Tales from the Rebellion (Book 6 of the Chosen Universe)

by PinkAtHart

A series of one-shot stories about the Eltarian Rebellion. If you've read my other Power Rangers fics, you're familiar with the Rebels. Here you'll find bits of history from the Eltarian Rebellion as well as the stories behind what made the Rebels end up following the paths they did. Featuring all of the Rebels you know from the Chosen fics universe and some new ones.

33. Thirty-Three: Stars (Tedius & Rupi)

THIRTY-THREE: STARS (The story of Tedius and Rupi. Also featuring Zydia, Captain Smith, Kizzie, Murgano, Letez, Micah and the New Jersey Chapter, the original New York Chapter, B'Danna, Draze, Garron, Vivianza, Naozi, and others.)

It all began with the execution of two sixteen-year-old boys. Tedius of Eltar had never been as horrified as he was that day, especially because he strongly believed the boys were innocent of the charges they faced. While there was mild opposition from the people, Mayor Freyst and Aphell Treygan had insisted the sentence stand. Even an appeal for a more merciful sentence from Prime Minister Moriazan Moriarty had done little more than delay their execution by a couple of weeks.

There were whispers of outrage among the citizens of Eltar, but no one dared to speak up in defense of the boys. Tedius couldn't stand it anymore.

"Those boys were still children," he said in front of a stunned crowd of onlookers after the execution. "How can they commit treason when they are barely old enough to understand the law?"

"Stand down, Tedius of Eltar," Aphell said harshly.

"With all due respect, Sir, I will not stand down," he replied, keeping his tone calm and steady. "Everyone stands down and speaks against the government in only hushed tones, and this is the result. I believe the boys were innocent, and I cannot, in good conscience, remain silent any longer."

"To question us is treason," Mayor Freyst pointed out.

"That is the problem, Mayor Freyst," Tedius continued. "Calmly questioning the ethics of a decision should not be treason. How is it fair to sentence someone to death for their words?"

"Guard! Arrest this man at once," Aphell ordered.

Someone moved to grab him. Tedius accepted his fate, willing to die if it meant someone had spoken the truth for once. Suddenly, everyone became frozen in place as ice took over their bodies. Tedius shivered, but he didn't freeze.

"What's happening?" He asked nervously.

"You just got sentenced to death," a girl replied cheerfully. "Don't worry. We can protect you."

"Who are you?" Tedius asked in confusion.

"My name is Vivianza... Vivi to my friends. Come with me. I'll explain everything after we escape."

Tedius followed Vivi away from the frozen crowd. They soon reached a large house. "Where are we?" Tedius asked.

"A sanctuary," Vivi replied. "Welcome to one of the safe houses of the Rebellion of Eltar."

"The Rebellion?" Tedius repeated. "There have been rumors of an uprising forming... Is it true?"

"Yes, and we grow in number every day. We meet in secret and only bring people in through other members."

"How did you freeze the crowd?"

"I have ice and snow magic. It's extremely powerful. In addition to that, I know a fairly large number of dark spells."

"Dark?"

"I'm a Warlock by birth... But don't worry. I'm not evil. I ditched the Warlocks when I turned fifteen after my mother perished. I use my magic to help people now that I'm on my own."

"Where's your father?"

"I have no idea. Mother told me he was a powerful Warlock but never told me which one. Judging from my powers, though, I've always suspected it was Hezzo. If I'm right, he has no idea. It's no big deal. Hezzo doesn't really do the whole parent thing. He makes a fun mentor, though." She smiled mischievously.

"Vivi... Thank you for getting me out of there. I simply had to speak out against this injustice."

"That's what we do, Tedius," she replied. "The Rebellion came together to stop corruption like this. One day, we will bring justice to Eltar. You've got guts, standing up like that, but it means you're in trouble now. Come on... I want you to meet a few people." She led him down a long hall. There was a group of people gathered in one of the rooms. "I found a new recruit," she said. "This is Tedius, and he just spoke rather passionately against Aphell and Freyst in a public square. Needless to say, he needs a place to stay."

A pregnant woman with flowers in her hair smiled at Tedius warmly. "Welcome to the Rebellion of Eltar, Friend," she said. "I am Vitella. This is my brother, Destonyel. Des, will you show Tedius to one of the empty rooms?"

"Sure," Destonyel replied. He motioned for Tedius to follow him. They arrived at a room shortly after. To Tedius's surprise, it began to shift in appearance before his eyes.

"How is this possible?" He asked in wonder.

Destonyel laughed. "Laby created the safe houses as labyrinths. Each room shifts to the needs and personality of its occupant," he explained.

"What extraordinary magic!"

"We've gotta keep the kid busy somehow. His parents are Founding Members, along with me, Vitti, and Garron. They kind of dragged Laby along for the ride."

Tedius settled in, trying to figure out how he'd gotten himself into this situation. He began getting to know the other members of the Rebellion. It was Vitella's kindness that put him at ease. Although Garron and Destonyel favored violence, the majority of the Rebels believed there was a peaceful solution to every problem. Tedius could definitely get behind peaceful resistance. He soon felt comfortable remaining in the safe house and discussing plans with the Rebels.

It was one week later that Tedius had a horrible feeling. "I have to return to my family," he said. "Something is wrong."

"Not alone," Destonyel said firmly. "It isn't safe for you."

"I'll go with him," Vivi offered.

"Take Des with you," Garron said. "I sense trouble."

The three Rebels left together immediately. When they arrived at his parents' home, Tedius knew something had happened. He flung open the door before Vivi and Des could stop him.

Tedius knew he was adopted, but the parents who raised him were wonderful people. They loved him and doted on him as any parent should. To see them lying on the floor, bloody and clearly dead, nearly destroyed him.

He froze in place for a moment at the sight of the carnage. Then, he ran to them to check for any signs of life despite knowing on some level they were already gone. His father's eyes stared at him, blank and unblinking. His mother's mouth was open in an eternal scream.

He tried in vain to heal them, but even he could not heal the dead. Broken, he gently closed his father's eyes before he began to sob. Vivi wrapped her arms around him and tried to comfort him.

"This was an execution," Destonyel said. "Probably the work of Azzian. I have seen this sort of carnage before. He is exceptionally thorough."

"Azzian is a myth," Vivi argued.

"Only because his targets never survive to confirm his identity. Trust me, no one else could have done this." He hesitated. "I am sorry for your loss, Tedius. Unfortunately, we must return to the safe house."

"An execution..." Tedius repeated softly. "They had my parents killed because of my actions."

"It's not your fault, Tedi," Vivi said firmly. "This is what they do. I'm so sorry... I wish there was more I could do for you."

Tedius began sobbing harder as he pulled his mother's body into his arms. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I love you both." He kissed her forehead before releasing her. "Please take me out of here," he said softly.

He returned to the safe house, vowing never to return to the home the Government of Eltar had just destroyed. He was still grieving deeply the next day, so he remained in his room and did not attend the protest the Rebellion had decided to hold.

He felt tremendous loss in the air, sensing the suffering of many. It was enough to make him leave his room. He ran from the safe house straight to Garron's home.

"Garron! Something is wrong!" Tedius said urgently as he flung the front door open.

Garron sat in a trance, his face frozen in horror. "Garron, please, you and Vitella are the only leaders available and I cannot trouble her with this while she is unwell," Tedius said, confused why the leader he barely knew did not respond.

"It is a vision," a rather infamous sorceress said.

"Felina of Eltar..." Tedius mumbled in surprise.

"Yes. I sensed trouble as well. We must snap Garron out of this vision so he can help," Felina replied. "What is your name?"

"Tedius," he replied.

"Take one of Garron's hands. I shall take the other. Together, we must shock him back to the present."

Tedius did as she asked. Soon, Garron looked at them. "My God..." He whispered.

"How bad is it, Garron?" Felina asked.

"We must hurry! Tedius, they tell me you are a gifted healer. Is this true?"

"Yes," Tedius replied.

"Stand by. If we arrive in time, we will need your help."

They did not arrive in time. The bodies had already burned when they got there. Hoping to spare Tedius the horror of that sight, Garron told him to return to the safe house. It was only after that they discovered Laby, full of bullets but miraculously alive. No one else had survived.

The Rebellion changed after that, but Tedius remained involved. He hated violence, but he understood their rage. After all, innocent men, women, and children had been slaughtered, just like his parents. He could not stand idly by and allow these things to continue happening.

Mere days later, a little boy's destiny changed forever. Rupi of Eltar had been a gentle child from the moment he was born. Despite this, he had inherited his father's gift for working with weapons and was constantly crafting new creations. He followed his sister, Zydia, around as soon as he could crawl. Zydia was ten years older than him and adored him. She snuggled him when he was sad, found ways to make him smile, and protected him from others who liked to pick on the small, sweet child who disliked violence and never raised a hand to defend himself.

He was six when his parents were executed for treason after speaking out against the slaughter of the Rebels. Far too young to understand, Rupi was forced to attend the execution. Zydia held him, keeping his face against her chest to shield him from watching their parents get decapitated.

She didn't let him see their bodies. It didn't matter. Sensing their loss, Rupi sobbed in her arms.

"Shhh now, Rupi," Zydia said. "We must remain strong."

That night, Rupi had horrible nightmares. He awoke screaming. Zydia ran into his room. "He came for us, Zydi," he sobbed.

"Who did?" She asked as she tried to soothe him.

"The Mayor... He came and he took you away, just like he took Mother and Father... And I was all alone, and he was going to hurt me, too..."

"Listen to me, Rupi... No one is ever going to take me away from you. We have each other, and we always will. And no one hurts my baby brother on my watch. You're safe, Rupi. I swear to you, I will protect you with all that I possess."

"Always?"

She smiled at him reassuringly. "Forever," she promised. "Now go back to sleep, Little Brother."

"Will you stay until I fall asleep, Zydi?"

"Of course I will... Now, get to sleeping, Rupi. You need your rest."

Less than a year later, Zydia joined the Rebellion. She brought seven-year-old Rupi with her. Zydia kept him close, encouraging him to continue building and creating new weapons and devices. As he grew older, she trained him to fight. He grew outwardly tougher, but inside, he was still a frightened little boy.

One night when he was nine, Zydia found him sobbing in his bed. By that point, Zydia had turned much harsher, rarely letting her guard down, although she was still kind to him. He expected her to be upset or disappointed in him, but she sat beside him instead of scolding him. "What troubles you, Little Brother?" She asked gently.

"Everything is so frightening here," Rupi replied. "Nothing is predictable. People leave for missions and do not return. What if that happens to you one day? I cannot lose you, Zydi. You're my only family."

"I told you, Rupi, I shall be with you forever. You needn't fear." She paused before casting a spell. The ceiling suddenly vanished, replaced by the night sky. "Do you see the stars, Brother?" She asked.

"Yes," he replied. "They are beautiful."

"They are dependable. The stars are set in place, and no matter how they may try, they cannot deviate from their destined path. There are two things you can count on, Rupi... That the stars will remain exactly where they are meant to, and that I shall never leave you. Even when we are apart, fate will bind us together, for we are like the stars."

He took comfort in her words. It was something he clung to even as he grew older.

Over the next two centuries, Zydia became determined to prove herself. As Rupi matured, she turned colder toward him, and was sometimes even harsh, but he knew she still loved him. He remained loyal to her. She taught him to be a warrior, continuing to encourage him to embrace his talents for crafting weapons and for tactics. She taught him to turn off his emotions. She drilled it into his mind that love was weakness, and he must never give in to it.

One day, Zydia was chosen to lead a Chapter of the Rebellion, making her the first female Captain in the Rebellion's history. Murgano, Letez, and Rupi were assigned to her. Murgano was a fierce Lieutenant. Letez was a healer, and Rupi was their tactical expert. They worked well together. Ultimately, they were assigned to Earth, in the town of Amber Beach, California. Rupi and Zydia both loved being surrounded by water, although Zydia denied it in public.

