Millennium
Two weeks later…
"Your Majesty? Everything is on schedule pertaining to the ball"
Queen Serenity stood by the window of the ballroom overlooking the servants prepare for their silver Millennium ball.
"How is she?" The Queen asked her feline companion.
"I'm not sure what you mean your majesty" said Luna looking puzzled. "Serena, she's been different since that trip to Solaris, happier I mean more carefree and just happier" said the queen.
"But you're afraid" responded Luna looking out the window and staring the princess.
"From what Mars has told me this won't last and I know that somehow Metaria is behind this I know it's her and I'm afraid that I won't be able to stop it"
"There is no one stronger than you my lady" said Luna trying to instill confidence in her monarch's heart. "But if this is bothering so much maybe we should cancel the ball"
"Yes, I agree" said Queen Serenity "But this must be talked over with the council, send out the notices to the other monarchs I want to have a word about this impending threat" the queen turned and walked away but stopped suddenly and looked back at Luna the words she wanted to say died down and continued walking right out of the ballroom. Luna continued to look out the window down at the princess "Enjoy this time your highness" she said to the air and lifted her head to the faded moon, Luna closed her eyes in a silent prayer and when she opened them again Artemis was standing beside her "anything wrong?" he asked looking at Luna with concern in his eyes.
"What isn't wrong Artemis, the queen is concerned about the growing threat looming over all our heads, the guardians are all on high alert and the princess is…is… well you've seen her she has grown blind the concern of all those around her, she's acting like she's…."
"Like she's in love" finished Artemis.
"In love, yes" said Luna,
"What do you want to do Luna" asked Artemis.
"I don't think there is anything we can do, but pray to the gods above" said Luna "Where are the other guardians?" she asked.
"I believe that Mars is in the tower most likely meditating Jupiter and Uranus are in the Armory and Mercury is locked in the war room"
"Their preparing" said Luna
"For what?" asked Artemis
"War Artemis" she said standing "come on" she said climbing down the ledge of the window and running down the hall, Artemis followed her down hall and into the tower.
Down by the Training Arena…
"So, do you think he'll show up" asked Venus
"I don't know what you mean" said the princess out of breath the sword still clutched in her hand. Venus and Princess Serena have been training since early that morning Serena had told Venus everything about their trip to Solaris, after all Venus was her closest friend ever since she was brought to Lunaris to fulfill her duties as a guardian. She and princess had clicked from the start and had been as close as sisters, Serena knew that she could share her deepest darkest secrets with her and she would take them to the grave. Especially that of her growing affection for the Solarian prince.
"You know perfectly well what I mean, Prince Darien after all King Hyperion is planning on showing," said Venus
"Even if he does, it won't matter" Venus laughed
"Like hell it won't, you like him Serena, you should see your face whenever you talk about him, it's more than just like isn't it, you've fallen for him"
Serena's eyes grew wider at that comment she didn't turn around just placed her sword on the table looking everywhere but at her. "Be careful Serena there is not cure for a broken heart" at that Serena turned around to face her friend
"I know Mina and it's not love were friends just friends nothing more" said the princess trying to reassure her friend, but Venus was not so convinced.
"Have you talked to your mother lately?" asked Venus,
"No, why?"
"There's a growing threat out there Serena, one that not even Rei can foresee and it has your mother feeling unsettled even the people are growing more concerned…" but before Venus could finish Serena interrupted
"Mina, no one would dare stand against the power of the Moon kingdom and no one has tried in over a millennium"
"So, sure of the power of the Moon, princess?" said Venus, Serena just looked at her with a quizzical look in her eye
"The gods gave us this tremendous power so that we could protect human kind Mina nothing can stand against us, not even Metaria could defeat us" they walked back into the palace side by side.
"Don't be so cocky princess, Metaria is still out there who's to say that she can't come back and who's to say that we will defeat her if she does, we may be the ones that fall, there is no guarantee you more than anyone should be more vigilant, the queen is already worried something might happen" Serena walked into the ballroom looking around as the servants worked into transforming the empty room into what would become a place of laughter and joy.
The Lunarian Tower
"Ugh" Luna entered the tower hearing the clattering of metal and Mars cursing.
