They looked like polar opposites, one with shining black locks that fell straight to her waist and a myriad of religious characters inked upon her exposed limbs. She had elegantly long limbs, a thin frame and the posture of a lady. Sharp bone lines and striking violet eyes gave her the look of an exotic princess, kneeling in supplication.
The other had wavy silver hair which was puddled at her feet, with milky skin and soft features. She could have been any other acolyte in the room, if not for the length of her hair and the clarity of blue in her eyes. She fidgeted every few moments as she kneeled, uncomfortable in the position. Short in stature, she had average feaures, and would have blended in at any village as a peasant.
However, they were both chosen vessels of the fire crystal, and so neither could truly be considered anything close to ordinary. It was unprecedented for a crystal to bestow its gift on more than one person at the same time, but there was no doubt that both girls held power over fire.
The taller girl stood first, wiping the sweat from her brow as she stood and clapped her hands with one final chant. The choir continued to sing of the goddess as she walked down the steps, heading for her chambers. Her stride had a regality to it, an effortless grace as though the universe parted itself in front of her.
A few moments later, the silver-haired girl picked herself up, a bit unsteady as she did. With a content sigh and a stumbling gait, she moved to follow after the other girl, apologizing as she stepped on the robes of acolytes repeatedly.
She paused by one devotee, bending down to get a better look at her face. "You're new here, are you not?"
The hooded girl looked up, a bit nervous to be speaking directly to the vessel. "Yes, my lady. I pledged myself as an acolyte only a month ago."
The silver-haired girl sat down beside her, speaking softly so as not to interrupt the prayers of those around her. "What is your name?"
"Naru," she said, feeling a bit less anxious. She looked at least ten years younger than the vessels of fire. "I am of age to visit the temples, even if they already hold vessels. My mum and pa sent me to travel to each, just in case."
The shorter girl smiled. "I'm Serenity. I bet you were surprised when you saw there were two of us up there!"
"Most surprised!" Naru agreed. "I am not familiar with the scriptures, but I had heard that there could only be one vessel for each crystal."
Serenity folded her hands in her lap. "There was a time, before time, when the goddess descended to the world, bringing with her four guardian dieties. She was called to defend against a great evil, and it threatened the entire world. To defeat this evil, she bestowed upon the people of the land the blessings of fire, light, water and storm. The fire gave them the warmth to live, the light gave them the ability to see at night. The water brought them the rain and the deep oceans, and the storm gave them the wind and weather. It changed an entire planet overnight, people moving from huddled masses to pioneers in this new world.
"With the evil defeated, legend tells that the goddess left the world. But she loved the people of the world so much she instructed her guardians to remain behind to protect it. Four crystals appeared across the land, each holding the spirit of one of the goddess' guardians within it.
"These four crystals continued the blessings that the goddess had gifted the people, even after she departed. They ensured that the rain still nourished the land, that the wind still whispered among the trees and fire was still warm and bright.
"Over time, people came to worship the crystals for their divinity. Generation after generation, for more than three thousand years, that line of devotion remained continual.
"There were still stories told of a great goddess who watched over the world, but all the people truly have now is the power of the crystals. Most began to believe that the crystals were in fact the source of the blessings, and took the stories of the goddess as a myth.
"But I believe there was a goddess." Serenity smiled, finishing her story. "Since that time so long ago, the people have discovered that the crystals require vessels to flourish, and as such, young girls are sent to each temple when they come of age to determine whether or not they can connect with the crystal. When I was your age, I was sent to this temple and found I could feel it in my heart," she held a hand up to her heart. "I still can to this day. When Rei came, she felt the same way. Now, after many years of prayer, we can both harness the power of fire."
Naru hesitated, digesting the information. "I still don't understand how the crystal can choose two different vessels."
Serenity shrugged. "Me neither, to be honest. But it did, and there can be no doubt that it has chosen both of us."
Naru smiled up at her. "Thank you for speaking with me, but since this crystal has already chosen two vessels I should continue my prayers to try and connect with it. Maybe it will choose three."
Serenity laughed, covering her mouth when several of the other acolytes turned to stare at her. "Maybe it will. I should be going as well, may the goddess walk with you." She touched two fingers to the young girl's forehead, standing and leaving the room.