Rupi spent hours walking along the beach beneath the stars. It comforted him deeply. He also enjoyed being out in the sun. It made him remember there was good in the universe.

Meanwhile, as time went by, Tedius was consumed by grief for his parents and for the friends he'd known only briefly before the government slaughtered them. He became determined to make a difference, doing everything he could to help the Rebellion protect those who needed it the most. He didn't let many people in, but he did grow closer to Vivi. Although Destonyel had perished at the protest, Vivi had not been present, and she made it her job to check on Tedius and help him when grief threatened to destroy him. Her constant sarcasm, humor, and friendship helped heal his heart, and her endless strength to keep fighting gave him the power to do the same.

About six millennia after the slaughter, Vivi was sent on an assignment. Garron had detected trouble and asked her to investigate it. She never returned.

Tedius joined the search party. He found Vivi frozen solid in the woods and immediately called in help. Garron frowned as he studied her. "She did this to herself," he said sadly. "I believe it was a desperate attempt to stop a spell that was attacking her."

"How do we unfreeze her?" Tedius asked.

"We can't, Tedius. I'm sorry, but Vivianza's magic was powerful. We cannot break her spell."

"Was? Why are you using the past tense? She's still alive in there, Garron! She must be."

"Tedius-"

"She is alive. I know she is."

It was Bartello who gently said, "Vivianza has perished, Tedius. I can no longer detect her life force."

"It's the spell, Bartello. She's not dead... She's frozen," Tedius insisted.

"Garron... Perhaps Hezzo can assist?" Bartello suggested.

Garron nodded. "I shall call him," he agreed.

Hezzo arrived shortly after. He looked at Vivi and whistled. "That's a hell of a spell," he mumbled.

"Hezzo, can you do anything for her?" Bartello asked.

"I freeze things, Bartello... I don't generally thaw them out."

"Please, Hezzo... Vivi believed she was your daughter," Tedius admitted. "If anyone can save her, it is you."

Hezzo sighed. "Yeah, I believe that, too. I've suspected for a while, ever since I started mentoring her as her ice magic got stronger when she was a kid... Look, I'll try, but... I can't make any promises. Her spell combined with whatever was attacking her."

"It's strange, dark magic," Bartello said. "Warlock, perhaps... It feels older, though, and darker. Do you recognize it, Hezzo?"

Hezzo shook his head. "It's dark alright... Demonic, probably. I've never seen it, but I felt a similar magic on... Never mind."

"On who?"

"Lido, honestly. After Daphne died. It's pure evil... I don't think Lido knows, and I'm not really sure what the spell does exactly, but we all saw the change in him. Most people assumed it was his grief, but I detected the magic. That, however, was Zell's doing, I think."

Garron and Tedius both cringed. No one ever said the Great Wizard's name anymore, but Hezzo didn't even hesitate.

"And this wasn't?" Bartello asked, not outwardly reacting to Hezzo's casual use of Zell's name.

"No... I know that bastard's magic. This was someone else... And Vivi fought like hell to stop it." Hezzo pointed to something. "Do you see the fire? That's the spell she was trying to freeze."

Bartello nodded. "If we unfreeze her, we'll release the spell. Can you contain it, Hezzo?"

"I don't think so. It's powerful magic and I don't know enough about it. Whatever they were trying to do to her will work. Can you absorb it, Barty?"

"If I do..." He sighed. "I can try."

"No," Hezzo said sadly, realizing what Bartello wasn't saying. "It'll turn you evil, won't it? You wouldn't be able to shift the energy fast enough to prevent it."

"She's a friend, Hezzo... And she's your daughter. I have to try."

"I can't let you do that, Barty." He shook his head. "All of you, get out of here. I'll try to thaw her out. If the spell hits her, we can try to reverse it later. At least she'll still be alive."

"I'm not leaving," Tedius said firmly. "She wouldn't leave me. Besides, I can heal her once her spell breaks."

"I won't leave either," Bartello said.

"Garron, go. I'm not risking a Founding Member's ass if this goes badly," Hezzo said.

"Very well," Garron agreed. "Good luck to you, Hezzo." He left.

Hezzo tried everything he could think of. Bartello tried draining the magic out of Vivi's spell, but that didn't work either. After several hours, both men were exhausted. Hezzo looked genuinely upset. Tedius was surprised when Bartello leaned over and hugged him.

"I'm sorry, Hezzo," he said sadly.

"Barty..." Hezzo said softly. His grief was clear, and Tedius realized he cared about Vivi much more than he'd let on.

Bartello kissed him. Tedius was stunned. He realized Bartello was helping Hezzo regain his strength before Hezzo fed his magic into Bartello.

"Are you two...?" Tedius began to ask, but stopped, embarrassed he'd dared to question it. "My apologies," he added softly.

"We're friends, Tedius," Hezzo replied. "Just friends... But we happen to have a very complicated friendship."

"I'm sorry we couldn't help her, Tedius," Bartello said sadly. "She was a good soul."

He wanted to argue that she was still alive inside of the ice. He was certain of it... But that would only serve to further upset Hezzo, so instead he asked, "What will you do with her?"

"Well, we can't bury her, obviously," Hezzo replied. "And we can't burn her... So I suppose I'll lock her in a sanctuary to keep her from whoever did this."

"Laby can build her a labyrinth," Bartello said. "He liked Vivi. He'll want to help."

"Perfect. He can allow those we absolutely trust access if they wish to pay their respects. Tedius, I know how close you two were. You're at the top of the list."

"Thank you, Hezzo," Tedius replied numbly. "I appreciate that."

Whenever Tedius felt truly lost after that, he would visit her. He'd spend hours talking to her, hoping she could hear him somehow. Most people stopped visiting her within a century or so, but Tedius continued. So did Hezzo, but only Ling knew about that. Bartello stopped because seeing her like that only served to remind him he'd failed to help her.

Eventually, Garron formed a new Chapter. Their mission was to head to Earth to support the successful and revered New York Chapter. He chose an ambitious warrior named Micah to lead it. Vianca, a fierce warrior, was the Lieutenant. Neighbelle, who'd gained a reputation for her great power, became their Sorceress. The brothers, Zikos and Estos, were brought in as tactical experts. Finally, Garron approached Tedius.

"Tedius... The New Jersey Chapter needs a healer. Given the high risk of danger, I would prefer it be someone quite strong. Would you be interested in a change of scenery?" He asked.

"You want me to leave the planet?" Tedius asked in surprise.

"I believe Earth would be good for you, Tedius. Remaining here only serves to remind you of what you have lost. Perhaps on Earth, you can find a fresh start." He paused. "I am quite fond of Captain Smith. I wish for him to have the best support possible, and next to Amello, you are our strongest healer. Your power exceeds even Plurri's."

"Very well, Garron," Tedius agreed. A fresh start didn't sound bad. "I will do as you ask."

Tedius headed to Earth with his new Chapter. He hardly knew Micah or the others, but he didn't have too much trouble adjusting as they welcomed him with open arms. They opened up a hotel for those passing through New Jersey, and that was where they lived.

Micah was eager and determined, and he enjoyed a good party. Neighbelle was elegant and often played hostess, welcoming hotel guests and bewitching them when necessary to keep them from realizing what the Rebels were up to.

Tedius bonded more with Zikos and Estos. Zikos was stoic, but kind. Estos was eager to prove himself and step out of his older brother's shadow. The two encouraged Tedius to come out of his shell a bit and socialize.

They became close to the New York Chapter quickly. Tedius respected Captain Smith deeply, and his Lieutenant, Kizzie, put him at ease with her kind smile and gorgeous accent. R'Dian and Feygah had been with Captain Smith since shortly after he became a Captain of the Rebellion. He hadn't had an official Lieutenant until he rescued Kizzie and basically adopted her, but she'd quickly proven herself and earned the rank.

For a long time, things remained that way. One day, in the early 1800s, it was decided they needed a quicker link between the East and West Coasts. Zydia volunteered to send Rupi to New Jersey.

"But, Zydia, I'm the Chapter's tactics expert," Rupi protested.

"Murgano, Letez, and I are all capable of filling that role in your absence," Zydia said.

"They have the brothers. Why do they need another tactical expert?"

"You're better with creating weapons than Zikos and Estos combined. You're smarter than Estos, and I've trained you to notice things even Zikos will miss. They need you, and we need a way to connect the coasts. With you there and me here, we'll have that."

"But Zydi... You promised we'd stay together."

"Don't call me that. You're not six anymore, Rupi. Get over it and do what must be done," she said sharply. She paused, seeing the hurt expression on his face. "Look... We will speak daily, I promise. I'm not leaving you, Brother... I'm just putting a bit of distance between us, but we'll still look up at the same stars at night. Alright?"

Rupi took a deep breath before he nodded. "Of course, Zydia," he replied, keeping his emotions in check. Since no one was watching, he hugged her. She allowed it.

"Be safe, Little Brother," she said before she released him.

"You, too," he replied.

Zydia did not accompany him as he headed toward Stone Hollow. She despised Felina and did her best to avoid her. Instead, Raffitty met him at the door and welcomed him inside.

"Bob's expecting you," Raffitty said. "Once you get to New York, he'll meet you and bring you to New Jersey."

"Thank you, Raff," Rupi replied. He went through the portal connecting the two cities shortly after.

Captain Smith greeted him warmly. "Welcome, Rupi! It's nice to see you again," he said.

"You as well, Captain Smith," Rupi replied.

They headed downtown and took a boat to New Jersey. Rupi relaxed slightly while they were on the water. Captain Smith made pleasant small talk while they sailed across the river. Finally, they reached New Jersey.

Micah met them at the shore. "Welcome to New Jersey, Rupi," he said. "We're pleased to have you and your skill set joining us."

"Thanks," Rupi replied.

Captain Smith went to the hotel with them. "Neighbelle! Come give our new friend a tour," Micah called. "Captain Smith and I have business to discuss."

Neighbelle joined Rupi. "Welcome to the madness," she said with a laugh. "Follow me." She led him upstairs. "The top floor of the hotel is off-limits to guests. This is where our rooms are, as well as our meeting rooms and personal kitchen, which is right here. You'll find Tedius in here fairly often. He's an excellent cook, in addition to being our healer. Next is our main meeting room. The weapons room and training area are in a subbasement that can only be accessed via portal. I'll show you that later." She kept walking. "This is Micah's room. Vianca's is next, followed by mine. Zikos and Estos have the next two rooms, then it's Tedius. The room next to his is yours now."

"The cook is my neighbor. Good to know if I need a snack," Rupi said in a bored tone. "Just show me the weapons, Neighbelle. That's why I'm here."

"Set your things down and I'll take you to the portal."

The weapons room was fully stocked but not especially impressive. Most of the weapons were ordinary guns, explosives, swords, and knives. "You guys really need my help," Rupi said.

"So get to work and stay out of my hair," Neighbelle snapped in annoyance. She left him there.

Rupi finally relaxed among the weapons. He began fidgeting, disassembling some of them and reconfiguring them with components from others until he created weapons he found more to his satisfaction. He lost track of time.

The portal opened. Someone walked in with a tray of food. It smelled so delicious it snapped Rupi out of his hyper-focused state.

"Micah thought you might be hungry," a very handsome man with dark blonde hair said.

Rupi kept his face neutral as he shrugged and replied, "I could eat. You must be Tedius."

"I am," Tedius confirmed with a kind smile.

He's stunning, Rupi thought. At least I'll have something nice to look at while I'm here.

Tedius set the food down in front of him. Rupi took a bite and was stunned by how delicious it was. "Neighbelle didn't sing your praises nearly enough," he said. "This is excellent, thank you."

