Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife

by Nebelflecke

- III - To create a future, you have to make peace with the past and work through it in the present. It is not just a leap of destiny, it is a reason to continue fighting. **Divinity is a long running series and it's rated M.

51. Chapter 51

Divinity - Fates and the Afterlife

Chapter Fifty-One

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Usagi walked out of the bedroom in silence looking distraught, tired and depressed—very depressed. It had been a rough time for her these few days but the night before had been particularly a nightmare for her. After she had dinner with the shitennou, she refused to stay more than needed and quickly returned to her husband in the bedroom and went to sleep by his side like she had been doing ever since he lost consciousness but later during that same night, she was woken by a strange feeling and found herself drenched in sweat and feeling very sick making her rush to the bathroom where she spent most of her night curled into a ball on the floor. The discomfort was making it difficult for Usagi to move; she was feeling too weak and dizzy to go back to bed but thought it was best if she didn't wake Megumi and whoever was spending the night in the living room so she wouldn't alert and worry anyone more knowing it would only make things worse and keep everyone on the edge so she tried her best to stay as quiet as possible and deal with it on her own.

As she walked into the living room, her crystal blue eyes widened when she saw the crowded apartment with all four senshi and four shitennou busy while preparing things for the day—her day. The second they all noticed her presence, they turned to greet her with respect; Usagi knew her luck was one not everyone got to experience for being surrounded by such wonderful and caring people—and cats. These past few days have been a complete challenge for her without the constant support form her husband, but despite feeling like she could crash emotionally she knew she wasn't alone. She felt incredibly loved and cared by all of them, and even when she didn't show it, she was incredibly touched and grateful for having them in her life. "Good morning," she greeted all softly.

Luna was the first to notice her coming close and went to salute the princess hoping to spread a little cheerfulness to the silver-haired woman, "Good morning, Usagi-chan," she hopped to the sofa to greet her first and purred softly when Usagi scratched her ear gently, "Good morning, Luna..." as she was being petted, the back cat looked at the princess and noticed there was something odd in the way she greeted her but quickly thought it was because of their current situation and let it slide without fixating her mind into it. Usagi turned to Artemis and petted the white cate behind his ear in the same sweet manner she did with Luna and turned to the shitennou who all bowed their heads to show their respect, "Good morning, Princess,"

"Good morning," Usagi greeted them again and went to take a seat in her usual stool at the kitchen bar and leaned her head on her hand lazily, trying her best to stay awake. Her action caught Makoto's attention while she was still finishing cooking breakfast for everyone, "How did you sleep, Usagi-chan?"

In a very tired fashion, Usagi rubbed her eyes and let out a soft but emotionally charged sigh, "I don't know how to answer that question Mako-chan... I don't think there's a good answer to that question," she rubbed her eyes again, "A week has passed... or something... I don't know anymore... I lost count."

Makoto leaned closer to cup her friend's pale cheek and gave her an empathic glance. All plans and schedules soon had become a routine for all the guardians; every morning they would gather at the apartment to have breakfast together, then the girls would leave for work with the exception of Ami, who was able to take a temporary leave at the hospital with Motoki's help and her impeccable records. By the afternoon, they would reunite again for dinner and then, the girls would leave again by midnight. While the girls are away, the shitennou would stay half a day then they would leave to freshen up and come back to spend the night in the living room to keep guard on the princess while Luna and Artemis stayed with Megumi in the guest bedroom. Their lives have pretty much molded to follow that same routine allowing their past slowly blend in with their present, giving shape to some sort of hybrid between two worlds, one, the girls didn't seem to mind anymore.

But no matter how much they tried to keep things under control, it was never enough. At least, for the demand their jobs had on their normal routine; Makoto had been given several warnings for getting late to cover her shift at the restaurant and Minako had already been given a final notice by her boss letting her know that he would fire her if she didn't finish the usual load of pending tasks that did not even were her responsibility. At this point in her life and career, the soldier of love had grown less patient towards her current life ever since she had awakened again as senshi and with Kunzite's support, she has seen things more clearly and realize how she allowed her life to be so tangled with so many unnecessary problems. This change in her made her more sensitive to this situation, and it was heartbreaking to her every time she saw Usagi cry because she knew what it was like to feel alone in a room full of people.

All four senshi and shitennou exchanged worried glances accepting that in fact, it was becoming too exhausting for the poor princess that after ten days, Mamoru still didn't show any signs of waking up. Following Makoto's understanding approach, Megumi stood by the princess's side and put a cup of hot green tea in front of her; she had come to notice that words didn't make Usagi feel better so she preferred to show her support with gestures and actions. Despite following pretty much everyone's pleading for her to eat, bathe, drink lots of fluids, and sleep, the lunar princess still showed a pale face and a very worn out spirit.

"I know what will make you feel better," Makoto turned away from the stove and put a steamy bowl in front of her friend neatly decorated with slices of strawberry and peaches on top; Usagi looked at it and after a couple of blinks showing pure confusion, she looked up at her amazon friend, "W-What is this?"

"Oatmeal," Makoto said ever so sweetly; to her response, Usagi made a funny grimace and leaned down to sniff the soft steam coming from it making Makoto smile, "Come on, it's good for you. I put some cinnamon and brown sugar in it to make it sweet, plus, the fruit gives it a little tart twist," she chuckled softly, "I know it's not your kind of meal but you should give it a try and see it's actually not bad,"

"It's gooey..." Usagi looked down as she stirred the spoon in the bowl of warm oatmeal, "And lumpy..."

"Actually," Ami went to stand next to Usagi and combed her long silver fringe aside in a loving manner; they all have noticed the change in her the minute she reappeared in battle as Sailor Moon but quickly imagined it most likely was because she reacted to Mamoru's power so they decided to leave things as they were and not making a big deal out of it. "Oats are a very good source of fiber, especially beta-glucan and are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Whole oats are the only source of a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, believed to have protective effects against heart disease. Due to their beneficial health effects, such as lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels, oats have gained considerable interest as a health—"

"—So long story short, Usa-chan, they're good for you," Minako leaned on Ami and put her arm around Usagi's shoulders in support and smiled, "Please have some, sweetie, they'll make you feel better."

"I-I don't feel in the mood for oatmeal..." Usagi looked at the bowl in front of her and pushed the bowl aside, "I am actually not hungry, I woke up with an upset stomach so I think I'll skip the nutrients from the oatmeal for today. I feel like if I eat it I will feel much worse..."

"Huh, maybe it was Zoisite's poor attempts of cooking another casserole last night," Jadeite let out a playful chuckle and patted his blonde's comrade's shoulder, making him blush, "I did not..." Zoisite frowned and turned to Jadeite with an offended glare, "How dare you? I was very careful with the ingredients,"

Usagi turned with a smile for the youngest of the shitennou and shook her head to dismiss any concerns, "Don't worry, Zoisite, your dish was very tasty. I just feel dizzy—that's all."

"Well then, how about a glass of juice?" Makoto suggested, still with a soft smile on her face but Usagi turned that offer down as well, "Actually... I think I'll go back to sleep," she gave her friends a weak smile, "I just want to sleep."

"Honey, you can't sleep all day," Minako pulled Usagi closer to her and for a moment she felt like her friend was just a minute away from vanishing, she felt so limp and thinner it was mortifying since Usagi was never known for being fragile, despite her petite and slender figure. Over the years, Usagi tried to lead a much more active and healthy lifestyle so she managed to maintain a well-toned body and even tried to follow her husband's routine of going out for a morning run whenever she had had a chance, meaning, that she went whenever she got to wake up early. "How about we fix you something different? Mm? Some fruit maybe?" There was a little hint of desperation in her voice, but before she could suggest anything else, Usagi turned to look at her and shook her head to decline that offer as well, "I just want to sleep... I'm very tired,"

Ami stayed silent with her deep blue eyes fixed on the princess' fragile body and noticed she did look paler. Over the past few days, her friend has been leaving little clues that probably only she could really pick up for consideration. She had been sleeping more and had been waking up feeling more tired than usual, less hungry than usual, and her tolerance for certain things that normally were not an issue before had become a little unusual. Silently, the young doctor began connecting some dots in her mind and if her suspicions were true, things were about to get a little more complicated, especially for her.

