Door of Time
The Guardians arrived the palace in the center of a long maze and were led into a darkened throne room decorated in dark tones. The tall cathedral windows were covered in a mix of purple and black curtains obtruding the dark skies and fog from being seen by the queen. The handmaiden that led them through the darkness with the aid of a small candelabra she carried in her right hand gestured for them to stop right in front of the Queens throne. "There's no one here" whispered Mercury
"The Queen will be here shortly" said the handmaiden "Please wait here"
"Are we supposed to wait in the dark?" asked Jupiter
"No" said the handmaiden and that is when the guardians noticed it, the sconces on the walls were beginning to light themselves giving the room and eerie glow.
The handmaiden left them alone in the throne room, "Now we wait" said Venus looking around the room when there was a sudden voice in the darkness calling out to them. "Welcome Guardians" said the voice with authority and grace. It was the voice of Queen Nehelenia the guardians turned towards the throne but there was one there. "Your majesty" said the guardians in unison as they bended the knee not noticing the Queen come from the darkness like a specter. When they saw her, the guardians they bowed their heads in respect as the queen smiled serenely at them. "I know why you are here" said the queen "You are here for the door of time"
"Yes" the guardians said as one
Venus was the first to speak up "How much do you know your majesty?" She asked
"Everything" said the queen
"Do you know where the princess is being kept?"
"I do"
"The ruins of the old kingdom," said Mercury
"Yes, held by Prince Diamond"
"That bastard!" Said Jupiter "I'm sorry your majesty, forgive my outburst"
"There is nothing to forgive guardian Jupiter, what the prince did was an act of treason against the children of the Nyx, our mother, he must seek repentance from the goddess for what he did and for that to happen will require a great sacrifice"
"What kind of sacrifice?" Asked Mars
The Queen just smiled at them and told them to follow her. "Where are we going" asked Venus
"I can lead you to the door from there it will be a journey to get to the ruins of the old kingdom, the question is are you ready for what you may find"
"We are" said the guardians again
"Good, beware guardians there is danger on the horizon I will do what I can to keep it contained in this world, so you must make haste don't waste time trying to get vengeance"
The Queen leads them down a long corridor to a secret door hidden behind a tapestry "Here we are" said the Queen, "Beyond this door and down the stairs it will lead to the fiery underworld take the boat on the river Styx Charon will lead you further down the underworld to the door of time"
"You're not coming with us?" Asked Mars
"No this is your journey not mine" said the Queen "I must stay, my men are ready to defend what is left of the children of darkness when the princess ascends to the throne, we'll be there to fight off Metaria's forces"
"Thank you, your majesty" said Jupiter, the Queen just knotted in acknowledgement and opened the door for the guardians to walk through. "Remember, everything is a journey if the goddess allowed this to happen it is for a reason" said the Queen as a parting thought. When Mercury turned to thank her, she was gone, and the door was open. The guardians stepped through and down the narrow stairs case. As they descended, they spoke of their plan and of the queen's words "What do you mean she mean about the whole vengeance thing" asked Mars "I think she meant not to go looking for a fight with the traitor Prince," said Jupiter
"I think she means your temper Jupiter," said Venus
"What temper?"
"The one you think you don't have," said Mars
Jupiter huffed a breath and rolled her eyes "These steps are really narrow" said Mercury changing the subject. "These steps go on forever it seems" said Venus as she looked on. The rest to the trip was made in silence with the occasional comment or two. Three hours later they reached the final step and looked onward only to find the passage divided in two. "So which way do we take" asked Venus before noticing a small plaque on the ground bearing an inscription. "Look" said Mars pointing at the plaque on the ground "What does it say?" Said Mercury. Jupiter knelt and wiped the dust from the plaque surface and read…
Journey to the River you must take, beware the souls forever at stake
One door to the Styx, one door leads to certain Death. Beware
The Darkside will eat you alive, another soul will have to die.
"Well that sounds cheery," said Mercury.
"Do you think that means…." Asked Venus
"I hope not"
"Why don't we just ask Pluto?" said Mars
"Ask me what?" came the sound of Pluto's voice from the hall they'd just come from.
"Which one of us has to die?" asked Venus "what does this mean?" she asked again pointing to the pewter engraved scripture on the ground. "You know I can't tell that." Responded Pluto to the rest of them. "This is a journey you will have to take yourselves; you will receive no further help from me" said Pluto as she faded away.
"So not even a hint" said Mars rolling her eyes as the rest of the guardians looked at each other in contemplation. "One of us will have to die, killed by Erebus himself?"
