Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife

Chapter Seventy-Two

Uranus waited in the hallway, right outside one of the guest bedrooms at the shrine and turned to Megumi who was walking her way with an unreadable expression in her face as she turned to walk into the bedroom for what would be the third time. The blonde senshi looked at her with unmasked concern but it was obvious she was still ashamed for all that has happened and mostly because she felt responsible for being part of the problem. Megumi was about to open the door but stopped midway, she didn't need to be told what was going on, far she knew and she couldn't keep ignoring the situation, not anymore. She tilted her head low and drew in a long breath and exhaled slowly, "She is alright," she simply said. There was nothing the blonde could recognize from the tone in the maiden's soft voice, no anger, no glee, no guilt—not even relief, there was nothing. It was just there, pounding like a fist in a dry wall, a truth she so much wanted to know but was too fearful to ask. Uranus nodded and leaned her back on the wall and crossed her arms not in her usual defensive stance but more like if she was trying to find some comfort, something that would assure her that things were going to be alright, "Thank goodness..."

Megumi stood still in the same position with her eyes fixed on her *tabi-clothed feet and closed her eyes, "She is awake... if you wish to go inside, I can wait here."

While she may not be able to read the tone in the maiden's voice, her choice of words was enough for Uranus to confirm the tension between them was real; she had to admit she wasn't too good at giving apologies, but despite what everyone thought of her, she did know how to accept her faults and face her mistakes—this was one of those moments.

"You're angry at me," Uranus tilted her head enough to look at Megumi and sighed, "And I don't blame you... I disrespected you by trying to kill the Prince... I deserve your anger," she gave her a shy glance, "I owe you an apology too, Megumi."

"It is not about what you said or what you did to His Highness, this is not about you, Lady Uranus," Megumi opened her eyes and turned to look at her, "It is about the aftermath, what is happening now." Her chocolate eyes narrowed, "I may be a weak and clueless woman, one that knows nothing about this modern life, but there is something that has been clear to me from the moment you found me and that is the closeness between all of you; the familiar closeness you have and how you look out for each other's back." She shook her head slowly, "But ever since Prince Endymion fell unconscious, there has been division—you took sides." Her voice started to break with emotion, clearly proving that she was also affected by the situation, "I cannot make you change your mind, Lady Uranus, and I cannot forbid you to be by the Princess' side because division is not what she needs, but support. I support her, I care for her—she is special to me and I cannot let you hurt her. Even with this powerless body of mine, I will look out for her."

Uranus widened her eyes with unexpected surprise to see the fragile girl they found months ago looking lost and helpless was no more. In front of her was a strong, confident lady that wanted nothing more but to be of help to everyone, even now, when she had gone against her prince she was there, helping her snap out of her thick sad cloud of remorse. With a soft smile, Haruka shook her head, "You are far from being weak and clueless. You are not powerless, Megumi, you are much braver than you think... much braver than me."

Megumi looked at her a little taken aback by the always unbreakable woman the senshi of the sky was known to be. This was a silent apology and Megumi could not feed the cause of division, this was a start to lift the heavy weight over everyone's shoulders and a fresh start to rebuild the trust that has brought them together as a family in the first place. Megumi's mouth curved into a small smile, "I will hold on to that compliment,"

Haruka smiled and gave the maiden a silent nod; finally making peace with the terran maiden. Megumi was about to walk into the room but stopped mid-way and turned to the blonde, "I think... you should go in. Now would be a good time to start healing old wounds..." she turned to open the door and stepped aside, inviting the blonde to walk inside. Uranus pushed herself off the wall and decided to listen to Megumi. As soon as she crossed the door, she spotted Mercury sitting on the bed next to the princess who was still trying her best to stay awake, and Venus close by the window next to Mars. The blonde leader was the first to notice the new visitor and widened her eyes, "H-Haruka..."

Uranus waved her hands apologetically and stood by the door, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to interrupt... I just wanted to know how she is doing but I can wait out—"

Mercury patted a wet cloth against Serenity's flushed cheeks. She turned to look over her shoulder and noticed the look in the sandy blonde's eyes was more anxious and worried than just of one who wanted to check up on her friend. She stretched her arm out with the cloth in hand and gave her a small smile, "I need to ask Megumi a few things, would you help me keep her cool?"

Uranus glanced at Venus, then a much quieter Mars and hesitated for a moment, "I—I..."

"Is it me or is it getting colder?" Mars broke the heavy silence and turned to Venus; both women knew the reason behind the strange change in weather but just like Megumi, they could see the worry in Uranus' eyes and they wanted to reinforce the bond that was between them and patch things up. Venus sighed and rubbed her hands, "It is getting colder," she pouted her lips, "Got any tea to make? Everyone's probably freezing at this point,"

"We're at a sacred shrine, there is always tea to make—come on, help me in the kitchen," the priestess looked at Uranus and smiled softly, "The Princess is in good hands,"

Uranus gave the priestess a much more relaxed smile and nodded as she grabbed the damp cloth and took Mercury's side on the bed next to Serenity and saw them leave the room. With a soft sigh, Uranus turned to pat the princess' forehead and blinked when she saw she was awake and looking back at her. Serenity blinked slowly and tilted her head on the fluffy pillow and let out a soft exhale, "Uranus..."

"Venus and Mars went to make some tea, Mercury went to check something with Megumi... I can go look for them if you want," Serenity shook her head and put her hand over Uranus', "No, I'm glad you're here..."

"How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?" The sandy blonde asked with worry, Serenity sighed and shook her head, "My pain is much more than just physical," she gave the taller woman a sad smile, "I know the girls are looking after me, Ami-chan is being a wonderful doctor to me but I am far from needing rest or medicine. What I need is resolution... I need truth, I need clarity..." she took a deep breath, "I need my husband..."

The last part of her confession made Uranus' feel a knot in her stomach when she remembered Serenity's words before dozing off, "Pray..." she narrowed her eyes, "What did you mean by that?"

Serenity's gaze shifted from hers and tilted her head low letting her long and lustrous piece moon-pearl hair fall over her face; Uranus saw her hands closed into fists and tugged on the blanket, giving her the cue to understand it was something with a much deeper meaning, "Princess..."

"Endymion said that to me in a dream... he asked me to pray..."

Uranus' widened her deep blue eyes; the princess remained in the same position but her voice started to quiver just by the mention of her husband's name, "That last moment... I know he tried to tell me something the circumstances were not allowing him to say out loud, and while there was a moment I felt I was deciphering his words and felt hopeful, right now, I am back to where I started... I feel lost, desperate... angry." Serenity took a deep breath and looked up at Uranus with glossy eyes, "Do you believe this is what we deserve?"

"No," Uranus shook her head, "No, Princess... I don't."

