Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife

Chapter Sixty-Two

"If you ever find yourself in need of my services—" Charon bowed his head and pulled his paddle back into the water. Endymion tilted his head low and looked down at the pocket watch hanging from its golden chain pinned in his uniform jacket and then at the man on the boat, "Speaking of which, old man, I may be in need of your services sooner than expected..." Charon quirked a long, bushy brow and allowed the prince to continue, "You asked why I was here while still living—" Endymion looked at the man with a serious glare, "A very special person to me was taken hostage by Asteria,"

"Aye, aye—so it is about a fair maiden then..."

"Not just any maiden, old man, but the rightful Sovereign of the Moon and the Earth... also, my wife." Endymion saw the man widen his eyes showing surprise, "The Goddess of the Moon... your wife, you say?" Charon leaned closer to the edge of his longboat, "What exactly are you asking of me, boy?"

Endymion stared at him with unbreakable determination, "I am asking you to take her as far from this realm as possible, as close as she can get to the fourth dimension."

"The Gates of Time,"

"Yes, the Gates of Time."

"And what about you?"

"At this point, my fate is settled." Endymion exhaled, "I know the consequences of my trespassing, old man, that Lord of yours will not stay hidden much longer—I know. If he is how I imagine him to be, he is just waiting for the perfect opportunity to show his face but I don't care about him, I don't care about anything but my wife to be taken out of this hellhole, that is why I crossed to this realm—to bring her back,"

"Oi, oi..." Charon tightened his grip on his bone paddle and sighed, "Boy, what you are asking of me is dangerous; I find it difficult to believe how Hades has not done much to stop you. Knowing the kind of god he is, it is like if he wants you to stay here for some particular reasons." He narrowed his fiery eyes, "I would be disobeying my Master's orders—what you are asking me to do is out of my jurisdiction, treason even, but, if you get to save her life—if I see with these old eyes of mine that you accomplished your mission and took her out of Inferno then I will break the rules imposed to me and take it as enough proof that you are worthy of my loyalty and respect."

"I thank you, old man," Endymion pointed the royal medal hanging from his wrist "You take good care of that, alright? It cost me a great deal to earn it—twice." He arched a brow, "I don't want to hear you lost it in one of your grody old rivers."

Charon let out a raspy chuckle, "Nay, nay—this precious jewel stays with me... but I do have one final question, boy. For you to be married to a magnificent goddess like her, and for you to be here, it makes me wonder... just who the hell are you, exactly?"

Endymion's lips curved into a sad smile and turned to look over his shoulder at Charon, "Have you ever heard the bitter tale of a hybrid monster living somewhere in the universe?"

"Oi, boy..." Charon blinked with great shock when he indeed recognized the myth of the creature the gods have been trying to suppress and eliminate for a very long time. He has drowned and sailed many of the souls taken by his hand that it was shocking to see that the so-called monster was nothing like he imagined him to be and look like. "Are you, really?"

"As you can see, I am not a monster, old man, but a human being. My name is Endymion De Terra—son of Gaia, the Titaness of Earth and her beloved mortal king of Earth… there lies the sin the gods have spoken for thousands of years, it's my nature. The blood that runs through my veins." The prince gave the man a weak smile when he saw Charon's eyes growing wide, "I did tell you not to believe everything you hear, no?"

"Oi, boy, are you—"

"It was nice meeting you, old man. Endymion nodded his head to pay his respects to the ferryman and turned to leap from the man's paddle and land on the shore, close to the entrance of Infernos' pit. Charon watched Endymion crossing the dark gates in silence as he pushed his boat farther and farther away from the shore, "Oi, boy... your plan is an ambitious one," he muttered as he returned to the river's current and smirked with excitement, "But I want to see you succeed—I want to see just how strong the myth really is." He looked at the medal hanging from his wrist and nodded, "May the fates be on your side, boy... good luck."

O—o—O

The old ferryman stopped his boat at the shore and looked down at the woman in white and admired her immaculate beauty in silence, "Aye, aye... I see now..."

Saturn took a defensive stance and tightened her grip on her deadly glaive, "Who are you?"

Charon let out a thick and raspy chuckle and walked closer to the edge of his longboat with a slow stride, "I am the ferryman of the Underworld—Charon. The souls that wander into this realm are my jurisdiction and to take them to their respective resting place, my duty." He bowed his head with respect, "I do not need much to tell that you are indeed, God Hades' daughter—Saturn, the Emissary of Death and Silence." His eyes landed on the white princess standing close behind, "I offer you my services, Goddess of Silence; I can take you far from this place. As of now, you are at the very entrance of the Meadows of Asphodel, at the east side of the Fields of Mourning." His neon red eyes glanced at the white princess with her gown torn to shreds, trying her best to stay on her feet and then back at the senshi in dark violet uniform, "It would be a long and harrowing journey for you to reach and travel to the mortal realm on your own. I can take you there. The waters are calm, there should be no problem."

"You, taking us back?" Saturn narrowed her violet eyes, "For such labor, there must be a high price to pay, Ferryman, what are you expecting in return?"

