Chapter Fifty

The Son Shall Rise

Thank you for the amazing reviews! Like Michael Jackson said, this is it my friends. We have officially arrived at the final stop to Ever After. It's been nearly a year since I began this crazy saga. I had no intentions of writing another Sailor Moon story after completing Super Girl 20. I honestly only posted the summary of Ever After to spread the word to the Sailor Moon fans about Sailor Moon Crystal coming out. Then a few of you liked the idea and encouraged me to continue writing it. And that's how a brief summary to promote my childhood superhero coming back became a fifty-one chapter story that I completed within three months and continued editing and tweaking until recently. Ever After was a difficult story to write because it was complex, emotionally draining, and took so many twists and turns and nearly became exhausting. But it was also a great challenge and I have become a better writer for it thanks in part to you all with your encouraging reviews, insightful feedback, and constructive criticism. I learnt a few things from writing Ever After. I learnt how to handle constructive criticism better. Ignore the flames, take the good feedback, and apply it to improving your craft. Write something you are proud of and would enjoy reading yourself. Find your own rhythm and stick with it. It helped me through my writer's block and keeping the twists and turns consistent without jumping the shark and keeping the same tone from beginning to end. And finally, don't drag out a story. Know when it's time to end a story. The time to end Ever After is now. I won't be accepting anymore challenges. This will probably be my last Sailor Moon story. The story is complete and has arrived at its natural ending. In A Life of Their Own, Super Girl 20, and The Lords of Lancaster, our favorite band of friends found their fates. Now, it's time to see how Serena and Darien and their friends' journey ends in Ever After. Here's the final chapter before Ever After. I'll return to wrap things up very soon. Until then, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

Serenity appeared in the Gardens of Lunaria. She was back on the Moon in the ruins of the Moon Kingdom. Satan appeared before her. Serenity rushed towards him with her sword in her hand. He held up his hand as a black light blasted from his hands .She disappeared dodging the blast and reappeared behind him. He quickly blocked her attack.

Mina lied asleep in bed. Her head rested on Lita's bosom. Denim lied asleep between them. A hand gently caressed her face. She groaned. Her blue eyes fluttered opened. She looked surprised when she saw Jason in corporal form sitting next to her wearing a buttoned down white shirt and matching slacks. She quickly sat up freaking out.

Mina asked, "Am I dreaming?"

Jason smiled showing off his perfect white teeth and teased, "Maybe you are."

Mina's body shook when he gently touched her arm and she could feel his touch on her skin. Her body tingled. Her eyes met his. She asked, "Why can I feel you?"

Jason glanced at the clock and saw that it was eleven fifteen at night. He had forty-five minutes. He grabbed her hand as he led her out of the room as Lita and Denim slept peacefully in bed. Lita's home was a complete disaster inside. Practically, everything was destroyed. Jason took her into Sarah's bedroom closing the door behind them. Mina looked confused as he led her to the bed. He pulled her into his arms. Mina was confused about what was going on. Jason simply smiled at her with a sparkle of happiness in his eyes to see her again. He lifted up her chin with his finger as if he was etched out every beautiful detail into his mind. His head lowered to hers until his lips covered hers in a sweet kiss that turned into something sinful. Whether she was dreaming or not? Mina did not know but she enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms again.

Derrick's eyes widen when he saw his father still standing there after the smoke cleared untouched. He threw every attack he had at his father, but not of them hurt him. His father stood unfazed. Derrick cried out outraged, "What the hell are you?"

Endymion said, "I am more than just the king and the ruler of the Earth. I am your father. No matter what you throw at me, I am not leaving you, Derrick. I love you."

Derrick held out his hand and yelled as another blast of golden energy burst through his hands. "Liar!" Endymion did not move. Jeth watched as Derrick started to become unhinged. The room grew colder and darker. A powerful tornado materialized and grew bigger until it filled the entire room. Everything flew around them as thunderbolts materialized in Derrick's hands and he threw them at his father. A powerful explosion when off as Jeth covered his eyes. When he removed his hands, he was shocked to see Endymion still standing.

Endymion said, "I love you." as Derrick screaming and threw every attack he could think of at his father. Endymion remained unmoved. Jeth watched Endymion. He was like an invincible god-like creature. Derrick breathed heavily. "I love you, Derrick."

Derrick screamed as he raced towards his father and started throwing punches and kicks at his father that Endymion easily dodged never taking his eyes off his son. "I love you!" Derrick leaped back, took out his sword, and raced towards his father who remained unmoved. He struck Endymion with a deadly blow. His eyes widen when the sword shattered to pieces as Derrick trembled as he held only the hilt. Derrick collapsed to his knees. He could not defeat him. His body was as solid as gold.

