Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife
Chapter Fifty
"I think she's asleep."
"How long has she been sleeping?"
"For about three hours, four maybe?"
Minako sighed softly and closed the door behind her and walked with Megumi down the hall, "She needs to eat something, she needs to take a bath,"
"She needs her husband."
The blonde looked at Rei leaning on the back of the sofa with her arms crossed and facing the blonde coming her way, "That is who she really needs." Minako sighed with a nod and turned to Megumi, "How long have the Shitennou been gone?"
"An hour maybe, they were reluctant to leave her but Her Highness was very insistent to be left alone with His Highness." The maid turned to grab a tray with a hot pot of tea and placed it over the dining table, feeling more familiar around the apartment, slowly memorizing where everything was and what each thing did or was meant to do. Thinking about her first time alone in this new era, she was now ahead of her own time and had to admit that she was proud of being of actual service and aid to the girls and the generals.
"Any changes with him, Megumi-san?" Minako went to pour herself a cup of tea while waiting for an answer, Megumi tightened her lips together and shook her head, "No, the Shitennou helped Her Highness change the bed sheets and His Highness' stained clothes but he is still unconscious."
The blonde pulled out a chair and sat tiredly and stirred her tea to dissolve the spoonful of honey she put on it, "Artemis and Luna will spend the night here too. I spoke to Artemis, they are giving silent rounds around the city. There is nothing out of the ordinary except for the news about what happened at Juban with us returning into the scene and this thing about cosmic monarchy everyone is talking about—most likely to be related to the archaeologist's discovery. People are scared, some do believe in it, some are hopeful, some still find it difficult but you can't keep everyone happy, I suppose the truth will come to the light eventually." she took a small sip and exhaled, "I wonder what he's thinking—"
"Who?" Rei walked to join her blonde friend on the table, Minako looked down at her steaming cup of tea "Mamoru," she turned to her friend, "As a Miko, do you think he is floating in some kind of place looking down at us?"
"He's not dead, Minako." Rei arched her brow, Minako waved her hand, "I know, I know, it's just... I don't know... he doesn't look like he is just unconscious, he looks like if he was in a much deeper state." sighing, she leaned back in her chair, "I can't stand seeing Usagi like this,"
"None of us can," Rei turned to Megumi and pulled a chair, motioning her to join them at the table, "Tea?" she asked softly. Megumi smiled and took the offered chair, nodding she waited for the Miko to pour two more cups and passed one to her, "To answer your question, as a Miko, I could say that his spirit is not currently attached to his physical body and being the kind of people, we are, that is probably the most logical thing for me to believe. Also, his injuries are not ones for a person to be walking around like if nothing happened the very next day, he exhausted his power when he used the strength he had left for fighting Asteria. At this point, is like Ami-chan said, all we can do now, is wait." she looked at Minako, "Have you heard anything about the outers?" Rei asked softly before taking another sip of her tea, Minako shook her head and put her cup down, making a soft sound against the polished wooden table, "No, and I honestly don't want to stir those waters. Usagi is my priority right now—if they haven't called or come here is because they are busy doing something. You know it is more like them to work under the radar."
"I still find it strange though, Haruka-san is very fond of Usagi."
"She's mad."
Rei blinked at her blonde friend and leader, "What?"
"Haruka-san—she's mad." Minako leaned on her right arm resting on the table, "Despite saying how she supports the Princess' relationship with the Prince, she is still dubious about all this and seeing him fighting the way he was caused an impact on her; she is the strongest of us all and the fact of not being able to be more helpful to keep our Princess safe triggered whatever she is feeling right now. Also, I guess none of us was expecting to see Mamoru act so aggressively towards an enemy, it is something we never witnessed before."
"That is tr—" Rei widened her eyes when she saw Ami walking through the door with Motoki walking behind her, "Ami-chan—Motoki!"
Minako tilted her head and blinked with surprise to see Motoki there, "Motoki... w-what...?"
Motoki leaned down to give both girls a hug and a polite yet friendly hand shake to Megumi, "Come on Minako-chan, a major blackout happened, half of Juban is wrecked, and you still want me to believe you guys were not involved? Plus, it's all over the news," he sighed softly, "How is he? Ami told me what happened."
"Very much the same," Minako stood from her chair, "And Usagi-chan?" he asked with concern, "Sleeping next to him," Rei turned on her chair and looked at the blonde doctor. Motoki shook his head, "Can I go see him and examine his wounds? Would that be a problem?"
"Not at all," Minako walked with Motoki to the bedroom and stood by the door allowing Motoki to go in by himself. The blonde doctor looked at Usagi with sympathetic eyes, knowing exactly how it felt to be worried about your special someone and not being able to do much but only wait for times to get better. It was nerve-wracking, it was exasperating and heartbreaking to see the always quirky and cheerful Tsukino Usagi holding on to dear life from her husband's arm.
Motoki turned to Minako, who nodded and closed the door behind him to give him privacy and walked over to the bed. He leaned closer and began examining Mamoru's wounds in silence and careful enough to not disrupt Usagi's much-needed sleep but as if the temperature in the room had shifted, the silver blonde opened her eyes and turned to Motoki who was checking Mamoru's pressure, "Furu-chan," she said softly and sat on the bed, "Hey, Usa-chan..." he let go of Mamoru's arm and immediately went to sit next to Usagi who immediately responded to his tight, brotherly hug. Usagi took a deep breath and rested her head on his chest, trying her best not to cry for the hundredth time. Motoki, on the other hand, looked down at her with worry; it had been almost three days since the attack happened and she already showed the signs of fatigue, stress, and desperation in her petite body. He pulled back slowly and noticed she was pale—too pale, and put his hand on her forehead, "Usa-chan, are you feeling alright?"
Usagi looked up at Motoki and frowned, showing the obvious answer to his question. Motoki nodded, "I know, but I mean, physically—you look very pale,"
"Ah... yeah..." Usagi mumbled nervously and turned, still looking disoriented "Just tired, very tired,"
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes,"
"How long ago?"
Usagi shook her head, "I-I don't..." she frowned, "I don't know."
"Usagi-chan, you need to eat," Motoki warned, "Please eat."
"I don't feel like it, I'm not hungry," Usagi frowned and rubbed her eyes, "I have been feeling a little fuzzy all morning,"
"That's because you haven't eaten. Have you at least had anything to drink in the last couple of hours? You are probably dehydrated."
"You are starting to sound like him," Usagi said dryly, Motoki sighed softly and pinched her cheek, "Well, we're doctors, Usa-chan, it's what we do and he's my friend, you are my friend and I'm worried about you too."
Usagi turned to Mamoru and held his hand, "He is very cold Motoki-oniisan, I am starting to panic..." she turned to Motoki with teary eyes, "I can barely see his chest go up and down, sometimes when I wake up, I go all frantic because I think he's not breathing and I have to look closely to make sure that he is..."
"Usa-chan, do you mind if I check his injuries?"
