Out of the Darkness and Into the Light
Chapter 11


- A Fanfic by Selena (s2jemeko@atlas.vcu.edu)

- Edited by Lady Julia (sailingwind@hotmail.com)

- Hosted at: Sailor Moon: Stories of the Past 
    http://www.geocities.com/element_sprite
 The all new Silver Millennium Archive!  
    Submit your stories and read other great Silver
    Millennium Stories.

This is a Silver Millennium story and its plot line is manga-based. 
This is the next to the last chapter of the story.  I hope you've 
enjoyed reading my stories and I'm eternally grateful to everyone who
wrote me about it.  Most of all I have to thank Lady Julia for giving
me my "metamorphic kick in the pants!" ^_^ Sailor Moon and all its 
characters are the property of Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha Comics, Mixx,
and Dic.


---------------------------


Kunzite took the lead among the bodyguards of the prince and 
princess, warily making his way through the rotting brush and 
animals.  Mina took his hand, holding it tightly, as she took in one 
horror after another.   "I can't believe this..." She breathed.  

"Believe it."  Nephrite said, a steel edge to his voice.  

Mina glared at him, her anger rising to near boiling point.  'Who 
does he think he is?!  Why, with a flick of my wrist I could...' But 
before Venus could make a reply, Amy quickly intervened.  "How is 
this possible?  I've never seen..." She knelt down to touch one of the 
plants.

"No!  Don't touch it!"  Zoisite shouted, pulling her back.  Her eyes 
were wide and frightened at the amount of force in his grip.  
Suddenly, he shook his head, almost as if awakening from a dream.  
Zoisite jumped and immediately released her wrists.  "I'm sorry.  
It's just...it's poison.  Look at the roots.  They've come up out of 
the ground and are almost rotted away.  But the tips of the leaves 
are still green."

With great effort, Jadeite lifted his head, still leaning heavily on
Nephrite's support.  "From the inside out...the only way is if...then 
Elysion must be..." His voice died as he fell unconscious.

"Jadeite!" Mars cried, running to him.  Kunzite held up a hand in 
warning.  In complete shock, she froze.  Without a word, Nephrite 
shifted his weight and Kunzite and Zoisite helped him balance Jadeite
on his back.  The three immediately continued walking.

Mercury shook out of her own stupor and called out, "Put him down, so
I can look at him!"  Mercury shouted.  But they ignored her and kept 
on walking.  "Why don't you stop?!"

"Stop!" Mars shouted, her eyes beginning to glow with fire.  "We have
to help him now!"

Suddenly the three stopped and turned to face them.  Kunzite 
exchanged a sideways glance with Zoisite and he nodded in return.  

Mina eyed him warily.  'Something isn't right.  I can feel your heart
racing with fear.  You've never been afraid before...why now?  Why 
won't you tell me?'

Zoisite spoke the words Kunzite could not and would not utter.  "We 
can't stop.  If we put him down, the poison will seep into him 
even more quickly than it has been.  We'll help him in due time, but
first we have to find the prince and princess."

Mina shook her head.  "Poison?  Due time?  I don't understand.  What 
are you talking about?"

"Later.  We don't have time for this."  Kunzite warned, glancing at 
Mina for a split second before the three men turned around and began 
walking toward a clearing.  He knew she could feel his fear.  'Curse 
you for inflicting that infernal bond!'  He started and almost 
tripped at the evil he was calling down on her.  'Gods, what's 
happening to us?'

The girls exchanged wary, confused glances with one another, but were
left no choice but to follow the men in front of them.  No matter how
strange they were acting, they were right about one thing - finding 
the two of them was top priority.  Still, Jupiter wasn't satisfied.  
She wanted answers now. 'They know exactly what's going on here!'  
She thought.  'Cowards!  They refuse to accept our help!'  Lita 
opened her mouth, about to land blast them with full force, when the 
two fallen figures lying in the sand caught her eyes.  She let out a 
strangled cry when she saw the blood pooling beneath them.  Pushing 
past everyone, she ran at full speed toward them.  

A few feet before reaching them, Lita hit an invisible barrier, 
causing her to fall hard against the blood stained sand.  She picked 
up her left hand, examining the red liquid oozing on her fingers.  
Jupiter stared in horror as it quickly turned black and she began to 
loose feeling in her fingers.  She looked up, searching frantically 
for her friends and companions.  But she could see nothing, only 
blackness.  For a moment, she thought she could hear some muffled 
voices, but they slowly died down to the most terrifying silence she 
had ever witnessed.

