Hi guys sorry for the long wait, I took a slight break from writing, but now I'm back. I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait and for those of you who have been waiting so patiently for me to write a new chapter to She Who Must Stand Alone, I promise to have one out some time this week. Enjoy and please review.
The Heart Remembers/Chapter 40
Jedite quickly followed the sounds of the fight. It sounded like a full-fledged battle was taking place, and yet to his knowledge none of the others had been summoned to fight, he knew that he hadn't been. If only he hadn't been so caught up in Zosite and what she was plotting perhaps he would have realized sooner what was going on. Then there was the matter of that strange vision he had, he couldn't make out much but there was no mistaken those eyes, they were Zosite's eyes. But he never saw her face only those eyes and for a moment it seemed that those eyes didn't go with that face, talk about weird huh.
Perhaps he really was turning into a mental case he winced as he thought about it wouldn't that thrill the dark prince to no end.
Arrogant bastard he grumbled to himself he was starting to think he liked him better when he was a goody too shoes. He started to chuckle at that little piece of irony when a sudden sharp pain stole his breath and caused him to stumbled. He caught himself on a near by tree and hung on for dear life as he was bombarded with fierce wide-ranging emotions from confusion and fear to anger and despair. "Not again" he managed to grumble, before his mind was flooded with images, images that flashed before his eyes, nothing more really then a blur of colors.
Dammit what was going on? Why was he suddenly being cursed with these visions; visions which made no sense and where he couldn't even begin to understand what he was seeing.
He shuddered and realized that he was cold, should he be? The cold had never bothered him before; it had been so long since he had felt anything that it was all a little disconcerting. He was use to being numb; it was after all how he had survived for so long. But now he was not only feeling the cold but emotions as well. Emotions were dangerous, feeling emotions meant that you were aware, aware of your surroundings and of your situation. And with that awareness came fear, it ate at his gut and threatened to overwhelm him.
He raised his hands and pressed them against his prison. He had to focus; he couldn't afford to lose control now, not after all this time. He fought back his fear even as he felt the bitter chill settling down into his body. But he knew that he had no choice into the matter to give into his fear now would only lead to madness.
Jedite cried out as he slunk down to the ground his body shaking with uncontrollable tremors, but whether from the cold or from the terrible knowledge that these thoughts were not his own he couldn't have said.
He tried to focus his own thoughts and to somehow banish the thoughts of the other, whoever the hell he was, hoping that by doing so he could remember what it felt like to be warm. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn't break free. Which didn't surprise him too much, after all how could he break a connection with someone when he didn't know who the hell that someone was or even why he was connected to him in the first place?
"Dammit." He swore as he body continued to shake with tremors, he couldn't stand even if he wanted to, he hated being helpless and he hated this streak of bad luck he seemed to be having. Sitting on the ground half propped up against a tree wasn't the best place to have this little episode either. He wished that he could have at least collapsed in a spot that had just a little less shade. There wasn't much he wouldn't give right now to feel the sun on his face. He couldn't remember ever being as cold as he did now, his body was nearly numb, having almost lost all feeling in it.
And as he lay there in the shade, his body suffering from a terribly cold, on what was indeed a fine summers day, his lips twisted into a semblance of a smile, as the full irony of the situation hit him.
"Mars." he breathed softly. Now that was one Sailor Scout who had a temper to match her power, both were explosive and both could scorch a man and leave him bleeding, if he wasn't careful. Her fire was exactly what he needed at a time where he was beginning to believe he would never be warm again, but would she use her power to save him, he believed she would.
He could picture it in his mind, the way she would stand over him with her hands on her hip and a look of anger and disgust on her face, but he'd be able to see passed that to the fear and concern. His eyes widened at his own words. Fear? Concern? He let out a wheezing laugh wondering where that ludicrous thought had come from. He didn't know what had possessed him, to think that Mars would feel anything for him but hatred was ludicrous. The cold was obviously affecting his mind.
Yes he thought frowning down at himself his mind was definitely playing tricks on him, which would explain why he not only felt as if he were growing warmer but he thought his body was beginning to give off a strange sort light.
It took him a few minutes to realize that he wasn't imagining it, that he was in fact getting warmer, and that his body was definitely glowing. The light show didn't last for long and when it finally faded he found that the connection to the other individual had been broken and much to his surprise he found that relief wasn't the only emotion that he was experiencing. He also found himself feeling a little disconcerted, as well as sympathetic, he had gotten a small taste of what that person was going through but he was familiar with hell and knew that whoever he was he was in a living hell and he had his sympathies from one who knew what it was like.
He got to his feet, the effects of the cold or whatever he had been experiencing had worn off and he found he was back to his full strength. Wasting no more time he spun on his heels and started towards the battle, something inside him screamed at him to hurry, and considering everything that had happened to him today he was not about to ignore the feeling.
When he came upon the battlefield he froze, hidden out of sight he stood there captivated by what he was seeing. It seemed that the fighting was over, the Dark Prince was on the ground on his knees facing the Sailor Scouts but no one was attacking. He took a step forward and stopped, that same voice inside him that had been telling him to hurry was now telling him to wait, to hide his presence, and to watch and listen.
……………….
Sammy, Luna and Artemis all held their collective breaths as a strange light began to emanate from the room where the others were fighting. The three of them where at the end of the hall well out of the way of the fighting, stuck between wanting to help and being unable too. Luna and Artemis with their acute hearing had been able to keep track of what was going on up until the room had fallen silent. They had no idea where that power was coming from, but they knew that Serena was the one the others were fighting and the sudden flare of this power made them nervous. They knew that it wasn't the power of the Imperial Crystal but in some ways it felt familiar.
"We have to do something." Sammy insisted; unaware of what was happening inside. He was restless, tired of sitting back and doing nothing, he knew that there was little if anything he could do against such forces as the Negaverse but knowing and accepting it were two different matters. There had to be something that he could do to help, how would he ever know unless he tried? His sister and his niece were in that room, not to mention Nephlite and Malachite who in a short period of time had come to mean something to him as well.
Luna glanced nervously down the hall and then up at Sammy, she and Artemis hadn't revealed to him that it was Serena the others were confronting, and now was definitely not the time to tell him
"There's nothing that we can do." Artemis remarked soberly "We just have to hope that Nephlite and Malachite can hold their own until the Scouts return." Although he was nervous as well there was something about that light that seemed familiar and non-threatening.
"We would only get in the way." Luna agreed, as her thoughts ran along the same lines as Artemis. "Our best course of action is too wait… hey where are you going?" she yelped as Sammy suddenly took off running.
Sammy didn't answer her but just continued running down the hall, once he reached the room he didn't hesitate but went right in, raising his arm instinctively as the light hit his eyes, he waited a moment before slowly lowering his arm and found to his surprise that although bright the light didn't hurt his eyes, but what he saw once he lowered his arm caused him more pain then anything else ever could.