"I am not asking you as a Princess, Haruka, I am asking as a friend—your friend. All of you started calling me Princess but that's a choice you made; it shouldn't change things or who I am. It shouldn't change the fact that I'm your friend. Serenity is just a name."

Uranus leaned and wrapped her arms around Serenity to pull her closer in a loving and protective embrace. This simple question made her understand just how deep it was "No, I do not believe you deserve any of this. You don't deserve any of this, Odango-chan. Love is not a crime and it shouldn't be treated as such... I should have known this better than anyone. I should have been more understanding."

Serenity responded to the sandy blonde's hug and put her arms around her, finally putting an end to the awkwardness between them and sighed softly, letting her tears roll down her flushed cheeks, "Have Pluto ever mentioned to you how the future comes to be?"

Uranus shook her head, "No... but you know she mustn't break the rules imposed to her as Guardian of Time and Space."

"Do you think this is the foundation of a new silver millennium?" Serenity took a moment to pull back and gave Uranus a doubtful glance, "All that has happened makes me question everything I've seen in the past... it makes me wonder if, in the end, things happened the same; if the Queen I met back then is the same Queen I am supposed to be now... if she went through all this too, if she ever experienced this harrowing pain and sense of loss. If she fell into hell and the King went there for her to send her back." The pearled haired princess shook her head and frowned with confusion in her icy-blue eyes, "The more I think about it, the less sense it makes to me and the more I believe that woman wasn't entirely me." Serenity frowned, "And the same goes for the King, who decided to stay behind and keep quiet while the Endymion I know has disposed of that same mask that made him be a man shrouded in mystery and took full ownership of his place as warrior and monarch without hesitation." She shook her head, "I don't feel that's a reality, anymore."

"Then build something even greater,"

Serenity turned to Uranus who was looking at her with determination, "I don't know if things are supposed to go a certain way. If we are following something. I honestly don't think life is this predictable. If what you saw is what you will get. Odango-chan, if your beliefs don't match the ones you saw in that future, change it and do something greater. Be a different Queen, one you feel is the one this era needs, one that makes you feel like you're a part of it."

"Haruka..." Serenity blinked with awe; Uranus cupped her cheek, "This is you—now." She moved closer and held the princess' hands tight, "Now more than ever I believe you can truly change the world for the best regardless of what the gods think. You may be the Moon Goddess but you live here—you married the Prince of Earth, and you made this your home and not just that, it also allowed us to make this place our home too. If you need a louder voice to pray for your husband, I'll give you mine, if you need support, I'll give you every ounce of energy within me for you to fight, just don't give up Usagi... please don't give up."

Hearing the much simpler version of her name brought much-needed peace and reaffirmation to the princess' spirit, she didn't know she needed it until she heard it—to remind her she was still that girl that underneath it all, was a believer of love and that there was a reason for all of this. Serenity took a deep breath and nodded feeling much more at ease to know they were a team again but most importantly, that her loving friend was back. They stayed in silence, both grateful for one another. Words weren't needed anymore, everything had been said and to Serenity, this was better than any a simple apology she could have given her in the past because she could see the truth in her words reflected in her eyes and the strong will in her voice. After a little while longer, Serenity started feeling heavy again and dozed off when Megumi walked into the room with a cup of tea for the princess and found the blonde sitting on a chair in front of the bed. The maiden soon after traded places with her and offered to watch over Serenity so she could go meet the rest at the living room where they were discussing the recent events and planning a counter-attack.

The minute she entered the room, all girls and generals turned to an also civilian dressed Uranus and made an abrupt pause, making the sandy blonde break the awkward silence with a dry chuckle, "Yes, yes... I'm still here." Her light humorous words and the calmness in her voice immediately lifted the tension in the air, putting all grittiness between them to rest. Neptune's deep blue eyes gleamed with relief when she saw her lover come back and take a seat on the carpet, next to her, "How is she doing?"

"She is trying her best not to sleep but her exhaustion took its toll on her," Uranus took the porcelain cup Neptune slid on the coffee table and let out a soft sigh, "But deep down... she's having an emotional meltdown." Her eyes met the rest, then Pluto's garnet ones "She questions fate and the future she got to see years ago—she has started to question her as a future Queen and Prince Endymion as King of Earth, or, in this case... Crystal Tokyo."

"Ah, that..." Jadeite rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I remember Endymion mentioning something about it and what happens to this planet in the future but a part of me did not understand what he was talking about... I could not allow myself to believe it actually happened." His gray-blue eyes widened when he felt Mars' hand taking his and nodded, "Yes, it happened. A few years back we fought an enemy that came from the future. This 'entity' forged its way in the time-space corridor and infiltrated into this era—that's how we eventually met Pluto."

"She is trying to understand if her future-self went through all this to get where she was. She wants answers but the only one that can give her those answers, is you, Pluto." Uranus tilted her head, "So, I'll ask on her behalf... is this how the future comes to be?"

Pluto pressed her lips in a tight line for a few seconds and considered her options. This was a difficult position for her, a taboo she could not dwell in too deep and tell others, but she revolved around the idea of how unfair it was for them to hold on to a pocket in time where they got to meet their future selves. The olive-skin beauty let out a soft breath, "No,"

Everyone in the room fell silent, even Artemis and Luna, who were still dealing with the changes of having been transformed into their human form. Venus widened her cornflower-blue eyes and shook her head, "Wait... Pluto... what do you mean?"

"Time and Space are parallel forces, yes, but they're not linear," Pluto turned to Venus and the white-haired general sitting next to her, then to the rest who had the same shocked look on their faces, "Meaning, every single thing that happens in the past can affect the future in any way. Some things may remain and happen in different times under different scenarios but I cannot say with certainty if what is happening today happened to the Monarchs I once lent my powers—I am the Guardian of the Gates and Time, anyone with access to those doors can come to me for help but that doesn't mean it's a clear view into the future and while some things may be fated to happen others are superfluous and fickle."

"But then..." Mars frowned confused, "Does it mean the royals we met back then do not exist?"

"The King and Queen exist—it's them. There is no doubt about that, but how they live depends on the decisions they made back when they took their role as monarchs. It is a great possibility that their ruling began years after your battle with the Dark Kingdom ended, giving more sense as to why they ascended the throne when Neo-Queen Serenity was 22 years old."

Venus widened her eyes, "W-Wait... what?!"

"It does make sense..." Artemis frowned, "When we met the King, he never foreshadowed Saturn's awakening—the talismans, the duty or existence of the Outer Senshi, Sailor Galaxia, Chaos, or the Cauldron..."

"That's right..." Luna nodded, "And also, the Inner Senshi did not change... their uniforms... they never evolved."

