Cluster of Power
Shall I wield the glistening blade, cut down the tainted bloom, her blood seeping into the virgin Earth?
Shall good come of the blood sacrifice?
Shall my nights be plagued by nightmares, or will the seasons cleanse the ground and grant me peace?
Shall seeds anew burst into bloom, feeding upon the body of the dark goddess to complete the celestial rite?
Neo-Queen Serenity 3007 CK (Crystal Kingdom Archives)
~/~
Disembodied, Princess Serenity continued to watch the Dark Queen as she stood upon what was once the balcony outside her bedchamber. Looking up, she could not believe the change in her counterpart; gone, the sweet face that greeted her each morn, also absent, the girlish posture and body language, and her bright and pretty eyes, now vacuous black holes, only bitterness, rage, lust and cruelty dwelt therein.
She shuddered involuntarily, and though a silhouette, she felt the icy tendrils of Dark Serenity's aura creeping over her misty form. But Serenity was acutely aware the woman with the raven-black odangos hadn't seen her, despite the fact she stood clearly in line of sight. She could see the darkness sweeping over the kingdom of the White Moon, emanating from this girl. She found this all too much to take as her golden tresses continued to grow without any sign of slowing down, these dragging in a trail behind her, floating upon an etheric wind.
The woman-child in black was the epitome of darkness. Dark Serenity, desecration personified. What this monster had done to her mother had been unspeakable. Gladdened by Pluto's intervention, though it had ultimately come at a price she could ill afford, the loss of her Endy, she knew more sacrifices might have to be made before all this was over.
Arc of the Moon Glaive
Silver Millennium
Moon Kingdom
Serenity City: the stellar metropolis renowned for its art, its glittering spires and ramparts, the towers giving off an etheric light, visible as far away as Alpha and Proxima Centauri was the most beautiful sight in the night sky and the source of countless legends.
The White Moon, the galactic trade and cultural capital of the great Silver Alliance, the pinnacle of the Silver Millennium, the apex of this glorious civilization, the alliance she fought so hard to build, nurture and protect, was under siege and in danger of being swept away.
Deep within, the voice of the Ginzuishou spoke words of wisdom and encouragement, as she always had, explaining how the future was partially unscripted and depended on her daughter whether the future be one of darkness, or of the light.
Against her mother Selene's wishes to initiate the seven-year-old in the Temple of the White Moon, she chose to ignore her mother's fervent warnings, affectively denying the child her Senshi birthright. Selene had been outraged by her daughter's actions.
She remembered her mother's words with crystal clarity. "Serenity, to strip the girl of her right to lead the Silver Alliance as a Senshi queen in the footsteps of her ancestors is wrong and dangerous in the extreme! You could be placing the entire Silver Millennium in dire peril, think girl of what you're doing. I cannot stress that enough; it falls to you to govern our kingdom wisely, please, think carefully before you decide, my little one."
Now, she wished she had listened to her mother's wise council, but was it too late to save their kingdom. In the quietest moment, Serenity faced the bitter and unavoidable truth. She wouldn't flinch under the critical gaze of the blue planet as it slid across the Lunarian sky as she shed silent tears upon her sleeping daughter's balcony.
Serenity had prevented her little girl becoming a Senshi by withholding that moment of vital exposure to the glittering Ginzuishou in the hope that celestial providence would spare her child the pain of loss and suffering that was prophesied, but it had all been for naught. She had been a fool, for this ill-conceived attempt to short circuit Serenity's destiny, the Queen knew, had allowed Chaos and Ravensong to contaminate her daughter and the moon. It was little comfort that these champions of the Dark Kingdom had vanished as if they'd never existed, for the darkness was inexorably gaining a foothold on her daughter's Star Seed and the moon's corresponding Planet Seed, and their was nothing she could do to prevent it. Wallowing in self-recrimination, blaming herself for all that had happened thus far, she became evermore depressed and suffered severe bouts of guilt, self-loathing and it got so bad at one point she couldn't bear to look at herself in the dress mirror of a morning.
She was surprised, however, by the unexpected support coming from her other daughter Luna, and her lover, Artemis. Through their love and caring, she overcame her melancholy and regained her self-respect. She was determined to make up for her grievous mistake and fight to get her daughter back and vanquish the enemy, no matter the cost to herself.
~*~
After her recovery from her depression, Serenity had sought the council of Lord Helios, the High Priest of Elysian.
