Moonlight Horizon
By Michelle Harris aka
Lady M. Harris
Author's Notes: After nearly a year from fan fiction writing, I'm back for a short while. A new quarter starts for me this January, and then writing will become nearly impossible again. Sorry that this is taking forever, literally, I know to finish this. But it is finished, at least in my mind it is, I just have to get it on paper. Sorry, there is no real romance going on here, but this is an epic and shortly, the romance will reappear. I'm already working on Part 10, so don't despair – read on if you dare!
Lady M. Harris
Part 9
Just like a prayer, your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me, you are a mystery
Just like a dream, you are not what you seem
Just like a prayer, no choice your voice can take me there
--Madonna
"Ready?" Elios asked once again as they neared the perfect circle of angels floating effortlessly above them.
"Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be," Rini nodded her head, her mouth parched dry. She glanced briefly at Marilee and Bark and a felt momentary pang of sadness. Sarah, with her warm, kind eyes and even Denise, looking quite happy at her departure stood on the beach watching their attempt to leave the island. It couldn't diminish the paltry feeling she was having of leaving behind such extraordinary people behind to fend for themselves. She was certain that her and Elios would succeed in their endeavor, but she also knew that she was going to miss the people on this so-called hideous island that the planet Paradise deemed as Hades. Hideous indeed, she thought bitterly, they were wonderful people!
"Wait for my queue, then come to me," Elios instructed, forcing her mind back to their task. He hesitated for a moment, as if just remembering something important, he then instructed her again, "if you don't know the words to the song that will be sung, just hum along."
"Okay," Rini smiled slowly, nodding, not quite sure what to do. This sounded interesting, she thought to herself, curious now. She wondered briefly if she would recognize anything that the angels sung.
Elios chuckled deeply, stretching their joined hands out as he centered themselves into the circle of angels. She clearly had no idea the significance of the song or why he had asked her to hum a tune she might not know. In due time, in due time she would learn, he mused, determinedly. And then he closed his eyes slowly, shutting out the rest of the world around him, the beauty of the woman who stood before him, the island and its people and even those that served him, floating above his head waiting for him to begin.
With their hands still joined, Elios began to sing. The sound that emitted from deep within his chest and vibrated slowly like rumbling thunder startled Rini from her reverie like a person just awakens from a long, slumberous sleep. The sound traveled from the tops of her shinning head and down to the tips of her toes that wiggled in her high top boots. Everyone around her fell away and all she could do was watch and listen, mesmerized by the glorious sound of the Archangel's voice. It was magnificent, reminding her of a morning Perch singing its heart out to anyone wide awake to hear its call; like that of a new day, with the rustic, fiery morning rays of the sun dawning brightly against a clear, crisp golden sky. As for the man, it reminded her starkly of their last time together, when he had thrown back his head and roared her name triumphantly against the cavern walls; her own feminine cries of ecstasy intermingling with his own. She remembered the shafts of piercing desire crashing over her as he spilled his seed deep within her womb. As his song grew in strength, so did those images of their sensual night spent together until they burst within her and splintered like flints of flaring flames of fire sputtering to life. The words wrapped intricately around her inner most being, making her arms quiver and her limbs turn into molten jelly. As Elios rose into the air, his wings beating furiously like those of a humming bird, Rini relinquished her hold on him, and quite suddenly felt bereft and quite alone. But the feeling didn't last for very long, for as his song continued it's silky climb in almost warrior-like melody, so did his rise into the sky. When Rini raised her face toward the circle, her heart nearly tumbled out of her chest.
How magnificent he appeared to her! Was it any wonder that she could not catch her breath at the sight of him? How she knew that every other female present thought the same as her? How could such a wondrous man with his lineage want with a person such as her? She wondered silently as she gazed back at into his piercing eyes. He watched her patiently, like that of a parent waiting patiently for a child to take it's first baby steps. He nodded, barely noticeable to anyone but to them, and Rini knew that the signal had been given for her join him.
She threw back her head, feeling the long mane of her hair whip soundlessly against the stirring of the air before her. Her small sailor wings of white, spread themselves wide and lifted and then parted again like a graceful dove and Rini found herself launched into the highly charged air, as Elios' song continued to wrap itself solidly around her. As if on queue, and although she didn't know the words, she began to hum along with Elios.
