by Kate O'Hearn
Emily’s face glowed with joy at being reunited with Pegasus as they swooped down into the battle.
* * *
As the long day progressed, Jupiter whished past Astraea and Zephyr and invited them to follow. When they did, he pointed down to a large building. “Our fighters have found where the Mimics are making the Shadow Titans. They have been using Riza’s power to make them move, but they couldn’t give them life!”
Astraea looked down on the gray, unassuming building. When Jupiter’s two brothers, Pluto and Neptune, arrived, the Big Three merged their powers and fired at the building. The blast was so large, it sent rubble and pieces of Shadow Titans flying high in the air. Within moments, the large building evaporated, leaving only a large hole in the ground.
Jupiter turned his chariot around. “They will never trouble us again!”
The sun finally descended in the sky as dusk arrived. Astraea and Zephyr stopped to eat and rest. The area around them had been cleared of Mimics. Seated in the recovery area, they saw fighters being carried in that had been struck by tendrils, as well as others that had been wounded by Shadows.
“The Mimics aren’t giving up easily,” Astraea said.
Zephyr nodded. “I just hope it ends soon. My wings are killing me!”
Before long they were joined by Jake and Angie, Tryn, his sister, and Vulturnus.
“Have you seen the centaurs?” Astraea asked.
Tryn nodded. “They’ve joined up with Chiron and his group of warriors. I never realized there were so many centaurs on Titus. It’s quite a sight.”
Not far from where they ate, Lergo rested on the ground.
“He’s too old for this,” Angie said. “But he won’t stop.”
Astraea looked at the tired old snake and still felt regret for bringing him into this. “Hopefully, it will be over soon and we can take him home. I would think—”
Her words were cut off when an alarm sounded with loud shouts and calls.
“Now what?” Jake said as he and everyone else rose.
The Olympian Mercury swooped in to the recovery area using his winged sandals. “Everyone, arm yourselves. The last Risen Queen is coming, and she has a legion of Mimics with her!”
Melissa landed outside their area. “Jake, Angie,” she called urgently. “This is it; my sister knows she’s losing. She’s here to kill me and our leaders.” She looked back to where the queen was approaching. “Please, keep everyone here. This has to end once and for all.”
“Melissa, no!” Jake cried. He ran up to the mantis. “Please, you’ve been fighting all day. You’re too tired to take her on.”
Melissa lowered her triangular head down to him. “Jake, I know this queen. She is my close sister, the one I fought when I was a grub. She hurt me then, and I was frightened. I’m not frightened now—I have all of you to fight for.”
“No, she’ll kill you,” Jake cried.
Melissa pressed her big head against him. “Back then I was a child and believed that the only way to stop them was to show them peace. They didn’t understand then, and they don’t now. She has come to hurt you. But I won’t let her. I love you, Jake. I love all of you, and that is what makes us different. That is why I must fight. I fight for you. This is my destiny. I must go to her and end this.”
Before anyone could speak, Melissa opened her wings and took off.
Jake ran back to the others and grabbed his skateboard and slingshot. “I’m not going to let her fight alone.”
“We’re coming too,” Astraea said.
“We are?” Zephyr cried.
“Yes!” Astraea replied. “Come on, Zeph. It’s Melissa; we have to help her.”
The group of friends were soon in the sky, following behind Melissa. Beneath them, the battle raged as Titans and Olympians continued to fight the Mimics. Everywhere Astraea looked, there seemed to be a limitless number of Mimics marching on them.
Up ahead, the second mantis zoomed toward Melissa. They met in the sky with an aerial battle filled with more violence than Astraea had witnessed throughout the whole war.
The two large queens cut and bit into each other as they fought for supremacy. Once again, Melissa’s mangled foreleg put her at a disadvantage, and she was struck several times by her sister’s two.
“Melissa, get down to the ground!” Jake shouted. “Fight her on the ground!”
They could see that Melissa was trying to get her sister to go down, but it was as though she knew Melissa was the better fighter on the ground.
