Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife
Chapter Nine-Three
"It's all dust and debris charged with magnetic force making the current too heavy to tell what is happening inside that wormhole. All I can read are flashes of light caused by explosions..."
"We need to keep the barrier as steady as we can..." Uranus muttered "But I have never tried to fight such strong force like this before... it's like trying to catch a storm with a jar..."
"The waves of aftershock are making our ground unsteady and the oceans sway in epic proportions..." Jupiter said horrified "If this continues at this rate, this could be the end for us all..."
Mercury tried to gather more data that would give her a valuable lead into finding the prince, her blue eyes widened when she could locate Saturn's aura accompanied by another strong force, "They will be crossing to the Underworld any minute now..."
Venus turned with panic, "H-How can you tell...? You just said—"
Mercury frowned, frustrated for being limited with strategies to follow suit "It's ruler... is right there."
O—o—o—o—O
Inside the whirlpool, Endymion still held Chaos' corpse locked in the flames he summoned from the parhelion. The titan was already lost in his own torment but the remains of his energy were still too heavy and poisonous for him to endure and his body was starting to suffer its consequences by slowly shutting down. This is what it meant to summon the mighty power of the sun; what Obelix warned him but also promised he could master if his heart was set in the right place.
A trap inside of a trap. Endymion was being dragged back to Inferno as Hades had warned him; that he was more than sure. He was starting to feel weak; his vision had started to blur and to feel lost in the echoes and flares of both light and darkness.
As if one of the explosions had created a safe pocket, there was a sudden change of ambiance and a clearer air to breathe filling Endymion's lungs giving him a boost strong enough to help him slowly open his cobalt blue eyes; immediately, his lips parted with awe.
O—o—O
Far from the darkness and torment he was trapped in just mere moments ago, it was now a place full of light and peace. He felt so lightweight but it didn't seem he was floating in some sort of space despite not having anything above or below him that could confirm it.
Despite the lack of threat and alert, his breathing was still a little haste, coming out in faint puffs of steam as he breathed out even though there was no sense of coldness around him. Endymion looked down and realized Chaos' nor his weapon were nowhere to be seen; all it was as if it had vanished into that same pure air he was now engulfed with.
Completely taken aback and confused, panic even, Endymion firmly wanted to believe he wasn't dead but the sense of loneness made him wonder if he had been sent back to Purgatorio which was as unfortunate as being dead. After all, Hades had warned him, and the lord of the underworld was not going to jest about it.
A long sigh escaped him, one more of disappointment rather than defeat and exhaustion "This again..."
"Bonitatem fecisti, tua sublimitas,"
Endymion's indigo eyes rounded wide; recognizing the smooth and well-paced voice. The wise tone of his master and friend. He turned and saw Obelix standing close behind him wearing his usual white and gold robes contrasting beautifully with his dark skin.
A genuine smile matched the pride in his caramel eyes as he gave the prince a respectful bow to greet him. Endymion blinked, still very much dumbfounded "Obelix..."
"It seems my duty to the divines in the afterlife is to be a guide more than a priest." Obelix slowly raised his head "You have done well, Your Highness."
"This is..." Endymion looked around and sighed "It seems I have a soft spot for wandering the halls of Purgatorio; I keep coming back, no matter what."
Obelix broke in laughter, "You sound so used to it; I am astonished," His thick chuckles slowly died down "But to correct your words, young Prince, this is not the land of the wandering souls, but the answer to a solemn prayer."
Endymion frowned "A prayer...?"
"A prayer that allowed us to find you."
Endymion felt short of breath. Afraid of turning; afraid of this being a dream. Obelix did the task for him and stepped aside; Endymion slowly lifts his gaze and after more than two thousand years, his eyes finally found hers.
Gaia stood in all her regal glory with her luscious dark hair down in waves with crystal pins hanging like stars. Her beautiful cerulean gown swayed around her like the waves of the ocean, contrasting the subtle golden glow of her skin. Her prismatic hazel eyes gleamed with tears, showing the same emotion as they stared into each other's eyes.
Endymion felt like his heart had stopped for a few seconds feeling completely overwhelmed by seeing the two sides of his existence together finally joining both parts as a whole. The emotion of seeing everyone was making it difficult to keep it together.
Gaia felt her heart pounding in her chest. Her arms ached for wanting to hold her son but fear made her hesitate. Her eyes went wide when she saw him walk over to her and pulling her into a tight embrace; putting an end to her ancient torment.
Both broke into sobs the second they locked arms and held each other; Gaia let her tears wash away her sorrows and doubts. Endymion let his take away his grievance and regrets "Titaness of Earth, you are one deity very hard to find... at last... I get to see you..."
Gaia closed her eyes, letting her tears fall free "Endymion. I am sorry for not coming to you sooner... for not telling you the truth..."
Endymion shook his head "I'm sorry for not being understanding."
Gaia slowly pulled back; putting her hands on each side of her son's face "In my foolish way to protect you, I did not tell you the truth of your descendance; being that the real danger I was trying to keep you safe from. But even in darkness, you knew how to evolve, and I knew I could not let the same mistake happen again."
"I have had so many questions about what happened to you... That night I searched for you... but when I got there it was all gone... everyone had disappeared... everyone had died. Everything was taken from us."
Her slender fingers wiped the tears from Endymion's cheeks as she looked into his eyes, this time with nothing that would prevent her from telling her part in this two thousand year old battle.
"My life was not taken by Beryl's hand. Chronos intervened and guided my soul to rest in a different pocket in time he created for it to never be found by the gods. During that time, I was given the opportunity to remember who I was and just like you, I went through my own catharsis and learned from my mistakes that eventually would set the course of things and the pursuit of my undying quest to restore the little good left in our dynasty. What I knew Navus Helios wanted from his descendants from the very beginning..."
Gaia combed his long fringe aside, her touch so warm and gentle "I knew your father had been taken to the Underworld to pay for my crimes and lure me out of my hideout but I needed to make sure you were going to be all right first. When my dear Serenity used the Silver Crystal and learned your soul was going to be reborn... I knew what I needed to do to protect you. That was her way to aid me in this battle."
Endymion looked at her with tears in his eyes. Gaia took a deep breath, "And so, with Chronos help, I was able to guide your soul so you could be reborn into this new era as Chiba Mamoru... My Earth Protector."
Endymion felt completely taken by his emotions to know his divine mother had gone above and beyond to look out for him. When he felt his most alone, when he felt defeated, broken and angry, it made him realize how much he didn't know. How much she had to go through on her own. That his past, the one he cursed and tried to ignore when it all came back, had been guiding his path so he could live a better future.
"I was blissful and relieved when I learned you were welcomed into this new world with loving arms and high expectancy." Gaia made a sad frown when talking about his parents in the present, "...It was not meant to happen the way it did... my heart was shattered the moment I knew the hunt had started again. Chaos has been the catalyst for every single tragedy that had fallen upon us for thousands of years. Being this an easy justification for Hades to hunt for our souls, regardless of sacrificing innocent lives, yours included."
Gaia sighed heavily, answering to Endymion's silent question about him, "Chaos is my brother, yes, but so much confusion cannot wander unscathed and faulter the laws of the universe. Independently of how the Gods sees us Titans, and how they apply their laws, peace had to be restored. But to achieve that, it had to be tackled by taking other measures... and I had to reach out in any way that I could see possible."
"The visions..."
They were a warning from me."
"The girl in the field..." Endymion ran his hand through Gaia's dark hair "The cherry tree... It was you..."
"Yes,"
"You were the one responsible for the findings of our fallen kingdom."
"Yes,"
"You guided the archeologist there... the hunch, the voice she heard... that was you..."
"Yes." Gaia ran her hand through his long hair and looked up at her son, "From the first moment I tried to reach out to you... I knew it was not going to easy..." She took a deep breath and exhaled, "I have watched over you ever since you were reborn, Endymion. I have seen every fall, every loss and every struggle you have had in your life; every challenge and battle..."
Gaia's warm voice started to break with emotion "It broke my heart to see you so lonely, to see you feel so much pain... you were not ready. Until you found her, the girl with the hair of moonbeam and since then..."
"My life has never been dull or senseless," Endymion lowered his head "I had never felt like I belonged anywhere, until I met her... both times."
"She helped you gain strength and confidence," Gaia smiled, "She is one brave lady."
Endymion nodded "That she is."
"I knew the consequences would be great if you found out the truth with a troubled mind. I was not expecting Ares to intervene... but Chaos had a plan in motion ahead of ours. He knew you were more than capable of taking my place, but no one really thought about how you had a life aside from all this and how much you were trying to live with freedom. It was selfish of us... It was senseless of me to ask for such a heavy task..." Gaia watched him sigh lightly as Endymion looked down.
"I was angry when Ares appeared and told me a truth I knew I was desperately seeking. But all the answers I needed then, I wanted to burn them now. I couldn't understand why all this was happening so suddenly and to me, of all people. Then came the anger for feeling left out, untrusted. Then, for not being able to see you, and all that boiling remorse and fear to accept my fate took a toll on my relationship with Serenity. My greatest blessing."
Endymion took a deep breath, still unable to hold her gaze "It was like catching a cannonball without losing balance, but I learned to put my feet on the ground. Obelix brought back much sense I had lost and made me realize that I could actually let go and move forward without blaming my past. But to do that, I had to finish what could not be done back then. I had to find a way to free you from your sentence. Pater didn't deserve the fate that was imposed to him; my family could not be forgotten and left under that thick cast of malice. But most importantly, I had to live for the wonderful woman by my side whom I swore to protect and adore for the rest of my life. My future is her. The rest is just duty; she is my beacon of light."
