Chapter 16

Riddled Answers

If the feelings of absolute relief and absolute dread were on two opposite ends of a spectrum, then I could safely say I had defied all laws and truths that supported normality. My thoughts were leading me nowhere, and nothing in my mind made sense. Suddenly, through the fog, a golden beam broke through the silence and pierced my heart, filling me with the greatest sense of relief I had felt in all my life, but at the same time shaking me to the core with fear and dread.

As I ran from the ship I had been about to board, the only thing that was now in my mind, clear as a bell, was a single word: Usagi. Only moments before, that golden beam I spoke of re-attached itself to my heart, our link and thread that I had thought was gone for good. What terrified me, though, was the fear and desperation I could feel coming down it, the urgency and panic. Usagi was alive, that much I knew, but she was in trouble. How it was possible for her to have disappeared and repapered, so suddenly, was beyond me, but at that moment I didn't care. All I could focus on were my legs, how they were moving, and where the golden thread was leading them.

I could faintly hear someone calling my name as I ran, but I paid no heed. I had to get to Usagi. She was somewhere in the palace, and I only hoped that her location wasn't too far away.

Guards and servants stared at me as I ran by, but I didn't care. I noted that I passed by Diamond's room during my run, but I didn't dwell on that. I could hear the drum of blood rushing through my ears, and the sound of my own footsteps and heavy breathing echoing off the walls as the link carried me through many hallways and corridors. My heart was beating in my chest frantically and my lungs felt ready to explode, but I refused to stop or even slow down for an instant. There was no more communication through the link, and I feared that Usagi was really in trouble.

I rounded a corner, skidding and nearly falling in the process, and found the link leading to one of the doors. It looked very much like the hallway Usagi's room had been in, but they all looked so similar that I couldn't be sure. I came to a screeching stop in front of the door and wrenched it open, rushing in to see what was going on.

There were no candles to light the room, no fire to illuminate the dark corners of the chamber, and the glow of the stars filtering in through the windows bathed everything in a silvery light. I glanced around as my eyes adjusted to the darkness and dim light, and that's when I saw a movement on the bed. A figure was hunched over something, and my heart leapt into my throat when I saw a delicate hand and strands of golden hair on the bedspread below the hunched shadow. Without thinking, I forced my legs to carry me to the bed where I grabbed the figure, flinging it off of what I believed to be Usagi. The person, a man, gave a yelp of surprise as I sent him flying from his victim. My eyes came to rest on a limp Usagi. Her hair was fanned across the silken bed spread and her ivory gown was rumpled, but she lay there, unmoving, eyes closed.

The man must have regained his footing, and suddenly I felt two arms around my shoulders pulling me back. If he thought he was going to pry me away from my wife, he was about to be unpleasantly surprised. I twisted around, effectively causing him to lose his grip on me as my arm swung around. He stumbled back once more as my fist came in contact with his jaw and my other hand twisted his arm behind his back at a painful angle. He gave a yelp and grunt as we struggled, before bringing his leg back and slamming it into my foot. Pain shot up through my leg and I loosened my grip on his arm, an opportunity he took to swing around and plant a strong blow into my stomach. I gave out a gasp as he knocked the wind out of me. Where the blazes was Motoki and whoever else had been following me?

I straightened up, in the process slamming my head into the mans chin, causing him to grunt in pain. I used my body weight to ram into him and knock him to the ground, before unsheathing the sword at my waist and aiming it for any appendage I could find. He rolled and my blade hit nothing but air and ground, causing me to stumble. I winced at the screeching sound the steel made with the marbled floor. I regained my footing and swung for his rolling form, but missed again. It registered in my mind suddenly that I probably didn't want him dead, since then I could not have him interrogated and possibly tortured, so I leapt to where he was trying to stand and slammed my foot onto his back, causing him to fall with whoosh onto his stomach. The cold metal of my blade found itself against the exposed skin at the back of his neck, its razor sharp edge cutting in slightly and drawing blood. Both of us were breathing hard but neither of us dared move.

"If you try to run," I said raggedly in between breaths. "I will kill you."

He groaned as he let himself go limp on the ground, and victory was mine. The clatter of feet made me look toward the door. Within seconds, a gasping Motoki burst through the door, followed by Malachite and a handful of guards.

"Malachite, get over here and make sure this bastard can't escape," I barked. Malachite ran over to me right away and took my blade, holding it firmly in position.

"Artemis, light some candles," I heard Motoki say amidst the scuffling and commotion as I left my place and quickly went over to where Usagi was still laying. Seeing her there with the soft starlight kissing her features caused my entire body to shudder. I placed my head near her face, and heard the soft sound of her breathing. !

"Serenity!" I heard Motoki gasp as he approached me. I placed my hands on her shoulders and shook her gently as the soft golden glow of candles being lit filled the room. I scanned her face and body, noting a few dark bruises beginning to form on her slender neck. Yes, the man would be tortured.