The sound was clear but only to Rini, for the music that Elios created was awe-inspiring. Her humming spiraled upwards like a tightrope toward the awaiting angels preparing to join Elios' song. The angels were momentarily thunderstruck for here in the depths of Hades; where they waited as if in battle to strike down a Cycle, an Angelica had just proclaimed her intentions.
Sailor Cosmos, Neo-Queen Serenity could only wonder at the angels' startled expressions of shock as they and herself watched the archangel and her daughter in fascination. Something of great significance had just happened and she had no idea what it was or if Rini was even aware of it.
Rini, however, only had eyes for the archangel. Serena had never seen her daughter look so lovely or so in charge of herself. Tears of joy and pride had nearly spilled from Serena's eyes at the sight of her daughter flying towards the archangel. She would have never dreamed in a million years that her daughter would choose such a fine-looking man of means and dignity. She only wished that Darien could see their daughter now and how much she had grown up into the wonderful person she saw before her.
Despite the shock from the angels, they did not falter from joining the song. How could they when Elios' hard gaze dared them to do otherwise? And when the melodious voices of the seven angels joined Elios, their voices grew in strength until that was all one could hear.
With her hand stretched forward toward Elios' out stretched hand, Rini felt a momentarily shimmer throughout her being. The dormant power within her seemed to double as it hummed along with her, surrounding her, enfolding her like that of an awaking flower. Rini was dumbfounded as pink electricity sparked from her hand like fire ready to erupt. She glanced up at Elios above her, startled by what she saw and knew that he had seen the power within her building, ready to erupt like an explosion. He nodded again, his hand still stretched out, waiting for her to take it.
She took his hand and the power within her pulsed forward like a gigantic firework ready to explode.
And then something incredible happened.
Time stood still.
The Cycle encapsulating the island of Hades shimmered blue electricity like a half dome over the island. The pink bolts of power from Super Sailor Moon's own inner being only tempered the blue power. Those who stood on the island were frozen in place as those in the sea and in the air.
Rini stared in shock at Elios as she came to float silently before him. No one moved but her, why was that? He floated before her like a glorious statue and Rini resisted the urge to caress his face. And then before her own widening eyes, within Elios chest, a sheen of a ghost arose, clutching to what seemed to be a golden scroll within his arms to his own chest. For a moment, Rini turned away from the glowing glare of the scroll. It had nearly blinded her at first sight.
"Elios!" Rini gasped out in utter bewilderment, recognizing him from her childhood. For a moment, the faces of the Archangel Elios and Elios of Elysium seemed to merge within one another before separating once again. The faces, man and boy from her dreams! She finally recognized them for what it's meaning was after all these years.
"Super Sailor Moon," Elios acknowledged, faintly. The smile on his face glimmered, softly, in the background of the pulsating energies. "It has been a long while, has it not?"
Rini could only nod, her throat dry.
"Alas, I regret that it had to be this way."
"This way? What do you mean? I don't understand, what has happened to you?" She burst out. "How can you be two persons at once?"
"I'm not," Elios smiled slowly this time. "My time grows short here, and I do not have the strength to tell you. So instead, I will show you," he raised his hand and opened the golden papyrus still clutched with in his arms. Blinding, warm golden light spilled forth like bubbling froth and engulfed her within moments.
When Rini finally opened her eyes, she gasped in astonishment, for there, before her was the younger version of Elios, as she remembered him long ago, still a part of Dreamworld and still a part of Earth's lost world. Earth's lost world that she knew naught of, and yet, she seen the numerous landscapes in her dreams. Vaguely, she realized that she was watching a scene before her that had already come to pass. His hair was as she remembered him, nearly white; his gentle eyes their soothing amber color. He stood before the Golden Lake in the Golden Woods, gazing into the calm waters, deep in thought. He was not too far from the Golden Shrines, where Manalani and her twin sister, Mandelhi awaited his return from singing his praises to mother nature.
However, Elios' face was still troubled, for singing the enhancements no longer gave him the satisfaction he craved. He could do no more for the lost world, Manalani and Mandelhi could manage the shrines and keep Dreamworld as it was meant to be. He had more to give, he just knew, he thought with frustration. The encounter in Rini's world had opened his eyes to what he should be doing and he had long since believed that something else, something bigger than Dreamworld awaited him over yonder.