"And that same beacon of light is who guided us to find you."
"I've hurt her, Mater..." Endymion finally looked up with tears in his eyes, "She's suffered... she is in pain..."
Gaia smiled softly and put her warm hands on each side of his face "Then you need to rip that pain away. It is time you go back to her and bring back sunshine into her life... you need to keep fighting."
"What will be of Chaos?"
"The nightmare is over; Chaos' soul cannot reincarnate anymore. The golden crystal acknowledges you as its successor and destroyed his bond with reality. His aura has been consumed by its primal source and as such, it returns back to us."
Chaos' doubled bladed glaive appeared in Gaia's hand, her hazel eyes looked at it with melancholy when remembered the times he watched him train and fight with it; another weapon that was once crafted especially for Helios. No one denied Chaos' mastery in every move he made and the weapon was a true reminder of his skill as Gaia stared at its blade, "It is our duty to protect what remains from Chaos and to never allow to fall into the wrong hands. The legend attached to his name and his legacy is what will remain and what you must be most careful of."
"And I will be ready to fight, if that time comes. It is your legacy, the good in us, what I will always cherish and protect with most honor." Endymion tilted his head, his dirty cheek pressed on Gaia's warm hand "But what about you? What will become of you? Where will you go?"
Gaia smiled, "I will go where I am needed, where I belong." She combed his long fringe to the side "The same way you are,"
"What happens now?" Endymion frowned as he looked around, "What will be of the truth that was uncovered?"
"That is up to you, Endymion. Something you need to find out on your own."
"Mater..." Endymion took a deep breath, trying his best not to break. Gaia's smile widened, "Dear, our time has passed. Your grandparents, your father, and myself guided and protected Earth in the best way we could; how it was needed back then. But this era is no longer our time. We are part of the past and you... you were reborn to continue our legacy in the future. Live freely; do what it is best for it to live in greatness with the great love of your life. Earth has a great guardian and leader watching over it... but its achievements may not depend on wearing a crown. Be the title, do not wear it."
"It's bitter... to finally be able to see you, knowing that you will leave again," Endymion looked at her with emotion. Gaia sniffed lightly, "I will always be close. Just close your eyes and you'll feel our energy in the air; in the grass, in the trees and the clouds in the sky. We'll be there in every wave of the ocean, in every flower blooming, every leaf falling, and every flake of snow... You are one with the Earth, just like me, that is our greatest treasure."
Gaia couldn't keep her tears any longer, "And if you really need to see us... just remember us with love and we'll be there. Don't forget about us, Titans and humans. Do not let go of this wonderful treasure because you are one of a kind."
Endymion leaned down and pressed his forehead to Gaia's "I love you, Mater."
"I love you too, my Setting Sun. Thank you, for making me the happiest woman in the universe." Gaia smiled in tears and pressed her arms tighter "Please... Tell him it's all right now. I'm happy." She whispered and slowly pulled back, her hazel eyes teary; they both feeling the loom of their time coming to an end.
In a flash of light, King Eros appeared next to his wife wearing his dark green uniform and blue sash with his honorary medal gleaming in the light like a twinkling star.
"Pater..." Endymion breathed with relief.
King Eros smiled, "That key was certainly a magical one. I have nothing but gratitude and admiration for you, Endymion. What you have done for this family has no point of comparison to what I did during my reigning days as King of Elysion." He walked closer as he took the blue sash and medal off his collar and clasped it around his son's neck "This belongs to our future. I put the future of our land in your hands; I am very proud of you, my son. Be wise, be patient, be passionate."
"You are certainly right, Eros."
Endymion tried to control his breathing as he slowly turned to find Odell and Narella standing next to the king. Odell smiled "My, look how much you have grown!" He chuckled in his usual loud self "You most certainly do not play with your wooden horses anymore!" The older king laughed and nudged his queen gently "Am I right, Narella?"
"Absolutely," The exquisite elegance of Queen Narella shown through as she nodded with a smile "Who better to represent us, than a fine warrior like my grandson."
"And a kind-hearted man as well." Leonidas grinned, "A little mischievous too, I must add, but brave none the less."
Endymion felt a knot in his throat making it hard for him to speak when he saw Leonidas holding Aurea's hand as they appeared coming and stand next to the lking "Leonidas... Aurea..."
Aurea's beaming smile was as precious as always. She pointed her finger up "Always remember that whenever you get grumpy, you can't smile and be happy so..."
"There is no fun in that... I'll always remember," Endymion could hold his tears and let them slowly stream down his cheeks. Aurea came closer and cupped his cheek, her smile intact, "I love you," her voice broke with emotion and cleared her throat.
"I love you too," Endymion whispered and leaned his head on Aurea's shoulder "Thank you for everything... for always staying by our side..." He took a deep breath to calm his breathing, "I'm happy Aurea... I am very happy."
Aurea pulled back and smiled "I knew you would stay strong... it isn't like you to surrender."
"Fit for a Titan, all right."
Nut and Geb appeared in the same flash of light as the rest, their eyes with the same prismatic glow and intense hues in their eyes so full of bottled up emotion as they stood next to their daughter, Gaia.
"I only got to see you for a brief moment... but I know you carry goodness in your heart with pride. Hold your head up high, always." Nut smiled without guilt or shame, for the first time in centuries, her soul was finally at peace "Be proud of who you are, for you are a part of a legion of great warriors."
"Indeed." Geb nodded "A Titan is a force of nature, hold your pride, but your good judgement always must stay higher."
"I will pay tribute with honor," Endymion smiled and bowed his head at them in true respect, remembering their brief meetings back on the moon, before tragedy stroked them all.
"Prince Endymion..."
His heart stopped. He recognized that voice.
Endymion slowly turned over his shoulder and saw its sweet owner standing next to Obelix. His sapphire eyes widened and instantly filled with tears "M-Megumi..."
Megumi smiled and slowly bowed her head, but before she could say anything else, Endymion had gone to her and pulled her into a tight brotherly hug "Megumi..." he breathed in her hair "...Why? What did you do?!"
Megumi tightened her arms around the prince and took a deep breath "It is all right, my Prince." She slowly pulled back after a couple of minutes and looked up with flushed cheeks "I am finally at peace... I found my place. I found my calling."
"What happened?" Endymion whispered; eyes shut.
"I put my trust in Princess Serenity's and your hands, My Prince. The shadows were threatening to spread all over Elysion; I could not allow that. I heard my calling." Megumi smiled "You once told me, that I should pursue my dreams... and now, I have the opportunity to do so, to use my knowledge for a greater good."
Obelix stood close to the maiden and put his hand over her shoulder, "Megumi is now to become a shrine maiden in Elysion. Her mission now is to protect the light and dreams of all the souls in its sacred temple... she is the most qualified for the task, to be an ally to Elysion's High Priest."
Endymion smiled as he held her hands, tears stream down his eyes "You are so brave. How can I begin to thank you for everything you have done? You brought into my life so much more than just a sword. You gave me the key to my past; you helped me remember. You challenged my belief system to become a better person for Usa, for this world... and for myself. I know Elysion's dreams are well protected with you watching over them. You and I will work together to keep every single candle alive."
"Oh, My Prince, I feel so far behind. I know little to nothing about praying to the gods. I should have asked Lady Mars for more advice..." Megumi blushed when Endymion pinched her cheek gently "You will learn... there is nothing you cannot do, Megumi. Helios will teach you and I will always be there for guidance you when you need it."
"Did she reach you? Did Princess Serenity's prayer reach you?" Megumi stared with worry "...She has been praying for you without rest... she has not left your side despite her body betraying her and her voice is almost gone. She has not stopped calling for you, My Prince."
Endymion sniffed, slowly nodded, "I know, Megumi. I heard her voice... I hear her calling... I must go back... I must go to her."
Megumi smiled "I was always certain that you would."
Feeling his time short he gave her one last hug and pulled back, "You know where to find us... we'll always welcome you with open arms."
Megumi bowed her head allowed Obelix step in for one last moment with the prince; he sighed with relief, "Do not forget your roots, Endymion."
"Thank you for everything, Obelix."
"Et Latine," The priest pointed up, making the prince chuckle lightly "Gratias tibi ago pro omnem, Obelix. Et non obliviscaris."
(Thank you for everything, Obelix. I will never forget.)
Obelix bowed his head, "Long live our next High King, Endymion De Terra."
The same beam of light that brought them together was pulling Endymion back with stronger force; his soul responding to the prayer calling for his return. He turned to his family and saw them slowly vanishing in specks of golden light, finally free and finding their resting place in the universe.
He stretched his arm, being Gaia the last one to hold his hand and give him something before the planes started to divide them and were pulled away.
"Be happy and in freedom with your one great love... I love you, my Setting Sun."
Her smile was the last thing he saw before the lapse of time had suctioned to its end and started to tick forward again.
"Open your eyes Endymion...Wake up..."
O—o—O
In an instant, Endymion opened his eyes and gasped for air; realizing he was still in the middle of the storm that was now led by Saturn to the gates of the Underworld. He looked down when he felt something hot in his hand and realized the object Gaia handed him before their departure was the core of energy from Omega's black hole trapped inside a crystal case, something he was sure, she had done with it to keep it from exploding while he was unconscious. He released his cape and quickly wrapped it and secured it across his chest like a tourniquet to keep it from getting lost without compromising movement.