It was his sister. She was standing in the middle of the room looking off to his right, only he couldn't take his eyes off her long enough to see what she was looking at. He had expected to face down one of beryl's remaining generals or a least the Dark prince not his sister. He finally dragged his eyes away to look towards the bed a small lingering hope dying as he saw a pale and obviously still weak Serenity laying on the bed, watching everything with a weird expression on her face.
"Serena" he breathed and turned back to look at his sister. He had known the moment he saw her that she was indeed his sister and that she wasn't here to be reunited with her friends and family, but that she had some other dark purpose in mind. He didn't know if he could explain why he felt as he did, he just knew that this was his sister and yet she was different, different in a way that was undetectable with the naked eye, and only some who knew her and who she was would be able to see the changes in her.
She stood there with her arm raised, blocking out the light. Did it hurt her? Was this just another sign in how she had changed? He stepped further into the room unsure what he planned to do now that he knew that his sister was the enemy they were facing He stopped as his sister suddenly stumbled back and cried out in pain.
Darien, he heard her cry out and followed her gaze; that was when he saw them, and he couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed them until now. He stood there once again stunned by what he was seeing. Off to his right Nephlite, Endymion and Malachite were kneeling on the floor, both Nephlite and Malachite had their arms clasped around Endymion but the most surprising thing of all was that they were all glowing.
He heard the shocked gasps of Luna and Artemis and knew that they had followed him; they to appeared to be just as surprised as he was as to what they were seeing. It was amazing, but more surprising was that he hadn't noticed when he first walked in; his mind had been so focused on seeing his sister that everything else had faded into the background.
He had to force himself to look away from that astonishing sight so that he could once again concentrate his attention on his sister.
He opened his mouth to call out to her, he wanted her to look at him to dispel this awful feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when he looked at her, to diminish the pain in his heart, but before he could say a word she simply vanished.
He blinked his eyes rapidly telling himself that it wasn't possible, that she couldn't just vanish into thin air.
He took a step towards the spot where she had been standing when the light Endymion, Nephlite and Malachite were giving off suddenly flared, shinning more brightly then before and then just as suddenly as Serena had disappeared so did the light. He turned his head and watched as the three of them collapsed back onto the floor.
He started towards them until he heard Serenity's weak cry. "Endymion?" he quickly changed directions and hurried over to her and if it was possibly she looked even more pale now then she did before.
Sammy sat down on the edge of the bed and helped her to sit up. He heard Luna cry out "What happened?" and turned his head around to look at them. Nephlite and Malachite had risen to their feet but where leaning back against the wall for support but Endymion was still laid out flat on the floor the rapid rise and fall of his chest clearly convening the state he was in.
"Endymion" Serenity whispered achingly, wanting to go to him, but unable to. Instead she looked up into Sammy's worried eyes and tried a smile for his sake, "What were you thinking barging in here like that, you could have been hurt."
Sammy was ashamed at the tears that sprang to his eyes; he wanted to be strong for her, especially now when she needed him the most. But it was getting harder and harder to suppress his emotions. Ever since that fateful day when their whole world crumbled and he was left to carry the secret of there past he had built a wall around his heart and fought hard to control his emotions. It had been the only way he had been able to carry such a heavy burden.
But now that wall was crumbling and he couldn't build it back up fast enough to keep the tears from falling. There was no hope for it, after everything that had happened this last week, being with his brother again after all this time, seeing that his niece Rini was alive and once again existed in this world was enough to crack the wall guarding his heart and emotions but now after seeing his beloved sister, seeing what she had become, knowing that there was nothing he could do for, just like the last time was all too much for him.
Serenity saw his pain and reached out to him "Sammy?" she questioned gently.
Sammy shook his head unable to speak, unwilling to spill his fears and uncertainties and place them all on her dainty shoulders, which already bore so much.
Serenity put her arms around her brother and drew him down onto the bed and there they held onto each other like they use to do when they were small children, one afraid of the dark and the other terrified of storms, but each to proud to run to there parents instead choosing to seek comfort in the arms of there sibling, so that they could face there fears together.
……………..
Jedite was astonished at what he was witnessing, he never thought he'd see the day when the Sailor Scouts would be willing to sacrifice and innocent, and not just any innocent but there prince and future king.
It was hard to take in and he'd been here almost from the beginning. He had witnessed Darien's return but had no idea how they had managed to pull it off, it was just his luck to miss that part of the action. All he knew is that the dark energy in the Dark Prince had begun to recede, how or why he couldn't say but the man kneeling before the Scouts was one he never thought he'd see again. Darien; also known as Endymion the prince of the Earth, and Tuxedomask to name a few. But the celebration it seemed was destined to be brief, as it seemed that the darkness that now resided within Darien was not to be so easily conquered and was rapidly regaining strength with each second that passed.
Darien wasn't thrilled of course but even he couldn't have imagined the lengths he would be willing to go, to see that the darkness didn't gain control again.
He wanted the Sailor Scouts to kill him, to strike him down while the Dark Prince was helpless to prevent it. And man oh man, he thought that he was crazy, but he never considered ending his own life and he sure didn't refer to himself in the second person. Darien talked as if he and the Dark Prince were two different people, but they weren't. The dark prince was Darien but a more sinister one then they were use to.
But still he was there prince and future king so you could have knocked him over with a feather when he saw that they were actually considering it.
Oh some hid it better then others and some were ashamed for actually thinking it but one or two were seriously considering it. He was stunned he couldn't believe it, so they didn't remember the guy, they still knew who he was.
This was crazy. This was something that wasn't suppose to happen, didn't they know that they were breaking the rules, after all the script never changes, it's the same story over and over again, the good guys always save the day and they always do so without having to sacrifice an innocent. It was something he always found to be annoying but nonetheless true.
It was obvious to him that they had all taken leave of their senses. Mercury at least saw that what Darien was suggesting was wrong, but Uranus seemed to be taking the matter seriously and in fact she seemed all prepared to go through with it.
He was left stunned and totally flabbergasted. The Dark Prince who had managed to survive everything he had thrown at him as well as everything Beryl had done was now going to be destroyed by one of his own Sailor Scouts, the very one who had sworn to protect him and the royal family.
He didn't know what to do. If he stayed back and did nothing the Dark Prince would be destroyed, which would work in his favor. If the Dark Prince were dead then he wouldn't have to spend his days looking over his shoulder, dreading the day that the Dark Prince would seek out his revenge. He knew as things stood now he was living on borrowed time and that the day would come when the dark prince would come searching for his blood. For his past crimes against Serena there could be no mercy, no forgiveness. It was all just a matter of time.