"Of course. It's nearly midnight. You should go back to your room for the night and rest," Tedius replied.

I'd rather go back to your room and not rest, Rupi thought with a smirk. Rupi didn't do relationships. Zydia had made it clear love was a weakness and would not be tolerated. That didn't mean he hadn't had plenty of one-night stands with handsome men. He'd slept with a total of two women before realizing he preferred men. He didn't tell Zydia, and she never bothered to ask, but he got around fairly often. Connecting to someone sexually, even if only briefly, helped Rupi feel alive when he was lonely or depressed.

"Rupi... Are you alright?" Tedius asked, causing Rupi to realize he'd gotten lost in his head.

"I'm fine," he replied. "I'm almost done here. I'll just finish this gun before I head to bed."

"If you need anything, just call on me."

Rupi could think of plenty of needs he might enjoy Tedius satisfying, but he kept his hormones in check and simply nodded. "Thank you, Tedius. That's kind of you," he said.

Stop this, Rupi. You're here to work, not have a tryst. Besides, he's probably not interested in men, he scolded himself. Still, he couldn't help but develop a bit of a crush on Tedius that night.

Tedius was both disturbed by Rupi and intrigued by him. On the surface, he was focused on violence and little else. The others treated him as a fool who did little more than follow his sister's orders, but Tedius sensed there was more to him.

One night about three weeks into his time with the New Jersey Chapter, Tedius heard whimpering coming from Rupi's room. Concerned, he knocked on his door. When Rupi didn't answer, Tedius hesitated, but then the whimpering escalated to actual crying and he decided to open the door.

Rupi lay in bed, topless and fast asleep. He was tossing and turning as he cried. Tedius sat beside him on the bed and gently shook him.

Rupi sat up and immediately pulled a knife out from beneath his pillow. He had it against Tedius's throat before he was even fully awake. Only as he saw the fear in Tedius's eyes did he pull it away quickly.

"Tedius... I'm sorry," he said softly. "You shouldn't sneak up on me when I'm sleeping. I grew up with Zydia. My reflexes are very sharp. Why are you in my room?"

Tedius gently reached toward him and wiped away a stray tear that remained on Rupi's cheek. Rupi looked away, ashamed and embarrassed.

"It's alright, Rupi," Tedius said gently. "Everyone has nightmares sometimes. I certainly do."

"Did I hurt you?" Rupi asked in a whisper.

"No. I'm fine," Tedius promised. "Do you want to talk about what you dreamed?"

"It was a memory," Rupi admitted, surprising himself. He didn't know why, but he trusted Tedius. "When I was very young, just after we lost our parents, Mayor Freyst would come check on Zydia and I often. One day, he came when Zydia was out gathering supplies. I let him in... Zydia would have been so disappointed in me." He shook his head. "He had a man with him... And that man paid him an undisclosed sum of money for three days alone with a seven-year-old. Freyst chose me. The man took me from our home and... Well, I'm sure you can deduce what happened. Zydia came home, found me missing, and tracked me down. She slaughtered the man who hurt me, and she made it quite clear why she'd done it. He wasn't a very well-liked man, so no one doubted he'd hurt a child. Freyst paled at the sight of the mangled mess she left behind and he never tried that again. I never told Zydia he'd set it up. I'm not sure if I fully understood it then... I just knew his friend was a monster and my big sister slayed him for me. It was my fault, really. I should have known better than to answer the door when I was alone."

"You were a child, Rupi... A baby, really." Tedius shook his head.

Rupi noticed the tears then. "Are you crying, Tedius?" He asked.

"I'm just so horrified... I don't understand how people can hurt children like that... And to know you went through such a terrible thing..." Tedius cried a bit harder.

"Hey, don't do that," Rupi protested. He smiled at Tedius charmingly. "I'm alright, Tedius. It was a long time ago. It's just that, sometimes, my subconscious forgets I'm not seven anymore. I suppose being so far away from Zydia set the memory off."

Tedius stunned Rupi by hugging him tightly. "No one should have to endure that, especially not a child," he said softly.

Rupi allowed the hug. He liked feeling Tedius pressed against him, especially with only one shirt between them. He longed to remove Tedius's shirt and feel his flesh against his own. They remained in each other's arms for perhaps a moment too long, but in Rupi's mind, it wasn't nearly long enough.

The two formed a bit of a friendship after that night. Rupi kept everyone at arm's length, remaining the outsider of the Chapter, but Tedius got closer to him than the others.

When Rupi ignored Estos and his attempt to befriend him, Estos finally snapped. "Why are you even here, Rupi? You obviously don't want to be!" He shouted.

"I was given an assignment," Rupi replied.

"You're miserable. I thought we could bond... We both have older siblings who cast huge shadows we cannot escape, and I figured I might understand you, but you won't even consider doing more than making small talk with me."

"You are partially correct, Estos. I don't want to be here. But we have nothing in common. You seek to escape from your brother's shadow. I find comfort being surrounded by my sister's. She shines for a reason. She has earned every bit of her reputation and I am lucky she is in my life. She gave me an order and I intend to follow it because I trust it is for the best. Now, kindly leave me to my weapons."

That New Year's Eve, the New Jersey Chapter was invited to spend the holiday in New York with Captain Smith and his people as well as Raffitty's Chapter. Rupi reluctantly went along. Captain Smith, Raffitty, and Micah toasted to another successful year of Rebellion business. Kizzie, Felina, Feygah, and Neighbelle discussed new spell techniques they were discovering. Lido kept to himself, silently gazing out of the window and ignoring the others unless they addressed him directly. R'Dian drank heavily with Zikos and Estos as they exchanged tales of battles won. Vianca moved between everyone, joining conversations when it suited her.

Rupi sat alone in a corner playing with a weapon, but while everyone assumed he was off in his own world, he was actually paying close attention to all of them.

Tedius stood with Naozi, the healer of Stone Hollow. She was drinking heavily, as she usually did. Nao was a lot of fun at parties, but she was trouble incarnate. Garron had assigned her to Raffitty in the hopes that he and Felina could keep her in line and turn her into a proper soldier. It wasn't that Nao was a bad person, but she'd become an alcoholic after watching her older brother get executed for killing their parents when she was nine. She was put into an orphanage, abused by the likes of Aphell and Freyst, and turned into a wild child who didn't always stop to think before she acted. Despite her history, Nao cared deeply for others and supported the Rebellion with all she had, so Garron had agreed to let her join a couple of centuries earlier.

"It's a bit dull here," Nao said with a suggestive grin. She touched Tedius's chest, slipping her index finger between the buttons of his shirt and finding his bare flesh. "Why don't we portal to my room back in Stone Hollow?"

"As lovely as that sounds, I think it would be rude to leave the party," Tedius replied politely. Nao was quite beautiful, but he would never accept the advances of a heavily intoxicated young woman. It would be wrong. Besides, he wasn't the sort to sleep around casually.

"Come on, Tedi... It'll be fun."

"I'm sure it would be, Nao... However, I cannot take advantage of you when I know you have been drinking."

She pushed him against the wall and kissed him. This startled Tedius, who refrained from kissing her back and gently shifted away from her.

"You are a gentleman," Nao said with a laugh. "Thank you for that. I'd still like a real kiss. You are gorgeous." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, slipping her tongue into his mouth. Tedius was too shocked to know how to react.

"Oh, for Eltar's sake, Naozi, stop forcing yourself on poor Tedius!" Felina said harshly. She grabbed Nao by her ear and pulled her away from Tedius.

That was when Tedius noticed Rupi watching him. He looked mildly annoyed, but also amused by Felina's actions.

Tedius was embarrassed. He slipped out of the building in the hopes of gathering his thoughts. He didn't expect anyone to join him.

"She's a persistent thing, isn't she?" Rupi asked from behind him.

Tedius spun around in surprise. "Nao is troubled," he replied. "It's not her fault. She's just a bit too drunk tonight."

"Is she a good kisser?"

Tedius stared at him. "I... That's a rather odd thing to ask."

"You didn't answer me. How was it? Did you enjoy it?"

"Rupi..."

They heard celebrating nearby as the clock struck midnight. Rupi stunned Tedius as he pulled him into his arms and kissed him. Tedius was even more stunned as he found himself kissing Rupi back. He'd never felt anything quite so perfect before.

My God, he thought. He's incredible.

When Rupi broke the kiss after well over a minute, Tedius was left staring at him, speechless.

"Happy New Year, Tedius," Rupi said with a grin.

"Happy New Year, Rupi," Tedius replied softly.

Rupi went back inside, leaving Tedius more confused than ever.

The following day, when they were back in New Jersey, Tedius found Rupi alone in the weapons room. "Rupi... May we speak?" He asked.

"Of course, Tedius," Rupi replied. I'd rather do something else with our lips, he added silently. He wasn't looking forward to the rejection he expected to follow. At least I know how it feels to kiss him now...

"You kissed me last night," Tedius began.

"I did," Rupi confirmed. "Did you mind?"

"No," he said softly, stunning Rupi.

"Really? So you came back for another go?"

Tedius blushed, making Rupi smile. He's adorable.

"I just... What does it mean, Rupi?" Tedius asked.

"It means I kissed you. It seemed like a nice way to start the new year." Rupi shrugged. "I'm sorry if it upset you. I was a little bit drunk."

"I see... So you wouldn't normally kiss me."

Rupi moved closer to him. "Actually, I would," he replied, his lips inches away from Tedius's. "Would you?"

Tedius inhaled sharply as he felt Rupi's breath on his face. He suddenly needed to close the slight distance between them. He found himself kissing Rupi, shyly at first until Rupi kissed him back eagerly. They quickly lost themselves in each other, forgetting anything else existed.

When they pulled away from each other, Tedius studied Rupi's face. His eyes were almost golden, and his face was handsome and strong. He was physically fit, and Tedius couldn't deny he'd looked incredible when he'd seen him without his shirt on.

I like him, he realized. More than I let myself admit.

Rupi locked the door. "Would you like to see where this leads, Tedius?" He asked.

"I don't normally engage in this sort of behavior," Tedius replied.

"You're older than I am, right? They say you were even born before the Great Wizard. Are you telling me you've never-?"

"I don't tend to let people in, Rupi," Tedius pointed out. "I have, on rare occasion, been in the situation you're alluding to, however, I generally choose to remain alone."

"What a sad waste of talent. That kiss was something else, Tedi."

Tedius blushed harder. Rupi softened a bit. "I like you, Tedi. You're gentle and kind, and you put me at ease... And you're certainly nice to look at. I think it might be nice to see what happens if we take this further, but if you're not interested..." The idea of never doing more than kissing Tedius made Rupi incredibly sad, but he wouldn't push him.

Tedius pulled Rupi closer, stunning him as he kissed him. He held him tightly with one hand, running his free hand over Rupi's back until Rupi shivered.

"Tedi... Good God..." Rupi mumbled as their lips parted for air.

Tedius wasn't looking for romance, but he couldn't deny how kissing Rupi made him feel. He never wanted to stop. Rupi didn't believe in relationships, but he decided spending more than just one night with Tedius was his idea of heaven.

That day, the two men became lovers. They told no one and didn't label what they were. Neither was willing to do that yet, but they somehow kept ending up in each other's beds.

Finally, after over two years of this, Tedius said what he'd been too afraid to say. "I love you, Rupi of Eltar..."

"Tedi..." Rupi began.

"I know you don't believe in love, but I needed you to know that I believe enough for the both of us."

Rupi sighed. "Love is weakness... Zydia taught me that. Love killed our mother..." He had tears in his eyes, to Tedius's shock. "I fear I am terribly weak, Tedi... Because I love you, too..."

Tedius kissed away his tears. "Love isn't weakness, Rupi. And you are far from weak."

