A/N: Disclaimer: Refer back to Chapter 1.
WARNING: OOC, AU, WAFF, FLUFF
Chapter 10: In Saecvla Saecvlorvm
The battles that they fought seemed endless. Clearly, God was testing them. But Heat had been true to his word…and the rest of the Embryon group as well. They all gave it their best. They gave it their everything.
Heat and Argilla had found solace in each other along the way. They both watched, from a distance as their lovers' minds and bodies further merged, their original personalities beginning to diminish.
Flashback
They had rested on a life terminal. The battle was getting closer. Heat had looked at Seraph from the distance. Seraph was standing, with its back to them, facing the road that lay ahead. He had been noticing it really. He had been noticing that the more steps they took towards God, his Sera continued to lose more and more of her individual personality.
The Seraph here with them now, was colder…
It was…
"It's just like…" he trailed off.
"Just like Serph…" a voice came from behind him.
He turned around and saw Argilla smile tightly at him, "Hey. Is this seat taken?"
He smiled in return, "No."
She sat down beside him, "It hurts huh?"
He nodded, "Yes it does…It just kills me that…she's not going to be the Sera I knew…"
Argilla held his hand and squeezed it, "I know…but we have to bear with it. Somewhere…within that body…there are Serph and Sera…"
Heat laughed humorlessly, "I know…It's just that…It's really weird telling Seraph 'I love you' and maybe have him…or her…respond with a man's voice."
Argilla laughed as well, "That is weird Heat…I think I'll go now, before you fill my head with anymore of this crap…"
She stood and was about to leave when Heat grabbed her hand, "Hey…"
"What?"
"Thanks…"
She smiled, "Anytime. Besides…I love Seraph too…"
"I know."
End Flashback
They stood there…They had beaten Brahma. What will happen now, they did not know. Heat and Argilla watched with widened eyes and thumping hearts as they saw Schröedinger walk up to Seraph…only for him to…transform.
Both of their hearts stopped. Schröedinger…wasn't a cat. He was a man. He looked exactly like Seraph…
"Heat…what?" Argilla breathed out from beside him.
"I…don't know…" he muttered, his eyes never leaving the two androgynous beings.
"Whoa…dis is heavy…" Cielo replied, entranced.
Roland and Gale merely looked on, shocked.
"This is…the path to enlightenment…Seraph…" Schröedinger stated, with a smile on his face. He floated closer to Seraph and held out a hand. Seraph took it and there, the two were engulfed in a soft light. The group shielded themselves from the brightness.
Argilla was the first to open her pink eyes, wanting to know what had happened.
The rest soon followed and there, they beheld the new being before them.
It was the ultimate being…The one chosen to reach enlightenment.
It wasn't Seraph anymore…It was something much more.
Argilla felt a tear on her cheek, "Serph…is he really gone?" she squeaked.
They rest of them may not have heard that, but Heat did, "No…You said so yourself, somewhere in there are Serph and Sera…They are in there…"
She couldn't hold it in any longer. She flung herself to him, "Thank you…"
"Anytime." he said, imitating her.
They broke apart on a moment's notice and then, looked as the ultimate being came before them, "God's will is absolute. We have reached enlightenment…while you didn't. The Earth shall be restored…and your lives will begin anew. Go…and fulfill God's will."
This was Nirvana. The ultimate being had achieved it. Argilla felt happy that she had finally a taste of Nirvana…but she knew it was not to last. She had not reached enlightenment; neither she nor anyone else within the Embryon group. So, another question plagued her mind; what would happen to them? What would happen to Serph and Sera?
Argilla bit her lip and stepped forward, "What about Serph…? And Sera…?! What'll happen to them?"
Heat had wanted to ask the same question, but she had beaten him to it. They all looked at the ultimate being; waiting for a response. The being merely smiled, "They are here…with us…Do not be concerned with them…God has a place for them…"
Argilla moved to question it further but Heat held her arm firmly, "Just let it go…It has to be done."
She looked at him as if he grew two heads. He did not say anything but his eyes pleaded with hers. She peered into his eyes for a moment and there she saw his resolve…and understanding. It was destiny. It was Serph and Sera's destiny…and now, it was time for them to find out what theirs were.
She nodded, before letting a tear trickle down her cheek.
"And now," the ultimate being began, "are you all ready?"
"Ready?" Cielo asked, scratching his head.
The ultimate being turned to him. "Yes…For your fates…"
Gale took a deep breath and looked at each and every one of their faces; he saw nothing but a burning resolve; they were ready.
"Yes." was his simple reply.
The ultimate being smiled, "Then, say your farewells…This is your only chance."