In a fast recollection of events and calculations, Endymion looked up at the void being sucked by the centrifugal force caused by Saturn and Pluto's summons. If he didn't think of something fast, he would be pulled along with the demons and shadows ripped off from every crevice imaginable. By now, he knew he wasn't in the same plane as the rest; that he was somewhere in between the living realm and the underworld, where Earth was just another speck in the universe, unable to be visible from the distance and likely suffering the consequences of his entrapment in this manic storm that still continued its course to its end.
A strong grip in his calves forced him to look at the streams of dark waters below as the shadows had started to notice his woken presence and like moths to a flame, were instantly attracted to the energy around him. Limited with fighting resources and aware that he could disrupt the continuum if he used more energy than he already has, he had to think of other options and he had to think fast.
Holding on from a demon he knocked out of consciousness, he slowly turned to his side, dizzy now from the vile energy he was breathing when a tall shadow moving in his direction caught his attention. His eyes widened when he saw none other than his friend from the Underworld.
Covered in his distinctive dark cloak, Charon steered his longboat closer, his fiery eyes gleaming with intensity "Aye, aye... I knew this gleam was not coming from a common sinner!"
Charon quickly offered his paddle for him to hold on and pulled him to his boat. Endymion coughed and rubbed his face with his sleeve, although did little to wipe the grime and gore from his face "Oi, Old Man. Is this how you salute old friends?"
"Of all the faces I have seen... yours was not one I was expecting, Boy,"
"Well... what can I say, a lot of things fall upon us unexpectedly,"
"So, I heard..." Charon stared, still a little incredulous but Endymion's long hair gave enough resemblance for Charon to find the end of the mystery "And for what I can see, you have been quite busy..."
Endymion took one deep breath and looked at the ferryman "This isn't over. I am not over, and I am not going to cave."
"Boy?"
"I don't need to be told we are past beyond the storm that limits the boundaries of Earth from everything else. This is the river that divides your realm from mine; the very one that sails us in and out of the Underworld. You being here is not a coincidence, but a command from your Lord to make sure I am going straight back to hell."
Charon stayed silent, granting Endymion the lead in their conversation "But as you well know by now, Old Man, I come from a dynasty of feisty ones. I don't settle, and staying in the underworld is not even an option." He arched his brow "And if I remember correctly, you and I have an agreement for that medal I gave you as payment."
"Nay, nay. I do not recall any medals under my possession, Boy," Charon used his paddle to throw more shadows into the deep river. Endymion frowned; while it worked and formed an alliance before it didn't mean it the same opportunity would present itself again. After all, Charon was ambitious in his own right and not just that, he was loyal to his master.
"I told you not to... Ugh, nevermind." Sighing, Endymion pushed himself up and walked to the opposite end of the longboat "I don't care. It's your loss, not mine."
"Oi, Boy, what are you—"
"—As glad I am to see a friendly—or so—face, I am running out of time."
"These are treacherous waters, Boy," Charon pointed one long bony finger at him "You fall, and you won't be able to get out."
Endymion frowned "I think I risked enough to have second thoughts for my actions at this point," he walked past the old ferryman and was stopped by his bony hand holding onto his arm. To his action, Endymion slowly turned enough to speak but didn't look at him; his long dark hair fell over to the side covering half of his face "You kept your word and helped her get away from the Underworld, and for that, I will be forever grateful to you, Ferryman. But make no mistake, my gratitude is one thing, but my duty is another; it does not mean I can't stab you with that paddle in your hand and turn this boat into ashes with a flick of my wrist if you stand in my way."
His golden rimmed irises peaked through his long fringe, locking with Charon's fiery ones "Hades doesn't have the final word on this matter, this isn't over."
Charon stood still, his hand still holding onto the prince's arm, unable to let go. The low tone in Endymion's voice was enough for the ferryman to understand the man before him had done more than just raiding the underworld and he was fascinated by it.
The word of the pact indeed reached his ears. Hades indeed had ordered for him to go find him and take him back but again, his duties clashed with his real interests and his newfound curiosity. Without another word, Charon raised his bone paddle and threw more purging souls into the dark waters below before changing their course.
Endymion glanced down at his hand still holding tight onto his arm, then at the man but remained silent. Charon kept his eyes staring ahead, the vivid color of his irises was the only thing visible from the shadow of his cloak covering his long face "Aye... aye... my predictions never fail..." a long hum followed his more somber voice. His eyes finally moved to locked with Endymion's piercing ones "And I too have my pending dues to pay."
Endymion's brows furrowed slightly; he was confused. Charon's face came to view enough to show his grin "I do not believe everything I hear, Boy. What do you take me for? The adventure was well worth what you paid for my services."
Endymion gave the man a complicit smirk, remembering he told him that when they met "Your Master will find your lack of loyalty everything but amusing."
"I have more lifetimes than I can count that could prove my loyalty to Hades, and right now, the rivers are crashing on each other... Souls can get lost easily in these thick waters... I do not believe it is of his most convenience to lose the very one that does the dirty work or sorting them into their right course." Charon grunted as he kept manipulating the boat against the direction of the storm. "Besides, that Titan of Dementia caused a really big mess. It will take centuries to put things back into its original order."
"Well, he was not called Chaos for nothing," Endymion said nonchalantly "But that is where our duty truly starts; things need to be sorted in a better order, otherwise, we would reboot this whole ordeal. Which is why before I leave, I need to deliver something first."
Endymion raised his hand; a silent summon for the golden staff. The energy pulsing at its top morphed into the same long blade of light that pierced through Chaos. Impressed by its caliber, Charon watched the weapon glide across countless shadows for the ferryboat to keep moving against the currents. The weapon itself was imposing, Endymion's mastery of it almost bewitching. Charon wasn't an entity that came out of the underworld, he knew well what the prince was holding in his hand.
Finally, there was light on the other side of the storm. Charon used his paddle to keep hooking and throwing the lamenting souls into the waters and pointed ahead "We are in between realms now, Boy. Things will get tricky from here,"
"That's all right, Old Man." Endymion took one deep breath, anxiety and excitement tingling in the tips of his fingers as he stood on the edge of the boat, ready to jump out. He was close, so close. He felt it. He felt her.
A soft smile peaked at the corner of his lips "My fate is in beautiful hands."
O—o—o—o-O
On the Moon, the effects of distortion were felt heavily as well. Since their arrival, Artemis and Luna followed Serenity's orders and went straight to the praying tower that would keep them safe from the thick cloth of poison clogging the universe.
Luna kept praying for the princess's safety when a call for help reached her thoughts and was asked to lend her energy through the crystal tower. Her burgundy eyes opened "I can feel Usagi-chan's light... She's calling..."
"I wished I knew what's happening..." Artemis' worried voice echoed inside the quiet temple. A slow grunt made Luna turn to him "Artemis?"
"I wish I knew how to do this..." Artemis frowned, "Queen Serenity prepared me for moments of crisis but never for this... I feel so limited... So useless." His green eyes blinked; Luna's warm hand cupped his cheek. She smiled, giving him the sweetness he needed in times like these "I understand why Megumi-san stayed. It was because, despite her limitations, she has never doubted the prince. Hope is her weapon... And it should be ours too."
Artemis blinked, "Luna..."
"Usagi-chan sent us here because she trusts us. Because she needs us here. She has unlocked the power of the Silver Crystal, that only means she is still fighting and we must help her."
"How?"
"Just open your heart... believe in our Princess, believe in the girls." Luna tugs on Artemis' sleeve and walked back to the power and put his hand over the cold stone "Breathe... Listen... And just wish for their safety. We all want to live in peace, we all want to be happy and that is what we need to focus our minds on."
The same soothing light went into Artemis' body, charging him with that same conviction. He slowly closed his eyes "Venus... I believe in your leadership. Please... Be safe..."
O—o—o—o—O
From his position, Ares gave the signal to the polemarchos to blast the wormhole to eliminate the cosmic trail Chaos left behind and send it to oblivion into the warp Pluto had created.
"No!" Sailor Moon yelled so loud, her throat hurt, causing her voice to come out strained.
Horrified, Venus stood by Sailor Moon's side and joining forces with her as she kept praying to the beam of light going into the pitch-black sky, rejecting all thoughts of loss. Her blue eyes widened when she saw the princess stumble a little in her stance; she didn't need to be told the crystal had started to demand more than her body could handle.
"Damn it!" Jadeite gritted his teeth "We won't be able to withstand this!"
"Keep it together, everyone!"
Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and the outer senshi, Uranus and Neptune stood by their side, all joining forces to keep blasting the remains of the storm that was now under Saturn's full control and Pluto who still had the gates forged open for all of it to cross and lock the planes of space and time.
"I am losing strength!" Nephrite said with clenched teeth "The pillars are collapsing!"
"Earth is not responding!"
"This won't hold much longer!"
"We must...!" Zoisite turned in Jadeite's direction "We must not yield!"
On the other side, Kunzite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Jadeite kept trying to hold on the seal of the cardinal points to keep the earth from collapsing but the magnetic force and energy from the sun summoned by Endymion were cracking the sacred protection, jeopardizing their position and their lives.
The winds picked up, so the strong sways of the oceans moving back and forth with tall were crashing beyond the shore and into buildings. The ground shook fiercely, and the temperatures were erratic between bolts of heat and the bone-chilling cold of the atmosphere. Earth had reached its breaking point and it had started to collapse inside out. The future was becoming feeble, it was a ticking bomb close to exploding.
"The fate of this planet will not fall to the wrath of the gods..."
Sailor Moon looked up the thick clouds that thundered with reddened eyes brimmed with tears and on the verge of a nervous breakdown as she watched Ares and the other polemarchos tearing the fibers of reality.