"No, not at all..." Usagi said softly and looked at her friend go over her husband's side and pulled the thin navy-blue sheet covering him; his green eyes narrowed as he looked closely at the bruises and cuts on his chest, his left shoulder, his arm, and face. He turned on his side to turn on the lamp on his night stand and proceeded to check Mamoru's vitals, with one hand holding his wrist, "His blood pressure is low, but it's due the state he is currently in—it's not in an alarming scale." The blonde put his stethoscope around his neck and opened his eyes to take a closer look at his irises; Usagi moved closer to look into the deep blue color of his eyes she missed so much to see and felt so strange to look at them appear so lost, without focusing on anything or showing any sort of emotion or any change in color. The fact that Mamoru didn't even flinch by the light Motoki was flashing into his eyes worried Usagi even more, making her think that his state was even more grave than she imagined. Motoki turned to Usagi and sighed softly, "Ami-chan told me about the injury in his leg... I can take a look at it later if you want, so you don't have to see it."
"It's okay, *Nii-san," Usagi saw Motoki put a pair of latex gloves and pull the sheet that was covering his leg and began to take the gauzes and bandages off with extreme care, once the skin was exposed, Usagi's eyes widened when she saw the stitches and the still very vivid skin making its best to heal, the deep colored bruises and swelling wasn't helping either to minimize her shock; she gasped unwillingly as Motoki examined Ami's detailed and perfect job, "I know—it's shocking," Motoki put the bloody gauzes in a trash bag and looked for new clean ones in his duffle bag and proceeded to clean the wounds with extreme care, "He did get injured very badly and it will probably take some time before he is able to walk around without any help but as surprising and gross as this looks, it means its healing. There is no infection in any of the stitches or less severe cuts, so this is healing alright."
"Motoki," Usagi looked at him with worry, "Is he gone?"
Motoki wrapped the clean gauzes and bandages around Mamoru's leg again and put his latex gloves, gauzes and bandages in the same paper bag to throw away before taking a seat next to his longtime friend. His arm rested protectively over her shoulder, "No Usa-chan, he's not gone." He took a deep breath and tried to sound as casual as possible to minimize the stress on his silver-blonde friend, "Let's put a medical term to his state and say he is in a coma. There are several levels of unconsciousness and he is at the deepest of them meaning that right now, his brain is functioning at its lowest stage of alertness. He cannot feel any pain or react to any noise, light, or any sort of stimulants. His injuries are not life-threatening anymore but the impacts that caused them probably knocked him out. Now, I know Mamoru is not a regular guy—he probably used or did something that his body was not prepared to resist. I am not going to lie to you and say he is going to wake up tomorrow because he most likely won't. His leg injury is serious, he has a lot of bruises all over his body and he lost a considerable amount of blood." Usagi closed her eyes as she felt her friend keeping her close to him in a supportive hug "But, the man is very stubborn and I know he will get through this. In the meantime, you need to take care because you don't look like yourself. He's going to freak out if he sees you under these conditions Usa-chan,"
Usagi leaned her head on Motoki's shoulder and sighed, "I know all of you mean well, I don't feel alone, I don't feel helpless—I know I can count on you but—"
"I know Usagi-chan, trust me... I know."
"He is the one that is always looking after me," Usagi sighed, "He's always taking care of me, like when he nags me by saying how I should lower my sugar intake or when he cooks for me even when he had the hardest of days at the hospital; he never complains and he never says no, he is always so understanding and patient." she sniffled softly, "If none of this had happened we would be taking a nap on the sofa, watching t.v. while eating takeout or he would be reading one of his boring books while I am sketching or flipping through the pages of a new magazine…" her voice started to quiver again, "I would listen to him humming a random tune while he is ironing the shirt he would be wearing the next day for work or whistling while he's taking a shower—it's the little things that make me miss him even more, what makes me feel more anxious and useless. Everywhere I look around, there's something that would immediately pull me back into a deep state of melancholy and nostalgia..." Usagi wiped her tears brusquely with the back of her hand, almost angry for not being able to do much and looked up, "I know you are with me, I feel your love, I feel your support—I honestly don't know what I would do without you all but... he is my best friend, Mamo-chan is literally my other half, my strength, and my voice of reason and not having him around really pushes me to the very edge of insanity."
Motoki closed his eyes and stayed silent for a moment, taking in the blonde's words. The way she was speaking and describing their everyday routines with such detail and longing really made him think about just how devoted and deep their love and relationship really was. He was sure everybody that knew them separately could picture them as two people that had nothing in common and would often think they are the weirdest of couples, some even questioned their relationship, how a man like him could be with a woman like her since they are complete opposites. Usagi was vibrant, free-spirited, curious and despite showing how much she has matured over the course of eight years, one could tell she was very friendly, easy going, and approachable. She was one of those people that had a special talent to charm people, plus, her beauty was breathtaking. Over the years he has known her, Motoki has seen the subtle but very noticeable growth in both character and beauty in her, she was feminine, elegant with an edge, as he liked to say every time he saw her sporting her famous odango hairstyle. Usagi was very beautiful, and if she hadn't met Mamoru, she would be taken off the single's list by somebody else—nobody that laid eyes on her would willingly ignore her and let her pass by without having tried to capture her heart.
Mamoru, on the other hand, was her complete opposite. Like day to night, starting with the fact that Usagi's hair was as light as calming rays of moonbeam and Mamoru's was as dark as a moonless night. His character is much darker, much more reserved and sadly, much more experienced—unlike Usagi, he was not a naïve person and he had layers and layers of self- protective sarcasm he learned to master over the years of stumbles and bitter experiences. He is a quiet person and because of that he is often misguided as cold and non-approachable but in reality, Mamoru was friendly, very kind, and a very respectful person, one that remained true to his beliefs and manners but contrary to Usagi, his charm was not on his social skills but on his intelligence and his undeniable attractive physique. Chiba Mamoru was incredibly smart and fluent with words; he had an elegant tone of voice that would make the perfect combination for everyone to be immediately engaged in a conversation with him and be wowed by his humble yet regal personality. He knew he had the charm and because of it, he was usually more stoic than normal due to his undying desire to be taken seriously for who he is instead of what he looked like—he learned it the hard way and Motoki understood his frustration. Being a pretty boy himself and very much unlike his darker friend, he did take some advantage of his looks but from time to time even he had to admit it was a little overwhelming to try and keep up and that it was hard to be taken seriously due to that. The change in Mamoru was also there but much subtler than Usagi's since he had to mature faster for his age and learn the trades of life due to his complicated upbringing. Mamoru was too independent, too private, too serious, overprotective and responsible. They were truly completely different, Motoki mentally agreed, but when you put them together, it was something really special and unique to see. Their relationship was the embodiment of the word soulmate.
