Disclaimer: I give up. Refer to the last 34 chaps for the disclaimer.
Author's Notes: The last chapter... it's been so fun (sorry for all the waiting!) and sad. Now, read the last chapter... weep... remember the good times... and bad... because this is the last, people. Thank you all for reading! I love you guys-I wouldn't have finished it without you!
Sisters till the End
This is dedicated to Pablo/Cecil because he is such an awesome writer and he has inspired me to go farther. Thank you Pablo/Cecil for your awesome story and your awesome talent!
Chapter Thirty-Five: Stories End, Lives BeginAnd so, one the Eve of the Ritual of Life, with the battle raging around them, did the Second and his Protectors take their place in the Circle within the Temple of Artemis, and call upon their powers. Though the Second's heart was at first weary of his power, the Protector of the Dark Moon stood and told his heart not to be afraid, for power does not make one's destiny, only the one with the power can do that. Now, as they stood, a rogue slipped by the forces that fought for Gaea and tried to destroy the Second by jumping into the Circle and bonding with him.
Killing the Protectors, the Second battled the rogue with ferocity of a lion, and won, destroying her. Recovering, the Protectors assumed to resume the Ritual, yet the Second's body was weak and used, and none believed he could continue. So again the Protector of the Dark Moon stood tall. Again she took on the world's Fate. Again she risked her life for those she loved. Using the Ancient Magic that rested within her veins, the Protector of the Dark Moon took the Second's powers and raised herself up into the heaven's to complete the Ritual. Leaving her Sisters, the Protector of Elements and the Protector of the Mystic Moon, below her to watch and protect the Second while he recovered.
The battle was fierce both below and above. While war raged on around them the Second's army held their keep and no one was allowed inside the Temple. Both Protectors were afraid for their Sister and fought desperately to assist her. Their attempts were in vain, for the power that protected her resisted all their powers. Time passed both above and below, and while the war began to quite down and the Second's army met less and less resistance, the Protectors and the Second were only left to wonder.
A bright light suddenly pierced the Temple as the war was won and the army came into the Temple, unknowingly to become witnesses. Among them was the Fate, Rika Avalon, and the mighty Zaibach force, The Dragon Slayers, led by their General and Lord, Dilandau Albatou. As they entered and saw the bright light, it split into two columns, allowing for one to see a pedestal made of the most polished marble engraved with the text: Those Who Stand On Thy Stand On The World As Those Who Come Before Appear To Thee To Guide.
And thus, on the pedestal, stood the Protector of the Dark Moon, behind her the very image of Gaea so bright and beautiful, with ageless beauty and wisdom, and the First, sword at hand, strong and ready to fight. There they stood, there they will always be remembered, and there everyone who became a witness will always remember her words. The Protector of the Dark Moon stood and gave her last goodbyes to those who she loved, and then in a clap of thunder and a lightning strike, she was gone, her energy spread out across the world to purify it. Her sacrifice was selfless and though she left behind many that loved her, she saved Gaea and for that all will thank her for.
Nicole looked up from the last word she had written and read over her work. She had taken it upon herself to add to the Old Script the details of the Second's arrival and Ritual of Life. Finishing the last line she smiled with satisfaction. It would do.
Pushing away the papers she leaned back in her chair and relaxed her sore muscles. It had been a long time since she had recalled those memories and even now it still hurt. Two years since she died, she thought. Two years… Look how it's all changed. Alex has another kid, I finally had my first, Coran is running the training grounds for new recruits, and Scott and Zorya are somewhere on Gaea together. Dilandau still is taking Kat's death hard and frankly I'm surprised we all aren't on the same boat he is now. Seeing her die was the hardest thing I ever had to do, next to saying goodbye.
But goodbyes aren't forever, a small, familiar voice reminded her. A small smile appeared on Nicole's lips. No, they aren't, she agreed. It was the first time she actually smiled without cause in the two years since Kat had died. At first she had felt guilty about smiling after her daughter, Sarah Katrina, had been born so soon after the loss. She had tried not to but life seemed to insist upon her joy even with a death still heavy in the air. She had imagined Alex seeing her smiling on day and blowing up at her for Alex seemed to take it as a personal hit to herself when Kat had died. Strangely enough, Alex was the one who encouraged her to smile and take joy in the new life she had; "After all, you don't get a second first-born. You should cherish these days because you'll never get them back. 'Sides, Kat would kill you if she saw that you were feeling guilty about having such a wonderful baby weeks after her death and we don't want that," Alex had told her.