"Goddess Selene... this is why you sided with Titans during the Titanomachy... the Gods were not listening..."
She felt a strong gust of energy moving at her command. Short for breath and with a knot in the pit of her stomach; uncertainty was ripping all hope she had left. She felt close to collapsing when tingling in her body and a strong throb in her chest made her wake from her somber stage.
From his pillar of energy, Kunzite watched Sailor Moon walking towards the storm breaking apart and looked up "Wait! We need to keep the barrier secure as much as we can!"
Her heart beating stronger with each step she took no matter how many times she stumbled and fell. Determined, she walked into the barrier; her steps picking up speed towards the void and rushed to jump in. The girls turned frantic when they all saw Sailor Moon disappear into the thick streams of dust and smoke. Venus froze, she felt her heart stopping.
"N-No..." The blonde shook her head, "No... you can't... you... can't..." Tears smudged the dirt on her face in long streams, "Usagi!"
"Princess!" Kunzite cursed under his breath, feeling limited to do anything else. At this point, he had done as much as he could and even his body had started to feel like it was giving in. He had used more energy than his body could handle; out of breath, he fell to his knees as he saw see himself and his brothers close to vanishing.
"Usa-chan!" Jupiter shook her head and turned to Mars with tears brimming her eyes "W-Wait... what..."
Mars swallowed. Her tongue ran over her chapped lips; the motion trying to keep her from breaking into tears. Jupiter frowned at her lack of reaction and turned brusquely. Before she could interrupt her link with the rest of the girls, Mars turned with eyes red with tears "Don't you dare,"
"Mars..."
"Don't you dare break the link, Jupiter." Mars frowned "We must stay united," She blinked her tears, allowing them to roam free "Wouldn't you do the same, Mako?"
The question felt heavy in Jupiter's chest; she knew the answer to that powerful question but still, the answer was bitter to say. From her position, Uranus frowned "She is not giving up and neither are we." The blonde turned to her Amazon friend, "It's been long since she stopped being afraid of the dark."
"I am getting signals!" Mercury widened her eyes as she read the numbers and codes in her goggles. Jupiter turned "Is it them?!"
Neptune let out a deep breath, "Saturn has crossed..."
Uranus' lips tightened and turned to the soldier of revolution "This only means Pluto is about to close the gates..."
O—o—O
The light of her tiare pulsed, clearing the air for her as she went deeper into the storm. The second she was in, the sense of distortion was proven an unwelcoming force. The brash debris scraping and cutting her porcelain skin and restricting her body as she tried to keep moving forward.
Despite feeling being pushed in all directions, she stood her ground. She felt it, the energy that made her body safe and warm; she kept walking, it was close, the presence that made her feel precious and enamored. Sailor Moon looked up and raised her tiare and released the power of the silver crystal to pierced through the infinite stream of the winds of the fourth dimension.
"Don't lose sight of me..." Serenity muttered like a lullaby into the violent air, "Open your eyes Endymion... Wake up..."
A golden beam of light pulsed high above like the sun in the sky. Serenity's eyes squinted to protect them from the intensity but her lips kept speaking inaudible words of love in response to the beating of her heart. Her lips parted, her breathing fastened, her eyes finally found what they were looking for.
Endymion had jumped out of Charon's ferryboat into the currents of the fourth dimension through the loophole between realities and linked his energy with Serenity's to find his way back just in time before Pluto used her long key rod to start locking the gates, but as he crossed, shadows infiltrated.
Sailor Moon ran over to meet with him when another shake made her stumble and fall on her knees, hurting her in the process. She tried to push herself up again before the shadows caught up to her when she heard his deep voice echoing in an ancient language. Her heart stopped.
"Solaris Ardeat!"
Patterns of light spread across surrounding her in a protective shield of light and fire, burning the demons threatening her. Sailor Moon looked up, and from the streams of molten amber, Endymion appeared walking towards her. His long hair swirled brusquely with the strong gusts of wind that it was hard to see his face, but she knew deep in her heart it was him and that he was looking at her.
Seconds never felt more eternal. Time had seemed to stop despite seeing him moving; Sailor Moon wanted to get up but her body had weakened because of her constant use of the crystal. She tried once more, but this time, a pair of arms helped her get up on her feet and instantly a swarm of emotions came over her.
Sailor Moon couldn't hold it any longer and burst into tears; his arms only felt tighter around her and it finally hit her, he was holding her; Endymion had really gone back for her.
"Usako,"
His voice was the solid proof that she wasn't dreaming. Sailor Moon slowly looked up, already a mess in tears "You found me... you kept your promise..." she said between sobs. Endymion moved one hand to cup her wet cheek and rubbed his thumb gently across her bruised skin "You pray, I listen... that is my solemn vow to you, Moon Princess."
Sailor Moon cried louder as she held on to him to dear life "I was so scared you wouldn't hear me..."
"Your voice is the only thing that eases my troubled mind."
"I was terrified you wouldn't find your way back..."
"Your light is too bright to get lost in the coils of darkness, Serenity."
She felt him move back a little, his hands now resting on her shoulders. After long hours of struggle, Serenity had found relief. His eyes were barely seen, but she caught a glimpse of what she thought looked like vivid gold in between his dark strands and felt chills down her spine.
"Right now, we stand between realities, mortal and divine. This isn't the end of the storm."
The low tone in his voice pulled her out of her little reverie, putting her feet back on the ground and the seriousness of reality. Sailor Moon looked around before realizing that in fact, none of them were on Earth right now.
"...Ares gave the command of annihilation,"
Endymion gently his thumb over Sailor Moon's bottom lip, "I know, and I will take part of it but first and foremost, my duty stands on the line to protect Earth and that's exactly what I am going to do. I made a deal with this badass warrior that we would join forces and fight together."
"Yes, you did, Sol Polemarch." Sailor Moon held his hand and took a deep breath, holding her tears the best she could. Endymion leaned down and pressed his forehead on hers and took a deep breath "I also promised to do anything in my power to bring you sunshine again, My Love. I'll fight for you until the very end. I want this to be a world where you can live free and at peace and I intend to keep it."
Sailor Moon closed her eyes, her fingers numbing while curling in his chest, but their little moment soon came to have another intermission.
"It won't be long before Pluto closes the gate to the fourth dimension. Being that the last chance to go home." Endymion looked ahead "We need to break this loop so we can get out and close the tear between realms. Chaos trail is still very powerful and if not contained, it will affect everything we know to exist."
She wanted to ask, she wanted to know what happened to Chaos and to Saturn. She was hesitant to know about the deal he made with Hades. She wanted to know more but his silence and the tension in the air made her think about the moment they parted ways in the underworld. Her thoughts were interrupted by another loud rumble, pushing all of her questions aside as they still had things to do before she could get the answers she needed. Sailor Moon nodded, she turned when another loud explosion echoed "Then... let's clean up this mess. I'm sick of this dirt!"
Sensing the tension in her body, Endymion stood back to back with Sailor Moon and smirked, "Excuse me, is this my wife who I am speaking to?"
"Of course, who else?"
"You? Talking about cleaning?"
Sailor Moon grinned, she knew him too well "Hey! I do clean!"
"Yeah, like that vacuum filter hidden in the closet..."
"Ugh, you and your vacuum..."
"You made me buy that vacuum! You were the one who insisted we needed that exact vacuum!"
"It was half the price in the infomercial! It would have cost us much more in a department store!"
"Well, repairing it will cost us just as much, so there you go,"
"W-What?! Seriously!?"
"Don't think I didn't notice what you did,"
"It was an accident!"
Endymion sighed "God, I missed you..."
O—o—o—o—O
Pluto was in the eyes of everyone but it was difficult to ignore the disaster coming their way with Ares' sentence of wrath. Mars frowned with frustration, ""Is this... it? Is this what we fought so much for?"
"Mars..." Neptune turned to her with the same somber expression. Mars licked the single tear that slid into her parched lips "Father... What have you done...?"
"Hold on!" Mercury kept reading the incoming information "The signals are getting stronger..." Her blue eyes went wide "A strong source of power is coming towards us!"
"What did you say, Mercury?" Venus turned over her shoulder, by now, all of them had stopped in their tracks and helped the shitennou keeping the cardinal points strong. Her voice instantly changed "Is it them?!"
Mercury nodded "It's the same energy that broke out when Endymion and Chaos disappeared into that storm."
"I can feel it..." Zoisite said as he looked up. Jadeite's gray eyes widened "I sense the same energy... it's him!"
"The star of Leo is resonating!" Nephrite nodded. Kunzite smiled weakly, of the four, he was the most exhausted "Well done, Princess."
"We need to move!" Uranus said "They're not coming alone,"
"More shadows?" Venus frowned "No, we need to—"
"You go ahead..."
Venus shook her head "Are you insane?!"
"We need to keep—"
"No!"
"Venus!"
"No! I won't leave without you, Kunzite!"
Kunzite exhaled, his face somber, his blinks becoming slower every time "Venus, this is our mission, why we are here. We cannot win if we stand all in one place."
"If you can't stay with me, I don't care about winning."
"Venus..."
Venus shook her head, her tears not even a problem "Fate can't be this bitter for I haven't done anything wrong. I can't fall in love so deeply only to be torn apart again the next time I open my eyes. You can't be part of a bad dream, Kunzite, you can't leave me behind!"
