Coby's Choice

***ARTEMIS***

I stared at the goddess standing in front me. No wonder she was glowing. But…

"Why are you here? And where is here exactly?"

She sighed. "You're the same as always you know? This is Lei's dreamscape. Well, it's actually his persona as Greine Vosmas, the Knight of Void, is imprisoned."

"What are you talking about?"

"The legend you just heard is incomplete. The Celestial Maidens didn't fall in love with just mere mortals. They fell in love with their Knights."

"And what are those knights, exactly?"

"Let's see… Before mortals existed, the deities could do anything they wish on earth but once humans were created and their actions were restricted, the first generation Celestial Maidens chose champions, the Knights, and blessed them to wield their authorities in the mortal realm. They were also sort of protectors in the long run."

"But we fell in love with them, which is a big taboo, right?"

"Yeah."

I suddenly remembered a conversation with the Sect's Master Li two years ago…

"Master Li of the Sect once called Lei my knight."

"That's right. He is the knight, the True Knight, of this generation's Maiden of the Moon."

"But I'm dating him."

"Oh, don't worry about that. You guys are both mortals now, nobody would care. Not even those gods and goddesses who were once against you." her expression suddenly turned into a sad one. "But since you both don't retain your memories when you reincarnate, you will always have that empty feeling within and search for each other."

"Do we… you know… Are we always…"

"Oh, you're asking if you're always lovers?" she shook her head. "No, not always. Liu Qing was Hauria Celestine's knight but they didn't end up together."

"Really?"

"Yes. There was even one generation where both of you were reborn as siblings. Wait, maybe it's a blessing you don't remember your previous lives. That would just be awkward and screwed up."

"Oh my gosh!"

"Anyway, as you may have noticed, your relationship will have to rely on what kind of attraction you have for each other. You two don't have to be lovers all the time."

"Just like the Egyptian Myth." I realized. "Osiris, Isis and Horus were originally born as siblings together with Nephthys and Set, but when they chose their hosts one time; Osiris and Isis became a couple and Horus became their child. Is it something like that?"

"That's a good example. And yes, it's something like that."

"That's just-"

"Just don't sweat on the minor details okay?"

"Not like I have a choice."

"Anyway, time's up. You will be meeting one of your sisters soon."

"One of my sisters? Is it the Maiden of the Stars?"

I only saw Xiena smile and when I woke up it was already the next day. I decided to just keep what Xiena and I talked about to myself. I had to wrap my head around it first before I start tattling it to others. Later that night, we had an unexpected visitor, or rather, visitors.

We were in the living room, doing different things; I was reading the half of the Codex that was in our hands, Xander was studying the mysterious hairpin, Blake and Kai were playing mobile phone games, Seth was surfing the internet, and Tao and Kyle were playing Go. Liu Yue was out to do her investigation so she wasn't around.

All of a sudden, the space in front of us warped and blurred, then seven people emerged from it. To my surprise, it was Lei and the others, as well as Dr. Skye Lesfar.

'Why is she with them?' I thought, but I just shook my head and pounced on my boyfriend and our friends who were thankfully back in one piece. I could only imagine what kind of things they went through just to get the other half of the codex.

"Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine Artemis."

"So, where's your half of the codex?"

"Uhh… About that…" Lei pointed at Dr. Skye while scratching his head. "She never really told us and just brought us here."

I stared at Dr. Skye, that strange feeling within me resurfaced again.

"Doctor Skye, uhm…"

"Hello little sister." she said which made me get a little taken aback immediately. "I have been waiting. Maybe your friends falling into that gourd's spell was a blessing in disguise. Oh, what rubbish am I saying? Nice to finally meet you in this lifetime Maiden of the Moon as well as her Knight."

"You're the Maiden of the Stars." I muttered.

"That's right."

"The immortal one."

"Unfortunately."

"How come you never told me? We've known each other for so long!"

"There were circumstances."

I calmed myself. I just remembered that she could not seek the other two Celestial Maidens unless they seek her first.

"I see. Dr. Lesfar, where is the other half of the codex?" I asked.