Letting him die now at the hands of his own Sailor Scouts was the perfect solution and the answer to his prayers. So why in heaven was if even considering putting a stop to all this nonsense?
He shook his head at his own stupidity. Just think about how much simpler life would be with the Dark Prince gone, and all you had to do, was to do nothing. Don't think about how devastated Serena would be, she'll get over it. Don't think about how wrong this feels to you, you're a minion of darkness you relish in face of other peoples pain, you think of no one but yourself and nobody…ah hell he groaned to himself as he watched Uranus begin preparing her attack, and just before he stepped in to save the life of the man who wanted to see him dead he had enough time to ask himself once again, what in the hell was wrong with him?
………………..
Nephlite felt like he was in some sort of daze on one level he was aware that Serena was gone and that Sammy, Luna and Artemis had entered the room but his mind was still trying to grasp what happened even as his body tried to recover from the ordeal it had just went through.
The three of them, him Malachite and Endymion had summoned an awesome power and he for one had no clue how they had done it. He could remember seeing Serena reach out for Endymion and being filled with a sense of urgency and a feeling of protectiveness had swept over him and without even thinking about he reached for Endymion. He and Nephlite who obviously was feeling of like mind grabbed hold of him at the same time, starting a reaction that none of them expected. They had glowed with a power that was different and yet similar which together fit like pieces of a puzzle.
A power, which had sent the new Queen of the Negaverse scurrying for cover and he believed he knew why. The power they had produced had been warm and welcoming, pure. He could understand why it hurt her to even look at it, with the dark energy of the Negaverse running through her body he could imagine how it must of felt to her.
He glanced down at the floor and noticed that Endymion was beginning to wake up, maybe now they could finally get some answers.
………………….
Serena looked back and forth between Darien and Jedite warily. "What do you mean? What happened?"
"Endymion." Darien hissed causing Serena to pale.
"Darien?" she breathed, feeling uncertain in the face of his anger, she reached up to touch his face and in his anger, he jerked his head back, rejecting her touch.
Serena shivered, it seemed ominous somehow that twice in one day as she reached for him she was left grasping nothing but air. She expected that he might be a little put out when he learned what she was keeping from him, but she never expected this and she never would have dreamed that he would pull away from her touch.
Jedite stood uncertain beside them. It wasn't any of his business but she was his Queen and the Dark Prince was in a mood a black as his name. Looking at the Dark Prince he would have sworn that he was incapable of hurting her but looking at her now seeing her pain he realized how wrong he was. And if he was wrong about that- "My Queen," he began only to fall silently as the dark prince let out a low threatening growl.
"Leave us!" the Dark Prince commanded harshly, never once taking his eyes off Serena.
Jedite hesitated even as he realized that by doing so he was endangering his life. The Dark prince demanded immediate obedience and unfaltering loyalty, neglecting to meet any of these things to his satisfaction resulted in ones immediate death. This is what he knew to be true and yet he still hesitated, reluctant to leave Serena alone with the dark prince while he was in this dark dangerous mood.
His eyes still locked with Serena's he questioned softly "Are you disobeying me?"
"No he's not." Serena replied quickly, while she appreciated Jedite's concern she didn't save his life only to have him die now, trying to protect her from the one person who she didn't need to be protected from. This situation was all her fault to begin with, she should have told Darien the truth before now. "Do as your Prince commanded, Jedite."
Jedite gave them both a stiff bow, and then reluctantly vanished leaving them alone.
"It seems you've managed to strike a cord of loyalty in our Jedite." The Dark Prince's mouth twisted bitterly "It's ironic that he should finally show some at a time when I find yours lacking."
Serena felt his words hit her like an open hand. "Don't say such things." she whispered brokenly "I know you see my actions as some sort of betrayal but you have to know that I didn't see it that way at the time."
"How else could you see it?" he roared angrily. He was shaking with fury, angry with her for betraying him and not even bothering to deny it, and angry with himself for hoping that she would. Disgusted with himself he pushed her away.
"Darien." she cried shocked, and wide-eyed she starred up at him and felt the beginnings of fear, oh not of him but of something far more terrifying, she feared that by keeping this secret she might have accomplished what so many others had sought to do, which is was to cause a rift between them. While it was true that they shared an unbreakable bond, but if she lost his trust and his love the bond between them would be meaningless. She sacrifice anything even their special bond to keep his trust and more importantly his love.
How could things have gotten this bad? She was actually afraid. She thought that she was merely playing a harmless game. She never dreamed that it could turn into a fight to save everything that she had so desperately struggled to hold onto. "I know that I should have told you the truth, and I was going to…." she began only to stop on a chocked cry as he turned away from her.
He couldn't stand to look at her anymore; it hurt too much. God; how it hurt. His situation was simply priceless, that he who barely cared for anything or anyone could love her so much and grieve so harshly over her betrayal.
He existed in darkness; it filled him and prolonged his existence. He shared that darkness with her, afraid of losing her he had made her into what she was, into who she was going to be, but despite that she was his light, the one thing he treasured, the only thing that he couldn't do without. He didn't remember there life before he became the Dark Prince, he didn't share her memories of there life together before now but he couldn't see how he could have loved her any more then, then he did now. She was everything to him.
But she obviously didn't feel the same, his love had tried to destroy him. Why? Was it because she couldn't have her precious Darien back were the memories of the past more precious then the ones they had created together?
"Why Serena?" he implored achingly his voiced laced with the pain he fought to suppress. "Why couldn't you love me?"
Serena starred at him in stunned amazement, unable to believe what she was hearing. What was he saying? There was no one she loved more, no one she needed more then the man standing before her. Didn't he know that she would be lost without him, couldn't he see that he meant everything to her, which was why she did what she did. She couldn't allow him to sacrifice himself again, not for her.
She came up behind him and touched his back, flinching when he stiffened at her touch. "I know you're angry but how can you even think that I don't love you. I have loved you for two lifetimes and in many forms. I've loved you as Endymion, as Tuxedomask, and then as Darien." She moved closer to him and pressed her cheek against his back" You might not remember our past but surely you haven't forgotten how we were drawn together, you and I, two people who were suppose to be enemies but instead fell in love."
"You talk sweet words" he remarked soberly and each one warmed his heart but he couldn't afford to forget what she'd done. "But your actions speak for themselves. You kept your knowledge of Endymion to yourself and I don't have to ask you where you were this afternoon."
Serena was silent for a moment, his reaction to all this was so confusing she didn't understand it. She thought she understood his anger but she didn't. She knew that she had hurt him by keeping secrets but what could she have done to make him doubt her love?
"Are you angry that I kept his existence a secret or that I went to see him."
He gave a bitter laugh. "If only it were that simple," he replied confusing Serena even more.
Serena jerked back and grabbed him by the arm, attempting to turn him towards her. But he remained stiff and unyielding "Darien please." she pleaded tugging at his arm.