Amy and Mina tried to push past Kunzite's strong arms, but he 
remained firm.  "Wait until Zoi takes a look at her."

Zoisite hesitantly lifted her arm.  He set his jaw when he noticed 
the black ooze on her hands and legs.  It was slowly spreading 
upwards.  "It's almost like she's in a trance.  We have to get it 
off, but if we touch it, we'll be infected as well.  The easiest way 
would be to use our energy and heal her.  But..."

Kunzite glanced at Jadeite, still held by Nephrite.  Quickly he stole
a brief look at each of the girls. Mars's anger had melted, but she 
was totally distraught, wiping the bangs from Jade's face, whispering
softly to him, and stroking his hair.  Mina eyed him warily as if to 
say, 'I know exactly what you're thinking.  Don't even think about 
it!'  Mercury, however, seemed to be in deep thought, a frown marring
her features.

"Are the three of us enough?"

Zoi sighed.  "Under the right circumstances, yes.  But right now, we 
can't use Earth's regenerative energy, we'd have to use our own."

"If we all pitch in, it will be much easier."  Mina stated.

Kunzite shook his head.  "No.  You mustn't use your powers until the 
prince and princess are secure.  Our energy output is deflected by 
the vaporized water in the atmosphere.  That way, no one can pinpoint
our exact location.  Yours would be too obvious."

"Let's do it."

Mercury gently laid a hand on Kunzite's shoulder.  "You do realize 
that if you do this, you'll be virtually drained.  I don't know if we
will be able to tran..."

"I know."

Amy held back tears as she watched Nephrite hand over Jadeite to Rei
and Mina. She glanced down at her red, bruised wrists.  Tears began 
to fall as she looked searchingly at the three men in front of her.  
Each looked haggard, tired, and...something else.  Suddenly Zoisite's 
words came back to her. The poison. They're dying - all of them.  
They don't have any power left to heal themselves, because Elysion 
itself is the source of the decay.  And yet, they're using the last 
of it to heal her.  If we stay much longer, we won't be able to 
withstand it.'

As the three men joined hands, and bowed their heads, each began to 
glow.  Jupiter's body arose from the ground, hovering a meter above 
it.  After a few moments her eyes flew open and she took in her 
surroundings in shock.  Before she could touch the ground, Amy made 
her way through their tiring bodies and pushed Lita through the 
barrier.

Lita fell onto the soft, white sand right next to the bodies of 
Serenity and Endymion.  She scrambled to her knees and took the 
princess's hand.  "Selena!"


--------Begin Dream Sequence----------


She could hear faint, muffled sounds.  Everything seemed distant and 
faraway...as...as if she were no longer in her body, but floating in a 
void somewhere.  Cold.  Alone.  Silent.  Try as she might, the 
darkness seemed to overpower her will to fight.  Suddenly, a hot 
burning sensation filled every vein from head to toe.  It felt as 
though the flames would consume her flesh from the inside out.  Pain.
Burning.   Looking down, she turned her palms, face-side up.  In 
her right hand, a silvery-blue glow danced just above her skin.  She 
gasped as she saw her left - not silver, but a gold light hovered 
there.  They were beautiful - the only lights in a never-ending sea 
of darkness.  The burning pain quickly faded in their wake and she 
felt warm and alive for the first time in over a year.  

She wanted to hold onto this feeling forever.  She began to relax, 
taking in every sensation she possibly could.  In an instant, the 
golden light suddenly disappeared.  The shadows spread across her 
hand and up her arm.  With that light went the warmth and the 
feeling of being safe and protected.  Bright as the silver light was,
it was not enough to burn through the darkness.  Tears filled her 
eyes as the silver flame began to flicker.  The light died and all 
went black.


--------End Dream Sequence------------

"No!"  She screamed.  She sat up and her eyes shot open.  Her breath 
was ragged and she felt a strange pain in her heart. Finally her eyes
came back into focus. "Jupiter?"  She whispered, her voice sounding 
heavy and confused.  It was so bright, like the rays of the sun.  But
oddly, she couldn't see anything beyond a meter.  Just where was she,
anyway?  Her room was never this bright.  She turned her head, 
noticing just who she was laying on top of.  "Darien!"  She shouted 
in hysteria, noting the blood tricking from his mouth and ears.  
Still, his eyes would not open.  "Wake up!  Please!"