Pluto nodded and sighed softly, "I know this is complicated to fully understand, it's about time and time is ever changing. Everything we do, give shape to who we are in the present and who we want to become in the future. It is clear to us by now that future started to change when we realized Crystal Tokyo didn't happen after the battle with Galaxia ended and how Princess Serenity didn't marry right away, gave birth to a child, and locked herself in a crystal palace by the age of 22. Instead, we all lead a different life and it was probably because of that vision we all had of the future. In that flux of time, Crystal Tokyo didn't happen after Galaxia, Saturn probably didn't wake, neither the Outer Senshi. There were no time-space infiltrations, nobody corrupted the frame of time, nobody infringed the laws of space, nobody played with fate and nobody traveled through time."

"Traveled... through time..." Mercury's eyes widened with surprise and turned at Pluto, "Then... does that mean..."

"Small Lady's constant traveling through time and space and the constant interactions with all of you may have ended up manipulating the flux of time at a greater scale. That is one reason, but also, Nemesis, the Black Moon Clan, and you, when you traveled back and forth from the 30th Century." Pluto tilted her head, "Everything... as big or little in importance changes things in the future." Pluto took a deep breath and let it go, "Everything, even stopping time. Time should never stop because it causes severe ripples and shifts in the continuum. Think of it as a tsunami... once it crashes and reaches the shore, it wipes everything in its path. Pockets in time and space can be created and at that time, Nemesis was defying the laws of nature by breaking taboos and the clan had to be defeated one way or another. There is certainly more as to why the King and Queen, along with the Sailor Senshi weren't able to prevent it and defeat them."

"Also, we were not there..." Jadeite frowned and looked at the senshi of time, "By the King's side... we weren't there, right?"

Pluto pressed her lips tight and shook her head, confirming the general's words. This truth hit everyone like if a ton of bricks just fell over them at the same time; there were two viable options from here, either they just came to aid the prince and will eventually die and go back to an inanimate state inside of a mineral stone while their souls go back to Limbo, or, the future actually change and they get another chance to recoup and continue with their lives like the girls have been doing. Jadeite seemed to be the most affected by this, but it didn't mean the same troubling thought echoed in the minds of the rest of the shitennou and the girls.

Venus felt a hole in the pit of her stomach as she remembered the conversation she had with Serenity days ago about the possibility of being Chibi-Usa the baby she lost in her recent miscarriage and how they wanted too much to hold on to the idea that the future they saw suddenly became real. It was true, what Pluto said; they have been living a life so far from what they saw all those years back as a result of having crossed a forbidden place in time, unconsciously or not, they did not want to live the same way they did thousands of years ago, they wanted freedom, they wanted to live the challenges and triumphs of adulthood and experience what it was like to be in charge of their own destiny. In the end, it wasn't about them blaming their nature as divine beings and senshi, it was how they were almost bound to leave everything behind for a future they were so sure it was going to happen one way or another.

Venus took a deep breath and tried to fight the tears burning in her eyes as she curled her hands into fists nervously, "So... Chibi-Usa..." she looked at Pluto with glossy eyes, "Is she..."

"She still could be born." Pluto muttered with the same held emotion in the back of her throat, "But, I really don't know... I understand the laws of time, not fate. I didn't get to see her again..."

Mercury closed her eyes and lowered her head, feeling sucked into the same emotional whirlpool as Venus when the same harrowing conversation she had with Serenity the day after she returned from hell happened. The same question that burned the princess to the very core, that broke her heart into millions of pieces because unlike the rest of the people in this world, Serenity was the only woman who got to meet the child she has with the love of her life years before she was even conceived. She looked after her, cared for her, and loved her so much she wished time would get faster to be able to hold her in her arms and really be able to call that beautiful baby her daughter. But now, the same heartbreaking fear that has been haunting the princess had started to haunt Mercury too and it felt like if a bucket of bricks just fell over her head. She couldn't help feeling vulnerable and extremely emotional; she looked up and locked eyes with Venus who was in the same condition for being the only one besides her that knew the princess' sad secret.

For the rest, the confession was also difficult to grasp and understand. Knowing that the existence of the little girl might be just something that happened in their minds was too sad to be true when they all got to know her and spend valuable time with her.

"Mercury?" Zoisite's warm voice startled her and turned to look at him, "I-I'm alright..."

"So, this means everything is changing," Jupiter asked Pluto with a soft voice, "All we believed was true, turns out it wasn't—not entirely."

"This is why my jurisdiction is a taboo." Pluto sighed softly, "Father always warned me to stay at bay with the strings of time and this is one of the reasons why. I finally understand that whenever he warned us about something is not because he knew but because he could sense the flow in the space-time corridor flowing differently. Father Chronos knew more than I'll ever will and if he prepared me for this is because he bent and broke several taboos to send the warning and set the course of time to this line where we were able to reincarnate in the same era, at the same place." She hugged herself, "It's finally clear to me what he did..."

"Pluto..." Neptune looked at her with worry, Pluto nodded and looked at the girls with determination, "Chronos asked me to help my kind. A titan warrior, one that needed to die first in order to be reborn in another time to fight the enemy then."

"Endymion," Kunzite's eyes narrowed with understanding, "He is who Lord Chronos was talking about all those years ago,"

Luna widened her eyes and turned to Kunzite, then to Pluto "A Titan..." Artemis nodded, "I see... it is all clear to me now," he brought his alabaster hand to his chin in thought, "I remember Lord Chronos mentioning this before... but he never said who this warrior was... so it is true, then? It was Prince Endymion all along."

"B-But... how..." Venus frowned and shook her head, deeply confused, "How are you so sure? And... Titans? They are a myth that went extinct according to all my studies... so then what God Ares said when Mamoru was awakened was true...?"

"The history of Titans and how their fate came to be is a subject Gods in Olympus wanted to treat with discretion." Artemis turned to Venus, "It is true some Titans were abrasive, violent, and some too cruel to rule—they were, after all, descendants and evolution of Giants. Their nature is raw and unfiltered, so is their source of power. They are ancient creatures with very strong powers—different from gods. But even with all that majestic power and control, there were those who did not want to live in misery and that believed in a better future so when those that fell into corruption tried to gain control over the divine realm and raised in arms, they went against their own kind and joined Zeus, Hades, and Ares, in battle. After the Titanomachy, many of them died, others were imprisoned in Tartarus, but those that helped shape this new era remained and followed the new divine laws of Olympians as gods, so they could co-exist with others and live in peace. Yes, it's true." Artemis looked at Pluto, "Lord Chronos, the God of Time and Space, was one of those Titans," his feline emerald eyes landed on the shitennou and Venus, who was holding Kunzite's hand, "And the Titan responsible for freeing the three pillars of Olympus and who took Ares under his wing was none other than Lord Helios, Titan of the Sun."

"Wait..." Venus felt her blood run cold, "Artemis... so what you're saying..."

