Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife

Chapter Fifty-Two

Usagi stretched slowly in the bed after taking what would easily be the longest and most healing nap she had taken in a very long time. She opened her eyes and quickly turned when past events started flashing in her mind, sending her into an unexpected turmoil of doubt and anxiety when thinking it had all probably been a dream. Her crystal blue eyes widened when she saw Mamoru sitting next to her reading a book while his fingers absently played with long pieces of her long silver hair in a soothing motion. It took Usagi a moment to finally realize she wasn't dreaming and bask in the emotion of seeing him awake and doing those little things she adored about him and that made her days feel complete. It didn't take long for Mamoru to notice his wife had woken up and smiled, "Hey," he said in a low tone, finally shaking the last of Usagi's worry off her.

Usagi's eyes widened and blinked the grogginess off her eyes, "Hi,"

"Did you sleep well? Do you feel better?" Mamoru turned to look at her with the same warm smile on his face making Usagi's cheeks feel flushed.

"Yes..." It was then when Usagi finally come to realize she could understand what he was saying, "Y-You can speak again!"

Mamoru chuckled and folded the corner of the page he was reading and closed his book, then addressed all of his attention to the beautiful woman by his side, "Well, to be fair, I never stopped talking," he turned to put the book on his nightstand and then back at her, "But I know what you mean—as ironic as it sounds, I did need to sleep to put my brain back in order."

Usagi smiled and sat next to her husband, placing her hands with care on each side of his handsome face she looked into his sapphire-blue eyes, "I have to admit that I will miss hearing you speak like that, I had made up my mind to learn how to speak in your mother tongue," she leaned her forehead on his and smiled, "But this will do." Mamoru smiled and closed his eyes, "Non- possum semper doceat vos,"

"Easy stuff," Usagi giggled, Mamoru let out a thick chuckle nodded "Alright, such as?"

"Like, I'm hungry or—" Usagi was taken by surprise by Mamoru's warm lips stealing a kiss from her, one she longed to have for so long but for some strange reason was too shy to ask. It only lasted a few seconds, but the emotion put into it was worth more than a thousand words, "Ego esuriit—" he mumbled softly as he looked at a dumbfounded Usagi still savoring the feeling of kissing her husband once again, "H-Huh?"

"I'm hungry—Ego esuriit,"

Usagi smiled, "Ego?" Mamoru nodded, "Esuriit... you drag the two vocals at the end,"

"Ego esuriit," the silver-haired princess imitated the phonetics on each word with glee, Mamoru smiled "Very good—what else?"

"I'm sleepy,"

"Ego sum somnolentus," Mamoru kissed her forehead, "Ego will always come attached to a verb or a noun whenever you are talking about yourself, ego means 'I'."

"Interesting,"

"You think?"

"Yes,"

"Huh,"

Usagi leaned her back on the headboard and looked at him really immersed in the short and casual lesson maybe because it was something she had been wanted to learn ever since she met the prince, maybe because she felt incredibly attracted to him whenever she got to hear him speak that way because it was so rare and precious to her, or maybe because it was just the simple fact that he was there with her after what she could easily say have been the most horrible days of her life. "Was it too difficult for you to learn and master it?"

"Sort of, it is very baroque but it was something my parents—" Mamoru paused and looked down at her, realizing what she was trying to do, "Usa..."

"Do you prefer me calling you Endymion from now on?" Usagi's words had no hint of sadness or anger, instead, they were full of understanding and acceptance, but the curiosity mirrored in her eyes was clear enough to let him know he needed to give a much deeper and meaningful answer to her question. Mamoru tucked a piece of silver hair behind Usagi's ear with the most care and softly cupped her warm cheek, "You can call me however you like. I am the same person—one name won't make me any different or divert me from who I am or who I was born to be in this or any era." He caressed her cheek with his thumb, "Deep down, my dear Luna Bunny, we never stopped being us but, in my case, I had a hard time when I had to come to terms with it because I was disappointed to learn I was being kept in the dark for so long without knowing anything. I literally felt like I was split into two different persons and it was painful—I felt the strain inside me, ripping me apart." The prince took a deep breath and exhaled after a few seconds, "I was given this heavy reveal about my life and my family making me feel more like a monster instead of the Prince everybody expected me to be. This only caused my own doubts and frustration grow because I didn't know what to do and what everybody wanted from me—I couldn't deliver, I felt like a fraud, nothing made sense to me. I found myself lost and with no purpose and the shameful part of it all is that I forgot about it way before I was even reborn into this era and sadly, I dragged you into this whirlpool of madness without even realizing it." He combed her long hair with his fingers and looked at her with deep love swirling in the intensity of his royal blue eyes, "Yes, Endymion is my real name, it has a very deep meaning and attached to that name, comes a very long, long, long title the world is neither ready to deal with or accept as a fact and that's okay. I know who I am and I accept it, finally." He wrapped his free arm around Usagi's waist and pulled her closer to him, "All I want... all I really care is to have you in my life Usa. All I want is to make you happy and give you the life you deserve and that will never change with however you wish to call me."

Usagi looked at him and kissed him softly on the lips again, "I want to be your Serenitati, I want to be with you always," she leaned her head on his shoulder as she slowly wrapped an arm around his neck, Mamoru kissed her temple, "You have always been my Serenitati, you will always be."

"I was so scared... I think I have never felt so desperate... so impotent... it was so horrible to see you like that," she closed her eyes, "Every time I talked to you, it tormented me not knowing if you could hear me, if you felt any pain, if you were here... the uncertainty was driving me insane."

"I'm so sorry, love." Mamoru held her close, "I couldn't hear or feel anything—I wasn't really here," his hand absently started caressing her arm in an up and down motion, "The moment I was fighting with Asteria, I knew she was going after you but I knew I wasn't going to make it in time if I tried to stand on my own so I summoned for the crystal's power to protect you and while it did—which I am glad, it pulled me to another place where I needed to purge my frustrations and free myself from the torment I was telling you about in order to come back. All I wanted was to return to you but I needed to be ready first, I needed to return strong enough to protect you," he sighed softly and kissed her temple, "I am so sorry for all the mortification I have caused you,"

"You came back to me like you promised, that is all that matters to me now." Usagi sighed softly and pointed his covered leg, "There was so much blood everywhere, Ami-chan stayed up all night watching over you, I was so scared... Rei-chan even had to put a sedative on my tea to knock me out."

"Baby, I'm so sorry..." Mamoru sighed with shame and flinched softly when he tried to move his leg, he let out a heavy sigh when he came to notice the wound was much more serious than he initially thought, "I need to take a look at it and see the level of damage." He turned to his arm and pursed his lips with annoyance, "And this? Did she put the catheter too?" Usagi shook her head, "Furu-chan did it." Mamoru's eyes widened with surprise, "Motoki came?"

"Of course, he came! He is worried about you... actually, I should let him know you are awake." Usagi smiled when she remembered how even though everybody constantly reminded her he would wake up it was Motoki's brotherly approach what made her really hold on and be strong for both of them.

"I will call him tomorrow—I will need a pair of crutches to move around and I also need to justify my absence at work. It's been a while since I should have gone back to the hospital." With a deep frown, he moved his arm away from Usagi and turned to take the catheter off, "Wait, what are you doing?" Usagi frowned with worry.

"Taking this off—don't look," Mamoru warned his wife, knowing the mere act of taking a plastic tube and a needle from his vein was enough to make her feel uncomfortable and slowly ripped the tape keeping the thing secure and pulled the catheter off, "Could you bring me some alcohol and a cotton pad to clean the glue—actually, no, you know what? I need to take a shower."

"Mamo-chan, you just woke up," Usagi narrowed her eyes in annoyance, "Come on."

Mamoru sighed, "Usa, I haven't taken a shower in ten days, I feel disgusting and I need to shave... I probably look like a maniac with this stubble right now, plus, it itches... I don't like it."