She found her friend watching a candle with an intense gaze. "Rei," she interrupted, sitting herself down beside the girl and dropping her head into her lap, "What are you doing?" She knew that Rei wouldn't object to the contact, the two were practically sisters, in more ways than one.
Rei blinked, coming back to herself. "Stupid girl," she muttered, idly brushing Serenity's hair with her fingers despite her words. "I was having a vision."
"A waking vision? You're incredible, Rei, I hardly even get dreams." Serenity repositioned herself on Rei's bed, curling her knees up on a pillow.
Rei let out of a huff of exasperation, looking down at the other girl. "Well its gone now. Thanks a lot." she smacked Serenity's pillow cushioned leg. Serenity giggled, pointing a finger at the candle and letting the fire follow her fingers as she played with it.
"It'll come back if its important. What did you see?"
Letting her eyes close, Rei tried to recapture the image. The temple was the same, and yet not. It was still filled to the brim with worshippers, herself and Serenity in front of the crystal. There was a feeling of heaviness to the air though, tension. The crystal was gleaming maroon, it was too dark...night time? Why were they all awake in the prayer room at night? "It was confusing," she admitted, leaning back against the frame of the bed. "We were all in the prayer room at night."
"Strange," Serenity sat up, yawning from fatigue. The prayers to the crystal were taxing on both spirit and body, and she always felt a bit sleepy afterwards. Rubbing her eyes, she stood up, eyes taking on a playful gleam. "Want to go get something to eat?"
"You know dinner isn't for another two hours," Rei teased, standing up anyways.
"Just a snack!" Serenity insisted, grabbing Rei's hand and pulling the unresisting girl out the door.
As they walked through the halls of the temple, several acolytes bowed their heads, mumbling acknowledgement as they passed. Serenity greeted them back, but Rei was too distracted brooding over the vision. There had been a crescent moon hanging in the main window, and tonight would be a crescent moon. Dark rumors were spreading of late that something had happened to the vessel of light, but nothing definitive. Even more troubling were the rumors that people were disappearing, vanishing into thin air.
In the kitchen, they both grabbed a few pieces of fruit before sitting down to eat. Rei cut her fruit before spearing each slice, while Serenity bit directly into it the flesh, smearing juices all over her face. Rei couldn't help but smile, Serenity never changed. Setting her fork down, she pushed her plate away, looking at Serenity. "I think my vision was of tonight," she said, still trying to remember the details. She was sure they hadn't been alone in the prayer room, there were strangers there, but who?
Serenity shrugged it off, taking another wet bite of her fruit. "It will probably be nothing."
Rei wasn't so sure. Both of the seers dreams of late had been troubled. Rei had seen a coming darkness swallowing the horizon, and Serenity had dreamed of her family fading from sight. Neither was comforting. And then there was the war...
"How well can you control fire nowadays, Serenity?" Rei asked.
"Well enough," she held her palm out to a nearby stove pit, taking the flame into her hand and letting it grow to the size of a ripe melon. Rei put her hand into the fire, pulling out her own ball of fire and expanding it even further to the size of a watermelon. Serenity pouted, closing her fist around the flame and letting it vanish. "No fair, you showoff."
Rei blew out the fire she held, shaking her head. She could easily have expanded it even further. "It wasn't my intent to showoff. I'm worried," she confessed. She picked at the remaining pieces of fruit on her plate. "I have a horrible feeling that something bad is coming, and coming soon. We need to be ready. Neither of us can commune directly with the crystal yet."
"You're paranoid," Serenity threw away the core remnants of her fruit, taking another one from the bowl and biting in. Around a mouthful, she said "We're vessels of fire, nobody would ever threaten us or the temple. Without us, how would they hope to cook their food, or to have candles lit at night?"
"They could always rely on the vessel of light for that last one," Rei said, acquiesing to Serenity's point. Fire was necessary for life, no one could be foolish enough to endanger the only two people who could commune with the crystal that controlled it, even if neither of them had spoken directly with the crystal yet. The temples were sacred ground, revered for generations. But she couldn't shake the sense of foreboding she felt, so she took Serenity's hand into her own, staring the other girl in the eyes. "Promise me that if something happens, you'll pretend you aren't a vessel. There has never been two vessels of any temple at one time before, and outside of the acolytes and myself, no one knows we share the gift."