"Acknowledging anyone as titan was almost like casting a spell, it was an unspoken word." Artemis nodded, "That is why gods made a great emphasis to tag everyone under one same category but the truth always comes to the surface, no matter how many times try to change the story. Titans exist and a few still remain."

"Artemis is right," Kunzite squeezed Venus' hand gently to catch her attention and looked at her, "Endymion is not a demigod as everyone thought he was. He is from titan descendance." The room fell silent. He continued, "Remember, Queen Gaia is Helios' granddaughter—she has never been a Goddess, but the Titan of Earth."

Everyone except for Pluto, the shitennou, and Artemis went into a turmoil of shock, Uranus included and quickly remembered the princess' words when defending her husband's ways of fighting. Neptune looked at Pluto with the same surprise in her ultramarine eyes, "Pluto... you are Titan too,"

All eyes landed on the senshi of time. Pluto smiled softly and nodded, "Yes, I am." She blushed and closed her garnet eyes, "So, it is left more than clear that we are far more refined than popular belief..." her eyes fluttered open when she felt Saturn's hand on hers and smiled. Mercury shook her head with disbelief and covered her mouth, still trying to process this new information, "So this means..."

Artemis nodded, "When Goddess Gaia broke the law and married the Terran King and consequently left the divine realm, the gods forbid all contact with Earth as a desperate measure to prevent another Titanomachy from happening, but it is not her who they had to protect themselves from,"

"Chaos..." Mars muttered with fright, "Chaos is a titan too..."

Artemis nodded, "And that is the truth behind his imprisonment. Chaos rebelled against Olympians and used his training as polemarchos and his ancient power as a titan to break a new war—a new Titanomachy."

"That is why Endymion has been labeled as a monster—a hybrid." Nephrite said from his place next to Jupiter, "His existence defies the divine laws since a titan and a mortal were not supposed to bear a child."

"Prince Endymion is a link between both realms. He alone could be an alliance between gods, titans, and mortals, and that is what the gods are so hesitant to see as something good." Artemis sighed softly and turned to Luna, who had her burgundy eyes fixed on him with clear shock, "I knew about the identities of those with titan descendance but it has always been treated as a delicate matter. We were not allowed to address them as such because the word itself became a taboo. Queen Serenity never mentioned it either, but her close and loyal friendship with Queen Gaia and Lord Chronos was enough for me to understand the situation and put the pieces together with time."

"Does Serenity know about all this?" Venus turned to Artemis with worry, "Where to begin to explain it to her?"

"She knows," Kunzite nodded, "She is well informed, and she now understands why their union has been seen as a crime—a vile act of treason. An Olympian of a very important Empire turned her back on her kind to share her life with who represents a disgrace to them—titans." He turned around to see Uranus, "This is why you were given the order to eliminate him."

"Exactly, Lord Kunzite," Artemis nodded, "To gods, Prince Endymion was born a sin—a curse, and his upbringing, his education, and consequent training in battle made of him a solid threat to them because he has proven what he's capable of. Back then, he was monitored. Every move he made was tracked down by Ares' soldiers, the High Gods, and even Queen Serenity, who in an attempt to look after her friend made matters complicated. Hades took interest in his soul because Endymion performed his duties as well as any other polemarchos despite his heritage, but also because they all fell under the strong belief that he is Chaos reincarnated."

Venus propped her elbows on her lap and hid her face behind her hands, "This all makes so much sense now and I feel awful..." she shook her head, "All the times I made my Princess suffer by pulling her apart from him... by telling her he was a threat to her... I was under that same disgusting belief,"

"But the question here remains," Mars crossed her arms and turned to Artemis and Pluto, "Is Mamoru the reincarnation of Chaos?"

"Chaos is a titan that sadly has lived for far too long, my daughter."

Everyone turned surprised to see Ares standing at the temple's porch wearing his golden armor showing the havoc of war. His always tight ponytail was loose, letting his long ashy-blonde hair fall freely down his back with some pieces stuck to the trickles of sweat condensed in his forehead; his breathing was hoarse like if he had been in motion non-stop and shook his head, as if he was showing remorse about something, "So, to answer such a lingering question, no, the Prince of Earth is not Chaos reincarnated. They are two different entities sharing the same dynasty and bloodline."

-O-

Ares ran down the long halls of Tristan palace in Saturn to find his brother, Hades, with hurry. Since the gates have been corrupted the lord of war had to take other routes and measures to get to his brother's realm, considering the gravity of the situation and how his presence if noticed, would disrupt even more danger to everyone in the cosmic and divine realm. Ever since he escaped Olympus with Zeus, he put his war plan into motion and have the army of polemarchos the order to tackle, fight, and report the level of damage already been caused in the universe while he set up a hideout in Saturn to work on their strategies with the help of his brothers, bringing the sense of familiarity and closeness to them that somehow got lost due the different jurisdictions that demanded more of them over time.

The guards opened the large heavy doors to allow the god of war walk inside Hades' study, where Zeus was with the lord of death discussing the current status of Olympus and the points in the alliance that has already been invaded and affected by Chaos' influence and an army of demonic shadows. The lord of thunder turned to his youngest brother but before he could say anything, Ares waved his hand to command the guards to give them privacy.

The large room had become a war cave with every monitor focused on every point of their alliance and marked parchments with hundreds of constellation maps notes pinned on long tables. As soon as the large doors were shut, Zeus turned to his youngest brother and frowned "Ares,"

"Omega has been compromised. The Emperors were attacked, so was their Sailor Senshi, Beta, and their army Commander, Alpha, who is in critical condition as we speak—his fate is dubious." Ares frowned, "Our fears are confirmed. He took it, the Centaur black hole and used its power to create a bigger void—I am talking about multiple pockets and openings in the space continuum. He has upscaled his game, Hades. He is playing with fate."

Hades pounded the marble desk with his fist and hung his head low, "That demon is taking over Olympus..."

"No, he is taking over the Universe, Hades. He is becoming a force of nature." Ares narrowed his eyes, "And the worse part of it is that he has not even started yet,"

"What do you mean?" Zeus frowned as he watched his brother walk to one of the tables with the maps pinned on them, "Centaurus managed to cushion a great part of the explosion. His status report: The star of Centaur is in grave danger of falling without the energy from the back hole Chaos stole. This only solidifies what we already know about Chaos, he is a master strategist, just like Helios. He prepared all this beforehand—all that has happened was planned. The sudden attacks, the shadows approaching, the unusual activity in the Underworld—Asteria's intervention. Everything."

"What about Hadar and Agena?"

"They are safe—Centaurus protected them from the attack and have been taken to Kinmoku for shelter while Omega purifies from the vile energy Chaos left behind."

"And Centaurus?"