Jupiter gently took hold of her arm.  "Princess, we have to get to 
the Moon."

She shook her head.  "No.  I'm not leaving him.  We can't!  I can't."

"Selenity!  We must..."

Suddenly, the walls of the barrier disappeared giving way to the 
darkness outside.  Before either could say another word, Mina took 
Selena's hand and Amy took Lita's, dragging them to their feet.  At 
the same time, Kunzite and Zoisite struggled to keep Endymion from 
touching the poisoned sand.

"Now go!"  Kunzite ordered.  
  
Venus shook her head forcefully.  "No. You made a promise!  We have 
To fight together!  You have to come back with us!  You saw what I 
saw, you felt what I felt, remember?"

"You'll die if you don't!"  Mars cried.

"We don't have the power to return to the Moon.   And it wouldn't 
matter if we did."  Nephrite stated coldly.  "You have to go back, we
don't."

Jupiter glared with her emerald eyes.  "How can you say that?!  If we
are such a burden to you, then why did you do it?! You didn't have to
save me!  I have plenty of power!" She looked at each of the three 
other girls.  "We might have the power to bring all of us back to the
Moon."

"Oh?"  Nephrite cocked his brow.  "And what if you didn't?  Then 
what?  We'd be sitting ducks.  Not only would dark forces know our 
exact location, but all of you would have been drained - unable to 
fight a rabbit.  Try thinking for once, your ladyship!"

Lita was beyond words - so angry she was ready to fry him then and 
there.  "How...how dare you!"  She finally blurted out, seething 
with rage.  "Who do you think you..."'
 
"Enough of this!" Kunzite shouted.  "You will return to the Moon 
without us and that is the end.  We haven't the time for ridiculous 
arguments! Our only option is to go to Elysion first.  We can decide 
what to do about the Moon at a later date!" 

"No!"  Mina cried, latching his arm through hers.  "I won't let you."

He closed his eyes, struggling to maintain some sort of composure. 
They were all using anger to ventilate their pain and frustration.  
"Mina, listen to me.  Let me try to save my world.  There is a chance
- it isn't much, but I have try."

She slowly released her iron grip, tears streaming down her cheeks.  
"Without you, I'm not complete."

"Nor am I.  But you will survive.  You must.  Fight and win, where we
could not."

"Mina, we must go.  He is right."  Amy said forcefully and Venus 
slowly nodded.

"Noooooooo!"  A hysterical cry arose beyond all else.  "Darien!!!!!  
I won't leave you!!!!"  With superhuman strength, Selena pushed 
Mercury and Jupiter away.  She ran as fast as she could toward him.  
Before she could reach him, all four girls grabbed a hold of her.  
But Selenity was frantic with fear, pushing, kicking, and screaming, 
fighting her hardest to release their grip on her.  "I won't leave 
you, Darien!!!!  I promise!!!!  Not again!  Never!!!  Let me go!!!  
Darien!!!!!!"

The golden crescent moon on her forehead began to glow, casting a 
bright light upon the darkness of the night.  

"Get out of here now!"  All three men shouted at once.

The senshi took a firm hold of their princess, closed their eyes, and
began to glow.  In an instant, they were gone.


------------------------------


With a great flash of light and a thud, four senshi and their 
princess collapsed onto the cold, porcelain floor of the throne room.
The girls were slow to rise, exhausted both in body and spirit.  
Several guards and court attendants ran to their aid.  

"Quick, find Her Majesty!  Tell her they have returned!"  The Captain
called to one of the soldiers posted at the door.  He then turned his 
attention back to the royal court, strewn across the floor.  
Suddenly, his eyes grew wide and he began to back away from them.

Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter sat, kneeling before the princess, 
fear and worry marring their features.  Selenity's eyes were closed, 
as a soft white glow encompassed her body, the crescent moon still 
blazing brightly.  As if gathering her strength, she inhaled a deep 
breath.  As she did so, her body began to shake with violent tremors. 
Finally, she let out an ear-piercing scream as steady hot flashes of 
white light streamed from her body in waves.  "Endymion!!!"

The ground began to quake.  Outside the palace, trees began to 
up-root in the tumult, several of the large columns adorning the 
adjoining balcony crumbled, and cracks made their way up the walls 
from the foundation.  After a few moments, the tremors ceased and all
fell silent.  Completely exhausted, Selenity fell backwards onto the 
hard, merciless floor, sobbing uncontrollably. 

Mina and Rei tried several times to approach her, but each time a 
strong flash of power would stop them. 

