Lingering Threads of Hope, Part 2 - Reasons Why

In that morning, Ami woke up deeply disturbed by the dream she had. The first thing she did was turn her head and attention to Ryo lying still on a medical bed to her side. He was still in a coma, still with no sign of recovering his conscience. Nevertheless, the blue-haired girl felt somewhat relieved to see him still there.

In her dream, Ami was violently attacked by who she thought was Ryo, who acted uncharacteristically violent. She couldn't defend herself for some reason she did not know until someone else came and stabbed him to death. The two things that deeply upset her were that not only Ryo was in fact a demonic-looking incubus that somehow got itself into her dreams... But it was Zoisite, of all people, who managed to save her in the nick of time. Why him? Did it have to do with the pale blue mark he had on the palm of his hand? Were they really destined to be with each other? She preferred to shake off that strange thought and distract herself while she heated the coffeemaker for her breakfast.

"I wish there was a way to know how you are truly doing," the Guardian of Waters commented while seeking a book on the shelf.

Upon picking the one she wanted, about Greek legends, she opened a random page and started reading aloud, as if Ryo could listen.

"Selene, Goddess of the Moon, always set her sights towards Earth. Endymion, a valorous warrior and shepherd, spent his time before sleep watching the stars and the Moon above him. Whenever the Moon cycles started anew, they met each other, but knew they could not be together for long, since Selene was very much a Demigoddess and Endymion was still a mortal.

She asked her father Zeus for one and only thing, to grant eternal life to Endymion in one way or another. Zeus agreed, with a catch: he would retain his youth, but not his consciousness. As it turned out, Endymion himself was a bastard son of Zeus, but never told her in fear she would share this with his wife Hera, who despite knowing of his infidelity, did not mind his bastards with other Gods, but did not suffer the ones borne out of mortal people - She personally hunted and butchered those down, and Zeus did not want to see Endymion slain in fear of hurting his beloved daughter.

Indeed, after a fierce battle against invading hordes, Endymion was fatally hurt, but instead of perishing outright, his wound closed and he fell into a deep sleep. His companions brought him to a grotto and from thereafter, took care of him in any way that they could. And throughout the years, whenever she felt lonely, Selene would descend from the Moon, visit the grotto he was kept in, and mount him as one would in times of heat and need. This way, she conceived fifty daughters, all of whom of eternal youth, beauty and valor as their parents."

By the time she finished the excerpt, Ami was completely flustered. She remembered the times she washed Ryo's body, every other day, with a wet cloth and soft soap. Those were literally the only times she ever touched a man's lower parts, and even though they did not get engorged as they would in times of arousal, it still made the Guardian think what she believed were "inappropriate things" at that moment. And thanks to the ancient tale she had just read, she felt a temptation she never thought she would ever feel. There she remained, staring at Ryo and battling her conflicting feelings, until her reverie was broken by the ringing of her communicator.

"Ami! This is Usagi," she heard her friend and leader in an anxious voice.

"Usagi? What's the matter?"

What she heard from Usagi sounded so inconceivable and yet somehow logical. Just like the day she received the news that Ryo was a goner from terminal cancer, she was receiving the news that he could come back to life properly.

(xx)

Upon making sure the doors to her apartment were locked, Ami ran as fast as she could to meet up with Usagi, Rei and Makoto on the corner of the street where Minako lived. All of them were visibly worried, yet with a glimpse of hope in their eyes.

"Phew... I came here... as soon as possible," the blue-haired girl said as she caught her breath. "So... Is it really true?"

"Absolutely," Luna confirmed. "Artemis and I have undergone some research... and it appears the Heavenly Kings went solely after the boys for the sake of keeping up some sort of tradition that harkened back to the Silver Millenium, and it involved murdering them without any forewarning."

"It appears they were only following this particular mission," continued Artemis. "And somehow, it also has to do with the items left when Astar died. It's so convoluted, yet it makes perfect sense when all the pieces come together."

"And Mamo-chan said he can make them come back to life with the Shadow Gems he has," Usagi herself finished, a mix of anxiousness, apprehension and excitement. "Not all is lost, you see?"

