Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife
Chapter Seventy-Six
In fields of gore and scorch the soft rhythm of footsteps echoed melodically with the cringing and heartbreaking sound of people affected by the unforgiving force of war. The aftermath was always more difficult than the battle itself, Gaia thought with bitterness as she stood in the middle of a bloody field, bruised, dirty, and with a golden sword tightly secured in her hand. Her knuckles had turned white for the amount of force which she was holding it, it was clear that her opponent was no easy one; someone close, one that knew her like an open book. Someone with whom she shared the same blood.
Her indigo blue uniform glazed proudly with the sheen of its golden armor across her chest and shoulders. Her roman pleaded skirt in the same blue color scheme moved with the thick, poisonous wind; thick leather belts wrapped around her waist securing the scabbards of her magnificent weapons in place. Her dark colored high boots reached up to her golden armored thighs, wrapped with the same thick straps of leather. A long dark blue and gold lined cape flowed on her back like a protective, yet intimidating mantle, showing her high rank as a warrior. On her head, a golden studded tiara with long spikes on the sides gave the appearance of golden rays of the sun, paying great homage to her descendance. Her long black hair flew with fiery grace behind her back after the tie keeping it together ripped while in battle and now was clouded with the ash of burnt corpses.
Her hazel eyes slowly changed colors, between shades of forest green to gold, with tears still very hesitant to roll down her dirty cheeks as she looked at her target with a stricken-looking face. She walked without paying attention to the fallen, the echo of her heels in par with the pounding sound of war. At this point for her, it was not going to help if she showed any signs of mercy toward those that worked under his corruptive command.
Once fallen, it was all the same. The ground belonged only to those that were still standing; Ares made sure to teach her how to strip all emotion from her whenever she had to take her place as a warrior and engrave such words in her mind.
Gaia kept moving forward despite the cries and harrowing whispers of pain asking for help, down the road she remained, steady and with so many questions still echoing in her mind.
Chaos turned to look over his shoulder with an expressionless face. It was always too difficult to read him in comparison to other warriors and polemarchos. With a double-bladed glaive held in the same regal fashion she held her sword, the titan of void waited for his little sister, the titan of earth, to come closer with an expectant glare. If there was something that could prove the man had any sort of life flowing through him was his prismatic eyes, so rich in color and yet so cold and distant. He fully turns to face her, in his own black and gold armor and long cape. His long black hair was tight in a sleek high ponytail that exposed his alluring glare and beautiful face that just like Gaia's, it was now stained with specks of dirt and blood.
No words were needed, they both knew what this fated meeting meant and which stand they took in this merciless war.
In the same cautious fashion, Chaos started moving toward Gaia without glancing down at the mess of corpses pilled at his armored feet. With slow, larger strides, different from his sister's, the polemarchos kept moving until they were just mere feet away from one another and gave the young warrior what he ever gave anyone else. The end of his luscious lips curved in the faintest of smiles, one he learned to master with time. But despite it was barely there, it made the whole meeting much more bitter because it was something he knew what could do to her. Gaia felt the sting in her heart but didn't want to respond to his gesture, she didn't want to give recognition that he had hurt her and that she had missed him ever since Helios gave her his place and become as a sailor warrior, and consequently a polemarchos—the first of their kind. The only woman that broke the mold and earned valuable recognition among her peers after struggles and misconceptions.
They stayed in silence looking into their prismatic eyes for an unmeasured period of time; none of them knew, none of them cared. It was the breaking point in the close relationship of care and admiration between a sister with her older brother that once existed, many years ago. It was a silent goodbye.
The private moment between them was so intense to see, it meant the culmination of a generation divided by different perspectives and ideals of what a future should be, the faces of right and wrong; of curse and redemption. Gaia tried, she really tried, but her eyes could no longer hold her tears and without noticing had started to fall, staining her face.
"Cur clamas?" (Why are you crying?) He asked nonchalantly. Between sobs, Gaia shook her head but did not say anything to Chaos who was now threatening her life with his own weapon pointed right at her. Something in his alluring eyes changed and now, he looked at her with disconnection, like he would with any other enemy—a stranger, "Si non armis capax superbia, ut de itinere me et nolite vastantes mea est." (If you are not capable of holding a weapon with pride, get out of my way and stop wasting my time.) he said with elegance in his deep monotone voice.
Gaia shook her head again while still showing the pain of having to fight him in her eyes. Chaos narrowed his amber eyes and stared at the people standing behind Gaia creating a barrier to keep the raging and burning flames she summoned to protect everyone from their inevitable encounter. He arched a brow, "Hac via elegisti igitur haec duo extranei facti rationes divinas. Quibus fides tua erunt suis ignominiam tuam: et in verbis meis adtende. Parantur simplicitate, stupidis, et infirma."
(This is the path you have chosen then, this is what we have become—two strangers on divine grounds. Those beliefs of yours will be your own disgrace, mark my words. You are being naïve, stupid, and weak.)
"Quid mihi et tibi est?" (What have you become?) Gaia narrowed her eyes and pointed her golden sword at him showing less hesitation than before. In response, Chaos gifted her a twisted smirk, one too far from the faint genuine smile he gave her just moments ago.
"Tua pessimum somnum exterreri solebat." (Your worst nightmare.) he shook his head with deception as the ground started to rise in flakes of ash and debris. After that, there was not much else to be done, destiny had taken its course, so did fate.
-O-
Gaia stood in the middle of the garden in her shrine looking at the water slowly dripping to the many pools of the large stone fountain. Beautiful in her cerulean gown, the queen of earth waited for something she knew was inevitable; she was aware that her actions would cause ripples and that it was a quiet invitation for fate to cross the gates of her pocket in time. She felt it, blood calling blood. It hadn't been long since it happened and she knew it was just going to be a matter of time. She knew him too well and she had loved him too much, but even love had a limit—even love could be let go.
"Alios duos annos et tempora currerent; eandem esse memoriae. "
Gaia took a deep breath when she heard that deep voice she never imagined she would listen to again and closed her eyes, "Sunt quae utcumque conamur oblita animorum sculptum manent. Sicut vulnus, quod non sanatur."
(There are things that no matter how much we try to forget, they remain carved in our souls. Like a wound that never healed.)
"Et odium pro dilectione mea es tu tamen tam vivus sicut et ego hodie; sed nunquam cedere in memoriam et blandimenti meus dulcis ...soror."
Gaia slowly turned around and found Chaos standing by the garden gates of her secret shrine still looking at her the same as the last time they met. Even though millenniums have passed, despite the careless way his long hair fell down his back and covering half of his face; Chaos remained the same. He was the same elegant man she remembered; haunting and beautiful.