"Nay, nay," Charon chuckled, "That account has already been settled." He closed the gap between the shore and his boat and laid down a ramp for them to step in and quickly offered his hand out to Serenity since it was still difficult to her to walk on her own, "Goddess of the White Moon, the circumstances may not be the best for us to greet each other but it is without a doubt a pleasure to meet you in person. My eyes can confirm the truth behind the solid myth of your breathtaking beauty, so is the magnificence of your presence."

Serenity widened her pale blue eyes when he looked into the old man's; like two orbs of fire looking into her soul, she thought, "Y-You know who I am?"

"Aye, aye... " Charon helped her sit close to the edge, "Please, watch your step, Moon Goddess."

Once the two women were secure inside, Charon pushed his boat far away from the shore into the universal current that would lead them to Oceanus, the river that connects the underworld to the living world and continued their journey in silence. Serenity looked at the many gates in the distance with a heavy heart and could not help to think through which one of them her husband must be trapped in. She wanted to cry, she wanted to jump to that river and swim her way back but her body was still suffering the effects of Athamas' abusive tactics and for being in the underworld for far too long. She looked down at the calm and deep colored waters and peered to her side when a gleam caught her attention. Her eyes widened when she saw the very familiar object hanging proudly from the old man's wrist and turned, "That medal..." She pointed the medal with a shaky finger "W-Where did you get it?!"

Charon continued paddling without looking at the princess, "Ah... this... I made a bargain with this pretty looking boy that turned out to be quite the negotiator, I must say. He was on a very important mission to save the life of his beloved wife." His fiery eyes finally landed on Serenity's clear blue ones, "He gave me this in exchange for my services, making sure that once safe she was taken back to the safety of her living world, no matter what."

Serenity felt her eyes burn with tears as she listened to the old man's tale, it made her remember when they would playfully negotiate over the silliest of things like who would have to empty the vacuum filter or who would get to eat the last pint of chocolate ice-cream left in the fridge; who would have to make dinner or who would have control over the remote for the evening and how she would always tease him with a mischievous smile that would always end in sweet and passionate demonstrations of love. But this was different, this time, he had negotiated his own life for hers. She knew how valuable that medal was to him, one he had earned with so much effort, sacrifices, sweat, and blood. That medal encased the essence and meaning of his royal home, the one he protected and looked after with love and passion until the very end. It represented his family, it represented his kingdom and land, his dreams, his duty as prince and warrior. Her heart felt like shattering into millions of pieces inside her chest just to think of all the things he did for her sake and how such valuable treasure, the only thing that had stayed with him through the passage of time came to be a plain coin to pay for someone's services.

"He is one fine warrior—" Serenity heard Charon say and turned to look at him as he continued to paddle through the long deep river, "I have never seen anyone fight like him... it was truly something to witness,"

"That medal you hold there..." Serenity stared at him with tears gleaming in her eyes, "It's his pride... it holds great meaning to him."

"Aye, aye..." Charon looked at it and nodded, "It sure is something to be proud of,"

Serenity leaned on the rail of the boat and began to resent the separation from her husband; Saturn quickly turned and moved closer to her to wrap her arms around her in support. Charon could see the pain and sorrow in the princess' eyes, the way she was sobbing just showed how broken she was inside, leading him to believe there was no will left in her now that she had left her life partner behind. He wanted to ask, he wanted to know what had happened to the young warrior but as they talked before they parted ways, it was left clear the moon princess was his top priority and Hades had probably played his cards around that matter.

They continued their journey in silence, only accompanied by the moon princess' soft sobbing and constant calls for her husband between muffled cries. The more Charon thought about it, the more it surprised him: if the prince was really the cursed monster the gods swore he was, then how could an immaculate goddess like her cry for his absence with so much pain and sorrow? If he was so merciless, how could he risk his life and putting everything in stake the way he did just for her? That is when the prince's words made perfect sense:

"Don't believe everything you hear, old man."

The current of the Oceanus' river started to become livelier, brighter, and clearer, indicating the change of realm. "The Underworld has been left behind—this is where life meets death," Charon muttered as he slowly paddled to the shore, "The Oceanus' river is the connection to the living world. It sure is a safer, much quicker route than to go to Tartarus,"

Charon finally stopped at the shore and turned to the white princess and offered his hand out to her to help her stand; Serenity looked up at him and took his hand with a gentle grip before getting out of the longboat.

"Goddess of the White Moon,"

Serenity turned to look at him over her shoulder with swollen eyes. The man for the first time in all his existence put his paddle aside and walked down the ramp to take her to land with safety, fulfilling the deal he had made with the earth prince. He held her hand up high and wrapped the medal's red sash around her wrist, letting the heavy piece of jewelry hang proudly to catch the light of the living realm. The princess widened her eyes and looked at him, "Y-You're... giving it back? But..."

"He knew what he was doing..." Charon nodded and looked at her, "And despite knowing the outcome, he never slowed down or showed any specks of hesitation. All he had in mind was you—he did not need to tell me, it was written all over his face. His devotion to you was demonstrated with every swing of that majestic sword he carries around with him," he pointed the medal with his bony finger, "That medal may mean something special to him, but his real pride, his real treasure, is you."