"It's alright, Usa-chan, go back to sleep." Ami's soft voice startled everyone in the apartment, "But, promise me you will eat something when you wake up." the bluenette's understanding stance made Usagi smile and gave her doctor friend a warm hug, "I promise Ami-chan, thank you." she whispered, she pulled back and gave her blue-haired friend a soft smile before she turned to walk back to the bedroom without saying anything else. The second they heard the door closing, Minako was the first to crumble and started crying to what Kunzite immediately went to support her and wrapped his arms around her protectively "Venus... please, you have to be strong."

"What the hell is going on?! This should not be happening!" Minako's voice was strained with worry and desperation, "She's letting herself vanish away along with him... she's letting herself go the same way she did two thousand years back!"

"She is not letting herself go..." Kunzite reassured as he rubbed her lower back to calm her down, "Venus, she is tired—all she wants is for this nightmare to be over," all eyes were on Kunzite at this point, "She is waiting for Endymion to manifest... give her time,"

Minako sighed and went to sit on the sofa and thought about what she would do if she was in Usagi's shoes and how it felt to be this stranded and emotionally confused. Their lives have always been parallel, in a way, they both had a fated romance that defied the laws of nature, they both had lost them in battle, and up to some point, they had to confront them in a fierce fight. She understood the princess' fury and anguish, she understood her pain, and it broke her heart to see her always renewed hope being crumbled every time she wakes up and sees her prince is in the same vegetative state day after day. Being in love was one thing, but having your soul linked to someone else's was a totally different thing and maybe that is why she had so many problems with love in the past; she wanted a love like that—transcendental love. With a soft sigh, the blonde turned to Rei, who was sitting in the same chair Usagi had previously taken behind the fancy kitchen bar and island, "Have you found anything in the fire?" Rei shook her head, "No, nothing. It's like if we were back on square one, there are no signs of them."

"That does not mean they are not lurking." Artemis said from his place near the window, "They are waiting for a perfect opportunity, it's clear there is more to their erratic appearances,"

"They are probably waiting for Mamoru to wake up," Makoto walked out of the kitchen and sat next to Kunzite on the dining table, Artemis shook his head, "I don't know, as blunt as this will sound, the Prince is an obstacle to them, clearly, they want him out of the picture—they want him dead."

"We will continue with our routine, just because they have retreated does not mean we can leave the Prince and Princess unprotected." Nephrite crossed his arms, "But I do believe we need to give Princess Serenity some space like we did in the beginning. I have noticed that the more days Endymion is still without regaining consciousness the more we worry her to a point we are starting to transmit our own fears on to her."

"What do you suggest then, Nephrite?" Jadeite frowned, from his place next to Kunzite on the sofa, "To leave her alone? You know we cannot do that."

"I will continue staying with her,"

All eyes were on a very determined Megumi, "Her Highness will not be alone, she has me and I will continue doing whatever is possible to keep her company and make her feel better." her chocolate eyes widened when she felt Ami's hand patting her shoulder in gratitude and gave her a soft smile, then turned to Rei who was sighing heavily with worry and sadness, "The world stopped spinning for her," she bit her lip, "I wish Father would let me know what's going on—anything—it's like he vanished too, I can't contact him in any way,"

"Do you think something is happening up there?" Makoto crossed her arms and bit her lower lip, "Maybe my adorable father is stirring things up and keeping everyone busy, as always, he likes the attention."

"With someone like Asteria in the picture, I think it is more than enough reason to keep them occupied, she's one to be careful of," Minako muttered bitterly, "And she is only one from who knows how many..."

"I agree with Nephrite's plan, we should give Princess Serenity a little space, enough for her to feel like she is control of her life. She wants to take care of Endymion, but she feels limited somehow." Kunzite sighed. Zoisite nodded in agreement, "It is all too overwhelming for her, I can understand her frustration."

"She has been taking things very calmly, very maturely—I admire her grounded character during this difficult time. It is needless to say she is very strong and not to mention brave," Kunzite looked at his comrade and friend, then turned to Minako who was sitting next to him on the sofa, "Princess Serenity is carrying the stone—I have noticed, that is keeping her safe."

"What stone?" Minako frowned, Kunzite leaned back on the sofa and let out a soft breath, "The necklace she has been wearing lately,"

"Ah, I've seen it. One with a gorgeous golden stone, right?" Makoto said with wonder, "I figured it was a gift from Mamoru because she doesn't want to take it off."

"Well, it is, in a way—it once belonged to Queen Gaia," Kunzite turned to Makoto, then back at Minako, "I remember seeing it before. The night Endymion went to see the archaeologist, that pendant was one of the things she found inside the ruins and turned out to be the confirmation the Prince needed to know all this was directly linked to his family,"

"Are you saying the stone has some sort of magic?" Rei frowned with curiosity, Kunzite pursed his lips in thought, "I am not sure if it has magic but it does have some sort of blessing. If it managed to transcend time it must be because it has some sort of mystical power. Let us not forget Queen Gaia was the Goddess of Earth, I would not be surprised if it was."

"The more I hear about it, the more amazed I am," Ami shook her head with wonder shining through her face, "There is so much history in that family... I knew the Terran dynasty once was part of the Silver Alliance but I never imagined there were so many layers of history and culture."

"And we only know just one part of it, just imagine how Mamoru felt when Lord Ares came here looking for him for the first time, it is all too overwhelming," Artemis sighed "Not even when I was chosen to be Queen Serenity's advisor, I had access to all this information, Her Majesty barely addressed the subject."

"Now we know why—the two Queens were very close and she was keeping her friend's secret safe," Luna leaned her head on Artemis's and sighed. Minako turned to look at the closed bedroom door and nodded, "Usagi-chan is part of that dynasty now, whether the gods like or not..." her vibrant blue eyes narrowed with pride, "And that dynasty is fated to last."

O—o—o—o—O

"Virginum custos et Patronus Sanctus, Helios, cujus fideli custodiae ipsa Innocentia; te per hoc utrumque carissimum pignus Jesum et Mariam obsecro et obtestor, ut me, ab omni immunditia praeservatum, mente incontaminata, puro corde et casto corpore semper facias castissime famulari. Fac nos innocuam, decurrere vitam. Sitque tuo Semper tuta patrocinio."

Obelix opened his caramel colored eyes and smiled when listened to the prince's voice echoing in the long halls of the temple as he continued with his ancient prayers. Much to his surprise and pride, the priest had seen the impressive progress the prince slowly but surely has done and become a better version of the man he remembered and helped raise alongside the terran queen with much care and love more than two thousand years ago.

The high priest silently looked at the prince sitting Buddha-style at the top of the long marble staircase that led to the temple with his eyes closed and his hands resting palms up over his knees, completely immersed in the sanctity of his deep state of meditation. Since their last lesson, he had been in a deep state of meditation. His face and pose though serious and poised, showed peace and understanding, finally, he was free of the chains of self-doubt and anger and the heavy and thick surge of negativity had left a man ready to face his fate with pride and honor. "My dear little Princess—I have made my part, just as you wanted." Obelix muttered softly, his caramel eyes showed deep melancholy as he continued watching the prince praying in peace. The priest knew the meaning behind all this process and like everything, he was well aware that anything that had a beginning it also had an end, and his was coming close.

Time in purgatorio was relative, a minute could be translated into hours, days, or even years in the living world, and as a holy priest, he knew that only those who had conviction and courage could escape if still living. He could not tell how long the prince's spirit has been separated from his body but if he not returned soon enough, his physical body would slowly start to suffer the consequences and so his planet, if it wasn't already. All he could think of right now was his well-being and the promise he made to his goddess.

-O-

"High Priest, Obelix,"

A soft calling brought Obelix to another dimension, one, he never expected to see with his own eyes. The priest opened his eyes and turned to find young priest Helios standing by the sacred temple of Elysion still looking like the last time he saw him, "Helios," he said softly and bowed his head in respect making the young priest blush with shyness, "It is me the one who needs to be bowing my head to pay my respects, High Priest, it is because of you that I am what I am today—that I am here, despite my limitations."

