The world shattered.
Two star seeds, one a shimmering silver, the other a deep, resonant gold, ascended into the night. Their glow outshone the stars, twin beacons of lost hope climbing toward the Galaxy Cauldron. A strangled gasp escaped Queen Serenity's throat.
Her heart fragmented into a hundred million shards, splintering, becoming mutilated and mangled. Yet, above her, oblivious to her grief, those two star seeds danced and twirled around each other. Never straying far, they remained together until they faded from view.
"No," she whispered, the word a broken prayer on her lips. "No, no, no!"
Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to her knees on the fractured stone floors of what was once her glowing crystal kingdom. Shards bit into her skin, but the pain was nothing compared to the agony ripping through her heart. The Dark Kingdom had succeeded in its plan of turning the moon to stone. Of turning the Earth to rock.
The sight of the star seeds, so beautiful yet so tragic, tore at her very soul.
It was a cruel reminder that her daughter was gone, ripped away by the darkness that consumed their world. Her trembling hands reached skyward, grasping at the air as if she could pluck her daughter's star seed from its journey and bring her back.
"Serenity!" The queen's scream echoed across the ruins, a sound of such profound anguish that even the very air seemed to shudder.
"Serenity." Her voice cracked, rippling through the stillness, a mother's desperate call to a child who could no longer answer.
Tears streamed down her face, unchecked and unending. Each drop carried memories, emotions, and hatred. Each drop a testament to her failure. Each drop a curse. Each one drowning her just a little more.
They tasted of salt, like an endless ocean of sorrow. Breath was a struggle, her chest constricting as if wrapped in iron bands. Yet, as she struggled to calm her breathing, she could smell the ghostly remnants of Serenity's favorite Moon Flower perfume. The once-sweet fragrance now was a mockery of the life that was lost.
The remnants of the Silver Crystal pulsed within her, reacting to her grief. She clutched at her chest, digging at the comforting burn. Its light, usually a soft, comforting glow, now flared erratically, matching the frantic beating of her shattered heart. The remaining structures of the Moon Kingdom groaned in sympathy, crystals cracking and splintering as if they too mourned the loss of their princess.
All around her, the moon cried. The landscape grew dim, as if a veil of sorrow descended upon it. The crystal towers faded into a lifeless gray, and the air became heavy. An overwhelming sadness rolled across the desolate land, following her grief. Beneath her, the ground trembled, sharing in her heartbreak.
An awful silence spread across the moon, punctured only by her own ragged breathing and the distant crackle of falling crystal. Every part of her longed to hear Serenity's laughter once more. A memory flashed unbidden—Serenity as a child, her tiny hand in her mother's as they walked through the palace gardens. The weight of that small, warm hand felt so real for a moment that Queen Serenity's fingers twitched, grasping at empty air.
She doubled over, forehead touching the cold ground, and let out a sob that came from the depths of her very soul. She'd lost everything in a mere second. A glimpse of time had seen her world collapse.
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, her words muffled against the floor. "I'm so sorry, my darling daughter. I didn't protect you."
Her fingers clawed at the ground, leaving bloody trails as she sought something, anything, to anchor her to reality. But reality was too cruel, too unbearable. Her beautiful daughter, her precious Serenity, was gone. Those bright blue eyes would never again look at her with love and mischief. That melodious laugh would never again sound through the halls.
As her tears fell, they mixed with the dust and blood on the ground, creating small, shimmering ponds that only reflected despair. Queen Serenity lifted her head, vision blurred, to watch as the last traces of her daughter and Endymion faded into the distant sky.
She rocked back and forth, holding herself, as if trying to cradle Serenity one last time. Queen Serenity's tears fell harder, a river of sorrow that seemed endless. The loss was too great, the emptiness too profound. Her soul was being torn away, leaving a gaping wound that would never heal.
In that moment, something within her changed. The crushing weight of grief gave way to a burning, all-consuming rage. Everything within her hardened to something unfamiliar and dark.
"I swear to you, Serenity."
Queen Serenity rose to her feet, her tarnished gown flowing around her. Now the grief inside had transformed into a cold, hard resolve. Inside her, the Silver Crystal pulsed, reacting to every flicker in her heart.
As if summoned by her rage, Beryl stepped out of the shadows. Hovering just behind her, a desolate shadow loomed, a blazing purple mark between her glowing eyes. Serenity made no effort to wipe the tears from her eyes or clean the dust from her cheeks.
"Ah, the great Queen Serenity," Beryl sneered. "I'm enjoying seeing the mighty Moon Kingdom brought to its knees. How does it feel to lose everything? Your precious daughter, your perfect kingdom… even Endymion."
Queen Serenity's grip on the Moon Stick tightened, the Silver Crystal pulsing. "Beryl," Queen Serenity's voice was low, dangerous. "You've done the unforgivable. But even now, I pity you. Your heart has been consumed by darkness and jealousy."
