Chapter 22
Alone With Destiny
Setsuna did not watch the destruction of her former home through the Window to the Present. To see it as it was happening would hurt too much. Besides, she did not even know who the enemy was, or why they were attacking. She had to know that before she could even think of watching the battle itself. With these thoughts in her head, Setsuna turned to the Mirror to the Past.
"Mirror to the Past," she cried-or rather, croaked-, "reveal to me the events that resulted in such destruction." Of course, the Mirror obeyed. It had no choice. Setsuna, goddess of time, was its mistress now, and it was bound to abide by her. Just as I am bound to the Gates of Time, she thought angrily. I have no choice but to stay here and watch as my home is shattered. Because she knew she had no alternative, Setsuna sat in helplessly subservient silence, and watched the White Moon Kingdom's demise, weeping every moment.
Terrans. The ones attacking the White Moon Kingdom were Terrans. The young man whom Setsuna had seen running across the palace grounds with Princess Serenity was her lover, the crown prince of Terra, Endymion. Setsuna soon learned that Princess Serenity had sneaked off to Terra one night in the guise of a commoner, and by some chance, met with the crown prince. Soon, the two were in love, and Serenity revealed her true identity to Endymion.
It is no wonder his name sounded so familiar, Setsuna thought bitterly. Serenity's lover is the crown prince of Terra. Oh, Princess, you are an idiot.
But, of course, Princess Serenity was no idiot. Setsuna, having known the reigning princess her entire life, could certainly confirm that fact. She had not gone down to Terra with the intention of falling in love. Yet fall in love she did-and so did her four guardians. When, one night, Mars rallied the Sailor Soldiers to follow the princess down to Terra, she encountered Jadeite, one of Prince Endymion's four bodyguards. Soon she, too, was in love. That was the way of things with each of the Sailor Guardians. Each met with one of the prince's bodyguards, and each fell in love. They were all happy, the Terrans and the Moon Kingdom royalty alike. How could they have realized that their newfound happiness was setting the stage for the greatest tragedy they would ever encounter? They could not have. Yet Setsuna was angry with them as she watched them all kiss and dream of futures in the arms of their lovers. She was angry with them, and cursed their blindness.
"How?" she sobbed, slamming a fist against the invisible floor. "How could she allow this to happen?" Of course, no one answered. No one ever answered Setsuna's questions.
Of course, Serenity and the others knew that their loves could not last. No one who was loyal to Queen Serenity was allowed to come in contact with anyone from the Kingdom of Terra. Such were the terms of the ancient promise made by the Selene and the ruling gods of Terra. Though it pained their hearts to admit it, Serenity and the others knew they would have to give up their loves eventually. What they did not know was that a Terran noblewoman by the name of Lady Beryl had sided with the evil Empress Metallia, and was planning to rally the people of Terra against the Moon Kingdom. Lady Beryl kidnapped Endymion's bodyguards, and turned them against not only their prince, but also their lovers from the Moon Kingdom. Beryl moved on to murder Endymion's family, and on Princess Serenity's sixteenth birthday, she and her soldiers stormed the Moon Kingdom.
Setsuna watched the resulting battle through the Mirror as well; it had already ended in the present. But the horror she felt as she watched her friends fighting was no less knowing the fighting was over. She knew her friends would not win their battles, but would die in service of Serenity. Setsuna did not want to watch them fight their desperate battles, only to watch them die in pain, but something told her she would have to. So she gathered her courage, and forced herself to keep her eyes upon the Mirror as Mercury's former lover murdered her in her chambers. She did not look away as Neptune prepared to attack the regiment of Terran soldiers, but was viciously cut down and tossed aside like a broken doll before she could even gather her power. Setsuna stared fixedly at the Mirror as each of her friends fought valiantly against the Terrans, their faces all identical masks of pain and confusion. Each wanted to take time to mourn her losses, but knew she had to go on fighting for the sake of the Kingdom. The Sailor Guardians each fought with their lovers and were killed. Uranus followed the soldiers who had slaughtered her own lover, and fought with them. They killed her, too. The bloodshed was sickening. The Terrans struck down even the Sailor Soldiers families, Haruka's young sister included. Meanwhile, Princess Serenity ran for her life across the palace grounds with the only Terran who had not defied the gods by breaking the peace with between the Moon Kingdom and Terra: her lover, Endymion.