They sat cross-legged on a soft cushion within the fragrant confines of the Dream Temple and he smiled, taking her hands in his. They'd chanted before the dream mirror. Helios, his silken white hair shimmering in the surreal light of the sanctuary, inhaled a deep breath and sat still as the golden corona swirling about his body grew ever brighter.
Serenity felt her chest rising and falling like the tides of an undulating sea with the four-fold breathing technique he had taught her as she felt the sensation of light-headedness begin to overtake her. She could hear a beautiful female choral filling her with love and tranquility and relaxed completely, giving herself to the moment.
While in a receptive state, she had shared visions with the soothsayer of the planes of dream, and listened as Helios spoke in a semi-trance state. He explained that her daughter's spirit, or emanation, had entered another universe, wandering freely on Terra and the moon of that alternate reality.
Serenity then asked why it was she hadn't been affected by Ravensong's curse and the deadly power of the Dark Planet Seed infecting the White Moon.
He paused for a moment, as if coming to a decision and then spoke, "Serenity. The Ginzuishou, through your sleeping daughter, is feeding your Star Seed in both realities, affectively protecting you from Ravensong's curse, Chaos and the darkness seeking to control your daughter, keeping you alive." Serenity nodded and gestured for him to continue; his eyes alight with golden light ,"At the same time, the Ginzuishou is advancing your doppelganger's evolutionary state to fight the Dark Kingdom in that mirror-universe, endowing her with new powers, including a set of powerful blue wings."
He had also told the queen that her daughter's ability to assume her Senshi form for that brief period before she fell into the seemingly perpetual sleep state induced by Beryl Ravensong was due to the power of the Ginzuishou coming from the alternate dimension when the sheaths between realms were parchment-thin.
When she pushed him for more information, he only said that destiny, at least as they understood it, would play out according to the prophecy. "Thank you, Lord Helios, I must return to Serenity City, may all be well with you until we next meet," she bowed, and he returned the gesture. Two temple acolytes, Sita and Alfieri, in golden shifts and wearing silver circlets and matching sandals -- one girl a coppery blonde with hair almost as long as Serenity, and the other boasting a thick mane of soft raven-black curls gliding over her hips to mid-thigh, each smiled their serene greeting. Serenity thought them the most beautiful creatures she'd ever encountered anywhere in the galaxy; those silvery-golden eyes unique to Elysian, setting off the loveliness of their sprite-like faces. The girl's flawless bronzed skin gave them the countenance of solar goddesses. Lord Helios and The young women escorted the queen of the White Moon to her waiting flagship, the group chatting amiably along the way.
"Be safe on your journey, Serenity, and give Selene my love, I look forward to her visit, and Luna also."
"Thank you for being such a gracious host and wise sage, I appreciate everything you've done for me and for the Alliance, my friend, all be well with you and May the Kamis bless your realm."
The young acolytes stood watching with the white robed High Priest of Elysian as the ship entered the portal and was soon gone.
As for Serenity, she was ready to fight.
Moon Kingdom
So much had changed in Serenity City, her home for most of her life. At first glance, the contradiction, the warmth of memory enshrined in the familiar architecture of the Moon Palace, the gardens as stunningly beautiful as ever, gave way to the ominous signs of Dark Serenity's influence. She stared, unable to speak, tears streaming down her cheeks as she took in the new extensions of black marble, grotesque additions like an obsidian cancer claiming her former home, invasive and gaudy as she took in the encroaching fiery skies and the strange ominous shapes moving towards the outer perimeter walls of the palace. What of her people, would they survive all this? She pondered, as goosebumps formed on the bare skin of her arms and legs. She began to sob.
(Am I dreaming? I am a prisoner here against my will, within this, the alternate future. I am but a silent witness. Yet I must know, am I simply a passive observer? Why am I here?)
Disembodied, Princess Serenity continued to watch the Dark Queen as she stood upon what was once the balcony outside her bedchamber. Looking up, she could not believe the change in her counterpart; gone, the sweet face that greeted her each morn, also absent, the girlish posture and body language, and her bright and pretty eyes, now vacuous black holes, only bitterness, rage, lust and cruelty dwelt therein.
She shuddered involuntarily, and though a silhouette, she felt the icy tendrils of Dark Serenity's aura creeping over her misty form. But Serenity was acutely aware the woman with the raven-black odangos hadn't seen her, despite the fact she stood clearly in line of sight. She could see the darkness sweeping over the kingdom of the White Moon, emanating from this girl. She found this all too much to take as her golden tresses continued to grow without any sign of slowing down, these dragging in a trail behind her, floating upon an etheric wind.
