The sun peeked through the blinds, casting light on a haggard figure wrapped in a blue quilt. Dawn sat on her sofa, an empty box of tissues next to her as a mound of damp Kleenex on the floor gave evidence to her lack of sleep. At first, she'd stayed awake because lying down made her dizzy, and the crying was brought on by pain and exhaustion as she sobered up, throwing out any remaining alcohol in her apartment. At some point, she remembered the latter events of the evening, and a fresh wave of tears accompanied the realization that she, as the Guardian, had ended the life of some girl she didn't even know. Dawn spent the wee hours of the morning warring with her conscience, finally coming out of her daze as light filled the tiny apartment. Slowly, she stood up and cast off the quilt, revealing the same clothes that she'd worn the night before. Numbly, she stumbled into her bedroom and shed her now ruined outfit, climbing into the shower immediately. Scalding hot water ran over her skin, the bottom of the tub soon covered with dirt and blood as Dawn stood under the showerhead. Eyes closed, she leaned against the wall while steam filled the bathroom. Dawn could see the scene from the night before in her mind's eye, the image of the bridge crumbling into the water, burying the young woman in a rain of concrete. In an instant, her legs gave out beneath her and she slumped to the floor, sobbing as she wrapped her arms around her knees.
I'm not a bad person, am I? I didn't mean to do it… I could've just run away, I would've made it… I didn't even know her… would that have happened if I had been sober… oh God, I'm so sorry, I never meant to do anything like that...
If this is what a Guardian has to do, then I don't want to be one.
Ian walked into the lecture theatre knowing that Dawn, while probably hung over and a bit cranky, would be there. Scanning the audience, he noticed that she had chosen their 'regular' spot, curled up in a hooded sweatshirt that was probably two sizes too big for her. Wandering up the stairs, he saw that she was indeed asleep already. Chuckling to himself, he slid into the seat next to her. His elbow nudged her shoulder, and she nearly leapt out of her seat. Obviously shaken, she slumped back in her chair, pulling the sweatshirt about her as she looked up at him.
"Good God," she breathed. "It's just you, Ian."
"Good morning to you, too," he replied sarcastically. "A touch hung over, are we?"
Dawn sighed heavily, pushing the hood of the sweatshirt away from her face. "Look, Ian, I'm so sorry about last night." She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. "I didn't mean to say any of those things. I mean, if it hadn't been for all of that alcohol…"
"Don't worry about that," he interrupted swiftly. "How are you feeling? You look shitty."
"I haven't slept," she answered, her voice trembling as she looked away. "I just can't believe I did that." Her eyes began to well up as she clasped both hands together in her lap. "Ian, I… I…" A tear rolled down her cheek, roughly brushed away by her sleeve. Seeing that, Ian lifted her to her feet and grabbed her backpack with one hand, half-carrying her out of the lecture theatre. Once outside, he stopped, giving Dawn the chance to fish a tissue from her pocket and noisily blow her nose. She glanced up at him, eyes puffy as she stuffed her hands back in her pockets. "Sorry."
"Come with me," he answered in an uncharacteristically gentle tone. "We'll get a coffee or something." He put an arm around her shoulder and led her to the cafeteria, sitting her in a corner booth and securing a large cup of black coffee which he set in front of her. Her fingers peeked from the sleeves of her sweatshirt, head bowed as he slid into the seat across from her.
"I should apologize for the way I acted in the bar last night," she began, curling her hands around the cup in front of her. "I was completely drunk and I didn't intend to say half of the things I said."
"You didn't mean it," he shrugged, leaning back. "You had way too much to drink."
Dawn shook her head slowly, eyes trained on the table. "Oh, I meant most of it," she admitted. "You never did apologize to me after wrecking my apartment, and that kinda pissed me off." Lifting her head, she pushed the hair away from her face and smiled softly. "But I think you are somewhat attractive, and I do like the way you talk, so there. The truth is out."