Endymion and Serenity searched frantically for Lady Beryl, desperate to keep her away from the Queen. Neither realized that it was the Empress who was seeking the princess' mother, not Lady Beryl. Lady Beryl was seeking the prince and his princess-and they ran straight into the noblewoman's trap. Both were tortured mercilessly. Setsuna grimaced, hearing their cries of pain as clearly as if she had been there. She watched in suspense as Lady Beryl raised Endymion's sword over the quivering princess, prepared to rid the world of her once and for all, but it would not be. Endymion threw himself over his love's body, and took the blade himself. Having traded his life for hers, the Terran prince died in Serenity's arms. Serenity wept for her lover, blessed his body in the name of Terra and Selene, then took up his sword and drove the blade deep into her breast, piercing her grieving heart and ending her life.
That was when the Queen showed herself. With her daughter's death, Queen Serenity called upon the power of the Silver Crystal and sealed away Metallia, Beryl, and all their followers. Then, with her last ounce of power, Serenity collected the souls of Luna, Artemis, and the royal children, and sent them one thousand years into the future, that they might be reborn. With that done, the good Queen breathed her last and died, cold and alone among the ruins of her Kingdom.
As Setsuna soon learned, Lady Saturn's child had also played a part in the destruction. After the Queen's death, her planetary magic awakened, and she became the Sailor Soldier of Silence, Sailor Saturn. With one swing of her Silence Glaive, Sailor Saturn brought down the rest of the White Moon Kingdom. Every planet in the solar system save Terra was reduced to a barren wasteland, a place where life could no longer exist.
After showing her this, the Mirror to the Past went dark. Setsuna stared blankly into its shadowy depths, trying desperately to process what she had just seen. She remembered a time from her childhood, a moment she had twice forgotten, and now, twice recalled.
They are both the commanders of mortals and gods alike, she heard Chronos say. Both are equally mysterious, and sometimes, equally dangerous. Love and destiny, that was what he was speaking of. Love and destiny, the two ruling forces of the universe, were wonderful, mysterious, and oh, so dangerous.
"Great gods," Setsuna whispered, "how many times must my innocence be lost?" Of course, she knew the answer to that: only once, when she met her true destiny. Setsuna laughed bitterly. She had thought her innocence was lost the day she had formed her attack, almost killing her mother. Then, the same thoughts had occurred to her the first time she had seen death, and the first time she truly killed with her own power. Then, once more, she had thought her innocence lost when she learned of her destiny at the Gates of Time. Four times she had bid goodbye to her innocence. Four times she had been wrong. This time, here and now, the loss of her innocence was real. Because here and now, at the Sacred Gates, Setsuna, goddess of time, realized her true destiny: to watch helplessly as everything she held dear was destroyed.and to understand.
Setsuna did understand. She understood it all. Empress Metallia had hated Selene and all her descendants. Lady Beryl had lusted after Prince Endymion for much of her life. Serenity and the Sailor Guardians had loved Endymion and his bodyguards, and the Terrans had loved them back. Uranus and Neptune had loved one another. The Sailor Soldiers had loved the Princess and the Queen. The Queen had loved her daughter, and all of her people. Hatred, lust, and jealousy had prompted Lady Beryl and Metallia to unleash their evil upon Terra and the White Moon Kingdom. Love had impelled everything else. It had been with Uranus as she fought to defend the Queen and avenge Neptune's death. It had been in the hearts the Sailor Guardians as they clashed with their former lovers to save Serenity, demanding to know why they had been betrayed. Love had been Prince Endymion's guide as he threw himself over Princess Serenity, taking the blade and saving her life, and it burned strongly enough within Serenity that she had chosen to die rather than live without it. And of course, love was burning at the very core of Queen Serenity's soul when she had used the Silver Crystal, giving up her own life to save her daughter, and all the royal children.
Yes, Setsuna understood all of this-and she hated that. The knowledge hurt her more deeply than anything had ever hurt her before. This could have been prevented, she thought, sobbing miserably. This devastation could have been avoided if only Princess Serenity had remained on the moon where she belonged. It might have been avoided if Mars had not followed her down to Terra. Sweet Selene, it might even have been prevented if Queen Serenity had just let the gods have Lady Saturn's child! This did not have to happen! It could have been eluded! Yet, even as she thought this, she knew it was not true. Nothing could have altered the White Moon Kingdom's fate. This was destiny. Nothing could win against destiny.
For the first time since she had foreseen the destruction of the White Moon Kingdom in her dreams, the Guardian of Time felt weariness overtake her. Unable to fight it, Setsuna sprawled upon the nonexistent ground and was still.
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Two chapters left! Wow! I'm actually going to finish this!
