Chapter 29

The Missing Piece

Endymion's gloved hands grasped the hilt of his sword tightly as he pushed past rows upon rows of dead bodies, burning heaps of trash and pools of deep red blood. It was quiet now. The screams of his men and the cries of his people had slowly faded away to nothing. The silence was eerie. Endymion didn't look at the faces of the fallen around him. The prince could do little to stop the endless waves of soldiers, their power heightened with the might of the darkness, that had invaded his planet. Those that made it to the transports fled, those that didn't were lying motionless on the ground, soon to become one with the earth.

The Earth had fallen to the Negaverse. Endymion was the last. His life had been spared when those of his men had not. He wasn't a fool. He knew the reason he was still breathing was because of her. The soldiers never touched him. Never did an arrow find his chest or a sword cut into his flesh. During each battle it was as if he wasn't even there. Enemies pushed past him, focused on every other soldier but him.

Endymion pressed forward, coming at last to the top of the hill. His breath caught in his chest. The palace he had once called home as a boy, the only place where he held joyful memories of his mother and father, had been reduced to nothing more than scattered piles of stone and dust. He felt goosebumps ripple across his arms and to his chest which felt as if he had just plunged into a tub of ice water. Everything was lost. It was over…

"You came." A voice said from behind him.

Endymion felt the goosebumps diminish as his ears began to burn. He turned abruptly on his heel, his dark blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"I was afraid you would run off to the moon in a vain attempt to save it from meeting the same fate as Earth." A woman, dressed entirely in red approached Endymion as her dark blue eyes settled on his. Her rich, thick, black curls were pinned on the back of her head just beneath a brilliant golden crown.

Endymion's eyes narrowed as one hand went to his sword that rested on his hip. "Raven." He spat as he took a step back from her. "Traitor. How can you even speak to me after the atrocities you've inflicted upon your own people?!"

"I did no such thing." Raven replied as her right hand went to cover her chest dramatically. "Beryl cannot be controlled. She wanted to claim this planet. I let her. Why stand in the way of the Negaverse? Why fight against a rushing tide when you can swim faster alongside it?"

"There is nothing left!" Endymion shouted as he felt angry tears stinging his eyes. "Everyone we have EVER known! Everyone we have ever loved or seen or ruled is gone!"

"They were all meaningless." Raven stated with a casual wave of her hand. "Don't you see? Our planet has been cleansed. We can begin a new reign, a new way of life—"

"Under the dark fist of the Negaverse." Endymion finished bitterly for her. "As mindless robots only. You are a fool to think you will be able to rule anything with Queen Beryl in your way. She has claimed Earth, not you."

Raven's hand shot out as quick as lightning, connecting with the right side of Endymion's cheek. "I AM QUEEN!"

He winced but didn't shrink back from her. Instead he exhaled deeply and showed her his other cheek, daring her with a fierce glare to strike him again. "You cannot be a queen without people. Your legacy will die with you Raven, I will have no part of it—" He turned to leave.

"You are my son, you are the prince of Earth. You cannot leave!" Raven screeched. Her voice was tinged with desperation, an emotion Endymion had never known her to have.

"It's over mother." Endymion stated simply over his shoulder as he took several long strides back to the hill. "I hope it was worth it."

"Where will you go? The entire galaxy has fallen!" Raven called after him.

Endymion paused mid-step and turned to face her. The lines of age were beginning to crack Raven's once smooth features. For a moment, her expression softened and the woman he used to love as his mother showed through. Her dark blue eyes, the same rich hue as his, settled on him with a look of regret. She had the same look he had last seen a year ago when his father had died. "The fight is not over. I will go to the Moon and there the galaxy will make its last stand. If my life is claimed, then so be it. I will die protecting the woman I love, the only person left worth fighting for."

Raven's expression darkened as she gathered her skirts and ran up the hill to her son, her eyes wide with anger. "You will die! I cannot protect you on the Moon! That silly little girl is not worth your life, not now and not ever. She is an ungrateful, spoiled little brat who deserves whatever fate befalls her at the hands of the Negaverse."

