Author's Note:

Rio: Whew. It's been a long haul but here it is, the end. It's finally here!

Ryu: WAAAH! But this means that it's over!

Rio: All good things must come to an end. But that's why some person so long ago created the "sequel" idea.

Ryu: YEA! ^.^


Fantasies of the Open Mind

Epilogue: Sunset's Perfection


Saturos's recovery was a rather quick one which suddenly gave Alex a need to hide whenever the Proxian entered the room. Yes, Proxian. With the lighting of the final lighthouse an irate god had appeared to the elders of the town and... well they wouldn't say later but they immediately welcomed Saturos back into Prox, along with anyone who was with him.

Of course there were a few details to still work out. One such detail had been the fact that the Djinn mysteriously disappeared during the fight with the Doom Dragon, something that had almost gotten a few adepts killed if not for Alex. However, his... unusual fighting powers caused a rather predictable domino effect. This was why everyone now understood the full magnitude of what had happened in the Mars Lighthouse and in the Anemos Sanctum. Surprisingly this didn't change anyone's views on anyone else. Felix was still over protective of Jenna, Mia still ranted on Alex and Saturos's drinking abilities, Picard and Felix continued to be secretive about their relationship... in truth nothing changed. This was what Jenna was thinking about: the changes. She was still in Prox with Saturos as there were a few issues which he had to settle before they could join everyone in Vale, well New Vale was more like it. Mount Alph had erupted, but everyone had survived the overflow of lava into their town. And according to Felix's last letter, Vale had been completely rebuilt... and added to. (Felix had also sent Saturos a letter, the contents of which Jenna did not know)

Jenna had long known of Felix and Picard's relationship and was not surprised that the Lemurian had opted to stay with Felix instead of heading back to Lemuria. Also Alex and Mia had decided to stay in Vale and help rebuild (Alex still felt a little guilty about his actions in the beginning of this journey). They had been accepted by the villagers and thus a new house would be needed for them. Jenna briefly wondered when Alex would stop beating around the bush and ask Mia to marry him, but knowing Alex it would have to be a perfect opportunity and nothing less. Ivan and Sheba were in Contigo right now, both trying to figure out exactly where their family ties were. Jenna wouldn't be surprised if they were brother and sister as they looked and acted so similar, but she would let them find that out for themselves. Jenna stretched and moved from her spot at the window. It was almost time to wake Saturos, after all the Proxian (like her brother) was not a morning person. If was up to him, Saturos's day would start at noon and end at midnight.


Saturos was not unused to being visited in his dreams by different entities. After the Anemos incident he had been visited by Aries's messengers, the furies, to make sure that he knew that even if the elders of Prox did not accept him back into Prox, that he was still one of Aries's creations and therefore would for ever be under the God's protection. But this was the first time he had been visited by anyone he had known. Yet, when Jenna had woken him that morning he couldn't shake the memory of the dream. He also couldn't ignore the fact that when he woke he was holding two small, rings. Both of a black stone he had never seen before, lined with white gold. And he couldn't get the one comment of Nuitari's out of his head. "Oh, and Jenna's father sends his regards and gives you permission to court his daughter."



Jenna and Saturos left Prox that morning, waving good-bye to Agatio and Karst (whom were engaged to be married early the next year), on Saturos's ship and had arrived in Vale a month later. Nothing really seemed to have changed, well nothing that major. Garet was now mayor of Vale, his father saying that he felt his son was ready to take up the responsibility. He was not courting anyone as of yet, but no one could deny the looks he was not so subtly shooting at one of the blondes of Vale, nor could they deny that the looks were being sent back, however more subtly. Of course Saturos, Alex, and Isaac were making jokes about how they feared for the world if there were to be mini-Garret running around.

Isaac had rebuilt Kraden's house and now inhabited it himself with all of the earth Djinn. (Felix had never really liked the meddlesome entities anyway) So he had happily handed them over to Isaac who found them wonderful company. At night he could be found in the sitting room of his house with a blazing fire in the fireplace, surrounded by all the Djinni, debating some idea about the world (Isaac was well on his way to becoming a scholar, however a little less eccentric than Kraden, who had opted to stay in Contigo.).


