Darkside of the Moon

Prince Diamond stood in his chambers staring at the holographic image of the sleeping princess when he heard footsteps coming up behind him. "Rubeus what are you doing here?" he asked. "My apologizes your highness. I merely came here to make sure you're alright"

"I'm fine" said the prince looking on at the image of princess Serena.

"You don't look fine my prince" said Rubeus giving Diamond a hard stare. Diamond paid him no heed as he carried on in his tirade "…Sapphire is dead, and you're sitting here staring and this hologram doing what exactly?" At that the prince finally turned and faced his friend. "I have a plan Rubeus and we are right on schedule"

"What plan? What is going on in that head of yours Diamond because I honestly have doubts that you are thinking rationally right now" said Rubeus. Diamond gave him a stern look in return and turned back to staring at his hologram of the princess. "What is your plan Diamond?" Asked Rubeus. "All shall be revealed in time my friend. In the the meantime don't you have a job to do" said the prince dismissing his friend from his side.

Rubeus stood ramrod as his friend dismissed him then turned on his heel and walked out of the prince's room. What is he thinking, he has let his lust for the princess drive him to the brink of insanity thought Rubeus as he walked down the hall, he passed by the princess' room this is all her fault he thought, slowly he walked towards the door to the princess' room, he extended his hand to the knob and was about to turn the handle when he heard foot steps coming from down the hall. He made a quick exit and ran down the hallway to his chambers. Once inside he looked into the full-length mirror and for a single moment, he saw the monster he was becoming.

Diamond walked down to hall and opened the doors to the princess' room he never saw his friend standing at the door with his hand on the knob and he never saw the murderous look on his face as he was about to enter and take away his world. Diamond stood at the foot of the bed staring at Serena as she lay there in peaceful repose "Soon Serena very soon you and I will be together again ruling the moon kingdom side by side, in just a few days' time you will awaken and you'll use the power of the crystal to defeat and kill Metaria, then we'll be together just you and me forever" Prince Diamond told the sleeping princess as she lay there motionless. Diamond walked out of the room and headed back down hall, the castle was dark, one of the benefits of being on the dark side of the moon, they were hidden away from any danger. Prince Diamond could have used the door of time to send them to another world somewhere where Metaria's darkness could not reach them just like the others, but he knew better, knew what the moon kingdom meant to her, what this world meant to her. So instead he took her through the door and to the old palace that was once inhabited by the god's themselves. This place, it was a gift to the goddess Nyx from her husband Erebus. Erebus or darkness personified, one of the primordial gods who ruled and created the world we live in before their accession to the heavenly plane where they watch over us and guard us. Guard us he thought. Right, they sit on their heavenly thrones and watch over them, but they do nothing to answer the prayers of those who need them the most in their hour of need. Guard us. Watch over us. They had the power to prevent all of this and they did nothing, and they are still doing nothing. Guard us. If the gods won't take a stand against one of their own, then he would.

Solarian Palace…

Prince Darien lay in his bed looking up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes giving into the exhaustion, the Lady Beryl constantly pursued him and showered him with affection, he was loyal to her of that he was sure but did her loved her, he didn't think so. Whenever he slept, he always dreamt of the same thing a beautiful field of flowers and there standing in the distance was a raven-haired girl beckoning for him to come back to her, to save her. She had silver eyes that seemed to bore right through him like she was looking into his soul. He woke to the sound of his name being called in the distance "Darien" he heard it again, he followed the sound out into the palace gardens and then it stopped. "Come on, where are you?" He whispered when suddenly he heard a ruffle in the bushes "come out" he called and they ruffed again, the prince stepped closer, and the ruffling got louder. The prince extended his hand and moved the bush to the side, nothing, there was nothing there he gave a defeated sigh when he heard it again his named being called "Darien" he turned but there was no one there and then nothing. He decided to head back to bed when he entered his room, he found her there, Beryl.

The lady Beryl lay on his bed half dressed in a see though night gown smiling at him "What are you doing here?" He asked

"I wanted to see you, is that a crime?" She said

"I'm tired Beryl, I need to sleep" he told her walking towards the the door that lead out of his room.

"Oh, come now my dear prince why don't you lay your head down and I'll give you a nice massage" she patted the bed with her hand and smiled at him.

"Not tonight" he told her, and her smile faded.