Kunzite took a deep breath and pulled Venus to him with one hand that quickly moved to dried her falling tears "I am not leaving you behind, but this is something that must be done, Venusian girl." His thumb caressed her lips very gently, his gray eyes staring into her cornflower blue ones "You know it has to be done, and I believe that you will." He leaned as close as he could to her, but none the less, it was bittersweet not being able to even touch her lips "...We will wake up."
Venus stood on her tiptoes and closed the small gap between them in a quick but tender kiss, letting her tears smudge on his face as well. With their lips objecting being pulled away from each other; their eyes met but no more words were spoken. Venus took one look at Kunzite's handsome face and with a slow nod, she turned to walk away.
Just as Neptune had said, Saturn had crossed to the Underworld. Now, it was now time to sort order. With a heavy heart, Pluto began to shut the locks on the gates when she noticed when she saw a burst of light moving against the currents. Her garnet eyes widened once she sensed the aura behind it.
The beam of light landed, revealing Sailor Moon ready to attack. She turned to Venus and nodded "Join the Shitennou to keep the Cardinal Points safe! This is our moment to counter-attack! We will take care of the blast!"
"W-We?"
Her blue eyes widened at the brief glance of a man in armor, her lips parted and turned to her princess "You did it..." Without wasting any more time, Venus commanded the girls to all take their position for attack. By any means, they were going to let this ruin their lives.
Mars reached out for the blonde's arm, stopping her in her tracks; Venus turned without a shame of her running tears. She pulled her into her arms and shook her head "I'm scared too... I'm terrified... but we can't let this fear eat us alive. We can't fight for what comes next if we give up now." She shook her to pull her out of her emotional trance "Let's do this, Venus."
Venus sniffed and wiped her tears with her glove, a nod and she was determined "Let's fucking do this," She turned with her golden chain in hand and pointed in the portal's direction "Everyone! Give in your all! And by any means yield to failure! Do not stop!" She aimed her hands, unleashing the power of her aura "Venus Crystal Power!"
"Mars Crystal Power!
"Jupiter Crystal Power!"
"Mercury Crystal Power!"
"Neptune Crystal Power!"
"Uranus Crystal Power!"
"Pluto Crystal Power!"
"Sailor Planet Attack!"
Sailor Moon stood next to Endymion at the very edge of the wormhole going into the void of space. Endymion looked up "Let's do this Sailor Moon,"
"Ready!"
Endymion nodded and charged a vast amount of energy in between his hands in a similar way from when he forced Chaos to come out of his hiding "I evoke the elemental force of the Sun's revealing light, to the lightning's strike and the meteors blazing arc!" Sparks of fire started to ignite to his command as he moved his hands to aim at the wormhole and the chain of reaction coming from Ares' command.
From their high location, Endymion took advantage of the gusts of wind and the energy of his prayer to throw himself into the storm. Endymion jumped to get as close as possible to its core, a tactic already planned with the princess before returning to earth as they locked their powers as one; Endymion depending on Sailor Moon's light to steer his way.
Using its centrifugal force to his advantage, at this point Endymion's best bet was to close the gates before the constellation imposed by Ares and the celestial army finished its process of annihilation so Earth would not suffer the consequences of a nuclear assault.
The god of war raised a new long sword and charged the chain of reaction connecting with each other.
"Cosmic Ray Collision!"
Following Ares' order of alliance, Aegeus and Centaurus spotted Endymion in his position greatly shocked to be there and ready to join the other polemarchos in their order of annihilation.
Along with Ares, Zeus had joined forces with the polemarchos and took matters from outside while Hades took back control as Saturn remained on her path back into the underworld.
Aegeus watched with both amazement and confusion; he took his honorary place as second in command and was first to blast his attack "Orion's Belt!"
Centaurus aimed and charged second "Omega Centauri!"
Each polemarch attacked with the power of the star connecting each other in a constellation of lights exploding in all directions threatening the pillars from the cardinal points.
Like a true descendant of Gaia, officially taking her place in the celestial army. Channeling the power from the golden crystal into his staff taking its form in its pointed blade of light a strong light lit up the crystal blade, Endymion traced the symbol of the sun and the earth, "Termination Shock!"
Without hesitation, Sailor Moon stood her ground and took her place in the battle. She summoned for her moon royal tiare to channel the power of the silver crystal "Selene's light, allow my prayers of divine intervention to be heard throughout the universe and on this sacred land!" She held it up high "Silver Moon Crystal Eternal Power!"
The clash of different energies challenged the invisible wall of gravity on Earth, sending another forceful earthquake that threatened the balance the shitennou had been trying to maintain in Endymion's absence; a shock Sailor Moon took upfront and shielded everyone with the power of the silver crystal.
Silver and gold, both charges of energy reacted to each other, weaving into one grandiose blast of fire and light that went up right at the pit of the wormhole, surpassing all layers of reality through cosmic plane reaching the core of the darkness and joining the catastrophic power of Ares' celestial command.
With this vast amount of energy, Pluto was able to tear the fibers of the realms merged together and manipulate the gears of time and space and raised her key rod:
"Dark Dome Close!"
Everything unraveled with seconds of separation, like ticks of a clock, pulsing in everyone's head as it happened. As soon as the echo of the gates closing, an explosion of gargantuan proportions lit up the entire sky making it look as it was daytime. Everyone from every corner in the world was able to see the sky change of colors and hear the rumbling echoes that hummed like deep horns all over the globe.
Sailor Moon stayed in position with the crystal active to continue purifying the earth and do as much damage control as possible. The aftermath came afterward with a strong shot of magnetic force that triggered the pace of gravity to go back to its normal levels on earth, bringing down with countless pieces of stone and all that was stripped from the ground by the storm.
The sky still lit and thundered through the thick clouds that slowly began to move, some of them had already started to dissolve, revealing more of that colors that peeked through the stratosphere.
The sound of gravel and dust filtering through the cracks and holes of the abandoned building was enough for Motoki to know whatever happened outside, had died down. The absence of growls and whispers, the heartless cold, despite still chilling him to the bone, it didn't feel hostile anymore. The inhuman gust of wind was also no more.
It was finally over.
"Is everyone alright?"
From his safe hideout, Motoki cleared his throat, trying to keep a calm tone in his voice.
"What was that?"
A girl came out of her hiding and looked around with a startled face "I-Is this..." she stumbled "Are we saved?"
An older man helped another victim stand up and dusted his torn clothes "I don't know..."
Motoki went to a mother's aid with her child stand from the ground and walked outside of the building once he made sure everyone was safe and sound despite the bruises and cuts they all managed to gain through the whole ordeal. He heard the voices echo inside the largely empty building, all anxious and curious about what just happened.
"It's all so quiet..."
"If it's not for the thunder, I would have guessed it was an explosion."
"Did you see the super bright light in the sky? Do you think it was an atomic bomb?!"
"It was them..."
The final statement made him look up at the sky that was still pulsing with light as if the explosions were still happening deep inside but safe to say it was far enough from any more danger.
"You did it..." Motoki mumbled, greatly awed and with tears rimming his emerald eyes "You fucking did it."
Out of the blue, a soft ringing caught his ears, urging him to turn back to the van. He looked for said device frantically. Surprised that it still had some battery, he slid his finger to the right, answering the call immediately "Please tell me you're okay..."
"I'm okay, Pumpkin. Oh my god, oh my god, are you okay? Please tell me you're okay...!?"
One long sigh felt like losing a thousand pounds off his shoulders the second he heard Reika's shaky voice, there was still heavy interference but just hearing her voice at the other end of the line was more than enough for his soul to be back in its place. "Yes... yes... I'm alright. I'm sheltered with other people..."
"I was so scared I couldn't each you! Suddenly the phones and all signals completely shut down!"
He closed his eyes, trying to fight the tears forming "Mhm... yeah, yeah, but don't you worry anymore Darling. I promise I'm okay." He cleared his throat again, "Where are you right now?"
"I'm still at my parent's house in the countryside. Where are you?! Let me know your location and I'll come to you!"
He took a deep breath "I... No, please wait for me there; I will go to you as soon as I can. I can't tell you exactly where I am, because..." He sighed and looked around "Well, this place is a mess but I'm still in Tokyo, that's for sure."
"What about the girls and Mamoru? Have you made contact with them? Are they okay?"
Motoki pressed his lips, truly worried. Truly desperate. "I don't know Babe, I—" A beep pulsed in his wrist, making him jump "I-I'm getting another signal! Possibly from them!"
"Please stay in touch, Pumpkin! Please keep me informed if you know anything or how we can help in any way!"
"I will, Babe." Motoki smiled "I will see you soon, I promise."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Motoki exhaled as he pressed the end button on his phone screen and quickly took the signal pulsing in his wrist "Hello!?" He licked his lips anxiously "Ami? Ami are you there!?"
"I'm here, Motoki..."
Motoki exhaled with relief again when hearing Mercury's soft voice "Thank goodness! Are you okay!?"
"Yes... I'm okay... The girls are okay... Are you safe?"
"Yes, everyone's safe, I'm safe,"
The interference was becoming louder, threatening to cut their line of communication "Ami?" Motoki frowned when her silence extended "Ami, are you there?"
"Yes, I'm still here."
"Ami..." Motoki swallowed nervously, "What's going on?"
"He's very hurt, Motoki. Mamoru is very hurt... Usagi-chan is trying to keep him responsive."
Motoki froze"Ami... I don't care if things haven't settled down, I need to know where you are... I'm on my way."
-O-
"Cosmic Ray Collision!"
"Termination Shock!"
"Silver Moon Crystal Eternal Power!"
"Dark Dome Close!"