The other three girls could barely hide their own anxiousness over the fact.

"We need to tell this to Minako," Usagi answered. "She's been in the absolute dumps since Daisuke died, all of you know what happened that day."

"I guess it makes sense," Rei commented. "But this has to be quick. We need to seek the bodies of the boys."

"This is gonna be complicated on my end," commented Makoto. "But I hope this can be done."

Usagi herself rang the doorbell. After a short wait, Minako herself addressed. She was in a better condition than in the day before, but was still visibly down in her demeanor.

"You girls... What is it now?" the blond girl asked while furling her brow in obvious discontent in seeing her now-former battle companions.

"Mina, what we are going to say may sound strange, but bear with us for a moment. I just talked to Mamo-chan on the phone, and he said he can bring Daisuke back to life!"

The other Guardians nodded in agreement. All Minako could do was to hold herself on the front door jamb and release a short "What".

"Trust us all on this," said Luna. "Artemis and I have done some research, and it all leads to the old tradition of the Heavenly Kings being trained and taking their vows in the afterlife. Their bodies are intact as they are, just waiting for the right time to be revived."

"Ryo was killed by Zoisite, but his body recovered," Ami added. "He is alive but currently in a coma, just waiting for his soul to return, so it's safe to assume Daisuke and the others are in the same state, wherever they are."

Minako remained aghast at the arguments that the Guardians and the wise cat threw at her. "Is... Is this some kind of prank you're trying to pull?"

"What!?" Usagi exclaimed. "No! Not at all, I'm telling you! Mamo-chan can-"

"This is just too low. Leave me alone," the blond girl curtly spoke as she slammed her front door shut.

"Minako!" Artemis called. He then addressed the other Guardians. "This is gonna take some time to convince her of the veracity. Excuse me..." He then leaped back to the house.

"That went well, huh?" Rei sighed. "Now if you excuse me, I have to somehow convince Yuuichirou's family to-"

Before the raven-haired Guardian could complete her sentence, the Guardians' communicators rang in unison. "This is Setsuna, calling for the Inner Guardians. Come quickly to Amuro Street in Roppongi. There are demons on the loose over here, and they're too much for me and the others to handle. Over and out!"

The Guardians nodded to each other, and made haste to the place the Guardian of Time had just pointed out. They didn't even have time to ask each other if they also dreamed of a Heavenly King helping them out.

(xx)

The streets of Roppongi were infested with demons of all sorts that attacked any innocent bystander they came across, and the Outer Guardians alone could no longer be enough to contain them. Not only there was a slew of Shoggoths, but imps, crawlers, cormoraxes, and what appeared to be zombies. All led by a corpulent grey-skinned creature with the head of an ox and a peacock tail.

"Give yourselves up already," Adrammalech stated. "You have no chance against the hordes of Hell!"

Sailor Uranus in particular was the face of pure ire. "You fuckers made me waste my shot at the championship. Get ready for a fate worse than Hell itself! Caelum Skybreaker!" Her attack was enough to destroy some of the infernal troopers, but not quite enough

"Okeanos Maelstrom!" Sailor Neptune called for a strong twister of saltine water that formed out of thin air. It washed away the rest of the demons that Uranus' attack did not

Sailor Pluto, however, seemed bent on doing something else than fighting with another wave of hellish ghouls. She knew a certain man was there, silently commanding those atrocities. She searched throughout the alleyways for the true perpetrator, knowing well she would address her. They were more acquainted

"Cease to fight now, Setsuna," the familiar voice she was seeking spoke out. "Or is it Aeon?"

She turned around to see the dark acolyte of Hell in his characteristic purple cloak. "Naitou... Or is it Fréamund?"

"Why would a God side himself with the single most foul creature the Universe could possibly devise?"

"They segregated themselves into small cliques, at war with each other over what, territories? Differing philosophies? Skin color? Earthly riches? How petty is that? And don't even mention the insurmountable damage they have been doing upon the surface, filling land, sea and air with filth of every kind. Does it not make you feel sick in the stomach to see the state it's in?"