Serenity's tears started to roll down her cheeks again; Charon bowed his head to show his deep respects, "If you give up, it would be like discarding his act of bravery and that is the worst thing you could do to a warrior's spirit." He turned to walk back to his boat and grabbed the long paddle with a proud smile in his face, "Goddess of the White Moon, Tartarus is a place as far beneath the Underworld as Earth is beneath the sky—it is its own vortex and this boy went there without a speck of fear. I have never seen such determination in someone's eyes before. He fought countless of demons in his way, he challenged and took care of Hades' most loyal servant, he convinced me to go against my jurisdiction and even fought the dark rebel with success—your presence here, confirms it. Do you really think that he, who went to the depths of hell to bring his beloved back is going to give up just like that and never return? His heart is in your hands—so is his fate. Hold on to that thought and do not let go. In the meantime, let him do whatever he needs to do and fight on his behalf by being where you are needed to be and remember him with pride."

Serenity tightened her grip on the medal and brought it close to her heart; she gave the old man a nod and looked up at him, "I thank you for your words and for bringing us all the way here."

Charon bowed his head one last time and sailed his boat away from the shore and into the rivers that would take him back to the underworld. It was until he was out of sight that Serenity felt like her last connection to Endymion was gone and felt like breaking again, despite the old man's encouraging words.

She knew it was true—what he said. She had to honor everything he did with bravery and pride, she had to be strong for both of them and hold on to the promise they made to themselves two thousand years ago and reaffirmed on their wedding. But that didn't mean she could go on without feeling the pain of his absence; how much could she endure without listening to his voice or looking into his piercing blue eyes. Just how long could she hold on without seeing his smile or taking in his scent, without feeling his warmth or loving arms. That was the real challenge: to be apart from her other half, her soulmate—her best friend. The one that brought calmness and reason to her always hectic life, the one that made her feel strong; the very one that inspired her to become a senshi for love and justice in the past and later on in the present helped her find her confidence in becoming the senshi of mystery, Sailor Moon.

Her thoughts were cut off when she felt Saturn's hand softly holding hers and turned to look into her violet eyes so full of understanding, "Princess... we have to go, Pluto is waiting."

Serenity nodded and let her self being pulled against her will like a broken doll toward the gates of time and space in the fourth dimension. Saturn raised Pluto's key to activate its power and waited for her permission to be granted, showing the senshi of time and revolution at the other side of the heavy gates with Uranus and Neptune waiting alongside her.

"Saturn!" Pluto widened her eyes when she saw Serenity slowly walking behind and felt a tug in her chest when she noticed the prince was nowhere to be found, "Princess!" Neptune and Uranus ran to her rescue being the blonde the first to take Serenity into her arms with heavy relief, "Thank goodness... thank goodness you're back safe and sound..."

Serenity closed her eyes and surrendered to the loving embrace from her blonde friend and nodded but her body could still not entirely respond to the gesture; Neptune noticed the somber look in the princess' face and tightened her lips, already suspecting the worst. Uranus' noticed the princess' odd behavior and widened her eyes when the facts hit her and quickly saw Saturn shaking her head to prevent her from asking for the prince's whereabouts. Pluto tightened her grip on her rod and looked back at the infinite warp behind her, silently wishing Endymion would walk from it there any minute now looking beyond exhausted but with a wide smile of accomplishment and relief in his handsome face. Her garnet colored eyes widened when she heard Serenity started sobbing with heart-wrenching sentiment confirming what she was fearing and so much wanted not to believe:

The prince did not make his way back.

"Nooooooooo!" Serenity started having a nervous breakdown and felt like she was being pulled apart from any sort of reason. Her cries were hoarse and full of pain and lament, worrying Uranus to a point of breaking her usual strong character, "Princess..." she whispered softly in her ear, "Please, you need to calm down, you will hurt yourself,"

"Noooooo! Noooooooo! Endymioon! Come back, please come back!" Serenity tried to break free from Uranus' arms but she was so weak she could barely stand on her feet. Neptune couldn't hold her tears and covered her mouth to muffle her sobs and turned to Pluto who was in the same position if not worse because she felt responsible that he wasn't there with his princess. She allowed him to do such reckless act of bravery in thinking how she could look into the princess' eyes again after what she had done.

"Endymion! Endymion! Noo! Let me go back! Let me go back! Noo!" Serenity panicked cries echoed in the vasticity of the space corridor as she tried to break free and turned to Pluto who was now making use of her garnet key rod to close the gates behind them and felt like her world had finished collapsing and fell unconscious in Uranus' arms.

"Princess!"

"Princess!"

"Princess!"

"Princess!"

O—o—o—o—O

"The stars have spoken? " Minako asked anxiously, "Nephrite, what do you mean?" Her cornflower blue eyes widened when she felt Kunzite's hand on her shoulder; the general took a deep breath and looked at his soul brother, "It means they have given signals from them,"

"Oi," Jadeite sighed with relief and leaned his head back on the sofa behind him, "Thank heavens..."

"So... could it mean it's over?" Ami looked hopeful as she turned to Zoisite who tightened his grip on her hand, "Let us hope it is,"

Rei widened her eyes and turned quickly out the window, catching Makoto's attention "What is it Rei-chan?"