The atomic explosion sent everyone to different directions. Pluto was finally able to close the gates, only mere seconds before it happened, protecting the triad of realities as Ares and the celestial army took the remains of the wormhole and completed the mission of annihilation.
The shitennou couldn't hold the barrier much longer and collapsed the moment the warp was closed. With glazed eyes, Kunzite turned to make sure his brothers were all right. Zoisite was the first to come back to his senses and noticed the pulses in the sky "The gates are closed."
Jadeite got up with Zoisite's help and tousled his hair to get rid of some of the ash that got caught in his golden locks "Does that mean... we won?"
Nephrite went to help Kunzite stand "I don't feel any threat... ground levels are stabilizing."
Kunzite slowly sat and rubbed his arm across his face to clean the dirt and exhaled "It is a little too soon to tell... but I agree with Nephrite."
"There is still some negative energy in the air... but it mostly just remains faint traces of Chaos' energy."
"Wait..." Jadeite turned to his tall brother, "Nephrite... can you sense Endymion's aura?"
"No."
Zoisite joined him "I can't either..."
Nephrite looked around "I cannot seem to track or establish any connection with his aura..."
Zoisite rubbed his temples "My mind is still hazy... I cannot even try to do a search,"
"It is dormant." Jadeite nodded, "It has to be... otherwise Earth would have met its end when the gates closed..." He turned to Kunzite "...Right?"
All eyes were on Kunzite, who was trying to gain more strength to stay on his feet "We have to keep an eye on the surroundings, see if there are not any casualties..."
"What about the girls?" Nephrite turned, Kunzite took a deep breath "We will meet with them shortly, first, we must make sure this is truly over and locate Endymion's whereabouts."
O—o—o—o—O
Sailor Moon slowly lowered her tiare, her face completely paled with the bright light spreading across the sky and the specks of light falling like snow. Without waiting for the thundering to subside, she ran towards she had last seen Endymion taking his stance for attack and felt her lungs had run out of air when she saw him motionless at the bottom of the escarpment, his body half covered by a pile of rubble and dust.
"No, no, no, no, no..."
The girls caught up right after and gasped in shock to see what had happened. Mercury gasped horrified, becoming a close friend to Mamoru over the years, she felt the stress higher than the rest to see him in the conditions he was left after his confrontation with Chaos.
Her thoughts went quickly, she tried to establish a line of communication from her supercomputer from whenever signal she could find, using her goggles to scan the area.
The weak ping in her communicator alerted her that she had reached a signal, strong enough to reach its other carrier. With her heart beating so strong it echoed in her ears, Mercury sighed with relief when she heard Motoki's voice coming through the noise of the interference.
"Hello!?" His anxious tone didn't come unnoticed "Ami? Ami Are you there!?"
Mercury took a deep breath, trying her best to remain calm "I'm here, Motoki..."
"Thank goodness! Are you okay!?"
"Yes... I'm okay... the girls are okay... Are you safe?"
"Yes, everyone's safe, I'm safe,"
The interference was becoming louder, threatening to cut their line of communication "Ami?" Motoki insisted when her silence extended "Ami, are you there?"
"Yes, I'm still here."
"Ami... What's going on?"
"He's very hurt, Motoki," Her eyes burned with tears as she watched Sailor Moon holding Endymion tight in her arms "Mamoru is very hurt..." Mercury pointed the direction for the girls to follow Sailor Moon "Usagi-chan is trying to keep him responsive."
"Ami... I don't care if things haven't settled down, I need to know where you are... I'm on my way."
The signal was close to shutting down, Mercury typed quickly the coordinates to give Motoki the exact point of their location after monitoring the surroundings and guiding him through which path he should move around to avoid any problems.
-O-
With all the strength she could gather, Sailor Moon slid down the broken piles of asphalt and concrete to get to him and started brushing the gravel off him. Her hands were shaking, she was terrified of what she could find underneath "Endymion!" She pulled on his shoulders, shaking him as much as she could to get an answer but he was still unresponsive "Endymion! Endymion!"
"Mamoru!" Her voice started to break; she was too stressed to even notice she was not alone anymore. Everything happened in slow motion, hands started pulling stone out of her way until Endymion was finally free from his concrete trap and she was able to pull him into her arms, his face pressed against her chest, hoping he would hear her heart pounding. She couldn't hold it together and started crying "Mamo-chan..."
A loud gasp of air caught her off guard; Endymion started coughing, bringing back some sense of relief. He coughed and tried to swallow some of the raspy feeling in the back of his throat to find his voice "U-Usa..."
"Yes, Love, it's me..." Sailor Moon sniffed "It's me, I'm here."
Endymion slowly moved, his ear glued to the sound of her heart, "Are you... okay?"
"Yes," Sailor Moon sniffed "Yes, I'm okay... I'm okay..." She leaned closer when she felt his arm gently wrapping around her waist "It's over..." Endymion whispered as he slowly tried to sit, feeling incredibly lightheaded, "Chaos is gone. He can't hurt you anymore."
Sailor Moon broke into tears as she pulled her husband closer "Silly, I was worried about you!"
"I'm... okay... we did... it..."
"We did it..." Sailor Moon tried to comb his long hair away from his face so she could look into his eyes but he tilted his head to the other side "It's best... if you don't..."
"W-Why?"
"You won't like... what you'll see... underneath..."
Sailor Moon frowned confused "What—"
"War marks us in very odd ways, Princess Serenity,"
Sailor Moon turned over her shoulder at a very beaten Ares coming close "Ares..."
Ares walked close to the couple, his face slowly relaxing after seeing the prince somewhat safe and sound. Endymion gasped for air, squinting as he moved "You look more beaten... than I would expect... from the God of War..."
"Me? These are just scratches," Ares cackled, "Do not let me get started on you."
"Yeah... well..." Endymion licked his chapped and bloodied lips, "I was not expecting... to come squeaky clean... from this..."
Ares' smirk slowly died down to a serious frown, finally admitting the downing of the moment "Endymion..."
"You want a status: Chaos is dead." Endymion tilted his head up, despite the thick hair covering his eyes, he could see the man clearly "His soul returned to its primal source, as it is the bitter fate with Titans."
"What happened to his corpse and remains?"
"Like it or not, me included, Chaos will always remain as a part of Helios' dynasty. And as such, they are being hidden in a safe place away from everyone's reach and knowledge; where his remains should be."
"In all my years of existence, I never imagined I would get to see what I did. Helios was the only one that could summon and cast a Parhelion with that keen precision. Not even Chaos, with all the knowledge and mastery he had, never did... but... to see you do it... it was like seeing him in the battlefield once again." Ares blinked greatly surprised "You were taught more than I would have imagined."
"I will be clear on something Ares..." Endymion tried to sit straight "I did not fight in your name, for you, or because I owed it to you. I did it for a greater cause, one that goes beyond any glorification; so, I expect you to respect it."
"Loyalty is the last thing I expected from you, Endymion De Terra,"
Hades slowly appeared walking through the streams of smoke and dust. His dark uniform and cloak also tore and mudded with tar and gore, showing the signs of the war. His face kept a stern expression as he came close. Ares turned disconcerted, almost annoyed "What are you doing here? Should you not be at the gates of the Alpha Galaxy?"
"That is something I arranged with anticipation." Hades turned to his brother "I still have important matters to attend before my return with someone in particular."
Endymion coughed again and slowly moved his arm to make sure he still had his cape wrapped across his upper body. He exhaled between coughs, "Don't you have a realm to sort out, God of Death?" His intense glare barely peeked through his dark hair "Instead of wasting time still trying to fill your caprices..."
"Caprices? No, no, Hybrid. This is not a caprice of mine, but an inconclusive negotiation you have dared to ignore," His cold gray eyes narrowed "You made a deal with me in exchange for certain benefits and I am here to collect said contract."
Sailor Moon felt as if her heart had been pierced with a burning dagger. Rage taking over her as she heard the lord of the dead speak with such demand. On instinct, she stood up between both holding her tiare until her knuckles felt like cracking from the tension.
"How dare you?" Sailor Moon frowned "How dare you come here after what just happened!? Chaos has been defeated! What else do you want from us?!"
"Goddess Serenity, the Underworld is a realm that leaves nothing undone. One cannot go in and out as one pleases without any consequence. If you end up there, it is because you have sealed your fate with death or other arrangements. Did you not know? In order for the Hybrid to find you in Thanatos, he made a deal to trade his soul for yours. You walked away, but now the favor has been gone for far too long and he must now return where he belongs."
Ares frowned "Why are you keep insisting on this, Hades? I thought you and I came to an understanding,"
"I made myself perfectly clear with my demands, Ares." He turned to Endymion and snapped his fingers at him "Stand up Hybrid. Time to leave, your soul is out of place."
Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto immediately felt the threat but before they could act, Uranus and Jupiter being the firsts to turn things physical when the princess' was in danger, Venus saw the look in Sailor Moon's eyes and urged everyone to keep their distance against their wishes. With the authority as their leader, she knew it was something only the princess would want to deal on her own and as Sailor Saturn had told her before she left, she would, and for standing up to the god of death the way she was made her feel incredibly proud of her.
Sailor Moon stood between Endymion and Hades', he immediately frowned with annoyance "You are only making matters worse, Moon Princess,"
"You come here like if you owe it to us," Sailor Moon's eyes brimmed with tears of anger "Like any of what happened did not matter. You, making decisions for everyone else as if you were a god we should worship upon. You let your own daughter sacrifice her life so you could keep your place in your shiny throne when you lost control of your own realm for ambition in the first place. I am not going to stand for this or be intimidated by you... so threaten me all you want, God of Death, I won't stand aside and I am not going away. Endymion is my husband and I am going to protect him with everything in my being, until the last of consequences."