She would never say it aloud, Serenity was too dear to her heart. But in her heart of hearts, she knew that the anomoly of two vessels for the same crystal was not part of the natural order. It had never happened in over three thousand years of uninterrupted worship of the crystals. Each of the four crystals only ever chose one vessel, and would not choose another until the previous vessel had passed. And if she had to bet her life on which one of them was not meant to be a vessel of fire, she would bet it was Serenity. The girl was too bright a spirit to be confined to a life of chaste piety.
"But Rei," Serenity said, disturbed by the intensity of Rei's gaze. "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you. Why don't you pretend you don't have the gift?"
"I have more affinity with fire than you. It would be more difficult to hide in my position than yours." Rei squeezed Serenity's hand, "Promise me, you'll run if anything happens."
The shorter girl nodded her head, grabbing Rei's hand when she let go to move away. "But you have to promise me, that if something ever were to happen, you'd be okay."
Rei pressed her lips together. "You know I can't promise that."
"Promise me," Serenity insisted.
Rei scowled at her. "It would be a lie."
Serenity gestured to a symbol on Rei's forearm. "Then let's invoke the rite. That way we'll both know the other one is okay."
Rei's eyes widened. "Don't be stupid. If we did that, and something happened to either one of us, the other one would die too. We're not doing that. That rite is meant only to be invoked in the direst of circumstances, and has never been successfully performed anyways. We don't even know what's coming."
Serenity bit her lip. "But we know its coming, and soon."
"Tonight," Rei corrected, feeling a chill go down her spine. "Its coming, tonight."
The warm colors of sunset were spreading across the sky when the first wave came.
A gasp from one of the acolytes alerted everyone present in the prayer room to the approaching garrison.
A middle aged woman stood in front of another twenty foot high crystal, this one a shining gold. In the glow of the sunset, it appeared almost orange. The woman's actual age was questionable, since she had the youth and beauty of someone half her actual age. She wore a long braid of blonde hair, which seemed to glow with unearthly light. Robed acolytes stood all around her, ready to defend her and the crystal with their lives as the soldiers approached. It was a haphazard gathering though, with acolytes scurrying into the room at the last minute, unprepared for battle.
The soldier's armor was black, with a swirling red emblem emblazoned on the breast. It was the symbol of the royal family.
A man stepped forward, his posture and uniform denoting him as a general amongst their ranks. "Your presence has been requested by his majesty," he said to the woman. His voice held arrogance and surety.
She tensed, ready to defend herself and the crystal she protected. "I shall not leave the crystal." Her voice was a smooth and low contralto, it could have been seductive in different circumstances. Separating a vessel from her crystal was equivalent to accepting the loss of the gift that crystal bestowed upon humanity. If the crystal of light did not have its conduit, the light of the world would slowly dim, and eventually fade forever. It was accepted that the vessels were fixtures of their temples, chained to their fate. To ask her to leave was insanity.
"We have orders to bring you to the king, whether you come willingly or not. You will come," he said, unsheathing his weapon, "or we will be forced to coerce you."
"This is holy ground. You dare to desecrate this place with violence?" Her eyes were wide with shock.
"I have my orders, and if you shall not come willingly we will have no choice but to use force."
Her expression steeled with resolve. "I think not. Were you to attack now, your men could surely slaughter all of us. But I will remove the need for anyone else to take part in this unecessary conflict. The powers of the crystals are gifted to the chosen few, meant to be used at our discretion. I pay the price asked for this privelege every day, and I will die before I see it fall into the hands of a power-hungry tyrant king. Goddess protect us all." She held her arms above her head, gathering light between them. It grew to a blinding brilliance, and the general had to hold an arm up to shield his vision. The light was the size of a large mammal now, and slowly taking form.
"Defensive posture!" He yelled, before the woman gave a battle cry and loosed the massive attack of light. It flooded outward, the shape of a giant wolf. With claws and teeth bare, it tore through their ranks, turning armor into shrapnel. Men screamed as their organs were exposed, blood spraying the walls of the temple. The stench of raw meat rose in the air, dust flying up in a cloud from the wake of the attack.
Coughing, the general, swung his sword in a horizontal arc, severing a limb of the wolf before the light began to fade. Waiting for the dust to settle, he stepped forward, sword poised and ready. Half of his men lay immobile on the ground.