"What's wrong?" she asked Mars entering the room slowly Artemis not far behind her, Mars just bent low to the ground elbows on her knees and her hands buried in her face.
"I can't figure this out, I just can't, there is something blocking my power I can't see what's coming or who or when, what if we're to late Luna what if events were set in motion and we can't stop it"
"We find a way, we fight and we find a way to stop whatever is coming, we'll survive" interjected Artemis. Luna looked at her friend her eyes glistening with tears, Artemis looked over at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Always the eternal optimist" she said laughing,
"Your right, we'll find a way" Mars interrupted "just in case we should prepare, I have Jupiter and Uranus preparing the men in case of an all-out attack before the ball and Pluto is preparing the way to the bastion where our people will be safe"
"You're preparing an all-out evacuation?" said Luna
"Yes, Luna I am, without being able to see what's coming we need to prepare for an all-out war"
"But the ball" said Artemis.
"Is on hold until we can talk to the council"
"No matter what comes we will go on and we will persevere" Luna smiled and looked to Artemis, it was moments like these that Luna was reminded of her love for him, not that she ever told him he was her closest friend for years she admired him and his optimism she often wished she could be more like him, she wished she could tell him how she truly felt about him, sometimes she thinks he might already know.
Lunarian Armory…
"Have you spoken to Pluto?" asked Jupiter
"Yes" responded Uranus
"And?" asked Jupiter again
"The passage is ready my men are ready for a full-on evacuation if necessary, but the real question is; are you ready?" asked Uranus
"You don't think I am?" said Jupiter
"I know you are Lita, that's not what I mean and you know it" said Uranus. "I'm ready, we all are no matter what" said Jupiter looking Uranus straight in the eyes and not filching once
"Grab the chain" said Uranus and Jupiter turned and smiled at no one in particular she grabbed the chain off the wall and handed it to Uranus asking, "What's this for?"
"Doesn't hurt to have this around just in case" said Uranus, Jupiter just smiled wider.
"I sure hope your right; sure, hope Rei is wrong though and we won't be needing this, any of it" said Jupiter.
"For what it's worth I hope she's wrong too" said Uranus "come on let's go check and see if Ami found anything in those fancy holos of hers"
"Let's go" said Jupiter as they walked away to the war room. It was a short walk to the Lunarian war room and Jupiter and Uranus pushed the doors open. They saw that they were not alone Mars, Venus, Saturn and Pluto were there with Mercury.
"Did we miss anything?" asked Jupiter
"Nothing yet we haven't started" said Mercury
"Where is Neptune?" asked Uranus
"There was a problem at the docks we can fill her in later" said Mercury "Now shall we start?" she said pointing to the table while Saturn gestured for them to sit.
The guardians took their place and sat around the table, Mercury approached the head of table along with Pluto and started to speak "Okay as you all know out friend Pluto here has gone to the arctic mountains to check on our old friend Metaria and here is what she found" she gestured to the middle of the table and a hologram of the arctic mountains appeared in the middle.
"There was an unusual amount of dark energy coming from above the mountains something that should not be happening. Metaria tried to shield the dark energy from me fortunately my powers transcend what she can do" explained Pluto.
"That's probably why Rei hasn't been able to see forward somehow Metaria is using her dark energy to block out her sight" said Jupiter from the far end of the table
"But that's not all" said Mercury "we also found small trace amounts of dark energy emanating from somewhere in Solaris"
"So, you think that someone in Solaris is helping Metaria with an attack" asked Uranus.
"It's impossible to say it could be one of Metaria's followers we know that not all of them were destroyed during the Great War some could have survived…" but Mercury was interrupted.
"Survived for a millennium, that's impossible" said Venus
"Not Impossible there is a way, there is always a way" said Saturn "You're thinking sorcery" asked Jupiter
"Possibly" said Mercury.
"But the real questions are how is Metaria able to release dark energy into the world and who is her patsy" said Venus
"And when and where is she going to strike" said Saturn.
"The Millennium Ball is in a two weeks' times that would be the best time to attack if she thinks we don't suspect," said Uranus
"Then let's start planning now" The guardians sat around the table discussing the plan of attack all the while oblivious to the intruder sitting on a high ledge in the form of a raven, the bird flew of out the window heading north to the arctic mountains, all the while Metaria's laughter could be heard on the horizon.