They continued to keep their love a secret from everyone but each other. For sixteen years, that was enough. By day, they were best friends. Every night, one would end up in the other's bed, and they'd spends hours wrapped up in each other's arms, but they always parted by morning. Rupi built a small portal between their rooms so no one would see them coming and going. It was their perfect little secret, and for the first time in a long time, both men were happy.

One day, Zydia called and told Rupi he needed to return to Amber Beach for a little while. He didn't hesitate, having missed his sister terribly.

"Murgano is missing," Zydia said as soon as Rupi arrived. "We were on a mission. Letez was fatally wounded. Murgano stayed behind while I got Letez to Amello, because when your healer needs a healer, there is no better option than Amello. He saved his life. That was three days ago. There's been no sign of Murgano since."

"What do you need?" Rupi asked, immediately turning serious.

"I'm going after him. Letez is physically fine, but he can't handle going back there. I need you to watch my back."

"Always, Sister. Tell me everything you know."

"The enemy is an Eltarian demon. He was summoned by a warlock who's been hiding out here on Earth. Garron has been tracking him for months, and he ended up here in Amber Beach. He's extremely powerful. My magic hurt him, but not badly enough. We need weapons."

"I'm your man."

"I know." She hesitated. "Rupi... He damn near took Letez's head off with almost no effort. Murgano could be dead for all I know, but even if he is, I want to bring him home. He's an excellent Lieutenant... Loyal. I owe him that."

"We'll find him, Zydia... Alive," Rupi said firmly. He knew Zydia genuinely cared for Murgano, even if she wouldn't ever admit it. He'd been the first man in the Rebellion aside from Rupi to stand up and say he'd be honored to serve beneath a woman as fierce as Zydia.

He set to work on creating weapons as Zydia gave him a better idea of what they were up against. At some point, Letez came and sat beside him.

"I want to help," he said. "I must go with you. Murgano only got captured because I was injured. It is my duty to go on this mission."

"Zydia wants you to remain here, where it's safe," Rupi replied.

"Talk to her, Rupi. Convince her to let me help. I am not worthless."

"I never said you were, Letez, but my sister is correct. It's too dangerous. You are a fierce warrior, but the demon is likely to target you again. Tactically, it is not practical to bring you along."

"Rupi... Please. If anyone can convince her, it's you."

"You clearly don't know my sister. Once she makes up her mind, she doesn't listen to me, either. I follow her lead, not the other way around... And as I said, she is correct. You don't belong on this rescue mission."

Rupi thought that was the end of it, but when he and Zydia made it to the demon's location, Letez showed himself.

"I had to, Zydia," he said. "Forgive me."

"If you get killed, I'm going to resurrect you just to murder you," Zydia informed him. "Never defy me again. Go home, Letez."

The earth shook. Darkness overwhelmed them. "Zydia!" Rupi shouted as she and Letez vanished from sight.

He sensed he was not alone. The demon looked at Rupi with menacing eyes. "You'll do nicely," he said in Eltarian before dragging him away.

No matter how hard Rupi struggled, he couldn't free himself. The demon flung him into a corner. Only a small candle lit the room, but it showed enough to terrify Rupi. Chains, whips, and other torture devices filled the room.

The demon wasted no time before he began torturing him. As he stripped off Rupi's clothes, Rupi tried to fight harder than ever. The demon brutally assaulted him until Rupi had no strength left to fight.

He broke down, feeling like the helpless little boy he'd been when Zydia had to rescue him. Zydi will come, he told himself. She'll save you. She'll destroy him.

He didn't know that Zydia and Letez had also been captured. The demon kept them together, waiting until he tired of torturing Rupi before he planned to start with them. His mistake was underestimating Zydia.

When the demon put his pants back on, picked him up, and dragged him into another room, Rupi expected him to kill him. Instead, he left him there next to a bloody mess. Rupi couldn't stop himself from whimpering in pain and terror once they were alone.

"Rupi?" A voice asked softly. The bloody mess sat up and slowly moved closer to him. Rupi recognized Murgano despite the damage to his body and face. He had scars all over his back and chest. His face had scars, too. Murgano had always been incredibly handsome. In the past, he and Rupi had spent an occasional night together, usually after they'd both been drinking. The new scars didn't diminish his attractiveness, but it broke something in Rupi to realize how much his friend had suffered. He couldn't stop his tears from beginning to fall.

"Rupi, don't cry," Murgano said firmly. "Zydia will kill us both if you break down. It's alright. I won't let him hurt you anymore... I'll keep him distracted. I can take it."

Rupi forced himself not to cry anymore as he studied the damage to Murgano's face. One scar went over his eye, the other across his nose and lips. Rupi traced them gently with his index finger. When he reached Murgano's lips, Murgano kissed his fingertip.

Old habits kicked in. Rupi was broken and traumatized, and he needed to take control back. He found himself kissing Murgano. It didn't take away his pain, but it made him feel safer, which helped him find his strength.

After several minutes of kissing and gently touching each other, Rupi pulled away. "Later," he said. "First, we're getting the hell out of here."

"How?" Murgano asked. "I've tried everything. I'm too wounded to escape, and so are you. He seems to have mostly tired of torturing me, but he sends the warlock who summoned him to feed me scraps once a day. I can't even get by him. He gets in and out too quickly."

"We're together now... And this room has a few items I might be able to work with." Rupi started to get creative, grabbing the rope next to the bed and tying one end to the chain dangling from the ceiling.

"You're not planning to kill yourself, are you?" Murgano asked.

"No... I've got a better idea," Rupi replied. He continued to work, setting a trap. When the warlock finally came, he kicked the chair he'd set to trigger it.

The warlock didn't see it coming as everything began to fall into place. He ended up dangling upside-down by his leg and swinging violently between the walls. His shocked cries stopped as he bashed his head on a wall and blacked out.

"Rupi... You're brilliant!" Murgano declared.

"Don't tell anyone that," Rupi replied. "I prefer to keep it my little secret. Come on." He led Murgano away.

They found the demon trapped in a ritual circle. He was screaming in agony as he burned continuously.

"No one touches me without my permission," Zydia said firmly. She looked completely uninjured and was still fully dressed. Rupi was relieved, but not entirely surprised.

She took one look at Rupi and became enraged. "And they don't touch my brother and live to talk about it!" She added. Her spell increased. The demon's screams grew louder until he exploded before their eyes.

Rupi stared at the bloody remains of the demon in shock. Zydia shook her hand to remove a bit of the mess that had managed to land on her.

"Will you live, Murgano?" She asked.

"Nothing is fatal," Murgano replied.

Zydia opened a portal. "Go. I already sent Letez home. He's uninjured this time. He can try to heal you. The scars have magic on them, so they might not fade, but the pain should pass."

"I can live with the scars. Take care of your brother." Murgano left.

"Rupi..." Zydia began. She sighed, studying his injuries and working magic to heal some of them. "He's dead now. He will never harm you again."

"Zydi..." Rupi whimpered.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Rupi. I shouldn't have brought you into this." She conjured water and a cloth and began to wipe the blood off of him.

Rupi forced himself to take a deep breath. "I'm alright, Zydia," he said softly. "And I will always be by your side when you need me."

"I know." She hugged him gently. Zydia only did that when they were alone, and even then, it was rare she'd indulge him with a hug. It told him how worried she really was.

"I have to go back to New Jersey," Rupi said sadly.

"Stay the night. Recover, eat, and be with your family. You can go back tomorrow."

"Thank you."

He spent the night in her room. Zydia stroked his hair gently until he fell asleep, something neither of them would admit to anyone else.

He returned to New Jersey the next afternoon. "How was the mission?" Micah asked.

"Murgano is home safe. He's scarred, but he'll be fine," Rupi replied calmly. He didn't let on how much he'd been traumatized or what had happened during the mission.

"Excellent news!" Zikos said with a nod of approval.

"You're wounded," Vianca noticed.

"Zydia healed most of my injuries. This is nothing," Rupi replied.

"Go see Tedi, Rupi," Neighbelle said. "He's upstairs working on a project with Estos. I'm sure he can heal the rest."

More than anything, Rupi wanted to see Tedius... But he also couldn't bear the thought of facing him.

I cheated on him, he thought in horror. He hadn't actually slept with Murgano, but they'd come close enough. It was true he and Tedius were not officially anything, but they shared a bed every night. There was no one he'd rather wake up next to. He'd turned to Murgano for comfort as a reflex, but it hadn't been the same. His heart wanted Tedius, and no one else could compare anymore.

He went upstairs. Tedius took one look at him and said, "Estos, let's finish this later."

Estos took the hint. "Good to have you back, Rupi," he said before leaving them alone.

Tedius pulled Rupi into his arms and immediately began to heal the few injuries Zydia had missed. "Tell me," he said gently.

"It was bad," Rupi admitted. "The demon... I can't, Tedi."

Tedius kissed his forehead. "It's alright. You're home now, Rupi. You're safe."

Rupi wanted to remain in his arms forever. Instead, he pulled away. "I can't do this anymore," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"This thing between us... I can't keep doing it."

"Rupi-"

"I cheated on you!" He blurted out.

Tedius looked like he'd slapped him. "What?" He asked softly, sounding lost.

"With Murgano. We've had a few nights together in the past... And he was horribly injured, and the demon had tortured us both... I kissed him. I touched him. I would have done more if we had the time and didn't need to escape."

Tedius touched his cheek. "You were traumatized, Rupi. I can feel what he put you through. You sought comfort the only way you could... I... I understand."

Rupi shook his head. "I can't be with you, Tedius! I'll only keep hurting you. I am broken... Damaged."

"We are all broken and damaged, Rupi. That doesn't make me love you any less."

"I will destroy you, Tedius! And I cannot allow that to happen. I'm sorry. We can't be together anymore." He forced himself to run from the room.

Tedius was broken, but he tried to respect Rupi's wishes anyway. They remained friends, but they no longer shared a bed. Ten months later, Tedius heard Rupi screaming in his sleep. Unable to stand leaving him like that, he slipped into his room and gently woke him.

"Tedi..." Rupi whispered with tears in his eyes.

"Shhh... It's alright, Rupi," Tedius said soothingly. "You're safe."

"You came..."

"I heard you struggling. Are you calmer now?"

"Yes... Thanks."

"Of course. I'll head back to my room now, but if you need me-"

Rupi stunned him by pulling him down beside him. He kissed him passionately. "I'm a fool," he said. "Don't leave, Tedi... Don't ever leave."

"I shall remain by your side always, Rupi," Tedius vowed.

This would be typical for them as time continued. Every so often, Rupi tried to pull away, insisting he was damaged and would destroy Tedius's life. In the end, they always found their way back to each other.

In 1933, while the Stone Hollow Chapter was in town on business, Naozi resumed her flirtations with Tedius. She was very drunk and was throwing herself at him, going as far as to sit in his lap and move suggestively as she tried to kiss him. Rupi became instantly jealous.

"Why don't you go do your job, Nao?" He demanded. "Or go keep Estos company? He gets around nearly as much as you do!"

"Rupi, that was uncalled for," Tedius said in horror.

"I hope you've had your shots, Tedius. You might catch something."

"Jealous, Rupi?" Nao asked. She moved out of Tedius's lap and kissed Rupi. "I'm nothing but a harlot, right? So use me, Rupi. Everyone else does! Except Tedi, because he's a gentleman!" She slapped Rupi across the face and ran to the stairwell.

"She's insane," Rupi mumbled.

"She's upset, Rupi," Tedius replied. "Something's obviously wrong. She trusts me, so she felt safe with me, and I suppose she was trying to reassure herself by behaving the way she did with me. I'm going after her."

Seeing a discarded bottle of beer on the steps heading up, he realized she hadn't left the building. Tedius rushed up the stairs after her. He found her on the hotel's roof.

"Nao... Come back inside," he said urgently.