Beryl's laughter turned to a snarl. "Pity? I don't need your pity! I've liberated Earth from your oppressive rule. I've destroyed the White Moon. The Dark Kingdom will reign supreme! It's only a shame about Endymion."
"You've taken everything from the moon, Beryl. Your reign of terror ends now."
Beryl sneered, stepping closer. "Such bravado, Queen. If only you'd shown this much fight earlier. But you were always too soft. Look where it got you."
Her eyes filled with tears once again. "You're right, I should have acted sooner. I should have used the Silver Crystal when the darkness first threatened our world. But I believe there is good in everyone, even in you. I believe in love and redemption."
Beryl's expression hardened. "And look where that's gotten you! I've destroyed your kingdom. Your daughter is dead. There's nothing left for you to fight for."
Serenity's grip on the Silver Crystal tightened, its light growing more intense. "You're wrong. There's always something worth fighting for. Love, hope, the future. Even in the face of despair, I will not give up."
Beryl's laughter turned into a snarl. "Then come, Serenity. Show me the power you've been too afraid to use. We aren't afraid of you or your Legendary Silver Crystal. The Dark Kingdom is more powerful."
The air shimmered as Queen Serenity begged the crystal to lend its power. A slight flair of reluctant bubbled within the crystal. It knew the consequences of releasing its power, and didn't want to see the end of its companion. But it also recognized the truth of the situation. Its ancient power awakened in her grasp, responding to her plea. The Silver Crystal blossomed and glowed.
Queen Serenity shuddered. The energy it radiated was something she'd never fully experienced before.
It was raw.
It was terrifying.
It was everything.
It was nothing.
Power pulsed in her hands, sending waves of energy through her body, as if she were standing at the edge of a great abyss, teetering between control and chaos. Her hands tingled, the intensity of the power almost too much to bear.
Radiance pooled in her chest as the heat built, the Silver Crystal drawing on her life force, intertwining with her very essence. A thousand needles pierced her skin, a sensation of both being uplifted and torn apart. Every heartbeat sent a fresh wave of energy through her, a relentless tide that surged and receded.
Grief and determination intertwined within her, each surge of power amplifying her sorrow and hardening her resolve. Now the crystal spoke to her, warning her. The heartbreak was too much. The grief was too deep. The guilt was too strong.
It would respond to her prayer, but it was incapable of fulfilling her wishes.
With a solemn acknowledgment, Queen Serenity accepted.
Dissolving into light, the room, the palace, the moon merged with her, blurring the boundaries between her and the crystal until they became one. The fabric of reality shifted. The power of the crystal reacted.
"I seal you away," Queen Serenity cried, her voice breaking with the effort. "I seal you in the darkness of your own creation. To languish until you fade into nothing."
Everything died.
The light faded into nothing. The darkness vanished into the abyss.
All that remained was the stone remnants, the evidence that Metalia had corrupted the world.
Queen Serenity collapsed, the Silver Crystal now lifeless in her hands. Aware of her impending death, Queen Serenity sought the crystal's intervention, and it granted her one final blessing. She would have the energy for two more tasks, then this life would be over.
Luna and Artemis bounded into the room.
"Your Majesty!" They both shouted.
"My dearest friends." Her voice was thin and weak. "Will you please forgive me?"
"Your Highness," Luna said, stepping closer. "There is nothing to forgive."
"Nothing at all," Artemis added, standing at attention. "There was more at work here than just the Dark Kingdom."
"Not even you can fight against the curse of fate," Luna said.
The queen tried to smile, but there was nothing left. "I have one more request of you, my faithful advisers."
"Ask," Luna bowed.
"We'll fulfill it," Artemis bowed.
"Will you watch over Serenity and the others? Guide Endymion and the Heavenly Kings? Will you do that for me?"
Luna shot a quick glance at Artemis. "We'd love to, but there is no telling when they will be reborn, or if they'll be reborn together."
"We're not immortal," Artemis said. "We can't guarantee that we'll be here when they're reborn."
"I've prepared two cold sleep chambers for you. They'll ensure that you wake when the guardians do, when Princess Serenity does."
Luna and Artemis looked at each other, their tails twitching. Finally, they both bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"It would be my pleasure to guide the guardians," Luna said.
"It would be my honor to help Endymion and the Four Kings," Artemis said.
It took effort to stand, but eventually, Queen Serenity made it to her feet. Leading Luna and Artemis through the ruins of the palace. Her steps were slow and labored. Both Luna and Artemis hovered close beside her. Now the light of the Silver Crystal had dimmed, barely providing enough light to guide their way.
They reached the hidden chamber, its entrance now exposed like the bones of a dead creature. Inside, two cylindrical capsules stood side by side, their surfaces gleaming despite the surrounding destruction. Queen Serenity place a hand on each capsule, and they hummed to life, a soft blue light emanating from within.
