Ancient Monsters (Chasing Titania #3)

Queen Titania II: Mourning

Then she died.

I returned Xena to Seratonium, along with the rest of my crew. It didn't take long for us to find the witch who stole Xena from me for two hundred years. Despite our best efforts and rage on my part, Xena was killed.

I remember holding her dying body in my arms. I remember Tentradora's ceaseless smirk the entire time.

Tentradora disappeared before we could seek proper revenge. I was in too much shock even to notice or care.

Ezra could tell you far more about the entire affair than I. I froze up. I don't recall much of what happened. I was afraid Xena was gone. She was only meant to protect me for her life. Now, it was snuffed out, like her tobacco on my table.

I turned my room into a shrine. After we had given Xena a death cast, burying her in a cave, I secluded to my shrine. I picked up Xena's sword, her heavy-ass claymore, and held it to myself as I sobbed.

I took the sword she had made for me, much lighter and more maneuverable, and chopped off my hair. The red severed strands stayed around me. I cried, and I prayed, and I meditated.

Days went on like this. I was not aware of them. Ezra came in to check on me each day. I didn't move. I didn't eat. I waited.

Until my answer came. A little whisper.

Titania. I am waiting for you in Mother Gaia's cavern.

Mother Gaia assured me Xena was safe with her. She said she had returned as a spirit, something the arch deities never did. Most of them were torn apart and morphed by Serberous by the end of it. These Serephim-era gods were more resilient, we would discover.

"Ezra," I raised my head, my tears ceasing. "I think it's high time we move on from here."

"Are you certain?" He asked me.

"Yes," I stood carefully. "There is no point in mourning what is not lost."

When we returned to Newartic, I spent a week in Mother Gaia's cavern. I held Xena with all my might. Eventually, she encouraged me to finish my job. I spent dreams with her from then onward.

Until Serberous killed me.

In his final fight, that monster ripped my head off as I cleaved his. I returned as a spirit to Mother Gaia's cavern. My friends mourned me instead.

I spent the next hundred years happily in Xena's arms. Then my friends began to die off, gladly reborn by Mother Gaia into gods for offering me their lives and assistance.

I had planned for the guild, Delta Ace, to raise me again when Serberous placed himself in a body once more. I fought him until he died again. Once more, in a living body, I took to meddling, as Ezra had predicted I would.

I offered Arn the Black Daliah, an arch fae soul imbued into a weapon for the Swallow men—a tool used by his father before being lost to time.

I gifted Orpheus the leather cuff depicting the art of him healing a baby on Zannikar so that he would know that he was where he was supposed to be. 

I worked with Ezra to set these things in motion. The new era of gods had to be aware of the greatness they would achieve.

I watched Arn use that knife, the Black Daliah, each day to his advantage. He has grown powerful. He has learned the sacrifices required to maintain his god powers and that knife. 

Arn looked so broken. I can see the cracks in his skin. The bags under his eyes. His fingernails bit down to nothing. The exhaustion etched into his face. He seems much smaller than he was, even when he was a child.

Arn has broken my soul and made me immortal. Now, I must do what I can to raise his spirits.

"Ezra, my friend," I asked as he passed me in the hall. "What did Arn say to you?" 

Ezra jumped, not noticing that I had stood there. They were on their way to dinner, and Orpheus returned and took Arn to another room. 

"Titania," he breathed slowly. "You frightened me."

"I apologize," I grinned. "I thought Arn may have said something to you after you left the arena."

"He's still upset to be away from Orpheus," Ezra shrugged. "I can't blame the man; it's not an easy thing to do. He craves closeness after years of solitude."

"Is he accepting the role we have put on his head?" I asked carefully.

"I'm sure he'll warm up to it. He doesn't have much of a choice in the matter."

"We'll have to work with the other gods. Let them know that Arn will bring them back to living flesh."

"Wait," Ezra grabbed my arm. "Wouldn't it be better to let Arn do that alone? Work his connections with the gods? He has been around the dead ones for a long time. Since he was little. I know there are some shady characters, but Arn knows them."

"Even Tiang?"

"You know he's never without Hyperion. Besides, Tiang changed over because he saw the error in his ways. I know he still hid from all of us for a long time, but he did return Xena to you."

I nodded. "I will at least let Hyperion know. That way, they know not to leave Tiang alone down there."

"Titania," Argus appeared. "Joining us for dinner?"

"I suppose," I shrugged. 

"Hey, from one newly immortal soul to another, I'd like to say that no longer fearing death is great. Ever consider that your brother may try to get his hands on it?"

"I believe in Arn's strength," I glanced him over. "Much more than you do, at least."

Ezra stifled a laugh. 

"My, my," Argus smirked. "The queen of peace pulling out the jabs today."

"They only call me a queen because Xena does," I glided towards the dining room. "Please, let's go enjoy ourselves in the present moment."

"No one is sure how many more we'll have left," Argus continued. 

He gave Ezra a very pointed look. I knew just as well that tensions were rising in our climate. A war to be fought. One to finally end the reign of chaos. At the very least, we were together for it.