Kingdom of Treason: Fall of the King

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Sailor Moon

Author's Notes: We're getting close to the end!

Serenity and Kunzite looked slowly around, before crawling out of the grate together. The hall was empty, too quiet, the darkness cold in the air. The palace was never this cold, but she tried not to think about it.

Kunzite took her hand again and pulled her quietly with him. They stayed close to the wall, ready to duck away if they saw anyone. But there was no one there. No guards, no servants. In the years since Endymion had become king, the palace had never been this quiet.

They moved quickly, as quiet as possible until they reached the hall where Andrew was being kept. Just like Nephrite said, there were no guards. It was too strange to question, because if they questioned it they would doubt. So they just hurried on, until they got to the door.

Kunzite waited a moment, listening for something inside.

She realized suddenly that this could be either a trap, or a scene of death. She wasn't sure she was prepared for either.

But thankfully when Kunzite finally pushed the door open, Andrew stood up, his green eyes wide, a dagger in his hand.

But Andrew saw her, and seemed relieved.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Kunzite pulled her into the room, closing the door so that he could look out and watch. Serenity turned to Andrew.

"Tell me your favourite thing about Rita."

Andrew shook his head. "I am myself. Suddenly yesterday I didn't feel it anymore."

She frowned. "Feel confused?"

"The darkness," he said. "Now that it's gone, I can see that it was there. Like a cloud."

She nodded, not sure she understood.

"This is my fault," Andrew said, and his voice shook.

Serenity frowned at him. "Andrew, this is not your fault."

"Yes it is," he said, and he sat down on the edge of the bed. "It's my fault it's after him."

She looked at Kunzite, who frowned back at her.

"Andrew, now that you remember, do you know what it's trying to do to him?"

"We went to Helios just after Endymion was crowned. Rita's family is part of nobility there, and so we were invited to the castle as part of a celebration. I was bragging. I told anyone who would listen how proud I was that Endymion was king, how good a man he is, how strong a leader he's always been."

She softened, sitting beside him slowly on the bed. "Andrew, we all know that about him."

"He heard me. He didn't think to go outside Helios before. I'm the one that told him about Endymion."

"Andrew, this is not your fault," she said, but she was worried. "Do you know what he wants?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "All I know is that he started to get obsessed. I wasn't the only one he brought in. I watched him break man after man, asking them the same questions. What makes Endymion strong? What are his weaknesses? What causes his pain? Why do we love him so much when he killed his own brother?"

Serenity gulped. "Did you tell him?"

"Yes. We told him everything. Everything we knew."

Kunzite shifted, looking at her seriously. She looked back at him just as seriously.

"I didn't know about you," he said sadly, looking at her. "Some of the others knew he loved you, but no one knew how much."

She softened and looked at Kunzite again, who just swallowed.

"Andrew, we need to get you out of here," she said softly. "Will you come with us?"

"I won't leave him," Andrew said brokenly. "I've done too much to hurt him already. If it takes my life, I won't abandon him."

"We're not abandoning him," she said softly. "We're going to help save him Andrew. And we need your help."

Andrew nodded. "Anything. I'll do anything."

It never rained in Elysium. Never. In his entire life, Endymion could remember only a handful of times it had rained. And when it had, it was never like this.

The clouds rolled in from the distance, black and menacing. By mid day, they'd blocked out the sun and its warmth. And then it had come down, thick and grey, like sheets of water blanketing them.

Rivers were made of the streets, mud caked on everything. He could feel it from here, the filth collecting in the city.

Behind him his men were watching him, waiting. He could feel them there, feel that they no longer trusted him.

It's a sickness, isn't it, brother? The feel of those beady eyes, always waiting for you to fail. Do you see now what it is to be king?

Endymion grit his teeth at the sound of his brother's voice.

"We need to tell the soldiers to make sure the people are safe," Zoisite said.

Endymion said nothing. He just watched it come down. Like some sort of apocalypse, it rained from the heavens, trying to wipe them out.

"My king, we need your command," Jadeite said, standing a short ways back, anger all over his face.

He still didn't move, just looked out the window.

Nephrite looked at Jadeite, and nodded. "Give the command, the people come first."

"Don't speak for me," Endymion said, and his voice was too low.