Endymion looked down at his son. Endymion knelt down and placed a hand on his son's shoulders. Derrick asked in disbelief, "Why can't I defeat you?"

Endymion smiled and said, "Let's just say that I am finally embracing who I really am."

Derrick looked up at him still in shock. "I failed you as a father in our previous life. I failed our people also because I thought like a man and not like a king. My responsibility is to you and the rest of the Elysians and the Earthlings. I realized that now, and I am sorry. Let me make things right." Endymion looked at his son. "I do love you, Derrick. I always have, and I always will." He did not understand why his father's words sounded so final. Derrick was unaware of the dagger appearing in his father's' hand behind his back. Jeth's eyes widen.

Satan grinned as he followed Serenity in the temple of the moon goddess Selene. He attacked her as she dodged his attacks disappearing and reappearing behind stone pillars. At the front of the temple was large marble statue of the goddess Selene who looked similar to Serenity with her odango hairstyle.

Serenity appeared from behind the pillar as Satan blasted another attack. Serenity quickly countered it one of her own. He stood in the center of the temple as a white light surrounded him. Serenity grinned with a triumphant glint in her eyes that matched his the moment he defeated her in the Human vs. Humanoid War. He grinned until he discovered he was trapped in the light and could not break the barrier. Serenity strolled towards him. He found himself being surrounded one by one by the members of the royal moon family. Queen Selenity appeared then her sister Queen Elena and finally Serena. The crescent moon symbols on their foreheads shined brightly as they chanted an ancient chant only Uno and he knew. Satan screamed and banged his fists and ramming his shoulders against the barrier trying to break free. Serenity began chanting with her family never taking her off of him as she held up her sword like a baseball bat as Satan's eyes widen as he felt himself growing weaker and being stripped of his immortality and powers. Satan screamed as he transformed into the most beautiful and flawless human man she ever laid her eyes on. He was Lucifer again, now mortal and powerless. He slowly rose to his feet exposing his naked glory never taking his eyes off of Serenity. He scowled at her with hateful eyes as she smirked at him remembering all the hell he put her and everyone she loved through. "Consider us officially over." She swung the sword shattering the barrier and beheaded Lucifer with one smooth strike as he screamed and exploded destroying everything in sight as everything faded white.

Endymion thrust the dagger into Derrick's back as Derrick's eyes widen and his mouth gaped open. He collapsed sideways as the clock struck twelve midnight. Endymion caught his son and held him in his arms.

Jason heard the sound of the clock ticking. He slowly broke away from her. He said, "I have to go."

Mina cried, "Where?"

Jason glanced upwards. He said raising her chin up with one finger, "Don't believe anything he told you. He loved you as much I did. He was only upset." He teased, "You're too beautiful to be sad. Promise me that you are going to be happy."

Mina smiled. "I promise." He smiled. He kissed her one final time before he faded away. A feeling of peace washed over her as her lips still prickled from his kiss.

Josh hugged both of his moms tightly. He told them about school, his friends, his family, and his boyfriend Zach. They told him that they were happy in heaven too. Haruka winked as Andrew as she held Michelle in her arms. Andrew smiled as he waved them good-bye. He placed a comforting arm around Josh as Josh's eyes glistened with tears as he watched his mothers disappeared. "Good-bye, moms." He felt a sense of tranquility inside of him. He finally got a chance to tell them how much he loved them and more importantly, to tell them good-bye.

Sailor Moon watched standing in a bell tower over the city as the demons disappeared returning to hell one by one, the angels disappeared and ascended the sky. The sky returned to normal and the stars stopped falling. Celestial flew over the city on Ergon. Everything was destroyed and in ruins. Sailor Moon felt her brother's essence slipping away. She disappeared.

Ami smiled as her husband Edward pulled her into a warm embrace. She finally finished it. She finally built a starship that could take them into space and explore the different galaxies.

A smiling Lizzy still clad in her blue scrubs watched from the window of the scrub room as Raye and Adam cuddled up on the narrow hospital gurney as they watched a sleeping Chadwick wrapped tightly in a blanket in his mother's arms.

Endymion held a dying Derrick in his arms as Derrick looked up at the ceiling of the planetarium that looked like space. He reached up his hand trying to touch the moon. He dropped it when he realized he was hallucinating and could not reach it. "I've always wanted to go to sailing."

Endymion said, "What?"

"I've always wanted to go to sailing on one of your adventures with Lord Nephrite and Lord Kunzite, but you never took me. I've always thought when I became older and stronger like you, you'll take me. I never thought that you'll die when I was little. You were invincible in my eyes like you were today." He chuckled as he coughed. He sighed. "I wondered if mom would be upset if she saw me today. It's been a thousand years since I last since her. I know she's an angel."