She couldn't fight the feeling of nostalgia, just to see him was enough to open pandoras' box and remember all things that happened between them, good and bad. But unlike him, Gaia had changed—she had moved on. Experience, knowledge, and age had enriched her life enough to make her understand how things came to be and accept those she could not change. She learned how to trust no matter how much her heart could get broken in the process and she learned how to delegate; how to let things go and put fate in other people's hands. But the most important was that she learned how to believe that any sort of emotion given to him was at this point, worthless.
Their bond was torn millions of years ago.
"Carcerem tuum est hoc? Semper durus es fatum non est in occursum tuum ad inferos. Et fugit in conspectu tuo redde tu debitum… et creavit te in medio nusquam... haec, omnia procul ab ea et a minimo usque dilectus tuus ex Terra."
(Is this your prison? I always knew you did not meet your fate in the underworld. You escaped before you could pay your dues... so you created this... in the middle of nowhere, far away from everything and everyone, even your beloved Terra.)
Gaia narrowed her hazel eyes, "Et vide oculis tuis sunt usque in errorem mittentes. Latebat in umbra veri, et adhuc ostendere voluit, qui vere sunt aliquid, quod non repraesentet."
(I see, your eyes are still beguiling. Hiding their true shade. You still have decided to show something that does not represent who you really are.)
Chaos lips curved in the slightest grin ever, "Oculi mei?" His eyes narrowed, "Quis ego sum vere? Ego sum id quod sum, Soror. Oculis tuis cogita idem facit. Nos nati sumus sub eodem genere sunt eiusdem generis, sed dissimilis nos et vos, et placuit tibi ut sentio magis deterius humana non habent interest in aliquid non sum exprimens."
(My eyes? Who I really am? I am what I am, Sister. My eyes reflect the same thing as yours does. We were born under the same lineage, we are the same kind but unlike you, who decided to lower yourself to feel more human I do not have an interest in portraying something I am not.)
Gaia stood her ground, "Qui non sunt oculis proposita participat avus noster; non fallunt omnia, Chaos. et non sunt idem. Oculi mei, tu dicis? Ista sunt coloris—pravum."
(Those are not the eyes of someone who shares the ideals of our grandfather; do not mistake things, Chaos. You and I are not the same. My eyes, you say? They are the same color as yours—deceitful.)
"Non, non utique. Non est similis tui et non violabile spiritum. Capio, non dare."
(No, of course not. I do not have a breakable spirit as you do. I take, not give.)
Chaos stepped inside the garden and looked around. The clear light filtering through the thick foliage of the trees and greenery didn't reflect in the dark of his hair or uniform, "Et erant semper venereum, Gaia. Semper quaerit quod defendi non possit manu conserva. Quare hic factus est in prodigium?" (You were always a romantic, Gaia. Always trying to keep safe what cannot be protected. Is this why you became his prodigy?) His hand touched the leaves of a large plant by the fountain and let it wither and turn to ash so as everything around him and looked at the titaness in blue, "Si enim tantum potuerunt videre ruinam. Ex peccato mortali Olympo, quanto Titania natura operam perdidisti. Omnibus est inutilis," (If only he could see your fall. From Olympian to mortal, how much you have wasted your Titan nature. It was all for nothing.)
"Natura mihi numquam dubium vocarentur," (My nature was never questioned,) Gaia's hazel eyes followed the man in black pinching the leaves and petals of her well-preserved garden as he walked toward her, "Nec?" He says with slight mockery in his rich voice, "Et quomodo venit in esse maledictæ reliquiæ tuæ? Quomodo non erat iudicium ut vivat in aeternum in Lethaeo flumine?" (Then how come they cursed your existence? How come they sentenced you to live an eternal life in Lethe's river?)
"Cur non ad te pertinet?" (Why do you care?) Gaia followed her brother with her eyes as he kept moving around the garden, "Quid autem magni momenti est hoc?" (Why is this important now?)
"Errat igitur possis videre factus es mihi in eundo. Noctem cunctamini. Et tamen non iubereris occidere et suscita mihi gladium, pro te vincula mea. Et oblinito vos fascinavit me." Chaos narrowed his eyes, "Et noluit ea et feceris. Et quia ratio credendi prodiderat tua te alta et recta essem scirem. Et cognovi quod pulchrum erat praetorem contentio."
(So you can see the mistake you made by going against me. That night, you hesitated. You were ordered to kill me and yet you could not raise that sword and get to me, instead, you imprisoned me. Put a spell to seal me away. You did not want it and yet you did. You betrayed your own belief system because deep down you knew I was right. You knew what I was doing was fair, the natural course of nature.)
"Aequum?" (Fair?) Gaia frowned, "Numquam crediderunt occidendum. Iustitia? Post te? Denique iam fecisti? Est nihil ex eo." (I never believed in murder. Fairness? After everything you did? After everything you have done already? There is nothing left of it.)
"Sed tu eos ad implevit homicidium. Et factum est Pater mi cor. Et factum est, et Helios Ares tria cor."
(Yet, you committed murder for them. You made dear Father proud. You made Helios and Ares proud.)
"Non erat de superbia, Chaos, non opus est cessandum est." (It was not about pride, Chaos, you needed to be stopped.)
Chaos arched his brow, "Et cognovi quod non ad factum." (You knew that was not going to happen.) He crossed his arms, "Te semper cum timore vixit. Etiam in Leti Tartara caeruleosque potui sentiunt. Metallia satis esset excutite fiducia tua et faciet, et pavebunt fugientes habitas." (You always lived with fear. Even in Tartarus, I could feel it. Metallia was enough to shake your confidence and make you live with dread.)
"Quid est quod vis, Chaos?" (What is it that you want, Chaos?) Gaia said in a cautious tone, the slight low notes of her voice echoed the similarity of Chaos', proving they shared more than the characteristic beauty of Helios' dynasty, the dark color of their hair, and the majestic lure of their eyes. Chaos' amber eyes narrowed, "Quid habes ut mea et veni huc, ut sumeret eam." (You have something that is mine and I came here to take it back.)
Gaia sighed, "Diceris esse omnipotentiam, non recte facta tui." (To be as omnipotent as you say you are, you do not have your facts straight.)
"Quod crystallo, Gaia, in quo est?" (The crystal, Gaia, where is it?) Chaos voice deepened with threat, "Dare te melius ad me et nolite vastantes mea est." (You better give it to me and stop wasting my time.)
"Aut quid? Centauri in vobis tradet me feceras?" Gaia raised her voice, "Prodiderat avi similis tui? Amo te prodiderat navus nobis? Et domus tui familia?"
(Or what? Are you going to betray me like you did with Centaurus? Like you betrayed our grandfather? Like you betrayed us? Your own family?)
