Apsyrtus hadn't returned to Colchis yet.
After leaving Subamara, Apsyrtus had let the ship drift, keeping the sails closed and floating past the other asteroids in that sector of space. Feeling too sick at heart to do anything other than lay on the floor of the ship and stare at the ceiling, he ignored the calls to his communicator until at last they became too annoying to deal with, the senshi sitting up and fumbling his hand across the control panel. "Colchis!" he could hear Aaetes's voice calling. "Is your mission complete? Why haven't you come home?"
"It's complete," he mumbled. "The senshi of Subamara is back on his home world."
"Then why haven't you come back? We have to strengthen our defenses. You are needed here."
"I need some time to think," he stated. "I'll come home when I'm ready."
"We don't have time for you to be ready, Colchis."
"You have all the time you need," Apsyrtus said bitterly. "After all, Subamara is going to buy you some time with their sacrifice, right?" With that, he flipped off the switch, pushing himself to his feet.
He looked and felt a right mess; his hair was dirty, hanging in limp curls, his clothes mussed and wrinkled, and his face stiff from tearstreaks. Rubbing at the stubble along his chin, he looked down at the control panel, trying to determine where he was. Once he had figured it out, he sat down, trying to determine where he was going.
At length, he decided to return to Subamara. What he had done wasn't right, and although he didn't expect that Fiducius would forgive him any time soon, it was better than leaving things unresolved, unfixed. It might cost him his life with Colchis, but hell, he was better off dead anyway.
As he approached the small asteroid, he could tell from the air that something was not right. The ground was covered with black streaks, the buildings torn to the ground. As he got closer, he could make out the shapes of bodies, and he shuddered. Am I already too late? Did Galaxia attack? He set the ship down outside the town, making his way toward the one house he could still see standing.
As he approached, the door opened. "I knew you would come," Pribram's voice came from inside. "I saw it in the cards."
Apsyrtus stepped inside, almost taking a step back as he saw the woman. She seemed to have aged years, growing gaunt and thin, though no less composed as she sipped at a cup of tea. "Have some tea. I saved some for your arrival."
"You're...Fiducius's teacher, aren't you?" Apsyrtus recalled. "What's happened to you? Where is Fiducius, what's happened to him?"
"Fiducius is dead," she stated, taking a nonchalant sip of her tea. "He was betrayed and killed. Subamara's power took retribution on its people. It's dead now. All are dead."
He took a step back in shock, falling back against the wall. "No, not Fiducius. Not him too. Please tell me you're lying! He can't be dead!"
"Of course he is," she stated. "What did you expect after you left him here to die?"
"It wasn't...If I had known I would have never let him leave!" Apsyrtus shouted, sliding down the wall and holding his head in his hands. "Fiducius...not him too...Have I really been so sinful that no one I care for is allowed to live?!"
"Fate doesn't care about your sins," she stated, "only actions. Your friends were not taken as punishment to you."
"But because of what I did, right?"
"Fiducius, yes. The others I cannot attest to, I do not know of the situations."
Tears began down his face anew, and he felt surprised that he could still have tears to cry. "I'm sorry, Fiducius. This is all my fault. I should have never taken you from your home. I've only caused you suffering." He folded his arms over his knees, leaning into them and sobbing.
Pribram merely watched her guest as he continued to weep, pouring him a cup of tea when it seemed he might be done. "What's happened to his starseed," he managed at last, getting back to his feet. "Will he...be reborn? Where has he gone?"
"That I do not know," she replied.
"What happened to you?" he repeated after a long pause.
She shrugged slightly. "There's no more food on this world anymore. I suppose I'll eventually starve to death."
"There's food on my ship," he began, "I can take you somewhere--"
Pribram held up a hand to stop him, looking at him with a gaze that was still just as strong as when he had met her the first time. "Pribram is tied to Subamara. I will die here. I have only lived to speak to you."
"No! I don't want anyone else to die!"
"Then consider your actions more carefully in the future," she stated.
"What was I supposed to do?! It was a choice between betraying my home or betraying my friend."
"And now you've done both," she pointed out. "You appear to not have made a correct choice. What is on your hand?"
He paused, then held out his right hand, rubbing at the scar on his palm inflicted by Lithium Irukandji. It had been throbbing for a few days, gradually slackening off though not completely gone. She took his hand in both of hers, frowning. "I see," she stated at last. "So that's what it meant."
"What does it mean? Can you tell me?" he asked softly.
"You've been cursed," she stated. "Your life line is very long, indeed. Your life cannot come to an end until the curse is lifted."
"How do I lift it?"
"Are you so eager to die? Most people would consider it a blessing."
"I don't want to live another day," he replied, wiping at his face. "I'm tired of life. I want to join my friends in the afterlife."
"Someone knew," she continued, looking at his hand again. "The curse is tied to your betrayal, Apsyrtus. Until you have gained forgiveness, you cannot die."
"Forgiveness? From Fiducius? But how?" he asked. "He's dead, he won't be coming back."
She shrugged. "You have all the time in the world to figure it out. Please leave. I have seen that this is the end of the telling, the prophecies. You must decide what to do from here."
He took a step back in surprise, then turned slowly, glancing back one last time before he left, shutting the door behind him. Once outside, he looked up at the sky, feeling the cool air sting at his wet cheeks. And then he spoke the only words he could think of.
"Fiducius, my friend...I'm so sorry...."