"And…"
"And what?" She shrugged, tapping her fingers on the paper cup. "There's nothing else to it. I'm not one of those boy-crazy chicks. I just call it like I see it."
"Right," he mumbled, a bit uncomfortable with her outright honesty. "Only somewhat?" he asked.
"You still blew the shit outta my apartment," she reminded him, slumping back in her seat. "That reduces your overall rating in my book."
Ian didn't bother responding. Best to simply leave things alone for the moment. Silence passed between then for a few minutes as she replaced the hood over her head and sipped her coffee. As she set it down, Ian could see her hands trembling. Swiftly, before she could pull her hands back in her lap, he reached across the table and placed a massive hand over her fingers. Startled, she looked up at him with a terrified expression, as if she expected another slap across her face like the night before.
"I'm not gonna hit you," he replied, reading her like a book. "At least, not if you snap out of this crying fit soon. You can't do anything about what happened last night in the park, you realize."
"But I…" Dawn dropped her voice to a low whisper, leaning over the table. "I caused the bridge to collapse, and I killed –"
"You did what you did in self-defense," Ian interrupted, swiftly cutting her off. "If you hadn't done what you did, then you'd be dead."
"I could have done something different," she protested, shaking her head. "I could have run away, or just stunned her long enough to get out of there, or just anything but…" Gripping his hand tightly, she looked him in the eye, beginning to cry once more. "That wasn't me, last night! That was anyone but me. I'm a gentle person," she whimpered, letting go of Ian's hand. "I scoop up spiders and put them outside instead of squishing them…"
"And if one bit you, you'd flatten it," he finished, pulling his hand back. Without turning around, he knew they were starting to attract attention from other students. "C'mon, grab your coffee" he said, standing up. "Let's get going."
"Where?" Obediently, Dawn picked up her cup and followed him outside. "Where are we going?"
"Back to the park," he answered. "You need to face this if you're going to get past it." Before she could protest, Ian started off at a fast walk.
"But what if the police are there," she whimpered, running to keep up. "They'll find us and arrest us and we'll get in even more trouble and…" A growl from the walking wall in front of her cut her off, and she wisely decided to keep the nervous chatter to a minimum. Dawn wasn't sure how much longer Ian's generous mood would last. "Sorry."
A quarter of an hour later, the pair stood just inside the park. Before she could object, Ian grabbed Dawn's free hand and led her to the edge of the lake. The place where the bridge had been was roped off, and a few of the groundskeepers were picking up the debris scattered on the grass. No one took notice of the two students on the bank, the one who simply stared in shock as the other stood behind her, arms folded.
"They don't even know she's dead," Dawn whispered. "They don't have any idea that…" The words trailed off as her eyes filled with tears and she began to shiver despite the sweatshirt. It simply looked like the bridge had crumbled of its own accord, without evidence to the events of the past evening. Dawn's thoughts immediately turned to the girl who had attacked her, who had been standing on the bridge when…
Ian heard a choked sob from the girl in front of him and remained motionless, resisting the urge to reach out and shake her. He couldn't remember ever meeting someone who cried so often or so much. Turning his head, he watched as two of the groundskeepers worked to right the bench that had been knocked over. A thud against his chest startled him, and he looked down. Dawn clung to him, her cheek pressed against his chest as she wept silently, tears wetting the t-shirt he wore. Ian regarded her for a moment, somewhat caught off guard. Slowly, he brought a hand up to her hair, smoothing the red-brown strands. At the touch, she became quiet, relaxing her grip on his jacket. Ian's fingers brushed her forehead, and she suddenly froze, eyes wide.
A forest… an encampment… and a little girl in the arms of a familiar young man in armor who suddenly assumed the form of a large winged beast and took flight…
Abruptly, Dawn pushed away, staring at Ian in horror. "What are you doing?" she demanded, half scared and half furious. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"I didn't do anything," he protested, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "You threw yourself at me."