Hades' scythe appeared in his hand and pointed its sharp blade at Sailor Moon, "Be mindful of your words, Moon Goddess or—"
Seeing Hades take a much more hostile stance in the matter made Endymion's blood boil in his veins, but seeing him threatening Sailor Moon was the last drop, sparking enough strength in his body to stand. She didn't notice him moving until he saw the change of expression in Hades' face and blinked "E-Endymion..."
"Finish that sentence and there won't be any souls for you to either take or rule."
Hades frowned "You dare to threaten me?"
"I don't play stupid games. You touch Serenity, and you will pay for it." Endymion took a step closer, "Lower your blade, Hades, or I will do it for you. Call this my last warning."
"You forged gates, fought the sins at the entrance of Alpha, bribed the Underworld's ferryman to travel through astral planes, dismembered my loyal servant, Cerberus, and broke the seal of Tartarus, not to mention all the slaughter you did across my realm. Do you honestly think I would ignore all of it?"
"And I did my part of said deal when I killed Asteria. Did you just wish to forget that part? How convenient." Endymion moved closer "I am not ignoring the contract I signed with you," He raised his wrists to expose the burned marks on each "But your presence here only confirms that you are not that great of a negotiator as you claim to be."
Hades's frown deepened but dared not to speak. Endymion took another step closer "Here is the deal you and I made, God of Death. One soul. Sure, my name is signed on that contract... but if my soul belongs to the Underworld, how come am I still here? Are you going to say you allowed it because it was convenient for you for me to deal with Chaos?" He shook his head, "Chaos wanted to find me for reasons that have nothing to do with you and I am not here because you allowed it either, and that is because you have no control over it. The soul you wanted, you had it when Asteria's fate was sealed. That is the contract I signed: one soul in exchange for another."
Enraged after coming to realize the concept of said contract, Hades moved his blade to aim Endymion, triggering everyone's patience, but also proving he had limited his range of control over the Terran prince.
"Hades! Restrain yourself from doing anything you might regret later!" Ares turned alarmed "Chaos has been defeated and you are about to start another war?!" He tried to intervene and step between them but Endymion shook his head, stopping him.
"Chaos may have indeed been defeated, but the threat remains with such achievement in the hands of a descendant from that same dynasty. We got rid of a problem just to deal with a much modern one." Hades frowned as he turned to Ares, still very cautious to act against his brother "Regret? You speaking of regret is as ironic as if I spoke about the beauty of life, God of War."
Endymion didn't flinch, instead, he pressed the blade against his chest "Asteria was following her own agenda by joining forces with the Andromedan and you confirmed it when we first met in Thanatos. As a Titan herself, passing blame on her made it easier for you to move through the shadows while she did the dirty work to get to me so you could keep your almost spotless reputation. Having my soul in place for Gaia's would finally put a valid end to the fact that you were never able to capture her soul; it would have silenced all the chatting and gossip behind your back. Your plans, however, changed when you learned she betrayed you by working directly for Chaos, tainting not just your image but also your ego by mocking your authority from right under your nose. In the end, what you most fought against for so long turned out to be more convenient as you thought you could kill two birds with one stone by putting me in a desperate position. But little did you know, I knew well what I was getting myself into." He raised his wrists to show the marks on them again "As these were not a punishment, but an advantage to get me where I am now."
Sailor Moon widened her eyes and slowly turned to look at Endymion in complete awe. She always admired his intelligence but this sole moment proved he was more than just smart. Every move he made had been calculated; this had been a strategy he worked on his own in secret that included mocking the very god of the underworld for who knows how damn long.
"Two thousand years ago I made a vow to the Moon Goddess that settled my fate. I surrendered my existence to her and was reborn to live up to the same promise I made to her. In this era, as a man between divinity and mortality, my fate, my soul, and everything that I am and represent belongs solely to Serenity and she is the only one I respond to. That fact itself invalidates your contract because it is something I tricked you into offering me in the first place to distract you from the real issue I had to take care of at the time... and these marks were the keys I needed to complete my mission while you were sitting in your throne, rejoicing over a false victory."
Hades tensed; unable to speak. Endymion continued, "Do you think I would not take account of all the things you've done, God of Death?"
Hades' expression fell "I knew you would act on revenge,"
"This is not revenge, Hades, it is an act of justice." Endymion tried his best to not succumb to the pain and exhaustion that it had slowly pulsing in every muscle in his body "Not only did you betray Olympus by complotting with Asteria into leaving her post to cross and cause a disbalance between realms, but you also paid no mind to the unjust imprisonment of a Goddess of Olympus in the depths of Inferno. And not just any goddess, but Queen Serenity's daughter; a pillar of your alliance. Your own selfishness threatened and put my wife's life at great risk by ignoring her innocence in all this."
"That is—"
"You violated universal law by allowing a mortal cross astral planes and forced him to pay for a crime he never committed in Tartarus while his soul was still attached to his body. You made it a personal vendetta and went on the task to destroy the life of a Titan that had admitted and paid for her faults and resigned to her life as a deity and service as polemarchos. And even still, you hunted her soul for centuries to keep control and power over us. You gave the order to get rid of me just to appease your discomfort of knowing that she had vanished from right under your nose. If the contract does not invalidate itself by divine law, it does by the act of sacrifice and redemption of more than one soul. While there isn't anything for you to gain, there is so much you can lose in a blink of an eye." Endymion held Hades' scythe from its blade and tilted his face enough to reveal the burning glare of his eyes "At this point, I would carefully reconsider my choices because, after everything that has happened, I don't think you are in a position to claim anything, so, choose wisely, God of Death. Either you accept your faults, or everyone finds out Chaos was freed because of your blindsided ambition and poor authority in your own realm?"
"What is it that you want, Titan?"
Ares turned to Hades with wide eyes, surprised that he had yet not taken a step back "Hades..."
Endymion passed the back of his hand over his jaw to wipe the trickle of blood from the bruise "You know what I want, Olympian."
The prince's solid argument left everyone speechless, even the god of death, proving why he once was the Terran king's right hand and political advisor. If he had to admit anything, was that he willingly followed a plan accordingly as to how the prince had laid it out and that this time, it was his fault, but pride still wanted to shine through. Failure was not a card in his hand.
A weak cackle came out of the lord of the death at the exchange of ancient titles. Crossing his arms, he glanced at Endymion being in his worst condition, but his snappy attitude remained intact. None of them with enough energy for another confrontation, yet, neither of them willing to lower the shield protecting their pride.
"You want to cut another deal,"
"No. I don't want any deals, I want solutions, Hades."
"Which is?"
"I want my family to be left alone."
After a moment of silence, too long for even Hades to admit, he let out a tired sigh "Is that it?"
"That includes Saturn."
Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto watched the prince with tears in their eyes at the mention of the senshi of silence. Sailor Moon turned to Endymion with the same awed look in her eyes. Hades's brows knitted, this time confused and genuinely intrigued "My daughter? Your price is my daughter's life?"
"She may be your daughter, but she was reborn on Earth. Saturn has friends and a loving family waiting for her here. What she did for us was an act of courage and I wish to honor her involvement in this battle by letting her live a life of her own, away from the stigma of being a soldier that fights in favor of death. Saturn is not the price, Hades, her free will is. Do you want me on your side? Detach the dark fate imposed on her position as sailor senshi from the life she deserves to live."
Endymion's claims were valid, and what was worse for him, they were correct. Admitting fault right now was less troubling than to let everyone know he had caused part of this nightmare, and that even him, the well-known negotiator, was upstaged by his own deal. Beyond the bitter admittance, came realization and with it, the truth of his own word. Endymion had won his respect and as he agreed with Ares, that was enough for him to let him go.
"I am impressed, Hybrid. But not all Gods will share the same thought."
"That is the least of my concerns as of now,"
This was the mediation needed to break the tension and settle the matters between them. Hades arched his brow, "You are more cunning than I anticipated, Prince of Earth."
"What is it going to be, God of Death?" Endymion crossed his arms "You have yet not answered. I want your confirmation to be heard by everyone here present, your brother, another High God, too."
"Very well, Prince of Earth." Hades shared a glance with Pluto, then back at him "I will respect your request."
Everyone watched completely in shock when Hades's stance immediately lost all hostility and slowly lowered his scythe. His face still showed some displeasure, no one liked to lose a match, much less with a crowd witnessing it all, but his poise was now calm and collected. Another long sigh came out of him; he turned to see the girls standing behind the royal couple and then fixed his attention back to Endymion "Charon is a very apathetic entity and trusts no one. I should have known better the moment I learned you had gained his services for free."
Ares was surprised to see the sudden change in his brother's behavior and to learn this new fact. Shook him to the core. He was sure Hades was having an internal battle to fully accept Endymion did not have his soul tainted with disdain and dark intention as Chaos did, but being the prideful god, he is, he was going to disguise any compliments with a strange commentary.
Hades let his scythe vanish into thin air, ending all tension in the air. His lips twitched, just barely, he too was in awe by Endymion's selfless act. "Every time Saturn lays down her glaive, her soul starts the process of regeneration and her mother, Persephone, always welcomes her rebirth as one would welcome spring and this time, will be no exception. But now, even as a human girl, I trust she will be wise enough to live up to the expectations and pride of her divine ancestry."
Uranus's eyes burned with tears, not really caring how flushed her face was or how emotional she would look in front of everyone. Knowing Saturn was coming back to them—her little girl—put everything in a second plane.