But he closed his eyes, taking a breath. It was the right thing to do, send the soldiers to help the people. He should be commanding it himself. But he just stood there, doing everything he could to stop his shoulders from shaking.

"Jadeite, make it happen," Nephrite said.

Endymion took a breath, letting it out loudly. He was worried. Nephrite was still standing up to him, even though it had nearly cost him his life. He tried to tell himself that was noble and right. He wanted his men to stand up to him, and not follow blindly. But it still frightened him. He was worried about hurting them.

Kill them all for their disobedience.

Endymion glared out at the kingdom. He felt anger boil alive inside him, and then felt frustrated because he knew he wasn't angry. And when the wiseman laughed, he grit his teeth hard.

"Endymion, maybe it's time to do something a little more drastic," Zoisite said.

Endymion finally turned, slowly, his eyes narrowed and his gaze dark. Zoisite took a step back, but lifted his chin.

Sweet defiance.

"You're not well," Zoisite said. "Endymion, you have to know it. It's time to rest. Let us take care of things for you and try and get some sleep."

It didn't take the voice in his mind to cause the anger in him this time. He reached for his sword, and Zoisite followed the movements, stepping back.

But Jadeite stepped between them, looking furious.

"If you dare touch him, I'll cut you down myself," Jadeite said angrily, his hand on his own sword.

Traitor!

Endymion drew his sword so fast Jadeite barely had the chance to react. But he did, and their swords clanged together hard. The sound echoing across the room.

Nephrite drew his own sword, and shook his head at the guards who'd stepped forward. They stopped moving.

"Endymion, stop this!" Jadeite shouted at him. "Look at yourself. You're acting a fool."

"How dare you," he hissed out. "I am your king!"

"You are not my king! I don't know what you are, but the king I know wouldn't be weak enough to let this happen."

"Jadeite!" Nephrite shouted.

Endymion attacked hard, and although Jadeite was a talented fighter, the hit was harder than he expected, and he stumbled back.

But he recovered quickly, and to the surprise of everyone in the room, swung around hard and fast. If he'd managed to hit Endymion, he would have cut him in two. But Endymion swung his sword around to block the attack, and the metal grated against each other.

"Endymion, stop this!" Jadeite shouted, and attacked again.

Endymion blocked him again, the dark anger burning through him so ferociously. He let out a growl of anger, and hit Jadeite again, this time making contact, so his sword slid hard and fast over his arm.

Jadeite cried out in pain, but he was a soldier, and it didn't stop him.

Before anyone could move, Jadeite plowed forward, hitting Endymion so hard he was pushed back.

They crashed together backwards, the table splintering beneath their weight.

Jadeite swung around to punch Endymion across the jaw, and again, because he had the advantage.

The anger surged with the pain, and Endymion threw Jadeite off him.

"We need to stop them," Zoisite said.

But Nephrite was standing there, sword in his hand, tense like a panther, not moving.

Jadeite swung around again, but Endymion was ready for him. Their swords clanged together, and for a moment they both fought as hard as they could.

Kill him. Kill him!

Endymion growled in rage, attacking with all the strength he had. His eyes swirled black, and he came down on Jadeite with such power, Jadeite stumbled back.

Endymion didn't give up the advantage. He was on Jadeite immediately, slamming his sword down against Jadeite's, again and again, until the metal cracked and splintered. And just when the next blow would have killed him, Nephrite moved.

Endymion had his arms raised, ready to kill his friend, but Nephrite lunged forward, a dagger in his hand, and he embedded it firmly into his shoulder.

Endymion was stunned. For a moment, no one moved.

And then he dropped his sword, looking at Nephrite in confusion as pain started to radiate through his chest.

Jadeite was breathing hard, and pushed himself up, scrambling, blood coming from his mouth, on his arm, bruises already forming on him.

Zoisite looked terrified, standing behind them, his arms raised like he'd been about to rush forward and stop them.

Endymion let out a strangled sound, falling back. He sat on the floor, looking at Nephrite again, eyes wide and confused.

"I'm sorry," Nephrite said, and he was breathing unevenly. "Endymion, you were going to kill him."

Endymion looked at Jadeite, and realized he had no idea what was going on.

He started to panic, tears in his eyes.

