Inquisitor's Promise (Act Three, Chapter Twenty-Nine)
The Holy League had been united, but the Grey Globe continued to move towards Earth. Aeneas and the members of his inner circle knew they had much to do and little time to prepare.
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Denouement
Aeneas found himself in what looked to be Castle Aquila. But it was much more beautiful, more radiant — somehow. He didn’t know how to describe it.
“Well done, my son.” It was a sweet, feminine voice that Aeneas heard.
The Inquisitor turned around immediately as he recognized that voice.
“Mama?!” Aeneas said in shock as he looked at the person in front of him, Aphrodisia Aquilana. She was a beautiful woman with a pale complexion that contrasted her dark hair. But Aeneas couldn’t help but feel that she was more beautiful than he had remembered.
The Inquisitor’s mother was not the only one there. Aeneas also saw his father, Anchises, smiling at him. The older man also looked better, more handsome, than his son had remembered.
“What’s going on here?” Aeneas asked in confusion. “Aren’t you two supposed to be dead?”
“We are,” Aphrodisia answered.
“Then, is this Heaven? Or Purgatory? What is this place?” Aeneas asked.
“My son, this is not the place for a theological discussion!” But despite his chastising, Anchises smiled approvingly. “Instead, we want to congratulate you on a job well done, on the promises you have fulfilled.”
“And we wish you happiness in your life with Lady Galatea,” Aphrodisia said sweetly.
His mother’s statement left Aeneas confused. “But aren’t I dead?”
Anchises shook his head. “Your Guardian Angel had worked hard to keep you alive. And yours wasn’t the only one, too.”
“And now, it’s time for you to return to your companions,” Aphrodisia said.
Then, a large hole appeared next to Aeneas. He looked down and could see the circle of the Earth. The Inquisitor had so many questions, but he held his tongue. After all, this was not the place for a theological discussion.
“Thank you, mama, papa. I’ll see you both in Heaven,” Aeneas said, smiling.
The Inquisitor looked at his parents one final time. Anchises and Aphrodisia was standing side-by-side, holding to one another; the taller Anchises held his arm protectively around his, not quite wife — not anymore. For in the resurrection, they shall neither marry nor be married.
Once more, Aeneas had questions. Once more, he kept them to himself. He then jumped down the hole to the Earth.
And then Aeneas woke up.
The Inquisitor found himself lying down on the ground, surrounded by his soldiers and the members of his inner circle. More importantly, he saw Galatea kneeling by his side.
The lady knight was crying uncontrollably. Antonio and Lavinia was comforting her, but to no avail.
On the other side of Aeneas was Giulia and Pep. Both of them looked dejected.
In fact, everyone was.
Until Aeneas sat himself up, which led everyone to gasp in shock.
“Is everyone all right?” Aeneas asked in confusion. “You’re all acting like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
“We might as well!” Lavinia responded, disbelief in her voice. “Giulia’s been trying to resuscitate you in vain.”
Giulia nodded. “We were ready to declare you KIA.”
But Galatea, lost in her grief, remained crying. In response, Antonio groaned and shook his head.
“Little cousin, stop crying! Aeneas is alive,” the wyvern knight said.
“What?” Galatea said as she looked up.
And then she saw her beloved. Alive and well. Immediately, she threw herself at him. Aeneas was ready and caught Galatea in his arms. With their faces touching, the two lovers would have remained attached to one another if Antonio hadn’t broken them apart.
“You two are unbelievable,” Antonio grumbled.
“I think we should give the Dame some break,” Nikolai said heartily. “She thought she had lost her beloved.”
“Indeed,” Giovanni chimed in. “I am so happy for Sir Inquisitor that he has such a loyal and virtuous woman by his side. I too, wish for my own Galatea in my life.”
Giulia sighed in embarrassment, but she remained silent.
Soon, Aeneas brought himself back to his feet. And he asked for what had happened while he was out. Antonio and Kunoichi took turns in telling the story.
Aeneas’ attack had destroyed Fyuria’s grey form and also destroyed the Grey Globe’s control over the souls in its system. Afterwards, the grey soldiers quickly evaporated into nothingness.
