The Lost Princess

Part Ten: The Warning

AN: Sorry it's been awhile. School starts in a week, and I have a major case of writer's block.

Serena and Katherine spent another fifteen minutes arguing about whether or not Sweeney Todd was an insane, soulless murderer or a tragic figure caught up in something that would make any man go insane. Finally, Katherine walked over to the TV and started watching it. Serena, having no desire to watch wanton bloodshed, sighed and left the apartment. She tried her best not to think about Seiya; that was still too painful, and she couldn't do anything to alleviate the pain. She couldn't even cry. She knew that she and Katherine would figure something out, but that time seemed so far off. She pushed Seiya from her mind. In fact, she did her best not to think at all. The blonde sank into a daze.

It was dark, and there was an unpleasant sensation going over her skin. It had been so long since she'd felt anything that she didn't know what this sensation was. Serena rubbed her shoulders, and then wondered why she'd done that. Finally, the name of the sensation came to her. She was cold. That was what the word was. It was very strange. When was the last time she'd touched something and felt it? It had scarcely been a year, but she'd still forgotten. Now, the sense of touch was completely foreign to her. It was unnerving. Where was she? The darkness seemed to close in around her, and rose up like waves before crashing down.

The blonde struggled, trying to fight this. If she didn't, she would die. Or was she already dead…? No, she wasn't. But she sure as heck would be if she didn't get out of here! She clawed for non-existent solid ground. But her fingers found nothing but dark water. She opened her mouth to take a breath, but water gushed in, rushing into her lungs…oh, her throat burned! But the pain in her chest was even more unbearable…she was dying…

Serena jerked, gasping. She was lying somewhere in an unknown graveyard. How had that happened? She'd been in one of her favorite glades last time she'd been aware…had she fallen asleep? No…that was impossible. She hadn't slept in just a little over a year. It was so strange…where was she? The blonde stood, and glanced about her once again. She had absolutely no idea where she was or how she'd gotten there. "Wh-where am I?" she whispered. "How did I get here?"

"You're starting to fade."

Serena let out a yelp and turned around. Standing before her was a tall man in a white suit. His eyes were kind, and he radiated tranquility and peace. The blonde girl realized what he was immediately. "You're an angel," she squeaked. The powerful aura was unmistakable. As attuned as she now was to auras, she knew without a doubt that this being standing before her was an angel, sent from Heaven.

Her visitor smiled faintly, and she noticed that with all of this splendor and glory, and tranquility, there was also sadness. "Yes. But I am not just any angel. I am an Angel of Death; Andrew."

Serena stared at him for a minute. "You're the Angel of Death?"

"I'm an Angel of Death."

"There's more than one?"

"Of course. Thousands of people die every day, if not millions. If I were the only Angel of Death, I would be busy every waking second. God knows even we angels have limits, so at some point he made a few more Angels of Death to ease the stress on the first one."

"That makes sense…so if you're an Angel of Death, why are you talking to me?"

Andrew looked at her, and Serena read the meaning in his eyes. When the blonde inhaled sharply, his eyes became even sadder. "So you understand."

"Why?"

"The small shard of the Silver Crystal inside you is getting weaker. It cannot hold on for much longer. You're fading, and eventually, you will die."

Serena forced herself not to let tears rise to her eyes. What was the point? She couldn't shed them anyway. "Are you going to take me now? Because if you are, I'd like the chance to say goodbye."

"No, not yet. But soon. You will have the chance to say your goodbyes. Do not be afraid; I will make this as painless as possible. There is nothing to be afraid of."

"Can't I stay?"

"You have only a matter of months, possibly weeks. Unless you find a way to reunite the pieces of your Crystal, you will die."

Serena thought about the current situation. Chaos was back, most of the world didn't remember her, she was totally ineffectual, and she was dying. "I can't just leave; my friends need me…I need to stop Chaos. I can't just abandon everyone. Please, let me stay."

"I am sorry, Serena. But there's nothing I can do but try to comfort you when the time comes."

The blonde took a few unnecessary deep breaths. She needed to remain calm. Andrew was just doing his job. She knew he was as sad about this as she was. Possibly even more so. He'd probably seen millions of people do just what she was doing. And some of them probably hadn't been very nice. "Will God let Chaos win?"

"He works in ways that are not understood even by we angels. But no, I do not think that He will let all humanity perish."

"Okay. Um, before you go, would you mind explaining why I had this weird dream? I'm not supposed to sleep, so…"

"The fragment of the Crystal is getting more and more unstable; it will get worse. It's a warning that you haven't much time left."

Serena closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, Andrew was gone. She looked around for a moment. But he wasn't there. The blonde started walking, and found that she really wasn't too far away from Arriane's apartment. But it was quickly getting dark. It had been about noon when she'd left. Katherine and Arriane were probably really upset with her by now. How could she tell them what was going to happen? Maybe she just wouldn't tell them. Maybe she'd find a way to get out of this. People nearly died all the time. She headed back.

Once the blonde entered, she knew she was in for it. As soon as Serena entered the living room, Arriane turned off the TV and faced her. "Where have you been?"

"I went for a walk and zoned out. I lost track of the time. I'm sorry."

"Are you telling me the truth?"

"Yes." In a way, she was. She had simply left out some details.

"Come on, Serena. I know you better than that. Katherine does, too."

"Of course she does. We shared a body for, like, sixteen years."

"If I called her in, would she tell me that you're telling the truth?"

Serena had fooled Katherine before. "Yes."

Arriane raised an eyebrow, but knew a lost battle when she saw one. "All right. Suit yourself. Katherine, can you get any sensible answers out of her?"

"We'll see," was the reply. The Nephilim stepped forward, and Serena mentally cursed as she realized that she had been standing their ever since this conversation had begun. Arriane slipped out, and the two girls were left alone. Once the door was securely shut, Katherine spoke. "Okay, now that Arriane's gone, will you please spouting the bullshit that's been leaving your mouth ever since you got here?"

"I'm telling the truth. I went out to escape being exposed to Sweeney Todd, the Homicidal Maniac of Fleet Street, and I zoned out."

Katherine looked the Moon Princess directly in her cerulean eyes. There was no indication of a lie, but it didn't mean there were some significant details missing. "You just zoned out? You didn't disappear for a while or cross into another hereafter?"

"No." 'I don't think so…' Serena added silently.

"You don't sound too sure about that."

"I took a wrong turn and ended up in a graveyard is all."

Katherine paused. "Okay…that makes more sense. You're being honest with me?"

"Yes." 'Not completely, but you don't need to know that right now.'

"If you aren't, I'll wring your neck."

"Uh…you can't? I'm a ghost?"

"When we get you back to normal, then." Seeing the dubious look on Serena's face; "We will get you back to normal."

"Okay, okay! I trust you."

"Hmph…" with one last look, Katherine started to head out, and called, "She's being honest."

"Duh! When have I ever given you reason to doubt me?"

Katherine opened her mouth to answer.

"Rhetorical."