"These chambers will preserve you," Queen Serenity explained, her voice growing fainter with each word. "They'll protect you until the guardians and my daughter are reborn."
Luna and Artemis approached the pods, casting each other a long glance.
"These will keep you safe," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Until the time comes for you to guide them."
"Your Majesty," Luna began, her voice trembling slightly. "We're ready."
Queen Serenity kneeled down, gathering both cats in her arms. For a moment, she simply held them, her tears falling silently onto their fur.
"Thank you," she murmured. "For everything."
She gently placed Luna in one capsule, then Artemis in the other. As the lids closed, Artemis called out, "We won't fail you, Your Majesty!"
"We'll watch over them," Luna added, her eyes locked with Queen Serenity's until the last moment.
The capsules sealed with a soft hiss, and a pale mist filled each one. Queen Serenity watched as her faithful advisers drifted into their long sleep, their forms gradually obscured by the swirling fog within.
She placed a hand on each capsule, feeling the cool surface beneath her palm. "Sleep well, my friends," she whispered. "Until we meet again in the next life."
But she knew that would never happen. With a final look at the sleeping forms of Luna and Artemis, Queen Serenity turned away. Her time was running short, and she had one last task to complete before her strength gave out entirely.
Queen Serenity didn't know how she made it to the vast underground chamber, but finally she stepped off the last step. The crystal pillars were now cracked stone. Thankfully, the computer itself seemed undamaged. The closer she got, the more it seemed to pulse with an ancient, almost sentient energy. It sensed her presence, recognizing the gravity of the moment. Nearly falling, she staggered the last few feet before collapsing at the base of the Eternity Main System.
It loomed before her, its mirror-like surface shimmering with a strange light. Now the artifact came to life, pulsing with a soft, blue glow that matches the rhythm of her weakening heartbeat.
"My last task," she whispered, her voice echoing through the cavernous space.
Trembling, she placed a palm against the cool surface of the system. Instantly, a web of light spread from her hand, creating intricate patterns across the mirror. New energy hummed, the air crackling with technology and power fused together.
Queen Serenity closed her eyes, focusing on what she needed to do. Clearing her mind, she relaxed for what felt like the first time in ages. Slowly, the system entered her mind; it probed her memories, explored her knowledge, recorded her very essence. It was an odd sensation, like light sifting through her, carefully selecting and recording each one.
Images flashed before her closed eyes: the birth of her daughter, the rise of the Silver Millennium, the peace they had known, and the tragedy that had befallen them. Emotion tinged each memory—joy, love, regret, sorrow—all captured and preserved by the system.
Tendrils of light wrapped around her like a protective cocoon. It was gradual at first, only a slight tingling that started in her fingers, but now it was more evident. This was it. The final moments of the lives she had lived.
Because she'd give it all up to save them. To ensure that they'd be reborn in the future. To continue to protect the Moon and Earth. When she passed from his life, her star seed would return to the Galaxy Cauldron. But not to be reborn. No, it was an offering. A sacrifice.
The process intensified, and Queen Serenity gasped as she felt her consciousness begin to separate from her physical form. It was as if she were being pulled in two directions at once, her mind expanding beyond the confines of her body while her physical form grew weaker.
Streams of data, visible as threads of silver light, flowed from her into the system. The mirror's surface rippled like water, accepting and integrating her essence. Queen Serenity could feel parts of herself leaving, vanishing into nothing.
Slowly, she was being unmade. Never to be made again.
As the process neared completion, the chamber filled with a brilliant white light. Queen Serenity opened her eyes to see a ghostly version of herself reflected in the mirror—not as she was now, weak and dying, but as she had been in her prime, radiant and full of hope.
"Watch over them," she whispered to her reflection. "Guide them. Love them."
The light faded, and Queen Serenity collapsed to the ground, her strength finally spent. Everything trembled, stone cracking and falling from the ceiling. Through half-lidded eyes, she watched the fissures spread across the floor, snaking towards her prone form.
Suddenly, the ground gave way beneath her, and she was falling, tumbling through layers of dead stone. The world blurred around her, a kaleidoscope of shattered moon and starry sky. With a bone-jarring impact, she found herself lying on the surface of the moon. Earth and the stars beyond laid out in a resplendent display.
Her vision swam, reality seeming to ripple and distort.
Then she saw it. A figure silhouetted against the stars, descending slowly towards the ruined Moon Kingdom. Even in her fading consciousness, Queen Serenity recognized the unmistakable shape of the Silence Glaive.
Saturn had arrived.
Saturn would destroy the Moon Kingdom and Earth. All life vanquished. The end of an era.
The beginning of the new.
As darkness crept into the edges of her vision, Queen Serenity watched the harbinger of destruction draw ever closer. With her last breath, she whispered a final prayer for her daughter, for the Earth, for the Moon, for the future that now lay in Saturn's hands.
The world faded as stone exploded, and Queen Serenity knew no more.