"I was upset and looking for a bit of comfort," she shot back harshly. "I didn't need insight into your messed-up alter-ego."
"I didn't offer it."
Dawn threw her hands up in disgust. "Then what the hell did you do? I saw you, or that Luciender guy, holding a little kid in the middle of a clearing and –" She stopped, backing away from him. "And they were all dead," she finished slowly. "You were all bloody and they were all dead."
"I didn't kill them, if that's what you're assuming," he answered in the same expressionless voice. "They were dead when I found them."
"When you… what?" Upset and understandably bewildered, she put a hand to her forehead and let out a shaky breath. "What are you saying?"
Ian let out an annoyed sigh, slipping out of his jacket. "Is anyone around?"
A quick glance around revealed an empty park area obscured by a few rather large trees and some unkempt hedges. The groundskeepers had moved on to another area, evidently. "No."
"Good." A slight shrug preceded the bright fingers of lightning that shot up from the ground, shrouding Ian in a bright shell of light and electricity. As suddenly as the charge had erupted, it faded into nothingness, leaving Luciender in its wake. Stunned, Dawn could do little more than gawk at the armored prince in front of her as he pulled the sword from its sheath across his back. As soon as the blade was drawn, she flinched visibly and stepped back a few more paces. Reading her mind, Luciender lowered the sword slightly and extended a hand towards her. "Here."
Dawn looked at him as if he'd asked her to kiss a snake and immediately shoved both hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt. "Here what? What are you going to do to me?"
"I'm going to show you the truth, Guardian," he replied. "Doesn't it seem a bit strange that you were attacked last night, and none of the other Senshi came to your aid?"
"But Lita came," she protested, instantly leaping to the defense of her newfound friend. "She was there before you came back."
"And no one else came, did they?" Luciender watched as she squirmed uncomfortably at the seeds of doubt he had presented to her. "Do you know the reason, Guardian?"
"Dawn," she corrected. "And I imagine they were asleep or something," she offered, sounding unsure of the words as she spoke. "Why, do you have a better reason?"
The corner of his mouth lifted in a sneer. "The kingdom of the Moon isn't known for reciprocating the allegiance it demands," he replied. "Neither in the past nor in the present, evidently."
"Does that armor require you to speak in cryptic archaic bullshit?" Exasperated, she jabbed a finger at him, careful to stay far enough from the sword. "What are you talking about?"
"Give me your hand and you can see for yourself."
Dawn eyed him warily, examining the stoic expression and dark eyes of Luciender. Unable to see any reason otherwise, she extended a trembling hand to him, which he seized and pulled in close. Swiftly, he pressed her palm to the glowing emerald pommel, allowing her to share in his memories as the leader of the Sol Alliance.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
An enormous room, where a long table stood covered with papers and treaties… dignitaries filled the spaces, all of their attention directed towards a young woman in a dazzling white gown. To her immediate left stood a handsome young man in green finery, the familiar broadsword strapped across his back. Thunderous applause broke out among the audience as the two signed one of the treaties on the table, prompting a third figure to step forward with a graceful curtsy. The cowl of her white cloak fell back to reveal deep mahogany hair kept back in an intricate knot of braids and ribbon. She rested one hand on her rounded abdomen, her serene smile falling upon the Queen and the Prince as she spoke.
"The descendants of the keepers of Babylon are grateful to the Sol Alliance for its loyalty." Soft and silvery, the peaceful voice of the priestess was echoed by her robed consorts with hushed whispers. "Thus, we pledge the same allegiance to the Moon Kingdom and her allies."
The room again erupted in applause; however, the young man did not join in their acclamation. Instead, he stepped back into the shadows, an expression of disapproval on his face. The young woman in the white gown gave a formal curtsy to the still-applauding group of leaders, unfazed by the sudden exit of the Crown Prince of Jupiter and her fellow commander of the newly-formed Alliance.