"Endymion," Zoisite breathed, coming over to him, reaching for the dagger still embedded in his shoulder.

But Endymion flinched back, feeling so lost.

"I can't," he said, his voice breaking, shaking his head.

We know. Give in, brother. Become part of the darkness with me.

He sobbed, pushing himself back until he was against the wall. The dagger sent pain through him, but he just felt it like icy cold seeping into his soul. The air shimmered, and he knew without looking the image of his brother was there.

Give into your weakness. We'll make it so much better. We'll make you stronger.

Endymion put his hands to his ears, shaking and trembling like he could block it out. But he couldn't. He could feel it everywhere.

"Endymion." This time it was Jadeite's voice, and although it wasn't soft, it wasn't clipped with anger as it had been lately. He spoke to him evenly, his gaze hard. "Tell me the moment you realized you loved her."

Endymion leaned back against the wall and whimpered, because the warmth of her memory slid against the icy cold, and instead of causing hope it caused so much more pain than it had before.

"She just left," he said brokenly.

Jadeite grabbed his shoulder hard, and Endymion gasped in pain, looking at him in surprise.

"When did you know you loved her."

Endymion was breathing hard, gritting his teeth against the pain. But he could feel her. He hadn't felt her in so long, and the sweet pain of longing made him sob.

"It was the first time I heard her cry."

Jadeite nodded. "Tell me."

"She didn't come to me. At the beginning, I told her I would never call her, but hoped she'd come. She came every night. The first time she didn't, I was afraid."

"You thought she'd been hurt."

"I didn't even think about it. I ran to the women's quarters, desperate to find her. But when I got there, I stopped at her room, and I heard her crying."

Jadeite softened. "Why was she crying?"

"Mina had been sold to Lord Byron, and she thought she'd lost her forever. I stayed with her. Wrapped my arms around her and held her while she cried. I ached for her pain. She never asked me to do anything about it, but I did anyway."

Jadeite shifted to sit on the ground in front of him. "Endymion, you can't let him win like this. You're stronger than him."

"You all think I'm stronger. What if you're wrong?"

"Then we keep fighting, like we've always done."

He felt so tired, leaning his head back against the wall. "It doesn't make any sense to me. Jadeite, I'm fracturing. I need her. She's the only thing that made sense."

"Then why did you send her away?"

"Because I was hurting her. She'd do anything for me, even let me hurt her. I couldn't let her endure that."

"That doesn't make sense, Endymion. You hurt her more than you ever could have by sending her away. You crushed her."

He felt tears falling down his face now. "I had to protect her."

Jadeite shook his head, but they were calm now. Nephrite had his arms crossed, watching in worry. Zoisite looked pained, watching the scene in sadness.

"Tell us what you need us to do," Jadeite said.

Endymion let the tears slide down his face. "I think it's time you locked me up."

Nephrite closed his eyes, and looked away.

But Jadeite nodded. "If that's what you want, then I'll do it. But that doesn't mean we're giving up. We're going to find out how to kill this thing, and when we do, you're going to find her and spend the rest of your life begging forgiveness for sending her away."

He gulped hard. "If I have any life when this is done, it's hers."

Serenity decided that if they ever got out of this, she was going to ask Endymion to come down here and do something about the awfulness of it. She was never going to be able to live in the palace knowing all this was below them.

Kunzite held her hand tightly, and she felt like he was afraid she'd slip away if he didn't. Andrew was behind them, and despite how weak he still looked, his gaze was focused in a way it hadn't been since he'd arrived here.

It was just so dark, even with the flickering torch Kunzite carried, and the air was damp and cold. She just followed Kunzite, wishing she were anywhere but here, hoping that Endymion was holding on, and praying that they would find a way out of here.

"Can I ask you something?" Andrew asked.

Serenity was surprised, and looked back at Andrew as they moved. "Of course."

"Do you love him because you have to?"

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You're a pleasure slave. You're trained to give your master anything they want."

"Watch your tongue, Andrew," Kunzite bit out.

But Serenity smiled, shaking her head. "I was a pleasure slave. I'm not anymore. Endymion is not my master."

"But you still remember."