The woman-child in black was the epitome of darkness. Dark Serenity, desecration personified. What this monster had done to her mother had been unspeakable. Gladdened by Pluto's intervention, though it had ultimately come at a price she could ill afford, the loss of her Endy, she knew more sacrifices might have to be made before all this was over.
~*~
Serenity was floating barefoot above the spacious palace lawns, her odangos untied, her curtain of golden locks shimmering under the watchful gaze of the Terran sphere, forced to watch helplessly from the sidelines as darkness took control of the White Moon and nothing or no one it seemed was trying to stop this woman from destroying this Lunarian paradise.
Suddenly, she laid eyes upon a fallen child, a little Lunarian boy, his body covered in blood. She screamed for somebody to help, but there was not a soul in sight. She couldn't believe a Lunarian or Terran capable of slitting the throat of a little boy and leave him to die alone like this.
"Who did this to you, little one?" she sobbed, and though she was an ethereal being, in that moment she could feel the hot sticky blood on her hands, but she didn't care. Serenity tried to stem the bleeding with her abundance of golden hair, the wound wasn't too deep, but it would kill a child.
She looked in surprise as deep blue eyes opened to look up at her. Those eyes so much like another's she loved. The boy was reaching up with a trembling hand and stroking her hair.
"The Dark Queen did this to me and my sister, she took her away…in that bad place!" he said, coughing as he pointed to a black marble structure abutting the west wing of the palace she'd not recognized.
"That witch," she muttered under her breath, then looked into those adorable, but fading eyes again and spoke to the child, her voice threatening once more to become incoherent, "I'll find your sister, I promise!" She wept, though she was smiling down at the little warrior. She felt the pain of Endymion's loss and that of both their peoples. "I'm here, I won't leave you alone, what's your name child?" she said as calmly as she could, given the circumstances.
He was trying to say something, his mouth struggling to form the words. She leaned closer to catch the name, "Dolerite, beautiful Lady, please save my family from the evil queen. I tried my best, I tried really hard I did, and Lady Moon Cat says I am very, very brave. She is like you, lovely…" he coughed up a little blood and Serenity's heart shattered as she attempted to soothe the dying child warrior with the ocean blue eyes and blood stained shoulder-length black hair.
"Dear one, please, try not to talk, rest and save your strength."
"I cannot be silent, pretty lady… I need to get a message to Naru... tell her Umino has a plan and is using the... fifth column to meet Endymion's armies to defeat the one they call… Lord Diamond. Please, it is important, I-I am scared!" I am too little to fight the youma and the cruel queen… I'm cold," he coughed again.
Serenity placed her palms upon his chest and this reduced his pain, her hands aglow with a faint silvery-gold light, but she knew he would die, but she also knew she could reduce his discomfort. She could hardly speak, but knew she must, "All right, I will tell Lady Naru, now rest, please I won't leave you!" She pulled him onto her lap and her hair was getting redder with the boy's lifeblood.
"Lady, please tell father and my mother I will miss them! Tell my sister Jinee I love her and…"
She stroked his cheek. He was burning up with fever, but he too could see her. She figured it was because his spirit was close to leaving his body and so she rocked him gently, he was only eight or nine years old. She continued to cry, she cried for all the children, the people of Terra, the moon and the alliance. She wept for the stupid futility of war and conflict, for this little soldier, a Shitennou in the making, cut down before he had a chance at a full life. It was so senseless, so wrong.
She looked then to the palace and shouted, "I will stop you, Dark Serenity, I swear it, and your reign of death is coming to an end!" she cried, and then felt a small hand upon her shoulder and looked up, it was Dolerite. He was smiling. "Serenity, I know your quest, the Kamis told me to tell you, they're going to help you. Take courage, and don't worry, Jinee is with Lady Moon Cat, you might know her as Sailor Mau… good-bye… and thank you for taking care of me before I left my body!"
She felt him as if he were flesh and blood as they embraced and then in a burst of silvery-blue light, he was gone.
She fell to her knees, gathering the pooling abundance of gold in her bloodied hands and began to weep. Princess Serenity then threw herself on the grass and cried herself to sleep, the energy it took to be so close to the Dark Queen at her full power was all too much to bear.
