Endless Eternity
Prologue: Life's Death
By: Opal Soul

"Darien," Serena whispered. "Oh, Darien . . . don't you remember? Don't you remember anything?"
Blue eyes glinted relentlessly and Darien raised his hands to deliver the deathblow.
Reluctantly Serena brought her own hands in front of her body. "Moon Tiara," she commanded. "Please work." The last was offered as a prayer, a plea.
Pain tore through Darien as joltages of power penetrated his armor and ignited his skin. He yelled, partly with fury, partly with pain. The power from the small girl lifted him off his knees and threw him four feet away.
He lay for a moment on the hard, cold ground, stunned.
The voice of Beryl flooded his mind. "My darling prince," her voice said soothingly. "Sailor Moon is the enemy. The enemy, Darien. While she is still alive, we will never be completely happy together."
Beryl . . . his Beryl. Even now he could picture her face upturned to his. He could almost feel the soft, sensuous skin beneath his fingertips as she beckoned invitingly. His dull blue eyes flickered with energy, then narrowed into angry slits. With a loud warcry, he ignored the pain and ran toward the girl who stood blocking his way-- his only way-- to happiness.
"You!" he snarled. "It's you who's caused this!"
"Me?" Serena asked, bewildered. "How is that . . . possible?"
"If you had minded your own business," he accused, "Beryl and I would be living happily, not fighting battle after battle after battle, not living in fear and hiding. We would be free. My freedom is my happiness, Sailor Moon."
Tears shone in Serena's crystal blue eyes. "Do you-- love her?" she asked. Her voice trembled. "Don't answer that." She searched with her soul, probing his mind and heart. She gave a cry when the darkness and evil engulfed her, almost putting out her own light. Gasping, she looked up at him, wide-eyed.
"I will kill you," he said in a determined voice.
"Oh, Darien," she caressed him with her voice and beautiful eyes, "perhaps destiny was never-- meant to be." She felt something clamp onto her heart, holding it captive in a tight squeeze. Slowly it constricted with her words. "I . . . surrender, Darien; you may . . . kill me. I only want your happiness."
"What's . . . happening . . . to me?" Darien screamed at her. Unseen forces tore at his heart. "It's you!"
"No, Darien. . . . it's not," Serena said gently. "Darien-- look deep inside you, please. . . . there must be some good in you still somewhere . . . . please look, my-- "
Serena lay lifeless on the floor. The whiteness of her costume was stained a vibrant red. A pool of blood cradled her blond curls and soaked her already dark fuku.

-- Death --


Copyrighted/Written: May 29, 2000.
Disclaimer: Standard. You're seriously in need of mental rehabilitation [or otherwise] if you think I own Sailor Moon.
A/N: Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! I know you guys all hate me, but I was just wondering to myself one day, "What would happen if Darien wasn't healed by the Star Locket?" You know? And so this came out. I admit, not Romance-- yet! I am going to extend this into a longer story/novel. At first I was going to leave it at this, but then I got caught up in the idea. Once again, sorry!
Thanks to: my wonderful spell-check.
E-mail: tammiest@juno.com or Dariens_Bunny@sailormoon.com
"If I am a jewel, as a dear friend once flirtatiously dubbed me, I am an opal. Fiery ice swirling in the milk-white of innocence. Passion and compassion. Myself to the core." Surprisingly enough, I wrote that. It's just to clarify any questions on my strange pen-name.