Once again, thank you very much for following the story so far. Everyone, from followers to anonymous users, is very dear to me.
This one is short and to the point. You will see why.
Self-Discoveries, Part 4: Goodbye Stranger
Astar arrived at his tent in the Arisugawa Park in a hurry, still feeling the pain from the Shoggoth bite on his left forearm. But what truly concerned him the most were Dis Pater's words about what he needed to do. This was no joke: As long as he lived, the Sailor Guardians could no longer function. There was only so much Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus could do, and even then, their powers could very well falter due to his continued living.
There was nothing inside his tent that he could use to end his own life then and there. But then he pondered. He knew Hell considered suicidal people as filthy sinners and prepared some of its worst punishments for them. This, added to his own nature as both an Angel and a demon, could very well mean that killing himself would be of no servitude, other than himself becoming a tree to be pecked forever by the cormoraxes, or having his skin broiled in the River Cocytus.
He prayed and meditated, as he had never done before. He knew well the Sailor Guardians' fate was directly linked to his own life force. Why, he did not know, but the trick that his powers pulled had to be undone. All of them considered him a good friend already, and now, he had to depart and return to the Hades.
"Mine is no tongue for prayer and petitions to whatever gods there may be," he stated to himself. "But if I am indeed the last Angel, and only an incubus by mere chance... Let my sacrifice be not in vain. Let me help the Sailor Guardians one last time."
"Excuse me, Astar..." came the voice of the eldest member of the homeless men from outside.
"Oh, Mr. Kamina... Hello there." He answered as he left the tent.
"Something the matter, my boy?"
"Well, yes. I have to talk to all of you. Could you call the guys over?"
The elder man felt the gravity of Astar's request, so he simply nodded in agreement. Soon after, the twenty or so men who comprised the community of drifters gathered up. Astar could not find the words to properly say goodbye to the men who became his neighbors and caretakers but started speaking either way.
"Guys... Thank you very much for treating me as one of you. Study, work hard, and never give up. Don't let life's punches keep you down ever again. And may the times we spent together may forever live on your hearts." He then turned around to go to his fated hour.
"The heck you talkin' about, Astar?" Mr. Kamina asked.
Astar took a deep, choked breath and released it in a pained sigh as he turned around. "Let's say I'm going to a life-or-death situation, and that the odds are heavy against me. If I don't come back by midnight... Toast in my honor. Goodbye."
Everybody was a mess of feelings upon the incubus saying this.
"Wait, Astar!" Akira addressed him. "You got any problem with someone? A gang, crooked cops or somethin' like that? We can help you!"
"No. Don't follow me. Please... Stay here and live. Goodbye!"
Only when he went away from their sight did Astar let tears flow down. And so did his now-former companions.
(xx)
Diary Entry
Forgive me for not following your recommendation, dear Fréamund, but I cannot let such a chance go to waste. The time to strike is now.
What could he possibly do, now that he knows the Sailor Guardians are unable to combat as long as he lives? Commit suicide? That will only render the blocking spell permanent. Hopefully, he only figures this out before I reach him.
The Shoggoth that came out of Aguri and her mother has proven to be a fearsome, but a very reliable monster. Much better than depending on virgin boys to do the brunt of the work. And there are more to come...
Speaking of which, I wish I could say their souls could rest with the knowledge that their sacrifices will save the world in the long run... But the Shoggoth feasts on souls, and theirs were the necessary sacrifice to bring forth the beast.
Soon, I will have an entire army of hellish creatures at my command, including my dear Heavenly Kings by my side, and I will guarantee, in one way or another, that Serenity and the Warrior Princesses do not rise to power once more. I want them humiliated. I want them defeated. I want their families and livelihoods destroyed. And I want them to be the pariahs they are. I want them to face complete ignominy before they enter it properly.
(xx)
As the sun began to set in Tokyo, the Inner Guardians, plus Setsuna and the wise cats, reunited at the entryway of the Hikawa Shrine, per Minako's request.
"So, where's Hotaru?" Makoto asked.
"Her father is taking care of her at home, of course," Setsuna explained. "Besides, since the incubus hasn't dealt with her mind, there is no need to implicate her into this further than necessary."
"Oh, and come to think of it," Ami spoke, "neither Haruka nor Michiru appeared so far. They must be really busy touring around the country."
"Thankfully, they haven't. You know how they are, at the first sight of danger, they attack first, ask questions never. They wouldn't have given Astar a chance, and would have butted heads with all of you over him."
The Inners murmured and nodded in agreement.
"Okay, so... Why did you call us here, Mina?" Luna inquired.
"It's about Astar," Minako answered. "He wanted to tell us all something important. I think it's about our powers, and how we can recover."
"I'm very glad for all of you to come here," Astar told the girls as he hurriedly climbed the steps to the Hikawa Shrine.
"So am I," the deep and ominous voice of Dis Pater blared from the trees. "Quite convenient, is it not?"