Alone With Destiny
Setsuna did not watch the destruction of her former home through the Window to the Present. To see it as it was happening would hurt too much. Besides, she did not even know who the enemy was, or why they were attacking. She had to know that before she could even think of watching the battle itself. With these thoughts in her head, Setsuna turned to the Mirror to the Past.
"Mirror to the Past," she cried-or rather, croaked-, "reveal to me the events that resulted in such destruction." Of course, the Mirror obeyed. It had no choice. Setsuna, goddess of time, was its mistress now, and it was bound to abide by her. Just as I am bound to the Gates of Time, she thought angrily. I have no choice but to stay here and watch as my home is shattered. Because she knew she had no alternative, Setsuna sat in helplessly subservient silence, and watched the White Moon Kingdom's demise, weeping every moment.
Terrans. The ones attacking the White Moon Kingdom were Terrans. The young man whom Setsuna had seen running across the palace grounds with Princess Serenity was her lover, the crown prince of Terra, Endymion. Setsuna soon learned that Princess Serenity had sneaked off to Terra one night in the guise of a commoner, and by some chance, met with the crown prince. Soon, the two were in love, and Serenity revealed her true identity to Endymion.
It is no wonder his name sounded so familiar, Setsuna thought bitterly. Serenity's lover is the crown prince of Terra. Oh, Princess, you are an idiot.
But, of course, Princess Serenity was no idiot. Setsuna, having known the reigning princess her entire life, could certainly confirm that fact. She had not gone down to Terra with the intention of falling in love. Yet fall in love she did-and so did her four guardians. When, one night, Mars rallied the Sailor Soldiers to follow the princess down to Terra, she encountered Jadeite, one of Prince Endymion's four bodyguards. Soon she, too, was in love. That was the way of things with each of the Sailor Guardians. Each met with one of the prince's bodyguards, and each fell in love. They were all happy, the Terrans and the Moon Kingdom royalty alike. How could they have realized that their newfound happiness was setting the stage for the greatest tragedy they would ever encounter? They could not have. Yet Setsuna was angry with them as she watched them all kiss and dream of futures in the arms of their lovers. She was angry with them, and cursed their blindness.
"How?" she sobbed, slamming a fist against the invisible floor. "How could she allow this to happen?" Of course, no one answered. No one ever answered Setsuna's questions.
Of course, Serenity and the others knew that their loves could not last. No one who was loyal to Queen Serenity was allowed to come in contact with anyone from the Kingdom of Terra. Such were the terms of the ancient promise made by the Selene and the ruling gods of Terra. Though it pained their hearts to admit it, Serenity and the others knew they would have to give up their loves eventually. What they did not know was that a Terran noblewoman by the name of Lady Beryl had sided with the evil Empress Metallia, and was planning to rally the people of Terra against the Moon Kingdom. Lady Beryl kidnapped Endymion's bodyguards, and turned them against not only their prince, but also their lovers from the Moon Kingdom. Beryl moved on to murder Endymion's family, and on Princess Serenity's sixteenth birthday, she and her soldiers stormed the Moon Kingdom.
Setsuna watched the resulting battle through the Mirror as well; it had already ended in the present. But the horror she felt as she watched her friends fighting was no less knowing the fighting was over. She knew her friends would not win their battles, but would die in service of Serenity. Setsuna did not want to watch them fight their desperate battles, only to watch them die in pain, but something told her she would have to. So she gathered her courage, and forced herself to keep her eyes upon the Mirror as Mercury's former lover murdered her in her chambers. She did not look away as Neptune prepared to attack the regiment of Terran soldiers, but was viciously cut down and tossed aside like a broken doll before she could even gather her power. Setsuna stared fixedly at the Mirror as each of her friends fought valiantly against the Terrans, their faces all identical masks of pain and confusion. Each wanted to take time to mourn her losses, but knew she had to go on fighting for the sake of the Kingdom. The Sailor Guardians each fought with their lovers and were killed. Uranus followed the soldiers who had slaughtered her own lover, and fought with them. They killed her, too. The bloodshed was sickening. The Terrans struck down even the Sailor Soldiers families, Haruka's young sister included. Meanwhile, Princess Serenity ran for her life across the palace grounds with the only Terran who had not defied the gods by breaking the peace with between the Moon Kingdom and Terra: her lover, Endymion.