"Rupi's in love with you," she said bluntly.

"Nao-"

"It's fine, Tedius. You love him, too. I see it in your eyes whenever you look at him. I'm happy you have that... I know you won't hurt me. That's why I did all of that. Rupi doesn't have to be so jealous... You're a loyal man." She was standing too close to the edge of the roof. "I'm a horrible person... I always do this..."

"Nao, please come inside. We can talk," Tedius said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause trouble for you two. I love you guys." She conjured another bottle of beer and chugged it. She stumbled. The bottle fell to the ground below. She stepped up on the ledge.

"Naozi, don't!" Tedius cried. He moved closer to her, but someone beat him to Nao. Rupi ran past him and wrapped his arms around her, tackling her back onto the roof.

"Nao... I'm so sorry," Rupi said softly. "I'm a fool. Please don't do anything crazy."

"Crazy's all I do, Rupi," she said. Before either man could react, Nao pulled Rupi's gun from its holster and shot herself in the head.

Tedius screamed in horror. He ran to her, hoping he could save her life, but it was too late. She'd been killed instantly. He sobbed as he held her in his arms.

"Tedi..." Rupi said softly. "I'm sorry... I didn't think she'd-"

"Go," Tedius said.

"What?"

"Leave. Tell Raff, Felina, and Lido what has become of their healer." Tedius was grieving deeply. The guilt of not being able to save Naozi from herself was too much for him. He turned off his emotions, feeling numb as he cradled her still-warm corpse in his arms.

Rupi looked hurt as he left, but Tedius couldn't let himself care. Rupi had known Nao was unstable, and yet he'd been cruel to her. He'd pushed her over the edge, all because he was jealous, yet he wouldn't even admit to anyone that he and Tedius were lovers. Tedius couldn't deal with him in that moment.

They broke up again. Tedius was lost in his grief and couldn't bring himself to forgive Rupi. At the same time, being angry at Rupi hurt his heart, and he hated it.

That New Year's Eve, Rupi approached Tedius on the roof of the New York Chapter's building as everyone else partied in the penthouse.

"Quite a view, isn't it?" Rupi asked.

"It's lovely," Tedius agreed.

"Tedi... I miss you," Rupi said softly. "I know what happened to Nao was my fault, but-"

"It wasn't your fault," Tedius said with a sigh.

"I pushed her. Hell, she used my gun."

"Nao was already over the edge... I think she would have done it regardless. I should have gone to Raff... He could have gotten her the help she needed." He shook his head. "I wasn't really mad at you, Rupi. I blamed myself. I couldn't cope with my failure, so I blamed you, because it was easier. I'm sorry. That was unfair. You tried to save her. You couldn't have known she'd go for your gun."

"This was a horrible year."

"It was." Tedius paused. He moved closer to Rupi. The masses began to cheer and celebrate as the clock struck midnight. Tedius leaned in and kissed Rupi. It healed something in both of them.

"Happy New Year, Rupi," he said.

"Happy New Year, Tedi," Rupi replied.

Things got better after that. They didn't encounter any real issues until 1964, and although they remained in the closet and continued to hide their love, they were finally happy again.

The New Jersey Chapter invited the New Yorkers for a visit. By then, Captain Smith's Chapter had gained Jazov, as well as the Captain's wife, Carolena, and their daughter, Marie. While the rest of his Chapter arrived, Captain Smith took care of personal business in New York.

Rupi was confused by the lack of guests and staff at the hotel. Micah had emptied everyone out that morning. This put Rupi on alert, as it seemed a bit suspicious.

"Move in," Micah said as he rejoined his Chapter.

"Micah... What the hell are you up to?" Vianca asked.

"We're taking over, Vianca. Stand with us, and you will like the results," Micah informed her.

"Are you mad? These are our friends, Micah! What exactly do you plan to do?"

"It is time for Captain Smith to fall. That is all that matters."

"You've lost your wits! I won't stand for this, Micah. End this madness now."

"Vi... I'm sorry. This is the only way."

She drew her sword. "I cannot allow you to do this, Micah."

"You are my Lieutenant! I am the one in charge here, Vianca!"

"Not anymore. I am taking control, and I will report this to Garron at once."

"Garron understands doing what is necessary."

"Not when it's something like this. Garron respects Captain Smith, and so should you."

"Enough! You are being insubordinate!"

"Damn right I am!"

"Stand down, Vi... Or I'll make you."

"Stop this!" Zikos said suddenly as he appeared, getting between Vianca and Micah. "You cannot be serious about challenging Captain Smith, Micah. He's in his position for a reason."

"You have no right to refuse my orders, Zikos."

"Actually, a member of the Rebellion may refuse the orders of their Chapter leader if they have reason to believe those orders will lead to unnecessary loss of life or harm to themselves," Rupi said. He kept his tone even as he tried to figure out how to handle this unexpected situation. "And challenging Captain Smith would lead to both. Besides... Captain Smith is in good standing with the Rebellion. You have no grounds to target him."

"How dare you quote the rules to me? I am your Chapter Head!" Micah said sharply.

"My sister outranks you, Micah, and I know she would not approve of this," Rupi replied. "We won't stand with you."

"We stand with him," Neighbelle said.

"Micah is right. Captain Smith is in the way," Estos agreed.

"Estos! How could you agree with him?" Zikos asked in surprise.

Micah turned to the only person who'd arrived but not spoken up. "Tedius... What do you have to say on the matter? Where do you stand?" He asked.

Tedius took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "Captain Smith is a good, honorable man," he said firmly. "I will not raise arms against him." He stood beside Rupi, who took his hand in his own.

I have to keep him safe, Rupi thought. No matter what.

"You are all fools!" Micah declared.

"We will not back down, Micah. You would do well to walk away from this," Vianca said.

"Sorry, Vi... That won't happen. We've come too far to turn back now." With that, he fired off several shots. Neighbelle began casting spells as Estos fired off shots of his own.

"Vianca!" Zikos screamed. He jumped in front of her, taking a bullet to the chest from his own brother.

"No!" Tedius shouted. He knelt beside Zikos, desperately trying to heal him.

"Back off, Tedi," Estos said sharply. "Or I'll shoot you next."

Tedius stubbornly continued to try to heal Zikos. "I won't allow you to murder your own brother... Come to your senses, Estos!"

"I finally have," Estos replied. "For far too long, I have lived in the shadow of my brother. Now, it is my turn."

"Estos... Please..." Zikos whispered between coughing fits. "I beg you, see reason. Do not do this. It is not too late to make the right choice, Little Brother."

"Shut your mouth... Or perhaps I should just shut it for you." Estos fired another shot, this time into his brother's head.

Tedius let out a cry of horror. It broke Rupi's heart. He fired his gun. Estos was knocked back by the blast, although it wasn't fatal. Tedius was visibly in shock and couldn't bring himself to let go of Zikos, who was very clearly dead.

"Tedi... Tedi, come on. We have to go," Rupi said, pulling him into his arms.

"Zikos... I... I tried to save him," Tedius whispered.

"I know you did. He is at peace now, Tedi... Come on. Vianca's got Micah and Neighbelle on the run. We need to catch up to them before they can harm the others."

Tedius was crying as he followed Rupi from the room. They left Estos alive but wounded, knowing it was more important to stop the other two from carrying out their plans. They could deal with Estos later.

Vianca stood facing Micah when Rupi and Tedius found her. "Stay behind me!" She commanded them.

"I've got your six," Rupi promised. "Tedi, stay with me. I'll cover you, too."

"Vi, watch out!" Tedius shouted as Micah fired a shot at her. She managed to dodge it, much to his relief.

"You're outnumbered, Micah. Stand down," Vianca said firmly.

"You are my subordinates," Micah said sharply. "You do not give me orders, Vianca!"

Rupi attacked him with a swift kick to his shin. This brought Micah to his knees, giving Vianca a chance to get closer to him. Unfortunately, Micah seemed to see this coming. He recovered and knocked her onto her back.

"Get away from her!" Rupi shouted.

"You're just Zydia's sidekick! You're nothing. You don't get to give me orders," Micah insisted.

"Stop power tripping and think rationally, Micah! This is not the way!" Tedius said firmly.

"This is the only way, Tedius," Micah argued. He then fired a shot at Vianca. She dodged it, but barely. Micah tried to fire another shot off, this time at Rupi.

Tedius knocked Micah to the ground. He pinned him easily because he had a larger build than Micah and was stronger, even if he rarely showed it.

"Tedi! Watch out!" Vianca shouted as more shots were fired.

Tedius looked up to see Estos standing before them. He looked fairly strong considering Rupi had hurt him. Luckily, his aim was off and he hadn't hit Tedius. "Don't you dare!" Rupi said, getting between Tedius and Estos.

"You're going to regret siding against us," Estos said. He attacked Rupi, which distracted Tedius enough that Micah was able to shift his weight and get away from him.

"Not so fast!" Vianca cried. She went to attack him. That was when things went sideways. Micah manifested a sword out of nowhere and before anyone could react, he brought it down against Vianca's neck. He severed her head while Tedius and Rupi could do no more than watch.

"Vi!" Rupi screamed. It was his turn to panic. He looked like he was going to cry. Estos took the opportunity to try to stab him. Tedius grabbed Rupi and did the only thing he could... He touched the pocket realm he sensed and disappeared into it, still holding Rupi.

Safe for the moment, Tedius looked at Rupi. "Are you okay?" he asked him.

"She's dead..." Rupi whispered. He'd always been fond of Vianca. Their Lieutenant had been like a nicer version of Zydia, one who treated Rupi with more kindness than his beloved older sister did. He was deeply attached to her, and his heart was breaking now. He was also in shock. Vianca had seemed as invincible as his sister usually did, and yet in an instant, she'd perished.

"I know... But the others may still be alive, Rupi. We have to warn them... To save them if we can," Tedius said. "And if we can't... Then we shall die with honor."

Slowly, Rupi nodded. "With honor," he agreed. He pulled Tedius closer to him, kissing him hard. "I love you," he added.

"I love you, too," Tedius promised him. "Now... We fight."

When they left the pocket realm, Rupi and Tedius reappeared in a different room. This one was a mess. The ceiling had caved in. "What the hell happened in here?" Rupi wondered aloud.

"Neighbelle," Tedius said. "This room is full of her energy. Come on. We need to continue, to try to find them."

Rupi was about to follow Tedius out of the room when he paused. "Wait... Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Rupi listened, hoping to hear the sound again. There was nothing. "I must have imagined it," he said with a sigh. "Come on. Let's go." Just as he reached the doorway, he heard the softest groan. "Someone's here," he said suddenly. He ran back toward the sound and began to move aside some of the pieces of the ceiling which had come down.

"Rupi, no one could have survived being crushed by all of that," Tedius said.

"Just help me dig, Tedi," he insisted.

Tedius sighed, but helped him anyway. They exchanged a glance as they spotted a glowing light coming from beneath the pile. They started digging faster and revealed a protective shield holding the worst of the rubble off of a body.

"Kizzie..." Rupi whispered. She looked critically injured, but he swore he heard another soft groan of pain. He tried to touch her.

Kizzie immediately jerked away from him, shooting a blast of energy from her hands. Tedius barely managed to pull Rupi to safety as it shot toward him. "Kizzie, we're not going to hurt you!" Rupi said quickly.

"Get back!" Kizzie cried out.

"Kizz, it's Rupi and Tedius... We're here to help, I promise."

Kizzie blinked at him before she seemed to understand his words. "Rupi... Tedi..." She said softly.

"It's okay, Kizzie. You're safe," Rupi promised. "Tedi, she needs healing."

"I'm already working on it," Tedius promised as he began sending energy toward her, trying to heal the worst of her wounds.

Within a couple of minutes, Kizzie was more coherent. "Marie... Neigh went after Marie, and the others..." She said.