"There is not a single day I don't think of the crimes humanity has inflicted upon itself and the planet," the Guardian calmly but incisively answered. "This is why I carry on the duty of elevating the Moon Princess and the Earth Prince to their rightful places."

"Rightful, according to who!?" The cloaked man spat out as he shook his head. "Ah, of course. Figures that you're still submitted to Serenity, even if she is no longer living. What a shame that you have chosen loyalty over common sense."

"You are nothing and no one to speak of loyalty," Setsuna seethed. "The Fallen Angel, he is the biggest deceiver of them all, and you still chose to follow him."

"Don't you think I know of that already?" the dark servant snapped back. "He was still the only one who offered me a helping hand in my own quest. The only one! And his argument was better than anything humanity and its false idols could come up with. For literal ages, I observed from beyond the mortal coil as humanity failed to make something of itself. Not once, but twice. They wasted their second chance, and they shall not have a third one. Me and the legions of Hell will make sure of not letting the same mistake again. Hold your tongue, for there is no point in trying to shame me into changing my position now. If you're going to complain about this whole situation, whine to your liege. She was the one who engineered this entire situation."

Sailor Pluto felt like each of those words seared through her mind like hot iron. The worst thing is... Somehow, she knew what he just talked about.

"You are free to try your hand in stopping us," Fréamund resumed. "After all... There is nothing you can do about it."

"I'm just warning you... Your quest just happens to be the same as his... A detriment to humanity."

"So is yours, but without the veneer of something good. And if Hell itself is the most honest part of the belligerents, then you ought to begin questioning your motives." Having said this, Fréamund swirled his purple cloak and disappeared.

By the time she returned to the main street, the Inner Guardians had already arrived, sans Sailor Venus for obvious reasons. The streets were sullen with the blood and sticky remains of the hellish creatures, but were otherwise still in place. She saw Adrammalech on all fours, coughing demon blood in obvious defeat.

"We left the best for you," Sailor Uranus gloated.

"Oh, you didn't need to do that," Sailor Pluto answered, but couldn't help but smile at such a strange display of courtesy. "But I can't just leave such a display of goodwill go to waste. Demon from Hell, you can tell this to your superior. The Sailor Guardians shall not let you have it your way. Dead Scream!"

With this point-blank attack, Adrammalech was obliterated from the surface. Once more, danger was dispersed, but only palliatively. Soon, they all knew, it would star over again. The pathway between the Hades and their world needed to be closed soon. She could only hope the Young Lord's plan was still on course.

(~~)

"THE HUMAN UPRISING"

If measured in more modern methods, the struggle between humans and Gods lasted for the better part of twenty-five thousand years, marked between the untimely death of Fréamund, and the truce proposed by the remaining deities. By the time the conflict finally came to an official end, humans had already created their own settlements and societies, with some even worshipping some of the Gods that were benevolent and supportive of their cause.

Fréamund himself was among these. Even if he no longer lived and had requested no worship to his name, he was still at least remembered for his sacrifice, vital for the survival of humanity against the treacherous Gods. And as such, his legacy survived, his name's utterance being a word of force and comfort in struggling times, and he eventually came to be known as the God of Freedom. Whether he would have approved of this, it will likely remain unknown forevermore. But certainly he would have approved of a Universe in which all its denizens shared the space and wealth it had to offer, and no more blood and ichor were spilled over matters of power.

Book of Titor, Chapter V: The Advent of Humanity, Section II.

(~~)

In the Hades, the prospective Kings waited for the return of their murderers-turned-masters for the next course of action in their training. They noticed they no longer had the same physical needs as their bodies of flesh and bone, such as nutrition and sleep, and as such, their exhaustion could be healed with some hours of downtime, during which they mingled with one another over shared interests. They learned about each other's lives, and preferences, as well as how they got to meet the women they loved.

"I'm telling you, you've done everything wrong," Daisuke told Yuuichirou. "You don't win a woman's heart by being a submissive doormat."

"Eh, I know that," the long-haired man embarrassedly admitted. "I was ready to move on, but turns out she did love me back. That's why I'm here."