"Familia?" Chaos broke character for a fraction of a second and let out a dry scoff, "Dum fuimus una? Helios non avus nobis, Gaia. Ubi uix ullos numquam, se oculis intuitus esset alienum. Familia, te dicere? Et amavit pater illius pugnam animam viventem atque arma habere volebant, sed nihil arbitrio suo et matri quam alii, nisi quod cogitatur de egenis pertinebat eius et familia eius. A natura propria mulieris gradiebatur maledicens et eam urgentes vehementer declinare anniteretur imitantur autem vita est Olympium, urgentes vehementer declinare anniteretur fit in societatem eorum? Tu melius quam quis debet scire, non sunt tractata contritum quasi pupa, quia anima nostra cum manibus habens alabastrum papularum, lucentis maculæ, et matrem tuam quotiens vidit contritum labrum. Et primo depre Gaia cum nobis, et sanguis in venis currens et conatus ad convertendum nos nimis. Cur enim non detestatur? Quid enim habemus, ut taces? Non sum qualis sit et bellum ludibrio circum quod Aris voluit esse et non potius tradam misogynous fratrem suum. Et Rex Deorum. Ego nihil nobis regem."
(Family? When were we one? Helios was not a grandfather to us, Gaia. We barely ever saw him and whenever we did, it was like looking into the eyes of a stranger. Family, you say? With a father that was obsessed with battle and that wanted nothing more but to have living weapons at his disposal and a mother that only cared what others thought of her and her family. A woman cursing her own nature and desperately trying to imitate the life of an Olympian, desperately trying to fit into their society? You better than anyone should know, you were treated as a broken doll, it disgusted our mother whenever she saw your alabaster hands with blisters and a broken lip. She was disgusted Gaia, with us, with the blood running through our veins, and she tried too much to convert us. Why are we an abomination? Why do we have to keep silent? I was not going to sit and be played around like a war toy as Ares wanted me to be and I was not going to give more power to his misogynous brother. The King of Gods. I serve no king.)
Gaia felt the truth of Chaos' words and she felt torn. For centuries, this mere fact was something that had marked her existence and the reason behind her actions after she left Olympus and her duties as soldier, goddess, and polemarchos aside. Chaos did not need to stain his words with emotion to know it was the closest he could perceive as frustration and pain. For a moment, Gaia understood him. For a moment she could see why he rebelled; he allowed her that much.
Helios was a man that always kept his distance. He was not cold but there was always an invisible wall around him that made you keep your distance with him. She remembered Nut always complaining about how she never understood him and how much she hated the choices he had made for her family. Her own father had turned her back on her and had sent Ares to kill her and her son, her mother called her worthless for falling in love with a mortal and for not meeting the standards of a woman her status should always prove to the universe.
Chaos was right, in reality, there was no family. It was just a swarm of pride, duties, and honor and now, it was taking her breath as she tried to fight her tears.
"Essem tua familia, Cho..." (I was your family, Cho...)
"Familia ne mittat familiam ad infernum," (Family does not send family to hell,) Chaos narrowed his golden eyes and turned nonchalantly, "Non mittet in circuitu eius familia maledictionem in domo, sed tamen, quod factum est. Et melior est quam scire quis et pro magno pretio."
(Family do not cast a curse on family, but yet, it happened. And you better than anyone knows there is a high price for it.)
Gaia widened her eyes in horror, "Quid est?" (What?)
"Oculum pro oculo, Gaia. Dic mihi, quomodo sentiunt? Numquid amarum? Quid placet? Lex talionis. Tradis me, et ego contemneris. Interrogabo vos quod vir inferno amator est mortalis."
(Eye for an eye, Gaia. Tell me, how does it feel? Is it painful? How is it like? The law of retaliation. You betray me and I will betray you. Ask your mortal lover what hell is like.)
Chaos snapped his fingers and in a curtain of smoke, all the beauty neatly preserved had started to wilt in the same flakes of ash and decoy that once surrounded them in that field of war. "Solvit pretium pro familia tua stultus proditione ac iudiciis. Primum illam tuam esse mortale hybrid virum tuum et progenies."
(Your family paid the price for your betrayal and stupid decisions. First, it was your mortal husband then your hybrid scion.)
"Monstrum," Gaia looked at her brother with rage manifesting in her eyes, "Daemonium!"
"Aureus Crystalli, Gaia." (The Golden Crystal, Gaia.) Chaos extended his hand with authority, "Interrogabo vos et ego non. Nihil reliqui iam deditio," (I will not ask for it again. You have nothing left, surrender it now.)
"Ego illud non habent," (I do not have it,) the terran queen frowned, "Nihil enim ad deditionem ego custodem suum non adesse. Ad caelestis elegit, et non est tibi." (There is nothing for me to surrender, I am not its guardian anymore. The crystal has chosen, and it isn't you.)
Chaos stepped toward her with raw annoyance until he was just inches from her and narrowed his golden eyes as he wrapped his hand around Gaia's delicate neck without remorse, "Omnino conatus sum conservare meum non te occidere sed hodie te non interficiam eo quod in suis operibus considerant de eodem sanguine, Gaia. Me tangere anima mea cor tuum parcens vobis est melius, hoc tempus ante dic mihi patientia incipit currere."
(I have been trying my best not to kill you but I will not put into consideration the fact that we share the same blood, Gaia. I will not touch my heart to spare your life this time so you better tell me before my patience starts to run low.)
"Cordis? Nemo est tam intra vos est. Quid acturus es? Mitte ad Inferos? Tartara mittit? Mors faciet vobis. Hoc autem non est verum, et dabo tibi non do vobis potestatem. Mortuus ego non sum, Chaos." Gaia said with defiance and arched her brow, "Tu recte. Semper ego cognovi te prohibere ad me. Non, sed certum est quod si aliquis ibi est iens futurus." she narrowed her eyes and allowed the energy she had been using to keep her shrine morph her deep blue gown into her uniform, "Oculum pro oculo, Chaos."
(Heart? There is no such thing inside you. What are you going to do? Send me to the Underworld? To Tartarus? My death will do nothing for your cause. It will not give you truth and it will not give you power. I am already dead, Chaos. You are right. I always knew I was not going to stop you, but I was certain there was going to be someone else that would. Eye for an eye, Chaos.)
Gaia closed her eyes and let go a deep breath, "Ut Helios me, usque ad me, ut sacro loco matris terram." (Helios take me away, take me far away to the sacred ground of our mother land.)
Chaos golden eyes gleamed with alert when he saw her use her power to break free and disappear right before his eyes without a chance to track where she went, she knew; she was prepared. Chaos realized this meeting was not fate and that it was not because he had found her, it was because Gaia had let herself to be found by him. This was a plan she had been working on for thousands of years—fate had nothing to do with it nor his skills to track her down.
It finally made sense, her sacrifice, her silence, and the words behind the seal she put on him. There was no question about it, they were too much alike but like water in oil, they could no longer coexist.