Darien turned and looked down at her. Swearing when he the pain in her eyes and the tears that marred her cheeks. He grabbed her arms in a fierce grip and shook her roughly "Dammit, how dare you look at me that way. You have no right to make me feel guilty, not after what you tried to do." she opened her mouth to answer but he didn't give her the chance instead he crushed her mouth beneath his own in a punishing brutal kiss. "Damn you." he choked and kissed her again only this time with none of the anger, nothing but need and desperation. "Love me," he murmured over and over again between each heated kiss.
"I do, I do." she cried desperately, needing him to believe her. She sensed that there was something going on something she had yet to grasp but she couldn't think, she could only respond to his need, his desperation.
He lowered her to the ground, leaning over her he swore, "You're mine; the past is the past." His eyes filled with a dark promise as he reached for her. "I'll make you love me."
Serena opened her mouth prepared to tell him once again that she did love him but before she could speak the words, he was kissing her. She closed her eyes losing herself in his embrace, her tears going unnoticed, and if she would have but known, his as well.
………………..
Once the Scouts entered the temple they knew that something was terribly wrong.
"Endymion!"
"Sammy!"
"Luna!"
"Malachite!"
"Artemis!"
"Serenity!"
"Nephlite!"
"Rini!"
"I found them" Mercury announced and started off running, the others quickly followed behind her. When they barged into the room where Serenity and Rini were staying they saw many sights that boggled the mind. For one, Serenity was awake, but looked on the verge of collapsing and Sammy was sitting on the bed next to her supporting her weight as she leaned back against him.
Then the only had to turn their heads to see Nephlite and Malachite leaning heavily against the wall looking like they'd just tangled with the devil and didn't know whether they won or lost.
As for Endymion he lay on the floor, the rapid rise and fall of his chest giving some clue to his condition.
"What happened?"
Luna and Artemis rushed over to them. "It was the enemy." Luna cried
"Was it Zosite?" Venus asked a puzzled look on her face. She thought that Zosite would be out of the picture for a while, Jedite had made it seem that she was in trouble and she just assumed that they wouldn't be plagued by her presence.
"Umm no." Artemis replied while looking very anxious.
"Will you two just spit it out." Jupiter barked, she held her hands fisted at her side. She had a nasty suspicion that she knew who there visitor had been after all they had just left the dark prince and Jedite and if it hadn't been Zosite then that left one person it could have been the only person that could make Artemis and Luna anxious and hesitate in naming.
"Oh damn." Mars murmured suddenly feeling light on her feet.
"I don't believe it," Mercury whispered.
Venus frowned at them knowing that she was missing something. She looked over at Uranus and Neptune and they also looked upset. What was going on why was everyone suddenly upset its not like it was-oh, right she thought soberly as everything became clear.
"No one could have known that this would happen and so soon." Luna told them quietly as she saw that she didn't need to tell them who their surprise visitor had been.
"I should have."
They all turned to see Endymion on his feet with Nephlite and Malachite holding him steady with one hand gripping each of Endymion's arms.
Endymion looked at them with haunted eyes. "There were things that I could have done risks I could have taken but I…" he looked over at Serenity and there eyes met in her gaze he saw understanding and unwavering love, he had to look away, he felt undeserving of such feelings.
"Will someone explain what's been going on?"
Endymion opened his mouth to tell them everything when another voice stopped him.
"I think our questions will have to wait until another time."
"Pluto." They exclaimed
"Can you stop doing that," Mars hollered. She hated when she just popped in like that from out of nowhere.
Pluto looked at her with impassive eyes. "I apologize if my sudden appearance has unnerved you but there was simply no choice in the matter it is imperative that both Endymion and Serenity are left to regain there strength, they're too vulnerable in their present state."
"Pluto's right." Luna agreed, both Serenity and Endymion were in no condition to face their counter parts and if they were going to win this fight they needed them both "Lets go into the other room and we'll tell you what happened."
"Serenity's asleep." Sammy announced in a small voice.
Endymion gently shrugged away the hands holding him and approached the bed.
Sammy looked at him with sorrowful eyes. "I wanted to help her, but theirs nothing I can do."
Endymion placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Just being here is a comfort to her, I know that it is to me."
Sammy blinked back fresh tears and lowered his sister down gently onto the bed.
Endymion dropped his hand off his shoulder. "Thanks." he muttered huskily once Sammy had gotten to his feet. Sammy nodded his head and followed the others out of the room closing the room behind him and leaving Endymion alone with his family.
…………………….
Jedite secretly watched Malachite make his way to Zosite's room, He couldn't figure out what was going on but he hoped he was correct when he said that the Dark prince and his Queen knew that Malachite was here. It wasn't like he could check. He chewed his bottom lip still disturbed about leaving Serena alone with the Dark Prince. His instincts told him that despite the dark prince's anger he wouldn't hurt her, but with all the strange things that had been going on with him lately he wasn't sure if he could trust those instincts anymore.
Speaking of strange things how could malachite have known that something strange had happened to him today? Perhaps later when he was a little less worried about Serena and a little less wary of a trap he'd ask him.
"Jedite."
……………..
Endymion waited until the door closed behind Nephlite before he opened his eyes. That was the second time Nephlite had checked up on him and he hoped that would be his last for a while. He rose to his feet hissing as he swayed on his feet. Now was not the time to go off confronting the Dark Prince but he really had no choice in the matter, what happened today had proven that.
He looked down at Serenity and gave a small tired sigh, which spoke volumes. He was glad that she was once again resting peacefully and wished he could join her in her slumber, but he had a soul that could not rest, not until he made certain that what happened today could never happen again.
He ran a tired hand over his face, he ached all over and felt about as weak as a newborn kitten, all the doubts and uncertainties clouding his mind were sapping his remaining strength as surely and nearly as effective as Serena's method. If he didn't get a grip he'd be of no use to anyone.
He still couldn't fathom how he could have been so careless. After Serena had left the fog that had settled over him had lifted allowing him to see clearly what had happened and what he had almost allowed to happen. He wanted to throw his head back and howl, too pound his fist into the wall until the pain overshadowed the pain in his heart. He couldn't go on like this, if it hadn't been for Nephlite and Malachite Serena would have succeeded in her plan to rejoin him with the dark prince and in his weakened condition he would have quickly succumbed to the darkness sealing not only his fate but Serena's and the rest of the world as well.
Now they wanted answers, answers to questions that were a long time coming, but some he wasn't sure he was ready to give.
Darien had sacrificed himself to save Serena and then he had created him to keep the darkness at bay, to protect Serena from the real threat, Darien was that threat. He had been a fool to think that he could work things out so that they could be together again. He had no right to gamble with Serena's soul, which was now endanger of being engulfed by the darkness of the Negaverse. It wouldn't be long now, he had seen how far along the darkness had spread. He was the only one who could stop it, and now that Serena had her memories back and was determined to stop him, his options were limited.