"Not tonight, not tomorrow, then when?!" She shrieked

Prince Darien rolled his eyes and then gave her a stern and searing look. "Darien my love I'm sorry I shouldn't have lost my temper, but I just want to be with you so badly it is driving stark raving mad please Darien I need you…"

"Stop" the prince said and opened the door further "Not another word, now get out" he told her. Beryl did as she was told and walked out of the room with her head held high. She walked with as much dignity as she could muster and fled to the safety of her chambers. Once inside she let out a loud and frustrated scream. "Troubles my lady?" Said a hooded figure coming from the dark portal that opened on the other side of the room.

"All the powers of darkness in making him loyal to me and yet he is still not mine"

"Do not worry my lady, once Metaria is free she can use her power to make him love you"

"Will she?" Said Beryl with a hint of doubt in her voice.

The figure walked across the room and took Beryl by the arms "you dare doubt our magnificent lady and her power!" Yelled the figure while shaking the lady Beryl "stop! Get your hands off of me!" Screamed Beryl and and the hooded one seemed to come to its senses.

"Forgive me my lady"

"Get OUT!" She screamed, and the hooded figure bowed and turned to leave through the dark portal. Beryl rubbed at her upper arms and sat at the edge of her bed. Tears streaked down her cheeks as the felt the pain and sting of rejection "Why?" She asked no one as sobs racked her body.

Deep Beneath the earth…

The hooded figure walked across the cavern and stood by the giant crystal hourglass.

"Well?" Asked Metaria

"She is breaking, questioning your awesome power"

"Bring her to me, I think it's time for me to have a little chat with our withering princess-to-be" said Metaria

"What will you do?"

"What I have to"

Solarian Palace…

Beryl lay in her bed sobbing in her misery when a dark figure appears in her mirror "My lady your presence is requested by our supreme Lady Metaria"

"What does she want?"

"For you to make your presence known, don't dawdle" the figure said before disappearing leaving only Beryls sullen reflection.

Not wanting to make her patron angry Beryl took her time getting dressed in her finest silk dress and opening a portal to the caverns below the earth. Beryl walked slowly into the cavern opening, she arrived at her destination and stood in front of the hourglass that held the goddess trapped.

"You sent for me"

"You doubt my power"

"You said you could make him mine, yet his heart still belongs to her"

"That is because she still has a hold of him, she is still alive you failed me Beryl"

"We were betrayed, by prince Diamond"

"Perhaps you should not have been so quick as to betray him first by killing his brother"

"His brother was questioning you and our plans"

"Just as you are now" said Metaria the anger clear in her voice.

"What else am I supposed to do, you said you could make him mine"

"And he is yours"

"Not all of him"

"Then maybe you should have killed the princess while she was vulnerable" said Metaria

"I did! she was dead, this is all that meddlesome queen's fault, she is probably venerable now I just can't get to her I've tried to find her location, but she is not in our world"

"Trust me she is here I can feel it even with Prince Diamonds curse in effect I can still feel her power. Queen Serenity is dead and if her brat of a daughter ever takes the throne there will be no stopping her, everything we worked for will be destroyed"

"What do you mean?"

"Can't you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"Prince Diamond's curse will run it's corse and soon the princess will awaken as will her damn guardians and the war will resume, everything we worked for will be destroyed do you understand now why it is imperative to find the little witch and kill her"

"Yes, my lady" said Beryl with her head bent in supplication. She was right she needed to find the princess as soon as possible or else everything in her life will be destroyed.

The Ruins of the Lunarian Palace…

"Come along Artemis" said Luna

"What is it Luna?"

"I have a feeling that something is going down"

"What?"

"Just come on we need to get to the temple" said Luna running faster, Artemis struggled to keep up with her and lost her down the corridor.

The temple I'm on it thought Artemis as he ran down the alleyway that led to the guardian temple were the others were entombed. Faster and faster he ran right up to the point where he ran right into Luna who had arrived at their destination. "Will you be more careful Artemis really" she said looking around the corner "Sandmen" said Luna.

"What?"

"Sandmen are guarding the door to the temple we will have to figure out another way in"

"Okay"

"Come on let's go"

The felines ran back down the alley and down to the docks "come on" said Luna she turned down another alley that led her straight to the park on the west side of the temple "More Sandmen" said Artemis looking over the once placid playground where Lunarian children used to play. "We'll have to be more careful" said Luna in a whisper. They snuck around the park and made their way to the temple, Luna climbed on the ledge and peered into the window, Luna saw several sandmen floating across the room while the guardian's slept peacefully on their chairs "Look Artemis" she told her feline companion "How are we going to get inside when the place is surrounded?"