"You are an extension of me, Helios—I inherited all of my knowledge to you and I know for a fact, that you have served your Kingdom, your Prince, and your duty as expected." Obelix took a step closer, "But, why am I here? Why did you summon my soul to be in your presence?"

Helios walked over to the ageless man in white and gold robes, similar to the ones he wore himself. "The energy flowing around Elysion is dense—Earth has been experiencing changes and consequently, His Highness Prince Endymion has been resenting all of it, his soul is fragile and loaded with guilt and remorse. I am worried because there is not much I can do to aid him,"

"You are the Sanctum Priest now; your duty is to protect the sanctity of Elysion, to protect his soul. My time of servitude has passed," Obelix frowned, "Why did you bring me here, Helios? You know I can do nothing as I am."

"Potes facere multum plus quam tu putas, mi carissimam Obelix. Post omnes,"

(You can do much more than you think, my dear Obelix.)

Obelix's caramel colored eyes widened at the sound of that warm and sweet voice he knew and missed so much; he turned and saw Gaia walking from Elysion's temple wearing a gorgeous deep cerulean gown that flowed in an alluring dance, like the waves of Earth's oceans. "You can do more than you can imagine," she stopped next to the young priest and looked into Obelix's tear-glossed eyes, "My dearest companion, my friend... my voice of reason and confident. At last, after so many years... we finally are able to meet again. Oh, Obelix, how have I missed you." the terran queen smiled and wiped the tear rolling down the priest's cheek, "Despite the waves of time that has kept us apart for more time that I can think of, it seems like it was only yesterday when I last spoke to you."

"Little Princess," Obelix's couldn't contain his emotion and slowly went down on his knees while tilting his head low to show his respect to his queen. "Holy Father Helios has blessed me with the greatest honor to see you again, my Queen."

Gaia smiled softly and wrapped her arms around him tightly, leaving all protocol aside. Obelix responded the same way and took a deep breath while holding his tears, "Little Dea... how?" he pulled back with a gleam of awe in his beautiful eyes, "How is this even possible?"

"Chronos, Obelix—Chronos did it," Gaia looked into his eyes with tears in hers, "The night of the attack, before Beryl tried to kill me—before the explosion, Chronos went for me," her hands rested on each side of his face and gave him a sad smile, "He stopped time and opened a space pocket in the Time-Space corridor and it is there where my soul has been hiding all this time. I have been a wandering soul, escaping from Hades' grasp and even when my time is limited, I had to see you, so I used one of Chronos' time keys and crossed to this realm in search for Helios, whom I have once again awakened to ask for his help and summon your presence." her beautiful hazel eyes couldn't leave his, they were so full of passion and also deep concern, "The time has come, my dear Obelix, my deepest fears have surfaced to the light and now, they are taking their toll on my son... war is coming and Earth can only be protected by its fated guardian, but... he is yet not ready,"

Obelix held the queen's hands and slowly helped her stand, "My time is limited Obelix, so is my power. I am no longer that Queen and Goddess you remember. I am no longer Earth's Guardian but I cannot stay quiet, not anymore, and so it is why I have once again defied the laws of nature and have come here to seek help." the queen sighed, trying her best not to break in tears, "Endymion is trapped in Purgatorio, but as how things currently are, he and I cannot meet..." Gaia's slender fingers caressed his hands and took a deep breath, "I am not who he wants to see..." she shook her head, "I can feel his anger... he is very confused,"

"Little Dea..."

"I need your help, please Obelix—please find him," Gaia turned to Helios and smiled sadly, "Despite knowing of Helios' existence, it is you who can bring him back to his senses, you can bring peace to his troubled mind—he is coming, I can feel his aura... he wants his soul but I cannot let him have it," Gaia shook her head and closed her eyes for a minute, "I have hidden the truth from my son for too long and now, I must atone for my mistakes and help him heal his tortured soul. Right now, Endymion is his own worst enemy, Obelix, and I cannot let them win. We cannot let them take what it took so much effort and sacrifice to build and bring to its glory."

"I understand," Obelix bowed his head and nodded, "My duty is to serve mea Dea de la Terra—my loyalty and service is dedicated to you, my Queen." he looked at her with teary eyes, "Until the very end of my existence, and even in the afterlife,"

Gaia gave the priest a warm smile and cupped his cheek, "There are many factors that have put him in such bitter state, my son is broken Obelix, many times the gods have tried to break his spirit but I believe in him and I know he can learn from this and overcome this obstacle. He needs to break the chains that are pulling him down and finally embrace the goodwill of our dynasty. The real reason why we fight for. He needs to break the chains that are pulling him down and finally realize all the good that is left of our dynasty and the real reason why we fight for with so much passion and courage. Endymion is our future, Obelix, our descendant—Helios, descendant. The one that will bring our family's honor back to where it belongs like a true heir of the Holy Crown of Earth and Guardian of the Golden Crystal." Gaia smiled softly, "I trust you will bring him back to his humble origins and guide him on the right path. Kindness and fairness have never left his heart, but he is troubled. After all, my dear friend, you are his first word, I know he will listen to you. I know you can break that barrier that is preventing him to shine like the Titan he truly is." she moved closer and put her arms around her dear friend.

"Your wish is in my hands," Obelix bowed his head with respect but the queen again ignored all royal protocol and wrapped his arms around him in a tight embrace, letting her genuine loving-self shine through her actions, "Thank you, Obelix... thank you for not leaving our side. Think of this as the last wish from your Dea," she turned and planted a sweet kiss on his cheek and pulled back, "Forgive for such selfish request..."

"No little Dea," Obelix shook his head, "This is not an act of selfishness... this is a mother looking after her son. I am honored to be able to be of service, once again."

Gaia smiled, "I wished my time with you was not so limited, but, I cannot really complain. Even after all this time, I am still blessed and protected and I must use this blessing to do good and so, I must leave you for now..." the terran queen smiled sadly, "I love you, Obelix, I promise we will meet again... very soon."

Obelix bowed his head and closed his eyes, "Until we meet again, little Princess..."

-O-

"Bonitatem fecisti, Tua Sublimitas," Obelix said softly and walked closer to the prince, "Tandem in pace animam meam videre non-possum—faciunt orationem proposita. Ad Caelestis nurtured est et ad arbitrium iudiciumque tuum."

(You have done well, Your Highness. I can see your soul is finally at peace—your prayers are doing their purpose. The crystal is being nurtured and so your will and determination.)

"Quoties enim bona adhibeo possum sentiunt rimari resonante veluti echo. Per me magis sentio fluit, eo magis Intellego quam caeci quid enim feci et non fruit in." Endymion took a deep breath and exhaled softly, "Ego sentio amo ego hic esse et esse aeternum, quia nesciunt donec transeant insidiae. Sic est omnis spíritus iter longum est." Mamoru's voice was calm and low, almost like a whisper.

(Every time I summon for its blessing, I can feel it pulsing, resonating like an echo. The more I feel it flowing through me, the more I realize what I have done and how blind I have been. I feel like I have been here for an eternity, I don't know how long has passed. It has all been a long stormy journey.)

"Tempus in Purgatorio quam relativum. Sic suus 'in principio et in fine positum est qui accipit eius transire ad eam degustare et fortunam esse." Obelix crossed his arms and now stood behind the prince, "Sed re vera, si vultis scire, quod sic, non esse satis longum. Plus, quam ego exspectaveram ut sit; accepit adversus veritatem diu—sed tandem officium meum impletum est."

(Time in Purgatorio is relative. It's beginning and its end depends on who gets to cross to it and experience it. But if you really want to know, yes, you have been long enough. More than I expected you to be; it took longer for you to face the truth—but I finally fulfilled my duty.)

Mamoru turned to face Obelix with a confused frown, "Quod est?"

(Which is?)

Obelix exhaled when he felt another presence close and closed his eyes with a soft, knowing smile on his face, thinking this was the queen meant when she said she had to use her blessing to do good, this was it, another wish from his loving queen coming true. "Habeo quaestionem vos qui tandem, Altissimum Principem—vultis reddere?"

(I have one last question for you, High Prince—are you ready to return?)