As it stood he barely had a chance in hell of defeating the Dark Prince but there was more then one way to achieve his goal. He was a part of Darien, an extension of his power, in this form he was known as Endymion but he had many, he could become Tuxedomask, as well as the moonlight knight. Each form had their usefulness but in this battle he preferred this one, the power of Tuxedomask and moonlight knight paled in comparison to that of the Prince of Earth. The Dark Prince might be able to connect with the earth but it was he who had the knowledge and the memories that would be able to harvest that power when and if he needed it.
He couldn't wait any longer, if he planned to leave without the others knowing he had to leave now before Nephlite decided to check up on him again. "Forgive me Serena," he rasped, choked up with barely suppressed emotions that threatened to split him in two. He sat down next to her on the bed and wished he could take her hand in his, to have that one last touch. "I have to do this. You and I both know that it's the only way. I know that you'll come to realize that in time." he paused and had to take a deep calming breath before he could continue. "And maybe when you do, you'll finally be able to forgive me for what I'm about to do."
He looked down at her sleeping face; she was so beautiful, he wanted to take this image with him, to remind him what he was fighting for, so that he wouldn't forget what needed to be done. "The day I walked away from you my heart turned to stone, even in this form it was an unbearable weight in my chest that nothing could appease. When I first saw you in this form and realized what you had done the weight became more bearable. You brought me hope, even in my most, darkest of hours."
He leaned towards her. "You have always been there when I needed you." He gazed longingly at her lips knowing that he would never again taste their sweetness. "I love you, now and for always." He moved his head and placed a kiss on Rini's temple.
He leaned back to look down at her tiny face. She looked so much like her mother; filled with all encompassing love he whispered softly. "I'm so proud of you Rini, and I'm sorry that I want be able to keep my promise, and be here when you wake up, I hope some day you'll be able understand and forgive me for that." He looked back at Serena. "I know you'll explain it to her my love, you'll tell her that what I did, I did for the both of you. You'll make her understand, I know you will."
With one last look at the two of them he rose to his feet. "I'm going now." He headed towards the door; there was one thing left that he had to do before he left.
"Daddy?"
Endymion froze. He turned around slowly.
"Daddy?" Rini murmured sleepily only half awake, she was so tired all she wanted to do was close her eyes and go back to sleep but something wouldn't let her, a feeling that she had, which told her not to let her father leave, to call him back to her and her mother.
This feeling scared her, as it filled her with a terrible sense of urgency,
"Daddy I'm scared." She whimpered and held her arms out to him.
Endymion hurried over to her side and swooped her up and into his arms "Hush pumpkin, Daddy's here, there's nothing to be scared of."
Rini circled her arms around his neck. She looked at him with scared tear filled eyes. "Can I sleep with you and Mommy?"
Endymion blinked his eyes rapidly and had to clear his throat twice before he could speak. "Daddy has to go pumpkin, but mommy's here."
"No! Daddy No," she cried desperately as the tears fell down her cheeks. "Don't leave me," she sobbed, "Please Daddy…I'll be good…I swear"
"Rini," he murmured huskily as he gently brushed away her tears. He was torn, he couldn't stay and yet he couldn't leave. By staying he would be putting everything he loved in jeopardy but leaving would break his little girl's heart. "Shhhh" he whispered against her forehead. "Daddy's not going anywhere."
Rini gave a small hiccup and rested her head on her fathers shoulder. The terrible urgency inside her had dissipated and in her fathers arms she once again felt safe and comforted. "I love you daddy."
Endymion sighed as he climbed into the bed. "I love you too pumpkin." He placed her down between him and Serenity. Rini gave a tiny sigh and curled up against him, placing her head on his chest.
"Mommy's cold." Rini mumbled, reaching back she grabbed her mother's hand. Serenity turned towards Rini in her sleep and snuggled up against their daughters back.
He looked at them both as they slept, silent tears running down his face. It was some time before he could join them in their slumber.
…………………………
Mercury sighed for the millionth time, how were they suppose to have a meeting when everyone just seemed to disappear she couldn't find Mars, Venus, Jupiter or even Malachite and Nephlite. She had no idea what could be going on but this was hardly the time to do a disappearing act. With another sigh she took out her mini computer it was time to find some wayward flock.
………………..
Jupiter blinked her eyes open lazily. It took her a moment to focus her thoughts and when she did she realized that she was lying on the ground curled up on her side, her eyes widened as she remembered everything that happened and how she happened to be here.
She groaned and closed her eyes, part in embarrassment and part dismay. She shook her head in disgust and felt the smooth texture of fabric against her cheek. She opened her eyes and brought her hand up to touch it, and realized that her head was resting on a shirt. Nuzzling it, she took in a deep breath. It was Nephlite's; his scent was all over it.
She rubbed her face against it, content for the moment to just lie there and soak in his scent. She loved the way he smelled.
He was so sweet, using his own shirt for a make shift pillow. He was so thoughtful and she was such an idiot she thought wincing, how could she fall asleep on him? Fallen asleep? She gasped in horror oh no she actually fell asleep on him. What must he be thinking? How could she go and fall asleep on him like that?
She jerked upright determined to find him and somehow make amends, and doing so met the amused gaze of the very man she'd been thinking about. She blushed as she realized that he'd been here this whole time. She was filled with all kinds of conflicting emotions, ranging from embarrassment, excitement to anticipation. She gave him a smile that was part chagrin and part beguiling and said. "I fell asleep."
Nephlite, who was lazing comfortably at her feet, shrugged his shoulders. "You needed your rest, it's been a rough week."
"Hummm." Jupiter murmured not having heard a word that just came out of his mouth; she was too busy starring at his impressively wide shoulders and his equally impressive chest, his bare chest.
Nephlite noticed her starring at his chest and got abruptly to his feet as he was instantly reminded of his state of undress.
Jupiter starred at him in bemusement, becoming calm as she watched the unflappable Nephlite begin to fidget. She never knew that he could get nervous, didn't believe that anything could fluster him or cause him to lose his composure.
Nephlite couldn't believe it. She made him feel like a schoolboy with his first crush. Ever since that first kiss, he'd been off kilter. And as for their second, it had taken the smell of something burning to bring him back to his senses, and even then he only allowed her enough time to turn everything off before he took her into his arms again.
He had known that she was something special and that she would change his life he hadn't needed the stars to tell him that. He just never dreamed how she would ultimately affect him.
With the smell of their burnt dinner hanging in the air he swung her up in his arms and carried her outside. Finding a secluded spot, he laid her down on the grass, not releasing his hold on her he covered her body with his own.
