X.
Treachery
Nehelenia entered Serenity's room before knocking. Serenity sat up suddenly and looked at the shadows hiding her older sister. She stared with anxiety and nervousness, waiting for her to talk. They were alone at that time. Luna was on the West Tower of the Silver Castle, helping the Queen with something.
Nehelenia hurriedly walked and crouched low to her bed. "Meet me at the door of the Sacred Prayer Room at midnight. I want to talk to you about all of this. I know this is really hard on you, my little sister and I don't want you to suffer any longer. I want this to fix this by ourselves so I don't want anyone knowing, all right? Solving this by ourselves is the right way to do it, right?"
"Really, Sister? Thank you for giving me a chance," Serenity said, her voice thick with tears of joy.
"You're my Sister." With that Nehelenia stood up once more and opened the door. She stopped just before exciting and turned to her sister once again. "Remember, midnight."
Serenity sat up to making sure that Luna was still fast asleep in her pillow at the corner of her room. She couldn't see the cat clearly but she could see her outline breathing in a steady pattern. She slipped out of her bed and started to make way to her door. She poked her head out to see if the hallways were clear. When she had looked from left to right, she slipped out, making sure she makes the smallest crack as possible.
Once she was out the door, she ran towards the Center Tower of the Castle where the Sacred Prayer room was. She knew her sister wouldnt' dare go in that room because only the Queen can. She ran as fast and as quiet as she could. She could feel the night breeze whipping her face, making her hair fly like some kind of banner trailing behind her. She didn't have time to retie her hair to the royal hairstyle.
"Serenity?" a voice called from a hallway. She stopped, dead frozen. She slowly turned to see who it was calling her, fear clawing her insides. She saw Endymion standing there, fully clothed. "What are you doing up so late?"
She quickly racked her brain for any reasons to tell him. "I was just...I wanted some water. I was really thirsty."
He started walking towards her with a smile on his lips. His steps seem to be as loud as Serenity's beating heart. "Why don't you ask your servant to bring you one or waking them up to bring you water is too cruel for you?"
"You are mocking me," she said undignified.
"Well I know you are lying," he said simply. Serenity's eyes widened. She might as well tell him.
"Very well then but do not breath a word about this to anyone."
"You have my word as a royalty, as the Prince of Earth, and as a gentleman, my lady."
Serenity was satisfied enough with that. She trusted Endymion with her life. She admitted it once again that she was in love with him so she couldn't help trusting him. "I got into a fight with my sister, the heir to the throne. I'm going to the Sacred Prayer Room to fix everything with her."
"Alone at this late hour?" he asked.
She nodded.
"I don't like this," he admitted.
She stared at him. "You don't have to," she said as she turned to leave him.
He quickly followed her. He grabbed her by the elbow and spun her around. "Please, let me come with you."
"I have to come alone," she said stubbornly.
"I don't have to be seen. I promise your sister won't see me and you will be able to talk to her. But just let me guide you on the background."
She was silent for a moment. She could see there was no way in making him go away. Besides, a part of her was screaming for him to be with her throughout the night. "Fine. But if you dare interfere, I will never, ever talk to you ever again."
Nehelenia was already there at the door of the sacred room. She ordered every servant not to come around this area. If she catches one of them, she will punish them severely. She knows the stupid servants are on Serenity's side anyways. She smirked at her sister's niceness. Serenity had always thought everyone was as pure as she was. How foolish. She heard the footsteps and soon she saw the hateful beautiful face. She heard Dimando stir beneath her from the darkness.
"Serenity," she whispered.
"Sister," Serenity bowed. "I thank you for giving me the chance to talk to you about Endymion."
Nehelenia held no patience with her sister's sugar coating. She held her black crystal in her hands tightly around her fist. "Sister you do know that you have betrayed me."
Guilt came across her face. "I-I know I have promised I will stay away from him but-"
"But you didn't sister. How could you do that?" she asked hissed. The black crystal glowed but she stuffed her palm with a handful of skirt.
"I'm really sorry, sister but I can't. I tried, I really did but I just can't stay away from him. Please understand," she pleaded.
"Why not?! You couldn't even understand what I need! You're so selfish!" she screamed.
Serenity raised her eyebrows. "Me? I'm selfish?! What about you, sister? You asked me to stay away from him because you wanted him to be yours! Isn't that called selfishness too?"
"How dare you!" Nehelenia raised the black crystal. She focused the power running in her veins down to her arms and to the black crystal. It amplified her power up to three times. A strong black beam came from it and hit Serenity squarely on the stomach. She was sent flying several yards away from her. A black spot had been burned in her dress. Nehelenia smiled.
"That's what you get for having such a sharp tongue. Someone should really teach you a lesson, Serenity, that all of your actions have dire consequences. You really had brought this upon yourself, sister. If you had just did what I told you to do, then you wouldn't be lying there."