"Don't touch me!"  She cried, scrambling to feet as fast as she could
in her tattered dress.  "How dare you even come near me!"  Selena 
cried accusingly, pointing her finger at her senshi.  "You left him! 
I swore I wouldn't leave him!  You betrayed me!"  

Venus stared at the princess in shock.  It was the power of the 
crystal she was using.  For the first time, she glanced around her, 
surveying the damage and gasped.  The Captain and all the others who 
had been in the room were lying lifeless on the floor.  Mina shook 
her head in disbelief, as she saw her power begin to rise again.  

Mercury broke her from shock, shouting desperately, "A shield.  We 
must block the energy!"

Before any of the girls had a chance to say more, Queen Serenity 
pushed past them, the royal staff in hand.  Atop the glowing staff, 
hovered the Silver Crystal, ablaze with light.  Her silver eyes began
to glow and her crescent moon became illuminated with a gold haze as 
she dauntlessly approached her daughter.  She lifted her index finger 
to Selenity's forehead and closed her eyes.  The princess immediately
fell unconscious.  


-----------------------------


Endymion felt weightless, flying endlessly through the spiraling 
galaxies in the deepest depths of space.

"My dream..." He remembers.  "Finally, it all makes sense." It was 
amazing - in the middle of nothingness and darkness, these new 
systems of stars were just beginning to live, filling space with new 
bright lights - standing strong as symbols of life and future 
promise.

"You had only step out of the darkness and into the light, my son."  

He immediately whipped his body around.  There stood that same 
radiant figure, clothed in long, flowing robes.  Only this time her 
face was bright, beautiful, and easy to see.  She was breathtakingly 
beautiful with eyes the color of the sky and dark, raven hair and her
smile set her aglow.  "Mother..." He finally managed.

Once again Earth appeared behind her, blue and teaming with life. 
Foaming ocean waves crashed in the distance. Leaves of trees mingled 
with flower blossoms, weaving circled patterns around her body.  She 
held out her hand.  "Come.  Let me, just this once, hold you as I 
longed for before you were born."

As he took her hand, the sun, once again, extended its scintillating 
light in solar array to meet her form and she glistened with a golden
light.    Suddenly, the rays of light swirled around him and flew 
into his heart.  He turned wide eyes back to the smiling visage of 
his mother.  The golden light still cast its glow across her face, 
only now it came from him.  

She turned toward a white, hot light.  "You have found your strength,
your life, your heart, and your power.  You are a soul complete.  If 
you remember her, you remember yourself.  Never forget why you are 
here and who you are."  

"We came forth to help and understand, not to kill - not to seek 
revenge - not to seek power.  Some lost their way, they forgot who 
they were and so forgot the reasons they came into existence.  
Darkness followed the pain, regret, deceit, and hate.  Many lives 
were lost in the battle for light - a battle that has yet to be won. 
And still it will take many more until we succeed to clear the debts 
of those many, many hundred years."   

"And now, you must take your place and fight for the light."

"But, I have no more power, mother.  Earth is dying.  You are dying."

"My spirit is yet strong.  I will look after Earth for a short time. 
You have the power of the Sun.  It will aid you and protect both you 
and Earth.  But you must help me and save your friends.  Through you,
they will grow strong, and through them, I will grow strong for I am 
Gaea.  I am Earth.  And you are Endymion.  You are Earth."

Suddenly the figure before him was swallowed into the darkness along 
with Earth.  The stars faded into the black sea of space and he was 
once again left alone to fend off the dark.

Yet through the all-consuming blackness, a bright silver light made 
its way steadily toward him.  Upon contact, his body shook, and every
painful nerve was awakened with electrifying pulses.  Through it all 
ran a shrill, desperate cry, "Endymion!!!!!"


---------------------------  


Kunzite and Zoisite leaned against each other, balancing Endymion on 
their shoulders.  Kunzite cracked open his eyes, and quickly shut 
them.  The whole world was spinning.  His legs felt like liquid, he 
was freezing cold, and for the life of him couldn't think about 
anything.  "Keep standing!" was the only command his mind issued, 
over and over again.

Zoisite looked sickly and extremely pale, his face almost blue.  A 
chill ran down his spine, he tried to focus on the surrounding area, 
but everything was a blur.  His mind was issuing a warning "danger, 
danger!"  But still he could not see and the only sounds he heard 
were of his racing heart.  If felt as though he were finally slipping
away.  

