December 31: Dusk
Today is New Years Eve Party. I came out, walking down the Fountain Hall this evening in my full snow white gown. Everyone began cheering for me as I made my way down to our end of the Mare Serenitalis. The sea was calm, and the fireworks reflected off the surface. I feel as if I am in heaven, yet still tied down. But then, as royalty, I will likely feel this way forever.
"Serenity," said my mother at the outcropping. "two days from now is your fifteenth birthday. We celebrate tonight."
My mother held up the Silver Imperium Crystal, and cast it into the sea. Immediately the waves began churning, and my mother looked at me with a fulfilled expression on her face. I remembered what I was supposed to do- this was the Coming of Age ceremony.
I looked at my mother, then jumped headfirst into the churning water.
I fell through the water, the chilly silver liquid flowing through my dress. I closed my eyes, still falling to the deep abyss.
Queen Serenity stared into the water. According to the ceremonial rituals, her daughter should have breached the surface by now.
The crowd of spectators hushed, and the only sounds were the churning water and the faint cry of one of the women. The fireworks slowly ceased, and the Queen fell to her knees, looking up to the blue Earth floating above the palace.
"I don't understand." whispered the Queen, her words floating into space. "Is this some kind of sign?"
I kept falling, unable to stop myself because of the magic encased inside the Crystal. Its ritual kept me going, no matter what I did. I soon began to see a faint figure standing on an outcropping in the darkness. I squinted to see who it could possibly be.
"Hello?" I said.
The figure just kept standing there, standing at my falling form.
"Who is there?"
Nothing.
Eventually I came to a stop. The ties of the Crystal had finally wore off at this depth. I then swam forcefully towards the figure. It was still hard to see, as I had finally reached the deepest area of the mare.
I presently landed on the short outcropping. The figure stood practically at arms length.
It was a young woman, about my age. She wore a gold coat of armor and clenched something bright in her fist.
"Who are you?" I asked
My name is Galaxia. I watched you fall. And you dropped something.
She held out her hand. Nestled in her palm was the Imperium Crystal. I picked it up.
"Thank you"
"You shouldn't be down here too long. They don't like the light."
I looked to where Galaxia was pointing. A mass of sharks float in silence, waiting for their prey.
"I better be going" I said.
"See you again someday in the future."
I headed to leave, but halted and took off my necklace. On it was my Sapphire Crystal.
"Here" I said.
Galaxia caught it and smiled.
"Thank you my new friend. Now go!!"
I began to walk off the platform as a shark brushed past my arm. It tried to bite me, but only a small wound formed. It stung annoyingly. I turned back to say one last goodbye, but Galaxia pushed me into the open water.
"GO!"
I took one last look behind me as I swam. The group of sharks was pondering whether to follow, or wait for a new prey. I swam hard, finally breaking the surface a few miles away from the kingdom. For a few minutes I swam at an easy pace, eventually reaching the palace dock. There was nobody there- no signs of a late night party, no broken wine glasses, the pieces scattered over the spelled wood.
I pulled myself out of the water, my hair matted against my head. In my sopping wet dress and mop-hair, no one would have ever believed that I could be this royal kingdom's princess.
"Here it comes," I said to myself.
I walked through the great palace doors, still dripping water over the pearl-colored tile, then headed towards the throne room. My mother would be furious with me at ruining a royal gown. Sacrilege, she would say. What the heck. I stroked my fingers down the silver doors that lead to the throne. They melted away easily at my touch.
I expected my mother, at this moment, to run up to me and begin weeping about how she thought I could have died and such. But there was nobody there.
"Hello?" I asked.
Nothing.
I kept going, my dress still leaving a shining trail on the floor.
"Hello?"
Presently I heard voices coming from the chapel. There was no full service till' noonday tomorrow, so, as you might expect, I was very confused.
Eager to find out what was going on, I burst in through the courtyard gates leading to the chapel's main rows. Immediately I found my mother praying at the Luna Stone, the residents of the kingdom surrounding her in a meditation circle.
"Mother?" I asked.
The Queen snapped out of her trance, as did everyone else in the room.
"Selene?" she asked in amazement, almost thinking she was still in meditation.
I moved to hug my mother, but suddenly a great light came from the Crystal Tower. My dress molted and formed a new gown, a white one with gold rings- the sign of the Serenitalis family. Then I heard the back of my dress rearrange itself. Wings sprouted from my back.
"Welcome back, Serenity."