Mamoru would absorb Usagi's quirkiness allowing a very well-hidden free and playful spirit come through and show more often. The magic was in how much they complimented each other, whatever one lacked the other would compensate it; not even Reika and him, who dated for a longer period of time could compare their complicity as the other couple did with such organic nature and grace. It's true, Mamoru being the person he grew out to be, was much more protective of Usagi than Usagi of him, maybe because her way to look after him was more measured in little details and charms than his much blunter approach, she was careful with his emotions and even when they were just friends, she was very careful to earn his trust and prove him she wanted nothing more than to make him smile. He has known them separately and together for too many years now and to see the always happy and always hopeful Usagi at the verge of a mental breakdown and his always cautious friend unconscious on the bed was not something he could never take lightly. It was heartbreaking and he wished—he really wished, to be able to do more for them.
"He's going to wake up Usagi-chan, I know he will," his hand rubbed her cold, shivering arm and shook his head, "But you really need to take care of yourself, please little sister, promise me you'll do."
Usagi's lips slowly curved into a soft, small smile in gratitude and found it strange how despite being so different she could feel a Mamoru-like vibe in his words. He was giving her a warning but in the most, careful and sweetest way possible for her to understand. "Mamoru is not going anywhere, if you leave the room for a moment, he'll still be here sleeping. He's not going to leave you—he loves you too damn much to do such stupid thing."
Usagi's smile widened, "He does?" her eyes were fixed on her sparkling wedding band perfectly placed on top of her engagement ring. Motoki nudged her, "Are you kidding me? That man—" he took a deep breath and exhaled quickly, "That man is head over heels for you, I know how he is—trust me. I know he can be pretty dark sometimes and he can come out with a sarcastic comment every now and then but whenever he hears you calling him, just by looking at your name on the screen of his phone his face brightens up and his mood changes completely—he could be having the worst of days at the hospital and his spirit would recharge just by talking to you for five minutes. He is always thinking what would be good for you, whenever he sees something he always mentions it's something you would like, or not. You're in Mamoru's mind all the time Usagi-chan, he talks about you all the time, not even I talk so much about Reika, though, now that I mention it, I think I should," his comment made Usagi break her newfound serious and mortifying state and chuckled, sounding more like herself. Motoki looked at her, "That man is happy because of you and believe me when I say that he does everything he can to make you happy—everything."
"Like the house..."
Motoki nodded with a smile, "Like the house," he blinked surprised, "Wait—you know about the house?" he looked at his friend wide-eyed. Usagi nodded and looked up, "He gave me the surprise a few days ago. I know I shouldn't be telling you this because I know what you're going to say, but we had this horrible, bitter fight days before I knew about it—I thought he was cheating on me with someone else and went all psycho mode on him." Motoki squinted his eyes, "Ouh—that doesn't sound so good..."
"It wasn't. It was horrible." Usagi rubbed her eyes, "The worst experience ever, I don't think I have seen him so mad before and I don't think I've been so angry and insecure in my life. It was a real first fight, the first—ever."
"Please tell me you made up before any of this happened—"
"We did,"
"Ah..." Motoki exhaled with relief, "Thank goodness." he arched his brows in wonder, "So this means you met the famous Shimuta Chieko,"
"I did, yes," Usagi nodded and looked at Motoki, "She's very pretty,"
"You could say that..."
"She's Mamo-chan's ex-girlfriend..."
"Ah, yes..." Motoki pressed his lips in a tight line and nodded, "Yep, that's the one," Usagi looked at him with curiosity, "I didn't know Mamo-chan had a girlfriend..." she blushed, "...Before... me..." Motoki smiled softly, "I know, and it's understandable. He never gave a clue to anyone that at some point in his life he had a romantic relationship with someone else but, he's three years older than you, little sis."
"I know," Usagi gave her friend a sad smile "But still, a part of me kind of wanted to believe I was his first kiss."
"It's hard to explain, Usa-chan." Motoki rubbed her arm to show his support, "Mamoru's life has taken so many twists and turns and during that time, he didn't know any better—he was a fifteen-year-old guy trying to make it in the real world with zero clues about life and she... well... she's another story."
"Do you know her, Nii-san?"
"Yes, I know her because of Reika—they are acquaintances and we see her regularly at many social gatherings," Motoki sighed softly, "She's a complicated woman, Usa-chan. She has too many sides, she's not a bad person but she's not friendly either. I actually met her way before I knew she was Mamoru's ex-girlfriend." He clicked his tongue, "She did pretty awful things while they were together."
Usagi blinked a little startled, "All I know is that she had other things in mind, Mamo-chan didn't say much, he doesn't like to talk about it."
"Well," Motoki pursed his lips, "If I had an ex-girlfriend like her, I wouldn't like to talk about it either..."
"You know more about the story?" Usagi looked at him wide-eyed, Motoki's features softened with slight sadness and nodded, "I know the story, Usa-chan." He saw her crystal blue eyes widen with curiosity but before she could ask, he tapped her nose softly with his finger, "Now, I ain't going to tell you because it's a very sad story—all of it. All I can say is that Mamoru had a very rough time in his younger years and there's really no point mentioning what happened between those two because he's happily married to you now, whatever you heard, I think it is more than enough and to be fair, I support Mamoru's decision in not telling you more than what you already know." Usagi looked at Motoki with genuine astonishment, "Was it that bad?"
"It was three to five times worse, Usa-chan." Motoki nodded, "It was truly bad. So, what better proof of his devoted love for you than going all the way and reach out and deal with her all over again over something he knew would make you happy."
"You knew about the house?" Usagi blinked with surprise, this was clear proof to her of how close Mamoru was of Motoki despite the slight age gap, "Yes, I knew... he was mortified, actually. He really didn't want to talk to her, but he knew she could get him the house of your dreams. Mamoru loves you more than his dislike for digging into his past with Chieko and he really, really, really wanted to give you the surprise,"
"He did," Usagi smiled softly, "I was speechless..."
"I bet, he's a freaking prince charming—literally."
"Nii-san..." Usagi tilted her head down, trying to fight her tears as much as she could, "How is Reika-san doing?"
The question stung in Motoki's mind, it came out of the blue but also hit right in the heart. Since the incident, their relationship had been in the middle of an emotional rollercoaster that if not treated with care, it could become a storm that would not have the happiest of endings. "She is still a little shaken by it all, the blackout and what happened in Juban kind of pull her back to the edge of a nervous breakdown, but, she's not alone and we will work on it until she's back to her old self again. She's staying at her parent's actually, I have to go and pick her up in a while—she finally decided to come home. It's been hard, I won't lie to you but I love her and I have to stay strong for the both of us, pretty much like you have to be strong for Mamoru right now."
"I'm sorry to hear that and I'm sorry for not being able to do more..."