"Injured, but, not gravely—for what I was reported from him and later, from both Emperors, Chaos took advantage of the power from the explosion to open a portal and disappear." Ares pointed at one of Hades' water mirrors he used as monitors, "This clearly explains he is suctioning energy from every brutal source available to recover, but he has already started to attack and take over strong points in the universe—planets had started falling under his corrupted nature and he is taking those with weak minds as hostages,"

"We still cannot track his whereabouts," Zeus frowned, "What about the other polemarchos' locations?"

"I have sent the order to Aegeus; they shall proceed as necessary," Ares clenched his jaw with concern, "But this is the first time I am concerned about how much they will able to repel and eliminate."

"Ares..." Zeus narrowed his grey eyes. Ares turned to his brother and shook his head, "Chaos is no longer a deity I can read and control anymore. He is no longer my pupil and I am no longer his master. I am afraid to say he even surpassed my skills by just being able to orchestrate all this from the prison he was locked into—not even Centaurus, who was his match in both skill and strength could stop him. This is a soulless Titan feeding from other's traumas and fears." His gray eyes landed on Hades, "How are the conditions in your realm, Hades?"

Hades shook his head, "You will not hear the answer you are looking for, Ares. The gates of the Underworld are sealed. The Alpha Galaxy is fully contaminated—the gates of Tartarus were forced open and that has brought serious consequences to the rest of the valleys in the Underworld. Styx, Erebus, Mnemosyne, Lethe, and Charon are taking charge of directing the souls to their respective place while Rhadamanthus, Minos, and Aeacus are suppressing the evil from spreading more and causing a breaking point at the entrance. Agamemnon is taking the front in the gates commanding the army of shadows to contain as much poison from spreading but it is taking too much energy and work to keep them under control. He has sealed the gates; no soul comes in and no soul comes out..."

"But demons are a different thing. So are the corrupted and vile—" Ares turned to look at the water mirrors again and watched the different areas already affected. This was far more difficult than when they were freed to fight the titans, this was a war that included deities of their own kind, this was irony at its best and now the tables have turned where they were facing the same cursed fate titans had to face millions of years ago. He felt life was slipping away through his fingers and everything they fought so much to achieve. The more he saw the images of entire planets being destroyed or left in misery state brought the image of the moment they were rescued from the prison he was being chained and condemned to be sacrificed alongside his brothers to feed the power of the corrupted giants and titans. It was still so vivid in his mind; the moment he saw the light of day and the moment he took a sword for the first time and followed every instruction given by Titan of the Sun. From that moment on, a new god of war was born and with him, a new league of soldiers that would change the course of divine laws.

After the war, Ares did everything in his power to be a worthy protector of Helios' legacy as a proper way to repay him for everything he had done not just for him, but for his brothers and what Olympus had come to be. He became his most loyal pupil and eventually, took his place by sharing that same ideology to other polemarchos until Chaos decided to turn against them. This was probably the hardest thing for Ares since he was fighting against none other but Helios' grandson, a titan god he met since birth and witnessed becoming one of the best, if not the greatest warrior he had seen, easily surpassing his own grandfather's in both strength and skill. With Gaia, he tried to implement the same teachings and while he succeeded in making a superb warrior out of her, she was too confused and hurt to confront her brother, the man once was only was able to smile for her. The truth was bitter but it could not be ignored. Without Chaos, there wouldn't be any opportunity for Gaia to be born. Gaia was a wish come true, the warmth and nurturing soul Helios' dynasty needed; a titan born to nurture and give life not to cause destruction but, in their need to keep a balance in the universe and spare them from the ravages of Chaos' brusque nature, she had to become more than just a creature of peace and become an unbreakable protector of the life that was already blooming on Earth.

To Ares, it was more than clear Chaos had grown too strong and too manipulative for them to stop him and imprison him so easily. Times were not the same and Chaos was too prideful to surrender—it didn't appeal to him to be forgotten and with that thought in mind, it came easy for him to take control over Tartarus and eventually break free. He was a force of nature and a state of mind, his existence ran deep down within everyone's minds and this time, he had to be stopped and not by imprisonment or a stronger seal. Chaos, living representation void and dementia couldn't be sealed anymore.

This is when things finally made sense to Ares. Even with all the support from all the polemarchos in the universe, this was not a war he could win. He needed a much stronger weapon, or better said, a much skillful warrior, one that could be as dangerous as him—a successor. Ares needed to rely on who could be a valuable match in battle and that could only be another descendant of Helios—his own kind.

"Hades, is there a way for me to get into your realm?"

"What?" Hades and Zeus turned with a stoic expression in their faces. Ares turned to look at them "I need to go to Tartarus, is there a way?"

"Ares, I have told you there is nothing left of that realm. Going there is suicide!" Hades' tension echoed in his always calm voice, "Try to understand, the hy—"

"The only thing we need to understand, Hades, is how we are going to witness this universe succumb to Chaos if we do not fight against him." Ares narrowed his eyes, "We cannot win this by just relying on our old ways of fighting—Chaos surpasses all this; he knows how we feel, how we think, he knows our every move. He learned from us, we have been nothing else but entertainment for him,"

"Ares—" Zeus frowned, "Now it is not the time to go our separate ways, we need to do this together, we need to join forces to fight Chaos and bring him down!"

"This is not a war we can win just by ourselves, Zeus!" Ares's thundering voice was charged with desperation, "Not even with a whole army of Polemarchos! Chaos knows them all, he knows each and everyone's weaknesses! How can I make you understand that all this is a game for him!"

Hades shook his head, "It is completely destroyed, Ares. Thanatos is a dead end, so it is the road that leads to that demonic realm. It has been long enough since Chaos broke free, by now that man's body has been devoured by the rabid energy from that place."

"I cannot accept it. I will not accept it until I see it with my own eyes."

"Why are you doing this, Ares?" Zeus looked at his brother with doubt, "We need to focus on how to save what is left of Olympus, Gaia is gone! She is dead! You cannot bring her—"

"—This is not about Gaia, Zeus. This is about what that young man represents. He is the good that is left of Helios' dynasty, his rightful successor... the only one left that can revendicate his family's place in Olympus and clear their names from the shadow cast upon them." Ares shook his head, "I cannot take a negative from you anymore, Hades. Enough is enough, this is not the time to be against each other."

Hades clenched his jaw as he saw the determination behind Ares' gray eyes; as much as he hated to admit it, the lord of war was right in one thing, the hybrid could have been a possible opponent for Chaos for the sole reason that if he was the one that could break the seal, he could be the one that could bring him down but the conditions in which he left the underworld were enough to believe such possibility was no longer viable; but he knew his brother, and sadly, he was as stubborn and prideful as he was, so for now, he had to step aside and let his brother see with his own eyes the inevitable.

