Original Idea by: Scraps
Collaboration work with: DeityDeviantWarrior
Characters Created by: Rebecca Sugar
Chapter 12: Goodbye Master Diamond
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Crystal Temple, Pearl's Room, several months later
[*]
The room was filled with rushing water that poured from several large floating platforms, which in turn flowed down the edge of the larger platform beneath. As the water flowed smoothly and without flaw, the tranquility was disrupted by the sound of the door to the room opening and a lone Pearl rushing in. She quickly closed the door and placed her hand on it. As she heard a small clicking noise, Pearl turned around and leaned on the door. The long nosed Gem gasped for breath as she wiped her face and then looked at her hand, which had a black fluid smeared on her palm. The fluid began to lightly burn her hand and then intensify in pain. The Gem made a distressed grunt as she rushed over to the pool of the main platform and began to wash her hands in the water. As she did, Pearl saw her reflection in the water, she could see the scarring from the tears as well as her black shot eyes. She then thought about what had happened minutes ago, about how Steven had just left for her date and then Amethyst began to mock him, to insult him about something so precious to him, something that he cared about so much, perhaps even more than the Gems themselves.
"How dare she…." Pearl hissed as she washed her hands harder and harder, feeling the burning of her hands worsen as the water around her hands began to turn a shade of blue. "Amethyst knows how important this is for Steven and she's just…"
Pearl stopped scrubbing her hands as she lifted them from the water and examined them. The fluid was gone, but her hands were now raw from the scrubbing and bleeding. As she looked back to the water, she felt a slight sting on her cheek as a lone black tear trickled down her face. As she looked up and looked at it.
"She doesn't understand…" Pearl said as she felt the black fluid on her hand begin to burn again. "But soon…we'll fix that…won't we?"
As she looked back down to the water, she saw that her reflection was gone, and in its place, was Master Diamond. The long-nosed Gem gasped at the sight. The Old King was fully healed, his face and arm were fully restored as if he was never harmed. Before the Gem could respond, Diamond's arm shot out of the water and grabbed the Gem by the throat. Pearl gasped as she tried to break free, but it was no use as she watched the rest of her Master rise from the water and appear before her in his full glory.
"How long has it been Vestibulum?" Diamond said softly as he held his grip on the Gem. "How long have you served as my spy and informant?"
"For…for as long as I can remember…" Pearl gasped as she felt black tears burn down her cheeks. "I think it's been…fi-five-thousand years and…fourteen years…"
"Yes!" Diamond pulled Pearl closer as he glared deeply into the Gems eyes. He then released Peal onto the floor, causing the Gem to kneel before Diamond's feet and gasp for air, accidentally dropping a black tear onto Diamond's boot. Diamond then scoffed as he kicked Pearl in the face, knocking her back. As the Gem sat up and looked at felt her cracked Gem, she saw the Old King approach her and grab her by her throat again and lift her up.
"I've sacrificed too much and waited too long to have you ruin everything…AGAIN!" Diamond hissed at his servant. "Do you know how close you were to blowing your cover the last time you failed?"
"B-but I've been…loyal…so loyal to you…" Pearl pleaded weakly to her Master. "I've always served you with full intentions…"
"You have?" Diamond asked with raised eyebrows as he pulled Pearl closer.
"Y-yes Master…" Pearl replied weakly. "I live to serve you."
"You do?" Diamond asked with a slight nod.
"Yes…"
"You served me with full loyalty?" Diamond asked as he stroked his beard with his free hand. "Just me, and no one else?"
As Pearl was about to answer, she felt a lump in her throat stop her in her tracks as Diamond glared at her with his molten eyes. He then dropped Pearl onto the ground and turned to the center of the pool. Pearl watched as Diamond approached the center of the pool, pointed his arm to the center and clenched his fist. Pearl watched in horror as Diamond slowly raised his arm and from the center of the pool emerged a flagpole, along with a familiar flag. Pearl knew the flag as the same one Steven had found with Lion. Pearl felt sweat pour down her brow as she watched Diamond walk around the flag and examine it.