Once in that cold, black silence, some faint whisper suddenly began 
to tickle his ears.  He squinted to make out the figure before him, 
but there was only darkness.  "Zoisite...I'm going to help you.  
There's danger surrounding you.  Fight with all your heart!  Fight 
for your home, fight for Earth, fight for what is good, fight for 
justice, fight for...her.  But beware of the final seduction.  There is
one who with every word, every movement, and every look screams out 
to say, "I love you.  I'll kill you."  The voice faded as if blown 
away by a strong wind.  A blazing golden light shot straight for him,
making impact with his chest.  In that instant, his eyes snapped 
open, and he stood straight and tall.  A strong hand gripped his 
shoulder warmly and he whipped around to stare at a very tired 
looking Jadeite.  

"Jade!"  He cried, embracing him.  Kunzite and Nephrite also 
participated in the group embrace.  Nephrite shook his head, 
confused.  "I don't understand.   I thought we were all dead.  How..." 

"Look at your hands."  Jadeite whispered.  Nephrite gasped as he saw 
the veins visibly glowing through his transparent skin, lights 
pulsing as the blood flowed through them.

Realization dawned on him and Kunzite immediately spun around.  Just 
behind them, Endymion was kneeling on the pure white sand below him. 
His eyes were closed in full concentration almost in a stasis.  The 
golden light shone through his skin just as it did theirs.

"He's helping us, sustaining us."  Zoisite stated with awe in his 
voice.

"Quick," Kunzite said with urgency in his voice and quickness in his 
steps, "let's get to Elysion, now!"  They had little time, and the 
princess' energy release had given their position away.  He gnawed on
the side of his cheek.  It was like waving the red flag in front of a
bull.  In fact, why weren't they here already?  Something was just 
not right and it scared him to the core.

"Duck!"  Jade cried, pushing Kunzite to his knees.  A swirl of black 
energy flew above them and exploded into the rocks a few feet away.  
All sorts of corpses surrounded them, their decaying, rotting flesh 
filling in the air with a noxious, putrid odor.  But the most 
frightening thing about them, was that their eyes had all been 
removed and down in the depths of their sockets emanated a red glow.

"Good God!"  Whispered Nephrite.  "The people..."

There must have been 300 or more slowly closing in on them.  A 
wicked, sinister laugh sounded just above them.  There hovered Beryl,
just out of their reach.  "Welcome home, my sons." She whispered 
darkly.

"You were behind all of this, weren't you?!  Lady Beryllia of 
Nemesis, was it?  I knew it was you.  How dare you even step foot on 
the Moon?"  Kunzite pointed accusingly.  "How could you let 
that...that...thing...still control you - how could you do it?!"

"You are fools.  Did you really think that any of this matters?  I've
watched stars' beginnings and endings.  Earth is one star out of 
trillions upon trillions.  Any you are its guardians - insignificant.
They only thing that lasts, that has any value is power! I offer it 
to you now.  Come with me.  Conquer with me. Rule with me."

"You forget, *mother*, there are other things - loyalty, duty, and 
love.  Those are also worth fighting for." 

"Indeed.  I am your mother and you will swear your loyalty to me - if
not in life, than in death.  Endymion won't be able to protect you 
and Earth much longer.  The way I see it, he will have to choose.  
Fight me, or let you die.  Either way, I win."

Zoisite's eyes were mere slits and his voice held as much malice as 
he could muster.  "Our mother has long been dead.  You can't even 
hold a candle to what she was.  Do you honestly think we would ever 
listen to you or your twisted thinking?!"  

He eyes flashed dangerously,  "I am 1000 times the woman I was!"  
Suddenly the fire died and she smiled sweetly.  "But, suit 
yourselves.  Take the difficult road.  The outcome will be the same, 
I assure you.  I will let you have your way, for now.  But I wonder."
She said coyly raising a brow and glancing at the corpses below her. 
"Can you really destroy them, fight them - your people.  After all, 
they're all you have left.  But then, if you do destroy them, who 
will you protect?"

Kunzite was seething with rage, the tips of his ears going totally 
red. Jadeite's balled his fist so tight they were white with the 
strain.  Nephrite gave her a silent, cold stare, as if he were 
looking right through her.  Zoisite noted Nephrite's reaction and 
turned a thoughtful gaze towards Beryl.  

"Do you think you're invincible?  Do you think you are so powerful 
that we will willingly choose to go with you?"  He asked her simply. 
"Then, as one who *was* your son, let me be the first to 
whole-heartily refuse."