"Usa-chan, you are freaking Sailor Moon—you do more for us than anyone can—all of you. If it wasn't for you, the attack would have turned into a tragedy. We will be alright, Reika is one strong lady and she's not alone, I am there for her at all times." Motoki shook her softly to lift her spirits and turned to look back at his friend, "I brought an IV—don't freak out, it's just to keep him hydrated." Usagi nodded and looked at Motoki go back to full doctor's mode and began preparing the solution and the catheter to put on Mamoru's arm, "He hates needles—good thing he won't be able to see I am poking his vein with one." Usagi chuckled, "Oh, the irony,"
Motoki smiled and nodded while preparing the IV tubing and put on a new pair of latex gloves, "I bet there's a reason behind it..." Usagi nodded and looked closely at Motoki who was now seated next to Mamoru and tied a long, rubber band to expose the vein and insert the needle, "Usa-chan, could you pass me the cotton and alcohol to clean the area first? I brought some, they're in my bag." Usagi nodded and after doing so, the blonde finally proceeded to insert the long needle on the vein right where Mamoru's arm would flex and slowly pulled it out, leaving only the catheter secured and ready with medical tape. "All set," he looked up at the slow drops filtering from the bag through the long tube and into Mamoru's arm, "Ami-chan can keep this monitored. If needed more, I'll ask her to let me know and bring another one."
"Thank you so much, Motoki-oniisan, really—for everything." Usagi stood next to her friend and moved closer to give him a big hug, Motoki smiled and kissed the top of her head before pulling away, he leaned down to look straight into her eyes, "Eat, take a long hot shower—breathe." Usagi combed a long piece of silver hair back with her fingers and nodded, "I'll try."
Motoki opened the bedroom door and grabbed his bag and leaned down to kiss the top of her head, "No, don't try—do it." Turning on his heel he walked back to the living room with the princess walking behind, "Usa-chan!" Ami went to give her friend a quick hug the blonde immediately returned it with much care and gratitude. Motoki turned to Ami, "I put him the IV, let me know if he runs out to bring another bag and don't worry about your absence, I'll take care of both." Ami sighed, "Thank you so much Motoki, really."
"I have to pick up Reika at her parent's house—" he went to give the girls a quick goodbye hug and walked to the door "Please keep me informed of his progress and please give this lady something to eat," he turned to give Usagi a soft kiss on her forehead and waved his hand at the girls before walking out the door. Rei turned to Usagi and gave her a soft smile, "You heard the doctor, what can we get you?"
"If you don't mind, I would like to take a shower first—I probably look like a mess and stink," Usagi looked at her tangled hair and sniffed it a little, "Yeah, I stink."
"What did Motoki say?" Minako leaned over the back of the sofa, Usagi took a deep breath, "His wounds are healing well but he will need help moving around once he wakes up, though, we don't know when that's going to happen since he is in a coma."
"Normally it would take up to seven days for a patient to come out of it but—" Ami said softly, Usagi nodded "I know, this is a different scenario." she looked around and noticed the sun was starting to set again and bit her lower lip, "Another day is about to end."
O—o—o—o—O
"Non-possum non sentire nexum inter mentem et verba tua,"
(I cannot feel the connection between your words and your mind,)
Obelix stood and walked around the prince sitting in buddha style at the temple, freshly stripped of his ego and hostile sarcasm. Since they walked back to the temple, he has been trying to bring the prince back to his old habits and lessons of sacred prayers and meditations but to no avail. Exasperated, tired and slightly angry, he looked down at him and arched a brow, "Quid tu nunc intendit habentem tam difficile? Hoc vos praecipue scientia,"
(Why are you having such a difficult time concentrating? This was basic knowledge to you,)
Mamoru sighed heavily, "Because—" he winced when he felt the priest's finger tapping his head firmly, "Et Latine semper Latine. Essentia autem est secundum te, si tuam non amplector ac recipio omnia et radices non ut in tactus cum se verum tuae et interiorem potentiam." he sighed tiredly, "Non est similis tui et non est in occursum tibi velis."
(In Latin, always in Latin. It is the essence of your being, if you do not accept and embrace your roots you will never get in touch with your true self and inner power. It is like you do not want to meet yourself.)
"Quia nesciunt quid faciunt ut ego suspicabar malum," Mamoru tilted his head low, "Scio quid faciam ut verum sit, et ego non sentire aliquid... nescio quid facio iniuriam."
(Because I don't know what I am supposed to be doing, I know what I should mean and do, but I don't feel anything... I don't know what I am doing wrong.)
"Cognoscendi aliquid est semper difficilis magis quam inveniendo non- pro ipso primum elementum esse autem mirum si maior,"
(Re-discovering something it is always more difficult than discovering it for the very first time, but the element of surprise should be greater.)
Mamoru shrugged his shoulder, "Bene, non mirari."
(Well, I don't feel surprised.)
"Occupatur mens adsiduis nihil proficimus quaestiones quae ad prosperitatem," Obelix raised brow and tapped Mamoru's head again, "Et tamen veritas de te ipso non vis accipere. Dubium... incertus es, quid te tam timeret proderit Endymion?"
(Your mind is occupied by incessant questions that are not doing any good to your well-being, you still do not want to accept the truth about yourself. You are hesitant and doubtful... what are you so afraid of Endymion?)
Mamoru opened his eyes, "Ego sum nolite timere, ego sum, de qua,"
(I am not afraid, I am concerned,)
"Anxietas formido et in fine, sunt idem," Obelix crossed his arms, "Non te ad consequi quod si patientiam habebit in causis innumeris capti. Certus est oh cas causas in diversis temporibus statu mentis affectus te. Quid est quod tu es in hoc vita tua? Et queruli sunt tristes?"
(Fright and worry, in the end, are the same. You are not going to achieve anything if you keep putting yourself countless of reasons to be trapped. Being reborn in a different era sure affected your state of mind. Is this how you are in this new life of yours? Somber and querulous?)
Mamoru frowned, "Nolite facere ridiculi de me,"
(Stop making fun of me,)
"Bene ergo," Obelix quirked a brow, "Desinis esse ridiculam,"
(Well then, stop being ridiculous,)
"Et vos cum essetis plus intellectus, quod factum est ad inferos tibi? Nonne vos have ut tracto tuus genere Purgatorio?"
(You used to be more understanding, what the hell happened to you? Did you have to deal with your own kind of Purgatorio?)
"Secus ac tu, ego arbitratu discedunt a Purgatorio non a forsit, anima enim iam attachiatus ad corpus. Hic ego propter te. Non opus est tibi ut quis errata reddere in me animam meam praeteritam, et hoc in pace."
(Unlike you, I can come and go from Purgatorio without a problem, my soul is no longer attached to a physical body. I am here because of you. I do not need to pay for any mistakes I have made in the past, my soul is at peace.)
Mamoru lowered his head and closed his eyes, "Quid accidit plenae virtute crystalla, si hoc molliebat, Obelix?"
(What happens if the crystal's full power is unlocked, Obelix?)
The somberness in his voice startled the high priest, giving him the alibi he needed to see what is behind that heavy shell of insolence and self-doubt. He finally was making progress and was finally able to see the course of his mortal life. Mamoru did not want to use the crystal because deep down he knew that behind all its power there were consequences, like Purgatorio.
"Silentium tuum respondet ad me interrogandum," Mamoru opened his eyes and turned to Obelix, "Intelligo atque ab eius potestate sublimis, sed non potest accipere quod non habet esse sacrificium. Quod si ad esse custos eius eo mori in finem? Est quaerere, ut non missio ad novas patronum suum voluerit eum?" he sighed heavily, "Tu dexteram elegeris, ego timeo. Vereor ne conveniant in quest pacem non erit finis: et in ignominiam nocere eis et accedet ad me. Nequeo satis invocant amantes relicto omni virtute tantum."
