The heroes of task force one assembled as guests of honour in Prince Arvarius' ball. He held it as a celebration for the return of Illuminura. She sat at his side as she did had done for centuries. In the great hall before them was gathered every celestial member of the UF.

Minerva enjoyed luxurious delights in the form of scents, sounds, food and drink. All the while Alice enjoyed the company and Godfrey became the subject of great curiosity. The state he had returned in was no secret and yet there he stood, healthier than ever.

Such a recovery sparked a fascination among many about Minerva. Such an astounding display of skill and capabilities could only be a show of force. Chiefly among the fascinated ones was Arvarius.

It wasn't long before Minerva captured the attention of all. All watched in awe and admiration as she began to glow. With a blessed smile, she turned her ageing blue dress into a sparkling red one of splendid majesty. Encrusted in marvellous blood red rubies and golden thread.

Illuminura watched on as Arvarius' near full attention was focused on Minerva. He grinned grimly as his eyes betrayed a sense of hunger or desire. Even without her powers, she could tell he coveted the goddess. A sickening notion if she were to judge.

Soon music played and the celestials took flight. Like angels, they danced about in the air. Their masterfully crafted suits of platinum armour sparkled in the golden light of the hall. Illuminura was no different.

There she sat like a beautiful ornament upon her throne. Her dress was a gorgeous design of diamond tipped golden scales. An ancient gift, given to her decades ago by Prince Arvarius' father.

There she watched as Minerva started to join the others. Holding Alice's hand Minerva dragged her along playfully as she ascended. Not approving Alice had Minerva put her back down. The scene sparked the amusement of those who noticed.

With fun on her mind, she joined with the rest. Using Illuminura's memories she gracefully danced in tune with them all. With every fluid motion, she impressed them all. All came to adore the child goddess as her red stood out among the sea of silver.

For the first time in one of these balls in centuries, Arvarius stood up from hid throne to join in. As he launched himself into the air with the others Illuminura raised an eyebrow. Yet again she cursed her disability.

She fumed in frustration upon her throne as Godfrey approached. He greeted her with a nod. With her hand, she beckoned him to her side. He walked up the stairs and over to her. He grew cautious as her foul mood was made evident up close.

"Is this how it is to be you?" She asked.

"How is it?" He responded.

"Belittling, to say the least. Such a pitiful existence devoid of so much. How does humanity live such mundane lives?"

"Acceptance is key. This is life now. You need not concern yourself."

Illuminura sighed as she took his words to heart and sagged in her seat.

"Now look up. Look at your own kind. What do you see?"

She did so and a sense of shame and remorse came over her. Not that they were in anyway malevolent in her eyes but a blissful ignorance of the true nature of things, not akin to them. For aeons, they have imposed their will upon the solar system with little regard for the will of others.

She amounted her race's discerning attitude to a form of elitism. Then she shook her head and looked at Godfrey. She looked defeated as she spoke.

"Why must you do this?"

"If we are to coexist, all must understand that we are all only human."

Illuminura's eyes widened with intrigue. Over the centuries she had heard that phrase uttered by Venusians and Martians alike. She had always thought of it as a poor philosophical excuse for failure but hearing it now in such a way casts new meaning to those words.

Minerva carried on, ever the joyful, playful goddess she was. Until the way cleared and she happened upon Prince Arvarius. The pair caught the attention of all. Hanging on the precipice he bowed to her and offered her a dance as a new song was played.

He offered her his hand and the world paused as she took it. Then they joined, hand in hand. An elegant display of fluid motion. Wit and skill overpowering all else. Illuminura watched closely while she beat back her rage as she noticed something.

Silently they fought, locked in a test of prowess and will. Each outperforming the other in glorious displays of beauty. Minerva using all she knew from Illuminura's memories, melding her style into Illuminura's while Arvarius held true to his strengths of precision and discipline.

"That's no union. It's a fight, a test of wit and ego." Illuminura claimed.

Astounded, Godfrey flinched.

"You serious?" He uttered.

Illuminura paused as she stared at the duelling pair in the sky.

"This. Is serious... Look at them... Celestial society works on all levels. Even the slightest movement of the hand is a signal to all and every single action displays a message. How blatant and disrespectful is that woman?"

"She must have her reasons."

In a wondrous display of power Arvarius used his left arm to spin Minerva in circles around him. He pulled her in and tried to catch her by the waist but Minerva gracefully flowed over it. She then used her momentum to pull him down low and wrap her leg around his neck.

He bent over backwards and pulled Minerva with him as he spun about to a full circle. In response, she pushed forwards accelerating the spin. Trying to pull him onto but then he yet yanked on her arm pulling himself forwards.

Like stars of a binary system the two battled and wrestled against each other. Each one trying to prove their superiority. Each one pushing each other to their godly limits as they spun and danced about like lightning. Ever getting faster and ever wielding more and more power.