"Or a manifestation of him" replied Mercury
"Why would Erebus demand one of our deaths?" asked Venus as Jupiter rolled in and a full out argument erupted between the three guardians, Mercury looked at the plaque on the floor trying to decipher its meaning, when suddenly she turned and whistled for the others to stop their arguments. The three guardians suddenly turned their attention to Mercury with a questioning look.
"I know what we have to do" she said
"What?" asked Venus
But Mercury said nothing and continued down the hall and found said two doors, one leading to the river the other to their deaths. "Here" said Mercury.
"Two doors, but which one do we take there are identical" said Venus "Mars are you getting anything from them?" she asked hoping her answer was in the affirmative, she was wrong Mars just shook her head in the negative stared on with a look of intense concentration. "I can't see anything"
"Just like you couldn't see the attack and fall of the children of the moon, or Metaria's rise to power, huh"
"Do not put this on me" said Mars, her temper getting the better of her. But before an argument could erupt again Mercury turned and spoke. "LISTEN!" she said raising her voice "This is what Metaria wants, for us to turn on each other, and be warned that if we don't stick together if we give up on each other the world not just the Moon Kingdoms will be destroyed" she said looking at the others in the eyes.
Venus looking thoroughly chastised turned to Mars with an apologetic look and mumbled an 'I'm Sorry' to her. "Come girls, let's get this over with, which one?" asked Jupiter draping her arms around both Mars and Venus' shoulders. "It doesn't matter," said Mercury. A simultaneous "huh" came from behind her as the three guardians stood looking confused by what she said. "Explain, please," said Venus.
"These doors, they both lead to the same path, there is no river Styx"
"We've been lied to?"
"What about the plaque"
"A cleaver ruse meant to deceive us" said Mercury "In fact there are no two doors just a cleaver illusion meant to instill fear on any who dare walk this path"
Ruins of the Old Kingdom…
Princess Serena stared at the old throne pondering her next move, her guardians will be here soon, and she was no closer to figuring out what her next move was. Only the Queens power was enough to lock Metaria away and the ascension process was to take place during the next full moon which was weeks away. But first and foremost, she needed to return to Lunaris and see to her people, they should still be under the sleeping curse if what Prince Diamonds said was true. Diamond had launched into an explanation on how the sleeping curse would fade away in shifts first awakening the guardians then her kingdoms armies and after her awakening the spell would fade from her people awakening the whole who slept. Serena heard the soft clank of footsteps coming from behind her.
"Princess?" it was Diamond again. "What news?" she asked him without turning around. "The guardians have reached Moros and are even now about to face the challenges from the darkness itself"
"A trail to see if they are worthy, huh?" she said trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice and asked the question that had been on her mind for the last couple of hours. "How did you manage to find your self worth enough to make the journey here?"
"I am still a child of Nyx like you I can come freely"
"Hm" was her only response
"I know I've said this enough, but I am sorry for my part in the betrayal Princess"
"I know you are"
"But you have yet to accept my apology"
"Well see if in the end you have earned my forgiveness, now what challenges do my guardians face in coming here?"
"A test from Erebus himself"
"A test from the darkness" she said with a laugh "Now that should be interesting" Serena was confident that whatever test the gods themselves have planned they were going to make it through.
Little did she know was that the guardians were not the only ones the gods were testing.
In the heart of the Cosmos…
"I understand" said the Night itself. Nyx and Erebus along with Hemera and Aether had taken form in order to meet at the edge of time and space where Chaos reigns. Their father had given them clear instruction, as Erebus and Aether resumed their true forms as light and darkness Hemera and Nyx stayed behind to finish their conversation "We must hurry the stars are starting wink out" said Hemera "Are you sure that father is in his right mind"
"Yes, it is time to end this"
"And your children are you sure they are up to the task"
"Not just my children, all our children and father himself. Metaria won't stop until she has deposed him"
"That can never come to be"
"I know, my children are ready for this, the question is are yours?"
And for a single moment Hemera felt doubt before it was replaced by the eternal hope, she always carried with her, and she resumed her duty as the day while Nyx had already returned to being the night.
The underbelly of Moros…
A moment of pure clarity had hit Mercury and the knowledge of what to inspired her to use her power to dissolve the Illusion in front of her. What was once two was now one, a single door stood in place on the wall, and she smiled to herself as the other guardians stared in wonderment. "What has you smiling" asked Mars
"It has begun"
"What has?" asked Jupiter
"The test, once we step through this door, we will have to face a manifestation of the gods and defeat it in battle"
"How do we defeat a god?"
"We don't" said Mercury stepping forward and placing her hand on the doorknob.