"I sense something—I can feel her aura... they're here..." The priestess jolted from her sitting place and ran toward the temple's entrance. All girls and shitennou followed suit with hurry and just as she predicted, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and Pluto were back with the princess unconscious in Uranus' arms.

The girls immediately ran toward the outer senshi while the shitennou stayed behind with a troubled look on their faces. Nephrite being the first to break their silence, "He... he is not with them..."

Zoisite widened his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep his head cold and his reason intact. Kunzite hung his head low and closed his teary eyes, "Damn it, Endymion..." Jadeite chuckled with disbelief, at the older general's reaction "No... no, he cannot be missing... he is playing us fool... no..." he shook his head and turned to Kunzite, "R-Right?"

Megumi was the last to appear and stood by the shitennou and felt her eyes burn with unshed tears; her chocolate eyes searched the prince with desperation but Jadeite's hesitant voice made her realize the truth; he was not there, he had not come back home with the princess. "P-Prince... w-where is the prince?!" She looked at the girls with panic and then turned to the generals and let the feeling of loss of the pillar of their family finally hit her when she saw they held the same anguished look on their faces, "N-No... no!"

Minako turned to look at Jadeite with a crying Megumi in his arms and Nephrite, Zoisite, and Kunzite with their heads low and felt like her heart had stopped in her chest when she turned and didn't see Endymion with them. She turned to Uranus but just when she was about to ask, Saturn held up her hand, "We need to talk—but first, Princess Serenity needs medical attention right away, she's very weak."

"Let's take her to my room," Rei motioned Uranus to follow her inside. Megumi lifted her head when Uranus passed by and looked saw the princess was covered in cuts and bruises and felt her blood run cold; with urgency, the young maiden stepped back from Jadeite and immediately went after the girls to help. Ami quickly went to give Zoisite a hug and dig her head in his chest to muffle her sobs, "He didn't come back with them... Mamoru didn't come back…" Zoisite closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He knew well the relationship between them had strengthened over the years and easily be compared to one of a big brother and little sister; proving how much they have truly bonded over the years. she cared for him very much, and this was going to affect them all the same; it was going to be really hard for all of them to process what had just happened and it left him thinking:

This war was far from being over.

He couldn't take this as the end of things. He didn't want to believe it.

This couldn't be how things ended.

O—o—O

Inside the temple, Rei walked into her room and quickly undid her bed to let Uranus tuck the princess in and fight the coldness taking over her fragile body; Ami walked inside soon after she regained composure and focus to evaluate her friend's status and started by cleaning her wounds and treat the bruises; the more she looked, the more it proved the torture the princess went through in hell. The tension hung heavy in the room and it only intensified with the silence that fell over them; the girls didn't need to utter a single word, they all knew what they were asking in their minds: what happened and why the prince had not returned?

The four shitennou waited for news in silence at the living room and turned when Pluto walked in minutes later, no longer wearing her senshi uniform. The desolated look on her face was enough for them to read that she knew more about the situation; Kunzite frowned and finally dared to break the heavy silence between them, "He found you,"

Zoisite, Jadeite, and Nephrite turned to their leader and then at the senshi of time; Kunzite didn't flinch or change his cold glance toward Pluto but before the conversation could continue, the other girls joined in minutes after with Luna and Artemis following behind. Zoisite turned to Ami with worry as soon as she came into view, "How is she?"

"Very weak—it's a miracle she's alive," Ami sighed softly, "But with plenty of rest and a proper care and feeding, she will be alright."

"She had a nervous breakdown right after they walked through the gates and right after, she fainted," Neptune stood next to Uranus who was leaning on the back wall with her arms closed, "I have never seen so much pain mirrored in her face or heard her cry like that before... it was heartbreaking."

Saturn stood by the door and took a deep breath, "Now that we are all here, we must be prepared for what's about to come once Princess Serenity regains consciousness and starts asking for Prince Endymion again,"

"We need to know what happened first," Kunzite narrowed his eyes, "Where is Endymion? Why has not he come back with the Princess?"

Saturn, now dressed in her civilian clothes, her usual choice of black pieces, this time a tunic blouse and black tights. The young lady walked to the center of the room and sat on the vacant sofa and crossed her hands over her lap, "Prince Endymion is in a place far beyond the Underworld—Thanatos—close to the gates of Tartarus. In order for our Princess to be freed, a pact was made between him and Hades that forced him to stay behind but not without a fight. I was informed he caused a rebellion and that he fought many demons in his way including the sins at the gates of the Underworld and Father's most loyal servant, Cerberus in Inferno. He also made a deal with the Underworld's ferryman to take him straight to Thanatos in search of Princess Serenity and arranged an agreement with him to safely sail her back and out of the realm once freed."

Pluto closed her eyes trying to keep her composure under control as she continued to listen to the youngest of the senshi. Uranus and the rest looked at Saturn with shock in their faces, "T-The prince did that?!" Luna asked with great surprise, Saturn nodded, "I was oblivious to the pact Father and Prince Endymion had made until I saw the marks of the Underworld on his wrists. I tried persuading Father out of it but it was futile. The only thing I could achieve was to guide Prince Endymion to where Princess Serenity was held captive and later, taking her back to safety. Confronting Hades right then and there would have put both prince and princess' life in danger and I did not want to risk our chances to return safely."