Halpful and Giovanni were the ones who had confirmed that the remaining souls in the Grey Globe, freed from Fyuria’s influence, wished to surrender.
As for the Inquisitor: soon after Aeneas was engulfed by the explosion, he was thrown down to the abyss. But Galatea was able to swoop down with Sancho Panza and caught him with the wyvern’s mouth. Then, what remained of the air force rendezvoused with the ground forces.
Everyone was dismayed when they thought that their Captain General had died. But looking back, they should have been relieved even if Aeneas had actually died that day. Giulia, with her medical training, was the first to realize this:
“It was a surprise that you were not reduced into ashes, honestly,” the Venetian Lieutenant said.
“What did you do that you were able to survive?” Nineveh asked.
“It was nothing on my part,” Aeneas answered. The Inquisitor considered divulging his near-death experience to everyone, but he decided against it. For all he knew, it could be nothing more than his fever dreams.
Or perhaps, even worse.
But then Aeneas remembered what his father had told him, assuming that his experience was genuine. That his Guardian Angel wasn’t the only one who had worked hard to keep him alive. His first thought was of Fyuria.
Remembering how Giovanni had survived, Aeneas called out to Kunoichi. He asked her if she had spotted a blue light coming out of the dragon when it was being destroyed.
“I did, actually,” Kunoichi answered. “Antonio was able to catch it while it was falling.”
Antonio then stepped forward. “Here it is,” he said as he held out a machine spirit chip. It was glowing blue.
“Sir, could it be?” Shaka asked.
“Yes,” Aeneas answered. “It has to be Fyuria’s machine spirit chip.”
“What are we to do with her?” Omaha inquired. “I know that she’s no longer a threat, but even so…”
Aeneas held his palm out towards Antonio, asking for the chip. The wyvern knight gave it to him.
“Fyuria,” Aeneas said as he held the chip. “She never had a chance. But we can give her that chance, Galatea. We can pick up where her father had failed her!”
“We?” Galatea asked in surprise.
“If you consent.”
Galatea smiled as she nodded. She clasped her hand on Aeneas’, covering the chip.
“I do.”
And the two looked on at each other in contentment. The others seemed ready to accept this arrangement.
Except for Pep.
“No. No. No!” the Lektros Archon cried indignantly. “Do you have any idea how messed up this is?!”
“Please calm down, my love,” Giulia pleaded.
“No, Giulia,” Pep responded sharply. He turned towards Aeneas and Galatea. “Fyuria was responsible for the deaths of so many. The bodies of our comrades are still there for us to see! Yet you two speak of her like she was some lost orphan!”
“Lord Aeneas is always ready to give everyone a chance, Sir Pep,” Galatea said. “You know this.”
Pep took a deep breath, calming himself down. “I know, Galatea. But this is just too much.”
Aeneas didn’t need Pep’s permission, but he did not want to leave any feelings of resentment in anyone, especially those within his inner circle. So, he opted to reason with the Lektros.
“Please, Pep,” Aeneas pleaded. “I can tell that she wanted to stop but felt trapped. Now she had been freed. Please give her a chance.”
“Tch. I suppose Monsignor Bartholomew would probably say the same thing if I asked him,” Pep said begrudgingly. “Fine, then.”
Nikolai then stepped forward. “I will back you up in this endeavor, Sir Aeneas. But I expect prudence from you.”
“I promise that we’ll only adopt her if she is truly repentant,” Aeneas said.
“Right,” Galatea added uneasily.
“Never fear, you two,” Giovanni chimed in. “The Lady Fyuria is truly sorrowful over her actions. While I was assimilated, I could sense it in my digital bones. I had wished to rescue the noble lady in distress. But the Grey Globe’s programming prevented me!”
Giulia shook her head in disgust. “You never change, Gianni.”
“I resent that, Giulietta!” Giovanni said defensively. “I will let you know that my love for her is completely platonic. After all, she is only a child.”
With the issue of Fyuria resolved, Aeneas and his army were ready to leave the Grey Globe.
It was time for them to return back to Earth. Time for them to go back home.
Good, he didn't die. Well written, and the guardian angels, perfecto.