(I understand and accept its majestic power but I cannot accept why there has to be a sacrifice. What is the purpose of being its Guardian if I am going to die in the end? Isn't it my mission to look after it until it chooses its new protector? You are right, I am afraid. I am afraid that in my quest for peace I will meet disgrace in the end and hurt those close to me. I cannot be selfish enough to call upon such power and leave everything and everyone behind.)
Mamoru looked down at his hands and closed his eyes again, "Quod vereor ne quis me in caritate, et non vis ea de causa doloris. Non vis relinquere illam. Et aperuisti os tuum, et non deficient bis eius."
(I am afraid because I am a man in love and I don't want to cause her pain. I don't want to leave her. I made a promise and I cannot fail her twice.)
The high priest finally got the answers he was waiting for and sat quietly sitting Buddha style next to the prince. Obelix turned and took Endymion's hands and brought his palms to face each other and turned again, repeating the same action. "Est verum sacrificium est post tam sublimis potentiae," his voice no longer sounded cold or distant towards the prince, but more like the man he knew since he was born. "Ut semper esset dispositio ideo est tanta fortitudo in manibus portare poterant legato; et ideo subdit et tabellarius lapides elegit. Tu autem quod quaeris, respondere non possum recta latmius Endymion, non est tibi, cur? Quia non testatum quod lapis potest facere nisi dimisit suum maximus scaena in potestate aurei Scelerisque sit lapis de auro purissimo, rudis industria et eius core est quod ardenti igne et si pone manum eius non extinguetur, in sempiternum et inde ingentem stragem ediderunt, meministis vires Solis benedicitur. Quare mens et maneat semper serenum malitia mutaret humilis punctum unius imperio pia numina cursu. Haec enim te discernit Chaos."
(It is true, behind such majestic power there is sacrifice. That is the reason Helios's disposition was to always leave such important treasure in the hands of those could really carry on with his legacy; that is the reason why the stone chooses its carrier and protector. I cannot give you a straight answer to your question Endymion, that I cannot do—why? Because I never witnessed what the stone could do if released to its maximum stage of power—the Golden Crystal is a stone made of pure, raw energy and at its core there is a burning fire that if put out it may not be extinguished, ever, causing massive destruction, remember it is blessed with the powers of the Sun. That is why your mind must always be serene and you must remain humble because just one speck of malice, ego or self-doubt could change the course of its command and sacred powers. That is what makes you different from Chaos,)
The priest rested his palms facing up and waited for Mamoru to imitate his movements, "Quod crystallum agere ad hoc quod utiliter praecipitur, sed finis eventus est ad vos," he took a deep breath, "Ut unus spiritus munditia et go..."
(The crystal will react to what is commanded, but the end result is up to you. Take one deep, cleansing breath, and let it go...)
Mamoru closed his eyes and began pulling all of his fears, questions, anguish, guilt, anger and felt them boil at the pit of his stomach, erupting like an angry volcano. His inner self began the battle against his own bondage as he slowly began to remember his constant arguments with his mother, eager and curious to know the truth; his countless restless nights outside his tent during his days training in the army, practicing with his wooden spears and swords until his hands had bloody blisters and the many times the arrows he threw with his bow ended going in the wrong direction or bounced back at him. The many times he felt like a failure whenever he fought Kunzite and he mocked his poor abilities and coordination and the countless times they fist fought and were sent to stand under a cold waterfall to pay for their faults and think about the ruckus they caused among other soldiers. His nights while they were at war and how he saw many of his friends and comrades being murdered by the enemy he was not able to fight by himself or do anything to prevent any of it. The loss of his friends and family, the impotence of not being able to do more than he was supposed to do and the deep frustration for not being able to be with her—his precious moon princess.
Like waves of a calm ocean, swaying in a melodic rhythm the memory of him looking up at the sky every time he felt trapped slowly began to wash away the thick and negative aura around him. While he was at war, while he spent his nights practicing, during his restless nights studying or working, while he stood under the freezing waterfall—the moon and its soothing silver light was always there, clearing his troubled thoughts and guiding his path and soon that same light came to him in the shape of a woman to fill his life with love.
Mamoru opened his eyes when he felt a soft tingling in the palms of his hands. His blue eyes slowly widened when he saw a soft glow emerge through his fingers; Obelix opened his eyes and nodded, "Cristallum quod reagit est dominus eius si manere ad ipsum verum et manifestum est animo et humilem spiritu et obtinuit, tu nunc sentiunt? De industria optime sonantium interiorem et oceanum libet ventum de Terra? Potest te sentire suum calorem ejus? Suus 'omnis ex vobis," he smiled with proud and nostalgia, "Quod est verum ex significatione nomini tuo: hoc est, quid proderit Endymion."
(The crystal reacts to its owner, if you stay true to yourself and have a clear mind and a humble spirit you will succeed, can you feel it now? The energy resonating inside of you like the ocean or the wind of Earth? Can you feel its warmth? It's all coming from you. That is the true meaning of your name, this is what Endymion truly means.)
Mamoru's eyes widened and turned to Obelix, "Quid est?"
(What?)
Obelix nodded, "Quod verum est in nomine tuo significatione non est actio vel res. Benedictus est tuus Endymion quod mater Helios compositus optimum illud exemplar voluit esse et in nationibus eius missionem et posuit te. Significat nomen tuum custodiat animam planetae vestri navitas, quod fluit et in te."
(The true meaning of your name it is not an action or a thing—it's a blessing. Your mother chose Endymion because it matched perfectly with the ideals Helios wanted for his descendants and the mission he set for you. Your name represents the life of the planet you protect and the energy that flows within you from the star that protects you.)
The priest exhaled with relief, "Cum renati, mater vestra ad vos enim elegit, quod nomen magis oportet esse certis diebus vitae tuae Chiba Mamoru seu, loci protectorem, maxime aptus esse ad distringendos Deorum, te operam. Venit hora vestra vita tibi, tuus est. Quia non amplius aptum non-Chiba Mamoru repraesentes. Non enim locorum patronum, Excelsum Principem de Terra es, Helios 'semen Dei Solis aurei veram regni heredem regni, in campos Elysios demigrant Exercitus Polemarchos et episcopum Sancti Aurei Crystallis.
(When you were reborn, your mother chose to give you a more appropriate name for that specific time of your life. Being Chiba Mamoru, or, local protector, was most suited to divert the gods' attention from you. The moment your past life came back to you, so did your essence. Chiba Mamoru no longer fitted as a whole because it no longer fits with everything you represent. You are no longer just a local protector, you are the High Prince of Earth and a Titan's descendant, heir to the throne of the Golden Kingdom, Polemarchos of the Elysian Army and Holy Guardian of the Golden Crystal.)