"Did you speak to him?" Jadeite's voice was charged with worry, "Did he say anything to you?"

Saturn looked at the blonde shitennou and shook her head, "There was not much time, I only saw him for a very brief moment. All he asked was to take her back home and look after her," she lowered her gaze and curled her fingers on her black skirt tightly, "It was like he had already resigned... like he knew what was going to happen to him after the princess was sent away but he didn't care, he just wanted her out of such horrible and dark place, not even I, the daughter of the God of Death had stepped foot in those grounds... I never went pass Hades' throne room—what Prince Endymion did was admirable, without a doubt."

"Asteria... the titaness... what happened to her?" Jupiter asked for everyone in the room, Saturn looked up at the Amazon and exhaled softly, "She's dead—the prince took her life,"

Silence fell over them again to respect and grieve the prince's absence. Mars sighed softly and closed her eyes; it came clear as day, as she remembered what Ares' told her the last time he was there.

"Child, the prince you all thought you knew does not exist—he never existed... I must warn you, your whole perception of him might change once you see him use his true power."

Ares was right, the prince she thought she knew didn't exist—he was stronger and fearless than she ever imagined him to be, making her understand his weight in the world and the universe. He might have awoken and gained full control of his power becoming this destructive force to be reckoned with, but his love and devotion for the princess never faltered but it only became stronger.

To be capable of breaking so many taboos one after the other without losing the focus of his mission in such a dark place like hell was indeed something admirable. It was something she was sure she or any of the girls wouldn't have achieved with the same results if they have gone in his place and that is when it hit her—the tremendous and selfless labor he performed. Endymion not only looked after Serenity, but he also looked out for them too by not allowing them to follow him; his sudden disappearance was a plan he had already made up in his mind. He wanted them to stay behind because he knew since the very beginning that this is what was going to happen; he knew Serenity was going to need them when she returned to take his place and he wanted all of them by her side to guide her and support her regardless of what happened to him. The prince was leaving Earth in their princess' hands.

Mars' eyes gleamed with tears just by thinking about all this, how thoughtful and loyal he was to his planet and loved ones more than any god in the heavens—he, the monster. She looked up and gave Uranus a fiery glance, one the senshi of heavens caught and interpreted right away.

"Without Endymion here..." Jupiter's voice was close to finding a breaking point, they were all emotional, they were all broken and scared, "The princess..."

"We have to be strong for her," Venus looked up, also with tears pooling in her eyes, "We have to stay by her side because this is not going to be easy... this isn't anything close to when Prince Endymion was unconscious, this is way worse because this time, he is not here. She can't see him, she can't touch him, she can't sleep by his side; she can't talk to him or reach to him. Her husband traded his life for hers and she will not take it well if she learns this—at least not now. She will become destructive and her own worst enemy, just like two thousand years ago."

Megumi froze by the door when she heard Venus' horrifying warning. Her heart started to beat stronger and faster in her chest when she thought about the time she saw her dead body lying next to the princes' with his sword impaled in her chest, right where her heart once beat out of love for him and silently agreed with Venus because she had seen firsthand how much she can deteriorate if something happened to the prince. Her devotion to him was as strong as his devotion to her and now that he was not there, it was going to be heartbreaking and very difficult to assimilate. Megumi knew what the princess was capable of doing, she knew she could give her life to Hades without thinking it twice in order to go back to hell and look for him, that's how much she loved him.

She felt like she had heard what she needed to hear, all she wanted to know was what had happened to her and her beloved prince and while the truth broke her heart, she couldn't be prouder of him and to be part of his family, like he constantly reminded her she was. Turning on her heel, she walked back to Mars' room to check on the princess and closed the door behind her when she saw her still asleep on the bed.

She went to wet another cloth and sat at the edge of the bed, next to her, and started patting the cool cloth against her flushed face and lips. The strains of her travels were still marking her beautiful face, her porcelain skin was bruised and her lips were bloody and chapped. Her always perfectly styled hair was half done and tangled; her impeccable white gown was now torn and dirty so where her pearled heels. Megumi continued patting the cotton cloth on her cheeks all the way down to her collarbone and stopped when she saw the pendant hanging from her neck and felt her eyes burn with tears when she remembered giving it to the prince before pleading him to bring her back.

Of all the things she heard he did, Megumi knew there was probably more that happened but nobody witnessed. She knew what hell was like, maybe she had never stepped foot in the underworld but she knew what it was to live on a mission and to do whatever it took for someone's sake; the more she thought about it, the more she admired the prince and the more she wanted to honor his memory and the best way to do it was by looking after his princess.

Megumi eyes widened when she saw Serenity move and slowly opening her crystal blue eyes; it didn't take her long to recognize where she was and notice she was not alone. She slowly turned her head to the side and looked at Megumi in silence for a minute before breaking into sobs. The young maiden immediately leaned down and wrapped her arms around the princess in comfort and stroked her pearlescent hair in comfort, "Cry Your Highness... cry as much as you need to... I am here... I am here..."