"Potest frangi sigillum Sol tetigit," (The seal can be broken by one touched by the light of the Sun,)
Chaos allowed his energy consume the last of the pocket in time his sister was using with divine help as a stage for their encounter and frowned when he started putting the pieces together, thinking how this had been a much more elaborate plan. Gaia was not the one to fight against him, she never was. The titan of void and dementia narrowed his golden eyes and slowly turned the darkest shade of red.
"Et maledicam tibi, Helios. Maledictus vir trahentium cuius esses status."
(I curse you, Helios. I curse the trail of your existence.)
O—o—o—o—O
After an extensive and very intense meeting came a much calmer evening hours later. Jupiter took Mars' word to take over the kitchen and along with Nephrite, she took charge of the food committee and made a delicious feast for everyone. With Jupiter, it was never a simple meal. Whenever she walked into a kitchen, she would completely transform any ingredient into a flavorful masterpiece of several courses.
The moment may not the most appropriate to sit and enjoy a banquet but for them, it was the first time in a very long time since they all were in the same room together. Venus, Kunzite, Mercury, and Zoisite helped set the coffee table to put all the dishes in the middle while Mars and Jadeite lit up more candles and put pillows and blankets for them to sit to make the floor a little more comfortable for everyone. It was a moment they all needed; the company, the closeness, the table talk and the random jokes thrown here and there. Motoki stayed for a little while longer after the meeting ended but on Endymion's request and guidance, Kunzite step up for the task to escort him home, also because it would give them time to bond and get to know each other better.
Serenity was fully committed to tending her husband's needs and remained by his side the entire time, while Neptune, Saturn, Pluto, and Uranus helped Jupiter clean the kitchen after they were done meanwhile Mars went to do the necessary arrangements for everyone to spend the night at the shrine. The heaviness of the night was almost palpable they didn't need a clock to tell them it was late and that it was time for everyone to have some much-needed rest and be prepared for any sudden attack. The girls and shitennou had gone to their respective futons, some of them were in the adjacent room that used to be Yuuichiro's, others in Mars' bedroom and others in the same bungalow the shitennou occupied when they returned from Purgatorio all with the intention to give the prince and princess some valuable and much needed privacy.
Pluto was one of the people staying at Yuuichiro's room with Saturn and turned to Neptune and Uranus as they walked back inside from the small washing room, "I'll go with Saturn to bed, we can barely stay awake; there are more futons in the room, where are you staying?" Neptune finished rinsing another pot and turned to Pluto, "I think we'll stay with you, we'll go as soon as we're done here. I think everyone went to bed,"
"Venus is just waiting for the general to return from escorting Motoki home," Uranus said and took the pot Neptune just rinsed and started drying it with the towel in her hands, "But he shouldn't be far,"
"Where are the prince and princess?" Saturn asked with curiosity; Pluto put her arm around the younger senshi, "They probably went to bed as well," she turned to Neptune and patted her shoulder gently, "I will see you there,"
"Sure," Neptune smiled and continued washing the dishes and handed another plate to Uranus, "You all right?" she asked her lover with a worried tone. Uranus answered with a slow nod sparking Neptune's curiosity even more, "You sure?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You've been awfully silent all night,"
"Well," Uranus dried another plate and took the next one and repeated the same process, "There's not much for me to add aside of what's already been said." The calm tone in Uranus' deep voice only gave Neptune more reasons to believe she was dealing with some things in silence and by the shy way she was behaving she could know why. Uranus turned to put another stack of dry plates in one of the cupboards and returned to start drying the glasses and mugs Neptune had put to drip on the bamboo strain rack. "I know what I have to do," she broke the silence between them, "I just... I don't think this isn't the best time to do it."
"When would it be the best time to talk?"
"I don't know... maybe when we are not about to go to war,"
Neptune squeezed the excess water and soap from the sponge and sighed softly, "That must be the weakest excuse I have ever heard from you," she turned over and looked up at her much taller partner, "Now would be the best time. You just heard it not just from him but from the princess as well,"
"I honestly don't know what to say, Michiru." Uranus said with genuine concern, "How valuable an apology from me would be to him at this point."
"You always secretly admired his outstanding support. While you may not have been too close in the past, you were respectful to each other. Haruka, this might be the best moment to break that awkward barrier between you two and actually work on the foundations of a solid friendship."
"I don't know, Michiru,"
"Just remember who was the one who willingly took his place to look after her when he was gone and later went studying abroad."
Uranus stopped drying the crystal glass in her hands and widened her eyes. She turned to a smiling Neptune, looking back at her with eyes so full of understanding and love, "Deep down, you two have always kept a silent pact to be in the line of fire if her safety is in danger. She knows how to look after herself, that is true, but when Seiya was around, you know she was going through very hard times and it got worse when we all fell under Shadow Galactica, but you always stood in his defense. You respected his place by her side, so despite all you've learned and remembered about him, you still considered him a friend and that's something he needs to know; you need to make peace with it and who knows? Maybe you two become good friends—you know he's a good person and he's cool too."
"Oh? Are we having a soft spot for the Terran Prince?"
"Of course," Neptune smiled widely, taking Uranus completely out of her orbit of confidence and teasing nature, "I may be in love with you, but one cannot deny he is remarkably handsome and smart."
"Should I be jealous?"
"There is nothing to be jealous about."
"Are you sure?"
Neptune giggled, "Are you going to contradict my words? Do you have a valid excuse?"
Uranus blinked and pursed her lips, "Well... I don't know, isn't that going for the obvious?"
"There is more to him than just physical beauty, Haruka. You are still having a hard time accepting he knows the trade of a warrior like the back of his hand." Neptune arched her brow, "You know, he could teach you some techniques on how to use that sword of yours a little better,"
Uranus narrowed her eyes, "Okay, now you're mocking me."
"You have to admit you did a poor job." Neptune chuckled, trying her best to lift her lover's spirit and nudged the blonde's ribs, "Come on, don't drag this for much longer... do it for her, but most importantly, do it for your own peace of mind. You know what you did wasn't your best, not because he's the prince of earth, but because it doesn't mirror your values."
Uranus let out a heavy sigh, "I suppose you're right... I'll find the time tomorrow."