Hours later, outside of the palace after the festivities of the evening had peaked, Luciender stood at the lake with his infant sister in his arms. The same woman in the white cowl approached him, giving a slight bow before speaking. "The sisters of Babylon are grateful for thy protection, young Luciender," she began, eyes downcast. "With thy leadership, the Sol Alliance shall be unequaled in strength and power."
"The Kingdom of Jupiter will not abandon you or your sisters, Priestess," he replied after a moment. "I cannot say the same for Serenity."
"And why wouldst thou not?" The question was simple, almost naïve in nature and spoken with a childlike innocence.
Luciender shook his head, looking up to the vast expanse of stars and the Earth that loomed on the lunar horizon. "She seeks to benefit from the treaty, but it is uncertain that she would risk more than words on paper to aid those allied in the cause." He leveled his gaze on the young priestess, who regarded him with sorrowful eyes. "I do not believe that she would aid you in your time of need if it did not serve her own purposes."
"And thou, Luciender?" She stepped forward, her words earnest. "Wouldst thou have me believe that thy kingdom would do so as well?"
He lifted his chin, posture rigid as he stood proudly. "I have sworn my loyalty to the Sol Alliance. I shall not dishonor the Kingdom of Jupiter with cowardice," he answered.
"Well spoken," she said with a grateful smile. "If thou wouldst ever desire the aid of myself or my sisters, young Luciender, hesitate not in thy requests. We would not abandon thee in thy hour of need." A final curtsy, and she left as silently as she had come…
The messengers from the Earth Kingdom… the urgent pleas from the shrines where the amulet was kept… and the envoy from the Moon Kingdom to the ruling family of Jupiter that proclaimed the dissolution of the Sol Alliance in the wake of a siege on the ancient city of Babylon. Luciender led the combined forces of Jupiter and Earth again the sorcery-driven battalions of the enemy, sword blazing in battle as they charged on to Babylon.
The ambush outside the city gates… the royal family of Jupiter captured and its king and queen murdered… the appearance of a beast in their midst, and the frenzy that ensued. The solitary quest of Luciender to the fallen city, with the hope of gathering the ragged forces of the Alliance in a final stand against those who would conquer the Earth Kingdom…
And finally, the discovery of the convoy… the same young woman who had accepted Serenity's promise of an alliance lay bloodied next to the other priestesses of Babylon. Bodies littered the ground, the peaceful mystics having offered little resistance to their assassins. An infant's cry filled the night air, and Luciender discovered the one survivor, a newborn girl who lay next to the amulet the priestesses had died to protect. With steely resolve, the prince lifted the child and wrapped her in his cloak, encasing the relic in the folds of the fabric. A rush of wind, and a dark winged beast took flight for the kingdom of the Moon, bearing the last Guardian and the amulet her ancestors had sworn to protect.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dawn pulled her hand away from the emerald sphere and stared at her palm in shock for several seconds. Wordlessly, she looked from her hand to the sword to Luciender, who nodded mutely at her before replacing the sword across his back. She continued to stare at him as he shifted back to his original identity, shrugging into his leather jacket and brushing the blue strands of hair away from his face.
"She abandoned them," he said with little emotion to his voice. "Serenity was unwilling to aid those who spent their entire lives protecting her precious Moon Kingdom. That's why she disbanded the Alliance and why Babylon fell."
"But the treaty… surely, the other kingdoms tried to…"
"They did nothing," he replied. "And by the time the legions from Jupiter had arrived, it was too late."
Overwhelmed, Dawn's eyes misted over as her throat tightened. "Oh, Ian," she breathed, biting her lower lip. "That's terrible… your parents…" She trailed off, a hand reaching for his cheek. Her brown eyes spoke volumes, sympathy and trust and compassion all in a single glance as her fingertips grazed his jawline. A minute of silence passed between them as Ian endured Dawn's uninhibited gesture, finally reaching up gently and removing her hand from his cheek.
"You shouldn't trust the daughter of the Moon," he said, his voice a low rumble.