"Huh..."

"What?"

Usagi scratched Mamoru's cheek and giggled, "I kinda do..." Mamoru pursed his lips to show his disgust, "You do?"

"It's kind of growing on me," Usagi smiled, "You look... like... mysterious or something,"

"Or something," Mamoru exhaled, "I like how you don't even have a word to describe what it looks like."

"I mean—if you kept it this long and give it a little maintenance..." Usagi chuckled and gave him two loving pats on his cheek "You could totally make it work."

"Hmm..." Mamoru sighed and scratched his cheek lightly, "It really itches... I really want to shave it off,"

"It's almost night time, don't be silly—don't go back to your old weird habits, you can do that tomorrow." Usagi pouted her lips, making her husband crack a chuckle "Don't go back?" Mamoru arched his brow "When did I stop?" Usagi sighed tiredly, "I was hoping with your awakening you would be more, I don't know... carefree?"

"You want me to be carefree?" Mamoru bit his lower lip, trying to understand her request, "Is not taking a shower carefree enough to make you happy?" he looked down at his arm and sighed, "Could you please bring me a cotton pad soaked with alcohol so I can clean the sticky glue from the tape then?" Usagi nodded and went to grab the cotton and alcohol and sat next to him, she watched her husband wiping the glue off his arm and combed his hair back with her fingers, "I'll never get tired of telling you how much I missed you—I missed you so much."

Mamoru bent his arm to keep the cotton in place and looked at her while thinking he had postponed the topic for too long now; his prussian eyes narrowed when he saw what everybody had been trying to tell him; it took him a moment to bring the subject up hoping she would say more to explain that somber aura that followed her like a ghost, "Usa, why are you so pale?"

The blunt question shook Usagi and took her completely off guard. A minute had passed and she still felt frozen in her seat, then bit her lower lip and looked down, feeling completely helpless, "Isn't enough to say that I was worried sick for my husband?" She looked at him shyly and pointed a finger up, "And before you say anything, everyone stayed by my side on every step of the way, Zoisite even cooked dinner a couple of times—I was very surprised to find he is such a good cook,"

Mamoru nodded, "Yes, he's a good cook, I mean, no one is close on being as good as Mako-chan but... he's good," his free hand pinched her nose gently, "But that doesn't answer my question, my dear. I want you to tell me what's going on,"

"I haven't been feeling my best lately, that's all," Usagi shook her head, still trying her best to sound casual, "The last thing on my mind was to eat, all I wanted to do was sleep but I couldn't do that either... so, this is the result of all my failed attempts." Mamoru frowned displeased, "You stopped eating..."

"Yes. That's how much I love you," Usagi poked her finger on his chest, "And also because, in their quest of taking good care of me, Mako-chan tried to lure me by making oatmeal and—" she grimaced and shrugged her shoulders with disgust, "It's slimy and lumpy—eww..." The gesture made Mamoru chuckle, "Oatmeal is actually a good source—" Usagi rolled her eyes, "—Of fiber, antioxidants, and minerals, I know—trust me, Ami-chan gave me a full lecture on the importance of eating oats," she sighed, "Furu-chan gave me a lecture too, he was starting to sound so much like you,"

"Hmm," Mamoru pursed his lips in thought and leaned his head back against the headboard, "You see, pancakes were the way to go," he looked at her and arched his brow, "That was going to do the trick," Usagi pouted her lips, "Nobody offered me pancakes Mamo-chan,"

"That is unacceptable,"

"Plus, you make the best pancakes, not even Mako-chan can make pancakes as good and fluffy as yours,"

"Wow, that's a nice compliment..." Mamoru smiled, "Thank you,"

Usagi giggled, then noticed the sudden seriousness across her husband's face knowing for a fact that it was not what he wanted to hear and sighed softly, "All I cared about was you, I wanted you to come back to me, if you are alright then I will be alright." Mamoru looked at her for a minute in silence, really studying her gestures and the hesitance in her voice, "And now that I am here are you going to take care of yourself and eat?" Usagi nodded in reassurance, "Yes,"

Mamoru sighed, feeling a little defeated, "Okay good, because you do look very pale,"

"Mamo-chan, I am as pale as paper—my hair's silver-white for goodness sake," Usagi pulled a long strand of silky hair and huffed, "How paler can I get?"

"That's how alarming you look, dear." Mamoru narrowed his eyes, "It wouldn't be a bad idea if you went to the hospital and let Motoki or Ami-chan run some tests on you, you could have anemia and it could get worse."

"Okay, no, I see what you're doing. Don't go all doctor mode with me," Usagi shook her head but Mamoru tapped her forehead gently, "That's the thing Serenitati, I am a doctor and your husband, I can't help it if it's for your own good."

"Ah well..." Usagi blew her bangs dramatically and leaned her back on the headboard, "I should have considered marrying a pastry chef or—" she blinked a couple of times when she saw Mamoru's eyes darken a little and bit her lower lip trying to suppress her giggles."A what? What is the end of that sentence?" Mamoru's jealous tone made Usagi break into laughter, sparking his jealousy even more, "Hey, you just said I made the best pancakes! Doesn't that make a pastry chef?"

"Oh! Oh! You're right because to become a pastry chef that is all you need to know!" Usagi said between laughs, "Okay, I can use a thermometer, so now I am a doctor!"

"Touché," Mamoru clicked his tongue and nodded, "Alright, fine—no more pancakes for you." Usagi's eyes widened twice in size as if she had been given the worst of sentences, "What? No!" she leaned down and wrapped her arms around his neck to move closer to him, "You can't do that to me!" Mamoru rolled his eyes and pursed his lips, ignoring completely the pleading look on her face, "Oh! Oh! I think I just did!"

"No! You know how much I love your pancakes!" Usagi shook her head and climbed on top of him, ignoring completely his injuries as she wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned her head close to his, "What can I do to make you change your mind?"

Mamoru looked into her eyes feeling completely helpless and drawn to her beauty and brushed his nose with hers, "Oh my dear, you already are," the low and warm tone of his voice sent chills all over Usagi making her fall completely under his charm and captured his lips in a more passionate kiss. She tangled her delicate fingers in his already messy hair and pulled it softly responding to the feeling of his arms wrapping protectively down her back, intensifying the kiss and their emotions. After several exchanges of lusty glances, loving words and soft moans, Usagi opened her eyes when the kiss slowly morphed from one full of desire and passion to one soft and romantic and saw Mamoru squinted his eyes a little, reminding her that he was still delicate from his injuries and pulled back wide-eyed, "Oh my god! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"W-What? Why?" Mamoru looked at her still a little bedazzled by his wife's unexpected rush of sensuality and frowned, Usagi turned to sit on the bed again but Mamoru tightened his arms around her, stopping her from moving away, "Wait, what are you doing?"

"I am hurting you! You still have injuries and bruises that need to heal," Usagi giggled, "You have to let me go!"

"I am never letting you go, my darling Serenitati," Mamoru pulled her closer, "I've been away from you for too long... whatever injuries I have are no match for my desire for you."

Usagi blushed and leaned her forehead on his, "How would you say that in Latin?" Mamoru rubbed his nose on hers again, "Ego vehementer te, amica mea Serenitati, fuit a diu ... ego enim est quod non iniuriae et quomodo potestis resistere ante est quia desiderio tibi."

"Ego vehementer te, amica mea Endymion,"

"Good," Mamoru chuckled more lightly, "You're getting better." Usagi brushed the tips of her fingers on his raspy stubble "Endymion,"

Mamoru arched a brow at her choice of name, feeling this conversation was taking a much serious turn, "Yes?"

"Would you like it..." Usagi tilted her head and bit her lower lip showing some nervousness, "If we had a baby..."