"OK?" said Jupiter "WAIT!" said Mars at the same time as Mercury turned the knob and opened the door. Suddenly dark winds blew in their direction, the guardians braced themselves on the stone walls and when suddenly the winds stopped, and a bright light emerged from the opening and then everything was clear as daylight. The guardians stepped through the door only to find the ground before them was water and there was a limitless bright blue sky and clouds above them. "Where are we?" asked Jupiter.
"Maybe it is the realm of the gods" supplied Venus looking on in wonderment. Jupiter looked confused "I thought we were supposed to fight a manifestation of darkness, why is it so bright here"
"Don't let this place fool you" said Mercury making her way forwards towards the shinning sun, her shadow growing more and more as she stepped forward. "Mercury?" asked Mars as she saw her friend walking further not noticing her shadow grown more ominous with every step she took. The guardians stepped forwards and with each second that passed they grew wearier "Weapons out ladies" said Venus noticing Mercury has walked far enough away from them "Mercury" she called out and suddenly Mercury turned and smiled at the other before the darkness of her shadow consumed her from below. "MERCURY" the other's shouted in unison, the guardians broke out at a run trying to save their friend when suddenly from the spot their friend had occupied sprung a creature of darkness and shadow.
The creature was twenty stories high arms that reached all the way to the floor curling at the wrist. "Where is she!" yelled Venus "I think to get her back, we have to go through that!" responded Mars poised to strike it down with one of her arrows only for the flames of the arrow to die in her hands. "What?" she questioned but before she could do anything else the creature struck at her. Mars barely managed to dodge its attack when Venus tried and failed to use her light whip, when Jupiter noticed her companion's power fail, she tried to summon thunder clouds to strike the creature down but to no avail the skies were as clear as ever. "Why aren't our powers working?" questioned Mars as she struck the creatures ankle with her bow when it had turned to attack the other two guardians.
"I don't know" said Venus as she dodged and removed her Dao swords from her back. Jupiter tried to spread her wings and take flight, but it would seem luck was not on her side. Her eyes grew wide and yelled out "Looks like I've been grounded"
"What do we do?" asked Mars "There is nowhere to take cover"
"We fight," said Venus
"How?" said Mars and Jupiter at the same time. Venus just shrugged and attacked the creature hit it in the wrist and doing no damages "This thing doesn't even bleed" she said frustration evident in her voice. "All living things bleed" said Jupiter taking out her hidden blade and attacking, but the more they fought the stronger the creature grew. "Aim for the heart" said Jupiter throwing a knife to the center of its chest only for the creature to knock to the side in midflight. "Damn" she said running to retrieve her weapon "This thing just won't quit will it"
"Wait what about Mercury?"
"What?"
"This thing has Mercury"
"SO!"
"If we kill it, we might not be able to get her back"
"Oh yes we will" said Jupiter to Mars' ramblings
"Think, you guys, come on"
The creatures attacks got more and more violent as the time went on eventually the creature managed to knock the swords out of Venus' hands and was about to strike her down when both Mars jumped in front of its intended target, Jupiter kneeling down to help her friend up when suddenly it stopped the creature stopped and it began to recede into the ground spitting Mercury back out unconscious.
"What happened?" asked Venus
"Mercury" said Mars rushing to her friend's aid "Wake up Mercury" she implored. As the other two guardians made their way to their friends Mercury fluttered her eyes and opened them to the sight of three faces smiling at her. "What happened to you?" asked Venus. "
"You did it"
"Did what?" asked Mars
"You defeated my Darkside not by fighting but by caring about one another" she said smiling back at them. All three guardians looked confused "That was the test" she said.
"A test?" questioned Mars
"He was testing our friendship and loyalty to each other, we passed, by Jupiter caring more about Venus and you caring about both of them willing to sacrifice your lives for the other you passed the test" said Mercury sitting up "we are worthy"
"Wait you side My Darkside, was that you this whole time" Mercury smiled sheepishly at them confirming her suspicions the other three guardians looked at her shocked "The question is how did you figure it out" she asked Mars.
"I didn't; not fully anyway" she answered "I just thought we might need to take you alive if we wanted to get you back, and then I saw Venus about to be struck down and I just reacted in the moment"
"Yeah, me too" said Jupiter "I didn't think I just wanted to get her as far away from that thing before it hurt her" she said laughing
"Come on you guys let's go" said Mercury standing to her full height
"How much farther?" asked Mars
"To the edge of the world" said Mercury walking
They chatted amicably for the remainder of the trip until they reached the edge of space. The water on the floor flowing down as if it were a waterfall only it didn't empty to the bottom of a lake it emptied into the darkness. "Now what" askes Venus
"We dive" said Mercury holding out her hand. Each guardian took the others hand and looked at each other before they took that final leap of faith.