"But I'm the Guardian," she replied helplessly. "It's my job to protect her."
"Even when they were unwilling to protect your ancestors?" Ian watched as she frowned, unsure as to how she should respond. "Perhaps you should reconsider your loyalties."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, staring at the ground. "Maybe I should," she admitted hesitantly. "But still, I just can't abandon them like that."
"They abandoned you last night," he offered. "Except for Lita," he added after a moment.
"And you," she responded softly. She gave a soft sigh, lifting her head. "Ian, why did – "
"You look like shit, Dawn," he said quietly, turning away. "Go home and get some sleep."
I'm not a bad person, am I? I didn't mean to do it… I could've just run away, I would've made it… I didn't even know her… would that have happened if I had been sober… oh God, I'm so sorry, I never meant to do anything like that...
If this is what a Guardian has to do, then I don't want to be one.
Ian walked into the lecture theatre knowing that Dawn, while probably hung over and a bit cranky, would be there. Scanning the audience, he noticed that she had chosen their 'regular' spot, curled up in a hooded sweatshirt that was probably two sizes too big for her. Wandering up the stairs, he saw that she was indeed asleep already. Chuckling to himself, he slid into the seat next to her. His elbow nudged her shoulder, and she nearly leapt out of her seat. Obviously shaken, she slumped back in her chair, pulling the sweatshirt about her as she looked up at him.
"Good God," she breathed. "It's just you, Ian."
"Good morning to you, too," he replied sarcastically. "A touch hung over, are we?"
Dawn sighed heavily, pushing the hood of the sweatshirt away from her face. "Look, Ian, I'm so sorry about last night." She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. "I didn't mean to say any of those things. I mean, if it hadn't been for all of that alcohol…"
"Don't worry about that," he interrupted swiftly. "How are you feeling? You look shitty."
"I haven't slept," she answered, her voice trembling as she looked away. "I just can't believe I did that." Her eyes began to well up as she clasped both hands together in her lap. "Ian, I… I…" A tear rolled down her cheek, roughly brushed away by her sleeve. Seeing that, Ian lifted her to her feet and grabbed her backpack with one hand, half-carrying her out of the lecture theatre. Once outside, he stopped, giving Dawn the chance to fish a tissue from her pocket and noisily blow her nose. She glanced up at him, eyes puffy as she stuffed her hands back in her pockets. "Sorry."
"Come with me," he answered in an uncharacteristically gentle tone. "We'll get a coffee or something." He put an arm around her shoulder and led her to the cafeteria, sitting her in a corner booth and securing a large cup of black coffee which he set in front of her. Her fingers peeked from the sleeves of her sweatshirt, head bowed as he slid into the seat across from her.
"I should apologize for the way I acted in the bar last night," she began, curling her hands around the cup in front of her. "I was completely drunk and I didn't intend to say half of the things I said."
"You didn't mean it," he shrugged, leaning back. "You had way too much to drink."
Dawn shook her head slowly, eyes trained on the table. "Oh, I meant most of it," she admitted. "You never did apologize to me after wrecking my apartment, and that kinda pissed me off." Lifting her head, she pushed the hair away from her face and smiled softly. "But I think you are somewhat attractive, and I do like the way you talk, so there. The truth is out."
"And…"
"And what?" She shrugged, tapping her fingers on the paper cup. "There's nothing else to it. I'm not one of those boy-crazy chicks. I just call it like I see it."
"Right," he mumbled, a bit uncomfortable with her outright honesty. "Only somewhat?" he asked.
"You still blew the shit outta my apartment," she reminded him, slumping back in her seat. "That reduces your overall rating in my book."
Ian didn't bother responding. Best to simply leave things alone for the moment. Silence passed between then for a few minutes as she replaced the hood over her head and sipped her coffee. As she set it down, Ian could see her hands trembling. Swiftly, before she could pull her hands back in her lap, he reached across the table and placed a massive hand over her fingers. Startled, she looked up at him with a terrified expression, as if she expected another slap across her face like the night before.