Endymion smiled remembering his first wife Christina. "She was an angel, and she loved you and Katie very much."

Derrick said, "Serenity was not so bad. I hated her because she was your obsession. She was all you cared about."

Endymion looked sadly. "I know. I was a horrible father. I shouldn't have let a woman come between me and my children, even if it was Serenity."

Derrick smiled up at his dad. "You know what my favorite memory was?"

Endymion laughed looking up for a moment, "Being normal on Earth." Derrick nodded. He enjoyed it when it was just Katie, his dad, and him in a tiny cottage on Earth and they were happy together. Endymion then looked back down and he cried in horror over his son's body when he saw that Derrick was already dead. He cried, "Derrick! I'm sorry!"

Jeth watched as the portal closed and the room stilled. The gates of heaven closed along with the gates of hell. The angels returned to heaven and the demons returned to hell.

Jeth felt himself dying as his body became lucent fading away. He looked up and saw Serenity standing before him dressed in white gown with a white glowing aura surrounding her. She looked like an angel.

She gently knelt down in front of him. She touched his face and smiled at him. He turned his head weakly as he saw Sailor Moon appeared detransforming back into Rini to see her brother was dead. She broke down in tears as she angrily pushed away her father and embraced her brother's lifeless brother begging him to wake up. She tried to heal him, but her powers would not work. Celestial and Jupiter slowly appeared detransforming also. Katie was equally distraught while Sarah stood there shaken touching her stomach automatically. Jeth focused on Rini and felt sorry for her.

Serenity tilted her head watching Jeth, "You're in love with her."

Jeth slowly turned his head back to her and said, "Of course not, Serenity. I care about her because she's your daughter and my little sister's big sister. That's it."

Serenity looked amused at him, not believing a word he said. Jeth thought it was strange that she did not look sad. After all, Derrick was her stepson and now dead.

Serenity said, "Since Satan is dead, we need a new devil to rule the Underworld. Uno wants you."

Jeth scoffed. "I thought you were going to take me to heaven with you."

Serenity smirked. "You did one good thing, Jeth. But your ledger is still very red. But you can start by getting on his good side by ruling the Underworld."

Jeth said looking at Rini, "I'll never see her again."

"You mean, Rini?"

Jeth quickly corrected, "I meant your other daughter Kimberly, my sister."

Serenity shook her head knowing he was lying. "No, the living creatures could never see you. You'll remain trapped in the Underworld for all eternity."

Jeth exclaimed, "What the hell!" He glanced at Rini. He was already invisible to her anyway.

Serenity smiled as Jeth felt a dark aura entered his body. His wounds instantly healed. The scar on his face given by his father disappeared. He felt more powerful and stronger than he ever felt before. He rose as Serenity rose with him.

Jeth walked over towards the Shields family. Serenity held her hand out towards Jeth making him corporal. He had no idea that they could see him now. Nor did he pay attention to the crazy stares they tossed at him in shock. He knelt down next to Rini and Derrick's dead body. He did not notice the crazy way Rini and Endymion were looking at him. Jeth placed his hand on Derrick's heart and chanted something inaudible.

Derrick's eyes slowly popped open as he gasped for air shocking everyone as his heart pounded quickly. Endymion wept in joy as he embraced his son. Rini and Katie hugged their brother tightly. Sarah smiled. Jeth stepped away and smiled at the happy family. Serenity smiled at the scene.

Jeth walked away. Rini stared at him as her family happily smothered Derrick. Jeth felt a tap on his shoulders. He turned around and looked to see Rini standing in front of him. She stood on her tippy toes since he was so tall. She surprised him with a sweet, lingering kiss on his blue lips as he stared shocked at her even when her lips left his. She said, "Thank you for everything." She smiled at him before returning to her family. He smiled as he disappeared and returned to his kingdom in hell as the new devil, and King of the Underworld. The demons bowed down to their new master.

Endymion glanced upwards and stood in awe when he saw Serenity standing off in the distance with an angelic glow. He watched amused as Sarah, Katie, and Rini crowded an overwhelmed Derrick. He was just brought back to life and now his sisters and Sarah were smothering him. Endymion thought the poor boy would die again.

Endymion stood up and walked over to Serenity. She walked into a white light as he followed her disappearing into it also as the light faded away behind them. The children were so happy that Derrick was okay that they did not know Endymion was gone. Kimberly and Nathaniel raced into the room.

Kimberly was puzzled by them. "They have to be the worst guardians in the world to abandon two eight-year- olds."