She sighed. "Yes, I remember," she admitted softly. "They prepared us for all kinds of situations. But the truth is they never prepared me for him. From the moment I met him, he never once acted like my master. He asked me to stay, not commanded me. He let me make every choice. He offered to free me, and find me a home in the country."

Andrew was quiet, listening to her.

"There were lots of lessons we learned in that house, with the lady always hurting us if we failed to learn them quickly. The main lesson being that we were valuable only for how successful we were at pleasing our masters. If they were not pleased, then we were worthless."

Kunzite squeezed her hand tightly.

"At the beginning, I will admit I was afraid to be worthless to him. Especially when I saw that he was a good man, and I could serve him in a way that would give him relief. He was so sad, so tense. I wanted to show him how much I could help him, so he'd want to keep me."

"What changed?"

She smiled softly. "Nothing really. Endymion is who he is. I fell in love with him, and even though I was afraid to believe it, he fell in love with me. There's no straight answer to your question, Andrew. It just happened."

Andrew was quiet for a moment, and she wondered why he would think of this right now, as they crept through dark dingy hallways with mice scurrying at their feet. And sometimes, if they were really unlucky, a big rat would sneak by with beady black eyes.

"When we were boys, I remember the old king telling Diamond over and over again that the only thing that truly mattered as King was lineage. Choosing a bride, having a son. He never said the same words to Endymion."

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because Endymion wasn't the same. If you told him something, he didn't just believe you. The lessons Diamond got were repeated until he understood them, believed in them. They let Endymion figure out the answers himself, because unless he saw it, felt it, he'd decide it wasn't true."

"Why are you remembering this now?" She asked.

"Because he never believed in love," he said.

"Yes he did," Kunzite said. "Just because he didn't talk about it, doesn't mean he didn't want it."

Serenity shook her head. "You're both wrong. Endymion loved from the very beginning. His parents, his brother, and his friends. You're mistaking love for something big and obvious. He's not like that."

Kunzite sighed, shaking his head. "We shouldn't keep talking about this. If we…"

He stopped so suddenly Serenity bumped into him, and Andrew barely skidded out of the way. She felt her heart clench in fear, and Andrew pulled his dagger from his belt, ready for a fight.

But Kunzite didn't move.

She peaked around him, holding her breath.

What she saw was confusing. They were in a room just like the hundreds of others they'd been in before. Damp and dingy, with broken stone and old bones. Another crypt.

Only there was a body.

For a moment, they all just stood there and stared at it with wide eyes. It was a body. Not bones, but an actual body. And it was breathing.

Serenity couldn't breath. Like something out of a nightmare, the man was little more than flesh and bone. Sunken cheeks barely puffed out with the ragged, most bone chilling breaths she'd ever heard.

"He's alive," she breathed shakily.

Kunzite stepped forward, but didn't go into the room. He kept Serenity at his back, Andrew fanning out to the side. The room was cold as ice, and there was a flickering of shadows that seemed to move where it shouldn't.

"Oh my god," Andrew breathed shakily. "It's him."

Kunzite was looking at it in disbelief. "It can't be him. He's barely alive."

But it was him. The wiseman.

Andrew stepped forward suddenly, the dagger in his hand.

"Wait!" Kunzite grabbed him, stopping him from killing the decrepit body.

"Wait?" Andrew said in disbelief. "We can kill him."

But Kunzite was staring at the body like it didn't make sense. Serenity clung to him, too afraid to move forward.

"Why would he be all the way down here?" She asked.

Andrew didn't move to attack again, but he kept his dagger in his hand.

"Kunzite?" Serenity breathed shakily.

"It's a body," Kunzite said. "It's just a body."

"We know it's a body. It's right there," Andrew said.

But Kunzite was shaking his head.

"Kunzite, please," Serenity said. "What are you thinking?"

He took a breath. "I think we need to talk to Zoisite, right now. Don't touch anything. Andrew, step back."

"You can't be serious. We can stop this," Andrew said.

But Kunzite grabbed him. "Andrew, do as I say. Now."

Andrew looked confused, but he slid the knife back into his belt, reaching out to put his hand on Serenity's shoulder, like he was comforting her. But she was as confused as he was, looking at the decrepit old man who was the cause of all of this.

"Why can't we kill him?" She asked shakily.

"Just trust me," Kunzite said, taking a step back, forcing her with him.

