*Hears gasps* The end of the world must be nigh! The impossible has happened! Maid for You has been updated!
Yup, I'm baaaaaaaaaack! :) Hope (as always) it was worth the wait.
Many, many thanks to all those who have reviewed. You make me SO happy!
Maid for You - Chapter 22
Endymion gasped as the white light engulfed him. It encased him, preventing him from moving. The only sensation he could feel was Serena's arms wrapped around him. It seemed like an eternity until the light faded and he was released.
Still holding Serena in his arms he took in his surroundings.
The Negaverse cloud was nowhere to be seen, though he could still feel its presence. That they were still on Earth was certain. However, he had no idea where on the planet they had ended up.
"Endymion?" Serena's voice was muffled from having her face buried in his chest, but he could still hear the distress. "What's happening to me?" She all but whimpered. He looked down and gently pulled away so he could see her face. She was deathly pale and the fear was plain in her eyes.
"I do not know." He said softly. "But we will find out. You must be brave." She nodded.
"I will try. Where are we?" She asked. Endymion was silent as he looked around again. They were standing on a lush hilltop, a dense forest a little way behind them. From the hill downwards, fields were spread out as far as the eyes could see.
Endymion walked over to the nearest tree, placed his hand on the trunk and closed his eyes. A soft golden light emanated from him, and the tree shimmered in response. A moment later the light faded and his eyes opened.
"We are at the other end of the planet, near the Drifting Islands." He told her. Serena was amazed, both by his power and the distance that they had managed to travel, but said nothing and waited for him to continue. However, his next statement stopped her dead. "We cannot linger here. Serena, you have to take us back."
"Me?" She cried. "But I don't know how! I don't even know how I did it in the first place! I - I can't!" She looked at him, fear and uncertainty in her eyes, begging him not to ask this of her. He shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Serena, listen to me. You have to do this. Whatever happened, it isn't something I can use the Golden Crystal to duplicate. As far as I knew, such transports weren't even possible without a very complex spell - which I don't have. Right now, you are the only one who can get us back." He looked into the wide blue eyes. "My family is in danger Serena, my people are dying. I know you will not abandon them, I know you can do this. I believe in you." His pleading tone almost broke her heart and she knew she could not refuse him even though the last thing she wanted was to return to the battle.
"I will try." She whispered.
Holding tightly to him she closed her eyes and tried to summon the power within her, power she had not known she possessed. However no matter how hard she tried she could get no reaction. It was as if it had never existed.
"It's not working!" She cried out in frustration. "I can't do it, I've failed you!"
"No you haven't." He replied firmly. "You must have faith in yourself. I am here for you, do not forget that. I will try to help, guide your power with my own."
She offered him the smallest of smiles.
"Thank you." She mumbled and closed her eyes again.
She delved deep within herself, looking for the power while reaching out for Endymion's guiding, golden light.
All of a sudden she felt it, the power growing within her, getting stronger and stronger. She seized it, told it what she wanted.
In a great flash of gold-tinted white light, they disappeared.
The reappeared a moment later on the outskirts of the battle zone, where the war still raged.
Sol saw the flash of light and looked up. "Endymion!" He cried out in relief. He smiled at his wife whose own relief was obvious.
Endymion smiled down at Serena. "You see? I knew you could do it!" She smiled.
"Thank you." Endymion didn't respond as his eyes fell upon his parents, apparently unharmed.
"Praise the Gods." He muttered. He grabbed Serena's hand and ran through the battle to where they crouched amongst the rubble. Like the wind he flew by, cutting down any who dared to try and stop him. He was soon at his father's side, who was looking at him most strangely.
"Endymion, what happened?" He asked. "We were so worried!" His son gave him a wry half-smile.
"I'm not exactly sure. But now isn't the best time to try and explain it." He said.
"Agreed." Sol replied. "We are in a great deal of trouble. The Negaverse is decimating our forces. Our brave warriors are doing their best and Serenity's scouts have been invaluable, but they are all exhausted. We are outnumbered and outmatched. Simply put, we need a miracle to get us out of this."
There was silence for what seemed like an eternity as they huddled behind the rubble of a fallen wall, trying to come up with a solution.
Finally, Endymion spoke. "What about the Golden Crystal? If the Silver Crystal destroyed them last time surely the Golden Crystal can do it this time. After all, it is just as powerful." Sol considered his son's words.
"I don't know." He said slowly. "It has never been tried before."
"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing." Endymion replied. "We will soon find out if it works." He stood up and turned to the scouts. "I'll need you to cover for me while I power up."
Serena was staring at him, not comprehending what it was he was about to do. Serenity however, knew exactly what the consequences of his actions would be. It was suicide, pure and simple.