"Mama!" One of the acolytes bounded forward towards the crystal, where the vessel had fallen to her knees. She was coughing blood. "Mama please," the cloaked girl begged, cradling her mother in her arms. "Don't leave me!" The general could hear her sobs over the groans of agony from his dying soldiers.
"Minako," the vessel reached up to cup her daughter's face, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I've used all of my power... Defend the crystal. Please...I love you so..." she coughed and more blood spilled out the corner of her lips. She smiled bitterly. "What I wouldn't give...to taste...one last strawberry..." her breath left her as her limbs sagged, eyes turning to glass.
"Noooo," the moan was pitiful, as Minako clutched her mother's body to her chest.
The general and his men were already subduing and restraining the acolytes below them, but Minako was deaf to their struggle. Her mother, her light, was dead. She was still warm...Minako could feel bloodlust rising and her mind went into shock.
When Minako was pried from her mother, she flailed wildly, digging nails and teeth into whoever was trying to take her. She would keep her word to her mother, she would protect the crystal til her last breath. Its power would seek a new vessel and she would be there, ready to die defending that chosen individual. And if she was captured now...she wouldn't be able to keep that promise. She pulled an arm free and dragged her sleeves over her eyes, scrubbing the blurriness away. She'd need her vision if she was going to fight.
Several of the acolytes were wounded, she could tell by the wetness of their robes and the limp in their movements. Her mother was gone because of these bastards, she wouldn't go down without a fight. Kicking out with her heel, she struck the soldier holding her in his crotch, wrenching herself loose as his grip weakened.
"You bitch!" he yelled, doubling over. Not waiting for him to recover, Minako raked her nails down his face, digging into his eyes. He gave the scream of a wounded animal, horrific and shrill as he fell over. She lunged at him as he fell, continuing to beat and claw at him, until he stopped moving. She didn't know how to fight, but she knew enough to know a man's weaknesses. Before she could get up to continue her furious rampage, she felt the sting of metal at her throat.
"Get up, slowly." Minako stood up, ever aware of the blade pressing into her skin. "Put your hands behind you," she recognized the general's voice, as he ordered her. She felt angry tears in her eyes as she followed his instructions, knowing she had no choice now. She had to stay alive to fufill her mother's dying wishes, even if she had to stay alive as a captive.
As she was coralled forward with the rest of acolytes, she drifted in and out of reality, still traumatized by the sudden death of her mother. She could hear a few words the general was saying to his messenger through her haze.
"...king we have failed to capture the vessel...lost half of our force and successfully captured all of the acolytes...vessel martyred herself to avoid capture." His tone was bitter.
Minako felt new tears leak down her cheeks. That night would be darker than any other in more than three thousand years of history.
-
Ikuko hummed to herself as she finished washing the last of the dishes from supper. She cast an anxious glance out the window, putting the plate into the drying rack. It was getting late.
It had been almost a week since the shadow men came.
All those who had disappeared last week had never returned. There wasn't even a trace of them. They hoped and prayed that one night would be the end of it, a nightmare in the dark never to repeat. Rumors were circulating that it was the work of the royal family, kidnapping people to enlist them into the army.
But Ikuko knew better.
She had seen them come first hand last time, and she knew that the kidnappings were the work of evil.
Reaching to dry her hands off on the dishtowel, she froze as a scream rent the air. Her heartbeat jumped into her throat. They had come again.
Rushing to the window, she looked out to see several people running and screaming as the darkness approached them. It was sickeningly human in shape, lumbering forward faster than its prey. There was not hesitation or resistence as they moved, they passed through solid objects like it were made of smoke. As it engulfed their bodies, Ikuko stifled a scream of terror in her own throat, throwing the blinds closed and rushing upstairs to her family.
"Shingo, Kenji! Run!" She frantically threw open the doors to their rooms, her voice alone telling them what was happening outside. She sent up a silent prayer to the goddess for her daughter to be safe from these monsters as well.
Shingo was already running downstairs cursing, his parents on his heels. Kenji grabbed a knife off the table as they ran, hurrying out the door and into the woods.
It was colder outside, and darker than they'd ever seen. Humanoid shadows were manifesting in every direction, with helpless cries ringing in the night air like an orchestra of the damned as the villagers were swallowed whole.
They ran as fast as they could, with Shingo outpacing his parents by a wide breadth. He didn't dare look back or slow down to allow them time to catch up though, not with adrenaline pumping through him and fear clining to his skin like liquid.