"I'm not gonna hit you," he replied, reading her like a book. "At least, not if you snap out of this crying fit soon. You can't do anything about what happened last night in the park, you realize."
"But I…" Dawn dropped her voice to a low whisper, leaning over the table. "I caused the bridge to collapse, and I killed –"
"You did what you did in self-defense," Ian interrupted, swiftly cutting her off. "If you hadn't done what you did, then you'd be dead."
"I could have done something different," she protested, shaking her head. "I could have run away, or just stunned her long enough to get out of there, or just anything but…" Gripping his hand tightly, she looked him in the eye, beginning to cry once more. "That wasn't me, last night! That was anyone but me. I'm a gentle person," she whimpered, letting go of Ian's hand. "I scoop up spiders and put them outside instead of squishing them…"
"And if one bit you, you'd flatten it," he finished, pulling his hand back. Without turning around, he knew they were starting to attract attention from other students. "C'mon, grab your coffee" he said, standing up. "Let's get going."
"Where?" Obediently, Dawn picked up her cup and followed him outside. "Where are we going?"
"Back to the park," he answered. "You need to face this if you're going to get past it." Before she could protest, Ian started off at a fast walk.
"But what if the police are there," she whimpered, running to keep up. "They'll find us and arrest us and we'll get in even more trouble and…" A growl from the walking wall in front of her cut her off, and she wisely decided to keep the nervous chatter to a minimum. Dawn wasn't sure how much longer Ian's generous mood would last. "Sorry."
A quarter of an hour later, the pair stood just inside the park. Before she could object, Ian grabbed Dawn's free hand and led her to the edge of the lake. The place where the bridge had been was roped off, and a few of the groundskeepers were picking up the debris scattered on the grass. No one took notice of the two students on the bank, the one who simply stared in shock as the other stood behind her, arms folded.
"They don't even know she's dead," Dawn whispered. "They don't have any idea that…" The words trailed off as her eyes filled with tears and she began to shiver despite the sweatshirt. It simply looked like the bridge had crumbled of its own accord, without evidence to the events of the past evening. Dawn's thoughts immediately turned to the girl who had attacked her, who had been standing on the bridge when…
Ian heard a choked sob from the girl in front of him and remained motionless, resisting the urge to reach out and shake her. He couldn't remember ever meeting someone who cried so often or so much. Turning his head, he watched as two of the groundskeepers worked to right the bench that had been knocked over. A thud against his chest startled him, and he looked down. Dawn clung to him, her cheek pressed against his chest as she wept silently, tears wetting the t-shirt he wore. Ian regarded her for a moment, somewhat caught off guard. Slowly, he brought a hand up to her hair, smoothing the red-brown strands. At the touch, she became quiet, relaxing her grip on his jacket. Ian's fingers brushed her forehead, and she suddenly froze, eyes wide.
A forest… an encampment… and a little girl in the arms of a familiar young man in armor who suddenly assumed the form of a large winged beast and took flight…
Abruptly, Dawn pushed away, staring at Ian in horror. "What are you doing?" she demanded, half scared and half furious. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"I didn't do anything," he protested, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "You threw yourself at me."
"I was upset and looking for a bit of comfort," she shot back harshly. "I didn't need insight into your messed-up alter-ego."
"I didn't offer it."
Dawn threw her hands up in disgust. "Then what the hell did you do? I saw you, or that Luciender guy, holding a little kid in the middle of a clearing and –" She stopped, backing away from him. "And they were all dead," she finished slowly. "You were all bloody and they were all dead."
"I didn't kill them, if that's what you're assuming," he answered in the same expressionless voice. "They were dead when I found them."
"When you… what?" Upset and understandably bewildered, she put a hand to her forehead and let out a shaky breath. "What are you saying?"