"No!" She cried out. They all turned to look at the horrified Moon Queen. "If you use the crystal for that, it will take all your energy! You are not strong enough, nobody is!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing, desperately didn't want him to make this sacrifice.
"You survived." He said quietly. Serenity shook her head.
"My grief gave me power. I was lucky." She said. Endymion sighed.
"Be that as it may, I still have to try. There are no other options and I cannot sit back and let the Negaverse win when I have the means to at least try and stop them." He looked around, his gaze lingering on his parents. "Please, say you understand."
Sol nodded, tears in his proud eyes. He knew his son spoke the truth. Gaia was already crying, like her husband she would not stop him, but wished with all her being that she could.
The implications of Endymion's coming actions finally penetrated Serena's stunned mind. "All his energy." Her eyes opened wide.
"NO!" She screamed, moving from his side to fling her arms around his neck. "You can't!"
"Serena." He murmured her name and drew her into a tender embrace, holding her for what could be the last time.
"No, please." She sobbed into his shoulder. "It's too dangerous. You can't go."
"I have to." He said gently. "I have to protect you, my family, my planet." He bent down and whispered in her ear. "And our baby." She looked at him, not caring who saw her tears as he continued to speak.
"I will always be with you." He vowed. "Even if you can't see me, or touch me, I'll be with you. In your heart, your mind and in the new life within you. We will never be apart, I swear it." He moved to place the gentlest of kisses on her lips.
"I love you." She sobbed, her body trembling. "I'll always love you. Oh Gods, please don't go!" She clung to him, trying to pull him away from the fate that was fast approaching.
Endymion shot a pain-filled look at his father. He understood and reluctantly stepped forward to pull the crying girl off of his son. He didn't want Endymion to go any more than Serena did.
She screamed and cried his name as Sol held her back.
Serenity's heart ached at the separation. To find her daughter alive after so long, only to have to watch her love taken away from her. Without hesitation she wrapped her arms around the distraught girl and held her tightly, cursing the fates that had stolen the power of the Silver Crystal, for she would gladly have sacrificed her own life to be able to spare Serena this pain.
Endymion looked at the scene before him. His mother and father were in each others arms and Serena was being held in Serenity's comforting embrace. He smiled, knowing he was doing the right thing, even if he didn't survive.
He turned and walked into the middle of the battle, the scouts close behind him. It was time.
"Now." At the prince's command, the scouts unleashed their attacks. Flame, thunder, water and light blasted around him, causing enough damage to distract the Negaverse.
Taking a long, deep breath, Endymion reached inside of himself, calling forth the Golden Crystal. It hovered gently between his hands as he summoned its awesome power.
"EARTH GOLDEN CRYSTAL - POWER!"
Like a supernova it exploded, covering everything in an ethereal golden light and raising Endymion to hover high in the air. The enemy troops were vaporised as the light touched them, their screams reminding Serenity of that fateful night 15 years ago when her kingdom had been attacked and her life forever changed.
Soon the only bodies left were those belonging to fallen members of the decimated earth army. Gaia wept to see so many brave souls gone.
Then the golden light covered the bodies, lingering and pulsing for a moment. When the light receded, groans were heard as the fallen soldiers began to pull themselves to their feet. All who witnessed it were stunned out of words; the prince had saved them all from death.
The troops saved, Endymion turned his attention to the core of the Negaverse. He pushed the power forward, reaching into the dark heart of the Negaverse, to where Queen Serenity had released the full power of the Silver Crystal years ago. Now he released his own power, but not all of it. He used enough to destroy all that he saw, holding a great deal back for the destruction yet to come.
He kept pushing the power further and further in until it reached the solid mass that Serenity had thought was the end of their dominion. She had been mistaken, but Endymion had learned from her mistake.
Summoning every last reserve of power he threw his full strength at the walls. The intensity of the blast broke down the dark wall and flooded into the Negaverse's secret reserves, destroying them all. The power swept through and on again as he pushed the crystal to new limits. He sent the golden light throughout the galaxy, then further still into the rest of the universe. He sought them everywhere, destroying even the most distant trooper. No more would suffer because of this evil. He would not allow it.
He kept pushing, searching, until he was at last convinced that the Negaverse had truly been destroyed, that there was no chance of them ever coming back.
The task finally complete, he released his hold on the power.
Immediately his mind and body collapsed, unable to cope with the strain he had placed on it. It was a miracle he'd held out until the end.
With a final flash of light the crystal disappeared, and the young princes body crumpled lifeless to the ground.
A deathly hush descended on the world then, broken suddenly by a single heart-wrenching scream.