"This was the flag that my sister used during her full rebellion against my authority." Diamond explained to Pearl as he grabbed the flag and stroked the cloth in his hands. "She had this made after she returned to homeworld and organized her rebellion…"
Diamond then turned to Pearl, causing her to flinch.
"…with your help of course."
"But master…I was tasked with spying on her." Pearl pleaded as she rose off the ground and tried to defend herself. "How could I gain her trust unless I helped her with her rebellion?"
Diamond then tore the flag off the pole and stormed over to her Pearl. Pearl felt her arms shake as she watched Diamond look at the flag in his hands and then to her.
"I tasked you with spying on her, that is true." Diamond said as he rolled the flag in his hands. "But your primary purpose was to use the information to sabotage the rebellion from the inside, which you didn't do because you developed feelings for Rose."
Pearl flinched as Diamond walked around her, clenching the rolled up flag in his hand. Diamond stopped as he stood behind Pearl and approached her.
"Not only did you just lie to me…" Diamond hissed into Pearl's ear. "But your affections for my sister cost me the rebellion and five thousand years."
"But Master…" Pearl said as she hesitated softly. "She…she must have manipulated me…she… must have discovered that I was-"
Diamond quickly wrapped the flag around Pearl's neck and pulled tightly. The little Pearl choked as she tried to speak but all she could do was gasp lightly. Diamond then pulled her back as he held his ear close to Pearl, as if trying to hear what she was trying to say.
"What was that? You developed feelings for Rose?" Diamond said mockingly as he held the Gem tighter within his grip. "Not only that, but you also betrayed me because you "cared" for her and you have lied to me again?"
Pearl choked as she tried to beg, but all she could do was wheeze as she felt the flag constrict around her neck. Diamond then looked into Pearl's eyes before he kicked her legs, forcing her on her knees. Diamond then released his grip, only for the flag to continue to hold in place as if he was still holding on. The Old King then walked around the choking Pearl and knelt before her.
"Did you think that she could protect you from me, that she would protect you from me?" Diamond asked as he glared coldly into his Pearl's eyes. "You may be a Pearl, but you are also a Secundo Gem, my Secundo Gem. I created you with my own essence as I did with your "mother" Onychinos. But I can see that my sister has poisoned your loyalty and given your failure to acquire her vitae, and then your failure to kill her Gem spawn even after I gave you the opportunity to do so, I will have to make precautions once more."
Pearl's eyes widened as Diamond raised his hand and the flag noose around her neck pulled her towards the Gemian. Diamond then looked at his Pearl and placed his hand on her Gem.
"I can also see that you have been "involved" with Garnetum." Diamond said with an irritated tone as he closed his eyes. "I will have to deal with her after this, such a relationship seems rather…abnormal. I wonder which of them loves you more? Provided that they both do so."
Diamond then opened his eyes and grabbed Pearl's jaw, forcing her mouth open.
"Regardless, your interactions with the Gem will provide enough variety of essence..." Diamond explained to the restrained Pearl as he opened her mouth wider. "Just as I have used the essence of Howlite, Onychinos, and myself to create you, I will use Garnet's essence along with yours and mine, to create a new Secundo. Which will be used in case you fail me."
As Pearl struggled in Diamond's grip, she watched as Diamond's jaw split open and a long proboscis emerged from the base of his mouth. Pearl wheezed in horror as Diamond slowly lowered himself towards the Gem. The Gem felt the flag around her neck fall off as Diamond's proboscis shot down her throat. Pearl felt the long tube-like tongue slither down as he gripped her arms tightly. Pearl's felt her mind begin to fall blank as she felt the tongue plant itself in her body, which was followed by a burning sensation in her stomach. After several minutes of this, Diamond pulled his proboscis from the Gem's throat and stood up, retracing his proboscis and closing his jaw before he summoned a small cloth and wiped his mouth with it.