Mamoru widened his eyes and blinked at the sudden topic, "A baby?" Usagi nodded and looked at her husband while her fingers loosely traced the bandages around his chest and leaned her head on his chest, showing a more nervous stance this time, "Yes... a baby."

"I would love it,"

"Really?"

"Yes,"

"Oh," Usagi bit her lower lip, "And... would you like that baby to learn to speak your mother tongue?"

"Usa?" Mamoru tilted his head, showing both shock and curiosity but his wife quickly jerked her head up to look at him, "It's just a random question," she sighed softly and shook her head slowly, "I'm not... you know..."

"Oh," Mamoru's simple response was enough for Usagi to feel less troubled and rested her head on his shoulder and took a deep breath, "It's just that I think Latin is so beautiful despite being baroque. I think it would be something very precious to inherit and something very valuable to preserve."

"I see..."

"I read on a magazine Minako-chan left while she stayed here, that a couple can end their relationship when they don't share a same religion or belief because they can't decide which customs are good to inherit their babies—so it left me thinking on what our case would be because we have different backgrounds. Your education was different from mine, so were your traditions and culture." Usagi's fingers traced a random pattern across her husband's chest, "Would you like our baby to follow yours or would you prefer if it followed mine?"

"Okay..." Mamoru took a deep breath and exhaled, feeling a little confused, "Is Minako pregnant?"

"No,"

"Is somebody pregnant?"

"No," Usagi chuckled but soon after her eyes opened, the question really sinking in, "I don't think anyone is, why?"

"I am just surprised by such dense article, that's all. What kind of magazine was that?" Mamoru looked at her a little startled, Usagi shook her head "Oh—that, no." She chuckled, "It came in one of the gossip and fashion magazines we like to read. A famous couple has broken up because of those reasons, that's why there was a whole article about it and for some reason, it got stuck in my mind,"

"What couple?"

"Yeah, sure," The question made Usagi laugh louder, "Mamo-chan, don't try to pretend and justify your boring hobbies,"

"What?"

"You have absolutely no clue about any of this... you won't know who I am talking about,"

"You might be surprised," Mamoru muttered, "When there's nothing else for me to read, I flip through the pages of your magazines," he heard Usagi muffled giggles in his chest, "You have like a ton of books to read,"

"So?"

"This isn't your cup of tea,"

"Try me,"

"Alright, let's put your pop culture knowledge to the test."

"Bring it, Princess."

Usagi arched her brow, "Kiki and Tao have broken up because Tao is a Buddhist and Kiki is Catholic; they had this super intense and quick relationship and got married and had a baby like a month ago. She wanted to baptize the baby but he doesn't believe in that, so in consequence, they ended up having an endless list of nasty arguments that finally led to a very nasty divorce."

"Well, isn't she a charm..." Mamoru muttered with sarcasm, "I think that goes deeper than just a difference in their belief system. This whole drama must be because the baby might not even be his in the first place," he frowned, "Wasn't this Kiki person dating a guy from a boy band or something and then went back to this guy Tao when the other guy broke up with her, like, a month ago?" the question made Usagi flip her head with shock up and look at him wide-eyed, Mamoru flashed her a toothy grin and winked his eye at her, "Ah, see? I told you,"

"Oh my god!" Usagi started laughing, "You're such a gossip!"

"Yeah well... " Mamoru blushed and pursed his lips, "You leave your magazines everywhere and I like to read so..."

"I can't believe it,"

"I am full of surprises,"

"You are, for sure," Usagi narrowed her playful eyes, "But you still haven't answered my question,"

"Well that's a tricky question, my dear," Mamoru sighed softly, "I think the best we could do is to give that child the best of our worlds and culture, although, if you think about it... that baby already would have the best of us, given the fact it would be born from an act of love. But if you want our child to learn Latin, we can make that happen."

"Really?"

"Of course,"

"I like that idea," Usagi felt her eyes burn with unshed tears and gave her husband a warm smile, "That is so sweet of you to say. The best of our worlds... the best of us..." she nodded, "That's true. That sounds lovely and fair."

"Do you know what else would be fair?"

"What?"

Mamoru pulled himself up on the bed and sighed, "You, letting me go take a shower." Usagi frowned and groaned as she rolled her way out of bed, "Why are you sooo stubborn!? Aren't you supposed to wait for your wounds to heal?"

"And bask in my own grime? —No," he looked up at Usagi and grimaced as he slowly tried to sit on the edge of the bed but failed in his attempts, "I also want to see the stitches on my leg and look how deep the wound is..."

"Masochist." Usagi crossed her arms, making Mamoru laugh, "They could get infected if I don't keep them clean," he pouted his lips at her, "Please, Bunny-chan, would you help me?"

"You're so adorable... I can't even..." Usagi slowly pulled his arms until he was able to sit and sighed, "How are you even going to get to the bathroom? Also, we need to put something in the shower for you to sit or lean on or maybe you could sit in the tub?" Her brows knitted together when she saw her always too independent husband trying to lean down and undo the bandages on his leg between grunts and winces and she couldn't help the strange feeling of seeing him so limited and dependent of others; "Ugh, really, Endymion?" Usagi slapped his hand away and kneeled in front of him and took off the small metal clamps that were keeping the gauze wrapped in place. "Stop trying to do everything yourself! Let me help you!"

"Usa—it might too graphic for you to see it," Mamoru looked at her with astonishment since she was always one too sensitive whenever blood was involved. Usagi started to roll the gauze just the way he taught her once and sighed, "I've already seen it... when Ni-san checked your wounds—and yes, it's ugly," she looked down and continued un-wrapping his mid-leg all the way down to his ankle and shook her head, "It still surprises me to think a chain could make such deep wounds..."

"Those damn chains had spikes, that's why..." Mamoru's eyes darkened, "I already have an idea of how this is going to look like, I felt them tearing my skin every time she tightened and rolled those damn things around me." Usagi bit her lower lip trying to hold her own shock at bay and thinking how it didn't matter how many times she had seen the wound, it was just like Mamoru just said it was—too graphic. She looked at Mamoru's serious face studying the bruising, the swelling, and the coagulated blood peeping through the stitches along the scrapes that had started to heal. He could understand why there was so much blood, five long deep cuts marked rounded his leg from his ankle and all the way up to his knee; he could see where the spikes had punctured and ripped his skin but he was glad it didn't affect any nerves or mobility, despite being a deep wound.

"This is my fault, I let her do this to you..." Mamoru heard Usagi's quivering voice and looked at her in the verge of tears, "Usa... no, don't say that,"

"Athamas was right," Usagi shook her head, "I have been idealistic with my pursuit of being a soldier... with my silly dream to become a fighter..."

"Usa,"

"I should have done something else... I should have—"

"Serenity,"

Usagi looked up at him and let her tears roll down her cheeks, Mamoru frowned, "Don't ever say that again." He leaned forward and grabbed her hands to pull her closer to him and looked down at her with the most serious stare and shook his head, "Don't say that to me ever again. Don't believe whatever he said to you, don't give that bastard the benefit of seeing you mortified, do you hear me Serenity? Ever." His eyes darkened, "What the Andromedian wants is to keep his manipulating power over you. You have come a long way and you are not a damsel in distress—you're a fighter and a very strong one. His power may be different from yours but that doesn't mean he is stronger, and he knows it, that's why he uses his manipulative skills to get to you," Mamoru looked at her angrily, "He is a leech that feeds from our worries and frustrations but he is coward enough to bring a Titan with him to do what he can't do by himself."

"Titan?" Usagi's eyes widened with shock, Mamoru sighed and combed his hair back with his fingers, trying to tame away the messy strands and get rid of his annoyance as he nodded, "Asteria, the woman we fought—she is not a Goddess, she is a Titan."

"B-But... Titans are a myth, that is at least what I was being taught," Usagi blinked, "I know what happened to them... the war..."