"Etiam,"

(Yes,)

Obelix opened his eyes and kneeled before the prince, "Memento ut caput semper in altum, et exaltabitur cor vestrum, qui in tua potestate sunt regnaturi cum uti aequum et humilem corde, manu... Altissimum Rex Terra, Endymion De Terra."

(Remember to always keep your head high, be proud of who you are and use your power to reign with a fair hand and a humble heart... long live the High King of Earth, Endymion De Terra.)

"Quid est?" (What?) Mamoru widened his deep blue eyes and shook his head confused, "Obelix, sicut dicere vale ad me dicens quid tu?"

(Obelix, why do you talk like you're saying goodbye to me?)

Obelix patted the prince's shoulder and let out a soft sigh, "Quia dissimilis tu, ego officium meum impletum est. Non est enim corpus meum, quod reddere debet. Non convenire in Purgatorio, et ego non sum unus qui misit vos... nunc autem ad vos,"

(Because unlike you, I have fulfilled my duty. I do not have a body to return to and this is not my place to be. I do not belong in Purgatorio, and I am not the one that will send you back... is up to you now,)

Mamoru narrowed his ever-changing blue eyes and followed the priest's stare turning and meeting with a man in golden armor at the bottom of the long steps to the temple. "Ares..." he muttered with surprise. Ares crossed his arms and tilted his head up with pride and looked at the priest with a complicit smirk, "Et suscitabuntur lacerantes te tandem?" Obelix smiled, "Immo non habet, paratus."

(Indeed, he has, he is ready.)

"Ares," Mamoru's eyes widened with surprise, "Et Latine loqui?"

(You speak Latin?)

"Dialectos omnium antiquorum loquor, officium meum est pars exercitus ad Olympium Polemarchos est, didici ea esse potest instituendi mater tua, et discite a me institutus cum proavus tuus."

(I speak most of the ancient dialects, it is part of my duty as Polemarchos of the Olympian Army, I learned it to be able to train your mother and learn from your great-grandfather when he trained me.)

Mamoru turned to meet with Obelix but to his surprise, the high priest was no longer by his side, "Obelix..." he looks around almost frantic looking for the man, but there were no signs of the holy priest, making him understand what he meant his freedom was now entirely up to his level of will and skills.

"Et venerunt ad tempus finis, errantem permessi animarum non licet manere in uno loco uno, et terra tua in omni tempore custodiebantur Elysion oportet, unum illud non poteris sustinere omnem Sacerdotis,"

(His time came to an end, wandering souls are not allowed to stay in one single place, that land of yours, Elysion, must be guarded at all times and one Priest cannot do it all,)

Ares rested his hand on top of his sword's sheath and looked at the prince closely. Just like Gaia predicted, he was in Purgatorio but he could see something different in him. His aura was no longer of that of a man troubled by his own existentialism, silently and with a very faint smile, he admired the high priest for his admirable dedication to the royal family. Whatever he had to do to bring the terran prince back did stand up to meet his expectations and for the looks of it, it was clear that he had found a path in the middle of his self-inflicted penumbra. "Ut non deperderet tuorum potentiale nuper inventa est, dabo vos in honorem dei mecum loquebatur in me mater verbis, sed etiam opus probare si tu es dignus ut ad tempus tuam,"

(To not lose any of your newly found potentials, I will grant you the honor of hearing me speak in your mother tongue, but I will still need to prove if you are worthy to go back to your time,)

Mamoru frowned, "Quid est?"

Ares let out a soft chuckle, "Non-cogitas vere potes ire ad praesens tempus quoniam facile nunc faciam tibi? Ait autem amen dico vobis quia de di immortales imperii Terran Principem, ut te semper superesse, necesse est te probare valet." He drew out his sword and swung it in front of him while his grey eyes were still fixed on the prince, "Nunc autem dic mihi, quid proderit Endymion De Terra—sicut dignus es tu?"

(You are not really thinking you can go back to the present time with such ease, now do you? Let me tell you something about the immortal realm, Terran Prince, in order to survive, you always need to prove your worth. Now, tell me Endymion De Terra—just how worthy are you?)

Ares began walking towards Mamoru with a defiant smirk on his face, "Dignus es potentiam illius, quem praefers? Dignus es ingrediens in nostris regnis? Et eritis istius leges naturae leges et Olympum evertit Polemarchos sicut et Deus de bello, et videndum est, si satis transire regna petas."

(Are you worthy of that power you profess? Are you worthy of stepping into our realm? Your existence defies the laws of nature and the laws of Olympus and as a Celestial Polemarchos and the God of War, I must see if you are adequate to cross realms.)

Mamoru felt the strong energy from Ares' power, shifting and different from the time he saw him the first time and later when he aided Megumi on Earth. His was being defiant towards him, not really caring if he helped him in the past or not; for a moment Mamoru felt like an intruder that was being challenged and about to be sentenced, it was right then and there that Obelix's words fitted like a glove. "Et tu? Tu quoque provocantes me esse?"

"Ante omnes munia te ego facturus est. In praesentia regni eorum."

(Before all, I have duties I must accomplish. Your presence in this realm is one of them.)

Mamoru started to walk down the stairs, "Et feceris omnia, in fine, sicut decipula et iactare ad infernum?"

(Then everything you did, in the end, was just a decoy to throw me to hell?)

Ares shrugged his shoulders and walked towards Endymion, "Di vagus, mortalis."

(Gods are unpredictable, mortal.)

Mamoru stood in front of Ares and looked him in the eyes, "Ut nobis concedas transitum,"

(Let me pass,)

"Vos lustro vagus inter mundos nam nimis longum est ad patitur te amplius," (You have roamed between worlds for too long for me to allow you go any further,) Ares took another step until he was inches away from him. Mamoru's intense blue eyes slowly morphed into a deeper sapphire color and narrowed his eyes, "Ut nobis concedas transitum," he arched his brow when he felt Ares' cold blade pressing against his Adam's apple, "Tu realiter iens neco mihi?"

(Let me pass—Are you really going to kill me?)

"Somebody has to anyways—who better than me to do it?" Ares' eyes darkened and swung his blade but much to his surprise, Mamoru acted faster and bent back, avoiding the fatal blow. The lord of war did not wait for the prince to take an offensive stance and swing his blade again and approached him more aggressively, "Quid est? Devitantes hoc totum habes, mortalis?" he gave Mamoru a defying smirk and arched a brow when he noticed the prince's eyes turned even darker giving Ares the cue to understand that whatever he had to go through to reach to the point where the priest left him was light years away from the man he woke up just months ago.

Ares admired the drastic change in the prince, but to fully qualify to his standards or better said, to his family's standards imposed by his dynasty, a good turn or evasion wasn't enough to fight and win a war. Defense and attack were important but when facing up against those with divinity, force and intelligence and even brutality was crucial to succeed.

It was like time was playing a joke on him, Ares thought as he tightened the grip on his long, heavy sword. By seeing Endymion before him it was like he was back on the training field teaching Chaos, and later his mother the advanced techniques of sword fighting. His mind skipped right to the moment he confronted her and was introduced to her son's power, "Sunt etiam multas libertates dedit tibi, ego et mater tua, quia non reprehendo. Quia inoboediens fuisti ori satis diu nos non potest, ego dimittam te amplius."

(You were given too many liberties, I blame your mother for it. You have defied us long enough I cannot let you go any further.)

Like a clock ticking to the perfect time to attack, both warriors looked at each other with dark, expectant and threatening eyes. For those who have seen Ares in an actual fight, it wasn't new to know of his perfect timing, calculation, and sharp attacks but in order to succeed and accomplish his mission, he had to go the extra mile and step out of his usual pragmatic self. The key to truly know and measure the prince's strength was to ticking him out and put his newly found inner peace and skills to the test.

With an erratic move, Ares bolted with incredible speed from his initial stand and went straight to the prince with full force, enough to distract Mamoru and hit him hard on the ribs, sending him against the stairs. "Quid est hoc? Omnia summa gloria inventaque hoc?"

(What, is that it? All that new-found glory was summed to this?)