Endymion and Serenity searched frantically for Lady Beryl, desperate to keep her away from the Queen. Neither realized that it was the Empress who was seeking the princess' mother, not Lady Beryl. Lady Beryl was seeking the prince and his princess-and they ran straight into the noblewoman's trap. Both were tortured mercilessly. Setsuna grimaced, hearing their cries of pain as clearly as if she had been there. She watched in suspense as Lady Beryl raised Endymion's sword over the quivering princess, prepared to rid the world of her once and for all, but it would not be. Endymion threw himself over his love's body, and took the blade himself. Having traded his life for hers, the Terran prince died in Serenity's arms. Serenity wept for her lover, blessed his body in the name of Terra and Selene, then took up his sword and drove the blade deep into her breast, piercing her grieving heart and ending her life.
That was when the Queen showed herself. With her daughter's death, Queen Serenity called upon the power of the Silver Crystal and sealed away Metallia, Beryl, and all their followers. Then, with her last ounce of power, Serenity collected the souls of Luna, Artemis, and the royal children, and sent them one thousand years into the future, that they might be reborn. With that done, the good Queen breathed her last and died, cold and alone among the ruins of her Kingdom.
As Setsuna soon learned, Lady Saturn's child had also played a part in the destruction. After the Queen's death, her planetary magic awakened, and she became the Sailor Soldier of Silence, Sailor Saturn. With one swing of her Silence Glaive, Sailor Saturn brought down the rest of the White Moon Kingdom. Every planet in the solar system save Terra was reduced to a barren wasteland, a place where life could no longer exist.
After showing her this, the Mirror to the Past went dark. Setsuna stared blankly into its shadowy depths, trying desperately to process what she had just seen. She remembered a time from her childhood, a moment she had twice forgotten, and now, twice recalled.
They are both the commanders of mortals and gods alike, she heard Chronos say. Both are equally mysterious, and sometimes, equally dangerous. Love and destiny, that was what he was speaking of. Love and destiny, the two ruling forces of the universe, were wonderful, mysterious, and oh, so dangerous.
"Great gods," Setsuna whispered, "how many times must my innocence be lost?" Of course, she knew the answer to that: only once, when she met her true destiny. Setsuna laughed bitterly. She had thought her innocence was lost the day she had formed her attack, almost killing her mother. Then, the same thoughts had occurred to her the first time she had seen death, and the first time she truly killed with her own power. Then, once more, she had thought her innocence lost when she learned of her destiny at the Gates of Time. Four times she had bid goodbye to her innocence. Four times she had been wrong. This time, here and now, the loss of her innocence was real. Because here and now, at the Sacred Gates, Setsuna, goddess of time, realized her true destiny: to watch helplessly as everything she held dear was destroyed.and to understand.
Setsuna did understand. She understood it all. Empress Metallia had hated Selene and all her descendants. Lady Beryl had lusted after Prince Endymion for much of her life. Serenity and the Sailor Guardians had loved Endymion and his bodyguards, and the Terrans had loved them back. Uranus and Neptune had loved one another. The Sailor Soldiers had loved the Princess and the Queen. The Queen had loved her daughter, and all of her people. Hatred, lust, and jealousy had prompted Lady Beryl and Metallia to unleash their evil upon Terra and the White Moon Kingdom. Love had impelled everything else. It had been with Uranus as she fought to defend the Queen and avenge Neptune's death. It had been in the hearts the Sailor Guardians as they clashed with their former lovers to save Serenity, demanding to know why they had been betrayed. Love had been Prince Endymion's guide as he threw himself over Princess Serenity, taking the blade and saving her life, and it burned strongly enough within Serenity that she had chosen to die rather than live without it. And of course, love was burning at the very core of Queen Serenity's soul when she had used the Silver Crystal, giving up her own life to save her daughter, and all the royal children.
Yes, Setsuna understood all of this-and she hated that. The knowledge hurt her more deeply than anything had ever hurt her before. This could have been prevented, she thought, sobbing miserably. This devastation could have been avoided if only Princess Serenity had remained on the moon where she belonged. It might have been avoided if Mars had not followed her down to Terra. Sweet Selene, it might even have been prevented if Queen Serenity had just let the gods have Lady Saturn's child! This did not have to happen! It could have been eluded! Yet, even as she thought this, she knew it was not true. Nothing could have altered the White Moon Kingdom's fate. This was destiny. Nothing could win against destiny.
For the first time since she had foreseen the destruction of the White Moon Kingdom in her dreams, the Guardian of Time felt weariness overtake her. Unable to fight it, Setsuna sprawled upon the nonexistent ground and was still.
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Two chapters left! Wow! I'm actually going to finish this!