The words felt so familiar and so the way they were spoken. It was what made Serenity react to the gesture and pulled Megumi into a tight embrace; it was like she needed the support—her support. Her sobbing while still heavy and heartbreaking it wasn't as alarming as when she fainted in Uranus' arms but it clearly reflected the pain nested in her chest "Megumi..." Serenity cried, "He didn't come back with me... he didn't come back... I couldn't..."

Megumi closed her eyes and muffled her own sobs by pressing her lips tight. She pulled the princess up with her and began rocking her back and forth the same way she saw the prince doing it to calm her down; silently letting her know she knew and that she was there for her. She tightened her arms and felt her heart stop for a second when she felt just how alarming Serenity's fragile state really was. "I know Your Highness... I know... but you have to be strong... you have to stay grounded... I know how stupid that sounds, I know there is no way to describe what you are feeling and that there are no words that would give you the solace your heart needs but you must know you are not alone, you have all of us—you have me by your side, always."

Serenity continued crying on Megumi's shoulder for a while and stayed cuddled with her until her sobbing slowly calmed down, "Where is everyone?" she asked tiredly. Megumi combed her hair back with her hand as she continued holding her in her arms, "In the living room, Your Highness,"

"They know what happened..."

"Yes..."

"The shitennou..."

"They are in the living room with the senshi, Your Highness..."

Serenity took a deep breath, "Are they mad?"

"No," Megumi closed her eyes for a minute, "They are worried for you."

Serenity opened her eyes and remembered Endymion telling her to trust them and to rely on them but she felt like she had failed them by not bringing their brother back with her. She was afraid to look at them face to face, she was afraid to confront them because she knew better than anyone just how close they were to their prince. She pulled back and looked into Megumi's eyes, "Megumi... I need your help,"

Megumi blinked "What is it, Princess?" Serenity cupped Megumi's cheek with her hand and took a deep breath, "I need you to help me go home," Megumi widened her eyes with panic, "P-Princess? But... the girls... they will not allow it, you are very weak, you cannot be by yourself,"

"I know, that is why I need your help... I don't want them to notice—I don't want them to stop me... but it's something I need to do."

"But, Your Highness... being back there would only make you feel worse..." Megumi looked at her with worry, Serenity lowered her gaze and nodded, "I know my condition Megumi... I know it will be hard knowing Endymion will not be there but right now the only thing that would make me feel close to him is if I am home. That is where I want and need to be,"

Megumi dueled an internal conflict between the princess' wishes versus the guardian's wishes. She knew the best for her was to be surrounded by her friends but she felt the longing in the princess' voice for being back to the place she shared with the prince. She knew the girls would stop her the minute she asked for the favor and forced her to stay against her wishes but she also thought the princess had every right to choose what she wanted to do and as she knew the prince would have asked her, she had to be by her side and look out for her no matter what.

"They will get upset when they find you gone, Your Highness..."

Serenity sighed with exhaustion, "Don't they always?" She turned to look at her, "I know they are only trying to look out for me and I respect them, but I really want to go home," she leaned closer the maiden, "Please, Megumi, come with me..."

"Very well," Megumi nodded, "As you wish, Your Highness." She stood up and helped the princess stand up slowly, "Careful... careful..." Serenity flinched and took some air before finally being able to get up from the bed; she looked down at her tore and blood-stained gown and sighed, "This will catch people's attention... I don't have enough energy to de-transform..." she turned to her side and saw one of the kimonos Rei wore around the shrine and put it over to cover her dirty gown as she waited for Megumi to give her a signal to escape.

Megumi opened the door and saw the girls were still talking in the living room and quickly turned to look for another way to get out without being unnoticed. She returned to the bedroom and helped the princess walk out in silence and went the opposite way until they found a back door in the kitchen. Once outside, Serenity stopped and looked up at the night sky and felt the cold breeze against her warm cheeks. She felt a soft tug on her arm and looked at Megumi who was silently motioning her to hurry.

"May I ask where are you going this late at night, Princess Serenity?"

Both Megumi and Serenity stopped and turned to find Jadeite leaning against a tree close to the stairs that lead to the shrine. The general walked closer to both women and turned to Megumi first, "Megumi... what do you think you are doing?"

"G-General..." Megumi widened her eyes and blinked, trying to come up with a good excuse "I—"

"I asked her to take me home, Jadeite, it's not her fault," Serenity finally took the courage to look into the blonde's grayish blue eyes. "Please don't take it out on her."

"Princess, you know you cannot be by yourself... you are very—"

"—Weak, I know... I know my condition, but it's something I need to do..." Serenity nodded, "Jadeite... I know you all try to look out for me... the girls—I know it's their way to keep me safe, but I need to be by myself... I need to go to a place that makes me feel closer to him... I need to go Jadeite... please... I beg of you, don't say a word."

Jadeite sighed the heaviness in his chest and lowered his gaze, "It is funny... I can almost hear Endymion's voice saying something like 'Please look after her while I am gone,' or "I swear if something happens to her you will not see the end of it," he shook his head trying to fight the lump forming at the back of his throat, "I know for a fact that this is what he would want from us—to protect you, to be there for you because he is so madly in love with you that he just cannot let anything happen to you—he is so crazy about you that he goes to the very end of the universe to bring you back home—that same home you now want to return to..." He looked up at her with tears in his eyes, "Now, who am I to stop you from doing something I know he wanted you to do in the first place? No one... I cannot interfere with your wishes, Princess, I only do what I know he would have asked me to do."