"We'll stop her, Kizzie," Rupi promised.

"But... She's from your Chapter."

"Micah, Neighbelle, and Estos decided they wanted to overthrow Captain Smith and claim the full territory. The two of us stood against them, along with Zikos and Vianca." He looked at his feet.

Kizzie seemed to understand. "Oh, no... I'm terribly sorry to hear that," she said.

"They died with honor," Tedius said.

"We shall remember them as heroes," Kizzie promised. "Please... Help me find the others."

"Let's go," Rupi said. He helped her stand and they began to head out of the room. None of them knew what they would find, but they knew they had to stick together and face it.

They made it to Marie too late. The lights in the room went out. "Neigh? Did you do that?" Micah asked.

"No..." Neighbelle said nervously.

"Then who did?" Estos asked.

Flames burst from the ground. The room began to shake. There was no way out. "Kizzie," Neighbelle practically spat. "She's the only one with this sort of power."

"I thought you said she was dead!" Micah snapped at her.

"I said she would die, not that she was already dead. She must have escaped somehow."

"Come. We must hurry, before she reaches us."

"Too late for that," Kizzie said from the shadows.

"Flee the room! Now!" Neighbelle said. "We must regroup!" She ran out of there quickly. Micah followed.

"You will pay for what you have done!" Kizzie said sharply. She was channeling an enormous amount of power, and Estos was clearly terrified. Kizzie literally glowed as she attacked him. He collapsed quickly, his mouth and eyes still open in horror as his last breath left his body.

"Kizzie... He's dead. You can stop," Rupi said.

"He has to pay! They all do!" Kizzie screamed as she stared at Marie's lifeless body.

"Kizzie, please... You have to stop this," Tedius said urgently.

"No! Not until they pay!"

"Kizzie." A new voice said firmly. Kizzie tensed before looking toward the sound. "Stand down, Kizzie," Captain Smith said calmly.

"Sir..." Kizzie whispered. Suddenly, the furious magic bursting from her fell away. She stared at Captain Smith with tears in her eyes. "Sir, I'm so terribly sorry... I... I tried..." Her voice cracked.

"I know you did, Kizzie," he said gently. He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Are you hurt?"

"I was... Fatally, most likely... Tedius healed me, Sir. He and Rupi saved my life."

"Then I owe you both a debt I can never repay." He released Kizzie before looking at Marie. He did not cry or react, but simply pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, my sweet, beautiful daughter... Be with your mother now..." He said softly. He then released her and left her lying on the ground. She almost looked as though she were asleep.

Kizzie seemed to realize what his words meant. "Not Carolena, too... Sir... I'm so sorry... I failed them both... I failed you."

"You have failed no one, Kizzie," he said soothingly, looking deep into her eyes. "You survived. That is all I could have asked of you... And I know you did everything in your power to protect them."

"It wasn't enough... They were your family, Sir."

"They were your family as well, my dearest Kizzie. I know you grieve as deeply as I do this day."

"They killed Vianca and Zikos," Rupi said. "They tried to stand up to Micah. The four of us were against this slaughter, so they attacked us. I am truly sorry we could not do more for your family, Captain Smith."

"You saved Kizzie, Rupi. You have no reason to apologize. She is incredibly precious to me, and right now, my one comfort is that she still lives," Captain Smith said. "Now, come... This battle is not yet over. We must put an end to them."

They headed toward Neighbelle and Micah, who were in a nearby room. Kizzie had sealed the hotel so they could not escape. They paired off, with Kizzie facing Neighbelle and Captain Smith facing Micah. Kizzie cast a spell that instantly killed Neighbelle.

"I guess I'm the stronger one after all," she said to the traitor's corpse.

Captain Smith looked Micah in the eye as he shot him in the chest. Micah stared at him, clearly stunned he'd managed to do that. "Neigh's magic should have prevented that..." Micah mumbled.

"My magic is stronger," Captain Smith said.

"You don't have magic! Nothing above a basic level anyway," Micah protested.

"Perhaps you don't know as much about me as you believe you do... That was for my Chapter," he said. Then, he shot him again, this time in the head. "And that was for Carolena and Marie."

Kizzie came up behind him, putting a gentle hand on his arm. "Well done, Sir," she said.

Rupi clung to Tedius as they stared at their former Chapter leader's corpse. "Where will we go now?" Tedius wondered aloud.

"You two are welcome to join our Chapter," Captain Smith said.

"But... After what our Chapter did..." Rupi said softly.

"You stood against them. You fought with honor, and you saved Kizzie's life. You will always have a place with our Chapter."

"It is the only way we can survive. If we don't do this, others will strike to try to claim the territory," Tedius said.

"He's right," Kizzie said. "This is for the best... You will join the New York Chapter."

"New York New Jersey," Captain Smith said.

"Sir?" Kizzie asked.

"We will remember this day, and all that we have lost. We will honor our origins. Going forward, we shall be neither New York nor New Jersey, but both."

"Yes," Kizzie agreed. "That is fitting."

"We accept your offer," Rupi said, shaking Captain Smith's hand.

And so, two Chapters merged into one. The funerals were held shortly after the massacre. Zydia was the first to arrive, and she immediately punched her brother in the arm. "You could have died!" She said in horror. "What were you thinking? You should have played along and called me in to help."

"I'm okay, Zydia," Rupi promised her. "Thank you for coming now."

Zydia softened and hugged him, showing a rare shred of vulnerability. Rupi knew then how scared she'd been, especially since the hug was out in the open where others could witness it.

Things went well for a time. Tedius and Rupi settled into life in New York well. Their favorite activity became walking together along the beach at Coney Island, or walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, even daring to hold hands on occasion.

In the 1970s, Zydia was sent to Eltar on an undercover assignment. To Rupi's horror, another Rebel sold her out to try and save himself. Garron broke Zydia out of prison after a little while. Once she was back on Earth, Rupi went back to Amber Beach to visit her. He was horrified when she broke down in tears.

"Zydia? Sister, what has happened? I'll destroy whoever made you cry," Rupi said. It was a rare thing for Zydia to cry in general, and she had not done it in millennia.

She shook her head. "Rupi... I think I loved him," she said softly.

Rupi stared at her. "The Prime Minister?" He asked.

"Rey..." She replied softly. "To me, he was simply Rey."

"How can I help, Zydia?"

"Stay... For the week, at least."

"Of course."

The following morning, Zydia became ill and Rupi held her hair as her stomach emptied. After a while, Rupi gently asked, "Zydia... Have you taken a pregnancy test since returning to Earth?"

She stared at him. "No... I cannot be..." She mumbled.

Rupi got his hands on a test quickly and Zydia took it. She refused to believe the result and demanded he buy two more. The result did not change.

"It's his," she said in horror. "I should abort the abomination... I don't want to be reminded of him."

Rupi placed his hand gently on her stomach. "No, Zydia... Think of the opportunities the child shall provide for you," he said. He knew how she thought. He had to find reasons for her to keep the child because he didn't want her to kill it. This baby was their kin... The first kin they'd had aside from each other in millennia.

Thankfully, Zydia didn't have an abortion. Instead, she carried the child and gave birth a few months later.

Zizanyah was beautiful. She looked very much like Zydia, only she had blonde hair, like her father... Zydia couldn't seem to love the child, or anyone really, but Rupi doted on her. He adored her from the moment he looked into her eyes. He nicknamed her Zizi, a name most people adopted as well. Zydia raised Zizi as a soldier of the Rebellion, but Rupi treated her as a child. Tedius immediately came to love her as if she were his own niece, and the two men spoiled her whenever Zydia left Zizi alone with them.

From an early age, Zizi showed she shared her mother's talent for stealth and going undercover. By the time she was twelve, Zydia sent her away to begin working on her own. Rupi knew Zydia cared about Zizi on some level, but she seemed incapable of showing it. Rupi made sure to tell Zizi her mother hadn't always been like that. She was colder than ever after her time with Rey, but Rupi remembered who she had been before.

Rupi kept Zydia's secret and didn't even tell Tedius who Zizi's father was. It was safer for her that way. He and Tedius grew incredibly close to Zizi, becoming more like parents to her than Zydia was. Even as she worked undercover, she always checked in with the two of them.

In 1989, Laby, B'Danna, and Draze were the only survivors of the Tiger's Bluff Chapter after Jaybert slaughtered the others. Rupi and Tedius had met B'Danna and Draze decades before, when they were still on their own. After Laby brought them into the Rebellion, they grew close to them and remained very protective of them. At Laby's request, Captain Smith brought the two teenagers into the New York New Jersey Chapter. They grew even closer to Rupi and Tedius after that.

Rupi pushed Tedius away a few more times over the years, but they always got back together. One of those times, after a visit to Amber Beach where a mission had turned especially violent, Rupi was in tears as he declared, "I am bad for you, Tedi! I can't ever be what you deserve. I love you, but that isn't enough. At the end of the day, I am Zydia's brother. You are love and light and I am battle and destruction. I wish I could change it, but I can't. We are like the stars, set on our destined paths. We can never deviate from them, no matter how hard we try."

"We are like the stars, Rupi," Tedius said softly. "We light the way for each other, and we shine brightest together. We belong together. If we didn't, we wouldn't keep coming back to each other. I won't let you run away this time. I love you, Rupi of Eltar. I always will. That's all that matters."

Rupi felt tears streaming down his cheeks as he whispered, "How can love be weakness when I only feel strong with you by my side?"

Tedius kissed him. "Our love is our strength. Believe in it and it will see us through."

They didn't break up. A few weeks later, the attack on the Counsel Building happened. Rupi and Tedius were given different jobs. Tedius was tasked with focusing purely on healing. Captain Smith didn't want to expose him to any of the violence directly because he knew he preferred peace. Rupi had an assignment from Garron to help free the prisoners. He wasn't with Zydia when she decided to slaughter the school children.

Things had already turned ugly when he arrived back at the Counsel Building. Bodies were everywhere. The sight of the children horrified him. It didn't take him long to find his former Chapter. They stood with Travis and Macy from Garron's Chapter.

"We got every last little brat," Travis said proudly.

"Garron's right. This will drive our point home," Murgano said. "Nothing gets through to people like a bunch of dead kids."

"At least they perished quickly," Letez added.

Rupi was about to say something when someone shot Travis in the head before turning toward the others. Two members of the Guard stood with her, aiming guns at them. Rupi was stunned to realize the shooter was a teenaged girl.

"Travis!" Macy screamed in horror. She knelt beside her husband.

Letez moved beside Macy, trying to heal him. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Macy," he said softly.

"For killing these innocents, you are charged with treason," one of the Guards said.

"We did what had to be done," Murgano said as Letez stood up and moved toward him.

"Surrender now or perish where you stand!" The other Guard said.

Zydia shot him in the head. His corpse fell in front of the first Guard, who froze in shock for a moment.

"Macy, we have to get out of here," Zydia said urgently.

Murgano and Letez were about to shoot the other Guard when the teenager opened fire again. Zydia moved in front of them to try to protect them. Rupi watched in horror as a bullet pierced her heart.

"Zydia!" He screamed. He turned the gun toward the girl as she shot Letez in the chest.

"That's for killing my baby brother, you son of a bitch!" She shouted as she took his gun.

Rupi was going to shoot her, but her words made him hesitate. She was still a kid. She'd just heard people bragging about killing her little brother. Zydia would have reacted the same exact way if she'd heard someone bragging about killing him.

"That's Marshley's girl, Marinessa," Zydia said weakly. "She's an impressive warrior... Reminds me of myself at her age..." She groaned in pain, but still aimed her weapon at the other guard. "Check Letez. If he lives, get him, Murgano, and Macy out. I'll cover you."

"I can't leave you, Zydia..." Rupi protested.

"I'll be alright. I'm a survivor. Go, Rupi. Get them to safety."