Nathaniel nodded. "Good thing we can take care of ourselves." Kimberly laughed as she watched them.

"Whoa!" Endymion said as he followed Serenity out of the light into a tall tower floating in space looking over the Earth and Elysian. He asked, "Where are we?"

Serenity said mockingly, "In a space tower revolving around the earth." He frowned at her as Serenity playfully grinned at him.

He placed his hand on the railing. He asked, "And what are we doing here?"

Serenity said, "Fixing what we broke." Endymion glanced down at Elysian. It was on the verge of colliding with the Earth and destroying both planets.

Serenity held out her hand as the silver crystal came out of her chest. Endymion watched as the golden crystal appeared before him. They stood next to one another as their auras combined as the silver crystal merged with the golden crystal as his eyes turned golden and her crescent moon appeared on her forehead as a yellow light surrounded her. Large white wings sprouted from her back as a powerful energy emitted from both of them. Elysian crashed into the Earth as everyone screamed as the Earth along with Elysian exploded into trillions of pieces until there was nothing left but the remains of the Earth. Serenity and Endymion's hands encircled one another tightly as they stared at one another one last time as they slowly faded away too and everything faded to white.

Three months later….

Derrick opened his eyes. It was a bright sunny day in Southern California. On a high school football field, Derrick stood behind a podium on stage in front of a crowd of a sea of high school seniors with royal blue caps and gowns separated into two sections. Behind them was a sea of casually dressy attired friends and family snapping photos and recording the ceremony on electronic devices. He was dressed in a royal blue cap and gown with a golden tassel and over his shoulders was a golden stole since he was co-valedictorian of his class. He glanced behind his and saw his sister on stage next to their principal and the mayor of the city and other public officials. Rini was dressed in a cap and gown with a golden stole over her shoulders and her legs were crossed. She looked as equally confused as he was. He lowered his head to the microphone and said, "Thank you!" The crowd erupted in cheer as his classmates stood up giving him a long standing ovation.

He spotted Sarah and Josh sitting with his Aunt Lita and Andrew and their siblings in the crowd. Zach was also there sitting next to Josh. He spotted Aunt Mina with his cousin Denim on her lap. He saw the Tuskinos snapping photos of him and Sammy sitting with his daughter Sandy on his knee. He saw Apollo sitting in between his parents his cousin Edward and Aunt Ami. Annabella sat next to them since they were her guardians now after her sister and parents died. He saw Raye holding her baby son Chadwick and his Uncle Adam with his cousins Kayla and Raven sitting in between them. He then saw his father and his sister Katie happily cheering him. He smiled when he locked eyes with his father who mouthed, "I'm proud of you."

Derrick went to his seat and sat down next to his sister. He leaned over and whispered, "Do you have any idea of what is going on?"

Rini shook his head. "No idea! Everything is still kind of fuzzy. Mom and dad must have changed something." Derrick nodded and straightened up in her seat.

After the ceremony, they stood on the lawn in front of the campus and snapped photographs with their friends and family. Their grandmother Irene asked Zach to take a photograph of all of them together. They all posed together as one big family. His grandpa Kenneth was the oldest member and his three-month-old baby cousin Chadwick was the baby of the family.

After the ceremony, everyone agreed to meet up at Darien's home and departed there in their separate vehicles. Derrick and Rini discovered that their father brought them a red and blue Porsches for their graduation gifts that were parked in the student parking lot with large red and blue bows. Rini took the red Porsche and Derrick took the blue Porsche. They happily hugged their father as he made them promise not to get a ticket. Annabella and Katie hopped into the red Porsche with Rini while Sarah rode shotgun with Derrick while Josh and his boyfriend Zach sat in the back seat.

Derrick beat Rini home as Rini pulled up next to him in the large car garage. Their beautiful home was a white two-stories tall, French styled home.

Derrick walked in the large backyard with an elongated oval pool and adjoining Jacuzzi. Some of their classmates were there since their dad was throwing a barbeque in their honor. His father stood by the barbeque grill wearing a shirt that read, "Kiss the cook." He flipped patties and slipped sodas while he laughed with Andrew and his brother Adam as they chatted about sports. Edward sat at large table chatting with Irene and Ken. Lita and Mina gushed over Raye's baby Chadwick. Katie and Annabella flirted with some of Derrick's guy classmates much to Derrick's annoyance. Katie had made her sixteenth birthday. Josh and Zach tried to hook Rini hook up with one of their male classmates, which also irritated Derrick. The children ran around playing in the pool in their cute swimsuits and shooting one another with water guns. His eyes landed on Sarah conversing with a couple of female classmates from his school. She was dressed in a pretty thigh-length sunflower printed dress. She placed her hand on stomach automatically and he knew she was still pregnant with his child. He groaned in agony.

