Darien sat in the middle of the Earthen crest, seeking the calm that Serena had found there. Yet he could not soothe his mind, or keep his eyes off the Moon. He watched it, hoping that a sign of what was happening there would come to him. But it did not.
He prayed there, his prayers mingling with Helios's before floating to the heavens. An hour passed. And another. His servants thought him insane, to be sitting there cross legged and murmuring prayers. He was beginning to wonder about his sanity. But that kiss.... He knew now that the most important thing in the universe to him was Serena.
After more time had passed, his forehead suddenly began burning. The crescent moon Serena had painted across his brow felt as if it was on fire, boiling his skin, tearing it. He held it, falling backwards in pain.
Minutes later, Diamond appeared.
"Prince Endymion," he said, his lip curling into a malicious smile. "Are you feeling the pain Serenity was?"
Darien drew his sword, his eyes widening at the mention of Serena. "Where is she?"
Diamond's snake-like look only grew more wicked. "Wherever the soul goes after death, that is where you will find her."
His heart stopped, a sharp breath froze his lungs. Serena... dead? The pain inside him was ripping his insides apart, twisting it to molten sadness. He grew suddenly angry, while emotions stung at his eyes. He jabbed his sword forward at Diamond's chest. "You lie!"
"Ah, I thought you would react like this." Diamond drew his sword, blocking Darien's blow. A single drop of blood hit the floor. Darien stared at it, unable to believe his eyes. "That is her blood, and beneath hers, her mother's. Two Queens, one sword. Magnificent, isn't it?"
"You bastard!" Darien cursed him.
"Aren't I though?" Diamond said. He shifted his weight from side to side as Darien swung his sword. He blocked each jab, dodged each swing. He waited for the Prince to tire, all the while his mind wondering if Serena was truly dead.
Finally, Darien made a mistake. He paused for a brief moment, allowing Diamond to attack.. Darien watched as the blood stained sword disappeared behind Diamond's body, then came back into view glittering with the blood of his love. It hit his own sword with tremendous force, knocking it from his hand and sending it clattering across the floor.
Diamond's fangs shined once more. "Weaponless now. Just as she was. You know she actually believed she could beat me."
Darien's anger boiled.
"In the end, she fell on her knees before me. Pathetic."
Within the blink of an eye, Diamond had brought Darien to his knees as well.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
She stood on the Earth, in the field of flowers she had laid in with Darien. The sunshine was golden, flawless as it fell. She saw Darien emerge from the castle, walking slowly out to her. His face was stone, angry, commanding.
She took a deep breath. What had she done? She had surely disobeyed him somehow. He stood in front of her.
"Are you dead then? Just leaving me here?"
She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. The fight! Had she lost it? Was she indeed dead?
"I... I don't know."
"You shouldn't forget so easily. You shouldn't forget why you're fighting."
The wind stung at her face, forcing her eyes shut. Her hair and dress whipped at her body. A rushing sound filled her ears. The world seemed to disappear for a second. Until it all disappeared and the sunlight returned once more. She opened her eyes slowly, and gasped.
A ring of endless people surrounded them. She spun around, facing her mother, then her guardians, her old servants, the slaves in the Dark Moon Palace. All the people of the Moon now stood around her.
"Serenity," they said. "Don't forget us."
She looked back at Darien, the silver crescent Moon on his forehead shining.
"I can't go back if I'm dead," she told him, tears coming from the corner of her eyes.
"But you have to," he said. "I commanded you to come back to me."
She smiled up at him, touching his face with her hand, tracing his jaw with her finger. Happy tears fell now.
"Yes, you did."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Helios and his priestess knelt around the Princess, praying for her to awaken. Already she had healed, only a line remained on her abdomen where the sword had entered her body. She looked angelic laying there, lost in the dreams she'd created herself.
Now she stirred beneath his hand, her eyes opening. She began evaporating almost as quickly as she had awoken.
"He told me I had to come back after my journeys," she said, smiling softly. "Now I have to go."
Helios paused in his prayers to listen to her, then returned to them. He could not save her again. She would have to win this time.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Darien hadn't even felt Diamond's leg, kicking his own out from under him. But now here he was, on the marble floor, a sword blade on his neck. He looked up into the ruby eyes of the dark King.
"Ah, see. Now you get to die as she did, quickly. She wasted her last breath telling me she would kill me. Can you imagine?"
He brought his sword back. Now not only would he have the Moon, but he would have the planet it revolved around. The power he would have at his fingertips, the armies. Never would anyone challenge him again. He didn't need the silver crystal.
Darien closed his eyes, awaiting the pain. He heard the blade slice the air, whistling. But he didn't feel any pain at all. Is death like that? Painless? he wondered. He opened his eyes to find Diamond shying back, his face fearful, his eyes filled with pure terror. He was illuminated in silver.
"No, it can't be..." His voice trailed off.
Darien knew now why his enemy was stepping away. His forehead was shimmering, the crescent moon tingled as it protected him.
"But she's dead!" Diamond screamed.
"Dead?" her voice came. "Do I appear dead to you? Because I assure you, I am quite alive."
Serena stood in the moonlight, her features glowing. She helped Darien to his feet. He was amazed, the bruises had gone, and the paleness. She was now pink and healthy, her skin untainted. Diamond was frozen in shock, in fear. His ruthlessness vanished.
She took advantage of this, a small ball of light rolled over her fingers, growing bigger as more magic was added. She then held it in her palm and threw it.
Diamond recovered quickly, sliding to the left. He blinked now, the darkness around him swelling and building to a gruesome shadow.
"You will die!" he yelled, as orbs of his magic flew across the room. Wood splintered, glass shattered, the floor cracked.
The generals appeared in the hallway with their swords drawn, all four studying the scene and having trouble deciding who the enemy was. Their Majesty laid on the floor, unharmed but slightly dazed. He watched as flashes of silver light pushed at shadows, while the shadows pushed back.
Serena was tiring. Though she had healed, her magic was still suffering losses. She kept moving, kept throwing. She could sense the darkness growing smaller; Diamond was losing energy as well.
"Give it up, your lowness!" he yelled at her over the explosions.
It was the wrong thing to say.
Serena came from the dust, appearing like a ghost in front of him. He tripped as he stepped backwards; the floor behind him had become uneven. He laid on the ground now, at Serena's mercy. Seconds later, he was embedded in the wall, the blast of magic sending him to pain he'd never felt before. And he'd made a mistake he would pay for.
He left his sword behind.
She lifted it effortlessly, her blood still bright crimson on it's blade. She held it in front of his chest, soaking in every feeling.
"You killed my family and friends," she said to him. He could barely breath, let alone answer. "You took my throne. You took my home. You put me into slavery. You beat me, created my nightmares, ripped down my world.
"Now, you will say goodbye to your world."
She plunged the sword into his chest, a sickening sound coming from within his chest as his blood poured forward. She leaned over looking into his eyes, a coldness so unlike her filling her soul.
"I fulfilled my destiny, and you have met yours."
She felt victorious, heroic. She had taken back her planet, avenged the souls who had begged her all those years. But as she turned, her victory seemed meaningless. She faced four swords, four blades willing to split her apart and free her soul. She heard Darien yell her name as he rose to his feet.
"Serenity!"