The afternoon had fallen upon the home of Diana Castagnoli and Cesaro. Their guest, Trevor, watched television inside while Diana watched her son carefully from the home's balcony as Cesaro spent some time standing on the shoreline listening to the waves of the crystal blue water. The waves appeared to relax him the longer he watched them. After a bit of time, he decided to sit down with his legs folded in the sand and allow them to brush up against his knees, the cool touch of the water bringing to him a calming chill. He allowed his mind to drift into a state of relaxation and then closed his eyes. Cesaro then felt the slightest of thumps at his temple, two of them in quick succession. The sound in his head brought him out of his calm for a moment, but Cesaro simply drew himself back into it. He was drawn away from it again by his mother's voice from behind him.
"Claudio." She said after putting her hand on his shoulder, making him turn to see her. "I am leaving for a moment. When I return, we'll go into town for a while." Cesaro nodded.
"Okay, Mother." He said. "Where are you going?" Diana smiled.
"Do not worry, Claudio." She answered. "I will return shortly. Why not keep Trevor company while I am away?" Cesaro blinked, stood to his feet, and dusted the sand off him with his hands.
"Of course." He said to Diana. "Hurry back." Diana smiled at him once more before lifting herself into the air and flying off towards the mountainous area, Cesaro watching her all the while until he could see her no more. He then turned his attention to the balcony and proceeded to telekinetically lift himself into the air and fly towards the balcony. The sheer amount of energy Cesaro emitted a short, low rumble as he landed. The man started towards the kitchen entrance but was met by Trevor who was making his way out of the home.
"Hey, Claudio." Trevor greeted. "I was just about to join you out there by the shore." Cesaro lifted his eyebrows.
"Well." He said. "We can just watch them from the balcony then." He then turned around and leaned on the railings, Trevor making his way next to him. The man sighed.
"You know." He started. "This is honestly the nicest place I've ever seen. I could stare out at this forever. No noise, no worries, no humans…" Trevor's last comment made Cesaro looked over at him with slight confusion. "I mean, I would have never thought you lived, well…" Trevor then reached his arms at the water, Cesaro following his gesture with his eyes. "Here." Cesaro blinked at Trevor's actions and shook them off, choosing instead to indulge the man even though the home was not as he remembered it to be.
"Yeah, I… " Cesaro drew a blank for a brief moment and then came to. "I've loved it here since I was a child. It was always peaceful to me. From what I remember, anyway." Cesaro then sighed. "I'm just… relieved to have my mother here with me."
"I get that." Trevor replied. "I'm happy for you. Seems like you missed her a lot." Cesaro nodded and then thought of Trevor's family.
"Speaking of family." Cesaro started. "Where is yours?" The question appeared to have caused a shift in Trevor's body language. He had gone from relaxed and gleeful to slightly confused. His change caused Cesaro to worry.
"I… I don't know." Trevor finally responded in a lost and somewhat frightened tone as he looked away from Cesaro.
"Trevor? … Are you alright? I didn't strike a nerve, did I?" Cesaro placed his hand on Trevor's shoulder. That moment, he heard his mother's voice call out to him, drawing his attention from Trevor for a moment. Cesaro then looked to Trevor again to see him smiling again with the same jovial demeanor as before.
"I'm great." Trevor exclaimed. "Sounds like Miss Diana is home." The two men then saw Diana walk around the balcony from the front of the home with a smile on her angelic face.
"I am sorry for taking as long as I have." She said sweetly. "Are you ready to go to town for a while?"
"I know I am!" Trevor said with excitement. Diana smiled at the man and proceeded to bathe him in a crimson glow. Trevor then laughed as Diana used her power to lift him as well as Cesaro and herself into the air.
"Let us leave." She said. "It will be but a moment." Then, in nearly an instant, the trio took to the skies and reappeared at the base of what looked like a harbor. Cesaro looked and noticed that strangely, Trevor seemed unaffected by the instant movement. He then turned his attention to his surroundings. He recognized several parts and landmarks but, much like the home he woke up in, things seemed different. The peer looked as if he were on a familiar coast, but it was devoid of any boats, yachts, or other marine vehicles one would except to be parked there. Further down, he saw what looked like a bustling town full of people, shops, and restaurants. Cesaro saw no one he knew, but seeing the area gave him a sense of relief. He then heard Diana speak.
"We have only a few things to pick up for the house." She said. "I thought it would be good for you to get away from home." The trio made their way into the town. Cesaro feared that coming in contact with so many people at once would overwhelm him, but was shocked to find that he neither felt nor heard any of their thoughts. Diana smiled as she and the two men continued to navigate through the crowd. Cesaro then spotted a small coffee shop and it immediately drew his attention. He stepped away from Trevor and Diana and made his way over to the shop. He walked inside and looked around to see its charming design. Compared to the other shops which appeared to have more Mediterranean roots, this shop appeared to be right out of a major American city. Cesaro then looked at the line of people waiting to place their order and then noticed two of the four workers behind the counter, the man taking the orders behind the register and a woman helping to make the orders as they came in. The man looked unfamiliar to him, but the woman's back was turned to him. The moment she turned around and spoke to the other three order fillers, however, his memory came to him. That woman looked like the woman he knew as Lana. Cesaro made his to the counter the woman stood behind.