Later after she fell had fallen asleep in his arms he had felt a disturbance in the air, although he was reluctant to leave her he knew he had no choice but to investigate, especially after everything that had happened today and so he left but not before he removed his shirt and placed it beneath her head.
He walked off until he found an open space where the sky and the stars that encompassed them were unhindered by trees, there he communed with the stars, searching not only for the source of the disturbance but answers about what had happened earlier today. Something told him the answers to his last question lay not with the stars but with Endymion and perhaps with himself. But wherever the answers may lie, he would find them.
Once he learned everything that he could he had returned to her, troubled by what he had learned. Settling down at her feet, he watched her as she slept and that simple action was enough to ease the tension in his shoulders and relax the knot in his stomach. She had come to mean so much to him in such a short period of time, she made him feel so much things he never thought he could or would feel for anyone and now she was awake and looking at him as if he were one of those sweets she was so fond of making, it made him want to take her in his arms all over again but he was also aware that things were moving fast between them and that she still had doubts and insecurities that needed to be addressed before they could move forward.
"Jupiter." He began only to stop short, his body tensing as he felt the presence of another.
……………………………………………………………………..
Mercury sucked in a startled breath, as Nephlite swung around his body ready to spring into action, his eyes lit with the fire to fight and too protect.
"Mercury?"
Mercury startled eyes went to Jupiter who was rising up off the ground and her eyes went back to Nephlite, now that he didn't look ready to take her head off she noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt. It took her a minute to realize that she was starring, which caused her to blush, which caused Jupiter to let out a little snicker.
Jupiter looked at Mercury and couldn't blame her for starring, Nephlite with his shirt on was magnificent; Nephlite with his shirt off was simply mind blowing and would send any girl into a daze.
"I…I" Mercury stammered, red with embarrassment, while promising herself that she would make Jupiter pay in some way or form for that little snicker finally got the words out which she wanted to say. "I've been looking for everyone, Endymion is awake and ready to talk."
Nephlite shock his head trying to focus his thoughts, for that one moment when he thought that he had actually let the enemy get close, when he believed that Jupiter might be in danger he had felt more beast then man, ready to tear apart anyone who threatened her.
Jupiter stood up and handed Nephlite his shirt. As Nephlite took it from her there eyes met and held, promising with his eyes that they would finish later after everything else had been settled.
Mercury felt the heat climbing up the back of her neck at the look the two of them shared, beginning to feel like a voyeur she quickly looked away not wanting to intrude further on what was obviously a private moment.
"Are the others waiting as well?"
Mercury looked over at Nephlite thankful to see that he was once again wearing his shirt. "Actually I couldn't find anyone for awhile, then I thought to use my mini computer to trace them through their com-links. Mars and Jupiter were the only ones wearing there's. I found Mars and she's probably found Venus by now, I have no idea where Malachite could be."
Nephlite gave her a sharp look. "Malachite's missing?"
Mercury frowned "Well I wouldn't say he's missing I just haven't been able to find him."
"That's not like him." Nephlite stated thoughtfully "After what happened this afternoon he would have wanted to stay close."
Jupiter walked up behind him and placed her hand at the base of his back and started rubbing it in a calm soothing manner.
Nephlite looked over at her with an amused twinkle in his eye. Jupiter catching his look blushed and dropped her hand. She didn't know what came over her. She had reacted to the concern in his voice and had responded in a way that suggested they were very familiar with each other.
Nephlite caught her hand and smiled as her face turned an even deeper shade of red. He found to his surprise that he had to bite back a laugh, he was never one who laughed or smiled a lot; usually when he smiled someone would start running. Enjoying this new feeling he headed back towards the temple with her hand still in his.
………………………………..
Serena woke to find herself alone. She sat up and looked around but didn't see any sign of Darien. "Darien?" she called out hesitantly and when she got no response she knew that he was gone. She reached for her dress that was lying nearby on the ground and quickly pulled it over her head.
Where could he have gone and why did he leave her here alone. She shook her head as she remembered his words from earlier. I'll make you forget him he promised but forget who she wondered, what was going on? She shivered as she remembered that this was the third time he had left her to wake alone and each time before he had meant it as goodbye. No, no she couldn't think like that he wouldn't leave her again he knew that would destroy her.
She raised a hand to her lips and felt them tremble; she could still feel his desperation and his pain. She could no longer believe that this was simply about her not telling him about Endymion, something else was going on something that was tearing him apart inside and not only made him question her love but her loyalty as well. She had to find out what that something was.
She got to her feet, she wasn't going to go chasing after Darien for her answers, right now they both needed their space and since she didn't want to go back to the temple and face the scouts after everything else that had happened today, she knew exactly who she needed. "Jedite." She called "Jedite I need you."
Jedite appeared and was instantly at her side "Are you alright?" he asked immediately, looking her. He could tell that what ever happened between her and the Dark Prince had shaken her, she had a look of vulnerability about her that made her appear fragile, but seeing that she appeared other wise unhurt lifted a great weight off his shoulders.
He had been worried about her. While he never believed that the dark prince would hurt her physically he knew there were other ways to hurt someone and he knew from experience that those wounds took the longest to heal and there were some wounds that would never heal. He rubbed his chest, he had a funny feeling; it was like he could relate that he somehow should be able to understand as he himself had suffered such pain. He shook his head, now was not the time for one of his weird episodes, twice in one day was more then enough.
Serena looked up at him, while not quite meeting his eyes. "I'm fine." She answered lowering herself to the ground.
He didn't believe her, but he didn't say so. If she wanted to tell him what was troubling her she would. He sat down beside her. Although it wasn't hard to guess that it had something to do with the Dark Prince.
She plucked a strand of grass. "I've really made a mess of things" she confided softly "I've never seen Darien so angry." Or so hurt she finished silently
"I can't understand how he could blame you for what happened I mean how could you have known?" He defended although he had no idea what happened to Darien he knew that she would never intentionally do anything that would put him in harms way. He couldn't conceive how the Dark Prince could believe otherwise.
She turned to look at him sharply and this time she had no trouble meeting his eyes and he had no problem reading the demand in them, but he also saw what she had been trying to hide, he could see that she'd been crying and nothing she could do to hide the pain she was feeling.
"Tell me everything that happened." she demanded and if Jedite thought it was strange that in all that time she and Darien had been alone that they hadn't discussed what happened, he wise enough not to say, which she was extremely grateful for, she didn't want to think about what happened between her and Darien right now, she just wanted to know what had happened to cause this rift between them, she knew it had more to do then with her keeping secrets and not telling him about Endymion. So she listened as Jedite told her everything that he knew.
When he was done Serena let out a shaky breath, she reached out and grabbed Jedite's hand, needing something to hold onto.