Mamoru looked how his hands began to glow more intensely, slowly feeling his body feel more of his own. "Ego videre,"
(I see,)
"Verum, o iuuenis ille non eligere inter alia. Et vos eadem persona, non morietur in praesenti tempore nati sumus et in diversis hominibus. In eandem illam custodes cum Serenitate principis: Hoc est cur hie ego sum, vos vocavit me, et Helios, Póntifex tuus ut mihi liceat vobis. In altum, vos admonere volo me ad vos." Obelix tilted his head and watched the soft golden energy flowing from Mamoru's hands.
(But the truth is, my young Prince, is that you do not have to choose between one and the other. You are both the same person and you must embrace both natures as a whole. You did not die and were born in your present time a different man. The same happens with Princess Serenity and her guardians; you are not leaving that life behind because you still hold the same desire of protecting her but you must come to realize how you are meant to be much more than what you were limited to believe. That is the true reason of why I am here, you called me and Helios, your High Priest, allowed me to find you. Deep down, you wanted me to come and scold you.)
"Tibi sit, non enim nihil me amet est." (I mean, not for nothing I was your first word.) Obelix shook his head and chuckled for the first time since Mamoru was pulled into Purgatorio. His own self-created hell. Mamoru looked at him with a soft smile on his face, remembering the lovely scene of his first birthday with his family. The priest took a deep breath and brought his hands together and tilted his head low, "Nunc ergo veni accipe a nobis incipere, cum in partem ipsam difficile—orare."
(Now then, let us begin with the actual difficult part—to pray.)
Mamoru brought his hand together and closer to his chest and exhaled, allowing his new-found energy engulf him and strengthen his soul. "Sustine me paululum, Serenity," he closed his prismatic blue eyes and took a deep breath, "Quasi domi ego sum."
"Wait for me a little longer, Serenity... I am almost home."
O—o—o—o—O
Ares roamed in the solitude of his palace in Mars after a long meeting with the Olympian Gods who still were hesitant to act according to his recommendations and strategies of attack. The lord of war stood with a glass of liquor in his hand and sighed heavily at the night sky, mentally cursing at the stars for shining back at him like if they were mocking his current living situation.
He was aware of the events on Earth, he could feel the fiery spirit of his daughter alive. If she had awoken as senshi it only meant that something meaningful was happening to them but it was his nature and his duties to Olympus that tied him to stay more than he wished in a world he no longer felt he belonged. His escapades to what they called the rural planet were still a secret and it was still condemned by the high gods so everything he has been doing on the side was a secret and a fault and if not careful it could unleash even bigger problems.
He twirled the amber-colored liquor half filling his glass and sighed heavily, taking the last sip in one gulp he stomped the crystal glass on his desk and turned to leave his study when he felt a strong tug in his chest calling for his presence. The blonde god closed his eyes, trying to decode the energy pulling him with so much need. It was nostalgic and it was powerful, and it strongly attracted him to the extent to comply and being taken away.
-O-
Ares opened his eyes and found himself in what appeared to be a beautiful shrine with tall fountain walls and greenery so vibrant in colors. Its entrance was a small door from which a corridor was connected to the main court. In the center, there was a large pond full of goldfish and myrtles growing along its sides.
There were galleries on the north and south wings of the sacred place and were supported by a marble colonnade. To the right, was the principal entrance and over it were three windows with arches and miniature pillars. From this court, the walls of what appeared to be a prayer room could easily be seen rising over the roof to the north and reflected in the pond.
Ares found himself walking inside a long room with a very high dome ceiling; it full of tiles with its colors varying at intervals; over them was a series of oval medallions with inscriptions interwoven with flowers and leaves. There were nine windows, three on each facade and the tall dome ceiling was decorated with inlaid-work of white, blue, and gold in the shape of circles, crowns and stars. The walls were covered with varied stucco works surrounding many ancient escutcheons, Ares frowned, feeling attracted to the inscriptions and the story carefully detailed in those murals. His grey eyes slowly took in every word and detail and his heart began to race in his chest with both shame and anxiety as he slowly recognized the place he was now standing on realizing he had been there before—a long time ago.
The same strong pull in his chest made him turn back and without a warning, his heart skipped a beat as he slowly felt his soul leaving his body when his eyes finally landed on the person he never thought he would ever see again in his divine life. His lips parted but no sound could come out from his mouth; his first instinct was to exhale and shake his head with genuine disbelief.
A woman in a deep cerulean gown stood before Ares; her hair was meticulously combed and lose down her back. It was as dark as a thousand nights and the crystal pins on her delicate tiara looked like a star sanctuary; her hazel eyes were framed by long, dark lashes and their mystical color paired to perfection with the shimmery golden dust on her lids and the deep red color on her lips. Her dress had a long trail and a flowy skirt that moved around her on its own like cosmic dust and its long sleeves covered her slender arms to perfection, almost like a second skin.
Ares felt weak but his eyes could not stop staring at her, it was like if his spirit was feeding on the beauty and image standing in front of him after so many years of speculations, longing, and regret—so much regret. "Gaia..." he breathed, finally gathering the courage to speak and break the silence overpowering their unexpected reunion.
Gaia, the Titaness of Earth and High Queen of Elysion looked back at him with endearment, "Ares..." she said softly. She looked ethereal and like a true heir of Helios' legacy, never fidgeting, never showing weakness or fright but her eyes were still the windows to her soul and the emotion was as real and vivid as ever. They looked at each other in silence for a while but the fact of being face to face after so many years was still too overpowering and too emotional to bear. "It cannot be—"
Gaia took a step closer to the god of war and raised her hand, interrupting him, "Before anything else is spoken—I want to thank you for answering my call. I know it is not easy in times like these and more if that call comes from me."
"I did not know it was you—I would have expected it from anyone, except, from you..." Ares said softly and looked down, "Gaia, I—" his eyes widened when he felt her arms around him, giving him the warmest embrace, completely taking him by surprise. The queen of earth shook her head and stayed still with her arms around him for a moment. His arms reached out and held her close, slowly responding to her embrace and tilted his head close to her ear, "My sweet Gaia—how I have missed to see you, I was so blind..." his always stoic and strong voice quivered with emotion, "I was so blind, so stupid."
"Ares..." Gaia could not hold her tears either, "It was not your fault... any of what happened."
Ares pulled back to look into her hazel eyes and noticed that despite their beauty, they were no longer prismatic. "Not my fault?" Ares frowned, "Gaia I—" he sighed and shook his head in disbelief, "I turned my back on you at the first test of loyalty—I followed the god's orders, I let myself be misguided by my anger and came to Earth to harm you, I threatened you, your family, and never returned to ask for your forgiveness." Gaia smiled sadly, "You are the God of War, you did not know any better—to you, I committed a crime and I had to pay for it. It was treason." she looked away with tears in her beautiful eyes, "Serenity told me how you later supported her and that you tried to help us. To me, that was a valid apology..."