When he caught his father alone, he strolled up to him. He asked, "What did you do?"

Darien played dumb as he flipped the patties on the grill. "What do you mean?"

Derrick pointed fingers at him. "I know that you altered the reality because Rini and I remembered everything about Elysian and the devil and the New World Regime." He glanced around and noticed he did not see Kimberly.

Darien smiled. "You're sure?" Rini's personality had totally changed as she was seriously flirting with one of their classmates from school.

Derrick said tightly, "You can't play with people's lives like this dad."

Darien said, "Why don't you be helpful and hand me the tray? The patties are almost done." Derrick turned around and saw an aluminum foil tray behind him. He held it in his hands as her father scooped up the barbecue patties with the spatula and placed them in the tray.

Derrick said, "And why is Sarah still pregnant? Couldn't you have fixed it to where the baby never existed?"

Darien scoffed. He said, "I did, and you two lovesick teenagers still ran off on her eighteenth birthday to Las Vegas. You got extremely wasted, married, and two weeks later, announced to us that you were married and pregnant."

"I don't remember that."

Darien sighed. He turned to his son. "You want the truth?"

Derrick nodded. "All Serenity and I did was prevented the Human vs. Humanoid war from happening. We went back in time and defeated Dragon long before the New World Regime gained power. Kimberly was never born. Serenity never married the devil. Our loved ones who died are still dead. We couldn't bring them back. Uno would not allow it. It was something about keeping things in balance or karma. But he did allow for us to create a better future for our children. It was what Serenity asked of Uno before she fought as his champion against Satan. So there are still seven billion people on this planet and it is still as corrupt and greedy in some places and beautiful and compassionate in others."

Derrick asked, "And where's Serenity?"

Darien sighed sadly, "She died. We can't co-exist in this world together. It's my punishment for what I did." He glanced at Katie. "Along with losing Katie. She still leaves on my fortieth birthday for the other dimension. And I shall never see her again." He smiled and looked at Derrick. "But at least, my son is still going to Harvard and my other daughter is going to Yale."

Derrick smiled sadly. He knew how much Serenity meant to his father. Yet, he still seemed happy. He seemed like the Darien he first met ten years ago in the hospital, cool Dr. Darien Shields. He was the father he always wanted.

"And there is one thing that you must know."

Derrick turned to his father. "What's that?"

Darien turned to Derrick. "Serenity and I altered something by accident."

"What's that?"

"We restored the Moon Kingdom and there are Lunarians on the moon." Derrick looked surprised as he glanced over at Rini, who looked confident and poise. "When Katie leaves, she will take her throne as Queen of the Seven Intergalactic Galaxies and a member of the Dark Moon Family. In her twentieth-first year, your sister Serenity will be crowded Neo Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. And on your thirtieth birthday, you will become the King of the Earth."

Derrick froze. The Earth king did not retire the throne. If he became the Earth King, it meant that his father dies at the age of fifty-one. Derrick asked, "Dad-"

Darien smiled at his son. "Don't worry about it, Derrick. Let's just enjoy the time that we have together. Okay?" Derrick reluctantly nodded. Darien laughed as he walked off to joke around with Andrew and Adam.

Twelve years later…

Lita and Andrew still lived in their home in Tokyo and running the Furuhata Empire together. Lita's restaurants and floral shops were still famous throughout the world. Zachary and Joshua married two years after high school and now had a daughter named Amber through a surrogate mother. Sarah was married to their son-in-law Derrick Shields. Their son Zayden and daughter Elizabeth were college students. Max was sixteen-years-old and the only child who still lived at home with them. Sarah and Lita's relationship drastically improved and they talked once a day. If Sarah could not get in touch with her mother, she teleported there, finally gaining the ability on her twenty-first birthday. She teleported there unexpectedly so many times that one day she teleported on her parents in a compromising and very awkward position. After that moment, she promised to just call first.

Mina received Best Actress twice for her critically acclaimed movies. When Jason was honored every year on his birthday for his movies, she participated in specials for him. She even thanked him in one of her acceptance speeches for his guidance. Her date for the award ceremony was her son, who stole the show with his charm and winning smile. It was funny how he was her son with Cain, but his personality reminded her so much of Jason. He was fifteen now and growing up so fast. She dreaded the day that he went off to college. Her career was finally what she wanted and she even received a lifetime achievement award for her thirty years in the industry. She still was teased in interviews for her horrible movie Sailor V. She was completely happy with her son, even though Lita and Raye badgered her on finding a man. She told them that she was happy. Lita joked she needed to get laid. Mina still had her lovers when she wanted them, but none of them compared to Jason. She saw him in her dreams. She reminisced about him when she watched his movies where he was so full of life. She watched old reruns of Society and remembered the way they interacted with each other on the show. Mina was happy with her life. She told her friends that she was alone but not lonely. She did not need a man to make her feel complete. She was already complete the day God made her. She told them that maybe one day she'll fall in love again, but for right now, she was happy with her son and achieving her dreams.