Pearl gasped as she fell on her hand, she felt the burning sensation in her stomach worsen as she felt the fluid begin to slowly rise up her throat. Pearl placed a hand over her mouth as she tried to hold it in, looking up to Diamond as he crossed his arms and watched with a cold glare of expectation. Suddenly, Pearl felt a hot fluid shoot up her throat and out her mouth. The long-nosed Gem gagged as she felt the hot bile flow through her fingers and onto the floor. Pearl then pulled her hand away and fall on her hands as she began to vomit a large amount of bile onto the ground before her. The bile was dark blue and had shades of black as well. As Pearl felt the last of the bile exit her mouth. She then felt a large round object begin to slowly rise up her throat. Pearl gasped and choked as she tried to spit up the object, much to the amusement of her Master.
At last. Pearl finally hacked up the object, which fell onto the puddle of dark-blue bile before Pearl threw up one last amount of bile before she fell to her side. Diamond then approached the weakened Pearl and leaned down towards her. Pointing at the object she threw up and levitating it between the two of them. Pearl watched as the bile trickled off the object, revealing an opaque white Gem.
"Wha…" Pearl muttered weakly as she gazed at the Gem before her. "I…is…"
"Yes Vestibulum, it is." Diamond replied as the Gem floated into his palm and he looked at it. "This is a new Secundo Gem, composed of the essence of you, Garnetum, and myself."
Pearl tried to stand up, but her body was too weak, as she looked at the puddle of bile, she saw her reflection within. Her gem was dimmer and cracked; her hair now had dark grey strands within it, her blue eyes now had a small blend of black in them, and her body was thinner.
"I believe I will call this Gem…Zirconia." Diamond said as he looked down to the Pearl beneath him. "She will make an efficient replacement should you fail me."
Diamond then felt a trembling hand grip the bottom of his robe. The Old King looked down to see the weak Pearl, soaked in bile, trying to stand up. Diamond sighed as he raised his arm with a clenching motion, lifting Pearl off the ground and on her feet. As she composed herself. Diamond walked before the door to her room and opened it.
"Follow." Diamond commanded his Pearl as he entered the door. Pearl looked down at the flag or Rose, stained in bile and crumpled on the floor, she then then looked to the door and entered it, closing it behind her.
[*]
Steven's house, kitchen, present day
[*]
Diamond and Pearl exited the door to find themselves in the base of the Gem residence. This room was composed of the kitchen, living room, and Steven's room. Diamond then looked towards a wall, which bore the marks of combat, as if several spears were thrown towards the wall, or at some Gem before it. Diamond then noticed a small scorch mark on the ground and bent down to examine it. As he did, Pearl noticed a lone note sitting on the counter. Pearl grabbed the letter and began to read it.
[*]
Dear Pearl,
I know that you are suffering from the obsidian virus and I know you have been trying to control it, but it has been getting worst and worst. Amethyst and I are afraid that you will no longer be able to control yourself and become a threat to Steven or the others. We have gone to homeworld to search for a cure and we need you to stay away from Steven. You must also leave this letter for Steven when he gets back home. We cannot risk him getting hurt or infected.
Love,
Garnet
[*]
Pearl raised an eyebrow as she examined the note. It seemed odd that Garnet would leave this letter for Steven and Pearl when it was just for Pearl. As Diamond finished examining the scorch mark on the floor, he stood up and saw the letter in Pearl's hands.
"What is this?" Diamond said as he yanked the letter out of Pearl's hands and read it.
"Garnet left this for me." Pearl explained to her Master. "But she said to leave it for Steven too."
"That's because it's address for Steven only." Diamond explained as he waved his hand before the letter. "This letter was designed to create an illusion message; it was created by Topaz to hide their research. But not even the Taskmaster's inventions can fool me. Revelabunt!"
Upon that command, the letter shimmered, and the words on the letter faded and new words appeared in their place. He then handed Pearl the letter and she began to read it.
[*]
Dear Steven,
If you are reading this, then Amethyst and I are already on a special mission to the Crystal Empire. I do not know how this has happened and I do not know if you will understand, but I think it is for your own safety if you know the truth. Pearl is suffering from The Obsidian Virus, a Gem pathogen that is responsible for the near-extinction of the gems who were not cured. Although Pearl has been able to keep control of it for years, now I fear the virus is starting to control her. This infection will cause Pearl to undergo a state of unpredictable psychosis. Because you are half-human, you are immune from the virus, but as long as Pearl is infected, you are in grave danger. Until Amethyst and I return with the cure, stay away from Pearl and do not interact with her as much as possible. If you see a black fluid discharge from Pearl, you must keep as far away from her as you can, I know that you care for Pearl, but no matter what she says, you have to stay as far away from her as you can. Be strong Steven, I can only hope that you can find this letter before we are too late.