The Embryon members looked at each other. Argilla smiled sadly and stretched out her arms, "Hey…anyone for a group hug?"
"Wat's dat?" Cielo asked.
Gale smirked, "You really are silly…"
"Hey!!" Cielo feigned anger.
They all laughed and then, had their tight and heartfelt hug. When they broke apart, Argilla sighed, "Well…it was…fun guys…So maybe…we'll see each other again…"
"Yeah…" Cielo agreed.
Heat grinned, crossing his arms, "Yeah…Somehow…Somewhere…"
Gale touched his forehead, "Agreed…"
Roland cleared his throat, "Yeah, I'm counting on that…"
They laughed again. And in that instant…each of them closed their eyes; the sweet lure of slumber too powerful to resist. Each and every one of them began to fade…They began to disappear. And in that, they disappeared.
The ultimate being smiled, "Your will be done…Oh Lord…"
And in that moment, two beings appeared before the ultimate being…asleep. The ultimate being smiled at them, "Without you two…this would not have been possible…Go…They are waiting for you…"
The two bodies too faded and disappeared altogether.
xxxxx
A little girl with short dark brown hair sat at the sand box, playing. A little boy with messy unruly light brown hair sat down, "Hi."
The little girl looked at him, "Hi…wanna play?"
The little boy smiled, "Suwe…"
The girl paid him no attention and continued to play in the sand, "What's your name?"
The little boy, now playing with the pales and toys, "I'm Heat…"
She giggled, "My name's Sera…"
The girl stopped and looked into his hazel eyes, "Heat…that's a funny name."
The boy blushed, "Nu-uh…"
She giggled, "You talk funny too…"
The boy glared at her, "I do not!"
"Yeah you do…" she said, giggling away, "You can't say the letter "R"; can you?"
"Can too!"
The girl stopped playing and looked deeply into his hazel eyes, "Well? Can you say my name?"
"Se…Sewa…" he muttered more to himself rather than saying it to her. She had a point there; but he won't let her know it.
She giggled again, "There! I told you so…!"
The boy gritted his teeth and grabbed the nearest object to him, which was a plastic toy pale and threw it at the girl. It hit her on her shoulder but she kept giggling away. It was then that they met each other's eyes.
They were both as quiet as mice as the moment passed.
They stared at each other and within that moment, there came a moment of realization. The girl blinked, "Um…you know…I kinda remember you from somewhere…"
Heat scratched his head, "Yeah…me too…But…I didn't even know youw name…"
They stared at each other for a moment longer and then shrugged off that familiar feeling and continued to play.
They knew it. It was a strong feeling tugging at their heartstrings. They both felt it; it was as if they had known each other forever and yet they had just met.
"Did you come here with your mum?" Sera asked, still not looking him.
Heat nodded, concentrating on his part of the sand, "Uh huh…What about you?"
"Yeah…" she said, "She's over there!" she pointed to the bench right across from them. Heat followed her finger and there, he saw a young woman with dark brown hair, reading a book.
"My uncle Fred is here too." she said, still concentrating on her efforts.
"Youw uncle Fwed? Well, my mum and dad awe hewe too…They'we buying ice cweam…"
"Can I have some?" she asked; her voice hopeful.
Heat wrinkled his nose, "No way! You have cooties…!"
"No I don't!" she protested, her hands on her hips.
Heat thought for a moment, "Well…maybe I can ask mum to buy you one!"
Sera smiled, "No thanks…my mum will get me one…"
Heat shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. Sera did the same and continued to play. The two were once more in silence.
Sera suddenly stopped, "Hey…"
"Hm…?"
"Who're those?" she asked, pointing to the other children behind Heat.
Heat looked behind them and said, "That's Sewph…and Awgilla…"
Sera blinked, "Oh…they look nice…"
Heat snorted, "They'we bowing…all they evew do is play with each othew…They don't even talk to me!"
Sera blinked, "But I talk to you…"
Heat blushed, "Yeah…"
The two were once again enveloped in silence; each of them concentrating on their own toys. They were on their own little worlds…miles apart.
Heat stopped for a moment and looked at her again. She was busy making a sand model. Heat stood up and suddenly leaned in and kissed the girl on her lips. She looked up at him with widened eyes. Heat smirked at her and ran.
The girl touched her lips; she didn't know why but it didn't feel strange. She wasn't angry at him for stealing a kiss either. It had felt right.
She smiled.
He lied. She didn't have cooties after all.
"See you tomorrow Heat…"
They didn't know it yet…but it was the seeds of love that they felt that day. It knew not the laws of life and death…of time and space. It transcended the concept of mortality…
Their love was there…in aeternum…
xxxxx
FIN