Preparations
"Lady Beryl" said the hooded figure "your back"
"Is everything ready?" Beryl asked
"The army awaits your command; shall we mobilize?" the hooded figure asked only to be answered by a loud resounding voice
"No! We wait for the moment" said Metaria's voice
"They know, don't they?" asked the figure.
"They suspect" said Metaria laughing "but even if they do figure it out they won't be able to stop it" she told her servants, Beryl's smiled wickedly and then asked
"How did you manage to do all this? It was my belief that the Lunarian Queen trapped you over a millennium ago, how were you able to break free after all this time?"
"Things change with the passage of time my dear" said Metaria, "Lunaris has grown soft and so has its monarchy" was all Metaria said unwilling to reveal all her secrets "Now are you ready Beryl?" she asked
"Yes" was Lady Beryl's answer
"Then step forward" Beryl did as she was told "Open yourself to the darkness Beryl, become my vessel and strike at the heart of the Moon Kingdom get me the power of the Imperial crystal we shall rule the cosmos!" said Metaria as black smoke rose from the fiery pits and enveloped Beryl.
Beryl's screams could be heard from all corners of the cavern as the hooded figure smiled and Metaria laughing. Beryl's open arms suddenly clutched her stomach in agony but she didn't give in, she thought about Prince Darien and Princess Serena and the grand betrayal that was committed against her. Her mind took her back to the day that she caught them kissing in the forest, her prince, he was hers, her prince.
"I'll make the pay" she said through gritted teeth "I'll make them all pay" she kept saying repeatedly and finally she stopped fighting and at that moment the darkness filled her and for the first time she felt her torment fade away, she felt a strange sort of peace come over her and then darkness.
When Beryl woke up the cavern was strangely quiet and dark there was nothing there "Metaria!" she screamed into the air, nothing Beryl walked out of the cave and into the snow-covered mountain "Where did they go?" she wondered she found herself all alone, she watched the setting sun as another day had gone by. Just two more weeks until the Millennium Ball, two weeks and she would have her revenge on the princess.
Just then Beryl looked up at the darkening sky and saw a raven fly by it seemed to be calling to her beckoning her to follow, and that's just what she did.
The Raven lead though the snow-covered forest, for a moment she thought that she had lost it in the trees, but then she heard its screeching cry's, she followed it into a clearing and there she found the raven sitting astride a giant black horse with cold lifeless eyes and a deep throated nigh. Beryl climbed on top of the horse and before she had chance to grab the reigns both the horse and the raven took off at high speeds.
After traveling for what seemed like hours, the black steed came to a full stop at the shoreline "we must be somewhere near Somnus" she thought to herself as she looked out over the horizon she smiled when she saw the dark and sinuous shape of a rather small ship. She had notice the three men on a small row boat coming towards her until a soldier clad in black armor stood by her side. His black armor even more menacing than the unnatural green of his eyes, black spikes protruding from its extremities their hands were like claws ready to tear into the enemy ripping them apart at the seams.
One black clad man extended his hand to her and Beryl took it without second thought and they led her away to the small rowboat. Once Beryl and the men had taken off she looked back only to find that the horse and bird were gone.
Lunarian Palace…
Mercury woke from sleep to the sound of screaming. She made her way to the hall only to find she wasn't the only one who had been woken up.
"What is that?" asked Venus
"It's coming from Rei's room" shouted Jupiter already on her way down the hall. The others followed and as they made it to Mars door the tried to pry it open when Venus reached for the door knob she retracted her hand finding it burning hot.
"It's hot" she exclaimed clutching her burned hand.
"Stand back," said Mercury and she place her hand in front of the door as a small cold breeze emanated from her hand the handle on the door froze in place.
"Be careful" said Uranus "if the handle is scalding hot who knows what else we might find in there" but her words were cut short by the sound of more screaming.
"It doesn't matter we can handle it" yelled Jupiter
"What is going on?" Luna's voice came from the distance followed by Artemis.
"We don't know we heard screaming, it's Rei" answered Venus
"We need to venture in with caution, Venus burned her hand from just touching the door knob" said Neptune
"We don't know what we will find in there, we need to be ready she might accidentally set us on fire"
"Send me in" said Luna
"What?!" said the guardians in unison
"I'm smaller and a lot more agile than the rest of you, I can dodge anything that comes my way. Plus I'm immortal she won't harm me" said Luna
"I'll go with you" said Artemis
"No" said Luna
"I won't risk you getting hurt" she said looking at the door
"Neither will I Luna, I'm immortal too remember" he yelled and before she could stop him he was standing in front of the door waiting for the guardians to open the door. Luna rolled her eyes at his boldness he had never spoken to her that way before. Uranus and Jupiter kicked the doors in unison as Artemis went through first and Luna followed.