One day Darien came to visit her. He told her what Cain told him to tell her. She forgave Cain a long time ago and forever thanked him for his precious gift he gave to her. The doctors informed her that she was infertile and that it was a miracle she even had Denim. Yet, Cain and Mina knew they were not the love of each other's lives. They were two grieving souls who understood one another. Cain will forever love his first wife Annabella, and Mina would forever love Jason, her first husband. Mina remained close with Annabella. Cain loved her and she was the closest thing he had to a daughter. Annabella still called her Aunt Mina and regularly chatted with her. Sometimes when she was in Los Angeles, she would stay at her place and Mina would spoil her rotten with shopping trips and giving her advice about guys.

Denim did not remember his father. His father died when he was three. His Uncle Darien told him that his father was a good man just misguided sometimes. His Uncle Adam changed the subject every time he asked about his father. His cousin Derrick was the only one who would speak to him about his father. He told him that his father was a complicated man, but he meant well. When he asked if his father loved him, Derrick told him happily, very much. It made Denim smile. He saw photographs of him online. He seemed so serious and Denim looked like him. He used to run Bennett Industries, but the company shut down years ago. It was all Denim knew about him. He was a complicated but good man. He ran a company and the few photographs of him online.

Raye and Adam rebuilt the Shinto temple in Tokyo. Raye hired a caretaker to watch over the temple when she was gone. Adam worked at a scientist at a local research facility. Raye worked at the temple with her daughters and son Chadwick. Raven was now in college. Kayla was fifteen, and Chadwick was twelve. They lived in a beautiful home in a nice part of town. They no longer had the Bennetts 'wealth, but they enjoyed their simple life together. Raye was surprised when she saw her father, now an elderly man with a lame leg and a walking cane. Their eyes met and she smiled when she saw him introducing himself to her daughter and son. He apologized for how he wronged her in the past, and she told him that she moved on and forgave him a long time ago. He loved Adam and regularly came over to visit. When her father died a few years later from pneumonia, Raye stayed by his side and held his hand until he left the world.

The Tuskinos were still alive and kicking. Now retired in their late sixties, they spent the time traveling around the world and visiting their grandchildren throughout the years. Sammy had slimmed down and buffed up looking sharp in his business suits as he became a successful attorney in Japan with a ninety percent success rate. He was now running for office and happily married with a beautiful young woman, a few years his junior. His daughter Sandy was unfortunately a teenager now and constantly begged her dad for his credit card to go shopping with her friends. He also had two twin boys named Ryan and Bryan Tuskino, now six-years-old. His wife surprised him with the news on one family Christmas gathering at his brother-in-law Darien's home in California.

It's been twelve years since his sister Serena died. Every year for her birthday on June thirtieth, all of her friends and family teleported from across the world like it was a family holiday and met at the Shields home in California. For those who could not teleport, someone who could teleport, came and teleported them. For one day each year, from sunrise to sunset, they spent the entire day together. The old generation mixed with the growing new generation. Some years they had a family gathering at the Shields home. Other times, they had a large picnic or barbeque on the beach. They ate. They played. They reminisced about the past and informed one another about the events of their current lives.

Derrick returned home from a long day at work to his modest New York City apartment that he shared with his wife Sarah of twelve years .He dropped his keys on the counter and made his way straight to the refrigerator to grab a beer.

He was having a shitty day. The apartment was half empty with a corner piled with moving boxes. His wife was leaving him tomorrow for another man and taking their children with her. His boss chewed him out because he did not meet quota today at his job as a stock broker on Wall Street. He was horrible at it and he was on the verge of being fired. The worst thing was that today was his thirtieth birthday and he had a terrible migraine. He poured a couple of migraine pills in his hand from on top of the refrigerator and chug it down with beer. He tossed his business suit jacket aside towards a chair nearby. It missed the chair and landed on the floor, but he didn't care and left it there. He walked into the living room loosening his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt that he felt was choking him. He fell back on the sofa and thought about his life.