Serenity felt a tug in her chest and wrapped her arms around the general and pulled him close in an embrace, "You are someone very special, Jadeite, you are Endymion's brother... you are my family and I know you are looking after me, but you're right, I want to return home—that home where his scent still lingers in the air and on the sheets of the bed we share. That home where I can clearly imagine him drinking coffee or humming a silly song to help me fall asleep when I feel worried about something or because I drank too much coffee at night and I can't deal with my caffeine overdose... that home where all of our memories are. I need that to gather the strength I need to fight back and find a way to bring him back."

Jadeite widened his eyes and pulled back to look at her in the eye; while she was clearly heartbroken, weak, hurt, and with the thinnest will to live, her words were determinant. He dried the tears rolling down her cheeks with the thick fabric of his sleeve and nodded, "In order to cover your plan, I must remain here… if I leave it would raise suspicion."

"I understand,"

"Please be very careful, Princess. I need to trust your word."

"We will, Jadeite."

"Is there a way for you to get inside?" Jadeite looked at her with concern; Serenity nodded, "Yes, there is a way for me to get a spare key,"

Jadeite nodded and turned to Megumi, "I will leave her in your care for tonight, Megumi," his eyes then fell on the princess, "But tomorrow, we will go and make sure you are alright."

"Thank you, Jadeite..." Serenity sniffled softly; Jadeite nodded and took a step back, "Please be safe Princess... if you need anything, please let me know."

Serenity nodded and turned to leave, leaning on Megumi as they walk down the stairs. The blonde soldier sighed heavily and dried the tears falling from his eyes and looked up at the night sky, "I will look after her in your name my brother, just hurry up and find a way back... please do not leave her alone for too long."

O—o—O

Inside the temple, the girls were still trying to assimilate the situation but it was still too unbelievable and painful to grasp on the idea of not having Endymion around. It was crazy how things unraveled into this life-changing scenario when just months ago they were all leading normal lives, away from the idea of taking back their post as senshi and fight for a future they thought they had made and molded to their current lifestyles.

This was completely different from what they thought it would be. Back when they traveled to the 30th century, they learned a few things about what had led them to create the new silver millennium and Crystal Tokyo and for how things were happening now it was completely far from it starting with the fact that the big freeze never came and that the terran prince was no longer with them.

The shitennou's presence was another one big difference and so were the enemies they have fought up to this point. This was surprising even for Pluto and it was starting to make her lose all belief in that future she thought was real. Not even when she was back at the gates of time and space, every time she saw the queen or king, none of them showed signs of aftermath from this string of time; she never heard the king talk about his titan nature, she never saw him use his power; she didn't know the whole taboo label that was put under his existence and most certainly, she never imagined he had gone to Inferno itself to save the queen.

The man she remembered, while strong and benevolent, it could not be compared to the Endymion she saw minutes before he threw himself into the Underworld. The king she had in her memory was a very intelligent man but the Endymion she knew in this time was a man experienced in war, one that had taken lives without thinking it twice and was not afraid to get his hands dirty for the sake of others—a man of action more than a man who relied on just words and strategies made up inside a control room. As much as she respected and admired the pristine image from that king from that future, it was like he was a completely different person from the prince she knows and admires now and who was supposed to follow his footsteps—it didn't match, it didn't make sense. And it almost looked like it was that same king who had urged his past self to thrive for more; after all, it was him who taught him how to use some of that hidden power.

"I haven't seen Megumi since we carried the princess to your room," Minako turned to Rei and looked around. Rei nodded, "She is probably with her,"

"I'll go check on her," Ami stood up and walked towards Rei's bedroom. Rei sighed heavily, "It worries me—that thing you said,"

"What?" Minako frowned, Rei rubbed her temples "That she will become destructive and her own worst enemy..."

"I don't know what's worse... the fact that back then she saw him die or this time when she saw him stay in hell—literally," Makoto said with her head low, trying her best not to cry. She halted when she felt Nephrite's hands on her shoulders and gave him a sad look, "Oh god... Nephrite... no... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

"No, don't." Nephrite shook his head, "It is alright Jupiter," he looked up at Kunzite, "We kind of knew Endymion would do something like this,"

"What?" Rei frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Under extreme circumstances, extremes measures must be taken..." Minako mumbled and turned to Kunzite, "This is what you meant with those words..."

"If he went all the way there... he can still find a way back, doesn't he?" All eyes turned to Haruka who was still leaning on the wall with her arms crossed but with her head low, "If he has that much power—he can come back for her, doesn't he?"

"Irony is bitter," Kunzite narrowed his eyes, "You of all people... asking such questions," He felt a rush of anger boiling through his veins and stood from his seat next to a startled Minako "Kunzite..." she tried to pull him down to his seat but obviously she was no match for him when it came to natural human strength, "Which damn side are you on?! First, you fight him and now you are here asking questions that do not correspond to you?"