"Heh, lucky you, big guy. When you go back, remember... Don't take any shit from her, but don't be an asshole either. You'll see she will respect you greatly when you stand your ground."

Yuuichirou smiled and both exchanged a fist bump. "Sure will. Thanks, dude!"

"They sure are getting close to each other, huh?" Ryo spoke as he and Shinozaki sculpted chess pieces out of the pebbles they could find washed ashore on the river bank.

"Don't tell me you're jealous of that," Shinozaki quipped. Ryo couldn't help but chuckle at that implication.

Eventually, the Heavenly Kings came back from their impromptu mission of saving the Guardians from the incubi inside their minds. As stated before their departure, the prospects would then train their spiritual power, the base for their strength in combat.

Assuming meditation poses, they concentrated their spiritual energy, which drew auras of pale colors surrounding their souls. They felt a cold touch upon their whole bodies, and while still remaining with their eyes closed, each of the prospective Kings saw vivid visions in different places.

Ryo saw himself as a student of sciences and magic, deep into study in a large library with two other people at a small table. To one side, he saw Ami, Princess of Mercury but very much an equal at that moment, and to another side... He saw another young man, who looked exactly like him, except with a look of malice in his eyes and a furled grin. "Something wrong, brother?" he asked.

Yuuichirou saw himself swinging a pickaxe inside some kind of mine, and collecting what seemed to be golden nuggets from his tortuous labor. He was mostly naked save for his feet, and his body was drenched in a mixture of sweat and dust. A well-dressed woman approached him, and told him in muffled but intelligible words of a chance to escape such a hazardous fate: Fight in the bloodied arenas, earn his freedom and his riches... And avenge his people by slaying the King of Mars.

Shinozaki saw himself in a hall, in front of a small but avid crowd of warriors, male and female. He was wearing an iron crown beneath the pelt of some large feline creature. He thrust a sword upwards and shouted: "Tonight we shall merrily feast! Either here or in the Hallowed Halls of Dannan!" And upon saying this, everyone present cheered loudly, calling him for who he was: King Ellerick of Jupiter. And to his side was Makoto, who for some reason was not the Queen as she was supposed to be...

Daisuke saw himself holding a bloodied sword. And ahead of him lay the body of a purple-skinned demon slumped over some kind of throne. And so was Minako, who went to the aid of the fallen monster. All he could hear out of Minako's lips was a desperate order. "Go away... GO AWAY!"

When they came to themselves, they were at a complete loss of words at what they had just seen. They had past lives, each in different situations, and they somehow knew their beloved even in that long-forgotten age.

"You saw glimpses of your past lives, didn't you?" Zoisite asked rhetorically.

"Don't worry. It's part of the process," added Jadeite. "We also went through the same thing."

"Remember, what's past is past," reminded Nephrite.

Kunzite didn't say anything. Neither he nor Daisuke were ready to dwell on what they went through in their days at the Silver Millenium.

(xx)

That night, Dis Pater and Fréamund jumped over the short walls of the Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery, where according to their research, laid the body of the man who was once Adonis. With them, some kind of pale-skinned demon with a yellowed smile full of sharp teeth and one single yellow protruding eye on its forehead.

"Ah, you must be Valak, the demon my father ordered," Dis Pater recognized him with a certain disdain.

Valak confirmed with a short nod. "So, what is the idea? Who do I have to possess?"

Fréamund gave some taps on the stone lid of a niche grave, upon which was inscribed the name "Daisuke Aizawa" in Latin and Hiragana letterings, as well as his dates of birth and death. "Inside this tomb is the man that you are to possess. He died recently, so his corpse is still relatively whole."

"Very well, then," the pale demon said with delight. "Let's proceed with the profanation."

After yanking off the niche's lid with a crowbar, both men pulled out the white coffin and put it on the ground. Upon opening it, they had a perplexing surprise: His body was indeed whole, with no signals of deterioration or even of the mangling upon his head that Kunzite had provoked during their altercation. But he was breathing, as if he merely sleeping instead of being deceased.

"What in all hells," Fréamund blurted out.