The room was set ablaze and Rei was lying on her bed still screaming. A piece of curtain fell from the ceiling almost hitting Artemis but he had managed to dodge and fling himself to the other side of the room Luna looked back through the door and signaled for Mercury to come in. Neptune followed and together they doused the room of the flames and opened the windows to let the smoke out. The other guardian strode into the room, it took several minutes for Rei to be roused from sleep but when she finally did open her eyes she spoke
"I saw them!" she yelled in a panicked voice the guardians all turned to an unseen figure in the distance the heard the click of her heels on the tile floor as she stepped forward it was the Queen. Mars sat up a little straighter on her bed and bowed her head towards the Queen,
"Your Majesty" she said but the Queen simply sat by her bed and asked, "What did you see?" Rei tried to catch her breath as the Queen placed a soothing hand on her shoulder "Take your time" she told her and Rei finally answered.
"A Vessel imbued with Metaria's power and her forces covered in shadow, they are ready they could attack at any moment your majesty" the Queen looked somber.
One Weeks Before the ball…
"What?!" exclaimed the princess flabbergasted "mother you can't do this the Millennium Ball is something the whole kingdom has been looking forward to, you just can't!" yelled the princess as her mother made arrangements for the other Monarchs to arrive. Queen Serenity had held off on telling Serena about the cancelation of the ball not wanting to cause her kingdom any distress.
"She is right you Majesty, it was to be a grand celebration, are you sure you want to do this" asked a tall dark figure she had long black hair and her eyes were positively feline in nature Serena recognized her as Nehelenia the young queen of the kingdom of death. Next to her stood a tall pale man wearing a white suit and flowing silver cape, Prince Diamond ruler of the kingdom of sleep and his brother prince Sapphire was standing next to him. "I agree, Serenity we can't give into the fear that Metaria will come back with our kingdoms united she can't possibly defeat us"
"Everything changes with time Prince Diamond" said Queen Serenity "What do you propose?" the Prince smiled at the Queen as Serenity took to the throne. Princess Serena had stormed out of the room in anger unable to hear her mother's answer as to why she wanted to cancel the ball.
Two Hours later…
Queen Serenity had called for a gathering of her people the at the Lunarian temple in the heart of the city. Her carriage had arrived mid-morning and as she made her way up the steps she heard her people's cries of worry. Serenity simply placed her hands above her head in a placating manor.
"My people, I know that there had been rumors circling concerning a great power coming here to destroy us" she paused as she heard the murmurs in the crowds once again she places her hands above her head to quite them down. "I assure you that the ball will continue as scheduled" the people's cries reached her but she simply took a deep breath and repeat Diamonds words "we will show no fear we are a strong people and we will show our enemies that we will not let them bully us into submission, we will remain strong not matter what" she said and with that she made her way back to the carriage. The mass crowd dissipated and among them stood several dark hooded figures, that made their way into the forest and with one last look they disappeared into the darkness. Serena sat in the carriage and smiled at her mother with excitement.
"We're really going on with the ball?" asked the princess hopeful
"Yes, my little star it has been decided by the council, you would have known that had you not stormed off the throne room. Serena continued to smile at her mother and lunged wrapping her arms around her neck.
Island West of Somnus…
"My lady" said a tall bulky man, he approached her throne and bowed Beryl waved her hand for him to come forward
"Did they fall for it?" she asked the man simply nodded and Beryl smiled "good" was all she said as she walked to the reflecting pool in the center of the room, when she looked down she didn't see her own reflection looking back at her but she saw princess Serena's smiling face staring back at her "Enjoy this time my dear princess because it will come to an end" said Beryl and she turned and walked towards the door.
"Where are you going?" asked the hooded figure "I have a ball to get ready for" said Beryl as she laughed. Everything was going according to plan, in one weeks she was going to witness the fall of the moon kingdom she was going to have it all by midnight on the millennium ball he was going to be hers the pretty little princess from the moon kingdom was going to be dead. She was going to have it all and it brought a smile to her face.