"Good girl," Neptune smiled and closed the water faucet and helped Uranus dry the remaining glasses and put them back in the cupboards and walked out of the now impeccable kitchen. The couple walked holding hands to the other side of the temple to go to the room where Pluto was waiting with Saturn when they passed by the living room and saw the prince was still there lulling his wife resting on his lap. Neptune's lips curved in a confident smile and gently squeezed Uranus' hand in encouragement and looked up, "I guess your time came sooner than expected,"
Uranus clenched her jaw with slight anxiety and took a deep breath; her eyes widened at Neptune when she cleared her throat to break the silence in the room and get the prince's attention. Endymion turned his head slightly over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Neptune standing behind, who quickly waved her hand in an apologetic fashion, "Hi, didn't mean to catch you off guard..." she said softly; Endymion gave her a small smile, "It's okay," he said in a hushed voice, "I thought everyone was asleep by now,"
"Almost everyone. We were finishing cleaning the kitchen," Neptune let go of her lover's hand and walked into the living room; her aquamarine eyes landed on the princess, "She finally allowed herself some sleep,"
"Right after you left the room, she couldn't hold on for much longer," Endymion said and looked down at his sleeping wife, "I am waiting for her to be completely snoozed out to take her to the bedroom,"
Neptune giggled lightly, "She's pretty much snoozed to me,"
"One would think that..." Endymion gently combed her long fringe away from her face, "She's a heavy sleeper but it takes her time to get there. If I move her now she will wake up and will take her long to fall asleep again," Endymion smiled and looked up at Neptune, "And well, she can get a little cranky,"
"You know her well," Neptune chuckled and looked around then back at him with a slight frown, "So, in the meantime what are you doing?"
Endymion chuckled under his breath and showed her the book in his hand, "Ami lent me this book to entertain myself, so... it's fine. I can wait." It was then when he noticed Uranus standing in the corridor. Neptune looked over her shoulder and smiled, sensing the tension and also more than aware this was the perfect time she was talking about with Uranus, "Well then, I will leave you to it..." she patted his shoulder in a friendly gesture, "Good night, Mamoru,"
"Good night, Michiru," Endymion watched her leave the living room and turned to put his attention back on his wife, then on the book in his hand. As soon Neptune was out of his sight, she patted Uranus' arm and walked to the bedroom at the end of the hall hoping the best out of this situation and so did the blonde as she found herself glued to the floor thinking of many possible ways to start a conversation with the prince.
"It's late, you should go to bed as well,"
Uranus' blue eyes widened when she heard him break the awkward silence. Endymion didn't move, he didn't even turn his head to look at her but it was more than obvious he knew she was there and that his comment was aimed at her.
"I was wondering if you needed help carrying the princess to the bedroom,"
"I'll take care of it, Uranus, thank you."
Again, no eye contact was made but Uranus couldn't see herself walking away. She agreed with Neptune when she said this needed to have some sort of resolution where she could at least lose some of the obvious tension between them. She took one deep breath and with it, she silently hoped for the best.
"You're wounded,"
"I'm alright."
"But it would make it worse if you tried to carry her yourself,"
"It's fine. Kunzite is close... I can ask him the favor."
The calm but very serious tone in the prince's voice made Uranus feel uneasy. Whatever thread she wanted to pull to start a conversation he immediately cut it down, making things clear for her: he didn't trust her anymore. She got too lost in her thoughts she didn't realize she had been standing there for a little too long, this time catching Endymion's attention and turned over his shoulder to look at her, "Do you need anything else, Uranus?"
"Time,"
"Excuse me?"
"I would like to have a moment..." Uranus sighed, "With you."
Endymion blinked but remained expressionless, cold. He turned and stretched his arm politely inviting her to sit on the sofa next to him, "We will have to keep our conversation low for obvious reasons." He looked at his snoozing wife, and exhaled softly, "What can I do for you, Uranus?"
The tall woman took a seat on the sofa and sighed, "It should be the other way around,"
"I don't understand," Endymion frowned, genuinely confused. Uranus sighed again, "I genuinely don't know a better way to say this..."
"Say what?"
Uranus looked at him and took a deep breath, "I owe you an apology." She noticed no change in the prince's expression and couldn't help the awkward feeling that made her want to put things to rest and walk away, but again, she was glued to the situation and couldn't allow herself to go any worse—whatever it was left. Endymion turned to close the book and put it on the table with a sigh, "You don't need to do that, Uranus."
"Yes, I do." Uranus muttered softly, "My behavior was inexcusable. I was blind to the facts that in reality, you are—"
"What made you change your mind?"
Endymion's blunt and unapologetic question took Uranus by surprise. She blinked and tried to come up with the best words to describe what she had been feeling ever since the princess was taken away. The aftermath was worse than the actual fault because it was when everything settled down and revealed the truth.
"I wasn't lying when I said I was not your prince and that you didn't owe any loyalty to me." Endymion looked down at Serenity sleeping for a second then back at the sky soldier and narrowed his eyes, "What made you change your posture in all of this?"
Uranus looked down at his arm resting over the princess's waist to keep her secure and then looked up at him, "All my life I was forced to believe this truth. As a single person then as sailor senshi. I needed to believe in something. Back then, I lived to follow the gods' laws without fail and I was taught to never disobey or that they would be grave consequences." She sighed, feeling like no matter how much she did it, the heavy fog in her lungs didn't go away, "I heard many stories about the goddess' son that lived as a normal human being but with a strength that matched those of divine blood. I was taught to be his enemy because of what he represented and once reincarnated, I couldn't understand why, not until that day when you regained your memories and that man, the one I was taught to be enemy's with made an appearance and sadly, I didn't know how to deal with it because to me, you were harmless. You were my friend's boyfriend and an ally in battle, not this... murderous creature." Uranus lowered her head with embarrassment, "I felt threatened... I felt disposable... and my best way to deal with this sentiment was to listen to the laws of god and see you as my enemy, all over again. I admit it was easier for me to hold a grudge than to accept things the way they are and let go," She wet her lips and closed her eyes, "When the princess was taken away, that was my breaking point and I did horrible things." The soldier shook her head, "But true pain came after I realized that god's law is something they created to keep things under their control and not an absolute truth, that I was some sort of a puppet that played a role with excellence. They condemned love and I better than anyone knows what it's like to live under scrutiny and judgment and yet, I let myself become one of those gods."
Endymion saw the turmoil Uranus was going through, proving she was experiencing inner growth. He saw the effort it was taking her to be there telling him all this and because of the level of pride he knew she had and yet she was there willing to accept any outcome of this conversation.
"Anger clouds reason, Uranus. You were upset, we all were,"
"It doesn't justify my actions. You're my princess' husband; the crown prince of this planet and I tried to kill you. I failed both of you at the first test of loyalty."
Endymion let out a long sigh as he gently combed his fingers through Serenity's long hair, "You and I have never been close. Our conversations have always revolved around things in common with others and the only way we could maintain a fluid conversation was whenever Usa or Michiru were around. It's been like that for years, and I am fine with it because it's not an obligation for us to be friends." His face suddenly turned a little somber, "But when I had to go to America—the first time—and fell under the curse of Shadow Galactica, you were the first one to sense something was wrong when I didn't reply to Usagi's letters and you stood by her side. When Seiya stepped into her life, you defended our relationship and then I knew, that even when we didn't have much in common or much to talk about, we had each other's back. Despite not being close, I had high respect for you." He turned to look at her, "I know you took a defensive stance when all this started happening and I always knew that you would be the first one to step in the line if Usagi's safety was compromised. What happened was something that sprouted out of rage and frustration. I get that, I am no stranger to divine law. I break all of their rules by just existing." Endymion shrugged one shoulder, "I don't blame you, the only thing I blame is how you managed that rage, not toward me, but to the girls, to Michiru, and consequently, to Usagi."