"What in all hells do you want now, you craven bastard?" Setsuna loudly affirmed. "Show yourself!"
"What else do you think? Astar's powers as an Angel, of course."
"And what if I refuse," Astar said.
"It's simple. I will kill the mendicants in Arisugawa Park. I will kill the families of the Guardians. I will destroy everything you ever cared about!"
At that moment, the gurgling of the Shoggoth could be heard, and soon after it materialized through the crevices of the Shrine's stone steps. It wasted no time in going towards the girls to carry on the slaughtering duty. The threat made everyone's blood run cold. Astar was at a severe crossroads, and his emotions flared up like they haven't in a long time. His body shivered, and he looked down in serious consideration of what he was about to do. This is it. There is no going back now.
"Let me introduce you to the Shoggoth. There are many more from where this one came from. If you think I am bluffing, I can always order this one to annihilate the old man inside the house," guaranteed the villain.
"Don't you mess with my grandfather, you slimy creep!" Rei growled at him.
"You don't know with who or what you are dealing with," Astar intervened as he kept his head low. "If this ungodly beast is going to kill anyone... It will kill you."
The Shoggoth then deviated from its intended target and aimed at Dis Pater.
"Using the power of your word, I see," the villain calmly stated as the lumbering beast crept to his side, ready to attack. "This will not work and you know it. This body of mine is just rags and a clay mask."
But just as the Shoggoth formed a sharp claw with its front appendage, Astar swiftly ran between it and Dis Pater, letting himself be stabbed in his left breast with extreme force. He fell on his knees while blood oozed out of the wound, coughing out even more blood that filled his lungs.
"ASTAR!" The Guardians shouted. Usagi and Minako immediately called for their powers to fend off against the enemies. The others tried to tend to the incubus, only for Dis Pater to create a barrier to impede their intervention.
"You damned cur!" shouted the strange figure as his hannya mask crumpled into a ghoulish sneer. "You tricked the Shoggoth into attacking me so that you could put yourself between us... Just so you could not die by your own hand!"
Astar drew a bloodied smile. "You're... Nowhere as smart... As you think you are..."
Once more, the Shoggoth stabbed violently at Astar from behind, this time using its claw to lift him up, away from Dis Pater's reach. But rather than agonizing moans and a look of pain, all that Astar formed with his lips was flowing blood and a satisfied smile.
"Astar... Why?" Ami lamented, powerlessly observing him suffering.
"Why are you doing this?" Makoto cried out.
"This is... the only way..."
"No... NO!" Rei cried out. "If you die... I'll never fucking forgive you!"
"I'm... deeply sorry, everyone... Set... Setsuna... You knew it, didn't you?"
No answer came from her lips. Only an exasperated look of guilt.
"Setsuna... You knew of this!?" Sailor Venus inquired. "You knew, and you didn't tell us!? WHY!?"
"No... Don't worry..." Astar said between coughs of blood. "If I must go... then I must go."
"Astar, no!" Sailor Moon cried out. "You... You don't have to die!"
"He has to..." Setsuna finally spoke. "Otherwise... You won't have your powers back."
The revealing floored all of the Inner Guardians. The stress of the situation made their heads spin in complete confusion, between anger at Setsuna for omitting this information and worry over Astar dying then and there.
"Retreat now, Shoggoth," exclaimed Dis Pater. The creature unhanded the incubus and swiftly crept away, too fast to be chased by the Sailor Guardians. The villain then tried to tend to Astar, who silently waddled in a pool of his own blood. "You cannot die. Not until I draw forth your Angel powers!"
"Smoking Bomber!" a male voice called from atop a tree. A sparkling beam of light then swiftly descended and hit Dis Pater's left shoulder, piercing through the cloth that formed his body but not flooring him.
"Your puppetry tricks will not do anything against me, Endymion! Show yourself!"
Tuxedo Mask then leaped towards the ground level, but still kept his distance. "You are mistaken. I am not Endymion."
Astar coughed more blood and breathed with difficulty. He could only manage to sit atop the pooled blood when he tried to get up the first time.
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon cried out from behind the barrier that the strange figure created. "You have to help him! HELP HIM!"
But what could he possibly do? His healing powers could only further prolong the incubus' agony due to his demonic nature. All he could possibly do is to keep his distance and point the palm of his hand towards Dis Pater.
Every breath Astar drew caused him pain. He felt his time was drawing closer by the second. "I'm sorry, guys... For being such a... Nuisance... I guess I won't return..."
"I will not let you die!" Dis Pater affirmed once again, but Tuxedo Mask put himself on his way.
"You won't save him," the hero stated. "Not for your evil purposes, you won't."
"Sail... Sailor Moon..." the incubus called after finally being able to get up, coughing out built-up blood from his throat. "Use your... purifying power."
In a slow and pained motion, the heroine rose her opened Compact and pointed it towards Astar and Dis Pater. "I call forth... for the sacred power... of the Silver Crystal!"