Beryl's eyes narrowed to mere slits and her eyes began to glow red. 
"Insolence!  You dare to mock me?! I am your mother no more.  From 
now on, I am your Queen!  You had the opportunity to serve with free 
will, but the window has closed.  Now you will join me in death!"  
She raised her hand to strike them down, when a golden flash 
interrupted her rage.  Eyes wide, she slowly lowered her hand, frozen
in shock and could it be...terror?
  
The sand just in front of her swirled up into the air as if a 
sandstorm had arrived and then solidified into the form a woman.  
"You do remember me then, Beryl-Leah?  I thought you had forgotten me
completely."  

"You.  You still haunt me.  Will your face never leave my vision?!"

"Hurt them and you will never have peace.  Your glorious power will 
slowly die within a crazed mind.  You betrayed me, Beryl-Leah.  As my
guardian, you took an oath.  I bound you and Eros to this place to 
serve as protectors for it, both you and your children.  You have 
betrayed your own heart.  At first, you were a lost soul, barely 
clinging to Metallia's evil darkness, but now, you carry that 
blackness within you.  There is no turning back now.  I will be with 
you as long as you are in existence."

Beryl glared at her silently for a moment, her hair flowing in an 
unseen wind above her head.  As before, Beryl's façade melts away. 
Fangs seeped out from her mouth, her eyes narrowed to the slits of a 
demon and glowed in a swirling blackish-yellow, and her skin turned a
deathly pale white. Around her neck appeared a necklace of human 
bone.  "So Gaea, you will exact revenge upon me, will you?"

"I don't need to do that.  You chose to see my face willingly and 
now, you will see it forever."

Beryl laughed cruelly.  "Oh, I have a better idea.  As long as 
Endymion lives, you live.  Therefore, Earth lives.  If I have both 
the Golden Crystal and Earth, I have you.  Then, all I need is 
Endymion."  She laughed once more, delighted with the prospect.  
"It's all so perfect.  Demando was a worthy candidate, but not quite 
as powerful or as desirable."  Beryl floated down and touched the 
ground, just in front of the sandy figure.  "What do you think of 
that, Gaea?  Claiming your son for my own?  He will rule with me.  
And you will suffer the ultimate pain of his betrayal."

"My son will never bow to you or Metallia.  It is too late for that. 
You failed that mission long ago.  And you forget Selenity."

"No, I have not.  True, your son's will is too strong at the moment. 
He has everything he needs right now.  But that will change.  The 
Moon will fall first and the princess with it.  He will be weak and 
vulnerable.  What better time to attack?  Now you know the fate of 
this universe.  Haunt me no more."  Her eyes flashed bright red and 
the sand immediately flew apart into dust, settling back upon the 
ground.  She turned back to the generals, and glanced at Endymion.  
She could see him straining to contain his rage.  She laughed once 
more, and then rose off the ground.  "Enjoy your battle."  

She waved her arm and the corpses began moving toward them again.  
Then she disappeared into the dark, blackness of night.

Jadeite slowly let out the breath he had been holding and with it his
anger.  "I don't suppose there is a universal rulebook for this one,
eh Kunz?"

Zoisite slapped him upside the head.  "This is no time for your 
"superior wit!"  If you're going to speak, say something useful."

Kunzite glared at his youngest brother, but he had to try hard to 
keep from smiling.  Jade was alive and so were they.  True, now he 
knew that his mother was lost forever, but there was a certain calm 
and peace that came with that final resolution - that it didn't 
matter.  Maybe it never mattered.  The past was over and behind them.
The future was all they had.  And when it came down to it, he would 
do anything to keep it safe.  Only problem was, how?  With uncanny 
intuition, he turned to his prince.  

Endymion stood, in battle stance, glowing from head to toe.  His 
entire body resonated with the golden power and it consumed him, 
swirling in his eyes.  "Don't fight it," was all he said.  

"Wha..." He never got to finish as a bright yellow glow encompassed his
body and blackness consumed him.


--------------------------

To be concluded in chapter 12...


I hope you enjoyed this chapter.  I hadn't anticipated having another
chapter, but then I didn't think it would take me so long to write 
this one.  Chapter 12 is in the works, but I go back to class again 
soon.  So I'm not too sure if I can have it finished by then.  But as
always, I love hearing from everybody.  Send all comments to 
s2jemeko@atals.vcu.edu.