Mamoru grunted and flinched, surprised he was able to feel actual physical pain despite being just lost soul, separated from his body. "Exurgo," Ares' brows knitted together, showing contempt "Exurgo! Leves autem hominis non accipit ob rem tam interest quo animo taedium peccatum mere naturalem..."

(Stand up—Stand up! You insignificant mortal, I do not see why the Gods have been so interested in taking your soul when you are nothing but a disgusting sin against our nature.)

"Peccatum autem non sum..." (I am not a sin...) Mamoru muttered angrily, still trying to recover from the strong impact. Ares arched a brow, "Dicere audes tu tamen ex genere terreno illius qui ex Titanis ut fortissimum, tibi nil nisi de calculo in calceus." (You dare to say you a descendant of one of the strongest Titans and yet, you are nothing but a pebble in our shoe.) he walked closer and kicked the prince on the ribs, "Et sanguis per venas currit et nihil est vastum materia, sicut Pater vester infirma mortale. Aperui Metallia putas nunc? Non est tibi necesse est, omnia scelera vestra domus mortale est, quod non erat ad mortem, et dimiserunt eam et interficiam off capitibus suis effundet super terram et sanguinis adeo ut dici defendat." He chuckled and looked down at Mamoru with a clenched jaw, "Ego sum ille qui occidit tua. Sanguis eorum sit super me manus."

(The blood running through your veins is nothing but waste matter, just like your weak and mortal father. Just who do you think opened the gate for Metallia? You must not exist, your disgusting mortal family had to die and that is why I let her cut their heads off and spill their blood on the ground you claim so much to protect. I am the one that killed your family. Their blood is on my hands. I am not the God of War for nothing, I am the brother of Death itself, do you really think I was going to miss the opportunity to make you suffer?)

"Non..." Mamoru said between his heavy gasps of breath.

"Non possum tamen olfacies, traxisti fetorem ex Unusquisque offensiones oculorum sanguine imbuta est mortale ex pelle mea," Ares nabbed his elbow on Mamoru's back, pushing him against the ground again and kicked him on the ribs.

(I can still smell it, the disgusting stench of mortal blood impregnated on my skin,)

"Non..." Mamoru flinched and shook his head as the images of war taking over his once peaceful kingdom and the lives of his family echoed in his mind. The lifeless bodies of his grandmother and Aurea laying on the ground in a pool of their own blood. The look in her mother's eyes when he left her before leaving to fight and how he never really got to know what happened to Leonidas or his father, all he fought for was taken away and even risked his chances to make his Princess happy. The emotional pain inside his chest was far greater than the one he was experiencing in his body. "Peccatum autem non sum..." he muttered again, his voice now sounded charged with anger.

"Vis scire vestram Incompetentia?" (Do you want to know the truth behind your incompetence?) Ares raised his voice, "Vos sunt ludens dum bellator tuus a patre trahebatur ad infernum ad vescendum daemonum interius Tartareos excutiamque sinus."

(While you were playing warrior, your father was dragged to hell to feed the demons inside Tartarus.)

Mamoru opened his eyes and shook his head in horror, "Non..."

"Vos sunt ludens dum bellator tuus matris vitam et sublatus ad alia ratione."

(While you were playing warrior, your mother's life was taken and now it wanders in a different dimension.)

"Non..."

"Dum vos sunt ludens bellator, venerandum tuum, innocentes, Serenitati Ltulit eam propria vita et nunc est traxit in luto vestram ipsorum miseriae mittere se die iterum quia non potentior quidem erat, ut digni ut in nobis!" Ares raised his sword above his head, "Ut dignus es, ad Lunae heres 'plagam! Vivere dignus es in nobis!" He swung his blade and pointed it down at the prince on the ground, "Moriemini!"

(While you were playing warrior, your adorable and innocent Serenity took her own life and now she is dragged into the mud of your own misery letting herself die again because you are not worthy to be one of us! You are not worthy to be by the Lunar Princess' side! You are not worthy to live among us! Die!)

Mamoru's eyes widened at Serenity's mention and felt a wave of rage taking over him, his hands curled into fists and began glowing with energy; he looked up at Ares with the darkest shade his eyes have ever been and summoned his power and immediately blocked his attack with his golden sword, making a thundering sound when both blades crashed against each other. Ares' grey eyes widened with surprise; Mamoru pressed his weapon against Ares' both proving their selves their own kind of strengths.

Many images of his past finally made peace and merged with his present and it all became one single truth. The image of his younger-self appeared in his mind reminding him of the core of his nature and the passion behind his greatest desire to protect his loved ones, his family—his future.

-O-

"You have to be your own kind of strong..."

"What kind of strong are you?"

"Did you help your family? Is your wife not family?"

-O-

"Ego pertuli contemnere noli nimium de te ab omnibus quae venerunt ad illum gradum ut non ultra damnare. Non curo ego quid feceris mihi mori post me venit tempus, te potest pascere rip animam meam et factum est in inferno beats sed numquam,semper, rursus commemorare nomen de nihilo nihil Serenitati iterum nominare," he growled and pushed Ares's sword back, giving enough window to step out of his attack range, and pointed his sword at the god of war, "Et hoc modo est in memoria mea familia ad gloriam, hic mihi mater est via ad gloriam est scriptor legatum, per viventem per exemplum,"

(I have endured too much despise from all of you that I have come to a point where I do not give a damn anymore. I don't care what you do to me after my time to die comes, you can rip my soul and feed it to the beasts in hell but you never, ever, mention Serenity's name again. There is nothing else I can do for my family, they're gone, but I still have a future to protect and that is exactly what I am going to do whether you like it or not. This is my way to honor my family's memory, this is my way to honor my mother's legacy, I will live by her example.)

Mamoru looked at Ares and summoned for his power again and manifested in angry ribbons of golden fire from his hand and into the sword that slowly began reacting to his call with a beaming light. Followed by Ares' first example, he bolted from his position towards the lord of war, clashing his golden blade against his several times from every angle. Ares turned and tried to block his attacks, one quick and strong blow came after the other as he studied his movements; his grey eyes narrowed when he noticed he was not creating a routine in his way of attack him, putting him on slight disadvantage since it was common for him to memorize the way his opponents attack during battle. One minute he could jump away from his long blade and the other would be attacking with a full-frontal blow. Ares got to a point when he had a little window to work with and stepped back to gain a few seconds to think of a better way to land another hit. Every move he made, Endymion managed to block it or steal it from him and use it to his advantage; he summoned for his own energy and blasted it at the prince, which as expected responded the same way. Gold against antimony, three quick clashes from Endymion's blade was enough to break Ares sword, leaving the god of war with the only next best thing he could do to prevent the terran prince from stepping ahead of the sham he created to test the terran's strength. Ares turned his head away and used his brute force to hold onto Mamoru's wrists to keep the gleaming blade away from his face that at this moment, was just a few centimeters away.

Not long after, the spell of their anger broke when they heard the metal shard of weapon dig deep into the ground. Mamoru's eyes despite continuing stormy dark, they didn't show a thirst for revenge, letting Ares know, that two could play this game. He moved the weapon away but without giving Ares any chance to move, Mamoru drove his shoulder into Ares's chest, slamming him against the ground and landed a solid punch on his untouched jaw.

With a heavy grunt, Ares absently ran his thumb on his lip and saw the trace of blood smudged on it "Sic, vos cruentatur." (So, you bleed.) Mamoru muttered and put his blade back on its sheath, his eyes never leaving the man on the ground. Ares sat and frowned with wonder as he watched the prince retreat and break his defensive stance, "Cur movere ferrum auferetur tibi? Cur non tu accipere animam meam? —Quae modo dixi post me, non est tamen stultus satis ut vivam?"

(Why did you move your blade away? Why did you not take my life? After everything I just told you, you are still stupid enough to let me live?)

Mamoru's midnight-blue eyes narrowed, "Quid est punctus assumendum est enim vita tua? Vos ex Deo est, ut bello et interrogari et meum despexerunt eo quod non sit sed etiam conscientiam eorum, qui vitas." he arched his brow but either his eyes or his deep, low voice changed, "Metallia fuit maleficus et superbiam numquam inferioris creaturae humilitatem quatenus talia pacta faciendum. Ut sis mortalis et oculis vestris ego ego sum stultus, ut non sit limitata. Non cogitas quis ego sum."