Oh Darien she cried silently I almost lost you again. Why must something always threaten our happiness? Is this why you were so furious with me, do you blame me for what happened? "Thank you," she whispered grateful for what he had done, knowing that it couldn't have been easy saving the life of the man who wanted to see you dead.
What was this that he was feeling? Jedite asked himself frowning in bewilderment. The emotions she stirred in inside him were all new to him. He felt torn, he wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her, but he didn't know if that action would be welcome or if it would even be appropriate, sometimes when he was with her he forgot who and what she was. He would never have thought to try and comfort Beryl in fact he would have done the opposite, he would have stayed as far away from her as possible to lessen the chance that she would take out whatever was troubling her on him.
Was this just another sign of how he was changing, such weird things were happening to him, things he had no way of explaining or at this point even understanding.
Jedite looked down at her and noticed her checks were wet with newly shed tears. "I remember the time I first met you." He stated abruptly wanting to replace the wounded look in her eyes.
Serena gazed at him in surprise.
"It was on a cruise ship." Jedite explained, knowing that she wouldn't be able to remember he tried to paint a picture for her describing in detail the lusciousness of the yacht and the beautiful night sky "I was there to do Beryl's bidding and collect all the energy that I could. I walked out onto the deck and there you were." He gave her a quick grin. "Of course I had no idea that you were Sailormoon, to me you were just a passenger and a pretty one at that." He laughed as that comment brought a flush of color to her face. "And that smile of yours, it's a smile that could light up a room. That's what I remember most about that night, despite getting my butt kicked later by you and Tuxedomask, it was your smile and how it seemed to warm me from the inside out. I looked down at that smile and for a second I thought that you couldn't possibly be real.
Serena let out a soft sigh and leaned her head against his shoulder; understanding what he was attempting to do and allowed herself to put her troubled thoughts aside and lose herself in the past. "Why is that?" she asked quietly and took a brief second to wonder why she felt so comfortable in his presence, with their history she should despise him, but she didn't, in fact having him here to lean on made her feel a whole lot better. Yes, it was a mystery that begged to be solved, but not now, right now she needed him more then she needed answers.
"You were beautiful," he stated matter-factly, "but it was more then that. You exceeded a warmth that was welcoming and different from anything I was use to." He chuckled "I was so captivated I almost forgot my mission, but later I did regret that I couldn't stay longer and bask in that warmth."
"I remember as well," she admitted softly, smiling at his startled look. "I thought you were gorgeous and I spent quite some time spinning fantasies around you."
Jedite gulped looking around nervously, he didn't know how the Dark Prince would react to that admission, especially in his current frame of mind. "Really?" he questioned curious despite himself.
She smiled up at him and Jedite was transported back to the last time and place he had seen that smile, he hadn't known until that moment how much he missed it and how seeing it again would make him feel."
"You have to know that you're one of the most handsomest men I've ever met." Serena stated impishly
Jedite cleared his throat nervously "Yes, well." he stammered causing Serena to laugh, a loud joyful sound that caused a warm and fuzzy feeling to blossom inside his chest.
Smiling Serena patted his arm "Don't worry Jedite, I forgot all about you once Tuxedomask showed up."
"Hey" he mocked. Feigning pain, he clasped a hand to his chest just over his heart. "You can't just build up a man's ego like that and then tear it down."
Serena giggled. "I'd have a hard time deflating that ego."
"Why you?" he growled and losing himself in the moment began to tickle her.
Serena fell back on the ground shrieking with laughter. When they finished they both lay back against the grass, breathless from laughter.
"Thank you," she stated simply
Jedite rolled over onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow he studied her. "You have to know that I'm simply dying of curiosity." He paused waiting to see if she would say anything. "You've said that you remember" he continued cautiously "Do you remember everything?
Serena sighed, and rolled onto her side so that they were facing each other. "Yes I do and I have for awhile now."
"That must be…" he paused searching for the right word. "Interesting."
"If you can call losing the trust of the man I love interesting, then I guess so."
Jedite looked down at her somber face and missed her smile. "I'm sorry that was a stupid thing to say."
Serena shook her head. "It's not your fault, its mine. I never dreamed that by keeping this secret I would risk losing him. He has every right to be angry with me." But is that all there was to it she thought despondently, she remembered that it was more then anger that had governed his actions, there had been pain as well. He had not only questioned her loyalty but had doubted her love as well. Could there be something here that she was missing? She had to talk to Darien, they had to get everything out in the open and while that all sounded good she didn't believe that was possible right now. She had to give him time to work things out in his own mind; he would come for her when he was ready.
"I know you and the Dark Prince will work things out, the love the two of you share is special and I really believe it could survive anything."
Serena reached out to touch his hand, "Thanks." she whispered softly. "Thanks for being here for me."
Jedite surprised himself by saying. "There's not much that I wouldn't do for you." And with a start he realized that it was true. Oh my god was he in love with her? He couldn't be that suicidal.
"I want to leave here," she announced, "just for a little while." she assured him as she caught his worried look. "I have a lot to think about" she explained knowing that he would understand. "And I can't do that here." She looked around; too many memories. "Darien and I need some time apart," she patted her stomach, don't worry little one mommy is going to make things all better. "Will you come with me Jedite?"
"Are you just going to leave without telling the Dark Prince?"
Serena sighed "He almost died Jedite and I know that I'm partially responsible, if I hadn't gone and seen Endymion by myself," she shrugged her shoulders, she still didn't understand most of what happened or how Endymion, Nephlite and Malachite had produced that kind of power and why it effected Darien as it did, she wished she could discuss it with him but she knew that for the moment that was impossible.
He needed his space, his actions expressed this louder then any words could. He never would have left her here to wake alone unless he was still troubled. He needed his space and she needed to stay away no matter how much it hurt to do so. "He needs some time alone, he'll come for me when he's ready." And I'll be waiting, but I won't wait forever my love, if you don't come for me soon I'll come to you. I wont left the rift I caused between us grow "Will you stay with me?" she asked again.
Jedite met her eyes and seeing the trust and companionship she held for him in her gaze finally helped him see and understand everything that he felt for her. He saw that his feelings weren't something to be ashamed of or something he needed to hide and finally understanding what he felt in a way set him free. He rose to his feet and helped her to hers, laying a gentle kiss on her brow he murmured. "Come with me little sister, and I'll take care of everything."
……………………………..
Mars watched Venus as she walked out of the room, finally ready to join the others. She planned to follow her, but not just yet. She needed this time alone to think.
Mina was in pain. Her heart was broken. And while she didn't consider herself an expert in the matters of the heart, there still might be something that she could do. As strange as it seemed she believed the answers to Mina problems could be found in a dream. For weeks now while she slept she had found herself experiencing dreams which were not her own. Although from time to time in the past she had unconsciously stumbled upon someone else's dream, these dreams were different from the other in a number of ways. For one, all of them seemed to involve Mina in some way or another, in fact a few had gotten quite heady, making her feel like some kind of voyeur.