And if one continued up the path from Isaac's house, one would think they ran into a marsh... because they would. Alex and Mia's house was surrounded on all sides by water and plants that lived in water. Their house was made of white logs and had a base of marble which had been imported as a gift from Mia's apprentices, now full-fledged healers. In the middle of the lawn stood three weeping willows, arranged in a semi-circle facing the house. It was here that Alex stood debating. Of course, Mia did not know of her father, so he could not ask anyone for permission to court her, so that did not worry him. Now, Alex was just plagued by the normal insecurities that plague every man who is about to propose.

"Alex. Are you going to come in? It's getting late." Mia's soft voice alerted Alex to her presence beside him.

"In a bit. I'm thinking about something."

"Without a drink?" Mia looked confused.

If only she knew, Alex thought. He had repeatedly gotten drunk over this, but he wasn't really thinking now was he?

"Can I help?" Mia asked quietly, as if not expecting Alex to ask for help.

Alex turned to look at her and Mia could see that he held something clenched in his hand but couldn't for the life of her guess what it was. "Maybe you can." He said quietly. But he said nothing more, and it looked almost... almost as if Alex was afraid to go on.

Mia stepped closer to Alex, trying to figure out what ailed the other and almost stepped back as Alex all but fell onto one knee. Her eyes widened as he held her right hand in his own and opened his left hand where she could see a deep blue ring made of a sapphire, with a single blue diamond set in the top of the band.

Alex's eyes caught her own and quietly he spoke. "Will you marry me Mia?"

Mia collapsed onto Alex, murmuring things like, "Yes." and "Love you Alex."

And of course, the biggest worry Alex had was not a problem: the deep blue of the ring complemented Mia's eyes perfectly.



A ways up from this house was one of the more... unusual of the houses in Vale, although no one would say so either of the two that lived there. Seriously, what was so different about living in a ship? Nothing really. It was all in how you looked at it. Picard, not wanting to be parted from his ship, had it halfway buried in the earth and hollowed out into a house for him to live in. (Of course later Felix moved in, but the villagers didn't know that they planned this of course.)

Currently the two adepts were engaged in certain pressing matters.

"A little more... push you water Djinni!"

"Picccarrrd! This is heavy!" One of them squeaked.

"Dew, just keep pushing, two more inches.... perfect!"

All the Djinni sighed in relief as the rather large mattress fell down solidly on the framework of the bed. Picard threw an arm around Felix, viewing their work.

"Don't think you can fall out of this, hun."

Felix nodded, surveying the room. The normal sized room, which should have supported dressers, beds, and the like, had been filled except for one foot of floor which ran down one side and thus allowed someone to enter and exit through the door. The rest of the floor was the largest king sized bed that had ever been made.

Felix pressed a hand into the mattress, frowning as the mattress (like all new mattresses) was just too.... springy. Hard and springy, not squishy-springy like all well slept mattresses.

"To hard." He commented, pouting much like a child would. He did not notice the feral grin that spread across Picard's face as the Lemurian slowly began plotting.

"Well of course it is Felix. It's brand new." The earth adept jumped slightly as the Lemurian wrapped both arms around him and purred in his ear. "What say you we break it in?"

At the Valian's smile Picard gently threw Felix on the bed and, acting much like a cat, pounced on his dark haired lover.



And at the top of the ridge, where one could look out at all of Vale and beyond, was the last of the new additions to the village. Not as modest as any of the houses, not even modest in terms of many houses period, this house was made of a black obsidian. In fact it was the same black obsidian that would have made the rich elders of Prox's homes, for this was Saturos's house. By Valeian custom Jenna could not live there, for that would imply things that were not true and not accepted by Vale's strict rules, but that did not stop Jenna from spending most of her time here. She had helped Saturos design the house. So great was her influence that when one entered the house, on each side of the door were two statues. One was of Aries, clothed in his battle attire, a normal figure for a Proxian's dwelling. But facing this statue was one of Hades standing in his all his finery as the God of the Dead.

Powerful Proxian spells kept veins of magma cool and suspended in the stone of the stairways of the house, looking like little ripples of fire in the marble.

But more magnificent than the house was the small shrine in the backyard that Jenna was not aware of. This was the letter which Felix had sent to Saturos, saying plainly that the shrine was completed and that he could bring Jenna home at any time. Saturos had thought long and hard as to how to go about easing Jenna's heart from the sadness of loosing her three familiars, and had finally decided upon this project.

"Saturos can I open my eyes now?" Jenna asked playfully as he lead her onto the paved stone of the shrine.