Uranus looked at the prince with genuine awe and took a deep breath, "I-I don't know... what to say..."
"You don't have to say anything, Haruka. Just stop following a life manual. Live the life you feel it's right for you to live. It's the best piece of advice I can give you," Endymion gave her a much more complicit glance, finally shedding all remains of awkwardness between them, "You're a pillar to Usagi, and for the girls too. You are not disposable and by any means, you should feel threatened." He arched his brow, "You can't afford that luxury, plus, it doesn't suit you."
Uranus blinked in complete startlement, "Prince..."
"We can't win a war if we are divided," Endymion looked down at the princess in his arms, "As I said before, don't do it for me—do it for her. Do it for the team, for your beloved; do it for you, because this is also your future and your life at stake. Do it for the things you want to accomplish once all this is over."
Like if a cloth was taken off her eyes, Uranus could clearly see what Neptune was talking about when she spoke of the prince the way she did, and why she described him with such specific descriptions. The beauty she was talking about was something beyond the obviosity of his physical attributes; it was something that came from within and surprisingly for her, she was instantly drawn to his personality and kind nature.
In all her years knowing the man, this was the first time she actually sat down and had a conversation with him that lasted more than the typical polite greetings and farewells. It was in his way to speak and in his way to keep things simple and straight to the point. He had experience, skills, and knowledge. He had guts and he had a fearless resolution but also knew how not to hold on to grudges making it easier for her to see and understand why the princess fell in love with him with so much passion. This mortal man she mocked and tried to kill with so much treachery had inspired the moon princess to break barriers and stereotypes, become a senshi, and later learn battle skills; face countless enemies without hesitation and with that same fearless resolution.
It surprised her, a woman who always felt too set in her ways and that was deeply in love with another woman could find beauty in a man. But more than feeling a physical attraction, it was like Neptune had said: he was a good person and he was also very cool. And if given the chance, she could really put her bitter insecurities and guard down and actually allow herself to be friends with him.
"I'm really sorry, Prince Endymion," Uranus said with a soft tone. Endymion arched a brow "Prince, really?"
Uranus nodded, "Well, you are..." she narrowed her eyes, "Aren't you?"
The gesture made Endymion catch the playful undertone in her voice, "Supposedly," he smiled, finally putting this matter to rest. Uranus quickly responded to his gesture, feeling a thousand pounds lighter and much more determined to fight for the right causes and not for imposition. The apology had given a chance to mend things and a chance to make new opportunities, new friends and also, gain more life experience.
"Is it too late to ask you if we can start over?" Uranus looked at him shyly; Endymion smiled and shook his head, "It's never too late to welcome any act of goodness in one's life."
Uranus smiled and offered her hand to the prince, which he quickly took and gave it a reassuring shake before letting go "By the way, you need to learn how to use that heavenly sword of yours, you can't always rely on its mystical power."
The blonde took a deep breath, "Yeah... Michiru mocked my poor skills in sword fighting," the comment made Endymion crack a chuckle, "Just a tad,"
"Think you can teach me a thing or two?" Uranus asked in a playful but much hopeful tone, "I could really use the help..."
"Sure," Endymion nodded, "For starters... stop holding the weapon like a baseball bat,"
"Oh..." Uranus blushed, "O-Okay." The prince smiled, "You just need to learn the basics and you'll be fine."
"How long did it take you to learn how to master a sword?"
"I was six the first time I held a sword."
"Oh,"
Endymion chuckled, "I joined the military years later—back then, of course. I didn't rely on any divine power; I didn't know I had any in the first place, so I had to learn physical combat and how to use weaponry to get ahead in a battle."
Uranus felt the itch to know more, to try to understand more of his upbringing and his training as a warrior thinking this could be the beginning to a very cool friendship—just like Neptune had said. Besides cars and racing, this was a topic that really caught her attention and finally knowing someone who knew how to use weapons in battle, suddenly, her intimidation and fear of being replaced was substituted by a grand curiosity and sense of awe. She bit her lower lip and tilted her head, "Were you really trained to kill?"
"I was taught how to do it. I was trained to master skills for defense and attack but I never did it with the sole purpose of becoming a murderer. I did because I wanted to be strong and step away from the common shadow that comes attached to any royal title. I trained to be a soldier so I could protect everything and everyone I cared about." Endymion shrugged his shoulder carelessly, "I was never complotting a masterplan to take over the universe like you were told to believe. If I sent deities to the underworld like the gods say I did, it's probably because they sent them there to threat and disrupt Earth's balance and I never saw them as aliens, I never went on a hunt for divine beings. You created the monster—I was born and raised a like a normal human being; both times."
"I'm sorry for calling you a monster," Uranus said with shyness, Endymion sighed and shrugged, "It's fine. I don't get why the gods feel so empowered when using that word to describe me. The hybrid thing I can understand because technically it is what I am but... monster? It's like a certain rank they want to overcome, I don't know... it's stupid."
"It is... it truly is." Uranus nodded, "Again, I'm truly sorry."
Endymion nodded, "I accept your apology Haruka, thank you."
Uranus smiled and let out a deep breath, she looked down at the princess and widened her eyes when she heard her soft snores and heavy breathing, Endymion snickered, "Okay, now I can take her to bed,"
"She's completely out..." Uranus said with amaze, "I don't think I've ever seen her like this,"
"She usually doesn't snore... she is more of a talker and a kicker, but she's exhausted. She needs to sleep and regain her energy." Endymion looked at his wife and planted a soft kiss on her head, "My Luna Bunny, how much I missed her."
Uranus smiled at the soft nickname and the endearing show of affection the prince gave his wife and looked at him, "I can help you carry her,"
"No, it's fine. I'll do it,"
"You have a deep wound, you shouldn't be doing any of this,"
Endymion cradled her in his arms and turned with a sad smile in his face, "I shouldn't make her sad either, but I did."
Uranus widened her eyes, "P-Prince..."
"Leave the royal title aside, Haruka, Mamoru or Endymion—take your pick." The prince looked at her and shook his head, "I don't care much for the protocol. If we ever come across an event or a situation where it is required for me to be a prince, then I'll act the part, otherwise, I'm just like everybody else."
Uranus nodded, "Since Odango-chan started calling you Endymion and everyone else by their divine name, I figured we should do it too."