"ENDYMION!"
END CHAPTER 22
Yup, I'm baaaaaaaaaack! :) Hope (as always) it was worth the wait.
Many, many thanks to all those who have reviewed. You make me SO happy!
Maid for You - Chapter 22
Endymion gasped as the white light engulfed him. It encased him, preventing him from moving. The only sensation he could feel was Serena's arms wrapped around him. It seemed like an eternity until the light faded and he was released.
Still holding Serena in his arms he took in his surroundings.
The Negaverse cloud was nowhere to be seen, though he could still feel its presence. That they were still on Earth was certain. However, he had no idea where on the planet they had ended up.
"Endymion?" Serena's voice was muffled from having her face buried in his chest, but he could still hear the distress. "What's happening to me?" She all but whimpered. He looked down and gently pulled away so he could see her face. She was deathly pale and the fear was plain in her eyes.
"I do not know." He said softly. "But we will find out. You must be brave." She nodded.
"I will try. Where are we?" She asked. Endymion was silent as he looked around again. They were standing on a lush hilltop, a dense forest a little way behind them. From the hill downwards, fields were spread out as far as the eyes could see.
Endymion walked over to the nearest tree, placed his hand on the trunk and closed his eyes. A soft golden light emanated from him, and the tree shimmered in response. A moment later the light faded and his eyes opened.
"We are at the other end of the planet, near the Drifting Islands." He told her. Serena was amazed, both by his power and the distance that they had managed to travel, but said nothing and waited for him to continue. However, his next statement stopped her dead. "We cannot linger here. Serena, you have to take us back."
"Me?" She cried. "But I don't know how! I don't even know how I did it in the first place! I - I can't!" She looked at him, fear and uncertainty in her eyes, begging him not to ask this of her. He shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Serena, listen to me. You have to do this. Whatever happened, it isn't something I can use the Golden Crystal to duplicate. As far as I knew, such transports weren't even possible without a very complex spell - which I don't have. Right now, you are the only one who can get us back." He looked into the wide blue eyes. "My family is in danger Serena, my people are dying. I know you will not abandon them, I know you can do this. I believe in you." His pleading tone almost broke her heart and she knew she could not refuse him even though the last thing she wanted was to return to the battle.
"I will try." She whispered.
Holding tightly to him she closed her eyes and tried to summon the power within her, power she had not known she possessed. However no matter how hard she tried she could get no reaction. It was as if it had never existed.
"It's not working!" She cried out in frustration. "I can't do it, I've failed you!"
"No you haven't." He replied firmly. "You must have faith in yourself. I am here for you, do not forget that. I will try to help, guide your power with my own."
She offered him the smallest of smiles.
"Thank you." She mumbled and closed her eyes again.
She delved deep within herself, looking for the power while reaching out for Endymion's guiding, golden light.
All of a sudden she felt it, the power growing within her, getting stronger and stronger. She seized it, told it what she wanted.
In a great flash of gold-tinted white light, they disappeared.
The reappeared a moment later on the outskirts of the battle zone, where the war still raged.
Sol saw the flash of light and looked up. "Endymion!" He cried out in relief. He smiled at his wife whose own relief was obvious.
Endymion smiled down at Serena. "You see? I knew you could do it!" She smiled.
"Thank you." Endymion didn't respond as his eyes fell upon his parents, apparently unharmed.
"Praise the Gods." He muttered. He grabbed Serena's hand and ran through the battle to where they crouched amongst the rubble. Like the wind he flew by, cutting down any who dared to try and stop him. He was soon at his father's side, who was looking at him most strangely.
"Endymion, what happened?" He asked. "We were so worried!" His son gave him a wry half-smile.
"I'm not exactly sure. But now isn't the best time to try and explain it." He said.
"Agreed." Sol replied. "We are in a great deal of trouble. The Negaverse is decimating our forces. Our brave warriors are doing their best and Serenity's scouts have been invaluable, but they are all exhausted. We are outnumbered and outmatched. Simply put, we need a miracle to get us out of this."
There was silence for what seemed like an eternity as they huddled behind the rubble of a fallen wall, trying to come up with a solution.
Finally, Endymion spoke. "What about the Golden Crystal? If the Silver Crystal destroyed them last time surely the Golden Crystal can do it this time. After all, it is just as powerful." Sol considered his son's words.
"I don't know." He said slowly. "It has never been tried before."
"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing." Endymion replied. "We will soon find out if it works." He stood up and turned to the scouts. "I'll need you to cover for me while I power up."
Serena was staring at him, not comprehending what it was he was about to do. Serenity however, knew exactly what the consequences of his actions would be. It was suicide, pure and simple.