He checked Letez. His friend blinked at him sadly before bleeding out. Seeing that Macy was already casting the spell to turn Travis to ash and store his remains in a canister, Rupi did the same for Letez. As Murgano tried to reach him, Marinessa fired a shot into his head.

"No!" Rupi screamed. He ran toward him. The surviving Guard shot at Rupi several times, but only hit him twice in his side. Rupi kept moving despite his injuries. He reached his friend and former occasional lover quickly. Murgano's eyes stared at him blankly, and Rupi knew he'd been killed instantly. His chest tightened with grief. He closed Murgano's eyes gently before casting the spell again and sending Murgano and Letez's remains to Amber Beach. There was no time to mourn.

Macy had rage in her eyes as she stared at Marinessa and the Guard. She didn't move, but Rupi knew she was plotting to kill them both. Before she could, Zydia shot the Guard who'd shot Rupi, causing Marinessa to shoot her again.

Rupi somehow stood and ran to her side. Zydia was weaker now. She would bleed out soon.

"Zydia! Zydia, just hold on," Rupi said urgently. He tried not to panic. His sister was a survivor. She would be okay.

Macy aimed her gun at Marinessa. The girl aimed Letez's gun at Macy. Knowing they were out of time, Rupi set off a bomb. Marinessa fled. Macy ran after her. Rupi couldn't worry about that. His sister was dying in his arms.

"Don't leave me, Zydi..." He said softly. "You promised."

It took him a while to find the others. Zydia remained unconscious. He'd managed to slow her bleeding, but she would still die without help.

"Rupi!" Tedius cried with relief as he spotted him.

"Oh my... Zydia..." Garron said.

"She needs a healer, Tedi!" Rupi said. He forced himself not to cry. He couldn't shed tears in public. Zydia would never forgive him.

Tedius set to work. "Where are Murgano and Letez?" Raffitty asked.

"Dead... Both of them," Rupi said, keeping his emotions out of his voice. "They helped Travis and Macy take down the children. They were foolish enough to brag about it."

"Children?" Captain Smith asked in horror.

Rupi was as horrified as he was, but he knew better than to show it. "There was a field trip here today. Zydia and Garron thought the deaths of Eltarian children would drive our point home, Captain Smith."

"Garron, we never discussed murdering children!" Captain Smith protested.

"They were unfortunate casualties... Certainly not our original targets, but what gets the attention of the public more than the Eltarian Government failing to protect their innocent children?" Garron asked with an unapologetic shrug.

The conversation continued. Rupi shared what he knew on autopilot, barely registering his own words. As Tedius finished healing Zydia, he began to heal Rupi.

"Zydia needs you," Rupi protested softly as the others talked.

"She's stable, Rupi," Tedius promised. "She'll wake up soon. Let me heal you."

Rupi stopped protesting. He remained on autopilot long after they returned to Earth. Only when Zydia hugged him and reassured him she was truly okay did he start to process everything.

"B'Danna..." He said softly. "Where's Draze?"

"He saved me," she said tonelessly.

Rupi's heart broke. He'd come to feel responsible for the Eltarian teenagers, and yet he had taken hours to realize Draze was dead.

"I'm sorry," he said. "He was a wonderful soul."

She nodded, not saying anything else. Tedius gently patted her shoulder before letting her walk away.

Once they were alone, Rupi finally broke down. Tedius pulled him into his arms and tried to comfort them. "I watched them die, Tedi," he sobbed. "Letez and Murgano... They were my Chapter once... My family. I couldn't save them."

"I'm sorry, Rupi. I know this is painful for you," Tedius said soothingly.

"But they killed children, Tedi... Innocent little kids, on my sister's order... Zydia didn't have to tell me it was her idea. I know her. She's turned so cold since her mission with Rey... She wanted to hurt him. She's been consumed by that darkness... But kids? I never believed she would slaughter innocent kids." He shook his head. "I love my sister, and I will always follow her lead, but I cannot get their faces out of my mind... I saw the bodies, Tedi..."

"You didn't participate?" Tedius asked in relief.

"No... I arrived after they'd already done it. I like to think I would have tried to stop her... That I would have stood against her for once. Am I kidding myself? Do you think I'd have gone along with it because it was Zydia giving the order?"

"No, Rupi. You could never harm a child. That's not who you are."

"I have to break free of her, Tedi... She's getting worse. If I cannot stop her from walking this path, I must find a way not to follow..." He paused. "I need you. You are the only one who helps me see reason. I don't want to become a person who would kill children just to make a point."

"Then walk away, Rupi. Captain Smith doesn't condone what happened today. There was no honor in it. All of us are horrified. The New York New Jersey Chapter regrets our involvement in this attack. Just stand with us and you'll be on the right path... With me beside you."

"Marry me," Rupi said suddenly.

"What?" Tedius asked in shock.

"We've been on-again and off-again so many times, but as you said, just like the stars, our path always brings us back together. Perhaps it is time we stop denying it. You are my strength, and I need that strength now. I love you, Tedius of Eltar. With all that I have. Perhaps it's time we make that love official. The only thing I know right now is how much I want to be with you forever. No more running away... Please, do me this honor."

"Yes," Tedius said softly after a moment. "Yes, Rupi. I would very much like to marry you." He kissed him. That was enough to push some of the horrors of the attack to the back of Rupi's mind.

"Then it's settled," Rupi said after the kiss was broken. "We'll be married as soon as the issue with the Power Rangers is resolved. It's Raff's issue, so I know Captain Smith will want to see it through to the end."

It wasn't long before all hell broke loose in Stone Hollow. The New York New Jersey Chapter, the Las Vegas Chapter, and Zydia, who now led no one but her monsters from Onyx, were called in to help.

They were in the house when Rupi spotted one of the Power Rangers. He fired at her and the whimpering boy who was one of the new recruits they'd freed from the prison. The girl covered him, trying to shield him with her body.

Rupi prepared to open fire again, but Captain Smith said, "No, Rupi!"'

"But, Captain Smith-" Rupi protested in confusion.

"This girl has shown remarkable compassion toward someone from our side, while none of our own did. By not only sparing, but saving this boy's life, she has earned a chance to escape with her own," Captain Smith said firmly. He smiled at the Pink Power Ranger kindly and looked her over. "Are you injured, my dear?" He asked.

"I... No," She replied. "Not seriously."

"Very well. Take the boy and leave this place. I give you my word, he shall be cared for by my people." He handed the terrified young Rebel a business card. "Do not be afraid, my boy. You shall need to live in fear no longer. Simply contact that number tomorrow." Captain Smith turned back toward the girl. "Lido is here. I believe he intends to protect you. Find him and you shall escape."

"Captain Smith, our orders were-" Rupi began, remembering that Garron, Zydia, and even Raffitty had demanded they destroy the Power Rangers. Raffitty had insisted they were the enemy.

"Our orders were faulty," Captain Smith said. "I fear my old friend is making decisions too hastily. We must restore order before this ends with more pointless bloodshed. Kizzie, please round up the others. Our Chapter stays together as a unit, understood?"

"Straight away, Sir," Kizzie said, hurrying off.

"Go on, Pink Ranger. You have nothing to fear from me this day," Captain Smith said kindly.

The girl took the young Rebel and fled. When Kizzie returned with B'Danna and Tedius, Captain Smith led them outside to regroup.

A while later, Rupi heard his sister shout, "Garron!" He watched her stare at Garron in obvious shock. "You fool! This is impossible... You're immortal!"

It became obvious Garron was no longer immortal as he drew a final breath before succumbing to his injuries. Zydia let out a cry of both rage and panic before she fled, trying to find safer ground.

"Zydia!" Rupi cried, trying to run after her, but Kizzie stopped him.

"Captain Smith has ordered that we stay together, Rupi," she reminded him gently.

"But my sister has no one else... Murgano and Letez are gone," Rupi protested.

"She was headed to safety. They're more likely to follow a big group of us than one Rebel by herself."

He couldn't argue with her logic. He stayed close to Tedius, squeezing his hand to give himself the strength to remain calm.

They found a wounded Raffitty a short time later.

"Raff... Raff, can you hear me?" Captain Smith asked.

"Bob... We're losing, Bob," Raffitty mumbled.

"It is time to walk away, my friend. Retreat and live to fight again." Captain Smith was applying pressure to one of Raffitty's wounds. "Tedius, help him."

Tedius began healing the worst of Raffitty's injuries. "We must end this, Raff. Please... This bloodshed is a waste," Captain Smith continued.

"No... We must fight. We cannot let the Rangers defeat us!" Raffitty insisted.

"They already have, Raff! Look around! Neptune and Lido have betrayed you. Garron and Morda are dead. Most of the new recruits are as well."

"The Tulpas... Insu's Tulpas will give us numbers-"

"The Tulpas have stopped listening to you, Raffitty. They are protecting their creator, but they are not on our side."

"No... Insu would never betray me... Of all of them, she is my most loyal. I raised her!"

"Loyalty only goes so far, Raffitty," Tedius said gently. "Your girl is standing with the Rangers now." He shifted his focus from Raffitty's chest to his left arm, which looked like it had some fractures in it.

"Raff, please... Get your people out of here before it's too late. Even Felina is severely wounded," Captain Smith said urgently.

"We have to try," Raffitty insisted. "If we die, we die with honor! We die fighting!"

"Raff, Luv, please listen to reason," Kizzie said. "We cannot allow you to run into your death."

"I'm sorry," Raffitty said. Then he shoved Kizzie out of his way, sending her flying into a tree. A branch impaled her, and Raffitty fled.

"Kizzie!" Captain Smith shouted. He hurried to her side and examined her wounds. "Tedi, heal her... Hurry. She's gravely injured." He held her hand and gently said, "All is well, my dear. You shall be fine."

"I'm immortal, Sir. This hurts a great deal, but it won't kill me. Run after that fool before he gets himself killed," Kizzie insisted with a brave face.

Captain Smith nodded. "Rest now, Kizzie. I'll come back for you both soon. Rupi! Where have you wandered off to?"

"I'm here, Captain," Rupi said, showing himself. "I'm afraid I lost track of my sister after Garron perished."

"We'll find her... But I need your help, Rupi. We have to stop Raff. I'm afraid he's not thinking straight at all."

"Of course, Captain."

Together, they rushed off to find Raffitty. Rupi was relieved to realize Zydia had found her way to Raffitty and Felina.

"Raffitty, on your right!" Zydia screamed. The Knight was coming straight for them in his Zord, and he was not alone.

"The mentors..." Raffitty mumbled. Both of the Mystic Force Power Rangers had morphed and called in their Zords, and they appeared to be ready to destroy the last of the remaining Rebels.

An explosion went off. Rupi froze for a moment as everything seemed to happen in slow motion. As the smoke cleared, Rupi saw Zydia, lying motionless several feet away. "Zydia!" He screamed. "No... No, Zydia... Don't be..." He began to sob as he pulled her lifeless body into his arms. He didn't care if everyone saw that he was weak. He couldn't help it. His sister was dead.

You promised you'd never leave me! He thought as he rocked her in his arms, desperately willing her to wake back up.

"Rupi... I am so terribly sorry for your loss," Captain Smith said gently.

A portal began to open up. "What is that?" Raffitty demanded.

"It's Zell. He's prepared to rescue us so we can survive this day... Come with me, Raff," Felina said. "You defended me bravely today. I owe you this."

"Raff, don't," Captain Smith warned. "Working with Zell is never the answer."

"It's the only option we have left!" Raffitty declared.

"Nothing is worth that price. Please, do not do this. We must surrender. It is the only way."

"Surrender? They killed my sister!" Rupi screamed in rage. "Felina... Raff... I want to come with you."

"Rupi, please, I can protect you. I know you are grieving, but-" Captain Smith began.