Haruka looked up at the general, "I know what I did, General, and that is something I want to personally address with him," she frowned, "Up to that day I kept biased between what the gods have wanted us to believe and how things really are—the prince is not a monster but this situation is and it is devouring us, one by one."

Ami ran into the living room seconds later with a pale face and a horrified look on her face startling everyone present, "Ami?"

"She's not in the bedroom—the princess..."

"What?!" All girls widened their eyes, the shitennou turned to look at each other and immediately went outside the temple to look for her. Ami gasped for air and turned to Rei, "She's not there and neither is Megumi!"

"I will go look for her around the temple, maybe she just went to take some air," the urgency in Makoto's voice didn't help ease Ami's worry; it was because she knew more about her friend and princess' health that it panicked more to know she was gone. Minako and Rei both ran to check at all the rooms inside the temple, including the cottages they used as storage.

Zoisite caught Jadeite still standing at the top of the stairs that led to the shrine and walked to him with urgency, "Jadeite!" The blonde turned to look over his shoulder and sighed, "You will not find her here..."

"What?"

"The princess... you will not find her here,"

Zoisite frowned, "You know she is missing?"

Jadeite turned to look at Zoisite with defeat and sadness marked in his eyes, "She asked Megumi to take her home—her home," Zoisite turned to leave but Jadeite stopped him, "Jadeite!"

"Don't..."

"What is happening here?" Both blondes turned to Kunzite and Nephrite who were walking toward them; Zoisite looked at Jadeite with confusion and then turned to Kunzite, "Princess Serenity has left the temple," Nephrite widened his moss-colored eyes, "What?!"

Kunzite sighed and shook his head, "I was suspecting she would do something like this and for the look in your face I assume you spoke to her before she left, Jadeite,"

"She does not want to be disturbed—at least not tonight and I want to grant her that wish." Jadeite turned to his big brother and leader; Zoisite frowned and turned panicked "A few hours alone is all she needs to do something reckless!" He turned to Kunzite, almost pleading him to give him a command to go and bring her back, "We must go after her—she is in danger!"

"She is not alone, Megumi is with her..." Jadeite frowned, "Zoisite... her husband just traded his life for hers... and she is still a newlywed. She married Endymion a little over a month ago... right now that home is all she has that can make her feel closer to him. I cannot—I have no right to take the only feeling of attachment to him she has left right now. The only thing that makes her want to keep her going... I do not think she will do something reckless... I trust her." Jadeite sighed softly, "By the way she spoke—it is clear Endymion said something to her before parting ways but we will not know if we pressure her, she just returned from damned Inferno for goodness sake! Listen to her pain!"

"Jadeite..." Zoisite mumbled his brother's name with awe, this was one of those rare occasions where he could see the blonde general allow himself to be raw and expose his kind and romantic personality, the one he always masked with sarcasm and silly jokes.

"What should we do, Kunzite?" Nephrite turned to the white-haired general with concern; Jadeite crossed his arms still very much immersed in the conversation and with the mission to justify the princess' reasons to be absent, "I told her we would be going to see her tomorrow and she agreed—she is overwhelmed and right now she does not want to answer any questions or tell anyone what happened. Brothers... just think of all the things that she must have seen there... the things she went through..."

Kunzite paid close attention to the mortification and pain in Jadeite's voice; it was strange to hear him speak with such desperation and seriousness and not because he did not think he was a capable soldier, but because he, of all five, was the first to find a more positive side to any situation. It was his job after all, as a strategist—to keep a mind cool and centered but it was clear that he was the one that was having a harder time to keep his emotions at bay when it came about Endymion's decision to stay in Inferno. As soldiers, they all knew this was something that could happen and because they were trained to follow certain rules and disciplines, they were aware of the risks one would have to take to complete a mission and this was not just any mission, it was a matter of life or death.

All four shitennou finally took a moment of silence to mourn the prince's absence, all admitting that while very risky, it was something very admirable and heroic thing to do for his wife. What better proof that his devotion to her than sending her back safe and sound from a place where infinite pain and suffering is absolute.

Kunzite opened his eyes and came to realize a few things he needed to confirm with the princess present and ready to talk. What Jadeite said was true, no one could truly understand because no one has ever been in a place like that—nobody knows at this point what happened to her, what she saw, what she heard and what did Endymion say before they parted ways. "I will talk to Venus..." The first in command of the shitennou turned to Zoisite and the others, "We will go there first thing in the morning, we need to talk to her first."

"But Kunzite!" Zoisite widened his eyes, Kunzite sighed softly "I am putting all my trust in Megumi's hands... if Princess Serenity asked her the favor to take her away, it is because she is the only person she wants to have by her side right now. Maybe because she is the closest to understand her grief and fear of being alone in a place filled with terrors and then return to a place she can now barely recognize as her home,"

"It feels like things are falling apart beneath our feet..." Zoisite rubbed the bridge of his nose with uncharacteristic frustration, Nephrite frowned, "What do you mean?"

Zoisite looked up at his fellow comrades and let out a heavy sigh, "Mercury is worried about her health, she hasn't said much but given the circumstances... I think it is important we all are aware of it as well."

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.