“Wait,” Astraea cried, as she clung to Zephyr. “Remember what happened on Zomos? We can destroy her wings and force her down!” She called to the others, “Go for her wings! Use your rocks and let’s down her!”
At Astraea’s suggestion, Jake with Angie on the back of his board and Tryn with Triana, pulled out their slingshots and aimed carefully at the attacking queen’s cellophane wings.
One rock couldn’t do much damage, but a lot of rocks could. They tore holes through the fine wings until the First Queen could no longer fly. While still fighting Melissa, the queen made it down to the ground. It was here that Melissa pressed her advantage with her strange back kicks.
The sounds and sights of the fight were sickening as the two queens screeched and squealed at each other. At one point, the Risen Queen had Melissa pinned down. But before she could bite Melissa’s head off, Melissa twisted around and kicked her sister away with a brutal blow.
The Risen Queen lay on the ground, moving slowly. She rolled over and tried to rise, but she collapsed to the ground again.
“That’s what you get for being so mean!” Melissa shouted at her. “Stay down! It’s over!”
The Risen Queen screeched and struggled to rise. Just as she regained her feet and turned on Melissa again, Lergo slithered in, and before anyone could stop the immense snake, it attacked the Risen Queen.
“No!” Melissa shouted at Lergo. “Bad snake, bad snake. Let her go!”
Instead of releasing the Risen Queen, Lergo threw back his head and swallowed her whole.
“Not cool, Lergo,” Melissa chastised as she waved her foreleg at him. “Not cool at all!”
When everyone landed, Melissa looked at them. “I told you to stay back; it was too dangerous.”
“We’re a team,” Astraea said. “And we fight as a team.”
“Speaking of fighting,” Jake said as he looked around. “Um, everyone, look…”
They were soon completely surrounded by Mimics.
Melissa nodded tiredly. “Okay,” she shouted at the Mimics, raising her one foreleg. “Who’s next?”
The Mimics lowered their heads and started to click.
Jake climbed off his board and approached her. “I don’t think they want to fight you.”
Melissa looked around. “No?”
“Nope,” Astraea said. “Melissa, you’re the First Queen. You’re their ruler!”
“Oh no!” Melissa said. “No way, no how. I’m no First Queen. I’m just Melissa!”
36
ASTRAEA, ZEPHYR, AND THE OTHERS accompanied Melissa as she limped back to the recovery area to have her fresh wounds from the fight seen to. As they moved, Mimics by the thousands tried to get close to her. With a hiss, she drove them back.
Within a short time, reports were coming in from all over Tremenz that the Mimics had stopped fighting.
“It’s over, Zeph,” Astraea said as she patted Zephyr. “I can hardly believe it. It’s finally over. We can all go home.”
“I don’t believe it,” Zephyr said. She looked around at all the Mimics trying to get close. “I mean, look at them. They’re not doing anything. I’m sure they’re waiting to pounce on us when we least expect it.”
“They won’t,” Melissa promised.
“How can you be so sure?” Zephyr asked.
“Trust me, I’m a queen,” Melissa said. Then she started to chuckle, with a strange sound coming out of her insectoid mouth.
Jake patted her tall
back leg. “I knew you could do it. So much for being a Fallen Queen. You’re a hero; you beat them all!”
“I don’t feel like a hero,” Melissa said. “In fact, I kinda hurt all over. Heroes don’t hurt.”
“Sure they do,” Tryn said. “You’re the biggest hero I know. You ended this. You freed us all.”
Melissa looked at him and lowered her head. “No, Tryn, we all did.”
Their emotions were running wild as it finally sank in that the struggle with the Mimics was over. All around them Titans were putting down their weapons and embracing the Olympians they’d fought beside.
Before they reached the recovery area, Melissa stopped. “Jake, what do I do now?” She looked up and saw the mass of Mimics waiting just outside the camp. They weren’t trying to fight—they just stood staring at her, waiting for her to command them. “They want me to be their First Queen, but I don’t want to.”
“You don’t have to,” Jake said. “You’re free. You can be anything you want to be and do anything you like.”