"Titans are not a myth my dear, there are still some around," Mamoru put his wounded leg down and tried to put some of his weight to measure how much pressure he could handle. "That is why she is so strong and has that kind of power," he looked at her with slight urgency, "Do you still have the pendant with you?" Usagi nodded and pulled the long golden chain and crystal pendant from under her cream-colored angora sweater dress, Mamoru sighed with relief, "Keep it close to you always, please."

"Mamo-chan..." Usagi sat next to him on the bed and looked at the teardrop-shaped crystal resting in her hand, "I know you have control over it because I've seen it... and even back when we fought Nehellenia I know I broke some sort of seal, but I never saw it again until that day... that power..." she turned to him, "Mamo-chan, is this the Golden Crystal or a part of it?"

"No, my love—it's not," Mamoru shook his head, "It's power used to be inside that golden stone; that is why mother used to wear it all the time when she was a deity," his hand touched the pendant and let it hang freely again, "That is not the crystal but somehow reacts to it, in a way, both stones can be linked. That is why neither the Andromedian or Asteria could get closer to you."

"Mamo-chan... why do—" Usagi was interrupted by a soft knock, "Yes?" both royals turned to see Megumi opening the door, "Your Highness, the Shitennou are back and asking—" her eyes widened with surprise, "Prince!" she turned to Usagi who in response just waved her head with resignation, "Yes Megumi, I know what you are going to say, but he's being incredibly stubborn and wants to take a shower,"

"Usa, I stink..." Mamoru sighed with defeat and looked at the maiden by the door, "Megumi, you were saying?"

"She was trying to tell you I was here," Kunzite stood next to the young maid and quirked his brow, "I came to check up on you but I can see you have finally managed to move on your own," he turned to Usagi, "Allow me to assist him, Princess Serenity." Usagi blinked and turned to Mamoru who was nodding in agreement, "I'll be alright—I'm too heavy for you, either way, love,"

"Heavy? You are a damn rock..." Kunzite muttered and went to help the prince sit straight in the bed; Usagi smiled but she still felt hesitant to leave him alone, admitting to herself that over the last days she had developed a new kind of anxiety if she left him alone for more than five minutes in fear of losing him again. Kunzite noticed the drastic change in the princess' demeanor being him a sole witness to her suffering and desperation as she told him things like how Mamoru would always wait for her to eat together no matter the hour, like a tradition. "I will make sure he's ready for dinner, Princess," he added, giving her more reassurance that he had things under control.

"I could use some help in the kitchen, Your Highness," Megumi said, joining Kunzite's cause but both Usagi and Mamoru snorted with laughter right after, startling the young maid, "What? What did I say?" Kunzite frowned and turned to the prince who was wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, "Just keep her away from any knives, Megumi, that's all..."

"It was the tip of a carrot!" Usagi turned to her husband with hot red cheeks and turned to Megumi, "I promise it was the tip of a carrot—honest mistake."

Mamoru tilted his head back in laughter and shook his head, making Usagi bite her cheek and frown, "Yeah, yeah, you keep laughing... in the end, it's you who's going to eat whatever I make." This was enough for the prince to halt and turned to look at her but before he could say anything else, Usagi turns to Megumi with a sweet smile on her face, "I'll go with you and see where I can be of help..." she later sighed with defeat, "But yeah... I think it will be best if you keep me away from any knives..."

Megumi blinks at the sudden change in the princess' character and looked at Mamoru who was nodding in reassurance, almost as if he was telling her he needed a moment with Kunzite in private. The maid turns to Usagi who was kissing her husband on his temple and walked out of the bedroom in silence and turned and closed the door behind her, leaving the general and prince alone.

"Is she that bad?" Kunzite quirked a brow with wonder as he turns to see Mamoru fidgeting in the bed, "She's not that bad but she gets distracted easily which in the kitchen is something one must never do when maneuvering a knife or being closer to fire," the prince frowned and found it strange to see his right-hand and friend would be there alone, "Where are the others?"

Kunzite pulled a chair to sit in front of his prince and exhaled, "Nephrite stayed home meditating, he is preparing himself to read the stars. Jadeite is at the temple with Mars to see if there is any valuable information she can find in the sacred fire. Zoisite and Mercury are on their way here—I am all you have for now, sorry."

"I'm sorry too." Mamoru arched his brow, "Where's Venus?"

"She went home to see the Mauian advisors then she would come over here to see Princess Serenity,"

Mamoru nods and takes a deep breath, "Serenity told me all of you have been on every step of the way, especially you. I have no words to express my gratitude, Kunzite, it truly means a lot to me. Thank you."

"You gave me an order as my Prince and I had to deliver. Glad to be of help." Kunzite gave his friend a soft smile, "But it was more than looking after a Princess, it was more about giving emotional support to a friend—a sister. It is not too difficult to fall under her charm, she is indeed a jewel." The general sighs and leans his back in the chair more casually, "She won my admiration and respect long ago but what I have witnessed over the past few days is truly remarkable... now I see why you have been head over heels for her for over two thousand years,"

"She is stronger than everybody thinks she is," Mamoru smiles with gratitude at his brother's comment, "Stronger than she actually believes she is,"

"I can easily say the same thing applies to you too," Kunzite crossed his arms with wonder, "I can sense a much clearer aura around you—stronger, you might say. It is like I am actually seeing a much wiser—much more centered and stronger version of the Prince I met and learned to respect many years ago. It truly is like if I am witnessing who you would have become if we had actually won that war and you had followed your father's steps and became King." his gray eyes narrowed, "I have to ask because I know there is more to this awakening... Endymion, what happened to you?"

Mamoru leaned forward and rests his arms on his knees despite the uncomfortable pain from the bruises around his waist and back but he felt the need to stretch his muscles from all his time being in the same position for so many days. He sighs and shakes his head when remembering all the turmoil he had gone through in order to be back in the era he felt he belonged. He couldn't lie to him, Kunzite, his friend, and right hand. If there was someone who could understand what happened to him it was the man with silver hair sitting in front of him glancing at him with those intense grey eyes. "Purgatorio, Kunzite—that is what happened to me,"

Kunzite's brows knitted together, "Purgatorio?" The word felt somewhat foreign to him, he knew what it meant, he knew what it was to be there but to believe the prince actually experienced it was something unexpected. "But... Purgatorio is a place for lost souls,"

"Yes,"

"But you did not die like we did,"

"No, I did not."

"So, why were you there?"

"I almost died," Mamoru looked up at him with all seriousness, "That night, I called for the power of the Golden Crystal—the power I selfishly thought I had and tried to protect Serenity from Asteria's attack. And while it did react and granted my wish, it also brought consequences and separated my soul from my body and sent it to a dimension I was not able to escape from until I became strong enough and by strength, I don't necessarily mean physical strength. It was painful, excruciating—cathartic. Ten days in this reality is nothing compared to how I felt in that place." A single chuckle was the only thing that could come out of Mamoru to try and lift the heavy turn their conversation was taking, "There were too many things happening to me all at once, Kunzite. Unlike you, I was swallowing my anger and frustrations and I wasn't allowing myself to be freed from such heavy chains. When I joined the army, I had a clear view of what I wanted and where I wanted to go from there—I had a goal. But then the war with Silas happened, and that steered my focus to a very different direction. By the time I realized it was not the idea I had in my mind, it was already too late to go back, so I continued going down that dark path, regardless of the consequences."

"But you did become the soldier you wanted to be, you achieved many things in battle, in your training, and became a strategist and advisor to the King, in a way, you put your royal title aside and served your people and King as Elysion's Army Commander."

"Did I really?" Mamoru gives Kunzite a weak glance, one that was loaded with disinterest. Kunzite nods with certainty, but the prince shook his head, "No, I don't think so. I still was an heir to a crown—I still am and I never really made peace with that."