Ian let out an annoyed sigh, slipping out of his jacket. "Is anyone around?"
A quick glance around revealed an empty park area obscured by a few rather large trees and some unkempt hedges. The groundskeepers had moved on to another area, evidently. "No."
"Good." A slight shrug preceded the bright fingers of lightning that shot up from the ground, shrouding Ian in a bright shell of light and electricity. As suddenly as the charge had erupted, it faded into nothingness, leaving Luciender in its wake. Stunned, Dawn could do little more than gawk at the armored prince in front of her as he pulled the sword from its sheath across his back. As soon as the blade was drawn, she flinched visibly and stepped back a few more paces. Reading her mind, Luciender lowered the sword slightly and extended a hand towards her. "Here."
Dawn looked at him as if he'd asked her to kiss a snake and immediately shoved both hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt. "Here what? What are you going to do to me?"
"I'm going to show you the truth, Guardian," he replied. "Doesn't it seem a bit strange that you were attacked last night, and none of the other Senshi came to your aid?"
"But Lita came," she protested, instantly leaping to the defense of her newfound friend. "She was there before you came back."
"And no one else came, did they?" Luciender watched as she squirmed uncomfortably at the seeds of doubt he had presented to her. "Do you know the reason, Guardian?"
"Dawn," she corrected. "And I imagine they were asleep or something," she offered, sounding unsure of the words as she spoke. "Why, do you have a better reason?"
The corner of his mouth lifted in a sneer. "The kingdom of the Moon isn't known for reciprocating the allegiance it demands," he replied. "Neither in the past nor in the present, evidently."
"Does that armor require you to speak in cryptic archaic bullshit?" Exasperated, she jabbed a finger at him, careful to stay far enough from the sword. "What are you talking about?"
"Give me your hand and you can see for yourself."
Dawn eyed him warily, examining the stoic expression and dark eyes of Luciender. Unable to see any reason otherwise, she extended a trembling hand to him, which he seized and pulled in close. Swiftly, he pressed her palm to the glowing emerald pommel, allowing her to share in his memories as the leader of the Sol Alliance.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
An enormous room, where a long table stood covered with papers and treaties… dignitaries filled the spaces, all of their attention directed towards a young woman in a dazzling white gown. To her immediate left stood a handsome young man in green finery, the familiar broadsword strapped across his back. Thunderous applause broke out among the audience as the two signed one of the treaties on the table, prompting a third figure to step forward with a graceful curtsy. The cowl of her white cloak fell back to reveal deep mahogany hair kept back in an intricate knot of braids and ribbon. She rested one hand on her rounded abdomen, her serene smile falling upon the Queen and the Prince as she spoke.
"The descendants of the keepers of Babylon are grateful to the Sol Alliance for its loyalty." Soft and silvery, the peaceful voice of the priestess was echoed by her robed consorts with hushed whispers. "Thus, we pledge the same allegiance to the Moon Kingdom and her allies."
The room again erupted in applause; however, the young man did not join in their acclamation. Instead, he stepped back into the shadows, an expression of disapproval on his face. The young woman in the white gown gave a formal curtsy to the still-applauding group of leaders, unfazed by the sudden exit of the Crown Prince of Jupiter and her fellow commander of the newly-formed Alliance.
Hours later, outside of the palace after the festivities of the evening had peaked, Luciender stood at the lake with his infant sister in his arms. The same woman in the white cowl approached him, giving a slight bow before speaking. "The sisters of Babylon are grateful for thy protection, young Luciender," she began, eyes downcast. "With thy leadership, the Sol Alliance shall be unequaled in strength and power."
"The Kingdom of Jupiter will not abandon you or your sisters, Priestess," he replied after a moment. "I cannot say the same for Serenity."
"And why wouldst thou not?" The question was simple, almost naïve in nature and spoken with a childlike innocence.