To be caught by a shadow was to be gone, forever.
Kenji let out a bark of pain as he accidently sliced himself on his leg with the kinfe. Turning he threw it at an approaching shadow, never slowing his gait.
The monsters were catching up.
Shingo heard Ikuko's voice scream behind him. He clamped his eyes shut, tears gathering at the corners. His mom would be fine. She'd definitely be fine.
He didn't dare to slow down or glance behind him. He could feel the ominous presence of the monsters almost like another sense, it was so real and near. Just run, run, run he mentally chanted. His lungs were burning and his muscles pounding as he ran, but he couldn't stop for even a second. Run. Run! RUN!
Kenji had grabbed Ikuko away from the clutching limbs of the monster, but it was a short lived victory. The shadow created twisted itself, noticing him. With a forward lunge Kenji's right arm was snared in darkness. Using his free left arm, he pushed Ikuko forward, pulling against an unseen force to free himself.
But the shadow was slowly spreading up his arm and toros.
"Go!" He continued to struggle, risking a glance back towards the village only to see the moonlit outline of more shadows approaching. Desperate, he turned to Ikuko, shoving her forward further. "GO!" The urgency in his voice was raw.
The darkness was creeping outward still. He knew he had seconds left.
Everywhere the shadow touched was frozen, he couldn't move his limbs. Sweat-soaked skin was turning to ice. His heart was beating a frantic staccato, eyes wide in absolute terror. He knew his pulse was pounding but it felt distant like he were submerged and listening to the roar of the ocean in the distance.
In a matter of seconds, it spread up his torso and head until he was completely engulfed by shadow.
His last thought was a desperate prayer for his family to be saved. He was fully consumed in darkness, which folded in on itself with a wet gurgle until nothing was left.
"KENJI!" Ikuko screamed, bawling as she reached for her husband. But he was gone, there was nothing where he had stood only a moment before.
Turning she pushed herself to keep going, she had to survive for Shingo. She could see more shadows coming after them. She ran with all her might, ignoring the prickling of the hairs on the back of her neck and the salty tears blurring her vision.
It was dawn before Shingo dared to stop and glance back. Sunlight was peeking through the treetop, pale bluish light. As he panted and surveyed his surroundings, he realized that his mom and dad were nowhere to be seen. A sliver of dread crept through him. "They lived," he said, swallowing bile. "They lived. They're just catching up since I run faster."
He put his hands up to his face, sucking in a shuddering breath. Goddess please let them be alive, he prayed.
Deciding it was safe to rest now that daylight had returned, he leaned up against a tree, catching his breath.
His hands wouldn't stop shaking even as he tried to calm his still racing heart.
Looking up at the pinpricks of light on the canopy, he felt tears track new lines down his face. "They're alive," he tried to convince himself. "They have to be alive." The next village was only a few more hours in the direction he'd been running. He'd continue there, warn the people and wait for Ikuko and Kenji to catch up. Decided, he started forward, trying to ignore the ache in his muscles and the ever-present anxiety clogging his throat.
The crescent moon was high in the sky when the soldiers arrived at the temple of fire.
The general blew out a breath as he regarded his comrade. "Jadiete made a mess of the last capture. Establish peaceful dialogue first this time."
"She won't listen or come peacefully," Nephrite said, polishing his blade. "Their doctrine dictates they offer daily prayer to their crystals. They're raised to protect the crystals with their lives and never separate from them until death. Our best shot is to take a hostage. If we're lucky, she'll take the bait and come peacefully."
Zoisite considered this, shaking his head. "First we try to reason with her, if that doesn't work, we'll take a hostage. I'll go in to negotiate, you go in dressed as a foot soldier and get ahold of whichever acolyte it looks like she has the most affection for."
Neprite scoffed. "I doubt she has much affection for any of them."
Zoisite shrugged. "I didn't mean romantic affection, we both know the price she pays. I'm sure she has friends she cares about amongst the devotees."
Nephrite smiled, hastening to change his armor. "Its a good plan. We at least stand a chance she'll come without a struggle."
Zoisite checked his armor fastenings. "Yes. Let's proceed before they have time to arm themselves."
The temple was bathed in the dim moonlight of the crescent moon as they stepped inside.