Love,
Garnet
[*]
Pearl's eyes widened as she looked to Diamond, who crossed his arms and began to think.
"They used one of our old transport scrolls to take them to the old Gemian temple." Diamond pondered. "It's obvious that they will discover that the Obsidian Virus does not exist."
"What do we do?" Pearl asked Diamond, who looked out the window as he continued to think.
"Fortunately, the scrolls do not function the same as a warp pad, and there is a delay in their deliver time." Diamond explained as he looked to Pearl coldly. "A warp to the temple and back will take them five months, enough time to kill the human and take Rose's vitae."
Pearl flinched slightly before she nodded. Diamond then turned back and saw Steven riding on lion towards the temple. As Pearl approached him and saw Steven, she noticed that the boy's clothing was all ruffled and dirty, and his hair was a mess, which was usual for Steven.
"Do not fail me again…" Diamond said as he walked towards the warp pad and stood upon it. "…I expect you know the price of failure, do you?"
Before Pearl could respond, Diamond was gone, leaving Pearl alone in the house with the note in hand. As she heard Steven opening the door, she quickly bubbled the note and poofed it away. She then turned to Steven and smiled.
"Oh Steven, your home!" Pearl said as she ran up to the boy and hugged him. "How did the date go? Did you two have a fun time?"
"I don't know…" Steven said hesitantly as he sat on the couch. "Everything was perfect at the star, but then Connie and I…fused…I think…and it felt…different."
"Oh Steven, you both fuse into Stevonnie all the time." Pearl reassured the half-gem as she hugged him. "But I think the reason you feel different is because you love her."
"I guess…" Steven said as he looked at his hands. "I wonder if that's what Garnet feels…I should ask her."
"Well you can ask her after she and Amethyst come back from a mission." Pearl informed Steven along with a pat on his head. "Until then, it's time for bed."
"Okay Pearl." Steven replied as he stood up and walked up to his bed. "G'nigh Pearl, see you in the morning."
"Goodnight Steven." Pearl said as she smiled towards him. "Sweet dreams."
As she stood up and walked through the Gem door into her room, she closed the door behind her and stood before it.
"Rose…please forgive me…" Pearl whispered as she thought about what she had to do. "Steven…Garnet…Amyth…"
Pearl sunk onto her knees and whimpered softly as she curled up on the floor. Pearl than began to weep softly, trying her best not to disturb Steven.
[*]
Rose's hill, Topside, five months later
[*]
Diamond stood before the cliff of the hillside, looking out towards the wide sea before him. As he did, he thought about that was about to transpire and what he had learned. As he did, he turned around and saw a small moth flutter before him.
"How appropriate…" Diamond said to the moth. "But I would prefer your true form at this moment."
The moth then shined into a bright light as it morphed into Pearl, who kneeled before the Old King.
"Master…I have news about Steven." Pearl said to Diamond.
"I know…the human has…spread his essence." Diamond said with an irritated tone as he turned to the horizon behind him. "I was originally going to punish you for delaying your mission for so long, but I can see that this was a blessing in disguise. Therefore, I have more details for your mission."
"Of course Master." Pearl replied as she stood up. "What are your orders."
"In addition to Steven and Lion…" Diamond commanded as he looked to Pearl. "You will also kill his mate, their spawn, and his father as well and harvest their Vitae."
Pearl froze at the command. She understood why Steven had to die, but Connie and Greg too? Diamond noticed her hesitation and turned towards her to explain.
"I do not need to explain why Connie has to die, only that Steven has divided his vitae among the spawn, like his mother." Diamond explained. "The only difference is because of his nature; he will not dissipate like Rose did. But his offspring still have the vitae of Rose, which must be harvested, along with the carrier."
"And Greg?" Pearl asked. "What about him?"