"Endymion?"

"I had no desire to be King back then," Mamoru looks at Kunzite with an unfaltering glare, "And to be honest with you, I do not pay mind if this era accepts me or not as one after all this is over—I erased our existence from people's minds. To all terrans, Elysion never existed—Earth's Monarchy is just a myth so, whatever path this battle leads us to follow after it ends, I am alright with it—my duty to serve and protect this planet will remain the same, with or without a title."

"You became the best soldier that ever was, the first Crowned Prince to ever serve a King as a political advisor and strategist and become a leader in battle."

"Yes, I did, but at the expense of my own sanity." Mamoru sighed, "Before I met you, I had gone through a very strict and very demanding education aimed to protect something I didn't know I had or know it even existed. I did too much soul searching, praying, and deconstruction of ego." Mamoru's lips curved into a sad smile, one full of pity for his old self, "Before having one thing, I had to be fully prepared mentally to deal with another—I had to grow nerves of steel and never lose my ground while on my search to achieve a goal but when it all went to waste when I took a life for the very first time, it hit me, it destroyed me. To see my hands tainted with someone else's blood, those same hands I used to pray... at that moment, I forgot about it all and to get over it I had to numb that side of me and shut all of my emotions. Being spiritual wasn't working for me anymore, meditating was not helping the nightmares that followed me for years... all that praying and humbleness, in the end, it did nothing. So instead, I chose to put that education aside and decided to take matters into my own hands and went straight for a quest for control and power in order to preserve my honor as a prince because it was easier for me but it caused a chain reaction. I nurtured a need to kill whoever threatened my Kingdom to an alarming level that I didn't want justice anymore, I just wanted to annihilate them because they were in my way. Call it revenge, call it caprice—I don't know, I knew I was not bad person, I didn't do it to cause pain or fear, I was fighting for a good cause but somehow it didn't feel like I was doing any of that good I preached or believed so much in. I didn't feel at peace and the more time it passed, the more overwhelmed and troubled I felt." Mamoru looked at his friend with deep sincerity and humbleness, "Serenity was the only person who could keep me grounded... the only person who saw beyond all those layers of anger and guilt and didn't see what I was seeing. The only one who told me the truth and confronted me with unbreakable courage. I felt normal around her... I felt at peace." The prince smiled, "That is how our friendship came to be, we had so many things in common and we felt heard and understood. We shared the similarities of living under a certain image and having to comply to a Monarch's protocol. We supported each other, we listened to each other and well... one thing led to another we came to a point it was impossible for us to be apart. We couldn't stop seeing each other, we just couldn't. We were aware that what we were doing wasn't accepted, that it broke all laws of nature but we were already too in love to even care. Up to this day, I am certain that if it wasn't for her... I would have been condemned and devoured by my own demons a long time ago."

Kunzite looks at the prince with surprise by the unexpected rush of honesty from him, aware that this was the first time he ever spoke of what was really going through him during that time. The prince had a point and Kunzite agreed, Prince Endymion was a force to be reckoned with, he was stubborn and sometimes awfully cold and distant, despite trying his best to be approachable. During their military training, Kunzite caught that change in the prince, he noticed the boy with his heart on his sleeve was slowly becoming more silent and stern. War changes everything, even the hardest shells can be tainted and broken with the violence that comes attached to something like they experienced. It was raw and it was something no ordinary fifteen-year-old man should go through without enough experience in battle. Taking a life is never easy, so it is making decisions for others when they are down, Endymion had to do it and he had to learn it along the way. In the end, sure, it made him a superb warrior with keen abilities to crack the strongest of defenses from an enemy and a sharp intuition that made him the best strategist in the army. His titles and honor medals were earned fair and square, he escalated his way through all ranks until he reached the top but just like he just said, Kunzite wondered up until now, at what cost?

The princes' words made perfect sense to the general after they returned to Elysion it was like Endymion said, he shut himself from everyone and became this stoic, often cold and distant man. One with authority and an implacable desire to do things right. A damn perfectionist.

His life as royal often stood in his way, his title and the heavy burden of being the heir of a crown he desperately wanted to ignore and put aside. He never really cared for the throne, not in the way everyone expected him to be, he just wanted to do things the way he thought were supposed to be—right. He hated being glamorized, he hated being the center of attention for the wrong reasons and it often happened in the palace and every time he had to make an appearance for an event planned by the mother queen. His was losing the battle and all control over his life and for a man who trained restlessly to be a fighter, it was demoralizing.

Kunzite understood what it was like to dispose of your ego to achieve greater things. He was aware that if he didn't put his own grudges aside, he would probably have been left aside and other soldiers would have been given the position of shitennou, despite him being chosen by the queen herself and the stone he gave to his mother so many years ago. He knew what it was like to go through a catharsis and he also knew what it was like to come out alive, feeling renewed, Venus played a great role in it. But the more he listened to the prince talk, the more he saw another side of him he never showed to anyone—not even him, making him think this was what made his relationship with the princess so deep and meaningful all those years back. Beyond the obvious beauty surrounding both of them and away from everything and everyone, leaving everything that made them be a prince and a princess until they were just a man and a woman in love, they loved to be normal in each other's eyes, and that sense of being able to do things others did so normally and without being observed made them incredibly happy.

It wasn't an infatuation.

It wasn't a caprice.

It was love.

All those secret escapades and meetings, they crafted this beautiful bond that selfishly enough, didn't share with the rest of the world and have nurtured with passion and loyalty up to this very day. It was truly meaningful to see that love they so passionately kept safe for themselves and he couldn't be any more grateful for their trust. Kunzite sighed, still a little overwhelmed with emotion, "Endymion, why did you never tell me any of this? I would have helped you... at least to vent what you had rotting inside you," the general frowned and shook his head, "To be honest, at first I thought your love for the Goddess Princess was pure infatuation or caprice... since you never really explained how you two met."

Mamoru looked at his friend and arched his brow, "I thought I did..."

"You have never been the talkative type," Kunzite leaned back more casually on his seat and crossed his leg, losing all formality that was left between them, "All this is new to me, but, I find it very surprising and refreshing."

"Hmm... speaking of emotions..." Mamoru sat straight between grimaces and squints and looked at his friend, "How are things going between you and Venus?"

Kunzite arched his brow, "You really want to know?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Mamoru frowned, "Both of you are close friends of mine."

"Of all people, you, speaking of emotions," Kunzite narrowed his grey eyes, "You sure have changed,"

"Don't get too excited," Mamoru let out a puff of air, "Well?"

Kunzite took a deep breath, "Back then, every time you got upset because you could not see Princess Serenity, or the way you described your feelings for her to me was more like you were blinded by her divinity—to me, it made no sense but then I met Venus and realized a woman can really push you to the very edge and make you feel all these emotions you do not even know existed in you. Maybe this is why I can finally understand your romance with Princess Serenity,"

"My, my, have I opened Pandora's box?" Mamoru chuckled, Kunzite frowned, "What?"

"The always serious and almighty General Kunzite has fallen in love and with the embodiment of love itself." Mamoru ran his hand through his dark hair and smiled with complicity, "Well, now you can understand what it is like to give everything for that special someone without any second thoughts. I suppose the same applies to the other guys too."

"Except for Jadeite," Kunzite shook his head, "He admitted that his romance with Mars is not going to happen but, he has taken it with much maturity, something none of us would expect from him."

"Jadeite can be very serious when he needs to be, don't be so hard on him. Not for nothing he's a Shitennou." Mamoru gave his friend a serious look, making the general be clearer with his words. "You must agree with me when I say his approach to women has always been—"

"—Yes, yes. I know." Mamoru closed his eyes and waved his hand and sighed. Kunzite nodded, but his face immediately went back to his stoic stance showing concern and reclaiming his role as advisor and shitennou, "What is going to happen now, Endymion? I know there is more to your return, I can feel it."