Even in the darkness, they could see all the acolytes lined up in front of a dark haired girl at the base of the crystal.
"I saw your arrival," she announced, arms folded over her chest. "Why are you here? There is no place for weapons inside the sanctity of this temple."
"We apologize for the intrusion, my lady," Zoisite said, ready for some political posturing. They needed the vessels alive if at all possible. "We have offered several incentives to the vessels of the various temples to encourage them to align themselves with us during these trying times, to no avail." He glanced out of the corner of his eye towards Nephrite, who had made his way further into the temple and was watching the girl's expression. "We are left with little choice but to come in person to beg for your assistance."
"You have a distorted notion of what it means to beg," she said, scowling at him. "The vessels are not toys to be used by your king as instruments of war. We are here for the good of all, to protect the crystals that bless the prosperity of these lands and ensure that no harm comes to them." Rei glanced at the acolytes below her, worried about the possibility of battle breaking out at any moment. The tension in the room was so thick it made it hard not to tremble.
"We would never seek to permanently separate a vessel from her crystal," Zoisite demurred, putting his hands up to show his sincerity. "We both want the same thing, peace. We merely wish your aid in ensuring that these lands remain safe for everyone."
"For peace, you would advise war. I am not interested." Rei pointed to the door. "Leave us in peace and I shall have mercy upon you and your men." Summoning fire to her hands, she gave a powerful display of might for one so young. The fire grew in size until it covered both of her fists in small orbs of flame.
It was in this moment that Nephrite lunged forward, grabbing an acolyte and pulling her hood back as he pressed a dagger to her throat. Serenity gasped, eyes wide as she stared up at Rei in fright. Rei took an impulsive step forward, a small cry of denail rising in her throat.
Serenity felt her heart hammer in her chest, too petrified to move.
"I am sorry to do this," Zoisite said, making no move for his own weapon. "But you leave us little choice. Come with us without a fight and we will spare the life of you and all your acolytes, but if you resist..." he tipped his head towards Nephrite. "He will kill that girl and the rest of your followers will be forfeit as well."
Rei clenched her fists, the flames licking up to her wrists while she raged with internal conflict. Serenity was family, she couldn't allow her to be kiled. At the same time, if she left the crystal defenseless, she had failed in her duty to protect it. Closing her eyes, she weighed her options.
"Leave the acolytes here unharmed, and I will come with you." Serenity could tend to the fire crystal in her abscence, Rei knew. But how long before word reached the king that there was still a fire vessel at the temple?
Zoisite considered this. They had orders to bring the vessel and all her acolytes back with them to the capital in case any were clever enough to use a decoy as their vessel, or at least, he assumed this was the reason for the order. But this girl had already shown she had control over fire, so there could be no doubt that she was the chosen vessel.
"Very well. Come forward," he commanded. Rei moved down the steps reluctantly, glancing at Serenity as she walked past the girl who was still at knife point.
When she reached the bottom of the steps, Rei came to stand in front of Zoisite. "Release the acolytes." She demanded, not daring to glance back at Serenity.
Zoisite nodded, and Nephrite let go of Serenity who scurried down towards Rei. Zoisite readied himself for an attack but the girl grabbed Rei instead.
"You can't do this!" Serenity begged, pleading with her.
"It will be fine," Rei patted Serenity's hand, pointing her back to the other acolytes. "You stay here and keep praying with the others while I'm gone." Serenity blinked back tears, hugging the taller girl.
"I-we can't do it without you," Serenity said, eyes still shining.
"You'll do just fine without me, I know it." Rei hugged Serenity again before untangling herself from the other girl, and stepping towards Zoisite.
"We leave immediately," Nephrite said, stepping forward to flank Rei in case she got any ideas about making a run for it.
Rei closed her eyes and nodded, casting one last look over her shoulder at the fire crystal. Clapping her hands together, she sent it one last prayer, for the first time asking for its aid and protection instead of thanking it for the many blessings. Opening her eyes, she moved out of the temple, ignoring the soft crying of Serenity behind her.
AN: Rewrote this first chapter because after rereading it I realized some of it was pretty poorly written (and by that I mean I was ashamed of myself for having published it without proof reading how poorly written some scenes were). Next chapter: Rei and Minako are both headed towards their new destination, and a new vessel for the light crystal is chosen. Serenity keeps her promise.