Endymion's fists clenched tightly as she spoke but he didn't strike her. Evil or not, Raven was still his mother and no matter what atrocities she committed, he was still her son. "She will be Queen one day, Queen Serenity. She will rule just as her mother has before, as a just and kind leader. I wish I could say the same of you. I will be at her side until my heart can no longer beat anymore and my lungs can longer draw breath. That is my promise to you. Like it or not Raven, you… and my father raised me to fight against injustice and to protect the innocent. Whatever changed you … has not changed that fire within me."

Raven's eyes filled with tears as he spoke. She regarded him as if she were seeing him for the last time. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs. "I did all of this for you… for us."

Endymion shook his head bitterly as his features grew cold. "No. You did this for you. Now I will bring this family back to the light." Before he could utter another word Endymion reached to his belt and grabbed a shiny black dagger with a bright red ruby set into the hilt. He didn't hesitate as the blade caught the last glint of the sun's rays and shined for a brilliant moment, the ruby cascading a dull red glow on them. Then, the dagger plunged forward, straight into the middle of Raven's chest.

Raven screamed as she felt the dagger cut through her flesh. The ruby ignited once Endymion's grasp left the hilt and created a bright red dome around Raven that sparkled like a cocoon of electricity. "What have you done!?" Raven screamed.

"A favor." Endymion replied as he took a step back from her. "I won't kill my own mother. I don't think I could ever do that… but I can seal you away, doomed to spend the rest of eternity asleep, never to harm another person or planet again."

"You fool!" Raven screeched as she felt the ruby electricity turning darker and darker as the cocoon began to solidify around her. "I will return! I will be back one day and I will make you watch as I tear that silly little princess's beating heart right out in front of you!"

Endymion didn't reply as he watched Raven wither and wither until the cocoon turned a solid black and then disappear. He stood silent for several moments, his breathing ragged and uneven as his eyes remained on the spot his mother had last laid. Darkness cascaded over the land as the sun finally set, sinking below the horizon. The land was silent again, just as it had been when Endymion had first sought out Raven. Above him, a shimmery white light settled onto the ground, illuminating the night around him.

Endymion's gaze turned upward to the brilliant full moon that was steadily rising into the sky. He clutched the hilt of his sword as his jaw set with determination. Raven may have been defeated but Beryl was still stronger than ever. The fight was not over. He could not delay anymore. Without another word Endymion set off back down to the hill to the remnants of his palace and to the closest portal to return to the Moon Kingdom.

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Fabian's royal blue cloak swirled around his ankles as he turned a sharp corner. He kept his footsteps light as possible to avoid possible detection. He didn't have much time. Mentally he scolded himself for even returning to Queen Raven's palace. What did he hope to accomplish? Was it worth potentially losing his life?

He came to a full stop before a heavy wooden door. He lifted his hand to knock but thought better of it. Instead he pushed the door open and entered the room, quickly shutting the door behind him. The room was warm. A fire was crackling in the fireplace some twenty feet to his right. A huge canopy bed was to the left of the room with sheer white hangings draping down the four bed posts. The stone floor was covered with heavy white rugs which softened the sound of his footsteps.

Fabian approached the bed cautiously. Within the purple bed sheets lay a woman. Her long white blond hair was loose and hung down the sides of her face to her shoulders. Her chest rose and fell steadily as she slept, oblivious to the man that had just entered her room.

"Femi." Fabian whispered.

Her eyes popped open. She opened her mouth to scream but Fabian was too fast. He shot to her side and covered her mouth with his hand, muffling her cry.

"There's no need for that. I didn't come here to kill you." Fabian stated as he withdrew his hand slowly, his eyes locking with hers. "I came to talk."

"You're crazy! Raven wants you dead! You're a traitor." Femi hissed, keeping her voice low.

"Do you think she'll stop at just me?" Fabian inquired as he sat at the end of her bed. "She killed Nikko, now she wants my life, who do you think she'll want next?" He asked her in all seriousness.

Femi sat up slowly, the heavy purple blankets fell from her shoulders to her waist revealing a white sleeping dress. She didn't respond to him but instead hugged her knees. "I… I never thought she'd kill Nikko… our poor prince. He didn't deserve that Fabian. We joined the Negaverse to be with him. Now without him… I don't even know what I'm doing here anymore."

"Come with me." Fabian stated, extending his hand to her. "We still have time to return to the light."

She snorted as she brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them. "After all we've done?"