His wife, Sarah Shields was a popular television journalist for a national broadcasting news station. She spent her time traveling throughout the world and reporting on stories that normally did not get coverage. She occasionally wrote articles about human conditions that were published in world renowned magazines. She was a fan favorite with the younger generation with millions of followers online. She was often recognized for her achievement in the journalistic world. They had two children age twelve and ten. Their son Nicholas was twelve-years-old and looked exactly like him. Their daughter Addison, ten, looked like her mother.

Derrick's life had not turned out like he planned. He flunked out of Harvard to his father's disappointment. He missed the birth of his son because he was too busy getting wasted with his friends. He worked a series of low paying jobs to make ends meet refusing to use his father's name to get ahead in life. His marriage to Sarah was hectic and they constantly argued about everything from his lack of ambition to money until recently. She stopped caring and continued on with her life like he did not exist and no longer wore her wedding ring. She had given up on him.

While watching television last week, he noticed the way her male co-anchor smoothly flirted with his wife on the morning news. He was popular news reporter with photogenic good looks and a charming personality. Derrick swore the newsman's pearly white teeth sparkled with he smiled. Sarah regularly stepped in as guest co-anchor when she was not on assignment and Derrick watched their blatant flirtation throughout the two hour news program. While they laid in bed a couple of nights ago, he asked Sarah bluntly if she was cheating on him. She told him yes. He asked if she wanted a divorce. She told him yes. He told her okay and then turned on his side and went to sleep and that was that.

His father, Dr. Darien Shields, was well loved throughout the world. He was known as a genius throughout the medical world for discovering the cures for cancer and the human deficiency virus savings millions of lives. He travelled around the world and assisted the underprivileged in third world countries and ended world poverty and global hunger. To the world, he was the famous Dr. Darien Shields. He used a glamour that prevented people from realizing that he was indeed the Earth King. But to the leaders of nations and an elite few, they knew his alter ego, the Earth King Endymion that lived in a beautiful floating world in the sky called Elysian watching over them. The leaders of the nations were in awe of their king and Endymion used his powers to declare international peace and end wars around the world. He ended the wars in the Middle East. He ended the wars between the radical Christians and Muslims communities and the conflicts in third world countries. For the most parts, Endymion did not interfere in international matters unless he knew that it would lead to war if he did not.

Sometimes his father would travel to the ruins of Elysian, now only a mystical world within the earth, and meet with the high priest Helios. They would talk for hours as they wandered the beautiful land of Elysian. It gave him peace. Of course, nosy humans tried to find the land thinking it would grant them immortality or the fountain of youth. But like other legends, they never found it. Elysians was constantly moving and the only people who could step on the land of Elysian were members of the Elysian royal family, Endymion's bloodline.

Darien had been sober for twelve years and had not touching a drink and still attended Alcohol Anonymous meetings to keep himself on the bandwagon. He dated a couple of women over the years, but none of them were serious.

It's been twelve years since he last saw his little sister Katie. On their father's fortieth birthday, they went to the beach while their dad barbecued. They told him not to. He insisted. They shrugged their shoulders thinking who were they to argue with the king? It was just the four of them along with a six-month pregnant Sarah and Nathaniel. Derrick had a blast going swimming deep into the ocean with his sisters. Nathaniel built sand castles on the beach in his black swim trunks. Rini and Katie had a water fight in the ocean. Sarah spent the entire day with her sunglasses on lounging on the beach on top of a beach towel and under the cool shade of a large umbrella. She was reading a thick novel while sipping on virgin Pina Coladas. Derrick and Katie decided they wanted to play a game of volleyball while Rini laughed and chatted with Sarah under the shade of the umbrella. Katie fetched Rini who declined playing but Nathaniel agreed. Derrick asked his father to join in. Darien was still on the grill barbequing and declined to until Derrick taunted him and called him an old man to his everyone's amusement. He eyed the hint of gray in his father's ebony hair. Darien became amusingly upset at his son pointing a spatula in a grinning Derrick's face and telling him it was time he taught his son a lesson. Derrick cockily threw up his hands backing away and told his father to bring it on. Darien finished cooking the last bash of barbeque chicken and steak before snapping his fingers and ordering a reluctant Rini to join him a game of volleyball against Derrick, Katie, and Nathaniel. Derrick and Darien agreed to play up to twenty points. Darien and Rini fist bumped each other after slaughtering Derrick's team with a score of twenty-ten. Then at sunset, Uno painted the swirly cloudy sky with light strokes of pink, purple, and orange as the golden sun lowered into the ocean. The portal to the other dimension opened and Katie and Nathaniel said their good-byes. Rini and Katie held each other tightly as they cried. Darien embraced her tightly and Katie whispered in his ear, "I love you, daddy." Darien smiled even though his heart broke inside. His eyes watered as he embraced a sobbing Rini and distraught Derrick. Katie smiled once last time as she stared at her father and her siblings etching that moment forever in her memory of them standing on the beach with sunset in the horizon lowering into the ocean. She stepped into the portal with Nathaniel never to return to their world again. It was the last time her family ever saw her again.