At night, he dreamt of a world full of rocks and deep, blue oceans, of soaring skies and the wind whistling against his ears. Faces of people he did not know crowded his mind and his dreams at night. Where once on Dreamworld people lived and the King of Earth ruled with a gentle hand, but now only a handful remained tending to the shrines. And Princess Rini, ruby eyes gleamed back at him in his dreams and he knew somehow that his destiny awaited him in those eyes of hers. But what was he to do? He had no answers, and lately, his dreams were more frequent than normal. He had escaped to the Golden Lake for a reprieve from his own turmoil thoughts, only to find out that he had stepped eagerly into fate's plan.
The Golden Lady of the lake arose out of the calm waters to gaze upon the young, trouble man. Elios had never seen her before, but knew that she was the guardian of the lake. Like most things in Dreamworld, she was a mystery that most knew little about. Her beauty was ancient and legendary as was the fathomless, blue eyes that gazed back at Elios. She was wrapped in her own, long golden tresses, while silver droplets of water clung to her shimmering skin.
"You've been summoned, my young priest," the tilting voice called out to him like a siren.
"Summoned by whom, Gealida of the Golden Lakes?" Elios stepped closer.
"It is bad manners for me to say. You must speak to him yourself. You will come with me, Elios of Ezekiel House. The time has arrived," she stretched out her hand and motioned towards his clothes. "You will not need those where you are going," she added, disdainfully.
A blush erupted on Elios' face, but he disrobed as she requested. He left his robes in a neat pile by a large boulder.
"Come," she urged him quickly, as he stepped into the waters.
He shuddered when his feet touched the cold waters, but the coolness went away the instant Gealida gripped his hand. She pulled him deeper into the waters and wrapped her arms around Elios in a tight embrace.
Rini, still engrossed in the scene before her did not realize that she grinded her teeth at the image before her.
"Relax, my sweet poppy, I will not hurt you," Gealida replied softly, when she felt Elios stiffen her arms. She looked up, ignoring the young man for moment even as he began struggling. A golden canary perched on the nearby trees watching the Lady of the Golden Lakes and the young priest. For nearly a half a second, they gazed at one another as if communicating in some way. Finally, the bird chirped and then flew away and Gealida returned to her task at hand. "No more delays, Elios," Gealida stated as she swooped down and captured Elios' mouth in a kiss, her hand reaching forward to cup his chin, meaning to stay him.
A moment later, Elios grew still and lay limp in the lady's arms. They descended into the waters and Rini tried to not to lash out at the image. They disappeared, and for another moment longer there was nothing before her. Just when Rini thought that that was all there was to the story, which didn't make any sense to her yet, a new image began to form.
There was the Lady of the Golden Lakes, Gealida, still holding a limp Elios in her arms as they ascended from the calm waters into a place that Rini did not recognize. There were large boulders everywhere that were red with symmetric lines of yellow and orange deposits within the rocks. Red sand banked the waters. There was only one green bush hanging just short of the water.
A large swooping sound that Rini immediately recognized as wings, but what didn't make sense was that it sounded like the thunderous beat of many wings. Her answer appeared as a tall man of great beauty and understated grace, appeared to be landing on the red, sandy banks of the area she was viewing. Behind him must've beat a thousand wings! Amazed, Rini leaned in closer at the image. The man was dressed in shimmering white and purple robes and golden tassels tied the robes in place about the man's hips. When he landed, his many, great white wings folded neatly behind him and Rini realized foolishly, that there was not quite so many wings as she first thought. However, there were more pairs of wings than she could rightly count.
"I bid you good day, Gealida of the Golden Lakes," said the musical voice of the angel.
Gealida nodded her head with great respect. "And so you, Archangel Raphael, Angel of Powers and Angel of Knowledge and finally, one of the seven angels who attends to His thrones in the 7th Heaven."
"I will relieve you of your burden, my lady," the archangel nodded his head in acknowledgement, locks of chocolate brown hair falling over his broad shoulders. His ancient, keen gaze of misty green missed nothing, especially the limp presence in the lady's arms.
"He is young and will likely be scared," Gealida sighed, the waves of the water taking her and Elios to the archangel.
The Archangel Raphael did not answer for a moment but held out his hand as if beckoning to the lady. His gaze turned hard and inscrutable as he stared down at Gealida from his lofty position on the banks. She was even more beautiful than he last remembered her. This was their first contact since their last parting nearly five centuries ago. How time seemed to have stood still for her. There was a softness and sadness about her now that had not been present in her youth.