With a flick of his hand and a low call, Agamemnon appeared before the three gods in a matter of seconds and bowed his head to show them his respects. Hades took a deep breath and raised his hand in expectancy, "Give me an update of the state of the Gates of Tartarus,"

"It is still a challenge to keep under control, Milord. The Gates have been severely damaged and the demons are desperately trying to come out. The area is poisonous and it has started to consume the rim between realms. If not stopped, grave dangers are upon us all."

Hades peered at his younger brother and motioned him to follow the commander, "Ares will go with you, show him the rim and the extent of damage in the Underworld. If Charon comes across, tell him I gave the order to sail you both to the closest opening to Tartarus."

Agamemnon widened his eyes, "Y-Yes, Milord."

Hades turned to see Ares and sighed, "I will keep the portal open but keep in mind that for the sake of everyone's lives, it cannot last for too long."

Ares nodded and followed Agamemnon and disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Zeus and Hades guarding the portal. Zeus closed his eyes and shook his head, "Is he really dead, Hades?"

Hades extended his arm to keep the energy flowing to keep the portal open and let out a heavy sigh, "Half of my demon servants are gone, Zeus. Cerberus, Hydra, Chimera, Empusa... when you rely on Medusa to help, is because things are critical; she is a double edge sword and she comes always as a last resort."

O—o—O

Ares didn't need to go too far to see the aftermath of Chaos' escape from Tartarus. What Hades once kept as one silent place was now plagued by the haunting sounds of screaming and crying. Where there were valleys now were soils of putrid flesh and bone and where there were once rivers of bioluminescent waters were now rapid streams of gore and lava.

The god of war couldn't believe his eyes, denied in the truth before him he turned to Agamemnon and nodded. "Milord," the commander pointed the points where the gates for every valley now stood under the threat of falling down, "All the dark matter you see there is the poison that has filtered from Tartarus—the pillars are weak and so are the gates. It is like stepping through cracked glass. Lord Hades has commanded us to seal each valley entrance so the souls resting in there would not be disturbed and while we have accomplished that to some extent, the demons are unleashed and are feeding on the suffering of those trapped in these waters."

Ares clenched his jaw for a minute, finally soaking into the scenario unraveling in front of him and turned to the demon shadows creeping close. He extended his arm and blast them with energy, instantly dismembering the bodies without any mercy, "Where is the ferryman?"

Agamemnon raised his arm in the air and sent a signal to call for the old man that appeared sailing the fetid waters in his bone longboat. As soon as he came close, the old man widened his fiery eyes when he recognized the man in golden armor next to Agamemnon, "Aye, Aye..." Charon could not help to hide his surprise and stopped by the shore of the closest edge between the Underworld and Tartarus, Acheron—the river of pain. The old man bowed his head to pay his respect to Ares and looked at him in the eye, "But if it is the God of War himself. Your presence only confirms the gravity of the situation, Lord Ares."

"Charon, it has been a long time since I last saw your face."

"That indeed, Milord. But this might be the worst of times for you to pay us a visit... considering the view—that is. There is not much where I could take you. I have been doing a lot of work for free for Lord Hades lately." He rubbed his bony fingers together, "My revenues are becoming thin, you see,"

Ares ran his tongue over his chapped lips to counteract the burning sensation and frowned, "Charon, I need you to take me to the closest shore to Tartarus."

"Nay, nay, God of War—that is not possible. The waters are—"

"I know what you did for the young Titan," Ares interrupted the old man with certainty in his voice, "I know you aided him in his quest to find Asteria and send the Moon Goddess back to safety," Charon widened his fiery eyes in surprise, "The boy,"

"Have you seen him?"

"Nay, nay... I have not seen his gallant face again, Milord."

Ares frowned, "Take me there, Charon. This is not a request, but an order."

"The rivers are overflowed, Milord. Goddess Styx and Goddess Lethe have brusquely changed their courses. Reaching the rim between the Underworld and Tartarus is non-existent at this point and if there is still one, is close to falling in shatters."

"I am not asking. Take me there,"

"Thanatos is in complete ruins, Milord."

"That is a risk I will take. I need to see the level of damage with my own eyes,"

Charon offered his bone paddle as a step for both Agamemnon and Ares to get into the bone ferryboat and quickly pushed it away from the shore and into the rapid putrid waters of the river of pain. It didn't take long for Ares to feel disgusted by the stench and covered his nose and mouth with his deep purple cape. Charon clenched his jaw and kept paddling, after a brief moment of silence, the old man let out a heavy sigh, "The entrance to Thanatos is where I last saw him, before all this happened, Milord." Ares turned to look at him and frowned, "And after that?"

"Not long after I sailed Lord Hades' daughter with the Goddess of the Moon back to the shore that would eventually take her to the fourth dimension and later on, the mortal realm. But the young Titan, I never saw him again." Charon continued paddling and extended his arm as he pointed the ruins on fire, "That was the road to Thanatos."

Ares frowned and stood by the edge of the boat and looked down, "I need to come closer,"

"Milord, the current is too strong!" Agamemnon widened his eyes and turned to the ferryman, "We can all get trapped in the gore of these waters!"

"I need to get to that shore! I need to get closer!" Ares raised his voice with command and turned to Charon, who nodded in response and started paddling to the rim of the tainted red waters. As expected, their presence caught the attention of many demonic creatures lurking in the shadows feeding themselves from whatever remains of scattered bodies that flowed from the dark pit and went after the lord of, who immediately unsheathed his claymore sword and slashed them into pieces as he jumped to the shore. Right after he landed, he rushed to what remained of Thanatos and consequently what was left of the gates of Tartarus.

He knew he was getting closer, it felt like an eternity, but he was sure he was getting closer as the fetid stench was becoming unbearable and the air was turning thick, making it difficult to breathe. Ares covered his face with his cape as he continued going deep into the dark mass of energy that was still flowing from the pit and widened his eyes in horror when he realized how far he had gone. His gray eyes couldn't entirely capture the picture of devastation flowing beneath his feet, the abyss where malice and hatred poured like a fountain and the winds were nothing but pure poison. Ares turned and saw the army of shadows under the command of Agamemnon were trying to maintain the barrier but the force was too strong to fight back.

"This is what remains—the rim no longer exists, it is merging. Tartarus is taking over..." Agamemnon stood by Ares' side and pointed out where the gates used to be, "It is not possible to survive under these conditions."

Ares watched in complete shock and horror and began feeling his body suffering the ravages of the poison flowing without control, his hands began to blister and his dry lips had started to bleed. His skin felt on fire and his eyes had started to miss focus, "Milord! We have to retreat!"

The god of war felt like if he had been punched in the pit of the stomach and all air had left his body. As much as he wanted to deny it, as much as he did not want to believe, Chaos had them in the palm of his hand. His eyes began to tear with both pain and desperation. With an incredible sense of loss, Ares hung his head low and closed his eyes, "Please forgive me Gaia... forgive me... I could not get to him on time..."