Serenity grimaced. Her flesh had been burnt. She could feel her eyes darkening. She was lying exactly in front of Endymion. His wide, horrified eyes were staring at her. She forced a smile. He blinked, seeming to be woken from his reverie. He stepped forward but she shook her head. He must not interfere, whatever happens.
Serenity stood up. Seeing Endymion gave her enough strength. She knows what she must do. She knows what has to take place. "Sister, let us not fight," she said. "No problem can be resolved with fighting. It is no use. Please, let us stop this."
"Foolish girl! This is our fight. Whoever gives up will lose Endymion! He will be mine!" Nehelenia struck again but Serenity opened her palms and concentrated all of the power surging in her veins to her palm to counter her sister's attack. The white beam collided with the black one. Each energy pushed on the other.
"Please, sister. Let us stop."
Nehelenia gave everything she has to the small black crystal. It started to vibrate. Incredible power was surging through her veins, though it scared her. But she brushed the thought away and welcomed the energy. She could see her sister weakening and the black beam was dominating the white one. She was winning.
But she was blinded by a whiter light. She couldn't see. She heard Dimando shriek beside her. She looked at him and saw he was fleeing. But the white light wrapped around him like some kind of bubble. He was suspended in midair.
"Nehelenia!" a voice came from where Serenity was standing. She saw a silhouette that looked like her sister but taller. For a fraction of a second, she saw Serenity as a queen. Fear gripped her heart. But she realized it was their mother and not Serenity. The white light had dominated and the black crystal was sent flying out the window and pass the stars. The white light had wrappe itself around Nehelenia and formed a bubble similar to Dimando's.
"Treachery! Dimando! You have planned to steal the Silver Imperium Crystal away from this kingdom. How dare you?! I curse you! You and your whole clan will roam around the fourth dimension! Your life will be filled with suffering and your end will be a painful death!" Queen Serenity screamed, anger bursting out from her. With a wave of her scepter, Dimando's bubble flew out of the window like the black crystal at an incredible speed. Before their eyes, it disappeared.
"Nehelenia! How dare you?! I strip you off your title! You have no right to be called heir! You have no right to be called my daughter! Darkness had engulfed your once pure heart and I cannot welcome you in this kingdom any longer. Like Dimando, you will roam around the fourth dimension, never finding solace!"
"No, Mother!" a voice came from behind her. Serenity was leaning against the wall, forcing herself to stand up. "Please, don't. Please."
Queen Serenity stared dumbfounded at her daughter. She could see her heart glowing even though she was this weak. The true heir of the Moon Kingdom has finally shown herself. She glared back at Nehelenia. "See what you were trying to destroy, Nehelenia! Even though you want to destroy your sister, she doesn't want the same for you! I cast you away on other dimension! You will be given the title of a queen but you will be alone because of your selfishness!" Another wave and Nehelenia's bubble also zoomed out of the castle walls like a meteor. Then she was gone.
Endymion hurried to where he was hiding and crouched to where Serenity's unconscious body laid. How he hated not being able to help Serenity but he knew that this was her fight. He was afraid, though, that him not interfering cost Serenity her life.
"Isn't there anything you could do?" Tears were pouring from his eyes.
"I give you the power of psychometric, Prince Endymion. You alone can heal her," the Queen said, turning to the young Prince. A warm light engulfed Endymion. He could feel the power running with his blood. He placed a hand on Serenity's stomach and concentrated the energy in his open palm. Soon, the burn healed and black spot disappeared as if nothing happen.
"I am sorry, Prince but you cannot be with her," the Queen said. His head whipped towards her.
"What do you mean, your highness?" Prince Endymion's eyes were wide with horror. "I love her and she loves me. Please don't tear us apart!"
Queen Serenity shook her head. "If you are truly meant to be, in time you will find each other once again." The Silver Imperium Crystal made a bubble around Endymion like the first two. "I erase your memory of everything from this Kingdom. You have never been hear." With a wave he sent him back to Earth while the bubble cleared his memory of the Moon Kingdom and Princess Serenity.
She looked at the sleeping form of her daughter. "Daughter, Luna had warned me about you sneaking off to bed to see Nehelenia to fix everything. I had seen her heart being eaten by the darkness. I wish nothing like this ever happen to you ever again but I do not hold your future. Please make good choices." For the last time, Serenity was engulfed by the white bubble, erasing her memories of Endymion. She sent her back to her bed. The Queen then flew over her kingdom and erased her people from any memory of Endymion but gave them an even stronger instinct to protect the Earth Kingdom and her people. When she was done, she watched as the sun's rays crept around the kingdom beneath her feet like fingers. She noticed the black spots.
"Evil has reared its ugly head upon us."