"That is her personal preference." Endymion shrugged his shoulder, "It comes naturally with us, one moment she would be calling me Endymion, then Mamoru. But all of you are free to call us however you prefer."
"Okay," Uranus helped the prince put Serenity's arms around his neck and sighed, "You really shouldn't be carrying her when you have a wound so deep,"
"I'll be fine," Endymion said in a low tone as he slowly pushed himself up with his wife secured in his arms, "The same energy I am using to stabilize Earth is allowing me to heal faster. I needed Motoki's help to treat the wound and close it with stitches, the rest is up to me."
Uranus was so engrossed in their conversation and her apology that she didn't notice that in fact, Endymion looked less pale and that the bruises in his jaw and his broken lip were almost gone. She blinked with surprise. The blonde helped the prince blow the candles in the living room and walked behind him as they went to their respective rooms. She helped Endymion open the door to their room and smiled when he saw him carefully lay the princess on the futon and covered her with a thick blanket. She admitted it in silence—he was more Endymion than Mamoru to her, no matter how simple and down to earth he was. There was a regal quality in him that made him stand out and maybe that was the vibe that made him so attractive to others. He was a prince after all, even after she apologized and left their differences behind them, she wasn't in the same level of camaraderie the shitennou, the girls, or Motoki had with him. She didn't feel like she could call him Endymion so carelessly, he had earned it—the respect everyone had for him and it was for very valuable reasons.
Finally, she had created an opportunity by pushing her pride aside and it made her think if this was the time to set that foundation for a new friendship between them, so she had to gain the confidence to someday to call him by his royal name like a good friend, but for now, she had to start from the very beginning and she was fine with it, "Rest well, Mamoru."
"Thank you," Endymion turned to look at her over his shoulder and nodded, "You too, Haruka."
O—o—o—o—O
In a warm flash of gold, the former queen of Earth appeared and quickly turned to look over her shoulder at Obelix and young priest Helios who had helped her find the string in space and closed the link for her to enter Elysion. Her hazel eyes locked with the priest's caramel ones and nodded her head to confirm his suspicions.
"What you did was dangerous, not to mention reckless. You still have the heart of a rebel."
Gaia's lips faintly curved into a soft smile when she heard the melodic low voice she knew by heart and turned to see her husband, Eros, walking toward her wearing his deep green uniform, fully restored to its former royal glory.
"Mind before action, dear. Those were *Avus' words and a valuable lesson Ares later taught us in our training." She looked at the young priest and tilted her head, "Young Priest Helios, I thank you for all the aid you have given us in these times of crisis, but I must now bid you farewell since your time is yet not here." Her hand gently cupped his cheek, " Nehellenia's curse urged you to manifest when the crystal's safety was compromised but you must remain an ageless spirit until it is your time to fully awaken. You have given much valuable support up until now proving why Obelix chose you to be his successor." Gaia smiled and narrowed her hazel eyes with endearment, "A beautiful star that had lost its course and found comfort in the silage of a solar flare, saving you from extinction. You saw beyond our abrasive nature and let it brighten your fickle fate."
Helios widened his ruby gold eyes and gaped with shock at the queen, "Y-Your Majesty..."
"Your given name is no casualty, young Helios. I agreed with Obelix the moment he suggested it, you are a beautiful homage to my dear grandfather. I can see the similarity and undying care to protect those around you. Your dedication and loyalty are unbreakable and it has never gone unnoticed, young priest." Gaia smiled, "You always wondered, you always had that question echoing in the back of your head: Why? You are the best person to be the guardian's holy priest. You are connected to Elysion—all this, it would not be alive in remembrance if it was not for you. You created a safe haven and have preserved the foundations of our dynasty, of that world we fought so much to create and protect... our golden age."
"Queen Gaia..." Helios looked at the titaness with glossy eyes, so full of awe and respect. This was the first time they met face to face since Obelix always told him the reason behind his anonymity to them was to test his loyalty and see if he was up to the task. Sacred priests had a lonely upbringing and training, and because they were spirits that represented divinity in the mortal realm, their trust and worth were often put to the test until they were chosen to protect a deity. Gaia leaned closer, her hand still resting on top of his cheek, "The same way Obelix chose you, you chose her to do the work you knew you couldn't perform. I know it was you, the one who reached out to Ares and asked him to search for the young maiden and give her the task to guard the sword and take it to its rightful owner. Your decision was wise and mature; she has proven her courage and earned her honorary place as holy maiden."
Young Helios went on one knee in respect for the terran king and queen and bowed his head low, "How I once was for Priest Obelix, how I once was his pupil and worked with him... I knew Megumi had earned Prince Endymion's trust with fairness. That was enough for me to know she was the only one that could reach out to him. Due to my current position and other tasks at hand, she was the only one I could rely on in times of crisis since I was no longer allowed to pull the strings of time and crossed realms." The young priest nodded, "It is all clear to me, I understand it now. Why I was not allowed to meet with Prince Endymion despite being connected—it was her, my maiden, the one I was asked to guide and look after."
"Navus Helios and the generations of Titans before him created this intricate method of protection—Obelix prayed for me and Aurea took place as a holy maiden by aiding me. Now, you pray for Endymion and Megumi has taken her role as a holy maiden by aiding not just him, but Serenity as well. It will be up to you to decide her fate once this battle is over but now, you must return to your post young priest, as your time to awaken is yet not here."
"Salve, Regina De Terra," Helios gave her a low curtsy and in a flash of golden light, the young priest was sent back to the sacred part of the temple that gave life to Elysion; the now land of dreams. Eros stood next to his wife and looked at her with concern in his cerulean blue eyes, "What shall we do now, Gaia?"
"We must wait,"
"Irony, I never got to understand it. Why it does exist." Eros let out a weak chuckle and crossed his arms, "In a land suspended in time—we must wait,"
Gaia turned and gave her loving husband a sad smile, "I know, you were never a good example of patience."
"Hm,"
"You know my words are true,"
"For years you silently cursed fate; the power of your blood and our son's life choices." Eros sighed, "You fought to keep it a secret,"
"And I paid a high price for my silence, Eros," Gaia sighed with acceptance, "I paid for betraying you and Endymion's trust by staying quiet. I paid the price for being so afraid by spending more than two thousand years confined in a solitary pocket in time crying my heart out. Just like Obelix did with our son in Purgatorio, I too was taught a lesson—a lesson to learn how to trust and let things go. Chronos made me purge the shadows in my soul and while it took me time..." The queen sighed again, "I accepted I was becoming my mother. A woman trapped in fear. I wanted to shape and mold our son the same way she tried to do with me and my brother. I became a woman cursing her own nature and desperately trying to forget everything that has happened and coiled in fear. Like her, I tried too hard to convert him when in reality the miracle of his birth was all the sign I needed to understand there was light at the end of the dark tunnel I unconsciously kept supporting. To believe things could change."