"Usagi," I whispered as I shook her. "Usagi, wake up." There was no response. "Usagi, please," I said more urgently as I slid my arm under her shoulders and brought her to my chest. I heard a low moan come from her and I sat on the bed, bringing her into a sitting position and then laying her in my arms. A frown formed on her face as I stroked a few strands of hair from her face.

"Usagi, it's me, Endy. Please wake up," I murmured softly.

Motoki crouched in front of me as he stared at Usagi, worry clearly written all over his face. "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know," I whispered back.

"Please, stop," Usagi murmured from my arms.

I squeezed her gently to me and placed my lips on her forehead. "It's ok, no one is going to hurt you," I murmured against her skin as she started to squirm. A small whimper came from her throat and I pulled back a little to watch her. It suddenly dawned on me that I should see who her attacker was, so I looked up to where the guards had already bound the man's hands behind his back and were just hoisting him up into a standing position. His face was pointed at the ground and all I could see was the onyx hair on the crown of his head. Finally he looked up, and I couldn't help but be shocked. I almost felt like I was staring into a mirror, although my reflection was shorter than I and bore a black crescent moon on its forehead. The man's blue eyes sparkled with anger and I had to do everything in my power to stop myself from commanding Malachite to run him through on the spot.

Nothing was making sense. Why had a man who looked almost identical to me been in Usagi's room, attempting to do heaven knows what to her? Why was Usagi on the Moon without Queen Selenity's knowledge?

I heard Usagi moan and I looked down just in time to see her eyes flutter open. I smiled down at her, relieved a thousand times over that she was regaining consciousness, but that relief was soon marred by the look of fear in Usagi's eyes. She opened her mouth as if to scream, but no sound came out.

"It's ok, you're safe now," I said quickly, squeezing her arm gently. She gave a yelp and bolted from my arms, hitting my chin with her forehead in the process. I started to fall back but leaned on my arm for support as Usagi fell ungracefully to the floor in a heap of white silk, golden hair, and surprised yelps. Had the situation been different, I would have started to laugh.

"Usagi, don't worry!" I exclaimed as I rubbed my jaw tenderly. Usagi was trying to, without much success, detangle herself from her knot on the floor. I crouched down beside her and grabbed her shoulders, bringing her up and out of her tangled gown. She blinked in surprise at me when our eyes met, and immediately tired to back away from me. I quickly stood, bringing her up with me, and in the process spun her around so that her back was pressed to my chest. Not wanting her to bolt, I also wrapped my arms around her so she couldn't run. She was thus forced to look at the man who had been trying to harm her.

Usagi gasped and stopped struggling in my arms. Both of us were breathing deeply and everyone was staring at us. I dropped my head and allowed my forehead to rest in the junction of her neck and shoulder, and let out a shaky sigh. "Are you all right?" I whispered?

I felt Usagi tremble but she said nothing. I have a slight pull on our heart string, letting her know it really was me. She shuddered and leaned into me.

"What happened?" Motoki suddenly asked, his voice high and angry. He was glancing from me to the raven haired man, back to me.

"I think our friend here aught to explain what is going on," I growled, glaring at the only person in the room I wished to murder at the moment.

"Endy..." Usagi whispered as she turned, pressing her face to my chest. I placed my hand on the back of her head, stroking down to he neck, as my other arm pressed her firmly to me. I felt her arms wrap around my waist and I was forced to once more to look away from the bastard and tend to Usagi.

"Perhaps we should take him away from the Princess and interrogate him in a more... suitable place," I heard Malachite say. I liked his thinking. A torture chamber was a much more suitable place.

"I won't tell you anything," the man said, his voice sending chills down my spine. It was so determined, so strong, so forceful, that I just wanted to tear out his vocal chords and use them to hang him. I looked up at him sharply.

"I wouldn't bet on that," I snapped.

He smiled. "I would."

Before I could reply, my attention was caught by the sound of a series of approaching feet outside the door to the room. Everyone turned in time to see a group of Moon guards rush in, followed by Naru and Queen Selenity. Naru took one look at Serenity in my arms and rushed over, while the Moon Guards quickly surrounded the group holding the intruder, and Queen Selenity remained standing at the door where Artemis joined her.

"Princess Serenity," Naru murmured beside me, causing Usagi to look up at her.

"Naru," she breathed before sighing and leaning her cheek against my chest again. I guided Serenity to sit on the bed and allowed Naru to wrap her arms around her. Usagi whimpered a little, but I needed to think clearly for a few moments, and having her pressed up against me was not helping.

Queen Selenity was still standing next to the open doorway when I turned to look at her, her eyes surveying the room. She had an odd look on her face, one that made her look almost vacant and indifferent to the scene around her, something I found disturbingly odd considering the fact she had not known where Usagi was and now she found her in her old room.