"No!" She cried out. They all turned to look at the horrified Moon Queen. "If you use the crystal for that, it will take all your energy! You are not strong enough, nobody is!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing, desperately didn't want him to make this sacrifice.
"You survived." He said quietly. Serenity shook her head.
"My grief gave me power. I was lucky." She said. Endymion sighed.
"Be that as it may, I still have to try. There are no other options and I cannot sit back and let the Negaverse win when I have the means to at least try and stop them." He looked around, his gaze lingering on his parents. "Please, say you understand."
Sol nodded, tears in his proud eyes. He knew his son spoke the truth. Gaia was already crying, like her husband she would not stop him, but wished with all her being that she could.
The implications of Endymion's coming actions finally penetrated Serena's stunned mind. "All his energy." Her eyes opened wide.
"NO!" She screamed, moving from his side to fling her arms around his neck. "You can't!"
"Serena." He murmured her name and drew her into a tender embrace, holding her for what could be the last time.
"No, please." She sobbed into his shoulder. "It's too dangerous. You can't go."
"I have to." He said gently. "I have to protect you, my family, my planet." He bent down and whispered in her ear. "And our baby." She looked at him, not caring who saw her tears as he continued to speak.
"I will always be with you." He vowed. "Even if you can't see me, or touch me, I'll be with you. In your heart, your mind and in the new life within you. We will never be apart, I swear it." He moved to place the gentlest of kisses on her lips.
"I love you." She sobbed, her body trembling. "I'll always love you. Oh Gods, please don't go!" She clung to him, trying to pull him away from the fate that was fast approaching.
Endymion shot a pain-filled look at his father. He understood and reluctantly stepped forward to pull the crying girl off of his son. He didn't want Endymion to go any more than Serena did.
She screamed and cried his name as Sol held her back.
Serenity's heart ached at the separation. To find her daughter alive after so long, only to have to watch her love taken away from her. Without hesitation she wrapped her arms around the distraught girl and held her tightly, cursing the fates that had stolen the power of the Silver Crystal, for she would gladly have sacrificed her own life to be able to spare Serena this pain.
Endymion looked at the scene before him. His mother and father were in each others arms and Serena was being held in Serenity's comforting embrace. He smiled, knowing he was doing the right thing, even if he didn't survive.
He turned and walked into the middle of the battle, the scouts close behind him. It was time.
"Now." At the prince's command, the scouts unleashed their attacks. Flame, thunder, water and light blasted around him, causing enough damage to distract the Negaverse.
Taking a long, deep breath, Endymion reached inside of himself, calling forth the Golden Crystal. It hovered gently between his hands as he summoned its awesome power.
"EARTH GOLDEN CRYSTAL - POWER!"
Like a supernova it exploded, covering everything in an ethereal golden light and raising Endymion to hover high in the air. The enemy troops were vaporised as the light touched them, their screams reminding Serenity of that fateful night 15 years ago when her kingdom had been attacked and her life forever changed.
Soon the only bodies left were those belonging to fallen members of the decimated earth army. Gaia wept to see so many brave souls gone.
Then the golden light covered the bodies, lingering and pulsing for a moment. When the light receded, groans were heard as the fallen soldiers began to pull themselves to their feet. All who witnessed it were stunned out of words; the prince had saved them all from death.
The troops saved, Endymion turned his attention to the core of the Negaverse. He pushed the power forward, reaching into the dark heart of the Negaverse, to where Queen Serenity had released the full power of the Silver Crystal years ago. Now he released his own power, but not all of it. He used enough to destroy all that he saw, holding a great deal back for the destruction yet to come.
He kept pushing the power further and further in until it reached the solid mass that Serenity had thought was the end of their dominion. She had been mistaken, but Endymion had learned from her mistake.
Summoning every last reserve of power he threw his full strength at the walls. The intensity of the blast broke down the dark wall and flooded into the Negaverse's secret reserves, destroying them all. The power swept through and on again as he pushed the crystal to new limits. He sent the golden light throughout the galaxy, then further still into the rest of the universe. He sought them everywhere, destroying even the most distant trooper. No more would suffer because of this evil. He would not allow it.
He kept pushing, searching, until he was at last convinced that the Negaverse had truly been destroyed, that there was no chance of them ever coming back.
The task finally complete, he released his hold on the power.
Immediately his mind and body collapsed, unable to cope with the strain he had placed on it. It was a miracle he'd held out until the end.
With a final flash of light the crystal disappeared, and the young princes body crumpled lifeless to the ground.
A deathly hush descended on the world then, broken suddenly by a single heart-wrenching scream.
"ENDYMION!"
END CHAPTER 22