She had never experienced dreams quite like it, since the first time she had learned that she could dreamscape, which literally meant that she could another ones dreams, she had more or less tried to avoid doing so seeing it as an invasion of privacy but for some reason this dreams had sought her out. Perhaps it had to do with Mina and how close they were she didn't know but the other reason she didn't mention itto the others because she began to think that was she was expericing weren't dreams at all but some elses memories.
It was possible, after all they'd all lived before, they must have loved before as well. Serena and Darien were the perfect example okay best not to go there she thought with a wince.
But the reasoning was sound. Maybe this guy who was dreaming about Mina and he was definitely a guy even though she'd never seen his face, maybe this guy was someone Mina knew and loved during the silver millennium, that would explain why he was dreaming about her, why the dreams felt so real and why they sought her out over and over again.
If she could find this guy, who ever he was, and bring the two of them together? It was worth a try, she nodded her head yes tonight for the first time she would seek him out and before the night was over she would find someway to determine his identity.
Mina's true love could be waiting out there, thinking she's no more then a figment of his imagination. Mars smiled slyly. Well who ever he was, he was about to be in for the shock of his life.
………………..
The Dark Prince stood outside Beryl's empty palace and had to wonder what the hell he was doing here. After he left Serena sleeping he had it in his mind to confrontEndymion and settle things between them,but instead he found himself here.
Something was calling him. It had brought him to this place but why here and why now? It could be a trap, but it didn't feel like one. Curious despite himself he entered Beryl's empty palace.
He walked on without a destination in mind passing countless doors and walking down numerous corridors until he found himself standing in front of the twin doors that led to Beryl's throne room.
He opened the doors and stepped inside at first glance nothing appeared to be different but then he looked down and noticed the crack in the ice as long as room itself but no wider then the width of foot.
He wondered what could have caused it; the ice here was thick and solid, hardly likely to crack, not without extreme force or pressure of some kind. He lowered himself to his knees and placed his hands over the break in the ice and sucked in a startled breath as he felt the residue of energy inside the ice. It felt familiar and something inside him seemed to answer and he sent a pulse of his own energy down into the ice.
A few seconds passed and to his surprise he felt an answering pulse, coming from inside the ice. He rose to his feet. There was something down there. Was this why he was here, was this what had drawn him here? He needed to know, he needed to know what was under there and why he felt as he were connected to it. He had never felt anything like this before, until now he never knew or even suspected that there was something buried under all this ice.
His mind made up, he stood up and propelled himself up into the air; floating above the floor he focused his energy for a few seconds before releasing it below him. A moment later there was a loud boom and shards and pieces of ice went flying everywhere. Darien who had incased himself in a shield waited until everything had settled back down before he lowered it. He looked around at what was left of Beryl's thorn room; everything was demolished leaving in its place. a huge crater.
He floated down to the bottom and eyed carefully what he had uncovered, he didn't know what he had expected but this certainly wasn't it. He approached the object and felt a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. What was this feeling? He wondered thoughtfully as he reached the object or should he say tomb. That's what he always thought of it, as a tomb. It was one of Beryl's creations, one of which she used to entomb her prisoners or her followers if they should happen to displease her in some way.
The person would literally be in entombed in a crystal of Beryl's own making almost like the ice she dwelled in, it would keep the person immobile but not necessarily unaware of what was occurring outside of there imprisonment. He was told some could remain aware of there surroundings for quite some time. Imagine being aware of everything that goes on around you but never being able to participate, reduced to nothing but an observer.
He was sure that some could live that way, for a while at least, until the nothingness threatened to drive them insane and at that point you only have one choice, which was to seek refuge inside your own mind, to lose yourself in your own thoughts, creating your own escape, so that while your body remained trapped your mind roamed free.
Jedite had survived by doing just that; he had hung onto his sanity with an iron will that he still found surprising and he had done so by forgetting about the world which lay outside his prison and instead choosing to lose himself in a world of his own creation.
Once Beryl had died and he'd been released it had taken him awhile before he was able to distinguish between what was real and what wasn't. Of course it didn't take a genius to figure out that from time to time he was still a bit confused about the two.
It was a nasty way to punish someone, but it was even worse to not only be encased in that thing but to be buried under hundreds and hundreds tons of ice. Then you were left with nothing, no stimuli other then what you could create and left alone for to long you might never return to reality but instead be forever lost in the pathways of your own mind.
He stopped when he reached it and, and brushed the shards of ice off the top wondering what or who, he would find.
He starred down at the man lying prone in the crystal. His eyes were closed and he was as still as death, but he knew that he wasn't dead that was one of the things that made this form of punishment so extreme and instilled such fear, because there was only two ways to escape this prison either someone sets you free or the person who imprisoned you dies. You yourself can't die because the crystal preserves you, one could be trapped inside for an eternity of course that wasn't the only risk involved many wouldn't be able to endure long term confinement and they would become quite insane.
He doubted that anyone but Beryl was responsible for encasing this man and burying him so deep within the ice, but how he remained encased after her death was puzzling, and he wondered what this man had to do with him, and why now after all this time was he drawn here. He looked closer at the man was it possible that he had drawn him here?
He laid his hand on the crystal, and it cracked and broke to his will. He knelt down to get a closer look at the young man who had freed from his imprisonment. He had the body of a fighter, lean and fit, and he seemed quite capable of handling himself. Once again he felt a sensation of familiarity. Who was he, and if he had brought him here why now?
He froze as the figure on the ground moved, it was slight and he wouldn't have noticed at all if he hadn't been watching him so closely. It seemed that this mystery could be solved any minute now depending on how long he'd been down here and how much of his memory was still in tact.
Green eyes opened glazed with pain and confusion.
"If you can talk, you better do so quickly." the Dark Prince pronounced "As what you have to say will decide weather I allow you to live or not. Let's start with an easy question. Who are you?"
The man opened his mouth to speak and began to cough. His whole body shook and when he was done he lay on the ground gasping for air.
The Dark prince bit back an impatient sigh and waited for him to catch his breath; once his breathing had settled back to normal, he said, "Let's try this again shall we. Who are you?"
"Endy..mion." he moaned
The Dark Prince froze as everything inside him went on alert. "What did you say." He enquired softly
He raised a hand, reaching out towards him "Endymion?"
The Dark Prince grabbed his hand and sucked in a startled breath as a flash of energy passed between them.
"Who are you?" The Dark Prince demanded breathlessly, knowing that now that whoever he was he was connected not to him but to the man he use to be. It was a strong connection and it caused him no little disquiet, and it sent his temper flaring. He squeezed his hand, hard "Who are you?" he repeated roughly
"Zosite." he croaked, his voice no more then a rough whisper. "I'am Zosite."