Their image blurred in the sight of all others as their very movement generated a draft throughout the hall. Illuminura stood up shocked to see someone prove such a match for the prince. The wind intensified as they lowered back to the marble floor.

Then the loud clap of a body hitting the obsidian floor echoed throughout the hall. There all stared in shock as Minerva stood tall and proud with Arvarius on his back beneath her heel. She looked infuriated but satisfied as she looked down upon the celestial.

"Don't ever approach me again!" She spat.

All were frozen as they stared at the triumphant goddess. Illuminura's outrage burned white hot within her beating chest. She stomped out with the great marble doors closing in behind her. While all over eyes were on Minerva Godfrey watched Illuminura leave.

The next morning Alice woke up to raised voices as Illuminura came to blows with Minerva. She raced to the living room where she found the two trading blows.

"Maybe if your precious prince learned to have a little respect for anyone other than a celestial then I wouldn't have to put him down!" Barked Minerva.

"He invited you into his hall! You ate his food, enjoyed his courtesy, you have no place treating him as such!" Illuminura barked back.

"Respect is mutual! I've no relation to the fool!"

Without hesitation, Alice intervened. She got between the warring women with her palms up, keeping them apart.

"Calm down! What is the matter between you two!" She cried out.

"This lap dog wishes me to apologise to her master! I will not!" Minerva spat.

"You were most disrespectful! Especially to a celestial prince! You're the first one to be given the honour in centuries and you plunder it with your pride!"

Minerva smiled grimly.

"Jealous?" She asked smugly.

Illuminura snapped and lashed out, backhanding Minerva across the face. Minerva struck back throwing the celestial crashing through the front door of the house. Illuminura hit the pavement outside hard. Battered and bruised she struggled back to her feet.

She looked back as she collected herself. To add insult to injury Minerva copied Celestial methods as she manifested the signature tendrils of golden light. The goddess advanced as she made a display out of them.

All around, people of the neighbourhood watched as the two confronted each other.

"How dare you use the gifts of my people against us! How dare you insult my lineage!" illuminura raved.

"I saved your life! Don't insult me!" Minerva barked back.

She then returned back to Alice's place as then pulled the door back together in an instant behind her. Again, Illuminura cursed herself for what happened. Defeated she limped away to mend her wounds and yet again there was Godfrey.

She passed through the streets of Nova City. Life around her had taken a very civil nature. Shops and services were open and serving, ships sped to and from the city and where once stood construction sites teeming with engineers and builders now roamed carefree civilians amidst fresh new buildings built for them.

Every once and a while a celestial would fly by on some errand that he or she was 'happy' to carry out. Some last-minute construction or maintenance before the city was considered complete.

All around her people enjoyed the simple pleasures of a leisurely morning. Yet as diminished as she was, she found a strange aura of relaxation or docility. She slowed to a halt as she monitored the complacency of the city.

Struggling to shake the gut feeling off she carried on. Eventually, she entered the celestial tower. A room was built and given to her as a temporary residence while a new Knight was being built for her on the moon.

She finds her way to it and as she entered it she found the usual comforts of celestial accommodation. The various devices of intricate designs floated all around her. Conveniently within arm's reach.

The large cylindrical room was clean and empty save for the large bed in the centre. Thus, she went about ordering the various comforts that one would expect to make a bedroom. within minutes, one by one everything she wanted materialised around her.

Yet even then her soul bugged her. She was unsettled. She felt alone in a world full of aliens. She couldn't tell who was right or who was wrong. Nor did she feel any kinship with anyone. Lost in her endless thoughts she despaired.

The next day she made her way through the city to the fortified walls. As a member of the military sections of the UF, it didn't take much for her to get through the gates and into the forest beyond.

Clad in her restored combat armour and armed with a celestial sword she made her way to the forest. Seeking solace in her solitude she drove deep into its murky depths. She needed rest and time. This she determined she could get away from the others.

It wasn't long before she happened upon the edge of a cliff. The peaceful sound of falling water filled the air. Such a charming rumble coming from something so vast it calmed her. So, she sat that there staring at the waterfall.

It fell into a canyon that was hidden by the trees. All around it the world was dark. A single heavenly beam of sunlight illuminated the fiery orange water as it fell into the rushing river far below.

The waterfall was massive may hundreds of meters across and at least a kilometre tall. Illuminura could only guess at how many hundreds upon thousands of gallons of water fell by the second.

She relaxed in hands of nature. She liked this place. It was a peaceful place of life and harmony. Like the many sanctuaries on Luna, earth's moon. She spent her lifetime escaping to those nature reserves. Often taking refuge in the many hiding places she found there.

This was no different. The charm of nature when one does not invoke its wrath is an unmistakable blessing. Illuminura rejoiced in its presence. Here she could think, here she could understand and here is where she will decide what will come next.