"I don't know with certainty, Kunzite," Mamoru let out a long puff of air, "But this is far from being over; Asteria will return. A Titan does not give up so easily and once their pride is hurt, they grow rage inside them."

"Titan?" Kunzite's eyes widened, "Wait, do Titans still exist among Gods?" Mamoru nodded, "Yes and few of their descendants are still scattered across the universe and in nooks where no one would expect to find them." To this reference, Kunzite did not need more to understand what his prince was talking about, "Y-You?" his voice was charged with surprise and disbelief, "You are a Titan?" his gray eyes widened two times their size when saw Mamoru giving him a simple nod, "I am the descendant of one, Helios, Titan of the Sun—hence why Gaia was the protector of this planet in ancient times."

The first in command of the shitennou ran a shaky hand through his hair, pulling it back and let out a heavy and loud exhale, "So, all this time we thought you were a demigod you were in fact from a different species?"

"Oi," Mamoru sweatdropped, "When you say species, you are making it sound like I am a piece of meat on display, but if that helps you get an idea of who I am, then yes, I am a different species."

"That is why you fought and challenged Asteria—you two share a similar line of strength... Endymion, this is..."

"—Asteria wants the Golden Crystal for reasons I only assume are to get more power and the Andromedian made a pact with her in order to get close to Serenity. Whether Chaos is involved in this or not, I think that is superfluous at this point; Serenity is a target Kunzite, Asteria wants her at any cost to get at me for the crystal."

Kunzite pinched his lips between his fingers like he did every time he was deep in thought; his mind went straight back to the moment when they returned from war and were called by the terran queen to a secret meeting. It all made sense now, why queen Gaia was so hermetic about her life and her past. Just like he said to the senshi, there was more to the royal family but what they did know were only fragments of stories they heard from other people and what the queen was open enough to share with them. Now that he knew that the power within the terran prince was as ancient as divinity itself it changed things, it changed their course on how to fight against the enemy, "Where is the crystal?"

"It's safe," Mamoru crossed his arms, "I am its guardian and part of that trip to Purgatorio was to learn how to understand it, accept it, and how to fully master its power."

"So that makes you a target too,"

"We all are targets. After what happened they will come back with much more aggressive tactics. Asteria will not let this go," Mamoru shook his head, "I do not share similar powers to them—I may be linked to Titans but I am still human, I am a mortal but I have ways of fighting and that gives me an advantage and gives me a place in the line of battle."

"You cannot be serious about it, just a mortal?" The general cracks an incredulous chuckle, "No, no, you cannot continue believing that." Mamoru narrowed his eyes and looked away, exhaling heavily, "My father is a mortal man, Kunzite. Therefore, I am a hybrid... like they so much like to call me these days." He turned to Kunzite with a darker shade of blue in his eyes, "There is something else I need to tell you, but I want to keep this between us, at least for now,"

"Of course, you know you can count on me," Kunzite nodded and leaned closer, "What is it?"

"My father is in hell."

Kunzite widened his grey eyes with shock, "W-What?!" Mamoru nodded, "When I was in Purgatorio—Ares showed up and gave me this piece of information. I cannot tell you more because that is all I know but, the King is in Tartarus paying like the lowest of beings for a crime he didn't even commit. My mother was murdered, my whole family was murdered—which is why I can't sit around and let this continue. This has to stop, I cannot allow the same tragedy that happened two thousand years ago stretch all the way to this era."

"B-But..." Kunzite shook his head, "Endymion..."

Mamoru sighed, releasing his frustration, "That is the extent of their hatred towards us—my family, and the dynasty I was born in," he shook his head, "At this point, I would not be surprised if Asteria had to do with it but this is so you can understand the gravity of the situation."

"And what is to do now? What is the next course of action?"

Mamoru's eyes changed again to a more sapphire shade, showing his determination and authority, "This problem needs to be cut from its root and if I need to go to hell itself to do so, so be it. I don't know how just yet... but... it's something I need to figure out." His voice fell to a deadlier tone taking Kunzite by surprise. Being the closest to Prince Endymion as advisor, guardian, and friend, he has had the chance to see every phase and mood of his complex spectrum. He has seen him vulnerable and close to having a nervous breakdown, something, not even the other shitennou had despite all being close to him as well. Endymion became to Kunzite the brother he never had and the same happened with the prince taking their level of confidence and loyalty up to admirable standards. The general knows his prince well, but since he woke up like he said, he has seen a different side of him that not even in his stronger stance as prince back then was close enough to match what he was witnessing now.

"That is a risky move, Endymion, and we don't know if the King is—"

"He is alive, Kunzite, I know it—I can feel it,"

"H-How...?" Kunzite narrowed his eyes, "And what about Princess Serenity? Wait, you are not seriously thinking of leaving her alone again—"

"No, of course not. I need to think things thoroughly and I will need her help," Mamoru took a deep breath and shook his head, "But she needs time..."

"What do you mean?"

Mamoru ignored the look in his friend's eyes and looked down while he stretched his wounded leg and pursed his lips, "If I wanted to, I could heal this leg and be done with it by now but that would make me borrow power from the crystal and it would only cause more commotion than there already is. I need to regain my strength... I'm still weak from my cathartic trip from Purgatorio, if I used its energy again in a reckless manner, I don't know what other tricks it might pull and I don't have the time to figure it out."

"I see," Kunzite nodded, "Well, we certainly do not have the time and it would break Princess Serenity's heart for sure. She was close to having a mental breakdown..." Mamoru sighed, "Kunzite—"

Kunzite arched his brow, "You did not just meditate in Purgatorio... am I right?" Mamoru nodded "Ares recruited me for the Celestial Army of Polemarchos."

"W-What?" Kunzite's eyes widened, "Endymion..."

"The training and studies I received when I was a child were all planned. Both, Obelix and my mother were preparing me for it, now I know. As God of War, Ares is the Commander of the that Army—"

"The famous league of Polemarchos... we all know the story," Kunzite nodded with admiration, "So, this means..."

"It means that if there is an outbreak and war is brought upon I must lend my power and abilities like a Polemarchos and serve his army."

"But if that happens... you will not be here."

"Asteria is causing trouble all over, so I am basically waiting for Ares to call for me to go but Serenity will not be allowed to come with me since she is part of another jurisdiction. She is a Sailor Senshi."

"We cannot go either," Kunzite frowned, Mamoru shook his head, "No, but if that time comes and I must leave—you as first in command will take my place and lead Jadeite, Zoisite, and Nephrite with the best strategy possible to keep Earth safe from whatever we will be fighting up there..." Mamoru looked down and tapped his foot on the hardwood floor, "Or, down there... I don't know where each is at anymore," he sighed, "We will think of something and work from there,"

"Her Highness will want to follow you at any cost." Kunzite frowned, "She will not accept it—you, leaving her again."

"I will talk to her, there is more we need to put back on the table," Mamoru sighed softly, "I just need to find the right time to do it. This is new information and it is too much to process. I know her first reaction will be one of anger—then sadness will follow, and right now, she does not look her best." Kunzite nodded, "I agree with you, she stopped eating and spent most of the time sleeping but—"

"—I know, and Serenity defended you the most. I know you never left her alone and for that, you have my eternal gratitude. But she looks weak, as a doctor I dare to say she has developed a type of anemia due her lack of nutrition—among other things—but she hates it when I examine her so the next best thing for me to do and handle this situation is by bringing a little sense of normality back into her life. She has put it simply, if I am alright—she is alright so..."