"Geez, just call me Skye, we are sisters after all." she smiled and slowly waked towards Coby's direction. "Here it is."

""Coby?""

"Why are you pointing at me? Do I look like a book to you?"

"No, it's not that. What I mean is that Kazuki here, ah maybe I should call him Coby as well, has the other half of the Codex of Souls inside him."

""WHAT?!""

"Let me explain. When Coby was young, he was chosen by a phoenix with an ill temperament to be its host. But as a child, he could not control the phoenix or its powers. His father asked me to seal it."

"Twelve years ago…" I heard the fire wielder mutter. "I was wondering why that blasted phoenix suddenly went silent. Father said he found someone to seal it."

"It didn't just seal the phoenix though. It sealed everything that made the phoenix choose you." Lei said which made me raise an eyebrow.

"That's correct. To seal the phoenix, I had to also seal his spiritual powers." Dr. Skye replied. "So he grew up as a normal person."

"Then why did his own family treat him like he's trash?" Chen asked, seething in anger.

"That one's already out of my control." she sighed. "The Tsuchimikado Family is under my protection, but I don't meddle with their private affairs. Kimihiro asked me to seal the destructive powers within his son, so…"

"But doesn't Coby have powers right now?" Seven asked.

"That. Yes, but he's wielding a different kind of power right now. It's not the phoenix's, it's more… foreign." her pause made me a little troubled.

"So why did you put the codex within him?" I asked.

"Seals need an object to be bound into and a source it could draw power from. I used the half of the codex of souls for that one."

"So you took the one kept by Shadow Garden twelve years ago." she nodded.

"Why didn't you just take the one you sealed in Bohol? It's closer to Cebu." I said.

"Well, I was in China when Kimihiro asked me that time, and Shadow Garden was closer so I dropped by." she smiled.

I couldn't help but shake my head. In my memories, Dr. Skye was a very cool-headed person who had a tendency to be happy-go-lucky.

'I guess even as a witch she's still like that.' I thought. 'What circumstances prevented her from telling me anything about the two of us back in Harvard though? Is it really that rule?'

"Anyway," Dr. Skye's words interrupted me of my thoughts. "You need the codex right? To save your friends. I will have to extract it from within Coby."

"But… What will happen to Coby?" asked Xander.

"Won't it be dangerous? The phoenix might go berserk." Lei added.

His words immediately made everyone anxious.

"Well, Coby has the fire orb right now and it strangely synchronizes with the phoenix's spirit and power, so I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

"But-"

"Let's do it!" Coby stepped forward. "Extract it from me. We need it to save Tim and Coby."

I eyed Seven, Lei, Kyle and Xander, the leader line of Guardians. The four nodded their heads which immediately made the rest agree.

"Are you sure about this Coby?" I asked.

"Yes. But if I do go berserk, please stop me."

"We will." Kyle replied with a smile.

"Tsuchimikado Kazuki." Dr. Skye called. "Once I remove the codex within you, the phoenix will be free. Even though I said it syncs perfectly with the orb, it hates humans to an extent."

"I'll do my best."

"Also, even if I do lift the seal, it doesn't mean you will awaken your spiritual powers. That one I'm afraid, is lost forever."

Coby looked at us and gave us his usual cheeky smile.

"I don't need it. I'm already an awesome person and my friends are equally awesome. They accept me for who I am and what I have, and treat me like family, so that's fine with me."

"You're a good man Coby. Really." Dr. Skye complimented with a sweet smile. But it immediately morphed to an anxious expression. "Now then! Let's move this to the backyard. I don't want to accidentally destroy the house or damage anything inside it in the process. Albert and Miranda will kill me."

She led us in the spacious backyard where I saw Tao practice his sword techniques during daytime. The moment we stepped inside the paved space, Coby suddenly toppled over. Thankfully, Blake and Calvin caught him.

""Coby!""

"Don't worry." reassured the Maiden of the Stars. "He's just asleep. Trust me, it will be better if he's unconscious for this."

""What?!""