-O-

"Father!" Mars quickly went to the porch to help Ares walk inside but the god of war refused to take a further step. He raised his hand to stop her from coming closer and shook his head, "It is not safe for you, Mars." He looked at her with shame and sadness and shook his head, "My aura is contaminated, if you come any closer it will infect you,"

"But why?" Mars looked at him and saw his always impeccable golden armor was stained with what appeared to be black blood and widened her amethyst eyes and turned to Jadeite with urgency, "Please bring me water from the blessed fountain." The blonde general nodded and went to grab a bamboo bucket and ran over to the temizuya to fill it with clean water and came back shortly after. Mars watched Ares turning to take some of the water with a small bamboo bowl and let it fall over his head and face until he was completely soaked and let it wash the remains of debris and poison off him.

Ares wiped the droplets of water hanging from his long fringe and looked at Mars with pain in his eyes before diverting his gaze from hers and took a deep breath, "The gloom hanging in the air... it only confirms it even more..."

"Father..." Mars leaned closer, "What are you saying? What happened to you?"

"I have come from the remains of Thanatos," Ares looked up at Mars and saw Saturn was standing behind the priestess, "The rim that keeps the Underworld safe from Tartarus has been demolished, the seal has been breached—Chaos is free."

Everyone felt their blood freezing in their veins; Saturn shook her head stupefied by the news, this was one of the few times her always stoic and innocent face was marked with horror, "It is true then... Father had to do something with this tragedy..."

"Hades is one of the few that remains sane, Saturn. It is he, who has granted me permission to travel back and forth from Tartarus into this realm despite presenting a heavy threat to you all." Ares shook his head, "The Underworld is coming to a breaking point. He is trying his best to keep everything sealed but the poison and malice are too strong. If you have tried to contact him, this is the reason why you have not been able to create a connection."

"And... Chaos...?" Mars looked at her father with a worried frown, "H-How...?"

"Chaos has taken control over Olympus. I confronted him, but if I kept fighting him, he would have put the fates of countless deities in danger and I had no other option but to retreat. War has begun and I should not be here... but I needed to warn you now because I do not know if I will be able to return." Ares sighed and closed his eyes, "You need to be prepared,"

"God of War, you said you came from the rim of Tartarus..." Kunzite looked at the god of war with expectancy, Ares opened his eyes and nodded; already knowing what the white-haired general was trying to ask him, he shook his head, "There is nothing left... everything is completely destroyed."

Kunzite widened his eyes with horror but it was Jadeite that made clear what the god of war was fearing to say; the blonde shook his head and fell to his knees, completely shook by the news and started taking hoarse breaths, "This cannot be... this cannot be... no..." Mars went to his aid and wrapped her arms around him, "Jadeite..."

"No... it cannot be..."

"It cannot be..."

"No... no..." Jadeite shook his head, trying his best to treat this with any remains of wittiness and playful sarcasm, "You are trying to fool us... you gods always making everything so dramatic... he would never... he would never..." He shook his head and let his tears roll down his cheeks with panic, "He would never be so stupid to let himself die... he would never... no..."

Nephrite and Zoisite stayed behind with their heads low while Kunzite tried his best not to break character but felt like if a cannonball just hit him right in the stomach. Pluto felt like if her body stopped responding, all she could hear were the echoing sobs from the blonde general and the panic gasps of air from the girls. Ares looked up but before he could say something else to explain what has been happening, he spotted Serenity standing inside the temple looking at him with an unreadable expression, "Serenity..." He widened his gray eyes when he saw her storming toward him without paying attention to no one else and slapped him across his face twice with rabid anger.

"Princess!" Luna and Artemis tried to stop her but surprisingly, Mars pulled them back and shook her head, "Don't,"

"Mars..." Luna looked at her with surprise but the priestess didn't flinch with her decision, "She needs this... she needs to let it out,"

"I curse your existence! I curse the moment you came for him! I curse you God of War! Damn you! Damn you all!" Serenity pushed Ares down the stairs of the porch and followed him as he got up from the ground, only to be pushed back with her fisted hands, "It's your fault!"

"Princess..."

"I blame you for everything! This is your fault!" Serenity slapped him in the face again and pushed him back, making him lose his balance. "How could you!? How could you do this to us?! Why do you hate us so much!?" She shook her head and slapped him again, "You and your stupid pride and your fucking honor! Damn you God of War! Damn you all!" She fell to her knees without care and covered her face, "Noooo! Noooo! Nooooo!"

Ares couldn't help feeling completely broken by the princess heavy sobs and pulled her closer, taking every punch and slap she was giving him without complaint. There was nothing he could really say to make things better, there were no words to describe the tension in the air and how he should have done things to avoid all this mess. He knew he was responsible, ever since the prince's life was threatened twenty-one years ago, he intervened because he knew he would be the one that would put an end to what was wrong with his family. He believed in the prince when no one did, when no one wanted him to be alive and he really wanted to see him succeed, he really wished for him to take Helios' place in Olympus.

Serenity held tight from Ares' arms and hung her head low, "What happened?"

Ares closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Serenity..."

"I need to know what happened..."

"Chaos is free—the Andromedian breached the seal,"

Serenity widened her eyes and looked up at the god of war, "Athamas..." she frowned and shook her head in horror, "N-No... that can't be... he's dead! I saw him die!" She pulled back, "Endymion killed him! I saw... how he killed him..."

"The Andromedian is possessed, Serenity, he is no longer the man you knew as a soldier back then. There is darkness in him that Chaos finds valuable, he is feeding on him until he is no longer useful." Ares sighed, "As for Endymion, I do not know more... I just came from Inferno's pit. The rim that divides the Underworld from Tartarus is close to being no longer existent. Everything is in crumbles."

Serenity shut her eyes tight and took a deep breath, her grasp tightened and held to dear life to Ares; she shook her head, "Endymion is not dead..."

"Serenity..."

"No, no—he's not dead! I know he's not dead! He can't be dead... otherwise, he wouldn't..." Serenity opened her tear-glossed eyes, "He wouldn't..."

"I'm here... even if you can't see me... I'm here..."

His deep, warm voice echoed in the back of her mind when she remembered her dream with him and shook her head, "No..."

"Pray... my soul is yours..."

There was something inside Serenity's mind that snapped her from reality. She felt her chest constricting and everything around her turned into a big blur, all sound became an echo, she didn't feel cold, she couldn't feel any more pain—she had reached her peak. She broke. Her hands let go of Ares and pushed herself away and walked past him, completely ignoring the icicles crystalizing on the ground, freezing the soles of her bare feet as she walked away from the shrine like a lifeless spirit.

