A fan fic by Caleyndar. Rating: PG (refernce to drugs). Notes: This chapter is an introduction to the characters and the setting. It does not invole a lot of "Sailor Moon" characters yet; only Darien. Please be patient. This chapter also has very little relation to the storyline of "Sailor Moon". Once again, please be patient. The story line will reveal itself in later chapters. Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me; only the few I make up. The story, however, is mine. The Name Endymion... Part One: Innocent Life... Chapter One... The wooden box lay there, the sunlight reflecting off the gold and silver designs on it, an ever changing pattern as the sunlight shifted through the leaves of the swaying branches. It was beautiful, and it's splendour would have appealed to me had my spirit not been so low, my soul not crushed by knowledge I wished I did not know. I glanced away from the box, away from the identical symbol on it that was also on my forehead. My eyes landed on the mirror, and I could not help but stare at my reflection, at the symbol that shone out from my forehead. The sparkling silver crescent moon, the brilliant blue and green Earth within it, both shining with it's own inner light. The striking symbol had been there since I was a child, but whether or not I had been born with it, I did not know. My eyes dropped down to lock themselves on it's reflection. Their brilliant blue matched that of the Earth in the symbol, and seemed to hold a power I did not understand. They looked cold now, filled with hatred and anger. My usual spirited nature had changed; it was now cold and detached, not wanting any of the world to touch me, less it hurt me more. I did not feel sad, and I wondered at that, but not feeling it. I should have been, finding out the truth; that I was adopted fifteen years ago, after I had been found abandoned, with only the wooden box. I sat down on my bed, and ran my hands through my jet black hair. I didn't know what to think. It was my fifteenth birthday, and I felt as if I had been beaten. Strangely though, I was glad I had been told the truth. It explained many things; the way my physical appearance differed from my younger sister's and my parents, and the symbol on my forehead. A breeze blew through the open windows, and I could hear the sound of birds singing beyond it. The sky was a splendid blue, and only the faintest traces of clouds trailed though it. The day seemed to beckon me, and I wanted to be out in it, to lose myself it in, to forget for a moment my pain. The box sparkled in the sunlight again. It wanted me to open it. I looked at it again, but did not touch it. In a way, I was afraid of what it might reveal to me. Afraid that it's contents may hurt me further. Perhaps another day, when I could comprehend that I was adopted, and that my younger sister and my parents were not really who they seemed, I would open that box. I stood up, and pulled open the door to my room. My younger sister was there, her angelic face peering up at me. I could not help but smile at her innocence. Lifting her up, we walked down the stairs together and into the kitchen, where my father and mother stood, smiling, trying to hide their concern. I shook my head slightly, trying to say that I was alright, that the truth did not hurt me. But in reality, it did. Deeply, more than anyone could guess. They smiled, their fear vanishing. They produced a large cake, and told me that my present was waiting for me at my riding school. I looked up at them when they said that, asking with my eyes if what I thought was true. My mother gave me a small nod, and a genuine grin lit up my face, my recent concerns dissipating from my mind and soul. After the four of us cut the cake, and each ate a piece, we drove down to my riding school. I leapt out when we arrived, pulling my younger sister out behind me. She laughed as I hurried her along, heading straight to the stables. Suddenly, I stopped, staring almost hypnotically at the sight I beheld in front of me. I lifted my sister up, so that she too could see him. He stood there, staring back at us with liquid bronze eyes. His silver forelock hid the white star marking on his head, and partly his questioning eyes. He extended his velvet soft black nose to smell my outstretched hand. I felt his warm breath before he jerked back, looking at me still. I smiled, and setting my sister down, slipped into the stall with the young gelding. He retreated into the far end of the stall, his eyes two bronze disks of light in the darkness. His silver mane and tail glistened in what little light there was, and his jet black coat seemed not to be there at all. There were no other markings on him except for the star, and I thought him to be perfect in every way. His eyes wandered over me now, as I stood there, watching him. Slowly, but with confidence, he stepped towards me, until he was feeling my face with the soft whiskers on his nose. Gently, I touched his neck, and he did not retreat from my touch. My fingers brushed back his silky soft silver mane, and played over his strong black neck. I had never seen a more beautiful horse in my life. And he was mine, just as I now belonged to him. My parents came then, asking me if I liked him. I did not answer, and only hugged the gelding who seemed surprised by my actions, but did not back away. I saw them smile out of the corner of my eyes. They told me that all his tack was stored in the small tack room directly next to his