“Can I come to Titus?” Melissa asked.
Astraea nodded. “Of course, and there’s Xanadu and anywhere else you want to go.”
* * *
Days later everyone was still too tired to celebrate when reports came in from Titus and Xanadu that all the Mimics had stopped fighting. It would only be a matter of time before they melted into nothingness.
Now that the conflict was over, the real work could begin. Tremenz didn’t belong to the Mimics—it had been stolen a very long time ago. But the few survivors from the camps that had originated there had only known slavery. It was their ancestors that had built the cities, the parks, and all the art. Jupiter promised to help them, but they had a long way to go.
Astraea was joyously reunited with her whole family. Her two missing brothers had been found in another camp, and with Aquilo recovered from his ordeal, their reunion was loud and filled with love.
Tryn and Triana met up with their parents and embraced excitedly.
Astraea saw Jake standing back with Angie as they watched all the reunions. When Angie left to check on Lergo, Jake approached Jupiter. Astraea didn’t hear their conversation, but the expression on Jake’s face saddened as he walked away.
“Jake.” Astraea trotted over to him. “What is it?”
Jake looked at Angie. “I’ve been asking everyone about Angie’s parents. Jupiter just told me they didn’t make it. He said they were killed in one of the camps some time ago.”
Astraea gasped. When she did, Zephyr came up to her, and Astraea told her what had happened.
“She’s alone?” Zephyr said.
“She doesn’t have any family,” Astraea said. “No brothers or sisters or aunts or uncles.”
Jake shook his head. “You’re wrong,” he said. “She has me.”
The journey back to Xanadu felt even longer than it had been to come to Tremenz. But then again, Astraea had never been more anxious. She hadn’t had the chance to speak at length with Emily during the fighting or after it ended, as she and Pegasus had raced to bring Riza home to Arious.
When they arrived on the glass lake, they walked through the jungle and emerged in the clearing outside the temple. Melissa was with them and gazing around in wonder. “Oh wow, this place is totally awesome! It smells so pretty. I want to stay here forever!”
Jake was walking with his arm around Angie. He had told her about her parents and promised she would never be alone and that if she wanted, she could come to Earth with him. But that didn’t help with the pain. Lergo was slithering close beside her, as though he too felt her pain. For the first time in ages, the snake’s colors returned to normal and he looked just like Nesso. An enormous version of her, but still the same.
Outside the temple, they saw a large gathering of Xan who had been rescued from multiple camps around Tremenz. They welcomed Astraea and her team with much gratitude.
“Do you remember your home now?” Jake asked Mila.
The stunning, eight-foot-tall Xan smiled calmly. “After a visit to Arious, we had our memories restored. We are indeed home and grateful to be.”
“How is Riza?” Astraea asked.
The Xan turned and swept her arm open to invite them into the temple. “Go see for yourself; she is just inside.”
Everyone ran forward and entered the temple. As Mila had promised, Riza was at the entrance standing with Emily, Pegasus, Joel, and Paelen. Brue was also pressed inside, licking Paelen enthusiastically with her two tongues.
When Emily saw Astraea, she ran at her and embraced her tightly. “You did it! You beat the Mimics!”
Astraea shook her head. “Not me, it was all of us.” She looked back at Zephyr, Tryn, Jake, and the centaurs. “We all did.”
Riza came forward. “I am so grateful to you all,” she said softly. “We owe you so very much.”
Jake was staring up at Riza with his eyes and mouth wide open.
“Close your mouth. You’re letting the flies in,” Joel teased as he approached and patted Jake on the back.
Riza looked at Jake and smiled radiantly. “Jake,” she said. “I am so pleased to meet you. Arious has shown me how special you are. I am eternally grateful. Thank you.” She bent down to kiss his cheek.
Astraea laughed as Jake turned bright red. “Breathe, Jake, breathe.”
Riza’s eyes landed on Melissa standing just outside the entrance. She walked forward. When Melissa saw her, she stepped back and turned to walk away.
“Melissa, wait, please,” Riza said softly. “Why do you turn from me?”