(What is the point of taking your life? You may be the God of War and you may question and despise my existence but I am well aware it was not you who took their lives. Metallia was a witch, you and your pride would never lower to the extent of doing a bargain with such low creature. I may be mortal and to your eyes, I may be limited, but I am not stupid. I am not who you think I am.)

Ares put what was left of his sword on its sheath and narrowed his eyes, "I sum impressa, quod placeo mihi in occursum cum dicitur, fabulae." He took a deep breath and exhaled, releasing his own tension and taking a more serious stance, "Sed tenendum verba mea ad eos si verum dixi tibi jacet in inferno anima patris tui."

(I am impressed and I am pleased to meet the myth - But my words held truth to them when I said your father's soul lies in hell.)

Mamoru frowned, "Hoc est dicere quod huc venisti ad vos?"

(Is this what you came here to tell me?)

"Fortitudinem tuam et veni huc admonere te et officium," Ares crossed his arms, "Si non potes aliquid iam tibi fallit, capti in bello vincere non potest, si et in Purgatorio, non est perficere exercitum."

(I came here to remind you of your strength and duty. You cannot do anything if you are still trapped in Purgatorio and I cannot win a war if my army is not complete.)

Ares started walking towards Mamoru and stopped once he was just inches away of him, his character still showing his classic defying authority. "Polemarchos de Terra est cum praesidio ad Solem tandem excitatus est. Sed nunquam putabam me parumper ipsa testatur. Denique, exercitus est mihi perficere."

(The Polemarchos of Earth blessed with the protection of the Sun has finally awoken. Well, for a moment I thought I would never get to witness it myself. At last, my army is complete.)

Mamoru's eyes widened, "Quid est?"

Ares nodded, "Aliam partem nata est ex foedere Senshi nauta. Quamvis intendere eodem natura differunt. Vos, quod est ex genere terreno illius premens Titana est alia potentia praeter unum est tranquillitas. Meam consumpsi annis partum et eligens ex optimis optimus pro suprema exercitum in mea ducunt, sed in Deo, qui sequitur Helios 'signa atque eaedem cum his simul, auditor somno ut quae exercitu completum uno de semine eius semel atque iterum non pugnando pro communi tandem a re. Et reliquit mater tua, quia locus non potest esse occupatus, quis ... usque nunc." his lips curved into an apologetic smile, "Ego iustus opus temptare tua quam magnam excitandum eumque in elit, mater tua est non mentiri, vel qui dixit quis es fabula."

(You were born to be part of a different league than one of a Sailor Senshi. Although both aim for the same, our powers differ from them. You, as a descendant of a Titan, have a different power than the one Serenity has. I have spent my years creating and choosing the best of the best for the Olympian Army under my lead but as a God that followed Helios' standards and ideals and as his once-pupil, my dream to have that army complete with one of his descendants once again fighting for a common well is finally a reality. When your mother left, that space could not be occupied by anyone... until now. I needed to test just how great your awakening and capabilities were. Your mother was not lying or anyone who said you were a myth.)

Ares tapped Mamoru's forehead with his finger in a fatherly fashion and stepped aside, "Ceterum militaris magnitudinem si suus esse potest indispositus profuerit. Sed paratus sit animus tuus usque vestris corpus exegit suae ... et te exspectat."

(But no matter the greatness of a soldier, if it's indisposed it cannot be of much help. Your soul is ready but your body still needs to recover... and she is waiting for you.)

Mamoru's eyes slowly morphed into a brighter, more sapphire tone as he turned to look a light in the distance. He felt his body become warmer and warmer and looked down at his glowing hands and in a sudden flash, his soul was engulfed in a golden aura and disappeared from Ares's sight. Pleased with the result of this fight with the prince, the god of war crossed his arms and sighed with relief, "Risus mi Dea, tuo imperio est perfectum existimabant."

(Smile my Goddess, your command has been accomplished.)

O—o—o—o—o—O

Usagi sat next to Mamoru on the bed and sighed softly, she touched the heavy stubble worth of several days without a proper shave and pursed her lips. "This is the longest time I have seen you being this sloppy... it's so unlike you, Mamo-chan,"

"Your Highness..."

Usagi turned to see Megumi at the door, "There is a call for you—the lady says is from your office?" The young maid's eyes soon landed on the prince still deeply asleep on the bed. The silver-haired nodded and bit her lip, "I knew that wouldn't take long to catch on with me..." sighing she nodded and turned to comb Mamoru's hair with her fingers for what felt like the hundredth time and leaned down to plant a kiss on his forehead, "I know you would be rolling your eyes at me right now—I know exactly what you would be saying but I have to go and take that call." she whispered and turned to Megumi before walking out of the room, "Thank you so much, Megumi,"

"Of course," Megumi nodded softly, "Do you still wish to change the bedsheets, Your Highness?"

Usagi nodded, "Yes, that would be great. There are clean sheets on the linen drawer, I will ask the guys to help us change them again once I deal with my angry boss."

Megumi gave Usagi a soft, sympathetic smile and nodded "Yes, Your Highness," as she watched the princess leave the room, she went to do as she was suggested already feeling more comfortable moving around their bedroom. She diligently went to the walk-in closet to look for the sheets when a low groan caught her attention and saw the prince's head slowly move to one side. Her deep brown eyes went wide with shock but stayed still just to make sure she was not imagining things and waited for him to move again, this time, and much to her surprise, she saw his fingers twitch slightly giving her enough motivation to storm out of the room screaming with excitement to give the good news, "Your Highness! Your Highness! Your Highness!"

The sudden noise and familiar scent welcomed Mamoru back from his unconsciousness and slowly opened his eyes, he blinked a couple of times and frowned slightly when the light coming from the window became a little too overwhelming and tried to adjust to the drastic change from where he had been for the last ten days. Everything was so vivid, so bright, that it took him a couple of more minutes to adjust and finally be able to focus. His second attempt was to try to move but his body felt a little stiff and numb, probably for all the astral traveling he did and slowly turned his head to look around realizing that he was finally back to reality—his reality.

While all this happened, the shitennou were in the living room reading a book from the prince's wide collection while they took their turn in keeping the princess company but as soon as they heard the commotion, all four turned with a frown on their faces at the very excited, almost frantic maid running into the living room "Megumi?" Nephrite asked concerned. Between hoarse pants and gasps of air, Megumi pointed her finger at the bedroom with urgency and turned to Usagi, who was still justifying her long absence at work over the phone. Jadeite quirked a brow, "I think she is trying to tell us something..." he squinted his eyes, emphasizing his sarcasm. Zoisite slapped his arm and shook his head, "Megumi, what is it?"

"He moved..." Megumi took a deep breath, "He moved his head, his fingers... His Highness! He moved!"

That was enough for Usagi to turn and widen her eyes at Megumi, "What?" her heart skip a beat when she saw Megumi nodding effusively, "His Highness is moving! He's back! He's awake!"

All four shitennou jumped from their seats and turned to Usagi who had to cut her call short, "I'm sorry... Mika-san... I have to go, there's an emergency I have to take care of. I will go to the office later this week I promise, I have no words to thank you enough for all of your support—thank you so much again, I will see you soon." As soon as she pressed the end button on the phone, Usagi dashed back to the bedroom followed by the four generals. The princess ran into the bedroom almost out of breath and frowned when she saw him still with his eyes closed and turned to Megumi with confusion; Megumi waved her hands defensively, "I promise you, Your Highness! He was moving just about now!" she tried to justify her excitement "I saw him! I swear!"

"Are you sure, Megumi?" Nephrite turned to the maiden who was nodding effusively, "Yes! Yes! He moved his head and his fingers! I saw him! I am not crazy!"