stall, and that all the detailed had been taken care of; his feed, his boarding costs. None of this really concerned me. Only the fact that I loved him, and that he accepted me mattered. All other pain was gone. For the moment at least. I let myself drown in my peace, my contentment. Perhaps another day, when I could bear it, I would dwell on the issue once more. But not now. Let me have this moment of tranquillity and bliss. Soon after my family left, saying that they would come back later to take me home, I led the young gelding out of his stall, and out into a large paddock, where I worked him on the lunge, so that I could see his perfect and very smooth paces. His legs were beautiful and sleek, without a single flaw, and his hooves were as black as ebony, and enduring as diamonds. He had great stamina; barely out of breath when I asked him to stop, his black coat glistening only slightly from his sweat. Grooming him was unlike grooming any other horse. He would stand there, watching you as you brushed out his coat, almost as if he was fearful that you would place a mark on his flawless body. And his mane and tail was softer and more like silk than any other horses' I had touched. It's silver colour contrasted greatly with his jet black coat, and gave him and almost ghostly look. As the day neared it's end, I took him back to his stall, placing a light rug on him before kissing his soft nose. He was so beautiful to me, and I loved him deeply. It would have been impossible to find a more perfect horse, and I would be hard pressed to find a name for him that was as beautiful as he was. The wind blew more strongly as evening came, and there were more whispers in it. One of them was meant for me, sounding in my ear like the soft rustle of autumn leaves. It whispered a name; Wild Spirit. And that was what I named him. When my mother came to take me home, I regretted having to leave him. Only the knowledge that I would see him again tomorrow made leaving him bearable. On the ride home, we passed by a bush thicket, and I had the precise feeling that someone was watching me as we drove past. How that could be, I did not know, for I saw nothing but the darkness of the night reflecting off the dull leaves and the bark of the trees, and hear nothing but the secretive whispers of the wind. I slept restlessly that night, seeing again in my mind the wooden box, and eyes staring at me from those bushes. The box would open, and an evil darkness would come out, taking over me, destroying my very soul. And the eyes would laugh, enjoying my destruction. The sunlight landed on my eyelids, sending a bright red light into my mind's eye. I opened them unwillingly, blocking out the powerful life giving light with my hand. The sunlight told me it was still only early in the morning, but I motivated myself to rise anyway, for I had a very special friend to see. I changed into my riding cloths, and ate a quick breakfast before packing my bag and writing a note to my parents before I left, riding my bike as quickly as possible to my riding school. Wild Spirit was not the only reason for making me want to leave so soon for the school. It was also the fact that today was my usual lesson day, and my best friend would be there as well. It pained me to an extent the reason for his riding; merely because he met alot of girls that way. Never the less, I enjoyed his company, for not many other boys rode there. Nick owned his own horse, a beautiful Arabian mare by the name of White Angel. She had a very light grey coat that looked to be white, thus the name. Anyone could tell that Nick loved her, though he tried not to let it show. The bike ride took approximately twenty minutes, as it did every time. I passed by the bush land, and was glad that I felt nothing from it. When I arrived at the school, I dismounted and parked my bike up against a tree, locking it rather carelessly with a chain. I ran by the arena, waving a greeting to my instructor before running the rest of the way to the stables. Wild Spirit looked up from his biscuit of hay when I arrived, gazing at me with his bronze eyes. I slipped into the stall, took off his rugs, and groomed him whilst he returned his attention to eating. When he had finished, I clipped a lead rope to his halter, and led him out of his stall to an area just outside, where I had more room to tack him up. Before I led him out to the pre-riding arena, I made sure his bandages were secure around his legs, so that no harm would come to his flawless legs. As I led him out, I could feel eyes turning to us. Wild Spirit was a vision, which his royal blue and black riding gear. He even held his head up, as if he too knew how wonderful he appeared to those around him. I tethered his lead rope to the fence when we arrived at the pre-riding arena. Nick was already there, with his lovely light grey mare. He smiled his charming smile when I approached, brushing back his golden blond hair from his sky blue eyes as he stood up and greeted me. "So, that's your new horse?" He gestured to Wild Spirit. "By the looks of it, he must have cost a fortune." "My parents gave him to me for my birthday," I replied, feeling the pain in my heart when I said the words parents. "And you know money doesn't matter to them." "What did you name him?" Nick asked. "Wild Spirit," I answered. "Anyway, I haven't heard you wish me a happy birthday," I said, putting a hurt tone into my voice. Nick laughed. "I'm sorry, Darien. Hope you had a wonderful birthday. I've