"Does anybody know what is going on here?" I demanded. An eerie silence filled the room as everyone stood where they were, completely still, almost as if they weren't breathing.

Malachite sighed. "I don't think we'll find out until we interrogate the prisoner," he said.

"Queen Selenity, with your permission, we would like to take this man and imprison him, as well as interrogate him about what he was doing when I walked into the room, and also why Serenity is here," I stated, watching as the Queen slowly brought her gaze from the bound man to me.

"There is no need, Prince Endymion," she said quietly.

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "No need? With all due respect, this man was trying to harm Serenity when I walked in here, and now he is unwilling to speak. Do you not wish to find out what is going on?" My temper was boiling, something that didn't happen very often at all.

She continued staring at me with her glazed expression. "He doesn't need to say anything," she replied in the same soft, almost monotone voice.

I heard laughter coming from the bastard that was still bound. "You see, I told you I wouldn't bet on my talking," he said with a sinister smile, he glee quite apparent. I didn't understand what was going on. I would have thought Queen Selenity would be more shocked and concerned at the sudden appearance of her daughter, but she seemed to be completely oblivious to what was going on, almost as if her body was there but her mind wasn't.

Something snapped in me and I felt a strong surge of anger course through my veins. "What the hell is going on around this place?" I barked, causing my men to flinch. I was running on almost no sleep, I had just lost and found Usagi again, my nerves were on the point of completely snapping, and everyone was acting as if reality was blurred. I wanted answers, and I wanted them fast.

"Perhaps I should be the one to answer that," a new, smooth voice said. I nearly fell to my knees when I saw Prince Diamond, followed by a zoned out Luna, stroll into the room next to Queen Selenity. Oh, things were just getting stranger and worse by the second. What was going to happen next? Was the Moon going to fall out of its orbital and go hurtling toward the sun? I wouldn't have been surprised if it did.

I stood where I was, completely speechless. "You seem a little shocked to see me, Prince Endymion," Diamond purred as he glanced at the Queen, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "I can't imagine why though." The way his words rolled off his tongue portrayed confidence and self assurance, which did little to ease my worries. Luna walked over to where Naru and Serenity were, but I paid little attention to her.

Both Motoki and Malachite were as speechless as I, neither one of them moving or saying anything. Motoki opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out, and Malachite stared at the Prince with confusion and bewilderment on his face. What puzzled me the most were the actions of the Moon Queen and her people. All of them seemed as if they were asleep with their eyes open, not reacting at all to the situation around them, as if they were hypnotized.

"What have you done to them?" I heard Usagi whisper from behind me. I cast her a glance and noticed her staring around the room from one person to the next. If she was confused about everyone's actions, then we were in for one wild ride.

"Seize them," Diamond said all of a sudden, and in a flurry of movement, cusses, and grunts, all the people of my party had their hands behind their backs, weapons laying dormant on the ground. I heard Usagi yelp and turned my head in time to see Luna forcing her hands behind her back as one of the Moon guards took a hold of Naru who gave a squeal.

"Don't touch her," I snapped just as one of the Moon guards grabbed my wrists and forced them behind my back, causing my arms to be at an awkward, painful angle. Diamond used our surprise to his advantage since all of my men seemed to have forgotten how to resist and fight back. I noted that the man whom we had captured was now free and walking over to Prince Diamond's side.

"It's a pity you didn't just leave, Prince Endymion," Prince Diamond said with a sigh. "It would have made my plan so much easier, but since you're here, I may as well take advantage of the situation."

"What have you done with my mother!" Usagi cried out from behind me.

A soft look filtered over Diamonds face. "Do not fear for your mother, Princess, she is perfectly all right. I have harmed her in no way at all."

"Is Wise Man here already, or is he still on his way?" I heard Diamond's companion ask quietly, the one I still wanted to string up by his vocal chords.

"He's on his way," Diamond replied, and then glanced from him to me. "I don't suppose, Prince Endymion, that you have had the pleasure of meeting my brother, Prince Sapphire, yet, have you?"

"Well I can see the same family traits in both of you," I snapped. "You both seem to enjoy forcing yourselves on innocent women."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, I'd watch my tongue if I were you. You're treading on very thin ice," Diamond warned sternly.

I had to bite my tongue to not yell at him. "What are you going to do now?" I heard Malachite ask. "We are your prisoners, now what?" I silently blessed Malachite for his clear thinking and cool temper. I wanted to know everything I could too. I was getting annoyed with being in the dark and not knowing what was going on, but I couldn't get my mind to work properly.

A sinister smile spread across Diamond's face. "I have my councilor, Wise Man, coming to the Moon as we speak, leading my armies to take occupation of the Moon."