"The one known as "Greg" still has small fragments of Rose's essence from the conception of their child, which I must acquire along with his essence." "Diamond replied as he put his hands behind his back. "In addition, he also violated a deal we made ages ago."
"Wh-what do you mean "ages ago"?" Pearl asked the Old King.
"That does not concern you." Diamond said to the Pearl before him. "You will capture all of them and squeeze out every last drop of Vitae, I have constructed specialized chambers in the catacombs to effectively harvest their vitae. This is the last opportunity before the other return, provided that the traps at the temple did not finish them first…"
As Diamond turned away from Pearl, the long-nosed Gem looked back to the city behind her and thought about Greg, Connie, and Steven, she thought about all their adventures, and all the memories they made with each other. She then thought about Rose and the kindness she had for Pearl, seeing her as not a slave or a tool, but as a friend and companion. As she looked up to Diamond, she felt a single tear, as clear as crystal, trickle down her cheek as she felt her cheeks clench.
"…Gems will be harvested from the remnants of the cluster and the kindergartens to be used for-"
As Diamond continued to speak about his plan, Pearl felt something she never felt before, a feeling she had never felt as she then interjected her Master with a single word.
"No…"
Diamond halted as he slowly turned to Pearl and glared at her. Pearl hesitated slightly but then recomposed herself.
"What did you say?" Diamond asked softly as he turned his body towards the Pearl behind him.
"I…I'm not doing this." Pearl said as she stood her ground towards the Old King. "I won't kill them."
"Vestibulum…" Diamond hissed as he began to walk slowly towards Pearl, clenching his fist as he did so. "…you forget that you serve me and I command you to follow my orders!"
"Not anymore!" Pearl shouted as she summoned her spear and aimed it at the Gemian. "I'm not your slave anymore, and I won't let you hurt my family…I won't let you hurt Rose's family."
Diamond was thrown back by the sudden rebellion of his servant. The Pearl composed of his essence, who he broke into servitude, who knelt at his whim, was aiming a blade towards him in the name of his sister. Pearl saw Diamond's face flush dark blue with rage as he let out a deafening roar and summoned his mace. Pearl flinched in shock at the energy of the Old King, but she stood her ground as she prepared to attack.
"YOU DARE DEFY ME?" Diamond roared at Pearl as he lunged towards her. "I'M THE ONE IN CONTROL! I'M ALWAYS IN CONTROL!
Pearl dodged the attack as Diamond smashed his mace into the ground. Pearl then threw her spear at Diamond, only for the Gemian to bat the spear away with his mace before he bolted towards Pearl, who summoned another spear and clashed weapons.
"You think you can escape me?" Diamond hissed to Pearl as he enforced his weapon. "You are a tool, a means to ensure my victory! My sister may have inspired you, but in the end, you are nothing!"
"You may see me as nothing, but Rose made me feel like I am everything!" Pearl exclaimed as she began to push forward. "And that is the same for Steven!"
Pearl pushed forward and slashed Diamond on the back.
"For the Gems!"
Diamond fired his mace at Pearl and she dodged it. Diamond then swung it around like a flail and try to hit Pearl, only for her to summersault above the Old King and stab him in the shoulder.
"For Beach City…For Earth!"
Diamond roared as he lunged towards Pearl and tried to punch her, only for her to dodge the attack and slash him across the chest. Diamond then fell to his knees as he looked up to the Pearl standing above him. Pearl raised her spear and aimed it at his head.
"And especially for Rose Quartz."
As she was about to stab Diamond, she suddenly felt a sharp burning pain in her chest as she felt her body get knocked back onto her ground, she then looked up and saw Diamond standing before her, unscathed with Mace in hand. Pearl stammered in confusion as she tried to summon another mace, only for Diamond to lift her up in the air and slam her into the ground. Pearl then looked up to see Diamond dissipating his mace as he grabbed her and lifted her up again.