"Maybe it was a reflex?" Jadeite frowned and turned to the princess who was walking towards the bed and took a seat next to her husband and let out a heavy sigh. She felt the remains of her heart breaking into tiny pieces for keeping her hopes up for the millionth time when suddenly she saw him open his royal-blue eyes, finally putting an end to her torment. Usagi felt a rush of life coming back to her body and gasped with relief, "Mamo-chan..." she whispered, still afraid that this was some sort of a twisted prank her mind was playing on her when he didn't turn to look at her at the mention of his name. Mamoru blinked a couple of times trying to feel more connected to his body; it was her voice what became the key motor to ignite his focus and attention and finally turned to look at her, but somehow, his brain was still trapped in the haziness of being stranded in another dimension and found it hard to communicate with her the way he would have wanted, instead, he blinked slowly at her to let her know he was listening and that he was really back. Usagi let go another and leaned down to caress his lips with hers and let her emotions take over her for a couple of minutes before moving back to look into the eyes she missed so much to see, "Oh my god... you're back... you're back..." she cupped his cheek and sniffled, "I was so scared..." she whispered between sobs, "I was so scared..."

Mamoru looked at his wife and frowned when he touched her hand; he shook his head slowly pushing Usagi over the edge of worry again, "Mamo-chan?"

Mamoru looked at her as if he was trying to tell her something but any attempts were interrupted by another person in the room. "He must still under the influence of his coma, let us give him a couple of more minutes—"

The familiarity in that deep voice caught Mamoru's attention and slowly turned to look at Kunzite, "Welcome back, Endymion." The white-haired general said in a casual tone as he crossed his arms. He was doing his best to keep his stoic image intact but deep down he couldn't feel more relieved to see his friend back. Jadeite exhaled, "You had your Princess all worried—not to mention us,"

Mamoru diverted his gaze from the shitennou to a crying Usagi and furrowed his brows slightly, "Serenitati..." his voice finally broke the invisible barrier of silence and made its way out, it sounded hoarse and weak, but at least it was loud enough for her to hear, *"Placere mea, ut plus non fundam. Ego hic me tergum…" the effects of his journey were still messing with his brain and body and now it pushed his senses to the opposite side of his intentions making him verbalize his feelings, in Latin. He let out an exasperated puff of air and closed his eyes for a moment to release his frustration. Usagi's crystal blue eyes widened and blinked with surprise by his unexpected way to communicate, "Mamo-chan? Are you okay?"

Mamoru pursed his lips, he was clearly starting to grow annoyed by his lack of control over his own body and pursed his lips in a desperate attempt to try and think of something else to do when Nephrite stepped in to help and clarify the sudden mystery, "Potestis intelligere, quod dicimus, proderit, Endymion?"

(Can you understand what we say, Endymion?)

"Etiam, etiam..." Mamoru groaned when he felt the pain in his body slowly kicking in, "Sic, ita non-possum, nisi propter aliquam, causam sentiunt Latine,"

(Yes, yes... I can, but for some reason, I can only think my words in Latin.)

"He can understand what we say but his brain can only come up with words in Latin. I second Kunzite to agree that he is still under the influence of his coma," Nephrite turned to a surprised Usagi, "Do not worry Princess, the good thing is that you have us and Megumi to translate his words for you."

Usagi turned to Mamoru and started playing with his messy hair, her fingers flicked some pieces blocking his sight in a more playful manner and smiled, "I suppose my long wish to hear you speak in Latin more often is backfiring at me now because I couldn't understand a single word you just said," her voice finally felt her own and so did her body once she saw him give her a warm smile in return, "Bene, non hoc volo discere: ego auxiliatus sum tibi hoc putant,"

(Well, you did want to learn, I suppose this will help you.)

"Ah, yeah... I know what you're doing here," Usagi chuckled and shook her head, "Knowing you, you are probably saying the nastiest of things just to trick me with that charm because you know I would still think it's the most beautiful thing in the world because of the way it sounds."

"Tu quoque optime nosti me, mea Serenitati," Mamoru let out a thick chuckle and flinched with slight pain when he tried to move again, "Quam diu te fuerit similis tibi est?"

(You know me too well, my beloved Serenity—how long have I been like this?)

"Ten days, Your Highness, today it would have been your eleventh day in slumber," Megumi's soft voice caught him by surprise, "Decem?!" he groaned softly as he slowly tried to sit but he still felt heavy and weak, making any attempt a failure. "Wherever you have been, it exhausted all your energy. You need to rest... as ironic as that sounds." Zoisite's words made sense to Mamoru, who was still surprised at the number of things that happened to him while his actual body was bound to a bed, unresponsive. "Cessasse existimo satis,"

(I think I had enough rest,)

"You cannot do much anyway, you have injuries that still need to heal, so, whether you like it or not, you will need to lay still and rest some more," Kunzite sighed, "Give your Princess some tranquility for once and get well," Mamoru frowned, "Tu quoque si vultus ut vos postulo somnum,"

(You also look as if you need to sleep,)

Kunzite arched his brow, "Bene, dissimilis es, quando non erat in requiem. Filia Reginae tutam habebamus offìcium principis. Et fuit fortis et fortis nimis: dum vacat cura habebat episodiis sed ante. Quoniam defecit illa parte aliqua re reliquisset. Est etiam fessi, et comedi non recte, ut puto, quamquam hinc oportet vos ad auxilium tuum et quoque sana eam."

(Well, unlike you, we have not had any time to rest. We had a duty in keeping the Princess safe. She has been very strong and brave but also had many episodes of anxiety. Since you fell unconscious, she had not left your side under any circumstance. She is also tired and has not eaten properly despite our insistence, so I think it is appropriate for you to take your time and help her heal too.)

Mamoru turned to Usagi and tucked a long strand of her platinum hair behind her ear, "Serenitati pulchra mihi, tam paenitet me,"

"He says he is going to try his best to recover as fast as possible and agree to any order given, admitting it is for his own good despite how annoying it might be." Kunzite turned to Usagi, who was looking into her husband's loving eyes and smiled softly, "I highly doubt you said any of that—"

Zoisite let out a releasing puff of air and turned to his fellow comrades, "I believe it would be appropriate to leave them alone so they can finally have some rest and much-needed privacy. The worst part of this ordeal seems to be over. Him speaking in Latin should be the least of our problems..." The blonde turned to Megumi and put a hand on her shoulder, "We will inform the ladies, but, could you please stay close in case they need anything?"

"He might need you to translate for him, who knows how long that is going to last," Jadeite leaned closer to the maid, Megumi smiled and nodded "Of course," she turned to Kunzite, "I will let you know if something comes up,"

"Thank you, Megumi," Kunzite nodded and turned to Usagi being brought to life by her husband's embrace and smiled, "I do not think they will even notice we are gone, so this is the perfect time to let them be." Without saying anything else, the four shitennou left Megumi to their care and went to look for the girls to give them the news. The maid leaned on the door frame also feeling her soul returning to her body after several days of speculation, worry, and sadness.

Usagi tilted her head up to look into her husband's eyes while her hands touched the gritty feeling of his growing stubble, "You have been so sloppy and lazy... you are trying to compete with me and that is not fair because I am the best at it." Mamoru chuckled and flinched softly as he tried to move again, "Non tamen habent aliquid tendit torporemque est dolorem sentire pro certo possum, sed toto orbe,"

(I still have some numbness and but I can definitely feel the pain all over,)

"I really, really need to learn Latin," Usagi sighed softly; Megumi chuckled softly at the princess' remark, "He says that his body has some numbness but that he can definitely feel pain," the maiden said softly from the door, making Mamoru nod and turn to look at her, "Megumi, et postquam omnia defectis, vultus, post tamen es me. Non- possum gratias ago tibi quia non sufficit ex parte Serenitati."

(Megumi, even after all my failures, you are still looking after me. I cannot thank you enough for being by Serenity's side.)

Megumi blushed, "Non, Princeps, hoc est honos—" she took a step closer to them on the bed and turned to Usagi, "I know General Kunzite said something completely different, but in reality, His Highness was complimenting your beauty just moments ago, Princess."

"A-ha! I knew it!" Usagi smiled and nodded, "That I did understand," she turned to Mamoru and tilted her head and let her smile grow bigger, finally showing that side of her everyone was missing, "Pulchra Serenitati means beautiful Serenity—you used to call me that a lot... I remember," Usagi intertwined her fingers with Mamoru's and looked down, admitting to herself that there was something different in him as she felt his warmth being transmitted to her like a soothing but also very strong and protective mantle. His eyes were more expressive than before and the changes in color were more prominent—they looked more intense and vivid as if that was even possible. "Mea amor, Endymion, how I missed you."