"This is not over, Endymion De Terra. Me stepping aside does not mean this will be the last time you and I will meet. We still have matters to discuss but until then..." With one final prideful glance, Hades turned on his heel and started to walk away "Do something with that hair."
In a flash of light, Hades vanished into thin air leaving a very startled Ares staring in his direction. The god of war slowly turned to Endymion and Sailor Moon, and couldn't help his smile "Of all my years serving to war and being caught in endless negotiations... I thought I had seen it all. I believe I underestimated you. I was not expecting all this to be a meticulous strategy on your end."
"Hades does not respond with brute force," Endymion took one sharp breath "Engaging myself in a confrontation with him is putting my time to waste."
"Mind before force... huh... I never see that would actually work."
"Is it not part of a polemarchos' training?"
"Yes, yes it is. Yet, none pays attention to that lesson since polemarchos are prepared to raise in arms, not to negotiate." Ares still looked dumbfounded "You had everything planned from the beginning."
"No." Endymion took another breath and tried to keep his balance "I just had faith in who I trust and love the most. The rest just happened as I went... when I find myself with limitations, I will always find more ways to fight back."
"Impressive, even though I already had high expectations,"
"Speaking of expectations..." Endymion slowly undid the tourniquet he made with his cape and handed it to Ares "Here."
"And this is?"
"Something that needs to be taken to where it belongs. It is needless to say, I cannot do any more astral travels in my current condition, and I most certainly do not want this to stay on Earth any longer. It's causing a great disbalance and we've had enough."
Ares frowned, puzzled as he took the packaged item from Endymion and peered at the content inside and turned to the prince startled "This is... h-how—"
"Chaos stole it, so I stole it back, and now... I want it gone."
"I will personally make sure to deliver this where it belongs. This will help Omega restore in no time and bring a much-needed balance in the galaxy. I am sure he will do it personally, but I thank you on behalf of Centaurus'."
Endymion nodded; a long pause makes it look like he wanted to say more. It felt strange, somehow as if they were bidding farewell "So familiar..." Ares smiled sadly, "It is like I am leaving another great pupil, again,"
"I was never your pupil."
"Do not ruin the moment."
"Oh, we were having a moment... alright," Endymion cackled weakly; Ares sighed and waved his hand dismissively "We were, but do not mind it anymore." Ares turned to leave when he saw Mars standing with an expectant look in her amethyst eyes "Mars..."
The senshi of war walked up to him, closing the gap between them and looked into each other's eyes but Ares still could not find his voice. The tension and emotion hanging between them was too heavy, Ares felt the gloom; he knew he could see her anytime but just knowing that things would probably change after this war, he found it hard to admit out loud that he was sad he had to leave her behind.
Mars looked at him with a frown, also having problems finding the right words to say. The god of war let a soft sigh and wiped the tears that had stained her cheeks. His gesture stirred Mars' bottled feelings and could not resist the urge to hold on to him tight.
"Father..." She said in a soft weep.
The word had more power now that it had before because it finally came out straight from the heart. Ares no longer had to disguise himself, he no longer had to pretend or watch from a distance; his daughter was right there and she was calling him the way he never thought would mean more than the power of his existence.
He used his free arm and pulled her close in a tight embrace "Forgive me, my child... for this old soul knows nothing about emotions."
"Liar," Mars tightened her arms around him "You are softer than a plush toy, you just don't want anyone to know."
Ares smiled and looked into his daughter's eyes as she slowly pulled back "Is this a goodbye?" Her voice came out in whispers. His hand cupped her cheek and tilted her head to meet his gaze "As long as I exist, I am never going to say goodbye to you. This..." he took a deep breath, "This is only a transition we all must go through. A moment to retrieve and think as I also must be put to the test and be open to learning new things. Times need to change and hopefully, for the best, that is my promise to you, my dear Mars. That is my where my focus will be from this point onward." He pulled her closer "But rest assured, I am never going to be far away. In the meantime, my child, listen to your heart and good judgment. Dance, live a life free of stigma with those who treasure your company... for I know your heart will be well protected."
Mars looked up and turned to follow Ares' gaze locked in the distance and widened her eyes when she saw Jadeite walking next to Kunzite, Zoisite, and Nephrite.
"Mars,"
Mars turned to her father; Ares slowly started to let go "Always be proud and sure of who you are. As the High Priestess Hino Rei and as Mars, Goddess of Passion and War. Embrace your truth, and always remember you have a right to choose what you feel is the best path for you. I leave with my mind at peace knowing you are surrounded by a supportive family."
"Papa,"
"I will make sure to let Eiji know how well you are doing."
The mention of her grandfather made her break into tears, "Could you... tell him that I will dance again?"
Ares smiled; his hand cupped her cheek one more time before he walked away.
"Ares,"
The god of war turned over his shoulder; from underneath his long fringe, he caught a small smile from the Terran prince "She wants you to know she's happy; right where she knows she belongs."
Ares immediately knew who he was talking about and felt his heart melt with gratitude for those simple, but very meaningful words. He took a deep breath and slowly gave the prince a nod with a warm smile. He felt a knot in his throat he needed to disguise with his stoic personality to not lose poise "You are officially laid off from your duties, Sol Polemarch. Until further notice, that is, of course."
Endymion sighed "I didn't do any of this for you, you know?"
"I am well aware you did not, Endymion. None of you Helians ever have, it has always been to serve a higher purpose that goes beyond any common law from us, Gods." Ares arched his brow "But I am still wishful you remain being part of the celestial league of warriors your great grandfather created," he turned and started walking away and waved his hand dismissively "In the meantime, I do hope you do something with that hair,"
Endymion tried to respond to Ares' unexpected tone of humor, but he didn't have enough air in his lung to spare in a chuckle; his lips did the work for him curving slightly from the corner "What? It's a family tradition..."
Ares did the chuckle for him, and as he turned, the god of war disappeared in a flash of light. Mars had the feeling as if someone had taken a chunk off her chest, instantly feeling her father's absence. Her eyes went back to Jadeite, who was now coming close to them and quickly went to his arms.
For Jupiter and Mercury, the emotion of seeing the generals coming out of the storm along with them was the solid confirmation that the new leaf they kept predicting for the last couple of years was finally upon them. Venus felt everything moving in slow motion when she saw Kunzite leaning on Nephrite as they came closer and dashed over to him. Tears running down her eyes, her bruises and cuts all over not a problem anymore. All she wanted, all Venus really needed was to see him again once she opened her eyes from this nightmare.
As she came closer, Nephrite smiled and slowly let Kunzite move on his own and stepped aside once he was in her arms. Venus quickly examined the wounds and put her hands on each side of his face; Kunzite looked at her and after a couple of breaths, he gave her a smile, one that would instantly wash away all of her pain "The nightmare is over, Minako. And here we are... finally awake."
Venus felt like breaking down. The sound of her name, her civilian name in the lips of her one true love was like listening to the most wonderful song. It sent shivers all over, it made her smile and cry at the same time; it was a dream come true. "We are... we are finally awake."
Sailor Moon watched the emotional reunion between shitennou and senshi with a growing smile in her face. After months of excruciating worry and terror, at last, it felt like it all was finally coming to an end.
Endymion felt like fainting. Sailor Moon's gentle hold in his hand was the only thing that was keeping him from completely vanishing, but even when she was clearly willing to link her energy with his, his body has had enough and it was forcing him to stop. He started having difficulties to grasp consciousness and felt suffocated as if his lungs were clogged with smoke.
A weak twitch in Endymion's oddly cold hand made her turn; she frowned worried "Mamo-chan?" Her eyes widened with panic when she saw him stumbling "Mamo-chan! What's wrong?"
"I..." He shook his head with a weak attempt to smile at her and clear her worries, "I..." Endymion took a gasp of air "I... j-just... I think... need... I'm... going to lay down for a bit..."
The overwhelming sense of drowsiness and lack of control of his body finally peaked to a point he couldn't coordinate his words with his actions. Sailor's Moon's voice became more and more distant until he could no longer register any sound and passed out in her arms.
"Endymion!"
Down on her knees and with her arms around him tight, Sailor Moon leaned protectively over him "Endymion! Endymion!"
Zoisite helped the princess balance Endymion's heavy weight while Mercury immediately brought out her medical experience and started to check on the prince's vitals.
"I can feel his pulse," Mercury's voice sounded a strange mixture of relief and concern, despite her comforting affirmation to her friend, a tone Sailor Moon could not miss.
"We need to find a way to get out of here," Neptune looked around with concern, "With signals still out... how are we going to find help?"
Mars frowned with worry "And in the state, he's in, we can't move him much,"
Mercury looked up, her face instantly lit up with relief when she finally saw a light coming at them and watched Motoki stepping out of the van equally distressed looking as he ran as fast as he could to reach them.
"Everything is going to be fine now..." Zoisite's warm voice soothed her nerves. Her lips relaxed, slowly curving into a soft, welcoming smile.
"Yes..." Her blue eyes couldn't hold her tears any longer and slowly gave one nod, "Help found us this time."
The Divinity Series is a long story and rated M. Violence, and intimacy may occur.
I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters.
A/N: Three years later, I didn't think this moment would come. A big thank you to everyone who has read, and the biggest thank you to those who have sent me PM's, follows, Favorites, and reviewed over this long time of Fates and the Afterlife going. What? Are we going forward with IV? Maybe... during these times of crisis, writing and reading do not seem to be a bad idea.
Stay safe. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
-Nebelflecke.