"H-h-ow…" Pearl stammered weakly. "I…was…winning…"
"Oh my poor little proditorem…" Diamond said as he glared at his Pearl. "I told you…I am always in control, and my powers are far greater than those of a mere Pearl. Case in point…"
Diamond then open his mouth and bit down onto Pearl's shoulder. The long-nosed Gem shrieked in pain as she felt her shoulder burn like fire. As Diamond released his grip and drop Pearl to the ground. She shuddered as she felt her body shake violently. Diamond watched as the bite on Pearl's shoulder fade away and her eyes become fully blackshot.
"Normal punishments will not be enough for this, and I still have some use from you." Diamond said as he extended his arm towards her. "So I suppose we will have to make my lie a truth, will we not?
As Pearl shuttered on the ground violently, Diamond clenched his hand and uttered a command to the Gem:
"Kungoganiza kuti akuyendetsa."
Upon the command, Pearl stopped shuttering and slowly rose from the ground and stood before the Old King.
"You will serve me without question nor objection." Diamond said to the Gem. "You will also follow my orders to the letter, is that clear?"
"Of course Master." Pearl said as a smile stretched across her face. "I live to serve you."
"Good…" Diamond said to the brainwashed Pearl. "You will harvest the Vitae from Rose Quartz's child, lion, his mate, their children, and his father. Is that clear?"
"Understood Master." Pearl bowed to the Old King. "I will get started right away."
"So be it." Diamond said as he turned to the horizon before him, hearing the sound of Pearl absconding away to begin her mission. After a few minutes alone, Diamond then turned around to see Rose Quartz standing before him. Diamond flinched for a moment before he raised an eyebrow
"Diamond…" Rose said softly as she approached the Old King. "Please, stop this madness, you know that this won't end well for the Universe.
"You are wrong…" Diamond said as he walked around the grounds around him. "What I will do will preserve the Universe perfectly. I will establish an era of pure order. There will be no chaos, no war, no fear or hate, only peace. I will erase the corruption of free will and ensure everlasting harmony within the Universe. All the beings of the Universe, Gem and organic, have squandered our mother's gift, and it is up to me to save them from themselves."
"But what about their lives? What about their future?" Rose asked as she crossed her arms. "What kind of existence will they have is they cannot think for themselves, they would be no better off as machines."
"So you believe that extinction is preferable to submission?" Diamond said to Rose. "You honestly would allow them to kill each other and destroy their planets than to be saved? You think that I should stop and leave them be?"
"Yes Diamond!" Rose said as she approached her Brother. "It's not in our place to interfere with their lives. We need to let them be as they are."
Diamond looked to the large tree and scoffed as he crossed his arms.
"It is funny…" Diamond said to Rose as she approached him.
"What?" Rose asked as she stopped moving.
Diamond then turned to Rose and glared right at her.
"You sound an awful lot like Topaz, do you not?" Diamond asked.
Diamond then summoned his mace and lunged at Rose, who dodged the attack and fired a bolt of gold every at Diamond before she shined a golden light and turned into Topaz. Diamond then appeared before his sibling and smacked them in the face. Topaz shot back and took their head as they summoned their lance.
"Impressive…" Topaz scoffed as they spat on the ground. "I would think my shapeshifting was flawless, we don't have the limitations like the Gems do but, what gave it away?"
"You forgot to add her scars." Diamond replied with a smile as he pointed to his shoulder. "Or perhaps you did such out of…gult?"
Topaz gritted their teeth as they lunged forward and fired like a bold of energy. Diamond then dodged the attack and fired his mace at Topaz, hitting them in the back and causing them to crash onto the ground. Topaz then quickly shot up as Diamond appeared next to them and swung his mace.
"It took you long enough, timidum." Diamond shouted to Topaz as they lunged back. "I assume you were either imprisoning more of your Secundos or building some super weapon?"
"I... came to try and talk to you." Topaz said as they dissipated their weapon. "I know that Rose is…"
"Dead?" Diamond interjected as he dissipated his mace. "Yes, and as we speak, my servants are finishing the job."
"What do you mean?" Topaz asked with a concerned expression.
"I would think your future vison would have told you about Rose's child." Diamond explained. "Rose mated with a…outsider…and created a hybrid, who carries her whole essence. Now my servants will kill him and acquire his essence, and once I have yours, I will be able to liberate this Universe of the evil drowning it."