They had to wait a long time, and because Serenity could suddenly feel the body of the wiseman below them, she wasn't sure if she was trembling in cold or fear. But she trusted Kunzite, and did what he said, staying quiet as they sat in the wall of the library, waiting for Zoisite.

For a long time, she worried he wasn't going to come. The palace was so eerily quiet she didn't know anyone was even alive. It was night, sometime late, and the weariness of all that had happened was pressing against her.

Finally, after an eternity, Zoisite came in.

He looked tired. He went to the table laid out with papers, and leaned against it heavily, his eyes closed. She felt his sadness from here, felt his weariness.

Kunzite shifted, and the moment he heard sound, Zoisite stood up straight.

But he sighed in relief the moment he saw them.

"Thank the gods," he said, coming forward so quickly he surprised her. Zoisite hugged her so tightly it took her breath away, and she hugged him back. "I was so afraid you'd actually left him."

She swallowed, holding him tightly. "I'm not leaving him, Zoisite."

When he let her go, he looked at her sadly. "It's so much worse since you left. He's unravelling. He hurt Nephrite and almost killed Jadeite."

Serenity felt her heart break.

"We have to do something," Zoisite said, looking at Kunzite now. "What have you found?"

"His body."

Zoisite looked startled. "What?"

"The wiseman," Serenity said. "We found his body."

Zoisite furrowed his brow. "His body."

She nodded.

He looked at Kunzite again, who just looked at him evenly without any further explanation.

"Show me."

They'd been out of the tunnels only minutes before they were back, standing in that room again, staring at the body of the wiseman. Zoisite was examining it, close, his hand hovering over the face to feel the breath, leaning close to listen to the heart.

"He's dying," Zoisite said.

Kunzite nodded.

Serenity looked confused. "Dying."

Zoisite took a breath. "That's why he's here. He's looking for a new host, and he's chosen Endymion."

"Because he's the strongest," Kunzite said. "Just like Andrew told him."

Andrew looked away in guilt, so Serenity took his hand.

Zoisite was deep in thought, standing there, looking at the wiseman's body. Serenity had seen him look this way many times, thinking through a problem. She'd seen Endymion do the same. The two of them could stand in a room together in silence, their minds moving, until suddenly they spoke and everything had somehow been worked out.

"We can't kill him," Zoisite finally said.

"He's torturing Endymion," Kunzite said. "If he'd taken over already, he wouldn't still be fighting him."

Zoisite nodded. "If we kill the wiseman now, whatever darkness is infecting him might be trapped with Endymion."

She felt her heart flutter. "So what do we do?"

Zoisite tapped his finger against his mouth, thinking. "Silk and stone."

Kunzite frowned. "You still think the missing shipments are a key somehow?"

"The missing silk was all for Elysium, the stone for the repairs in the city. It can't be a coincidence."

"The palace is full of silk," Kunzite said. "Diamond draped it over everything."

"And Endymion took most of it down when he became King," Zoisite said. "I only know it's missing because I went to look."

Serenity looked at Kunzite. "All the silk is missing?"

Zoisite took a breath. "I think I know what must be done. But it is a theory."

"At this point, we'll try anything," Kunzite said.

"Find every piece of silk you can."

Andrew frowned. "Silk?"

But Kunzite nodded. "Diamond had some in his rooms. They've been locked up since his death. I'm sure there's still some in there."

"As much as you can find," Zoisite said. "We can't have enough."

"There is silk in the old woman's wing," Serenity said, her voice small. "At least, there used to be."

Zoisite looked at Serenity, and softened again. He came up to her, taking her hands. The gesture was meant to steady her, but she felt her heart flutter in fear, because she knew whatever was said next would be terrifying.

"Serenity, this all depends on your love for him staying strong."

She swallowed. "My love for him has never wavered."

"I know," he said sadly. "Even in his darkest moment, you're still the only thing that can bring light into his heart."

"Zoisite, tell me what you need. I'll do anything for him."

"Even die?"

Her shoulders sagged, and she felt tears in her eyes. But her voice was sure when she answered.

"Yes."

"Good," Zoisite said softly. "We need to act carefully. If we don't do this right, our king will die."

End of Chapter Nine. Please review!