At the age of twenty-one, Serenity Rini Shields graduated top in her class from college in biology and decided she had a passion of medicine like her father. Life was discovered on the Moon thanks to their Aunt Ami Mizuno with the assistance of their uncles, Edward Yamashita and Adam Bennett. Ami built the first starship that could allow humans to travel to other galaxies and dimensions beyond the Milky Way Galaxy. Edward and Adam did intensive research learning about black holes and portals hoping to find ways to access portals to other dimensions.

The spirit of her mother appeared before her and on her twentieth-first birthday, she became the Moon Queen, Neo Queen Serenity. Under Rini's rule, the Moon Kingdom returned to the days of its former glory. Rini created grand universities where she continued her studies until she graduated from school as a doctor. The Moon's resources were far more advanced than the Earth's. With Rini's assistance, Edward and Adam found what they needed to create portals to alternate realities and to make space travel possible for galaxies light years away. She fell in love with a Lunarian man of philosophy and science. She married him and made him her king and birthed him two children named Princess Christina and Princess Geneviève of the Moon. Her father adored his two granddaughters and regularly visited her on the Moon to play with them.

Derrick sighed as he chugged his beer back. His sister Katherine was now Queen of the Seven Intergalactic Galaxies in another time and dimension, while his sister Serenity was Queen of the Moon and he was nothing but his father's disappointment. At least that's how he felt even though his father never told him that. He dozed off into a deep somber as the empty beer bottle dropped from his hand onto the carpet and rolled to a stop. He woke up at nighttime to his wife shaking him awake. He could hear the cries of his children weeping. He opened his eyes in bafflement as his wife cried and sadly told him, "The king was dead."

Derrick's heart stopped and he felt full inside. His father was dead. He could not believe her. He spoke to him this morning and his father wished him, "A Happy Birthday." He jumped off the sofa in disbelief. He immediately called his father twice but his father never responded. He checked the internet on his phone. He flipped on the television. He listened to the radio. They were all telling him the same thing. His father was dead. The Earth King was dead.

Derrick cried and shouted in anguish. He cowered to the floor. It was not enough time between them. His father was only fifty-one years young. He was fit and virile. How could he have died? Today really was a shitty day for him.

Derrick backed away as his family and friends appeared before him. He yelled at them to get up as they bowed before him. He could feel the powers of his father entered his body as he became stronger and more powerful than ever before. The Sword of the Earth came to his hand and he was teleported to Elysian and watched as the entire world bowed before him and hailed him as the new King of the Earth.

He heard his father's voice said, "The son shall rise too, my boy. It's the Dawn of Derrick, my son. Rule well." Derrick smiled as his confidence grew and he waved to his people, no longer afraid to step into the light and rule with the grace and wisdom of his father, but he would make his legacy his own. He turned around to see Sarah and their children standing behind him. His stared at his wife and she was still beautiful and he still loved her very much. At that moment, he realized that he was not ready to give up on them just yet. Their marriage was worth fighting for. Queen Sarah walked next to her husband and held his hand as she joined him in waving at the crowd. King Derrick and Queen Sarah turned to their smiling children standing in the doorway of the balcony and gestured for them to join them. Addison and Nicholas happily sprinted over to join their parents and together the happy family waved at the crowd. Derrick realized that his life was not as bad as he thought it was.

No one knew exactly how the eminent Dr. Darien Shields died since he coincidentally died on the same day that the King of the Earth died. Suicide was ruled out. The coroner ruled that he died of a silent heart attack at the age of fifty-one peacefully in his sleep. His body was found hours after he died by his maid Lily. He looked completely at peace with a smile on his face.

Romantics thought the ghost of his love Serenity appeared from the heavens surrounded by white light like the angelic goddess she was and called her lover home. The spirit of Endymion rose from his body. He was a young man again. His energy and strength of his younger days returned to him. He glanced back at his lifeless body, then to the white light in front of him. As they walked towards the light, he paused watching Serenity. Serenity stopped as she turned to him. He asked unsure and slightly afraid of the unknown, "What's in the light?"

Serenity smiled and said softly, "Absolution."

Endymion smiled as Serenity grabbed his hand and he followed her into the light until they disappeared along with the light. The room was dark once more as Endymion's corpse lied in bed. The black analog alarm clock on the nightstand next to Endymion's bed continued to tick once more before it stopped and began to rewind.