"We can make amends. The sailor scouts have accepted my help against Raven. We could use your power as well." Fabian said.

"I don't know if I can do that." Femi whispered as she rested her cheek on the top of her knees. "I don't know if I… if I can handle seeing him with her." She said that last word bitterly as if it tasted foul even to say it.

"You're not the only one who has to see the two of them together." Fabian replied, his voice suddenly darker.

"Don't you ever wonder how things could've been?" Femi asked as she lifted her head again to glance at him. "If the Negaverse hadn't attacked and I had married Kunzite as promised… and you, you would've had a chance with Mina."

"I don't know about all that." Fabian said with a shrug. "Mina was never mine to begin with."

"Oh, she definitely would've been if Kunzite was your only competition." Femi replied with an eye roll. "You're definitely better looking… and you're a prince."

Fabian felt himself chuckle. It felt odd to be talking about Mina to Femi. He wasn't even sure how he felt about Mina, but he knew that the spark the two of them had during the Silver Millennium had been real. That was still evident from the way Mina looked at him.

"The fight isn't over, not yet at least." Fabian said as he got to his feet. One more time he extended his hand to Femi. "Are you with me?"

Femi sighed deeply, rolling her eyes for the second time as she pushed back the blankets and stood. "Fine, but we've still got a problem."

"What is it?" He asked as Femi pulled on her robe, tied it and took his hand.

"Rhea and Idra." Femi said as they headed for the door.

"I didn't even know Idra was alive until yesterday." Fabian said cautiously. "I thought she had died during the Silver Millennium."

"She was Rhea's promised price for service to Raven." Femi replied. "Her dead twin was resurrected, to make matters worse she was with Endymion for two years…"

"What? How is that possible?" Fabian asked as he felt a sinking feeling within his stomach. "We only returned a year ago."

"I'm not sure, but I don't like it." Femi said. "We need to be careful. They can't be trusted."

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Raye felt her strength wavering. She had been seated before the fire, trying for hours to meditate and get some news of Raven out of the flames. So far she had learned nothing. It was if someone had flipped a switch and turned off her abilities.

"Hey, I brought you something to eat." Jadeite's voice cut through the silent room as he sat next to Raye. He placed a tray before her with a sandwich, chips and a steaming cup of tea. "Sorry, this is all I know how to make."

"Thank you." Raye said gratefully as she took a bite of the sandwich. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she saw the food. "It's great."

Jadeite nodded silently as he felt his cheeks flush red with embarrassment. Once again he felt that he and Raye were miles behind everyone else. Nephrite had married Lita, Zoisite and Amy were getting pretty comfortable with each other, and Kunzite and Mina weren't far behind. Why was it that he and Raye still had trouble connecting, even now?

"Something's bothering you." Raye said in between bites of her sandwich. "I can see it on your face."

Jadeite turned his gaze to her and found her dark eyes boring into his. Her shiny black hair was loose but sticking to the sides of her face which was wet with perspiration. He fought the urge to push her hair back behind her ears. "I'm just thinking about how things really aren't that much different now than they were back in our previous life."

Raye gave him a silent nod and put her sandwich back on the plate. "We're still the same people Jed… we're different from everyone else."

"I know that." He replied as he ran his hand through his short blond hair. "It just feels like we've been left behind in the dust... again."

"We haven't been left behind." Raye said as she turned towards him and got on her knees. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, her lips gently grazing his slightly scruffy cheek. "This isn't the end like it was then, we'll have our time together that we are owed."

"We don't know that." Jadeite said once she pulled away. He fought the strong urge to pull her against his chest and kiss her on the lips.

"I do." Raye said with a smile. "Being with you feels… right. It makes me feel stronger and more powerful. We have our second chance now and it won't be cut short, not like the first. When we face Raven tomorrow we aren't just fighting for this planet or for our team, we're fighting for us and our future together."

Jadeite couldn't contain himself anymore. He reached forward and wrapped his arms around a very surprised Raye. He pulled her into his lap and without hesitating their lips met.

"About time." Mina commented as she and Kunzite walked into the room.

Raye groaned as she and Jadeite abruptly broke apart. His cheeks flushed red again as Raye stood, her hands balled into tight fists. "Can we not have a moment?!"

