Under the Rose
Once upon a time, millions of years ago when the earth was in its in its infancy, two kingdoms ruled the galaxy side by side. The first, which ruled over the galaxy as a whole, was a large, vast kingdom of crystal, where the beautiful queen ruled her land with the powers of unity and love. The queen had a young daughter, the princess, whose heart belonged to the prince who had traveled to earth to create a kingdom there, returning to the sparkling kingdom to visit the princess and queen during the full moon, when the gate between kingdoms opened. This land of beauty and elegance was called Crystal Tokyo. Beyond the tall golden gates was the smaller kingdom of NeoTokio. Although significantly smaller than Crystal Tokyo, it was equal in beauty. Fields of diamond dusted grass as far as they eye could see, pools of sparkling water where various wildlife would gather to drink. In the center of the kingdom sat a giant palace, where two princes and their loyal subjects lived in harmony. Though NeoTokio was significantly smaller than Crystal Tokyo, the residents were happy within their kingdom, everyone except the prince who ruled over the land. He had everything, and yet he felt empty. His heart longed for the princess of Crystal Tokyo, but her heart was promised to another. As the days passed, his obsession grew stronger and stronger, until he could no longer take it. He began to assemble his army , his plan being to overthrow Crystal Tokyo and claim the princess as his own. In the dark of the night he led his troops into the large kingdom, slaughtering everyone in their path. As the walls came down, crumbling around their feet, the prince smiled. The princess will be mine, he thought to himself. For such a large kingdom it was a surprise to all how quickly it had fallen. The queen sent her strongest warriors cascading down to the earth, frozen in suspended animation until the world needed a hero. She dropped to her knees, her life slipping away from her. The prince approached her, his eyes radiating evil. He held out his hand, preparing to end her life when a smile spread across her lips. She lifted her scepter, a white light beginning to shine from the crystal situated in the center. Your heart has grown dark, prince of NeoTokio. We had ruled in harmony since the dawn of time, yet something has darkened your heart. With the last of my power I place a curse on you and your kingdom. You will be banished into the galaxy, the blackness of your heart will manifest into a being who will hold you and your kingdom in chains, your powers will slowly decline and you will disappear into darkness. Only once you learn to open your heart to true love, and have that love returned will the curse be lifted. The queen held out her hand, a crystal rose appearing above it. The prince dropped to his knees as the curse took hold. He screamed in pain, a solid black, upside down crescent moon appearing on his forehead. He could feel a ripping sensation wash over his skin as he could feel himself disappearing. The queen held the rose out in front of her, sending it back to NeoTokio along with the prince. With her last bits of strength, she said, you have until the last petal falls. If you fail to open your heart to true love before then, you will turn to stone, and your subjects shall perish. The prince let out one last pained scream as he saw the queen fall lifeless to the ground. His body turned into a black smoke, transferring him back to NeoTokio. He watched helplessly as the beautiful animals transformed into hideous beasts as NeoTokio broke off from the rest of the land, darkness settling like a thick blanket around the castle. The transformation and exile was complete. The prince shut himself away, his heart heavy with pain, watching the crystal flower which held his fate. He was now the cursed prince of planet Nemesis.