As she returned to consciousness, or at least what passed for wakefulness, she could hear the cries of youma and the rapid beating of wings overhead, the hot breath of the cruel night air draining her heart of hope. She felt the soft, cool texture of the lush green Lunarian lawns beneath her hands and against her knees. She welcomed the cool touch of the grass against her skin, sighing with the pleasure of the familiar sensation. But she knew this was an elusion.
(What would become of me, and what of my people in my own world, and would both realms survive the onset of darkness?)
Silver Millennium – The White Moon
Selene walked into the chamber and commanded the attention of all as she sat upon a soft cushioned chair and spoke quickly. "Metallia's armies have encircled the Earth and attacked Atlantari, how long has Serenity been awake, my daughter?"
"Just under an hour, mother," she said, a little above a whisper.
"She can hear you my queen," Luna said, kneeling beside her sister, "Sere?" Luna urged, gripping Artemis's hand so tight he winced.
"Mother, Luna and Artemis, Grandmother! We must move quickly, where is the Saturnean Senshi?"
As if on cue, the sound of clicking heels annunciated Saturn's arrival as she strode with an heir of confidence into Serenity's bedchamber in her purple fuku looking resplendent and most formidable with her Silence Glaive in hand.
She bowed, first to the Queen Mother, and then the others. "I came as fast as I could. But I bring tidings of great sadness, Selene! The Terran king and queen are…dead, Endymion has assumed the throne and is coordinating the war effort on Terra!"
"Oh, no, we have to act, but have we enough firepower to hit back yet?" Artemis asked Serenity, concern etched upon his face.
"Not enough at this stage, we're stretched as it is and this new enemy, Metallia, she is aligned with Chaos I presume?" she questioned.
"I'm afraid so," Luna confirmed, shaking her head. "I spoke to the leader of the Terran Shitennou, Lord Kunzite, the situation is bad, but they're holding their own, at least for the moment."
Serenity yawned and tried to sit up, Artemis helped her into an upright position and the princess pushed her hair out of her face.
(Oh my, it's so long, too long!) She thought staring at the pools of gold covering a third of her bedchamber.
She coughed and began to speak, "Mother, its terrible, poor Endy! He needs our help, he's alone, his parents dead, and oh… it's oh so awful!"
Artemis spoke gently to the drowsy princess, "Sere, do not worry, The Shitennou are fighting valiantly by his side, and if luck is kind this day, we might get reinforcements to Terra within twenty four hours and put some dents in Metallia's forces. Seems the attacks on the outer planets were a ruse, a mere distraction from their true agenda, they're after the Kinzuishou! If they get that…," he trailed off, seeing Queen Serenity's hands raised in a gesture commanding silence.
"All right, thank you Lord Artemis, I assume you have contacted your Mauan friends, we're going to need all the help we can get. Keep me appraised and Saturn, come sit with Sere and I a while, and mother, please get some rest, you are exhausted."
"Very well, daughter, but alert me of any change. I may be a lot older than my children and grandchildren, but I am still able to fight!" she said, an edge of sadness to her tone as she swirled around on the spot in her silvery gown as its skirts caught the afternoon light and threw a pink aura about her petite frame as she left the chamber.
Serenity was sipping a bowl of soup Luna was holding to her trembling lips, her hands shaking with the shock of what she had seen in the alternate realm and the news of her home, and of Endymion's loss, it was all so much to take in and she needed to think.
Selene sat beside her and put an arm about her shoulders. Then more footfalls approached as the other Senshi led by Pluto entered the chamber.
Uranus was the first to speak, pausing only long enough to catch her breath, " By the Kamis!" she breathed, "Terran forces have launched a counterattack, but I'm afraid we're isolated," Uranus declared, the looks upon the faces of the Senshi were ashen as they assessed how dire was their situation.
"Saturn, you must come with me to the alternate universe and face Dark Serenity in battle and lift the curse," Princess Serenity cried out from the sofa. "Come with me now to the Moon Temple and become one with the Ginzuishou. Mother, please help me?"
Queen Serenity, smiled at her daughter, "Yes Sere, I should have done this a long time ago!"
Sailor Saturn helped the queen lift the disorientated princess to her feet. Serenity's hair was so long it had to be gathered and carefully placed in a series of cane baskets and carried by the Senshi and Artemis.
They would not cut Serenity's long tresses for they'd found out the hard way that this sent an excruciating surge of pain throughout her body and the young monarch unleashed a blood curdling scream and she near died.
Senshi cadets escorted the party as they made their way to the most sacred of places on the moon, The Temple of the White Moon.