Luciender shook his head, looking up to the vast expanse of stars and the Earth that loomed on the lunar horizon. "She seeks to benefit from the treaty, but it is uncertain that she would risk more than words on paper to aid those allied in the cause." He leveled his gaze on the young priestess, who regarded him with sorrowful eyes. "I do not believe that she would aid you in your time of need if it did not serve her own purposes."
"And thou, Luciender?" She stepped forward, her words earnest. "Wouldst thou have me believe that thy kingdom would do so as well?"
He lifted his chin, posture rigid as he stood proudly. "I have sworn my loyalty to the Sol Alliance. I shall not dishonor the Kingdom of Jupiter with cowardice," he answered.
"Well spoken," she said with a grateful smile. "If thou wouldst ever desire the aid of myself or my sisters, young Luciender, hesitate not in thy requests. We would not abandon thee in thy hour of need." A final curtsy, and she left as silently as she had come…
The messengers from the Earth Kingdom… the urgent pleas from the shrines where the amulet was kept… and the envoy from the Moon Kingdom to the ruling family of Jupiter that proclaimed the dissolution of the Sol Alliance in the wake of a siege on the ancient city of Babylon. Luciender led the combined forces of Jupiter and Earth again the sorcery-driven battalions of the enemy, sword blazing in battle as they charged on to Babylon.
The ambush outside the city gates… the royal family of Jupiter captured and its king and queen murdered… the appearance of a beast in their midst, and the frenzy that ensued. The solitary quest of Luciender to the fallen city, with the hope of gathering the ragged forces of the Alliance in a final stand against those who would conquer the Earth Kingdom…
And finally, the discovery of the convoy… the same young woman who had accepted Serenity's promise of an alliance lay bloodied next to the other priestesses of Babylon. Bodies littered the ground, the peaceful mystics having offered little resistance to their assassins. An infant's cry filled the night air, and Luciender discovered the one survivor, a newborn girl who lay next to the amulet the priestesses had died to protect. With steely resolve, the prince lifted the child and wrapped her in his cloak, encasing the relic in the folds of the fabric. A rush of wind, and a dark winged beast took flight for the kingdom of the Moon, bearing the last Guardian and the amulet her ancestors had sworn to protect.
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Dawn pulled her hand away from the emerald sphere and stared at her palm in shock for several seconds. Wordlessly, she looked from her hand to the sword to Luciender, who nodded mutely at her before replacing the sword across his back. She continued to stare at him as he shifted back to his original identity, shrugging into his leather jacket and brushing the blue strands of hair away from his face.
"She abandoned them," he said with little emotion to his voice. "Serenity was unwilling to aid those who spent their entire lives protecting her precious Moon Kingdom. That's why she disbanded the Alliance and why Babylon fell."
"But the treaty… surely, the other kingdoms tried to…"
"They did nothing," he replied. "And by the time the legions from Jupiter had arrived, it was too late."
Overwhelmed, Dawn's eyes misted over as her throat tightened. "Oh, Ian," she breathed, biting her lower lip. "That's terrible… your parents…" She trailed off, a hand reaching for his cheek. Her brown eyes spoke volumes, sympathy and trust and compassion all in a single glance as her fingertips grazed his jawline. A minute of silence passed between them as Ian endured Dawn's uninhibited gesture, finally reaching up gently and removing her hand from his cheek.
"You shouldn't trust the daughter of the Moon," he said, his voice a low rumble.
"But I'm the Guardian," she replied helplessly. "It's my job to protect her."
"Even when they were unwilling to protect your ancestors?" Ian watched as she frowned, unsure as to how she should respond. "Perhaps you should reconsider your loyalties."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, staring at the ground. "Maybe I should," she admitted hesitantly. "But still, I just can't abandon them like that."
"They abandoned you last night," he offered. "Except for Lita," he added after a moment.
"And you," she responded softly. She gave a soft sigh, lifting her head. "Ian, why did – "
"You look like shit, Dawn," he said quietly, turning away. "Go home and get some sleep."