[Scene: A clearing in Black Moon Cove. Zoi and The Death Phantom look up and see Mamoru standing up on a bought, backlit by the full moon.]

Mamoru: [Dramatic] A great poet once wrote of two roads that diverged in a yellow wood. While he selected the road less traveled, you have picked a path that is not so easy to forgive. Recalculate, devil. Make a u-turn or find yourself bent in the undergrowth of evil.

Wiseman: Begone, annoyance.

[The Death Phantom reaches out his hand to blast him out of existence, but Mamoru just leaps to another bough. Zoi vanishes in a flurry of petals.]

[The robed man looks back and forth from the spot where Zoi had been an instant ago, to Mamoru who is staring calmly]

Wiseman: Normally, insects like you would be beneath my notice, but you have allowed my quarry to escape and inform against me. Now you must must die.

[Mamoru merely glares it him coolly from his tree limb]

[Wiseman raises his hands and conjures a ball of dark energy…then as fast as a whip, he spins around and launches it in another direction.]

[Minako, who had been preparing a crescent beam attack lets out a scream as the blast sweep her off her feet and sends her flying to the ground.]

Mamoru: MINAKO!

Wiseman: You fools. [blasts Mamoru out of the tree almost as an afterthought] Have you forgotten that I can read your minds?

[Minako and Mamoru stay low to the ground, staring at Wiseman with defiance.]

Wiseman: …And what noble fools you are indeed…Each of you lying there, racking your brains for a plan on how you might sacrifice yourself to spare the other of the gruesome death that you know must come to you…

Minako: Let Mamoru go! He's just a harmless pawn in all this! I'm the one you want to kill!

Wiseman: How funny. Your friend was drafting an eerily similar speech, but you spoke first.

[He glares as Mamoru]

Wiseman: That will not work…I assure you that your roses have no effect on me, even if I allow them to strike.

[Looks back at Minako]

Wiseman: And neither will your bolts…Abandon your pointless scheming, it will avail you not against a god of chaos who can see into your minds.

[Looks at Mamoru]

Wiseman: Why do you refuse to accept defeat? I am a god of chaos. I cannot be killed… I had but a single chance to kill the Shitennou without the Greater Goddess Metalia knowing. And you have allowed my quarry to escape and inform against me. That simply cannot be forgiven. You have robbed me of my sole remaining purpose, so now I must rob you of your lives.

[Both Mamoru and Minako remain still. Their teeth gritted in futile determination.]

Wiseman: Groveling will not help you. You are both certainly welcome to beg for your lives if you think it will amuse me, but in the end it will not help…Surrender yourself to the terror, so that I might take satisfaction in your screams as I end your lives… Your plans are pointless, not when I can see what you intend to do the moment you-

[Wiseman stops and staggers back in confusion as a swirl of flower petals appear. Zoi appears floating a bit behind him, with an icicle in each hand. Wiseman lets out a roar as Zoi drives them into each of his empty eye sockets.]

Zoi: [giggles insanely] Oh, come on? Did you really think I was just going to run off and leave my friends alone with you?

[Zoi sits on Wiseman's shoulders, falls back with his knees wrapped around Wiseman's necks and grabs Wiseman's legs, tugging until Wiseman's neck makes a sharp cracking sound. Wiseman collapses in a heap of empty robes as Zoi cartwheels to safety and takes a bow in the direction of the stunned Mamoru and Minako.]

Minako: [smiling] Oh, my god Zoi, that was badASS!

[Zoi smiled and bows toward Minako as she and Mamoru stand and approach him]

[She stops with a scream, as all three are paralyzed with terror as the crumpled form rises suddenly, grabs Zoi by the throat and slams his back into a tree]

Wiseman: Did you not hear me when I mentioned I am a god?

[He looks deep into Zoi's eyes while Zoi looks back in defiance]

Wiseman: Why can't I see into your mind, Shitennou? What manner of sorcery is this?

[Wiseman gives up looking at him and stares at the others.]

Wiseman: Well, answer me, humans!

[Zoi grabs at the hand holding his throat, but it's no use. Wiseman reaches for his chest and plunges his hand inside it, rummaging around, before pulling a dark blue gemstone halfway out of him.]

Wiseman: Tanzanite's stone. Just as I thought. One quick tug and you're dead in an instant, but I want to savor this moment. It's not every day a child of Metalia suffers the same fate others suffer at her commands.

Mamoru: WAIT!

[Wiseman looks at Mamoru and Mamoru looks back as they share a wordless conversation.]

Wiseman: Hmmm…what's this? His soul is unbound? How is this possible?

[Wiseman pushes the stone back into Zoisite's chest and shoves Zoisite's head back as if to see further into his eyes.]

Wiseman: You're quite extraordinary, aren't you… Hmmmm…yessss. I don't need to peer into your mind to know your secret…. your mother must have big plans for you…But I can make big plans as well.

[He smiles]

Wiseman: A pet Shitennou of my own. This does bring up some tempting possibilities… Swear obedience to me, and all of my grudges against your former family will be forgotten.

[Zoi remains silent]

Wiseman: [louder] Take a vow of undying allegiance to me as your god and your master! Do it, or I will kill you! And when I'm finished with you, I will kill your friends.

Mamoru : Don't listen to him, Zoi!

Minako: That's right, keep your trap shut, manwhore!

[Wiseman squeezes his throat for longer than a human would be able to endure, then tosses him roughly to one side like a discarded ragdoll. Zoi remains down.]

Wiseman: Bah…you are a stubborn fool… I'll give you until tomorrow to change your mind. And if you don't, I will make you wish you had.

[Wiseman fades away to nothing]

Zoi: [standing up] Are you two ok?

Mamoru: Are WE ok?

Zoi: Oh, I'm fine. [Sees a squad car pulling up] Oh, no. It's dad. I better get out of here. [clamoring away] I'm not supposed to be outside right now.

Minako: Whoaa! Some evil motherfn' GOD just threatened to make you his BITCH, and you're worried you're going get GROUNDED?

Zoi: [nods while still skittering away] Yes, exactly.

Minako: [sighs in annoyance] Come on. [beckons to her car] I think we'd better get some coffee and have ourselves a nice long talk.