The king looked at her like a man very much in love but also, a man deeply worried for his wife. Gaia took a deep breath, "I do not blame Chaos for rebelling. Sadly, I understand his actions because, in a way, I rebelled too. He had so many questions unanswered, and I held too much pain. But deep wounds rot if they are not treated and it ends up becoming something more macabre. We let ourselves be consumed by our thoughts... and then, there is Endymion."
"Are you comparing yourself to your brother?" Eros frowned with disbelief, "Are you even going as far to say our son is like him as well?!"
"Without a speck of doubt, I will go as far as to admit Endymion is more like Chaos than me." Gaia took a deep breath, "The Chaos of ancient times—the Chaos I grew up admiring and loving. And that is why I wanted to hide him from the divine realm. The gods thought our son was a reincarnation of Chaos and in a way he is, but Endymion is not Chaos. Peace can only come after beating the storm. You cannot see a rainbow in all its glory if you do not allow rain to fall. Victory does not come easy and it does not happen before a battle. There has to be chaos for fate to help you shape the future you want for yourself. Without chaos there is no redemption just like rebirth cannot come without death. Endymion is the chaos our dynasty needs to reinvent and rise from the ashes up to greater heights. Endymion is the chaos that brings evolution and my grandfather knew this. He knew I was too confused and hurt to fight my own brother, so he trained me and later asked Ares to take me under his wing as his pupil with the hopeful thought that I would later give birth and prepare to whom would become our dynasty's redemption—his successor. The force of nature that needs to put an end to the stigma and evolve."
Eros took a deep breath, "Thousands of years later and this still chills me to the bone." His cerulean eyes narrowed, "It still feels unreal..."
Gaia nodded, "That is why Grandfather Helios patiently waited and did not stop Chaos when he had the opportunity. Even if he wanted to, he was not going to be able to do it because he didn't match my brother's strength and grounded roots—not anymore. Navus was giving up, he was tired; disappointed. The real difference that divides titans from gods is that we are not born from wishes as they do. We exist without needing mortals to believe in us. Titans are forces of nature—basic instincts. Ancient creatures born from the pandemonium the giants caused by the void and mystery of the universe. We are the ripples of their energy, a cause and effect—the good and the bad. But even Helios, a titan with immaculate power and skill, could not compete with that of my brother's because although Helios knew war like the palm of his hand, he was not born from the brutal aftermath of a war. He knew another kind. We were born amidst the ripples of the Titanomachy when titans desperately wanted to live and were stripped from that simple right. Navus earned a place, he did not live through a stigma as *Frater did." The queen took a deep breath and exhaled, "Chaos never knew limits or consequences; he never knew pain or anger. He has never shed a tear or felt joy. While he has superb intelligence, he was born without empathy. To him, life and death are the same. The massive explosion that created the solar system came out of his boredom, for his own entertainment. Chaos does not comprehend the virtue of emotions and that is what has fed his interest in bringing everything to dismay. He does not really care, he just wants to pull the strings of life, play with fate and dig deeper just to appease his curiosity. That is why I was born. Gaia—mother Earth. The cause and effect of the density of the void. I gave Chaos the mental stability he lacked and since then, it was us against everyone else. I looked up to him, I respected his discipline and he discovered how emotion worked for others. I taught him to study other's gestures and learn how to smile for me. Even if it was not genuine or if he never truly felt it, it was for me; whatever gesture of good he did—it was for me and later left me to nurture Earth with Navus' power."
Eros widened his eyes, "Chaos holds no emotion... that is why he represents something much more macabre than just plain destruction,"
Gaia nodded, "The gods aimed to own that skill and power for their own convenience and the best way to do it was to make him a living weapon under their control. Without emotion, without empathy or understanding, they thought it could be an easy task and shape him according to their needs. Navus had trained Ares, and he later trained Chaos just like he did with me years later. Ares taught him to excel as the fighter he is now but as we grew, he began to see and fully understand his nature and power and that is when he rebelled. Something in his mind snapped the moment he learned he was not chosen to be Helios' successor and that the golden crystal was not for him to hold. He was nothingness. Chaos never protected anything, he barely understood what it was to have a sense of duty. He only knows how to take—to possess—to destroy—not to earn. And that is what makes him so dangerous. Chaos was not born evil, Eros, but he never met benevolence either and this is the result. Tartarus's is only the surface of who he is and what he represents."
Eros gave his wife a stunned glance, one that capsuled all the horror and disease he witnessed, "Gaia…" the terran queen nodded, "The moment I felt Endymion moving inside me, I immediately knew he was the one Navus had chosen to follow his legacy. And it was all confirmed the very moment he revealed to us the beauty of his eyes. I knew our son was the key to free Chaos but also the sentence that would put an end to him. Endymion has the same grounded roots of determination and fearless nature Chaos has but unlike Chaos, Endymion has learned to overcome the emotional turmoil that comes attach with evolution and growth. Endymion has shown more courage than I had in all my ancient years of existence. He has stumbled down in both realms—mortal and divine, and unlike me, he never gave up. He kept trying, he kept pushing and paving his way. For two thousand years, I tried to hide him from everyone in order to protect him but it is Endymion who has been protecting us all this time."
"Gaia, what did you do?" Eros frowned with increasing panic. Gaia took a deep breath and let it go slowly, "My love for my brother is never going to change." She looked at the starless sky above them, "But my love for our son is far much stronger."
Eros looked down at his petite wife and cupped her flushed cheek in one hand, "You never cease to amaze me, Gaia, with you, it is always like that first time we met by the lake. It has always been an adventure,"
"Please forgive me for not having gone sooner to get you... for failing you, my sweet Prince." Gaia looked at Eros with tears in her hazel eyes, "It took me so long to find your location... and—"
"My beautiful Dea, you did not fail me." Eros pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her forehead lovingly, "It has passed. I am here. It was not your fault Gaia but of those who have falsely condemned us like criminals." He took a deep breath, "Our son... it is because of him that we are together again."
The terran queen nodded softly and turned to look at him with love nested in her hazel eyes, "It took me long to understand that the time to set things right is coming close." Gaia moved her hand to hold Eros' and laced her fingers with his, "They are ready, our son and our daughter,"
"Our son and daughter," Eros smiled with pride "And... what about us?"
Gaia tucked a piece of ashy brown hair behind Eros' ear, "We must pray so they can be strong and light their way because from this point on, our fate is in their hands."
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.
*Frater: Brother
*Soror: Sister
*Navus: Grandfather
A/N: I have not bailed! Divinity is still going. A lot has happened. A lot out of my control but equally requires much of my attention. Thank you for staying with me and for your support. It truly is my greatest value. Chapter 77 will come soon. It's a promise.