Today is New Years Eve Party. I came out, walking down the Fountain Hall this evening in my full snow white gown. Everyone began cheering for me as I made my way down to our end of the Mare Serenitalis. The sea was calm, and the fireworks reflected off the surface. I feel as if I am in heaven, yet still tied down. But then, as royalty, I will likely feel this way forever.
"Serenity," said my mother at the outcropping. "two days from now is your fifteenth birthday. We celebrate tonight."
My mother held up the Silver Imperium Crystal, and cast it into the sea. Immediately the waves began churning, and my mother looked at me with a fulfilled expression on her face. I remembered what I was supposed to do- this was the Coming of Age ceremony.
I looked at my mother, then jumped headfirst into the churning water.
I fell through the water, the chilly silver liquid flowing through my dress. I closed my eyes, still falling to the deep abyss.
Queen Serenity stared into the water. According to the ceremonial rituals, her daughter should have breached the surface by now.
The crowd of spectators hushed, and the only sounds were the churning water and the faint cry of one of the women. The fireworks slowly ceased, and the Queen fell to her knees, looking up to the blue Earth floating above the palace.
"I don't understand." whispered the Queen, her words floating into space. "Is this some kind of sign?"
I kept falling, unable to stop myself because of the magic encased inside the Crystal. Its ritual kept me going, no matter what I did. I soon began to see a faint figure standing on an outcropping in the darkness. I squinted to see who it could possibly be.
"Hello?" I said.
The figure just kept standing there, standing at my falling form.
"Who is there?"
Nothing.
Eventually I came to a stop. The ties of the Crystal had finally wore off at this depth. I then swam forcefully towards the figure. It was still hard to see, as I had finally reached the deepest area of the mare.
I presently landed on the short outcropping. The figure stood practically at arms length.
It was a young woman, about my age. She wore a gold coat of armor and clenched something bright in her fist.
"Who are you?" I asked
My name is Galaxia. I watched you fall. And you dropped something.
She held out her hand. Nestled in her palm was the Imperium Crystal. I picked it up.
"Thank you"
"You shouldn't be down here too long. They don't like the light."
I looked to where Galaxia was pointing. A mass of sharks float in silence, waiting for their prey.
"I better be going" I said.
"See you again someday in the future."
I headed to leave, but halted and took off my necklace. On it was my Sapphire Crystal.
"Here" I said.
Galaxia caught it and smiled.
"Thank you my new friend. Now go!!"
I began to walk off the platform as a shark brushed past my arm. It tried to bite me, but only a small wound formed. It stung annoyingly. I turned back to say one last goodbye, but Galaxia pushed me into the open water.
"GO!"
I took one last look behind me as I swam. The group of sharks was pondering whether to follow, or wait for a new prey. I swam hard, finally breaking the surface a few miles away from the kingdom. For a few minutes I swam at an easy pace, eventually reaching the palace dock. There was nobody there- no signs of a late night party, no broken wine glasses, the pieces scattered over the spelled wood.
I pulled myself out of the water, my hair matted against my head. In my sopping wet dress and mop-hair, no one would have ever believed that I could be this royal kingdom's princess.
"Here it comes," I said to myself.
I walked through the great palace doors, still dripping water over the pearl-colored tile, then headed towards the throne room. My mother would be furious with me at ruining a royal gown. Sacrilege, she would say. What the heck. I stroked my fingers down the silver doors that lead to the throne. They melted away easily at my touch.
I expected my mother, at this moment, to run up to me and begin weeping about how she thought I could have died and such. But there was nobody there.
"Hello?" I asked.
Nothing.
I kept going, my dress still leaving a shining trail on the floor.
"Hello?"
Presently I heard voices coming from the chapel. There was no full service till' noonday tomorrow, so, as you might expect, I was very confused.
Eager to find out what was going on, I burst in through the courtyard gates leading to the chapel's main rows. Immediately I found my mother praying at the Luna Stone, the residents of the kingdom surrounding her in a meditation circle.
"Mother?" I asked.
The Queen snapped out of her trance, as did everyone else in the room.
"Selene?" she asked in amazement, almost thinking she was still in meditation.
I moved to hug my mother, but suddenly a great light came from the Crystal Tower. My dress molted and formed a new gown, a white one with gold rings- the sign of the Serenitalis family. Then I heard the back of my dress rearrange itself. Wings sprouted from my back.
"Welcome back, Serenity."