"I have to avenge her," Rupi said. "If I have the slightest bit of honor, I must..."

"I understand." Captain Smith sighed.

"Come with us, Bob," Raffitty begged.

"I'm sorry, my old friend... If you choose this path, I cannot walk it with you."

Raffitty nodded. "Goodbye, my friend. Good luck to you."

"To you as well." Captain Smith hugged Raffitty. "Look after Rupi for me... And take care of Felina. She is a bit blind when it comes to the Great Wizard."

"I will protect them with all that I have," Raffitty vowed. He put a fist over his heart and bowed. "Until we meet again."

"Until then," Captain Smith said, returning the gesture.

Felina crawled closer to the portal. Rupi carried Zydia's body as Raffitty helped Felina to her feet. "Wait for-" A voice said.

"Us!" Another finished. The twins came running toward them. Raffitty nodded at the twins, Rupi, and Felina. Together, they went through the portal in the hopes of living to fight another day.

As the portal closed behind them, Eltar's Great Wizard greeted them. "Welcome!" He said pleasantly. He pulled Felina into his arms and immediately began to heal her. He looked at Zydia and sighed. "Your loss is great, my dear boy," he said to Rupi. "Do not worry. Unlike your Captain, I shall ensure she is avenged. Alchemist! Please bring our friend to a private room so he may mourn in peace."

The Alchemist looked startled as she spotted Zydia. She didn't speak until they reached a room. "She was quite the warrior," she said. "It is a shame." She left Rupi alone with Zydia's body.

He wept as he held her, more broken than he'd ever been in his life. "I'm alone, Zydi," he sobbed. "I'm all alone..."

You're not alone, a voice whispered in his mind.

Tedius? Rupi asked. They'd never communicated telepathically before.

You still have me, Rupi... Come home, my love. Please. I know why you left, but-

I can't, Tedi... The Power Rangers killed my sister... Captain Smith won't fight back. He thinks they're honorable, but they murdered Zydia! I have to avenge her!

Rupi, please, there are better ways. This is the wrong path.

This is the only path! The stars are set, Tedius! I will see justice for my sister! It is my duty, to her, to our parents...

What about your duty to yourself, Rupi? You wanted to walk away from the senseless bloodshed. You wanted to be different than Zydia.

She was my sister, Tedius!

I know that, my love... I'm so sorry. I know Zydia could be awful at times, but I considered her family, too. I loved her because, despite her attempts to hide it, I know she loved you. I mourn her loss, and I am so sorry for your pain...

It hurts, Tedi.

I know it does. Come home, Rupi. I'll help you through it.

I can't. Not until I finish this... I have so much rage and pain and darkness in my heart because of my grief... I cannot bring that around you. I can't allow it to touch you. You're pure of heart and are far too good for me, especially when I am in this state.

Only I can decide that, and I'm not too good for you. I love you. Please-

I will return to you, Tedius. And if, somehow, you still love me after this is all over, I'll marry you... Not just in private. I'll tell the world. You deserve that. I love you and I no longer care who knows. It's not something I am ashamed of. Will you wait for me?

Of course I will be waiting when you return, Rupi... I just wish you would come back to me sooner. The Great Wizard is not our ally. He'll kill you without hesitating if it benefits him.

I'll prove myself useful. I'll make him see my worth. I have to do this, Tedi... But after this... After I cast out this last bit of darkness... I shall return to you.

Rupi... Please-

I love you, Tedius. You are my heart. Goodbye for now.

He shielded his mind against telepathic communication after that. It took every ounce of strength he had not to give in and return home. He couldn't. Not yet. Not until Zydia was avenged.

It wasn't long before Zell captured the three Rangers he wanted. Rupi was tasked with feeding his precious Pink Ranger... She tensed at the sight of him.

She's just a kid, Rupi realized. What the hell am I doing?

"Relax," he said aloud. "I am just here to bring you some food. We've all been instructed not to harm you, Pink Ranger."

"Andie," she said. "What's your name?"

"Rupi, of Eltar. Son of Imyra and Dodivan, and more importantly, Brother of Zydia... Who you and your friends killed." He kept his voice harsh, trying to view her as a monster and not a scared kid, but failing.

"I'm sorry you lost your sister... I can see how much you're hurting."

"Eat your food."

"I'm not hungry."

"I didn't ask if you were hungry." He shook his head. "Look, I cooked it myself. It's not poisoned or anything. There's no honor in killing your enemy with poison. When I destroy you all, I want your blood on my hands as the light leaves your eyes. Just eat it. The Great Wizard wants you taken care of."

Andie sighed as she looked at it, then froze. "Hazenfelz and lux... This was..."

"Your favorite meal. I know. He specifically asked me to make it for you, and was very detailed about how to prepare it."

"He always had me make it for our dinner when I was sad... It comforted me... Because Sera used to make it for me when I was small..."

Rupi softened slightly as she was clearly becoming overwhelmed. "He isn't going to hurt you, Andie. He misses Daphne, and she lives inside of you. Now, please eat. I have other things to tend to."

Rupi watched her silently, a bit bored as she ate. When she was done, he took her dishes and left her with a plastic cup of juice. He cleaned up before retreating to his room.

A few hours later, all hell broke loose. A battle raged in the house. Rupi tried to decapitate the Black Ranger from the Stone Warriors. The Green Ranger who'd ensured Garron's death attacked him with a blast of water.

"Not today, Fucker!" The boy declared, battling Rupi one-on-one.

Rupi kept pulling weapons out of thin air. The boy was outmatched, but he was skilled in Martial Arts, and he knocked the weapons away from Rupi every chance he got. Finally, he kicked him hard, sending him back toward one of his discarded weapons. Rupi gasped as his own sword impaled him through his chest.

The pain only lasted briefly before his memories overwhelmed him. He saw Zydia, raising him and protecting him. He saw Tedius and recalled the feeling of his arms, his lips, and everything else. Love filled his heart.

I'm sorry, Tedi, he thought. It looks like I'm going to have to break my promise.

Raffitty rushed to his side. "Rupi... Hold on, alright? Do not let go," he said urgently.

Zell drifted through briefly. He had kept himself cloaked, but he showed himself slightly now. "Ah... He served his purpose, then. Pity he didn't last longer," Zell mumbled.

"Great Zell... Help him. Please. You are the only one with the power to save him from a wound this severe," Raffitty said.

"That is true, my boy," Zell said. "However, I do not deem it beneficial to me at the present time. There are far better uses of my energy. Rupi was of little use to me. Carry on." Zell vanished again.

"Damnit!" Raffitty cursed. He pulled Rupi into his arms. "Be strong, Rupi. I will find a way to save you."

"No..." Rupi said softly. "No, Raff... Let me go." He knew he was dying. He'd be damned if he took Raffitty down with him. Captain Smith wouldn't handle losing him.

"Rupi-"

"I wish to be reunited with Zydia, and our parents. I made my choice... It was the wrong choice..." Rupi coughed up blood. "Go on... Take it out... The sword only prolongs... The inevitable."

"Rupi... I'm sorry," Raffitty told him.

"I know you are, Raff. All is well... Now, end my pain." He looked deep into Raffitty's eyes. "Just... Tell Captain Smith... Tell him I'm sorry. Please. Will you do that for me, Raff?"

"Of course I will," Raffitty promised him.

Rupi felt at peace then. He nodded and closed his eyes as he whispered, "Thank you."

I love you, Tedi, he thought as Raffitty pulled the sword out. Rupi died in Raffitty's arms seconds later.

Tedius heard the words whispered in his mind. Then, a horrible pain tore through his chest. For a moment, he couldn't breathe.

"No..." He whispered. He knew the truth in his heart... Rupi had perished. He refused to believe it. He fled the penthouse and took a portal to Eltar, running to the only place he could think of.

The labyrinth welcomed him as always. Tedius looked at Vivianza, still frozen after all that time. "Vivi..." He whispered. "Vivi, I can't feel him. I lost him... It cannot be true." He began to sob, wishing his dear friend could respond. "I love him... I love him more than I have ever loved anyone... And he's gone. Just like my parents, and Draze, and so many others I care for." He refused to include her. In his heart, Tedius still hoped Vivi could be saved.

He cried in the labyrinth, feeling more lost than he ever had before. When he returned to his Chapter, he refused to tell them what he knew. Until it was confirmed, he wouldn't accept that Rupi was truly gone forever.

It took over a month for Logan to bring Rupi's ashes home. They were placed on the mantel, beside Carolena, Marie, R'Dian, Feygah, Jazov, Vianca, and Zikos. Something broke inside of Tedius that he knew could never heal as he was forced to accept the truth.

Tedius cried as he held the canister of ashes. "I love you, Rupi of Eltar," he whispered.

It was B'Danna who sought him out afterward. She was one of the few people who knew for certain Rupi and Tedius were lovers. They'd admitted it to her and Draze long ago.

"I know you aren't alright, so I won't ask," she said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Just sit beside me for a bit," Tedius said, making room for her. "You and Draze were very dear to him."

"We were fond of him, too... I'm sorry for your pain, Tedius."

"Thank you, B'Danna."

They sat in silence as Tedius tried to process his grief. He knew B'Danna understood. After all, she'd lost the person closest to her very recently.

For months, Tedius went through the motions. When the New York New Jersey Chapter went to Angel Grove to stand against Zell, he was with them, ready to fight against the monster who'd left his beloved to die. That first New Year's Eve, however, he quietly took a portal back to New York.

He went home to the penthouse just to collect Rupi's ashes. He left quickly, carrying the canister with him as he wandered aimlessly. He thought about going to the Brooklyn Bridge, but that had been one of their places. He couldn't taint it with what he was about to do.

Tedius found his way to the Verrazano Bridge and began walking across it, ignoring the cars rushing by. He hit the center of the bridge before he looked at his watch. He stared at it with tears in his eyes until it struck midnight.

Tedius kissed the canister. "Happy New Year, Rupi," he whispered. He cast a spell to send the ashes back to the mantel, not wanting to destroy them. Then, he climbed up onto the ledge.

Just as he was about to jump into the water below, something hit him in the head. Tedius cried out in pain and picked up the metal sign that had seemingly flung itself at him. He read it in disbelief. It was a sign urging people to call for help and listing the number of a suicide hotline.

After a moment of shock, Tedius actually began to laugh. "I'm sorry, Rupi," he said, because he knew his beloved was with him now. "I hear your message, my love..."

He sighed. Had he really almost jumped off of a bridge? "You know, we both always thought you were the dramatic one, but it appears to be me after all," he said, shaking his head as he smiled sadly. "I wasn't sure how to face a new year without you, Rupi... But I'll try. Somehow..."

A taxi pulled up beside him. "Hey, Pal... You okay?" The driver asked nervously.

Tedius took a deep breath. "No," he said, "but I'm a little better than I was."

"Let's get you off this bridge... You need a ride? No charge."

"Thank you," Tedius said with another sad smile. He got into the back of the cab.

As Peter Cetera and Cher began to sing on the radio, Tedius knew Rupi remained by his side. He took comfort in the lyrics as he closed his eyes and envisioned Rupi's face smiling back at him.

"Well, here we are again... I guess it must be fate... We've tried it on our own, but deep inside we've known we'd be back to set things straight... I still remember when your kiss was so brand new... Every memory repeats, every step I take retreats... Every journey always brings me back to you... After all the stops and starts, we keep coming back to these two hearts, two angels who've been rescued from the fall... And after all that we've been through, it all comes down to me and you... I guess it's meant to be, forever you and me, after all..."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here's a random fact for you...I'm a New Yorker and can confirm that the Verrazano Bridge actually does have signs for the suicide hotline posted to try and help people in crisis. It's not just a detail I made up for effect. And, my God, this one-shot broke my heart. I'm going to go cry in a corner now.