"Normality that soon enough they will come and take away once they appear with a better plan to attack again." Kunzite frowned. Mamoru bit his lower lip, "As cruel as it sounds—yes. But like I said, Serenity is stronger than everybody thinks she is and she is still recovering from this unexpected event. I need to pull her back on her feet and prepare her for what's next—she's one of a kind and she's fierce, but she needs to recover and as her husband, I need to help her. Before all this happened, she asked me to train her for battle." The comment left Kunzite really impressed, "Now that is something I was not expecting," Mamoru nodded, "I am telling you—she's strong and once something catches her attention, she'll do anything to accomplish it, what better example you want? She was a Princess who made the decision to never be a damsel in distress again and carved her way to becoming the legend she is now. The Andromedian clearly can't process the facts but even if he gets to meet her alone, he'll get the surprise of a lifetime."

"You served as an example to her and have inspired her to be a soldier despite its consequences. You are right, she is no one you must take lightly." Kunzite stood up and walked over to the bed, "And as I promised, I must help you be ready for dinner so, come on—hold onto me," Mamoru smiled in gratitude and pulled himself up from the bed and looked at his friend's frown, "What?"

"Just so we are clear..." Kunzite arched his brow, "I am not going to bathe you like a little child, alright?" the comment broke Mamoru's seriousness, bringing their camaraderie back between them, "Not in a million years,"

"Good," Kunzite muttered as he served as a crutch so Mamoru could make his way to the bathroom.

O—o—o—o—O

A loud growl of anger echoed in every nook of his dark hideout, Athamas paced back and forth as he put his thoughts and recent events in order in his now twisted mind. The more time it passed, the more confused he felt, being anger the only thing that made him feel in touch with reality. Up to this moment, his existence has been a big blur—manipulated. The more he tried to tie the knots, the more he lost track of when exactly he stopped being himself and acted out of his own consciousness. He looked around with almost disdain at what his life and belongings have reduced to be, from his glory days as commander to just being an Adromedian exiled from his home galaxy.

After the fall of the Silver Millennium and the moon queen's death, Athamas returned to Andromeda to seek for help in order to regain his lost glory as one of the remarkable soldiers from their army and return to avenge both his failure and the death of the princess he became so obsessed with. Much to his surprise, once returned, the monarchs from Andromeda had already given an order to capture him the minute he stepped foot on his land and was taken prisoner when there was a sudden change of plans that changed the course of his life forever.

-O-

"The Commander of the Lunarian Army, Athamas of the House of Bellenevue has arrived." The royal guard stepped aside and allowed the other two custodians walk with the general to the center of the throne court until he met the faces of the Monarchs of Andromeda—King Arago and Queen Cassiopeia who were already waiting for him on their majestic throne pedestals.

Athamas was forced to kneel before he could come up with the gesture himself and hung his head low until he was told otherwise. "Athamas of Bellenevue," the Andromedian Queen was the first to speak, "Lift your head up so I can see your face," her voice was low and demanding as she continued, "We have been informed of the tragedy that has fallen upon the Kingdom of the Moon, the Alliance, and Queen Serenity—"

"Your Excellency—"

"Silence—I have not yet finished talking!" The beautiful queen with pale skin and golden hair raised her voice, "It baffles me, why is that you are here when all of this happened under your watch and service?" She turned to her husband with a face of disbelief, "How cynical."

Athamas tightened his lips together, "Your Excellency, the attack on the Moon Kingdom was coming from forbidden lands—I am here as a rightful Andromedian asking for shelter and the aid to fight against them."

The king narrowed his deep red eyes, "Shelter? Aid? Do you have any idea what you just caused us? We had a place in the Silver Millennium's Alliance—the treaty was done, one that was created because our previous Commander crafted a bond with the Lunar Queen. You destroyed that bond that tied us to Olympus and caused great damage to our treaties and now you come here seeking for military aid to continue your destructive plans while asking for shelter as a rightful Andromedian? Absolutely not."

"I served Her Majesty as expected—"

"—We have also been informed of the liberties you took in your position as Commander of the Lunarian Army, God Ares himself sent us the report of your deeds. You have been a poisoned creature since the beginning." The King glared with anger at Athamas, "Of course, due to your questionable origins,"

"Your Majesty?" Athamas widened his eyes and looked at both royals with trembling eyes. The King waved his hand to motion one of the guards approach him with a long scroll, "You come from a home surrounded by disgrace and poverty—while the House of Bellenevue is a respected name, your descendance is not. You are the illegitimate offspring between Castor Belleneuve and a commoner—and once born, you were raised as such. Your name is what opened an opportunity to escalate and earn you a position in the Andromedian Army where you used your impressive manipulative skills to earn the rank of General and therefore, a position in the Lunar Army." The King shifted his eyes from the scroll in his hands to the man kneeling in front of him, "You had the skills, but you worked your way to achieve the position you say you earned. You were not meant to serve the Lunar Queen; you were serving as messenger and as such, you were commanded to send a message from us to the Queen when the Alliance was taking place and somehow you found your luck and used your charms with her, giving you some sort of status and presence that soon urged the Queen to consider you as a suitable suitor for her daughter, Princess Serenity. You betrayed your Kingdom the moment you delivered classified information to other Kingdoms putting the Alliance between us under threat. You were aware of your treason but fortunately for you, you were already considered for the position and rank to be the Commander of the Lunar Army—" the King rolled the parchment and arched his brow at the man on his knees with disdain, "A traitor has no place in this and no right to step foot in Andromeda—a common criminal and assassin."

Athamas' face turned pale with horror, "Y-Your Majesty... allow me—"

"Do you honestly think we would welcome you with open arms?!" The King's long white hair flowed like a white curtain, contrasting the anger in his red eyes, "I do not consider you a threat anymore but a disgusting low being—the Gods will take care of you in the Underworld—Guards!"

The world around him slowly finished crumbling down, and the last strand of his sanity went with it. His emerald green eyes suddenly lost all focus once knowing he was being desolated and exiled from his own land, "N-No..." He muttered and felt a wave of nausea overflowing him, "No..." He repeated and turned to the coming guards with black eyes. Athamas slowly turned to run away but soon lost balance and strength when one of the guards knocked him from behind with a metal club. The blonde General stared at the blood pooling on the pale floors from the injury in his head and felt being dragged out of the throne room, "Send this creature out to exile!" He heard the Monarch yell with disgust. "He is a nobody, it is not even worth our time. Throw him away to the nothingness! He is as good as dead, allow the spirits of the Underworld scavenge his soul and do with it as they see suit."

Just as they were ordered, the guards soon threw a very weak and bleeding General out of the Andromedian territory, into exile and left him in a Death Valley at the outskirts of the Andromedian realm, far away from everything and close to his death.

Athamas looked with teary eyes at the pitch-dark sky full of stars and felt as if they were mocking his condemned faith, "Serenity..." he muttered with dry lips and the faintest will to live. "You were mine... Serenity..."

Everything he had built, everything he had weaved to his advantage, everything he had done and the many people he had stepped on to reach for a position he would never have earned normally, it all had gone down the drain along with his future as King alongside the White Princess of the Moon. He swore he could feel his blood leaving him as well, like a velvety veil washing the remains of his memory as he slowly waited for his death.

Was this how it was supposed to end no matter what? —He thought miserably, the same irony started to sound like a joke in his mind and started to chuckle at himself for the way things came to be. All he wanted, in reality, was to be someone, to step away from his fated life as a commoner and as the illegitimate son of a wealthy and well-positioned advisor to a royal house. He wanted to create a whole new meaning to his name, he wanted to become a legend and someday be able to return the favor to his father by trashing his name once he became King and he wanted to do it with the White Princess by his side. "Serenity..." He mumbled again, thinking about every inch of her body, the way her shiny platinum hair flowed from her high bun tails like cascades; the way she fluttered her long, dark lashes and her blue-gray eyes sparkled like two droplets of fresh water. Her scented milky skin, and the way every dress she wore clung to every curve of her beautiful petite body. Despite his madness, Athamas adored her, he wanted her, but even she was taken away from him; the peaceful image of the Lunar Princess taking the sword of the Terran Prince and piercing her chest with it with grief was still engraved in his head, the way her warm blood pooled and tainted her always impeccable gown and how even under such tragic events, she dedicated her death to a man he became obsessed with killing with his bare hands.