"Excuse me, Miss?" He called out to her, catching her attention.
"We're sorry, Sir." The woman said. "The line to order begins over there where the other patrons are standing." Cesaro then smiled.
"Forgive me." He said. "I just thought…" The man then remembered something. "Y ty ochen' milyy." Cesaro spoke in Russian saying 'You are very nice' to her. It was a phrase that Lana taught him the first time they had met. The woman blinked at him as he awaited her response. She smiled sweetly and turned to her co-workers before turning back to Cesaro.
"I'm sorry." She said. "I don't know what that means, but I'll take it you meant to tell me that I'm nice and that you'd like a cup of our special Swiss Roast. We're having a special right now. Go order some, okay?" Cesaro blinked at the woman and then made his way to the door before being stopped in his tracks.
"Are you okay, Claudio?" It was Lana's voice ringing in his head. She used her telepathic powers to reach out to him, making him turn back to the woman and see she had stepped away from the counter and was sitting down at one of the tables looking directly at him. He walked back into the shop and went to sit down with her.
"Catherine?" He said. The woman nodded.
"We've been trying to reach you, Claudio." Lana said to him. Cesaro furrowed his brow.
"What do you mean?" He asked her. Lana then looked around the shop then back to Cesaro.
"We couldn't reach you telepathically outside of here and no one else was able to get here physically except me." She replied. "I don't know what all this is, but it's not…" Lana stopped speaking as she eyed the entrance and saw Diana standing in it with her sights set on them. Cesaro looked at Lana skeptically and then looked behind him to see his mother approaching them with a smile.
"Claudio." Diana said before looking at Lana. "I should have known I would find you here. Coffee has always been a love of yours." Cesaro blinked and smiled as he stood up out of his seat.
"Mother." He said. "This is Catherine. She's a friend of mine." He then looked at Lana. "Catherine. This is my mother. Diana." Lana gave the woman a somewhat nervous smile before standing up and offering her hand.
"It's nice to… finally meet you, Miss Diana." Lana said. Diana reached out and shook Lana's hand.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, young lady." Diana said. "Forgive me for intruding upon your reunion, but my son has a few things he must pick up for me in the market across the road. Perhaps we may all meet soon." She then looked at Cesaro with an oddly stern look and the man stood to his feet.
"It was good seeing you again." He said to Lana. "Look after yourself." Cesaro then made his way out of the shop, leaving Diana and Lana behind. Diana then turned to Lana to see her staring with confusion.
"Who are you?" Lana asked Diana in a frightened tone. Diana smiled and lifted her hand. Lana then saw the people, clocks, and all else that moved stop in place.
"Who I am… " She responded. "… is of the least consequence to you, Catherine." Diana began pacing around the table the two stood near. "I must say, out of everyone in Claudio's human consciousness, you were the least prominent. I… overlooked you… as many have done in your life, I am sure. The fact that you made your way here is proof enough that you are quite formidable indeed. However, you are trespassing and your presence here will upset my Claudio…" The taller woman then made her way behind Lana and began to whisper in her ear. "…so, my dear Catherine, it is time for you to take your leave. I shall see you out."
Across the street in the food market, Cesaro and Trevor walked around picking up the various things on Diana's list; Cesaro carried the basket while Trevor put things in it. Cesaro could not take his mind off of Lana, however. Granted he did not know much about her outside of what he learned while working with her husband, Rusev, she seemed different from the woman he knew. In addition, she had a sense of urgency clouding over her that made him uneasy. The capstone was the horror that appeared to flood her body the moment she saw his mother. It was then that Cesaro realized he could not feel his connection to the Astral Plane when, as an Alpha Human telepath, he should have. He could not hear Trevor's thoughts nor the thoughts of any of the people near him in the market. Cesaro had become so enamored with his thoughts that he almost did not hear Trevor call out to him.
"Earth to Claudio." He heard Trevor say, pulling him out of his mind. "Want me to get the basket? You almost dropped it." Cesaro looked down at his hand and noticed that the basket was being held by only two of his fingers. He tightened his grip on it and Trevor eyed him with slight concern. "You alright?" Cesaro blinked then looked around at all the people.
"Something isn't right." He said to himself before repeating himself loud enough for Trevor to hear him.
"What do you mean?" Trevor asked. Cesaro shook his head.
"Trevor. I'm a telepath. I'm sure you don't know much of what that means, but what it generally means is my Alpha Human powers let me read other people's minds, connect with them psychically, and feel their Astral existence on this planet." Cesaro then looked directly into Trevor's soft brown eyes. "I can't do that right now. I can't feel anyone here. I… can't feel you." Trevor blinked a few times and then gave Cesaro an unexpected smile.
