The Moonlight Pegasus, #1

by C. A. Sabol

  The news reporter didn’t seem to notice that her camera had been broken, as she stared at the man who had come from the sky.

  Etoileon leaned forward to gaze out the window, smiling and laughing as tears come to his eyes. Everything felt so wonderful, so perfect, he thought. It was as if the world had been gifted with another chance for living.

  For that small moment in time, it was as if the whole world was watching this take place before them, all of them united in a new way with each other.

  “My beloved Adamas ... he’s come back.”

  “Huh?” Etoileon looked down to see Selene, just as her eyes opened up slowly. She gave a small sigh, and then a tiny smile came to her face.

  Etoileon squeezed her hand in his, nodding. “Yes, he did! Look!” he agreed with her as he pointed out the window at the great center of light. The Pure Light had been set aflame once more, all darkness was banished to the other side of the Celestial Prison. And it was all to be believed, thanks to the man who had brought back the light.

  “Hope has been reborn, the cure has been delivered,” Selene whispered softly, as she turned her head to look out the window at the golden sunshine of dawn. Etoileon nodded again. She smiled brightly, staring at the battlefield for a long moment before she turned her attention away from it.

  She realized for the first time that it was Etoileon who held her hand. Her eyes widened and then filled more happy tears. “Etoileon,” she whispered in awe. “Is it really you?” He nodded and her face lit up. “I can’t believe that you’re here! I’m so glad that you’re awake at last.” A few of her tears trickled down her cheek as she tried to sit up the whole way.

  Kadrianne caught Cyerra’s attention and they sneaked out of the room, Aura in tow. The governess was about to object, but Kadrianne interrupted her arguments. “Lady Aura,” Kadrianne urged, “Please come. These two need their privacy. It is a special moment.”

  “But I want to stay, in case something should happen,” Aura argued. “What if something bad should occur?”

  “We’ll take our chances,” Cyerra promised. “Besides, I want to leave anyway. I want to go and see if Ronal is all right on the battlefield. It might take me awhile to locate him, and I want to get started. I worry for him.”

  The handmaidens soon managed to assure Aura that all would be well; Aura half-heartedly agreed, and left Etoileon and Selene alone to themselves in the wardroom.

  Etoileon waited until the others were out of the room before he spoke again. He smiled kindly down at Selene before he spoke. He started to help her straighten up in her bed as he went on. “I’ve been here with you, in this room, for the past three days,” he told her. “I woke up when the darkness was finally taken away from me.” He told her of how the Guardian must have protected him all through his coma, and how Pegasus had even talked to him.

  Selene nodded. The smile went away from her face as she said, “Etoileon, I found out who your parents were.”

  “I know now, too, who they are,” he nodded solemnly. He drew back a bit from her and said, “I guess this means that we ... ” He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

  “We what?” Selene asked. “I don’t have any problem with it, Etoileon. It makes no difference to me who your parents were. I wanted you to know that.” She looked away for a moment, wondering if she should tell him now how she felt about him. Before she could say anything, he came closer to her and began to speak.

  “Selene,” he whispered softly, “There is something I want to tell you.” He brought her hand to his cheek and said the words that Selene had wanted to hear from him since they’d met. “I love you ... I’m in love with you.” His face turned a dark red as he looked away, too flustered to look at her. He glanced back up at her almost shyly and added, “I’ve wanted to tell you that for a long time.”

  Selene felt her heart nearly burst with happiness. “Oh, Etoileon ... ” she pulled herself up and placed her cheek on his. “I love you, too, and I think I have since we met, all those years ago. I know what real love is now, thanks to Adamas, and I know that I love you so much. There are many that I love and many ways that I love. But the love I feel for you, I have never felt for another.” Tears blurred over her vision at this point, as he wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her.

  For a long time the two of them remained that way, as they watched the renewed light of the sunrise course its way across the skies.

  Selene rested comfortably against Etoileon, and wondered all of sudden if she would get to see Adamas again. She knew he was back, but she did not know when or if he was going to come and see her again. She hoped that he would, and that he would come soon.

  DORIAN SIGHED AS HE leaned against the doorpost outside of Selene’s hospital room. He listened as she told Etoileon of her love for him at last. He sighed softly. No one else was really around, but he did not want to alert either Selene or her protector to his presence outside of the room. It was a tender moment for the two of them, and it was only proper that it remain private between the two of them.

  He’d said good-bye for now to Aemon when the light had come. Dawn had broken, and Dorian had thought of his family first. After all, Selene was all he had. He had to be concerned for her. Before Aemon had gone, as he had wanted to check up on his uncle Emanon and start heading for home, they had made arrangements for Aemon to come back to the city for peace talks in the next week or so. There would have to be several repairs done on Diamond City before he arrived again, Dorian realized. If peace was to come at last, then it was only proper that the only previous known requirement for it be done with splendor beyond all previous celebrations—his sister’s wedding.

  Now as Dorian stood with his weight against the doorpost, he watched as Etoileon embraced his sister. He sighed, knowing that the time has come to allow Selene to get married to the one that she really wanted.