Megumi widened her eyes, "Where is she going?!" She tried to go after her when she saw Ares quickly turning to try to stop her from walking any further from the shrine's grounds, "Serenity!" His hand tried to grab hers and widened his eyes when he saw the moon symbol shining in her forehead, proving the divine and royal blood running through her veins. The more she cried the more the crescent moon became clearer and much more intense; she extended her arm and threw a blast of energy at him to move him out of her way as she continued to walk down the long road of stairs that led to the street. Venus watched in panic and hurried after her, "It's happening again... we need to bring her back!"

"Pray..."

For every step down she took, she remembered her husband. Every single smile and every single tear, the sound of his laughter, the sound of his voice. The way he said her name. His scent, his heartbeat, his warmth. Their level of intimacy and how they promised to stay together even in the afterlife. Serenity let her sorrow take possession of her like any other demon would and looked up at the dark sky when she heard the echoing sound of growls coming close again and frowned with anger marking her beautiful face and raised her hand "Silver Moon Crystal Power—Make Up!"

Venus widened her eyes when she watched the princess being engulfed in a strong beam of light that soon changed her dress into her sailor senshi uniform, "Princess!"

It wasn't long until the strange noises caught the attention of everyone else and in a quick motion the girls and shitennou transformed back into their battle attire while Megumi was pulled back inside the temple by Luna and Artemis and turned to Saturn who had taken a stand in front of them as she held her intimidating silence glaive across her body, "I will guard them—go with her..." She turned to Pluto and narrowed her eyes, "My moment isn't here just yet..."

"Saturn..."

"Go after her, they're coming again. I'll stay here, I will keep them safe!" Her violet eyes narrowed, "But whatever happens, Pluto, do not stop time."

Pluto nodded and ran out of the temple with Uranus and Neptune behind; Saturn tightened her grip on her silence glaive and took a deep breath, "Silence—Wall!" The young senshi turned her glaive and stomp it on the ground, creating an orb of magnetic field protecting them from any attacks that may come from outside.

"Where did she go?!" Uranus frowned as she ran down the long stairs, her deep blue eyes widened when she spotted her using her royal moon tiare as a weapon to strike the creatures crawling at her in a pace and coordination none of the senshi or shitennou have seen before. Her secret training with Endymion shone with magnificent skill, proving her level of fearlessness.

Kunzite turned to Venus to confirm the silent command of battle and signaled the other shitennou to take position and widen the perimeter of defense and raise a barrier to protect the princess as she prepared to attack. Jadeite ran and pointed strategic points of attack and raised his hand to call for his sword and slashed the shadow creatures in one single move to open the way for the others to pass through.

Nephrite brought his hands together and gathered enough energy and threw the blast at the monsters, "Starlight Attack!" He turned to Jupiter and nodded; Jupiter repeated a similar motion as Nephrite and turned on her axis and threw a brutal mass of electric charge, "Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!"

Sailor Moon turned and kicked the enemies without any fear crossing her beautiful face, she turned fast again and swung her long scepter across her body and sent flying another dark demon. Kunzite ran towards the princess and unsheathed his pink quartz sword and jumped high in the air to cut the head of a demon close to attack Sailor Moon when she turned to look over her shoulder and glanced at a demon that was running toward her too fast for her to make a different stance and cover but before it could touch her, it fell cut in half and turned into a pool of tar at her feet.

The first in command shook the blade to the side to get rid of the tar-like substance off his sharp blade and looked over his shoulder at the princess, "I can see his skills manifesting in you, Princess, and it makes me proud. I serve my leader and will follow your command in battle but I will not allow you to stain your hands with their putrid blood—use me as your weapon instead."

Sailor Moon looked at him and then at the deformed youma coming their way and both took position, Kunzite raised his shining blade and narrowed his grey eyes, "I do not know who we are going against this time but we will defend this planet until the very end. You are our light of hope, Princess Serenity, we will not surrender."

Sailor Moon looked at the youma and stomp her silver tiare on the ground and let it stand on its own, very much like she did hours earlier. She extended her arms wide and channeled her inner power to activate the power of the stone sitting at the top, "Moon Healing—Escalation!"

In an enchanting dance of strings and ribbons of bright silver light, the crystal shone in all its glory through the shadows and the tar pooling the surface from the sewers and dark corners. Kunzite felt the burn in his eyes of unshed tears as he watched the princess take a stand on her own in the line of battle in honor of her husband and the dream they have cherished as the most precious of treasures. This was Endymion's legacy on her, the strength, the determination and the will to carry on despite feeling broken inside; this was the true heart and spirit of a warrior and Kunzite couldn't feel prouder to be at her service.

O—o—O

As they ran away from the shrine, Mercury activated her smart goggles and started studying the territory, "It can't be..."

"What is it?" Jupiter turned to the blue-haired senshi, Mercury shook her head, "This is the same as when Asteria was crossing into this world—it's the same energy,"

"What?!" The thunder senshi turned to look up at the roaring sky and frowned, "Then... does it mean she's... not really... dead?"

"Or that someone else has opened a new portal from the Underworld." Mercury pointed in the direction Venus ran off and quickly jumped away from the youma's coming close to attack, "Mercury—Aqua Mist!"

Ares frowned and turned to look up at the sky, "A gate from the Underworld has opened..." he turned to Mars and extended his hand out for her to hold. Mars widened her eyes when she felt a rush of energy flowing inside of her, a fire that could not be put out to extinction, "Go after the Princess, aid her in battle,"

"Father—"

"I will take matters here," Ares frowned and let go of his daughter's hand, "Go,"

Mars nodded and left with Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto to find the princess. Ares narrowed his grey eyes and raised his hand to call for his golden claymore sword, "Of course... it had to be you," he turned to look over his shoulder at Eris, who was standing on top of a pillar wearing a black gown that matched the pitch dark of her long tresses, "Greetings my dear... how long it has been since I last saw your daunting-looking face," she smirked with confidence, "And I must say... pain suits you."

"I thought I made myself clear when I said I wanted you out of my sight,"

"I cannot do that, Ares, not when there are mutual interests on the line,"

"Interests?" Ares rested the blade of his large sword over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at Eris, "What can a shadow demon like you can possibly be interested in other than making everyone miserable?"

"Chaos escaped as you probably know," Eris crossed her arms, "Your biggest fear has become a reality,"

"And I would not be surprised if you have taken his side," Ares shook his head, "But, what? Are you here to claim my head?" Eris narrowed her eyes, "No, I am here to take something of much more value," she smirked, "By the way, where is our daughter? I would like to say hello."

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

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

A/N: I want to thank you for leaving a message on the last chapter. Reviews are the true fuel to my inspiration for this story.

Additional Notes:

*Tabi足袋 are traditional Japanese socks dating back to the 15th century. Ankle-high and with a separation between the big toe and other toes, they are worn by both men and women with zorigeta, and other traditional thonged footwear.