Ares widened his grey eyes, "Serenity? Y-You spoke to her? You have seen her?" Gaia shook her head and turned to walk away, "I wish I could, but I cannot cross to the Underworld, I cannot cross to the immortal realm either,"
"Where are we then? I thought—" Ares looked around, "I recognize this place, this is your shrine on Earth," he looked at the terran goddess, who was nodding in response, "This was once my shrine on Earth, yes, but it is only a remembrance in time," she turned and opened her arms, "As you can see, there is no golden throne—no royal inscriptions," she turned and looked at the dome ceiling, "This is no longer a royal or sacred shrine, remember I am no longer a deity. I am nothing more than a mortal defying the laws of nature."
"You are still part of Helios' dynasty," Ares said softly, Gaia nodded and looked over her shoulder "Oh, my dear grandpapa, how much he has struggled with his descendants..." she smiled sadly and shook her head, "It took two grandchildren to almost destroy all of his lives' work, his entire legacy... but, I still have hope."
"Gaia..." Ares took a step closer to the Queen, "Where have you been? What happened to you?" he looked around again and shook his head, "Are you real? Is this place real or am I in an illusion played by my heart?"
Gaia smiled and traced the line of Ares' jaw with delicacy, "Ares, always so anxious—where I have been? That my dear mentor, I cannot explain. What happened to me? —I died, at least my mortal body did." she bit her lower lip, "Metallia broke the seal that I put on her and possessed the tortured soul of a girl that sadly, did not know better in life. With her power, she destroyed everything I had built with the remains of the power granted to me by the Golden Crystal." she looked away and tilted her head, her eyes showing pure sadness at the mention of such tragic moment, "Before I faced death and Hades was notified of my passing, Chronos appeared before me, he stopped time, opened a door in the Space-Time Corridor, and guarded my soul inside this place you see now to protect me from my sentence of death in the Underworld."
"That is why he was not there when Serenity's Kingdom fell into disgrace," Ares muttered with shock, finally putting the pieces of the puzzle together, "That is why he disappeared... he stopped time..." he looked at Gaia wide-eyed, "He was saving you—his own kind."
"My heart broke in millions of pieces when I learned Serenity had passed," Gaia shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment, "Just the thought of it fills my heart with rage and impotence for not being able to help her, like she tried to help me," she sighed heavily, "The last time I saw her was when I gave birth to my son, she came to meet him and told me what was happening in Olympus and it was then, when she told me you were ashamed of your actions and how your way to atone for your faults was to protect me from a distance." she smiled softly, "I learned that you got married and had a beautiful child. Should I congratulate you?"
Ares sighed and let out a soft, complicit chuckle, the first in many years. "For my child, you can congratulate me all you want, she is my biggest pride and joy—as for my marriage, well, that is a whole other story."
"Why?"
"It no longer exists,"
"How come?"
"It was... too complicated, "Ares turned and walked outside towards the garden, feeling the familiarity of the place that once existed. It was exactly like he remembered when he went down to see his beloved apprentice. Gaia followed behind, the long trail of her ethereal gown followed her like a curtain made of stardust, "Well, you chose Eris to be your wife," Gaia arched her brow with a little cynicism hidden in her gesture and let out a soft sigh, "Of all women Ares... you married the Goddess of Discord, what did you expect?"
Once they were close to a bench, both God of War and Titaness of Earth sat like in the old times to talk about their lives, master and pupil, together again. Ares leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees and looked at the fountain in the distance, he tried to find the best excuse, a valid reason; the god of war shrugged his shoulder and pursed his lips showing tiredness and defeat. He couldn't lie to her, not her. "Understanding... sympathy, maybe?"
"From discord itself?" Gaia leaned back and looked at him quizzically, Ares sighed, "We were both problematic... we were both chaotic in our own way, at the time it made sense." Gaia pursed her lips and let out a dry chuckle, "I appreciate you using that name to describe your marriage." Ares smiled and for the first time in centuries, he found the irony in his marriage amusing enough to make him laugh, "She was—"
"Understanding?" Gaia arched her brow, Ares shook his head and turned to Gaia and tapped her nose playfully, "—There." he shrugged his shoulders and gave her a soft smile, "She was there, and well... she agreed to the terms for marriage,"
"Well, that does not sound very romantic, Ares,"
"I did not marry for love, Gaia,"
"Sounds like you did not love her,"
"No, I did not."
"Then why did you marry her then? Did you not think that you might be hurting her in the end or, hurting yourself for that matter? That is insensitive..." Gaia frowned, still not understanding how he could have chosen to live a life that was destined to be miserable. "That is the worst strategy I have ever heard in my life, my, to be the Lord of War you did not fight much for what you wanted,"
"No, I did not." Ares' serious tone startled the terran queen; he looked at her in the eye and gave her a sad smile, "I did not fight enough and I lost her—the one I truly loved." Gaia blinked completely taken aback by Ares' sudden and unexpected response; the god of war gave the titaness a sad smile "It took me a long time to process my loss. It took me a much longer time to accept it, but in the end, I understood—what she wanted." he let out a soft puff of air, "And then, I admitted it. A very decent man swept her off her feet and did what I should have done when I had the opportunity—he married her and made her happy like she deserved to be." Ares caressed Gaia's rosy cheek with the back of his hand with gentleness, "Your grandfather would be proud of what you have done—you have shown more courage, loyalty, and determination than any of us has. You challenged everyone to defend your beliefs and lived the life you wanted, with the man you love."
"Ares..." Gaia put her hand on top of his, still caressing her cheek. The god of war shook his head softly, "I love you, Gaia. I always believed we were two forces that moved parallel from each other, close, yet never crossing. I knew my place, I knew I couldn't drag you with me; I know the many faults and crimes I carry with me and it was not fair for you." he shook his head, "I never had the courage to tell you and to be honest, I do not think this feeling in my heart is ever going to change—I do not believe this feeling will go away. I will always love you and I will always regret having broken your heart one too many times in the past, but, it has now been long since I accepted our fate, we were not to be together. It was not meant to be." the god of war exhaled as he leaned back and smiled softly, "You know, in all my life, I have only witnessed two love stories worth admiring and one of them is the one you had with the mortal King."
Those were the words the terran titaness needed to put closure to the tension and the unanswered questions left when she departed the divine realm. She never stopped caring for the god of war, despite their previous fallout, despite his approach to her after she married the terran king. She knew there were feelings flowing between them, she knew there was love between them but she also admitted she was too naive back then. Ares confessing and giving voice to those feelings was all the confirmation she needed to know they were past the bitterness of their abrupt separation. The love was there, but it was now different; it was that understanding Ares needed and the support Gaia wanted from him, they were finally at peace with each other and that is all that mattered now. Gaia smiled warmly and looked down at her hand still holding his, "And, which one is the other?"
Ares sighed softly and caressed Gaia's hand with his thumb, "The other is the one Serenity's daughter has with your son."
Gaia's hazel eyes gleamed with sad tears, "It is a beautiful love story..." her sweet voice was slowly becoming gloomy, Ares noticed how her beautiful facial features slowly changed too, "Gaia?"