Mamoru smiled and slowly brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly, "Me quoque amor meus,"

(Me too, my love.)

Megumi sighed with content, "Well, since I am in charge and His Highness said he was going to be a good patient and obey our instructions..." she turned to the walk-in closet and grabbed a plushy throw blanket from the linen drawer, to this, Mamoru turned to the maiden with an arched brow, proving his confusion, "Nonne hoc dico? Non dicam tale—"

"Yes, you did," Megumi interrupted him, adopting Aureas' strong and indomitable character as she stood by the bed, waiting for Usagi to lay down too, "We want you up and about soon and that can only be achieved if you two rest as you should," she put the fluffy blanker over Usagi and sighed softly, "I will take care of dinner and you two better eat it all, you need to regain your strength, so sleep—and no cheating!" she pointed her finger at them, making the royals hold their laughter at her cute authoritative behavior, knowing perfectly well what she meant.

"Yes, Megumi."

"Ita, Megumi."

Megumi smiled softly, "Good," she turned to pull the curtains to block as much light as possible and walked out the door, closing it softly behind her and finally leaving the couple alone. Usagi turned to her side and snuggled in her well known favorite spot under his arm and looked up at her husband, "If I fall asleep, will you be here when I wake up?" she whispered with worry; Mamoru nodded leaned down and kissed her temple despite the sharp pain with every effort to move, Usagi wrapped her arm around his chest with delicacy but her eyes never left his, "You promise?" Mamoru nodded and winked an eye at her, "Etiam Usa, promitto."

Usagi smiled softly and moved up to caress his lips with hers, "I like being your Serenitati."

Mamoru winced as he slowly started to regain control over his body and rolled to rest on his side while doing his best to ignore the catheter he was now aware of having stuck in his arm, "Serenitati meus es tu,"

(You are my Serenity,)

Usagi sighed and snuggled closer as she slowly closed her eyes, letting her tears run free down her cheeks, "I missed you so much... but you came back like you promised." She whispered as she slowly felt cooed by Mamoru's warmth, making her feel complete and very sleepy. Mamoru leaned his head on hers and took a deep breath before closing his eyes, "Tibi gratias, Obelix."

(Thank you, Obelix.)

O—o—o—O

Minako's bright blue eyes widened when she confirmed Yumi's words when she saw Kunzite wearing for her at the lobby, looking so handsome with his casual clothing of dark grey sweater and jeans, "Kunzite," she noticed the receptionist's face of surprise when she realized they were more than friends when he leaned down to kiss her quickly on the lips. "It is alright—" he whispered, "Do not worry, I am here because I wanted to let you know that Endymion has awoken."

Minako let out a heavy sigh charged with relief, "Oh, my goodness! Ah! Thank heavens!" She brought her hands to her chest and exhaled once more, releasing the remains of stress in her chest, "When?"

"What would be a couple of hours now, we were with—" Kunzite turned and noticed the young girl was close enough to hear their conversation and pulled Minako to a more secluded area, "—We were with Princess Serenity when it happened, we all decided it was best to leave them to have their very much needed privacy—Megumi stayed, of course, she has been of incredible help."

"Yes," Minako nodded, "How is he? How is Usagi-chan?"

"The Princess is revived, Endymion is slowly coming to his senses..."

"What do you mean?" Minako frowned, Kunzite crossed his arms "He is still very weak, but I am sure Princess Serenity will take care of him—though, he is different, there is a stronger aura coming from him, it is even stronger than how we sensed it back then, wherever he was all this time it helped him in some way."

"We still need to be careful, he is still injured—if Asteria decides to attack again or Athamas we—"

"Aino-san!"

Minako sighed and rolled her eyes, "Oh no..." Kunzite frowned, "What?"

"My boss—he's out of his meeting."

"Is that him?" Kunzite arched a brow, "That man intimidates you? You?! —But he is an ant!"

Minako sighed again, when she heard Saruto storm over to her, "Aino-san! What the hell are you doing here?! Now you give yourself time to socialize during work hours?!"

"Saruto-san..." Minako turned, "There has been a family emergency, I have—"

"I don't care!" Saruto growled, "I don't care if your grandmother, your mother, father, friend or cat died. You have been delaying work and deadlines, you have obligations! You leave early, you come in late and now you whore around like it is was a casual Saturday!"

"Typical of cowards," Kunzite muttered, catching the arrogant man's attention. "To spit as much stupidity as they can muster is typical of lowly beings like yourself. Take those words back and apologize to her, that is no way to treat a lady."

"Who the hell are you?" Saruto frowned, "Nobody asked for your opinion."

"The one that will rip your egotistical skin off your body and shove it up your ass," Kunzite turned to a very surprised Minako, "Yes, I have learned a few new things," he turned back to face Saruto, "I could care less if you asked for it or not. You apologize to her, right now."

By now, all the people coming and leaving the building was aware of the situation, making Minako feel under a microscope. For a moment she felt her world starting to move in slow motion as she continued to hearing Saruto's annoyingly raspy voice and thinking in the many ways the man has offended her and even humiliated her to the extent to make her believe his words as a truth about her and her talents.

She turned to him, yelling at her his old arsenal of threats and finally she opened eyes to the truth about her and what Artemis has been trying to make her understand for such a long time. The same truth Kunzite's return has been slowly making its way and that finally settled at the moment she became Venus again and took control of her life again. She frowned, trying to understand the man's words but she was too immersed in her own thoughts to even care anymore, she didn't care anymore—she was free. "It's enough..." she whispered to herself, "Enough Venus—it's enough." She looked at Kunzite and then at Saruto yelling threats at her, "Enough! Enough from you!"

"What?" Saruto widened his eyes, it was the first time Minako would raise he voice that way and to him of all people. Minako frowned and pointed a finger at him, "I have taken too much dirt and offensive behaviors and slurs from—I had enough! Enough of your rants, enough of your abusive way to treat your employees, I had enough of bringing your coffee every morning... I had enough of being your slave! When I was offered this job, you were not even a high-paid producer! You steal money from everyone! Nobody likes you! You wear the ugliest clothes and have the ugliest teeth and bad breath and I can't stand any more of your tantrums! Enough, enough, ENOUGH!" she stomped her 5-inch black stilettos on the floor, making a loud, echoing sound. Kunzite widened his eyes at the sound of her voice going on a high note, silently feeling satisfied with the result. The blonde's breath fastened and looked at the man in front of her, looking at her wide-eyed, "I speak for everyone when I say you are a horrible, horrible person and I can't stand any more of your abusive rules. I did not sign for this, you made me feel miserable every day and I can't take it anymore, I quit. There, now I can stay here and talk to my boyfriend without a care in the world—you're now interrupting a private conversation so, go."

Saruto frowned angrily at the blonde and shook his head, still confused for all that has been said to him "You are going to regret this, you are wasting your career down the—"

"What career?" Minako frowned, "You have tied me to a desk to do everyone's work but mine. It took me two years to realize that you can't hurt me. I will make it on my own, I will find my way—you can stay here and keep ordering people around until they crash—until you crash," she sighed and shook her head, calmer but still determinant and poised, "I came here pursuing a dream, I reached my limit in this place, this is not who I am—the only way to go from here is up, take higher risks and hope for the best. I will leave my resignation at Human Resources first thing in the morning," she turned quickly and walked towards the elevator, "I will go clear my desk," she looked over her shoulder at Kunzite, "Care to help me, Kunzite?"

The more she looked at Minako the more he fell in love with her and her explosive personality. She had thousands of layers, each one more magnificent than the other and he was glad to see her bloom out of the shadows, like the Venusian Goddess he knew she was. That is the woman he met and fell in love with, one with many emotions right at the tip of her fingers and a heart full of love. This was probably the only time he has given his lover the most charming smile, he was happy and proud, finally, they had the chance to be together without barriers and their time to create a new chapter together finally was within their reach.

---

The Divinity Series is rated M, violence, cursing, and intimacy might happen.

I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters.

A/N: *(Please, my love, don't cry anymore. I'm here, I'm back...)