"This isn't the answer brother..." Topaz pleaded to their elder brother. "…these creatures, it's in their nature to have flaws. They are entitled to make their own choices, to live by their own mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes Diamond, even you."
Diamond paused for a moment before he turned away from his sibling and crossed his arms behind his back.
"I do not make mistakes Topaz…" Diamond stated coldly to his sibling as he looked back to them with a molten red glare. "…I erase them."
Topaz hesitated as they then clenched their hands. As they were about to act, Diamond quickly interjected.
"If you attack, I will send your Secundos on you." Diamond stated as he looked back to the ocean. "Keep in mind that if you fight me, you will fight alone…and you will die alone."
Topaz hesitated as they looked to the ground before them. As they felt their hands shake and their teeth clench. They looked up to Diamond and gave a mocking smile.
"Congratulations brother, you did it, you've won! You're the Universe's true savior!" Topaz said mockingly to Diamond, who looked back towards them with a cold glare as he watched his sibling turn around and begin to walk away before they stopped.
"However, I so have to be honest though…" Topaz said as they turned back towards Diamond, who saw the Gemian broken smile and tears flowing from their eyes. "…I…I liked it better when you were the hero."
With that, Topaz disappeared in a flash, and Diamond turned back to the Ocean. As he gazed upon the crystal waters, he pondered over why they let Topaz escape? As he pondered his decision, he felt the light breeze of the wind blow and turned to see the large tree standing before him. Diamond then saw that the breeze had thrown three small flowers loose and they floated over the cliff and down towards the water below, Diamond looked back up towards the ocean.
"Kings of three, that were we, but who is the one who will be: the one who will free this Universe from corruption and evil? The one who will betray his family, who will be willing to kill their kin without mercy or remorse?" Diamond softly said to himself as he felt burning tears of Obsidian roll down his cheeks. "I will take on that role, I will bring my mace down upon those who oppose me and the justice I shall bring to this Universe. I will strike down all of my foes without hesitation…without mercy… nor remorse, so I am Order. I am the Master. I. Am. Diamond, the Old King…"
With that Diamond sighed and looked towards the sun that was setting in the distance. Diamond watched as the orange orb sunk into the distance and vanish, knowing that soon he would be in alone and engulfed within the darkness. But even as he could feel the darkness begin to control him, he found the faint warmth and the orange light of the sun safe and calming, it felt
For the first time in ages in her life since he and his siblings first breathed life, Diamond felt safe…
"Okay…I'm ready."
{*}
In the first year, Diaspore extracted all of her strength and power, forming it into her first born. He was known as Diamond, The Old King, and he was the exemplar of fear.
In the second year, Diaspore extracted all of her wisdom and knowledge, forming it into her second born. They were known as Topaz, The Taskmaster, and they were the exemplar of inspiration.
In the final year of her life, Diaspore extracted all of her emotion and compassion, and formed it into her last born. She was known as Rose Quartz, The Lion, and she was the exemplar of motivation.
As the three children looked to their Crystal Mother, they watched as the last fragments of her life faded before them. The three exemplars wept for their mother as her physical form began to disappear before them, begging her to stay.
"Doth not weep f'r me mine precious children, f'r I will always be part of thou and be by thy side until the end. I only ask f'r thou to tend to this Universe and keep the ranker good in mind. Care f'r this universe, and all within as thou would f'r each other. F'r with mine death, I give upon them a free life. See to it that mine gift is well spent. Reliquum silentium est."
With that, the Crystal Mother's body formed into a bright light and burst into trillions upon trillions of lights, scattering across the vast Universe. Leaving only the three Gemians behind.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Topaz asked their siblings.
"We do what Gemia had tasked us with." Diamond replied as he looked to the stars above. "We do what she made us for, to finish what she started."
With that, Diamond summoned a portal and pointed to it.
"Now come along my siblings, we have a Universe to maintain."
Rose and Topaz looked to each other as they entered the portal. As Diamond looked back to the stars, he sighed as he entered the portal. As it closed behind them, the first chapter of their story had just begin, and with it, the first chapter of many stories to come.
TO BE CONTINUED…