Still, it took a long time for Alex and her to come to terms. I think everyone took a long time to recover from that blow, she thought. Some of us still are. Her thoughts drifted to Coran and Dilandau. She knew that when Kat had left the Vione and sought out the help of the young assassin Coran Duskblade and stayed with him that there was something more then friendship. It sort of angered her at first to think that someone as loyal as Kat would throw their loyalties away at the first sign of trouble. Yet as time moved on she had strewed it over in her mind and come to the decision that, through it all, Kat had never been disloyal to Dilandau, though Coran always said she talked about if he didn't come around how she wouldn't be standing there and hoping. She had a duty to wait it out, she said.
Of course it was obvious that Coran had an infatuation with Kat. Nicole had once laughed at the idea of Coran and Kat together; the two were both strong and hard headed, the only difference was that one was fueled and controlled by emotions while the other was unable to control their emotions. I always thought that if they had gotten together before Dilandau that they would've destroyed the world in an argument, she mused. But then, that's probably why Kat liked Dilandau. No matter how hard they fought he always grounded her with his shy reluctance to never stop fighting. I think she had met her match in arguing-he just wouldn't give up.
It really wasn't any surprised that he still believed her to be out there somewhere, alive, and just waiting for someone to find her. For all she knew, Kat could be out there but the question remained, if so, where? Still, as much as she wanted to believe that, she knew it was just a fabrication. If Kat was anywhere in the universe I would be able to feel her, she told herself. And I can't.
She sighed a bit and stared at the ceiling. Scott had kept his promise to Kat and kept a sharp and close eye on Alex and her-and their families she mused-and always kept his ear to the ground for danger of any kind. He was a good man though he refused to believe it. I guess that's the family genes, she thought. I can't believe after all of these years I finally found Scott, my brother. Mom and Dad would be so happy. He had finally asked Nicole if she had ever had a brother for he was sure he knew her. Upon agreeing, Scott had looked at her with wide excited eyes as if a locked memory had suddenly opened. He's a good match for Zorya. They'll get married one day and still be as happy as they are right now years from today, she told herself. It's all a matter of time.
Time-the Fate of Time suddenly came into her head. Rika had been shocked to find Kat take Scott's place and though she hadn't admitted it outright, Nicole knew that the Fate had not seen that. Dalet had told her in secret that Rika had gone back several times to try and change the outcome but had failed. Said she called it a Blocker, the only time when Time and Destiny cooperated with each other and would not let anyone change it. At least she's accepted that one fluke as she calls it, Nicole thought. I would hate to see her in so much pain as Dilandau. She's worked hard to get the life she has now.
It's hard to believe that it's been two years… everyone has gone back to their old way of life yet you can still tell those who saw the Ritual apart from those who have heard about it. All of the assassins on Dilandau and Coran's side disappeared, as did the Star Dragons, and Hitomi's Protectors, and there's been not a peep from Tandor or the Dark Stars. I guess all is finally well for now… even though Dilandau still tries the occasional suicide attempt now and again. But I suppose you can't expect too much since we've all contemplated that now and again. She looked at the papers in front of her, the letters written out to Kat's mother peeping out from behind the worn pages of the Old Script fresh and new like a spring shower. Whether or not she got the letter to her would be another issue.
Her eyes fell upon the Old Script again as she read the last line. Her sacrifice was selfless and though she left behind many that loved her, she saved Gaea and for that all will thank her for. Yes, everyone will thank her for that-her Sisters, Son, and the people, she thought. Her sacrifice was great and scary yet she entered it without the bat of an eye. She knew what she had to do and she did it-an act of undeniable courage and love. Through everything we've been through we've always been Sisters and we've been true to each other even though we doubted everyone else. A bond that cannot be broken, even through life and death, for we will always are Sisters Until the End.
And with that, Nicole closed the last chapter of the Old Script.
The End