dislaimer: um....ah i don't even wanna bother.

a/n: YAY!!!!!!!!! it's been like ONE DAY!!!!!!!!!! this is really coolness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LUV U GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is the bestest. and u seem 2 really want me 2 write the next chappie so i will. right now. no more waiting.



Chapter Twelve



Stanton's words had barely rolled off of his lips when the most amazing thing happened. The very earth seemed to move and the dimly lit room blazed with a blinding light that burnt their eyes, as if what they were obviously about to see wasn't supposed to be seen by human eyes. It seemed as if the fates were seemingly reluctant to let these lower life forms witness what was iminent.

Stanton clung to Serena, his love, ah what a fine word, love. He hung tightly to her bare shoulders, and she wrapped her arms around him, just as awe-stricken by his proclomation as by the earth-shattering light that engulfed them.

And then the light seemed to be wavering, as if the thing behind this extrordinary veil wanted it to be gone, but something kept it. It wavered, and the wavering grew stronger and stronger until the air was flashing with the strobe-like effect of this unseen battle.

And suddenly it stopped. It was simply gone, as if it had never existed, but Stanton still couldn't see. He had so many spots in front of his eyes that it seemed an entire solid thing in front of his face hiding the world from his view. Then it slowly started to part, as these things always do, and he saw her.

She was the most powerful and gorgeous thing he had ever seen. Her very presence demanded the utmost respect, but also demanded that a person notice how amazingly beautiful she was. She had silvery, windblown, perfect hair, flapping in sheets, catching the moonlight. Her entire face was illuminated by the full moon. The enormous eyes reflected the moon litterally. They were ice-blue, but somehow the contained the exact replica of the glowing orb above them. She had creamy white, glowing skin covering the most perfect body a man could hope for. Her ice-blue, skin-tight, full- lenth, strapless gown accentuated it perfectly with a slit all the way up the side, showing more sking than Serena cared for Stanton to see. She glowed from within and she struck fear and joy into the hearts of all of them.

It was Selene, the moon goddess.

But to Stanton she was nothing compared to Serena.

STANTON, COME HERE. said the 'voice' of Selene.

Stanton loooked at Serena, who hesitantly nodded at him. She was her mother- goddess, but she was much too beautiful for Serena to completely trust her around Stanton.

He started to get up when the Atrox, who had been forgotten for the moment, powerfully told him to stay down. And he stayed.

The goddess turned to the Atrox. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? HIS FATE IS NO LONGER IN YOUR HANDS AND YOU ARE PERFECTLY AWARE OF THAT, she 'said', puzzling Stanton.

I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT, GODDESS. YOU HAVE NO WAY OF STOPPING ME, the Atrox replied.

YOU ALSO KNOW THAT STANTON HAS PUT HIS FATE IN THE HANDS OF THE GODS. I ALONE CANNOT STOP YOU AT THE MOMENT, BUT ALL OF US ARE AGAINST YOU ON THIS. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER US ALL.

The Atrox shrunk to the side, subdued. If it had not been a powerful, menacing source of evil it would have seemed to be sulking and pouting.

Selene turned back to Serena and Stanton. STANTON. COME.

Stanton came. He slowly got up and walked toward the amazing goddess.

STANTON, DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE SAID?

Stanton knew exactly what he had said. It had been what he had needed to say for the past two years. "I am perfectly aware of this."

DIS YOU MEAN WHAT YOU SAID, STANTON? DO YOU :LOVE THIS WOMAN? DO YOU LOVE THIS WOMAN OVER ALL OTHERS, EVEN MYSELF.

"Yes," Stanton replied, with complete certainty. He had never been more sure of anything.

DO YOU REALIZE THAT BY SAYING THESE WORDS YOU DEFY ALL THINGS EVIL. DO YOU REALIZE THAT THESE FEELINGS MAKE YOU SO UNLIKE THE ATROX THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO BE A PART OF IT?

"Yes, and it has been difficult."

AND DO YOU REALIZE THAT BY DEFYING YOUR MASTER IN WORD AND HEART YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FATE IN THE HANDS OF THE GODS?

"I was, I was not aware of that," stammered Stanton, slightly aghast.

WELL, YOU HAVE. AND SINCE YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS, Selene looked at Serena lovingly, I HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO HEAD UP THIS MATTER. THERE ARE ONLY TWO THINGS I CAN DO WITH YOU. I CAN DESTROY THIS PART OF YOUR MIND. I CAN DESTROY ALL THE LOVE IN YOUR LIFE SO THAT YOU ARE FREE TO JOIN WITH THE ATROX WITHOUT GUILT.

Stanton shivered at that thought. He couldn't bear the thought of not even being able to love Serena. "What is the other choice?"

EITHER THAT, OR I CAN DESTROY ALL OF YOUR EVIL, AND YOU WILL BE MORTAL.

Stanton had to wait a minute for this information to soak in. He was being offered the chance to be with Serena forever. If that was Selene's decision.

Serena had slipped up to Stanton's side unnoticed. She wrapped her arm around his waist and looked into the eyes of her mother.

DAUGHTER, YOU MUST ALSO REALIZE THAT STANTON WOULD BE DOING THIS FOR YOU. YOU MUST REALIZE THAT HE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, AND THAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO STAY AND FORGET AT SEVENTEEN, YOU WILL FORGET ALL OF THIS AS WELL, YOU WILL FORGET MOST OF THE REASON YOU LOVE HIM.

Stanton watched as Serena closed her eyes tightly and her lips formed a tight, thin line. Slowly she nodded and whispered, almost indaudibly, "It doesn't matter. I can't let him go again."

WELL, STANTON, I HAVE MADE MY DECISION. BASED ON MY DAUGHTER'S LOVE FOR YOU, I AM SWAYED THAT WAY. BUT I AM ALSO SWAYED BY YOUR YEARS OF SERVITUDE TO THE ATROX. BEING THIS CLOSE TO OUR PRIMARY SOURCES OF GOOD AFTER BEING EVIL FOR SO LONG MIGHT NOT BE GOOD FOR US. YOU ALSO CHOSE TO WILLINGLY GO BACK TO THE ATROX. YOU WERE THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS. YOU WERE, AND AT THE MOMENT STILL ARE, THE OFFICIAL MOST EVIL HUMAN ON THIS PLANET. I HAVE MADE MY DECISION.

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a/n: heeheehee!!!!!!!! very good chappie, no??? u must review!!!!!! 4 more i won't continue.

psa/n: I just want to give VERY special thanks to the following: flamingelf, bisochoco, inogminia, crest faerie, rose angel, and pixie wildfire. thanks SOOO much for reviewing all the time. it keeps the story going! ok: other fics to read:

1. Seeing Grey by Inogminia: remus lupin story....VERY GOOD....nothing slash. 2. The Devil in the Dark by Flamingelf: Lucious Malfoy/ Marauders story. interesting. very good 3.In Which Telemain messes up an experiment by asaroth. tamora pierce/ patricia wrede story....very good even if u haven't read the books.