"I believe Endymion's trials and obstacles have been more demanding and unforgiving than they were for me and his father," Gaia looked at the fountain in the distance and stood up, slowly letting go of Ares' hand, "I know what you did—I know you have been looking over him and I do not have the words to express my gratitude," she turned to look at him over her shoulder, "He is my everything, my son is the living proof of my love for Eros, my planet, and everything I fought for in the past."
"I know Gaia," Ares said softly, "And I also know where your husband lies at this very moment."
"Yes," Gaia nodded and closed her eyes, long trails of tears started to fall from her gracious eyes, "That is why I decided to break my silence and anonymity to call you," she sniffed softly, "You are the only one I have left—without Serenity, you are the only one I can trust." her words ignited a fire Ares had felt extinct inside of him, it was different from when Mars needed his support but it too was strong, very strong. He quickly followed the queen and pulled her close to him in a secure embrace, "You have my full support, Gaia, anything I can be of service—you know you can trust me." Gaia looked up at the blonde god drying her tears with his thumbs, "Ares, things are happening on Earth—things that should not be happening, I am afraid because I know what they want,"
Ares sighed and nodded, pulling away from the terran titaness, "Yes Gaia, your fears are correct, but it is much more complicated than just an evil being wanting ultimate power—it is Hades. I learned he has been granting permission to Asteria to open the Gates of the Underworld to cross to the mortal realm and take his soul; while the High Gods are strengthening their alliances, Hades is working under the table because he still believes all Chaos' attempts to break free from Tartarus are a consequence of your son's existence."
"And you?" Gaia frowned, "Do you believe that?"
"No." Ares shook his head, "Hades and I have not been in the best of terms for the last two thousand years because of our differences of opinion concerning this matter. Over the years, I have learned too many things that I am not happy about and so, I chose to follow Serenity's ideals. My brother, on the other hand, he decided to remain the same with his beliefs and he wants more." he sighed, "I find myself trapped in between the laws of gods; I still need to serve as Commander, I am one of the High Gods, but I cannot allow him to cause more damage."
Gaia sighed softly, "Endymion is in Purgatorio..." her hazel eyes looked into Ares' surprised ones, "Purgatorio?" Gaia nodded and turned to walk towards the fountain with Ares following behind, "Helios, the current High Priest of Elysion granted me this information—you know what happens when you enter Purgatorio, you—"
"You cannot escape from your own madness. It is a self-inflicted turmoil—a limbo, your own personal hell." Ares interrupted the queen who nodded in return. "W-What is he doing there? How did he even...?"
"The crystal..." Gaia answered simply and continued walking, "My lifelong fear became a reality the moment he awoke and learned the truth."
Ares stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath, "Gaia... I am responsible for his awakening. The moment Serenity put everyone into a deep sleep and granted them the blessing of being reborn in another time, I had to take drastic measures—the moment I learned their lives were in danger, I had to do it."
"Eros, Aurea, Leonidas, Obelix, Odell, and Narella—they all warned me how I should have told him the truth since the very beginning, but—" Gaia stopped by the fountain and looked up, "I just wanted to give him a normal life Ares, despite his fate, I did not want him to carry my past on his shoulders." she dipped her hand in the cool water pooled at the bottom and shook her head, "But one cannot escape destiny and one cannot deny fate," she turned to face Ares, "At this very moment, Endymion is going through a catharsis and he will not leave Purgatorio until he frees himself from his own bindings. I know what is ahead of us, I can feel it... but this fight is not mine to win, my fate has been settled. It is his turn, this is his time and he needs to be prepared and ready like a true descendant of Helios." Gaia placed her cool hand on Ares' warm cheek, "Ares, I know it is too much of me to even consider asking you this, I am aware of what it means and that it goes against your honor and position as High God, but... could you grant this mortal Queen one last wish and help him regain his strength?" Gaia leaned her head on his chest and sighed, "He is the only part of me that is still alive—I have lost everybody I held dear and I did not get the chance to see mother and father again... they did not get to meet their grandson,"
Ares pulled back and looked at her in the eyes with a soft smile on his face, "They did,"
"What?" Gaia blinked surprised, Ares nodded in return, "Your son went to the Moon with Chronos' blessing and warned Serenity about Metallia—the second I learned he was the son of the Titaness of Terra, I went to their shrine in the Omega Galaxy, where they lived in exile and brought them back to see him, even when it was behind closed doors and impossible for them to confess him the truth, they got to meet him," The terran queen's eyes gleamed with tears of happiness, gratitude, and disbelief, "Ares..."
The god of war felt a tug in his chest alerting him that his time with Gaia was almost up, he sighed softly and shook his head, "No matter how much I try, I just cannot stay with you for long periods of time... you are always slipping through my fingers like fresh water," he felt like he was vanishing and slowly being pulled back from the dimension he was in with her. With his last remains of strength, Ares grabbed her hand and went on one knee to show his respect and loyalty, "You were my best pupil and I know he will follow your example—" he brought her delicate hand to his lips and kissed tenderly. "He will live to honor Helios' dynasty, that I am sure."
With those words, his body slowly vanished and traveled back through time and space all the way back to his study at his palace on Mars. He opened his grey eyes and widened them when he realized he was no longer around her, he looked into the distance and tilted his head low. A new sense of duty and determination slowly pulled him from his numb state, bringing his strong self-back alive, a small smile crossed his handsome features and nodded at the memory of the woman that had won his full respect and admiration, "Consider it done, Queen of Earth."
He turned over his shoulder and walked out of his study and towards the entrance of the Martian palace. Two large doors opened the path for Ares, God of War, and looked at a long straight line of heavy-armed warriors on each side of a wide corridor that led to the main court. The blonde god narrowed his eyes as he paid close attention to every one warrior lined with their face looking forward, waiting for his command; the imposing image of the Celestial Army of Polemarchos that Ares himself worked hard to mold and crafted with such detail and care after Helios' departure was still something that surely took anyone's breath away.
In one swift and well-studied move, all warriors stomped their right foot on the marble floors in respect and honor to the lord of war and took a resting stance, "Commander!" they all said unison, acknowledging his presence and call. Ares stood at the front and nodded, "The moment to join our forces is coming near—war approaches us and we must act until every creature that threatens our realm is annihilated—regardless of who that is."
"Yes, Commander!" The entire army answered loud and clear, like a thundering echo. Ares turned to Aegeus, Polemarchos of Orion, "Until my return, you will my take my post and alert me of any threats—if danger approaches, take the best action to counteract any damage."
The heavy armored soldier with long red hair tied in a high ponytail bowed his head, "Yes, Commander," he turned his serious face at the lord of war, "If you forgive my indiscretion High God, where are you heading to?" With a proud smile, Ares began to walk down the immense line of warriors, "I am going after the last Polemarchos, the one that will finally complete this army." In a flash of golden light, the god of war vanished before the league of legendary warriors, on to his next mission before taking a stance.
I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters.
The Divnity Series is rated M, volence and intimacy may happen.
*Nii-san (short for onii-san): A brother. If not related by blood, it is taken as a much personal approach to a brotherly figure.