Gealida sighed, softly. The sound echoed throughout the small, enclosed area and the archangel's eyes grew wintry. Would it always be like this with us, Raphael, she thought with great sadness and everlasting regret. She remembered a time when those incredible willow leaf eyes of his showed passion and love—but what was she thinking! That was centuries ago when the world was too young to know it even existed and when Raphael had been willing to forsake his God to become human for the love of a mortal goddess.
"He will not be as you will see. He will understand. That is why I am here myself. I trust no other within my domain to guide him to safety," the archangel answered, his gaze showing nothing but serenity now.
Elios' eyes fluttered open at the sound of the voice. He took a deep breath and snapped his amber eyes wide open. His breath shuddered in surprise, a face of great, ancient wisdom gazed back at with eyes the color of a warm, spring day in a green meadow.
"Elios of Ezekiel House, and of Earth's forgotten Dreamworld, we do not have much time. But it is up to you, for only you must accept what He has ordained for your new future," the archangel spoke.
"I don't understand. You're speaking in riddles to me," Elios lifted his head up, clearing the last of the haziness from his mind. The lady of the Golden Lakes relinquished her hold on him. He stepped onto the red sandy bank, already forgetting the presence of the lady of the Golden Lakes and stood before the angel as if waiting for judgment.
"Because you carry the Golden Scroll within your star seed, you must give us your permission to be reborn, child," the archangel stated, simply.
Stunned, Elios could only stare at the angel before answering. "I am to be reborn?"
"Yes, to the Lady Rachael of the Azoic tribes and Angelica to Paradise's current archangel," Raphael answered. He did not embellish the fact that Lady Rachael would die giving birth to Elios or that his father, the Archangel of Paradise also would succumb to death six months after the birth of Elios during a flight accident, which would surmount to five deaths, three of Paradise's angels and two humans. Raphael could not reveal such things that would come to pass as he could not have forsaken his position with the almighty for a mortal goddess.
"Why? I don't understand," Elios asked, still in shock.
"It is for the simple fact that you are special, Elios, and that is why you have been chosen to carry and protect the Golden Scroll. Your destiny has never been with Dreamworld; it only shares a fraction what has been altered by fates. Will you accept your new path and be reborn?" The angel urged, quietly.
"If it must be so, then it must be," Elios answered, amber gaze wide and trusting. "I will accept this new life of mine."
"So mote it be," Raphael placed his hand on Elios' forehead and the young man went limp again. The archangel caught him before his body could slide to the ground and into the waters.
"I bid you farewell, Archangel Raphael," Gealida spoke up softly, almost forgotten in the intense situation. "Take good care of him."
"And you," Raphael answered, and for a moment, Gealida caught the regret in his eyes and her heart ached. It would ache for an eternity or until the world came to an end, it would seem, she thought. And then she disappeared into the waters, never to be seen again to the archangel.
In the archangel arms, Elios' body became shiftless, like a startling apparition. Rini could only gasp as she could finally see Elios' star seed. And there, encircling the precious life force like a relentless, twirling bird was the golden papyrus, the Golden Scroll. It glowed with a life its own.
"The Golden Scroll is the key to life, Super Sailor Moon," the archangel now spoke to Rini. Stunned, she could only stare back, speechless, her mouth gaping open like a fish. "You must protect the Archangel Elios of Paradise and you must protect the Golden Scroll until the time arrives for its use," the angel declared to her. Then he raised his magnificent wings and was gone from her vision.
"Waaait!" She screamed. What was it she was supposed to do? How was she going to protect Elios and the scroll, even as she thought of the questions, the words died in her mind.
The spectral Elios waited for her to return to reality. As her eyes focused on the ghostly image before her, she watched with amazement as he closed the scroll, abruptly cutting off the soft, warm golden glow and then held it again to his chest.
"The power builds within you, Super Sailor Moon. Soon, you will use it to protect him," Elios stated, smiling softly with the shimmering lights around them.
"You speak as if you aren't a part of each other. I don't understand," Rini shook her head.
"We are two different individuals," Elios sighed as Rini shook her head in denial, not wanting to believe him. "When the scroll is released, I will merge as one with him, and our memories will become one, but I will no longer exist. And even if we were to merge, there is no guarantee that he will remember my former life. He," indicating the archangel of Paradise, Elios added, "is stronger than I will ever be. That is the price I must pay for being reborn into your world and for loving you."
"Nooo, there must be some other way. But I will know, Elios! It won't be fair!" Rini gasped out.