Melissa stopped but wouldn’t look back. “I know what my mother did to you. I’m so sorry. I understand if you don’t want me here.”
“Oh, child, you are most welcome here. I want to thank you.”
“You do?” Melissa turned around and faced the Xan.
“You have done the most for us,” Riza said. “You stopped the Mimics, and we are in your debt. We would be honored if you chose to stay with us on Xanadu.”
“Really?” Melissa said. “I’d love to, but—but I can’t. I’m going to stay with Jake and Angie and we’re going back to Earth.”
Astraea looked over to Jake, and he shook his head.
“I understand,” Riza said. She looked at Angie. “Ah, Angitia…” Her eyes held great sadness as she knelt before the Titan. Even so, Riza was still much taller than Angie. Riza took her hands. “I am so sorry to hear about your parents. I wish I could bring them back for you, but my powers have not yet returned—if they ever do. We have all lost so much during this struggle, but it’s over now. Soon we will all rebuild our lives.”
Angie sniffed. She looked back at Lergo waiting outside the temple. “If you can’t bring my family back, can you help Lergo? He’s in so much pain.”
Riza rose and walked toward the snake, still holding Angie’s hand. Lergo’s body stretched from the temple all the way through the clearing and into the jungle on the opposite side.
Riza reached out and touched the snake’s snout and then looked down on Angie. “We Xan have had the power to move worlds, enlarge this one if needed, and cross the universe with a single thought,” she said softly. “But stopping the natural end of life was never within our reach and not something we or anyone should ever do. Lergo is so very old; he has earned his rest. But I promise you this: We will all care for him here. There are herbs that we can give him to ease his pain and help heal his wounds. We will make a special place just for him. Lergo will want for nothing. And when his time comes, he will not be alone.”
The snake closed his eyes as Riza stroked his damaged head. “Sleep now, old friend.”
Moments later, Belis slid out of the temple over to Astraea. He pressed against her and raised his head to be petted.
“Oh great,” Zephyr said. “Look who’s back.…”
Astraea excitedly kissed the top of the snake’s head. “I’m so glad to see you again!”
“Please, Astraea,” Zephyr said. �
�I just ate.”
37
THE VAST MAJORITY OF TITANS and Olympians returned to Titus to retake their home and clear up the mess. Before long, the last Mimic melted into oblivion and their threat in the universe went with them.
Jake stayed with his friends on Xanadu working with Emily, Joel, Paelen, and all the others to build an area that would become Lergo’s final home.
Melissa settled in easily and was a great help with lifting heavier logs out of the way. She was included in all the fun and was learning to play, as Joel brought out his soccer ball and they all joined a game.
Finally the time came when Jake and Nesso had no more excuses to stay. It was time for them to return to Earth.
After rising early in the morning, Jake was holding Angie’s hand as he called his friends together. They’d all known this time was coming, though no one had spoken of it. Astraea could barely look at him.
Jake inhaled deeply. “We knew this day would come,” he started. “When the fight was over and everyone was safe. It’s time for Nesso, Angie, and me to finally go home.”
He looked over and saw tears sparkling in Astraea’s and Triana’s eyes. Tryn was shuffling around and wouldn’t meet his glance, and the centaurs pawed the ground.
“I don’t know how long I’ve been gone because time is messed up between our worlds. But my mom must be thinking I’m dead.”
“Let her think it,” Cylus said. “Then you can stay here with us. You’re part of our herd now, you stupid human. You can’t go. I forbid it.”
Jake shook his head. “I have to. I can’t leave her thinking I’m dead any more than you could with your mother. But I need to ask you guys a favor.…”
“When are you leaving?” Astraea asked weakly.
“Today,” Jake said. “It would be cruel to let them wait any longer. But would you—”
“You haven’t given us any time to prepare?” Triana said. Her voice was breaking. “You can’t go, not now.”
“I know, and maybe it’s easier this way. But I have to tell you all something—”
“You can’t do it,” Tryn said. “You just can’t. You’re my best friend, Jake. I can’t lose you.”