Athamas had his thoughts so dedicated to the woman in white and the mortal Prince he didn't notice his death was being an amusing showcase for another being, "So haunting and beautiful—the scent of those unwilling to die."

The Andromedian turned his head but his clouded eyes were no longer complying to his wish to focus on the person standing next to him, a woman apparently. "Did they send you to finish me?"

"Finish you? No, nobody touches what is left to die and rot over death valleys. Your string of fate is weak and I have come to see if your soul is worthy or not." Athamas felt her kneel next to him and touch his forehead, but her touch was cold, zero inviting or caring and he could catch the sound of metal clasping as she moved, "W-Who are you?" He asked with a weak voice.

"I knew the more time it passed, lowly beings would be questioning high beings like us in the near future—how dreadful. I am the Guardian of the Gates of Thanatos in the Underworld, the Titaness of the Fates and Fallen Stars—Asteria." she looked down at Athamas and arched her brow, "I have come to take your soul to the Underworld, it is worthy enough to wander the land of the tortured." The woman in black crossed her arms, "But I can see unfinished business lingering in that soul of yours—what are you?"

The question took out of Athamas the last of his chuckles, "What am I? I do not know anymore."

"You mentioned Serenity—the Lunar Monarch,"

"She's mine." Athamas simply said, "The Princess... is mine."

Asteria paid close attention to his clothes and noticed the royal symbols of the Lunar Kingdom, her dark eyes quickly studied his uniform and concluded, "I see... you are the Andromedian soldier everybody speaks about in secrecy, the famous Commander of the Lunar Army—a traitor to everyone's eyes. I have heard of your little misadventures in forbidden grounds." Asteria crouched next to him again and narrowed her eyes, "I have been informed the Moon Kingdom has fallen... Hades himself has gone to retrieve the souls of those with royal blood from the ruin his daughter had left behind and yet, you managed to survive—" her pale lips curved in a smile, "Yes, you are worthy enough."

Athamas frowned, searching for Asteria's voice "Worthy..."

Asteria licked her lips like a hungry wolf, "I have the power to make you stand on your feet and take revenge, take what belongs to you—in exchange for your soul." Asteria looked at the Andromedian turning his head at her, "My soul?"

"—I see it in you, the body of a good host... if you give me your soul, I will grant you more power than you ever imagined on having, enough to make the Moon Princess yours,"

"She is dead."

"She is not dead... her soul has been sent to another place, but in time I will guide you to her if you surrender your soul to me first and become one with my Army of Shadows."

"Serenity..." Athamas muttered, his tired eyes finally settled on the woman in black, surrounded by living chains curling like snakes around her, if she didn't introduce himself, he would have thought she was Medusa herself. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about that, but her energy was eerie and haunting; she was pale and had long dark hair that flowed her like a dark veil. Her eyes were so dark he could not see any life in them and if not careful, anyone could fall into their depth and never be able to get out of the nightmare hiding inside. Her pale nude lips curled into a smirk when he gave the woman a slow nod in agreement.

Asteria wrapped her chains around him and helped him sit, her cold hand slowly caressed his cheek as she looked into his opaque eyes and began chanting several words in a language he could not understand. Much to his surprise, he felt a warmth inside him as Asteria continued humming to herself; Athamas widened his eyes, feeling like if his body was being torn apart. He could hear screaming and screeches inside his head and soon that manifested into pain, making him scream as felt himself being pulled to different directions against his will. Asteria stood up and pulled her chain with magnificent force and with it, his soul was ripped from his body and looked at it with adoration as she filtered in one of the crystal orbs on the chain wrapped around her waist, "The Fates have spoken..." Asteria muttered and turned to Athamas' dead body with a satisfying smile. She placed her cold hand on his chest "This body belongs to a man of shadows... this body belongs to me now."

A dark shadow like figure soon appeared behind the Andromedian and crept inside his body, filling it with life, once again. Athamas opened his eyes to reveal a new and vibrant green again and turned to Asteria. The goddess of fates quirked her brow and crossed her arms, "Do you feel it now? My power within you?"

The general looked down at his hands and just like she said, he could feel a new energy flowing inside him with unstoppable force, "It will take time until I can take you to her... your lover. But, in the meantime, there is something I want you to do for me." she extended her hand and once he took it, she whispered in his ear, "Magister, thuribulum paratum est." Athamas eyes soon clouded again as if the soul inside him reckoned to Asteria's voice, "Panduntur portae... ire."

-O-

After two thousand years, Athamas has been living like an outcast, a rebel, and a man of shadows with the only purpose of bringing damnation to those who sent him to disgrace and take what belongs to him. After his long journey through the underworld, Asteria brought him back to her realm and has kept him there ever since with the sporadic appearances on Earth.

The image of the Moon Princess came to his mind, so beautiful as he remembered her and now, turned a soldier of mystery. The way she took a stance against him and the way she looked into his eyes with such determination and courage, it was something very different from what he had seen before. Athamas silently devoured her image like a hungry wolf and allowed his body to react to the memory of her scent brushing his nose from when he held her close, "You are mine Serenity..." he muttered and narrowed his eyes when he remembered her crying for the Terran Prince, "You are not going to take her away from me—she is mine, and mine alone."

The sound of chains accompanying the crisp click of heels against the floors interrupted his train of thought, "You are thinking about her again, Andromedian. No matter how many times you re-spawn with a new shadow, your mind always goes back to her—the Moon Princess."

Athamas turned to look over his shoulder and frowned, Asteria walked towards him and placed a hand on his face, "You said you were going to grant me enough power to claim what is mine." his low voice echoed in the solitude of the room, "I have waited long enough—kept here, in your shadows."

"Oh, Andromedian," Asteria rolled the words with delicacy as she traced his jaw with her long, sharp nail "You have now witnessed and confirmed my words, the Lunar Princess is not dead..." her lips curved into a smile, "You have a beautiful face—" she muttered and tilted her head to admire his strong features, "But I can see why she chose the hybrid over you..."

"What?!" Athamas growled with anger, Asteria quirked a perfectly shaped brow "Please, your fits of jealousy do not work on me—face it and accept the facts. The Hybrid is one beautiful creature with skills and strength, it is obvious the Princess fell for those charms." Asteria stuck her nail into Athamas's lower lip and pulled it gently, almost in a sensual way. "Your soul belongs to me... you, belong to me. You are to serve me on a bigger purpose—here it is, the moment you have been waiting for," she stepped aside and smiled devilishly, "We both share a similar interest—you want the Princess and I want the Hybrid, bring him to me and you will be free to be with your precious Moon Princess and do whatever you want with her."

"F-Free?"

"Yes," Asteria crossed her arms, "Free—I would be returning full control of your soul once you accomplish this task for me, you made a deal with me to save your soul from hell, do not forget, you owe me." she tilted her head low, "You have been a key element all this time, your presence steals their attention from me and while you might not feel like it, you have been of great help—the time for Titans to rise has come again," she narrowed her void, dark eyes, "That is why I have been keeping you so close to me, you Andromedian, are precious." she turned on her heel and wrapped her chains around her arms and placed her hand on Athamas' chest and summoned her power, "This is the power I promised." Athamas widened his eyes as he felt his body being charged with a strong energy he has never felt before. He could feel his heart beating stronger, faster—he felt invincible. Asteria smiled with satisfaction once his eyes changed from green to black, "The task is yours, so is this moment: Take what is yours and bring the hybrid to me."

Athamas smiled devilishly, "Consider it done."

The Divinity Series is rated M. Violence, cursing and intimacy may occur.

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