"You will not remember any of this, Rini. Only what you need to know," Elios whispered softly, his image wavering white before her widening gaze. Before she could retort a response, he eased back slowly into the archangel's chest and already Rini's memory clouded at the sight. "Take his hand again," he whispered urgently to her.
Without thinking, she did as she was told and the power that pulsed at bay within her, hurled thunderously through her and the Archangel Elios like a crashing storm, one a bolt of electrifying pink blast and the other, a bolt of white lightening. The Cycle crackled and creaked like that of ship overbearing its heavy weight. The pulsating blaze of pink and white power converged and stripped the Cycle of its tendentious hold on the island before finally releasing its inhabitants. The sound was deafening, like that of a powerful roar, as sand scattered and the waves surrounding the island slashed viciously against the sandy beach, before the waters finally calmed.
When Rini opened her eyes, Elios, the archangel floating with her, was staring in silent shock all around them.
"What did you do?" He asked, stunned. His azure gaze was wide with shining admiration and something else.
"I don't know. All I remember was being told to take your hand and that our powers combined, something incredible—our powers," she stated, softly. She could still feel it, her powers resonating through out her body.
The crowd below them went wild with cheers and laughter. Those in the waters sat gazing with shock as the uniformed men pulled the injured guard onto the deck of the sleek boat, but now without haste. Dave and Javon still sat in their rickety boat, soaked from the slashing waves from earlier and waving their arms partly in shock and partly in jubilation.
"Do you smell it, Rini?" Elios asked, knowing she did not.
"Smell what?" She queried in bewilderment.
"The Cycle, sweetheart. It's gone. For nearly a century, it has encapsulated the island," he answered slowly, allowing the significance of his words to settle in her. "But now, it's gone, completely."
Her mouth opened and closed in stupefaction. But she somehow knew that she hadn't done it alone and that Elios had been part of the magic.
"Mother!" Familiar lilies and roses engulfed Rini as white feathers floated delicately around her. Soft arms embraced her and she laughed with joy as her mother engulfed her in a fierce hug.
The seven angels joined them in the air and all around them a reunion of sorts took place. Rini had never seen such a beautiful sight. Two young, pretty angels embraced Elios, squealing like teenagers. Joyous laughter and exclamations of happiness greeted everyone within the tight circle.
After the happy reunion, everyone agreed to meet back in Elysium. There, they would meet in the Evangelican Chambers. The sleek boat was already speeding away with the injured guard toward the mainland and most of the Hades inhabitants mulled around the sandy beach already wondering – some with mixed feelings and apprehension and others with excitement about what was going to happen to the island that was no longer enclosed off from the rest of the world.
News of the incredible event on the Hades island had already reached Elysium by the time Rini and the rest of the party reached Elysium. Rini had never seen the caverns of Elios' headquarters. Unlike Hades, every modern trapping was seen everywhere. Elysium was also spacious and luxurious like no other palace on Paradise. Golden etchings of wondrous carvings of angels and man, a telling of tapestry graced the tall, hallways of the caverns. Large paintings by famous artists hung on the walls while large slabs of muted creams and beiges of marble graced the rest of the large holdings. Everywhere Rini glanced, something priceless and beautiful held her attention before her gaze moved on in its continued exploration. Servants and visitors crowded the caverns, but everyone seemed to be in a state of celebration for the return of their favored archangel.
Here, Rini was separated from Elios as he became engaged in greeting those who stood patiently waiting for his return. While he was other than engaged, Rini was shown to her luxurious, appointed room. Though smaller than her room at home, it lacked for nothing in comfort, furnishings and extravagance. She was just gazing out of one of the portholes that were her window after inspecting her room for no more than five minutes, when there was a loud knock on her door.
"Rini," her mother stood on the other end of the door, her usually blue eyes so bright was now stricken with worry and something else that Rini immediately recognized as fright. She glanced quickly at Elios, who stood immediately behind her mother, his expression grim, his mouth taut.
"My God, what is it?" Rini burst out, grabbing her mother's trembling hands.
"It's that madman, Aaron—the one who's been hunting all those angels," Serena choked out. "He's got your father! He'll exchange Elios for your father!"
"What!" Rini cried out, her gaze wide, her heart twisting painfully in her chest as her gaze flew to Elios'.
He nodded grimly, confirming the bad news. "That's not all. It seems that the Union Nations Fleet now has Cerus completely surrounded with warships. Weapons are drawn and Paradise is now on full alert. We are standing by for war."
Stay tuned for Part 10….Lady M. Harris.