"If you must." he replied, and of course Jenna's eyes snapped open. Her eyes looked in wonder at the three statues in front of her, that were turned as if looking over ridge... but was that an alter in front of them? Her eyes widened in disbelief and she ran over to the three statues, turning to look at them.

Three statues, arranged in a semi-circle around an alter of black marble. Each held out their hands over the alter, as if casting a spell upon it. The middle statue was of a female with long red hair and red robes, illustrated by the ruby and garnet stone of her statue. The statue on her left was a statue of white opal, a picture of a young male with pale hair and robes. And on the right of the female statue was a statue of black opal, a male with eyes and clothes of purest black. Her eyes were drawn to the alter, where on the side facing the ridge and the sunset that was just beginning were words written in ancient Proxian, and underneath it the translation into the common tongue of today:


In memory of Lunitari, Solinari, and Nuitari,

In remembrance of your blessings and sacrifice,

May your combined forms watch over us all.

Until such a time as there is no sorrow left in the world.


Jenna felt two arms encircle her waist and twisted in Saturos's embrace to finally let out her last tears for her now fallen comrades.

"It's perfect." she finally whispered.

Saturos smiled, lifting her on the alter. Jenna gasped as she saw the beauty of Vale, submerged in the golden light of the setting sun. The plush greens of the trees and far off the purples of the mountains. Way in the distance, green fields looked like seas of gold, the rooftops of Vale looking like jewels which had been polished to a perfect shine. And the sky itself seemed to echo the radiance of the moment. Saturos had jumped up next to her and now she leaned over to ask, "Do you think they will mind us sitting on the alter with their remains in it?"

Saturos chuckled, "Knowing them, I bet they would be insulted if we didn't."



Way down in Hades a dark figure muttered, "You're darn right." As three now solid Dark Mages watched their little Mage in the waters of the river Styx. Solinari giggled at Nuitari's righteous indignation. And Lunitari was unsuccessfully trying to fight back tears as she watched the scene. "It's so beautiful!" she cried, turning to sob on Nuitari's shoulder who looked baffled at her actions, turning to look as Solinari with a questioning look. The other Dark Mage merely smiled and shrugged. No one ever could figure out their sister, so there was no use in him trying.



Late at night, after all the people of Vale were sound asleep and the stars were coming out, Picard was awakened to a muffled thud. He leaned over the edge of the bed to see a not so unusual sight.

"How did you manage to turn sideways?" he asked amused.

"If I knew do you think I would?" Felix asked as he continued his starring match with the floor.

"Maybe I should have ordered the canopy attachment. Then we could have closed off that end so you couldn't fall out." the Lemurian mused as he lifted the tired Felix back into bed.

"Picard?"

"Yes?"

"Do it now."

The Lemurian chuckled as he pulled the covers over both of them. "There will be plenty of time in the morning, love."





Author's Note:

SQUEEE! SAPPYNESS AND FLUFFNESS ALL AROUND! Wow, my teeth are aching as if I ate a ton of chocolate! I didn't know I had it in me. Anyway, yes Fantasies of the Open Mind is finished! But thanks to review support and death threats from a few friends of mine, there will be a sequel! (Can anyone guess the title? Hint: it's almost the opposite of this one's!)


I will be going back through Fantasies to correct spelling and grammar that I did not fix when I was writing it during my vacation in February. At this time I will be handing out the date of the sequel's beginning! Here's a sneak peek at the summery:


Summery: Ten years after Fantasies of the Open Mind, Jenna and Saturos are summoned to the halls of Olympus. Because of their marriage, Cupid's curse is completely broken which causes Fate to be completely messed up. This will eventually destroy Hades and his wife and the entire underworld if nothing is done to correct Fate. Of course, if the underworld is destroyed, the mortal world will go with it. Jenna and Saturos must venture into the Underworld and make their way to Hades's palace, unaided by Gods and Immortals, to correct Fate... but some uninvited brothers and significant others, as well as good friends, will not let them go alone. Of course, the Djinni will not let their adepts go unaided where they could get hurt! Pairings: (major)Jenna/Saturos, (minor)Alex/Mia, Felix/Picard, Isaac/??? *Also introducing the son of Alex and Mia, a boy with Alex's cunning, Mia's hair, Alex's power... and an ego to match!*