"You're mad. Do you think there won't be protests against this from the other planets?" Motoki exclaimed, his eyes darting between Diamond and Naru and me.

"Queen Selenity has absolutely no objections to me bringing my armies here. Isn't that right?" Diamond asked.

Queen Selenity nodded her head. "That's right. My Lord is most welcome here."

He had bewitched her. There was no other explanation. He had bewitched a Queen!

"Mother!" Serenity cried out, a hint of frustration and disbelief in her voice.

"What the hell did you do to her?" I yelled at Diamond, earning myself a twist on the arms from the guard holding me. "What the hell did you do to the Queen?"

"I told you to watch your tongue, or else you will anger me," Diamond snapped, but immediately regained his composure. "Don't worry, Endymion, you'll find out what I did to her when I do it to you and your whole party. You won't even remember being here, or loving your wife. You will return to Earth and continue living your life as you did before."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" I snapped.

Diamond chuckled and nodded at the Moon guard holding Naru. A sickening feeling filled my stomach as she was brought forward to him, whimpering with fear.

"Naru!" Motoki gasped out.

"Don't worry, I won't harm her," Diamond said as the young woman came to a standstill before him.

We all stared in silence as he cupped her chin with his hand and stared into her eyes. She struggled a little, her red hair quivering, but he kept a firm grip on her face. He slid his thumb across her chin, and suddenly his forehead scrunched up and with a sickening squishing sound, the skin on his forehead split, revealing a third eyes. I felt nauseous at the sight but managed to keep myself cool.

"Do not worry, my dear, be calm. Nothing is going to happen to you," Diamond murmured as Naru's struggling slowly subsided.

"Leave her alone!" Motoki cried out before the Moon guards knee came up to his stomach, causing Motoki to buckle over in pain.

"Diamond, leave her!" I barked, but whatever Diamond had been doing, it was over, as his eerie third eye disappeared once more. I stared in horror as Diamond released his grip on her chin and motioned for the guard to let her go. Naru stood where she was, unmoving.

"How do you feel, my dear?" Diamond asked.

"Very well, my Lord," Naru replied. Her voice seemed distant and empty, lacking the life Naru always had.

"What did you do to her?" Motoki managed to choke out as he straitened up, clutching his stomach.

Diamond smiled and patted Naru on her shoulder, ignoring Motoki completely. "Take your place next to the Queen, my dear." Naru nodded and stepped over to where Selenity was. "It is a simple process of hypnotism, nothing more," Diamond stated as he brought his gaze back to me. "Something that simply lets me control what my subject does."

"How is it possible you hypnotized Queen Selenity? She is powerful," Malachite asked.

"The element of surprise can help you achieve anything. Now it helps me to have the Queen, along with the Silver crystal, on my side," Diamond replied as he motioned the Queen to approach him. She walked over, her face completely void of any emotion or life. Things still were not making sense though. Why had I lost contact with Usagi? What was he planning on doing now?

"I think we have talked long enough, Prince Endymion. Everything I tell you know you will soon forget anyhow. I was going to let you wander the universe for a while before doing this, to let you suffer, but since you are here now I might as well get it over and done with. Queen Selenity will now be so kind enough to help me out."

"How?" I asked cautiously.

"Well, I am going to send you back to the Earth, as I said before. Before that, though, I will need to hypnotize you the same as these kind Moon people. However, to ensure that you do not regain your memories and cause havoc for me, I first need to erase your former memories, or more importantly, take your entire living essence from you and wipe it clean. Then I can give you a new mind, new memories."

"No, you can't do that! Not with the Silver Crystal!" Usagi shrieked from behind me. "You'll kill him!"

"Not technically. He'll still be alive in body," Diamond replied soothingly.

"And what about her? What happens to Serenity and the Moon Kingdom?" I snarled.

Diamond smiled. "Don't worry. Both will be taken incredibly good care of." With those words, I watched with horror as Queen Selenity stepped in front of Diamond and held the Silver Crystal out before her, her eyes fixed on me. The stone began to glow and shimmer, filling the room with a bright silvery light. I struggled but my captor held on to me. I could hear shouts coming from Motoki, Malachite, and my men, but what horrified me the most was not the bright beam of light that was suddenly hurtling at me, oh no. It was the scream I heard before a golden haired figured jumped in front of me, right into the path of the glowing beam.

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A/N: There you have it, an extra long, late chapter. There's going to be three more chapters at most I think, so soon this is going to be coming to an end. Hopefully a lot of questions were answered here, and the rest will be answered soon too, like why the string was gone and then came back, and a few other small details. The next chapter is going to be the climax more or less, so stay tuned for that. I know I said there wouldn't be a cliff hanger in this chapter, but it was just getting too long, and this was a good spot to stop. Don't worry though, there are not more huge twists planned. Until later then! --Anja