A flash of white light then covered the entire place. It was so strong, everyone had to step back and cover their eyes for a while. Astar stood there, not as a demon, or even as a human. His figure was comprised of four pairs of angelic wings with eyeballs that served as links between the wings, and a larger eye at its center, with four spinning belts of gold spinning around it.
"The Angel..." Dis Pater tried to reach for Astar's true form, only for his arm to disintegrate. "No, why... Why is this happening!?" Little by little, his body vanished upon watching the holy power that emanated from him. "Do not think this is the end. Things worse than Shoggoths await you..."
Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako were too stunned at the sight of Astar's angelic form to properly react to anything else being said or done.
"Astar... Is that you?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Yes," he replied. "I thank you for the times we spent together, however short they were, and for being comprehensive about my nature. Now please, heed to my last call. Like all human beings, you were born with the privilege of freedom, but as Sailor Guardians, you also have an important duty to carry. I shall leave you the necessary tools to not only retrieve your powers but grow stronger than before. The Holy War is just beginning, and you need everything in your power to combat it."
"Astar..."
"And yet, remember... you are free to pursue the dreams you wish to follow, and the people you wish to be with. Seek the ones you love. Do not run from your dreams, your desires, and your duties. Rid yourselves of fear, guilt, shame, and hatred. Free yourselves from Hell."
Another flash and the scenario changed back to the grounds of the Hikawa Shrine. Astar reappeared as a human being and plummeted to the floor as soon as the light dissipated. The heroines then ran to his aid. All they saw was his body fallen on his back with his arms open at his sides, with an empty look on his eyes, two large holes through his torso, and a smile on his lips.
"Speak to us, Astar... Please!" Artemis pleaded as she gently pushed his body. No answer came. Tuxedo Mask approached Astar and checked his pulse and his breathing. He winced and pressed his teeth, and broke the worst possible news.
"...He's gone."
Battle-hardened as they were, seeing a man die like that, especially one that was just beginning to be their friend and ally, was still a shocking sight to see. Usagi herself was shaking and breathing heavily. She barely knew him, but already knew he was not a bad person. And for being who he was, he lost his life. If he had a name other than Astar, it would be forever forgotten in the flow of time. All Tuxedo Mask could do was close his eyes one last time.
The body of Astar laid inert, his blood still streaming down and staining the stony floor of the holy place. His corpse formed cracks and broke into thousands of sparkling butterflies that flew towards the sky, leaving only his pooled blood behind. One by one the Guardians started sobbing.
Usagi seemed to be the most affected by Astar's demise, to the point she could not even speak. She was always emotional to the point anything mildly moving made her cry, but this time it was not the exaggerated bawling she usually did over little things. It was an honest, mournful sobbing.
"Why... Why is his death affecting us so much?" Rei said as she cleaned her face with a shaky hand.
"I... I feel like I lost someone dear to me already..." Makoto also stated as she sniffed and wiped the tears that flowed down her cheeks.
"It must be the magic he worked on you," Setsuna stated, seemingly without feeling moved.
"Perhaps," Minako intervened as she looked down, tears trickling down in droplets. "But he still didn't deserve to die."
"It's odd, isn't it..." Ami stated while wiping off her tears. "We are crying over an Angel that became a demon. It's almost... Poetic, somehow."
"Indeed... But now, we have another problem," Luna lamented. "If Dis Pater is to be trusted, there are more of that Shoggoth creature that could run amok throughout the city. And he hasn't been vanquished entirely. What are we going to do without you girls at full power?"
In the place where Astar fell dead, instead of the pool of blood, there was now a pile of jewels of all colors and shapes, as well as four gold coins and some kind of odd-shaped amulets.
"What are those?" asked Artemis.
"I could be wrong..." Setsuna stated. "But these may be the key for you girls to recover your powers."
The Inner Guardians gasped in surprise.
"I did not expect this to happen..." Setsuna resumed. "All I knew, when I touched him, was that he was going to die and that it was absolutely necessary for this to happen so that you could recover your powers."
The revealing somewhat mitigated the anger they had felt toward the Outer Guardian.
"He... Helped us to the very end," Rei mumbled.
"That... that was the plan," Minako wondered aloud. "All along..."
"Wherever you are, Astar... Thank you very much," Usagi finally affirmed as she looked up to the last butterflies that emanated from Astar's dead body soaring towards the heavens, and drew a hopeful smile.
Setsuna and Tuxedo Mask went to where the items had dropped. Only when the Guardian of Time crouched to pick up the strange items did Setsuna shed her tears. "And wherever you are now, Astar... Please forgive me for what I have done."
The title of the chapter is named after the Supertramp classic. Since it's about an outcast leaving behind a place just as they were about to be accepted, I felt it could be appropriate.
Next chapter, the Inner Guardians will face their own literal personal demons.
Best regards from The Hospitaller Knight.