Chapter 1: Before the thousand years...
Queen Serenity gazed upon the warrior who kneeled before her. His armor battle scarred, he nonetheless exuded an aura of confidence and power, a warrior who was supremely confident in himself and his abilities.
"Are you capable of undertaking this task, Guardian?", Queen Serenity asked.
"If it is My Queen's wish, I shall undertake this quest immediately. I shall spare no effort and devote myself to the completion of my task."
"Then go, my protector. Go and hurry back, so that we can heal them."
"Yes, My Queen."
The warrior stood up, and with a deep, heartfelt bow, he disappears silently, to accomplish the task set him. Luna comes up behind the queen, asking; "Do you think he will succeed, Queen Serenity?"
"If anybody can, it will be him. We can only pray for his return very soon. Hopefully before the war reaches us here."
The warrior appeared out of nowhere, the sky above him a deep purple. The entire feeling, and the smell of his place bespoke great darkness. But perhaps here, he would find what he was tasked with finding. A way to break the hold Queen Beryl had on the Shintennou, and restore them to the path of light, where they belonged. Perhaps this darkness-soaked world held the answer. Pulling out an elegantly carved flute, he places it up to his lips, the holes matching up perfectly to his hand placement. He starts playing a song, a song that had mystical power, a song that would reveal any source of the energy he sought to end. A song that would be echoed in millenia to come, by the alien Alan, and his pan flute.
The song echoed throughout the clearing, bouncing off the nearby mountain range, and echoing back to his ears. As the last notes from the flute faded into the distance, he picked up a strong resonance of the negative energy coming from his east. Putting the flute away safely, he heads off in that direction, seeking its source.
After a period of time, uninterrupted, he arrives at the source of the emanations. A decaying building. Perhaps it was a chapel at one time, a place of light, healing, and hope. Now, all that was present was a pervasive sense of despair and evil. Pulling his sword, he walked into the building, seeking the source.
Queen Serenity watched the advance of the Negaverse forces, largely unimpeded by the forces of the Moon Kingdom. True, some places, the defenders and royal guard had managed to provide stiff resistance, but in the aftermath of the Shintennou's advance, most of the forces had either fallen, or been captured. Looking towards the back, the Queen sensed the presence of the sinister Queen Beryl, here in person to oversee personally what she felt would be her ultimate victory over the Silver Moon Kingdom.
Standing in advance, preparing for their final attack, were the Shintennou. Feeling the stab of despair for Prince Endymion's once-loyal servants, twisted to darkness, she withdrew from the balcony, to prepare herself for her final avenue of defense. As she departed, she sent a mental communication to the warrior, so far away.
"Please, my Guardian... Hurry back if you hear this. We need your help..."
The warrior stood gasping for breath. The dark forces had mustered many of their warriors, and a few of their most powerful champions to defend this bastion. Yet, even though he was tiring, he had managed to vanquish them. Proceeding into the depths of the ruined church, he finds the goal of his search. A large crystalline orb, resonating with the power of the Negaverse. Sheathing his sword, he clenches his fist in it's silver gauntlet. Closing his eyes, he murmurs words of power, ancient magic that had been long since sealed away, until his creation. His fist glowed with holy arcane energy, and with a powerful punch, he strikes the orb, causing it to shatter in a flash of dark light. The pieces fall to the ground, the dark energy contained within dissipating without a vessel to hold it. The pervasive darkness started to fade from the area. Reaching out with his own senses, he searches for the threads of the Shintennou, despairing at the darkness that still tainted them. Though he had destroyed a powerful force, he had struck at the wrong one! They were not free! At this time, the Queen's plea reached his mind. Immediately focusing his mind and body, bringing their wave lengths together, he starts to dissolve, to return to his original time and place. ...But he would remember this place, and return soon.
"Moon Crystal Power!" came the clarion call from Queen Serenity, holding the Crescent Moon Wand over her head, the Millenium Silver Crystal flaring with its intense light, driving away the darkness, and preparing the children of the Moon for transportation to a future they had been robbed of. As she watched them disappear into the distance, a lone figure materializes behind her.
"My Queen! My Queen, speak to me! How can I help you?" the warrior calls out. Kneeling down, he takes his Queen's hand into his own, clasping it.
"My loyal guardian... I foresaw this happening. The children and court of the Moon Kingdom have been sent a thousand years into the future. I would have you sleep, and train. Prepare yourself to return and continue your task of protecting. Please... protect... the..m..."
Queen Serenity's head falls to the side, her last breath of life leaving her body. The warrior releases her hand, grabbing both of her hands and folding them over the body, standing back up on his feet. Raising his hands, he begins chanting ancient words of power, watching a a crystalline coffin appears around the Queen, fading out of existence, to a place of safety. Once it was gone, he raises his hands to the heavens, more ancient words of power flowing from his lips, watching as the aura of protection settles around the ruins of the Moon Kingdom. This done, the young warrior removes his helmet, and looks up at the night sky, everything now calm.
"Queen Serenity... I will obey your last words... and return when it is time. Until then, my spirit will train, and travel, learning all it can." Returning to an underground chamber, kept secret and protected from the ravages of the Negaverse, he places his hand on a crystal panel, speaking softly.
"Chamber 2, activate. In the name of Coren Sevidius, grant me repose."
The chamber activated, and Coren stepped inside, watching as the door closed, and his eyes closed in sleep, only to open them in his spirit form, to continue his training.
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