Dis Pater remained in silence. He knew well what this meant - He was chosen as a Heavenly King... Like he wished to be in the distant past.

"What do we do now?" Valak queried in a worried tone.

"It's simple," a male voice affirmed from atop the row of graves. "You shall do nothing."

"Who's there!?"

It was none other than Tuxedo Mask, ready for combat once more. "Desecrating the rest of the dead... Have you people no shame? This is low, even for diabolical creatures such as you!"

"Sir, you talk too much!" Valak shouted as he prepared to leap towards the hero.

"Don't," Fréamund advised. "Try to take over the body, and see if it is still devoid of a soul. Leave him to me."

The fleshened God then leaped towards Tuxedo Mask. Both had a heated blade duel, while Dis Pater and Valak verified that Daisuke, despite showing life signs, did not awaken due to not having a Star Seed inserted in his body, which permitted the demon to take over it at a moment's notice. But before anything was done, Valak felt another presence."What do we have here..."

He vaulted over the coffin and found none other than Gurio Umino hidden behind one of the niche grave walls. He had brought over Fengari as Tuxedo Mask, knowing well of what was about to happen.

"Umino!" Tuxedo Mask screamed as the demon brought the foreseeing boy to light.

"I know this kid!" Fréamund exclaimed. "You helped Nephrite, and you are now helping Endymion!"

"No! You... You have it all wrong, sir! I was just... Uh, visiting my grandmother. She's buried here, you see..."

"At midnight? With the graveyard closed for visitations?" Dis Pater reminded.

"You shall no longer be a thorn in our sides, Fate Seer," Fréamund uttered. The dark servant then drew forth his sharp dagger and paralyzed Umino. Just as he began to slash through his neck, Fréamund was hit by Tuxedo Mask's Smoking Bomber attack. Umino was left bleeding from his right jugular, losing blood at an alarming rate. With no other choice, the masked hero has to intervene to save him with his healing powers.

"Are you alright?" the hero asked.

Umino hacked and coughed briefly. "Yes, uh... I couldn't predict that, somehow..."

"Idiots, the lot of you," Valak affirmed as he picked up the body of Daisuke out of his coffin. "This body is ours now!"

"Fare you well, humans! Prepare for the rise of Carcosa!" mocked Fréamund as the perpetrators disappeared in a flash.

"Now what do we do?" Tuxedo Mask said exasperatedly.

"I have a suggestion," Umino answered as his foreseeing powers slowly returned. "But you'll most likely object to it."

(xx)

"Guys, it's time for some theoretical training now," Kunzite announced.

"Theoretical? How so?" asked Ryo.

"Let's say the plan for the rise of Merkaba goes ahead," Nephrite said. "You need to be prepared to deal as heads of state as well."

"Not just state, you may be heads of entire planets," Zoisite added. "But for that, you need to pay close attention. Is that not right, Daisuke?"

"Oh, uh, sorry," the prospect excused himself since he absent-mindedly observed the waters of the Styx as the Heavenly Kings spoke. "I was wondering how they'll react when we come back."

"You know something I have been wondering as well?" spoke out Ryo. "Who exactly picked the Heavenly Kings."

"I did," pronounced a soft male voice, seemingly out of thin air. Two male figures then appeared. One was already known: It was Helios, Warden of Dreams. Alongside him was a man of good proportions, with long slick red hair falling on his back, and who exuded some kind of aura. The prospects and the Heavenly Kings were all amazed at his presence.

"Young Lord," the current Kings announced in unison while saluting him, each in a unique way.

The figure smiled. "My friends... There is no need for you to rever me like this."

"It was not easy at all to find and rescue him," Helios stated. "Thankfully, Bast and the other animal deities were with him."

"You're the one who helped me on my way to the Styx," Shinozaki recognized. "But who are you exactly?"

"Oh, pardon my manners," he said while turning to the four prospects and widening his smile. "You may call me Astar."

Thank you all for still keeping up with this fic. Especialmente a ti, litakino1987!

Next chapter: The villains' plan goes ahead, and a certain Guardian realizes her lot in life.

Greetings from the Hospitaller Knight.