"You're just feeling out of it, Stud." Trevor playfully punched Cesaro in his arm. "When we get home, you should take a long nap. That usually works for me." Cesaro blinked at Trevor's nonchalant approach to his worry, but began to think that maybe he might have been right. Perhaps Cesaro was worrying himself to the point of exhaustion. He then felt Trevor gently grab the basket away from him. "I'll take that."
"We be to pay for those things." Cesaro said. Trevor shook his head.
"Nah." He responded. "Miss Diana knows the people. We don't pay for anything here." Before Cesaro could question any further, The two saw Diana step into the market.
"Boys?" She called out to them. "Do you have everything?"
"Yes ma'am, we do." Trevor answered as he made his way to her. "It's all here." Diana smiled.
"Well let us go home then." She then looked to Cesaro who was still standing in place. "Are you ready, Claudio?" His mind was still filled with worry, but he found it difficult to resist his mother's call. He walked over to her and the three of them walked out of the market and took to the skies. Moments later, they landed on the shoreline of their home and Diana looked to Trevor.
"Trevor." She called out. "Please put the things away, if you will." Without a word, Trevor went up the stairs and inside to put away the groceries, leaving Cesaro and her alone. She looked at her son and immediately noticed his reclusive body language. "Something is troubling you." Cesaro did not respond, not knowing how to approach his mother with his worries. He then thought about Lana and tried to telepathically reach out to her in an attempt to feel a familiar presence, but he felt nothing. He furrowed his brow.
"Mother…" He said without looking away from the ground. "Where is Catherine?" Diana blinked.
"Who is Catherine, Claudio?" she asked him, making him worry a bit more about his friend.
"She's my friend. I introduced you to her in the coffee shop not even ten minutes ago." Diana then smiled.
"Ah yes. She had to rush home. Family matters. Did she not tell you?" Cesaro then looked at her.
"No." He said in a strangely unyielding tone. "She didn't." Diana tilted her head.
"Well, I would have liked to think that she would have if she were a friend of yours. She should not want you to worry for her well-being." Cesaro narrowed his eyes.
"No, Mother. She didn't tell me because she didn't get the chance to." Cesaro began approaching his mother. "I was with her and then I was in the market with Trevor." Diana's smile slowly faced.
"You are uneasy." She said. "Is that all that troubles you?"
"I would think that would be enough for you to feel a little concerned." Cesaro then looked around at the scenery. "I can't feel the Astral Plane anymore. Not here, not at the market… what is this place?" Diana then smiled.
"This is our home, Claudio." She said to him before reaching her hand out to him. "You simply need to rest, my son. Come." Cesaro did not accept. He simply stared into her icy blue eyes.
"…No." He said to her, making her face fill with shock and slight sorrow. "I don't need to rest. I need to know where I am and what is happening. What is this place, Diana, and why can't I feel this planet or its people anymore?" Diana then noticed Cesaro's body had begun to fill with the golden veins.
"Claudio." She said to him in a stern tone. "You must calm yourself." Her words had the adverse effect on her son.
"No!" He shouted at her. "Don't tell me to calm down! Tell me what I want! Tell me the truth!" Diana threw her hands up.
"Calm down now, Claudio!"
"Stop it!" Cesaro shouted once before shutting his eyes unleashing his power in a massive pulse of earth-shattering golden energy. He opened his eyes, his body tensed to the maximum, and saw that he had destroyed their home and that he was levitating in midair. He then saw that the sky that was once filled with vibrant blues was then filled with holes that looked to contain a contrasting night sky filled with stars. Cesaro looked to the ocean and it, too, was dotted with holes showing a dark and stormy body of water that existed alongside the calm blue. He then could hear several voices in his head, but one of them he recognized immediately.
"Claudio! Can you hear me?" One of them said before it began to break up. "Cla—io. A-sw-er me, pl—se!" Cesaro then began to feel his energy leaving him and the voices in his head, along with the veins on his skin, faded. He turned to see his mother, but his face filled with horror as her body was filled with holes. Diana, however, appeared to be unaffected. Her body began to glow a mixture of powerful reds and shimmering yellows as the holes in her body began to slowly recede.
"You… " She said to Cesaro in a tone opposite of her angelic features. "…cannot handle your truth. Your human emotions will not permit it." Cesaro's consciousness began to fade as he witnessed his mother be reconstructed before him. His eyes involuntarily closed and Diana used her power to carefully lower him to the ground. She looked down at the fallen man. She then lifted herself into the air, closed her eyes, opened her arms, and emitted a pulse of red and gold energy. Then, the holes of night in the sky and water slowly filled with the calming blues. Behind her, their home slowly materialized once more, though this time it was surrounded by a force field of red energy. The same red energy surrounded Cesaro's body as he was lifted into the air and carefully placed into the home with Diana following behind him. She used her power to place Cesaro into the bed of the master bedroom and wrapped the bed dressings around him tightly.
"That is why I have traveled many millennia to find you, beautiful human." She said as she placed her hand on his still golden-glowing chest. "I have come to take it from you..." Diana then looked out to the then blue sky as reds and yellows swirled in her eyes before yielding to their signature crystals. "… all of it."