  He silently turned and walked away with his gaze down on the floor, his resolution solid, his heart knowing that he had known that the day would come when he would have had to face this. From the first glance, he recalled disgustedly, the love between his sister and the boy had been evident. Still, it was remorseful for him—this boy, of all of them. The son of the rebel Ammos, who grew up poor and struggled for survival on the streets ... this was the one she chose? Out of all the representatives, and all of their sons, this was the one? He supposed that Selene had always been unique.

  “Your Majesty?” a tentative voice called out to him from down the hallway. Dorian looked up and brightened immediately, to find his sister’s handmaiden, Yana, hurrying toward him.

  “Yana,” he smiled.

  She came up to him with tears in her eyes and wrapped her arms around him in a fleeting hug. “Your Majesty, did you see it? Wasn’t the sunrise just miraculously glorious today?”

  “Are you all right?” he asked as she smiled up at him while she was crying.

  “Yes, I am just ... I am just so happy! Look at what the light has brought—what could be better?”

  “I can’t think of a lot of things, that’s for sure,” he remarked, smiling happily along with her. “Would you like to walk with me for a while?”

  Yana blushed. “Okay. Where’re you going?”

  “I don’t know yet,” he admitted with a grin. “But it might take a while.”

  Chapter 16

  The Hardest Challenge Yet

  IT WAS SOME TIME LATER when Adamas arrived back at the Palace, still in his human form. He walked through the open doors and started to head towards the main courtyard. Once he got there, he smiled, finding Selene there. All throughout the courtyard, other people, whether members of the High Court, or lowly maids or footmen, adult or mere child, all of them were strewn about that evening. They were enjoying the luxury of the prolonged daylight, playing and relaxing all around the courtyard. But when Adamas came inside, they all stopped what they were doing and looked up, as though they were aware that they were so close to a miracle.

  Selene felt her
breath catch in her throat as she saw Adamas coming toward her. She was so distracted; she didn’t even notice that all in the courtyard ceased their activity. The children were the only exception; they scurried over to Adamas, trying to get his attention. Adamas grinned and knelt down, eager to play and talk with them. Selene watched the heart-warming scene as Adamas stood and placed his hand on the head of each child, whispering something she could not hear to each one of them. When the children had all nodded and hurried off to continue their game, Adamas looked up and smiled at her.

  For a moment she almost thought she was dreaming again, but she had known that he would come to her in time. Selene had desired to see him once more, and as the happiness began to overflow in her heart, she ran for him, his arms opening up wide as she approached him.

  He caught her up in his embrace and picked her up, as though she were a child. She laughed, and he laughed with her. For a long moment Selene looked into his face and smiled. But as he set her down, she could see that there were scars all over his body, even a few on the contours of his face.

  “Are you all right?” she asked him quietly.

  He nodded. “I am fine. All that has needed to be done for now, has been done,” he smiled at her. “The Plague can no longer harm you. You have been given the cure, and the rest of the world has been given the cure as well.” He looked past her, as though he knew there were other eyes watching him beyond the palace doors. Then he said in a low voice, “I have come to say good-bye. My time here has come to a close. It is time for me to leave this world.”

  “Are you going back to Crystallon?” Selene asked quietly, her voice quivering slightly. She was full of sadness at his leaving.

  “Yes.” He nodded. “I am being called back home.”

  She peeked a look up at him as she asked, “Will I ever see you again?”

  He smiled. “The cure,” he told her, “has also opened up the way to Crystallon, to those who would believe in his work and realize their need for it. I know that you are sad, but you know that I have a great work to do there.” When she looked up at him questioningly, as though she wasn’t entirely sure as to what he was talking about, he nodded and said, “I am going to Crystallon to make sure that your home there is all ready for you when you come.”

  “Are there a lot of homes that you have to make ready?” He nodded happily at her to answer her question. Then he looked back over at the palace entrance to the courtyard, to see a familiar face looking at him with wonderment.

  Etoileon came up to stand beside Selene. “Adamas,” he bowed deeply. His eyes were slightly glistening as he said in a wavering voice, “Thank you.” He’d choked the words out awkwardly; he had meant to say farewell, but Etoileon was having trouble talking at all. He hoped that Adamas knew what was in his heart and in his mind. Looking into the twinkling eyes of the man before him, Etoileon gave a small smile. So he did know, Etoileon thought.

  “My children,” Adamas smiled at them. “It is good for you to love one another. Be kind to each other, and always remember to forgive each other. Life is too short here on Sapphira for it to be caught up in anger and resentment.” At his words, he placed a hand on each of their heads gently, and said, “I would like to congratulate you on your wedding,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “I pray that you both would enjoy a life of meaning before the eyes of this world. I ask that you both be blessed in the Guardian’s name.”

  Selene and Etoileon both blushed. They had yet to tell the others about their engagement. They had decided to wait to tell anyone else, for there would have to be time to begin making the terms of peace with the rebels.

  “Adamas,” Etoileon asked all of a sudden, with renewed energy and curiosity. “There was something I was wondering about.”

  “What is it?” Adamas asked, although from the look in his crystal eyes, Etoileon knew that Adamas already knew what his question would be.

  “I wanted to know what happened to Obsidian,” Etoileon confessed.