"Did you find anything in the fire?" Mina asked, waving away Raye's comment with a casual flick of her hand.

"No." Raye responded bitterly as she sat back down next to Jadeite. She picked up her sandwich again and took a big bite.

"Can you look again?" Mina asked as Raye stood, her dark eyes flashing dangerously.

"No." Raye replied again and grabbed the tray Jadeite had brought for her. "I'm going to bed. You figure it out Mina." She nodded to Jadeite to follow her and together the two of them left the room.

"Jeez." Mina huffed as she sat down next to the fire. "She's grumpy."

"You kinda interrupted their moment." Kunzite stated as he sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Which speaking of… we haven't had many of those ourselves."

Mina grinned as Kunzite's lips met hers in a gentle kiss. "We could use more." Mina said in between kisses. She felt Kunzite's strong arms circle around her torso, pulling her closer and closer. With each kiss she felt a fresh wave of guilt hit her. Why wasn't she happy? Why had things suddenly changed? She withdrew from him, her eyes downcast, not meeting his.

"What is it?" Kunzite inquired, noting the change in her demeanor.

Mina sighed and ran her hands through her hair, pushing it back from her face. "I don't know… I don't know if it's the memories coming back or Fabian being here again—"

"You're doubting our relationship?" Kunzite asked as his brow furrowed. His lavender eyes regarded her but she still wouldn't meet his gaze.

"I don't know. Our memories are still incomplete. We may not remember every detail from the Silver Millennium but there is a reason that I remember him so vividly." Mina whispered as she looked at the fire. She did a double take. It was as if she could see Fabian in the flames. Just as quickly as she saw it, the image was gone.

"Perhaps it's because he's here again." Kunzite suggested though he seemed uncomfortable with his own words. "It doesn't change anything that's happened between us Mina."

"You're right." Mina admitted as she went back to Kunzite's waiting arms but her gaze remained on the fire. She saw the image of Fabian once more. What could this mean?

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Darien shifted uncomfortably, trying not to disturb Serena who was resting against his chest, sound asleep. Her soft golden hair curled along his bare chest, tickling him each time she moved. He didn't mind it. In fact, he relished the feeling of her against him once more. Five years was a long time. A very long time. Both of them had suffered during their years apart, both of them had attempted to move on though neither of those relationships worked out. Destiny had seen to that.

Still, Darien couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something. Serena had regained her powers, they had Serenity's staff which was enhanced with Pluto's crystal and the Silver Crystal. What he couldn't escape was the dream he just had. The vision from the past of his last moments with his mother. The moment that he sealed her away. He couldn't overlook the importance of that moment or the fact he had just relived it in his dreams.

"Darien?" Serena muttered as she lifted her head from his chest, glancing at him through sleepy eyes.

"Mmm?" He replied as he glanced down at her. Even though her eyes were heavy with sleep she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

"What's wrong? Why are you awake?" She asked as she scooted up just high enough to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Just thinking." He said as he brushed back her hair from her face and laid his hand on her bare shoulder. He pulled her closer to his chest.

Serena sighed, content as she felt Darien's warmth against her. She nuzzled his neck with her cheek, breathing in his familiar scent. "Good thoughts?"

"Not exactly." He said. "I had a dream, a memory more so, of Raven." He leaned his head back against the pillows and gazed at the dark ceiling. A fan rotated lazily above them, circulating the air within the room.

"It must've been important." Serena said as she noted his expression. "Every memory we've regained has been important in some way."

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Darien said. "I can't think of why… why is it—" He trailed off as his eyes widened with realization. Without thinking he jumped out of the bed.

Serena yelped as her head was abruptly thrown to the side from the force of his movement. She rubbed the back of her neck as she watched Darien pull on his pants and shoes. "What is it? Where are you going?"

"I need to check on something. I'll be back before dawn." Darien promised as he finished lacing his shoes. He grabbed a shirt and leaned over the bed, his lips meeting Serena's one last time.

"Darien, what did you remember? Talk to me. Where are you going?" Serena pleaded as she watched him head for the bedroom door.

"Someplace I haven't seen since Earth fell. The only place where darkness lingers on this planet. There's something there I need. That's the missing piece." He spoke as he glanced at her one last time. "I need to do this. I will come back to you, I promise."