raised his head and extended his hand "Did you read it?"
The dark haired woman shook her head no slowly "No…but its seal is black…"
Ares' grey eyes widened in surprise "Let me see…" he took the letter from Eris's hand, breaking the seal he started reading its content and paled "Oh…God…no…"
Eris noticed his sudden change of mood "What does it say?" asked with worry.
The piece of parchment fell from Ares' hand "Athan is dead…"
Eris' dark violet eyes widened in shock "It can't be!" her voice was full of surprise "H-How…" she trailed off.
Ares stood up immediately and went to change his clothes "I need to go to the funeral ceremony…Serenity must be devastated…"
Eris sat on the bed "Serenity needs a friend to be with her…" her voice were full of sadness.
"I will go as well…" Eris stood up and lay Mars on the bed and went to change her clothes as well.
Ares turned to the window of their chambers and sighed, his eyes were fixated on the blue planet hanging in the dark sky "She needs you beautiful…she needs you to be here…" he thought.
000000000000000000000
Serenity arrived at Olympus, she was wearing a half sleeve dark silver dress, her hair was down and tied in a low ponytail her hair was so long it almost reach her ankles. In her arms was Serenity asleep rolled up in a blanket with the same color as her mother's dress. Her heels clicked on the marble floor softly, Luna and Artemis walked behind her in silence.
Aphrodite saw her arrive and immediately walked up to her "Serenity…" she breathed.
The lunar queen tried to smile at her friend but with no avail, she felt empty inside "Aphrodite…" she whispered.
"Serenity…I'm so sorry for what happened…" Aphrodite placed a hand on her shoulder "Is there something I can do for you?"
Serenity looked at her with a sad expression "Nobody can bring him back…" her voice was full of hurt, she lowered her head and sighed "I'm sorry…I'm just…"
Aphrodite smiled "I understand Serenity…I know that no matter how many words we tell you, the wound in your heart is very deep…" Aphrodite turned to look at baby Serenity and cooed "Look at you… a beautiful pearl"
Serenity kissed her friend on the cheek "Thank you…" she said softly, walking to the audience room she took her sit on her silver chair with her daughter on her arms. Luna and Artemis sat next to her.
The Higher Gods were seated on their respective seats but this time Hades spoke first.
"I was very shocked when I learned that someone I knew personally had passed away. As you all know by the letter we sent to you notifying the circumstances of this small reunion, the White Moon Kingdom has lost its King…they were attacked unexpectedly and this cause the King's sudden death. To let his widow know, Mnemosyne has his soul as we speak and soon it will be taken to rest to Eliseus Fields next to the fallen but most honored warriors."
"To one honorable King who died protecting his family and Kingdom…" said Zeus "As he would have liked, the Alliance will strengthen making the Moon Kingdom the strongest and head of the Alliance"
Serenity stood up, her child on her arms "I want to thank you for your condolences, your support is what is going to keep me moving forward and the strength to protect my child…and it's because of this miracle of us, my daughter, Serenity…the link I will always have to his memory, that I will take care of this Alliance the same way he would have taken care of…that is why, in his name I call this era, the Silver Millennium…and it will be, the era of change, hope and success…"
Every god present started to clap their hands in a way to give Serenity's their support and acceptance of the new Alliance.
Serenity lowered her gaze and looked at her sleeping daughter "I will always love you Athan…no matter how much it hurts me being without you…but I swear to dedicate my life to protect this alliance and our precious child…" Serenity whispered to the air, hoping her late husband could hear her in his eternal resting place.
Dear readers thank you and please keep giving me your support.
I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters. Thank you.