  “Ah, yes,” Adamas shook his head. “Sadly, the fate of Obsidian and his followers is not a happy one. Obsidian has been sent to the Four-point Celestial Prison once more. He and his followers are trapped there, never to break free into this world again. His time will come for judgment, and then his fate, shall be sealed. He power here has been broken, but it will be some time before he is completely forgotten. With the passing of his shadow and all the memories of his trouble, the days of Eternal Sunrise can begin at last.”

  As he finished saying this, another person came up from behind the courtyard entrance to talk with Adamas. It was Dorian. Selene was surprised to see Yana was only a few steps behind him as he approached them.

  Dorian came up to Adamas, surprising everyone by embracing the man who had shown such goodness to him and his world. He whispered something into Adamas’ ear, and Adamas nodded at Dorian.

  Dorian let him go and dropped to his knees in reverence. “I would like to confess both my faith and my blindness, Sir. I have failed to see the true light of this world, until I saw it in your heart. I know now that I can trust you, but I do not know if I shall always do so. Please, help me with my unbelief!” Dorian looked up at the man before him with a pained expression. Selene could hardly believe that this was her brother, so incredible was this joy in her.

  “Haiasi is in good hands, young king,” Adamas told him softly. “He had not been lying to you when he told you of my Power. I should like very much to see you and him together one day, beyond the gates of Crystallon.” Adamas reached down and touched his shoulder. “Have faith. Haiasi is not the only one in good hands, my child. You have begun the peace talks with Aemon already, I know. My heart rejoices, seeing this world once again begin to rebuild.” Dorian looked up at him, transfixed. He was about to ask Adamas how he’d known about the encounter with Aemon, but he could not find his voice.

  Adamas seemed to know his question and squeezed his shoulder affectionately, reassuringly. He paused for a moment, and then added, “These sorrowful days of war have shattered the peace, and broken it. However, you have begun to realize, because it has been broken, how precious and glorious it is.” Dorian nodded, and then stepped back as Adamas switched his attention on Selene once more.

  He turned to Selene and pulled her close to his heart as he knelt down, enfolded her in his arms. “My precious one,” he whispered as he held her close, “You must continue to dream beautiful dreams. Let your dreams, and your love, shine in this world, so that I may shine with them, and that others will see me through you.”

  “This is the hardest thing that I have had to do, Adamas,” Selene whispered, clutching his shirt with her fingers. “I don’t want to say good-bye to you. I still want to see you ... I love you.”

  “Selene ... I will never leave you,” he whispered back. “Look at this world around you, and you will see the wonders that have been made by the power in me.” He put his cheek against hers as he told her, “Listen carefully to me. I will be with you always. When the wind whistles through the air, know it is I, calling out to you. When the trees bloom, know it is I, showing you the beauty of this life ... and when the flowers blossom, and the rains fall, I am. When the moon glimmers and the sun shines, I am. Even as the shadows wait, and danger lurks, I am. Through all seasons, I will not change; I will not falter in keeping you and this world in my hands. Before all things and after all things, I am. You shall see me again, at the end of this age, and for all infinite times beyond. I love you so much, my precious, precious child.” At his parting words, he let her go. Before he pulled completely away, he passed her a familiar book.

  Selene stared. It was the little silver book she’d borrowed from Dorian’s library. She precariously held it in her hands, letting it fall open to the last pages of it. She felt a gasp of surprise escape her as she saw that the entire book had been magically filled with new chapters of text. Looking back up at Adamas’ face, he winked at her, letting her silently know that he wanted her to keep reading and pass his message alo
ng to others.

  Selene nodded and cried silently as she felt him step back from her, clutching the book to her chest. She wished that he could stay with her on Sapphira. She wanted to tell him that, but it was then that he started glowing, surrounding by a blazing white light. All of a sudden, the clouds opened up, a great light shining through, creating a halo effect. And then Adamas looked up, and he began to smile. A moment later, in a whisper of feathered wings, he was soaring into the sky, into the clouds. Selene watched him disappear as the clouds once more came together and the light faded away.

  As she turned back from watching Adamas’ ascent into the clouds, Etoileon patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her. “Are you all right?” he asked. “We all love him, Selene. He and his works and his love will not be forgotten. I can’t even really begin to thank him for what he’s done for me.”

  Selene looked up with him with a small smile. “I mourn his loss here on Sapphira knowing that I will see him again,” she told him. “But until I do see him, I have him in my heart, not as a memory, but as a living, speaking presence.” She glanced over at Etoileon shyly. “And I am glad to that you are here with me ... my love.” Then he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they headed inside together. All the courtyard remained speechless and unmoving, many of them still watching the skyline to see the small glimmer that sparkled brightly on the horizon, before it faded away into the sunset.

  ADAMAS LOOKED DOWN below at Sapphira and smiled warmly. “There had been a time in the world of humans when all dreams had been beautiful, but the darkness began to corrupt them. Now justice has been done. Our promise to the humans of Sapphira has been kept. Now that the darkness has been crushed, and the cure for the plague has been delivered, the dreams of the world will become even more beautiful.” And as he watched, so it was.