"Don't worry Artemis the year is almost up in a few days our kingdom shall rise again stronger than ever and we will defeat Metaria, I'm sure of it".

"Your optimism astounds me" said Artemis jumping down from the ledge "Now what?"

"We wait and watch"

"Ok? But what about unifying the kingdoms against Metaria"

"I'm not worried once the guardians are awake, she will fail and once our queen takes the throne again, she will destroy the evil that plagues this world"

"But at what cost Luna, it killed the ancient queen, and that was just to seal her up. Queen Serenity is dead, and princess Serena is in a deep coma held captive by prince Diamond…"

"I know Artemis but..."

"How can you be so optimistic Luna"

"Because" said Luna looking up into the moonless sky "I have faith". There was something she wasn't telling him, he could tell a few days ago she was about ready to give up hope and now, something was up he just didn't know what.

Beneath the Earth…

Prince Darien walked into the cavern and to the large hourglass "My lady" he said kneeling and bowing his head.

"My dear Prince, I have been told that you are troubled"

"Not at all, My Lady"

"You are lying"

He looked Quizzically at this and bowed his head further. "I can still feel her in you" he raised his head at that and looked up into the hourglass his eyes hollow. "I don't know what you mean" he said.

"I think you do"

"I do not"

"Stop lying to me!" she yelled "I feel it even though she is gone the princess still has a hold on your heart. "No" said the prince "She is all but dead to me"

"Do not worry my dear soon very soon everything will be alright" said Metaria as she unleashed her darkness on him. The prince woke up some time later in his bed replaying the conversation in his head I can still feel her in you. He rubbed his temples nursing a headache when he heard it again "Darien" someone was calling to him and no matter what Metaria did to him it would not go away. Prince Darien laid back down and tried to sleep but there was this dark feeling gnawing at him there was something out there or someone.

Dark moon Palace…

In his chambers Prince Diamond sat at his desk looking at nothing lost in his own thoughts when Rubeus came in. "Your Highness"

"What is it now Rubeus"

"I…" Prince Diamond looked up in annoyance at his friend. Rubeus stubbled on his words but was finally able to voice the question that had been on his mind for days. "What… what is your plan my prince"

"What?"

"Days my lord, it is only a couple of days left before the war resumes, what is your plan"

"My plan" said the prince smiling "My plan is for the princess to take down that harpy and her minion. Once Beryl is gone, we will turn our power on Metaria herself and destroy her"

"That…that is you plan? To kill Beryl and then destroy Metaria?" the Prince nodded "Are you insane!"

"You dare raise your voice at me?!" said the prince in outrage

"Forgive me my lord I meant no disrespect. It is just that the last queen to take on Metaria lost her life in the process, it took everything she had to in prison her…"

"That is because she acted alone, but if princess Serena and I combine our powers we might be able to permanently destroy her"

"Sir this is a long shot you don't even know if you have the power to defeat her, let alone destroy her"

"You underestimate me Rubeus" the prince smiled into nothingness and stood walking around his desk placing his hands-on Rubeus' shoulders. "My dearest closest friend do not worry everything will be alright" he let go of Rubeus and walked out of the room. Rubeus looked on at the hologram of the princess and sighed this is crazy, he is going to get us all killed. There had to be a way to reason with him a way to get him to stop this foolishness and see the light.

Back in the princess' quarters the still sleeping beauty lay in her opulent bed eyes closed. Suddenly her lips moved forming one single word Darien.

Lunarian Palace…

Artemis lay sleeping on his side inside the former queen's chambers Luna on the other hand was wide awake and staring out into the stars. A soft voice ringing in her head telling her everything was going to be alright. She finally lay down next to Artemis and closed her eyes. Just before dawn broke on the horizon, she was startled awake by visions, the same ones she been having for days and then a smile broke out on her feline features she looked down at Artemis still sleeping and whispered "we are going to win Artemis I know it now" She hopped on the ledge and looked out at the rising sun. Just a few more days the moon shall rise again.

Guardian Temple…

As the sandmen circled the room, they never noticed the small twitch on Jupiter's hand or the flutter of Uranus eyes. They war was far from over, a few days and the fighting will resume the guardians would wake and Serena will take her stand against Metaria.