got a present for you. It's not much, but I thought you could use it," Nick said, bending down and pulling out a large box from his riding bag. He handed it to me, a smile still on his handsome face. "Thanks, but you didn't have to," I said, taking it. "Hey, money doesn't matter to me either," Nick replied with a smile. "Come on. Open it." I tore the wrapping paper and opened the box. Inside was a brand new black riding hat, and a pair of skin tight black leather riding gloves. I smiled when I saw them. My other riding hat had a few dents in them from my numerous falls, and my gloves were torn in more than one places due to horses bolting on me and my attempts to stop them. "Thanks, Nick. I'll wear them today," I said, slipping the gloves on. "Well, after the lesson today, you want to go for a trail ride or something?" "Why the hell not? It's a wonderful day without a cloud in sight. Besides, White Angel needs the exercise, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to expose Wild Spirit to these trails," Nick answered. I left Nick to tend to his horse and returned to Wild Spirit's side. The manager of the riding school, and the student's instructor, came over to me. He was a young man, tall, with sandy brown hair and pale blue eyes. "Nice, isn't he?" he commented. "He's a pure bred Thoroughbred, sixteen point two hands, and only four years old. He still needs some work, but that shouldn't be a problem for you. Besides, it looks as if he's taken a liking to you." "Yes, I suppose he has," I replied, smiling. Tom left me standing with Wild Spirit to talk to Nick. They conversed for a few moments before he looked over to me and said we could get on our horses and enter the arena for our lesson. I took of Wild Spirit's halter and mounted him. It felt wonderful to be sitting astride him. The saddle was very comfortable, and Wild Spirit was just splendid. With the slightest of signals, Wild Spirit responded to my every command, being the perfect horse. He was young, however, and started at anything that was knew to him, like one of the many German Shepherds that Tom kept. He reared up, pawing the air when one of them dashed in front of our path. Instinctively, I leaned forward, whispering soothing words into his alert black ears, and gently, pulled down on the reins, until Wild Spirit calmed down and settle on all four of his finely formed legs. Nick rode over on White Angel, looking a little concern. "Wild Spirit just saw one of the dogs," I explained, stroking my horse's sleek neck. "Well, you handled it pretty well," Nick commented, still looking a little shocked. "Let's go into the arena and see how Wild Spirit handles that." We walked our horses into the arena, and once we were inside and the gate was closed, I signalled Wild Spirit to trot. It was very smooth, even when sitting to it. I serpentine down the length of the arena, seeing how he handled turns and my signals. He was very responsive and collected throughout it. I then cantered him, and felt as if I was in heaven. Not only did he look perfect, but his paces were perfect. He always cantered on the right leg, and did not once speed up or low down unless I asked him to. I pulled him to a halt in a canter, and he did as I asked, leaning back on his hind legs a little. I smiled, and walked him to where Nick sat apon White Angel, watching. "I think Wild Spirit handled that pretty well," I said, halting him in front of Nick and his horse. "I'll say," Nick said, almost as if in awe. Tom came into the arena then, along with two other girls on two of Tom's lesson horses. Besides from them, there were no other riders in this lesson. We did fairly basic work outs for the warm up, and then moved into some more complicated movements. The two girls were fairly good, and did everything that was asked of them. Nick was riding like a finalist in some world wide competition, collecting White Angel constantly, and making her extend her legs out to look graceful. Wild Spirit did well for his first lesson, and I was very happy to be riding him. The lesson soon ended and we dismounted. We all watered our horses in turn, and then tethered them to the fence. The girls left then, but Nick and I stayed in the pre-riding arena to loosen our horses' girths and to pick out any stones that were lodged into the space between their hooves and their shoes. We then sat down under a tree, exhausted, when we were done. "Well, what do you want to do after lunch?" I asked, glad to be sitting down on the soft grass. "Trail ride through the mountains, or ride down to Luke's place and see what he's up to? David would probably be there are well." "I don't know. Do you think Dawn would be there?" Nick asked, a dreamy look on his face. "Maybe. Most of our peers at school who rides goes there in the holidays. After all, Luke has one of the best jumping courses around, and the biggest paddocks to ride around in," I replied. "True. Okay, we'll go over to Luke's place after lunch," Nick said. We got our bags and at our lunches. I slipped of the gloves Nick had given me before starting to eat though; it was hot, and they did not help. I also set aside the black hard hat, and shook out my damp jet black hair which had been mattered underneath. "Only one more day, and it's back to school for us," Nick spoke up. "And only a week before that pointless IQ competition, and one month to the camp," I added. "Why are they making us take that IQ competition anyway?" I asked. "Who knows. The school probably has nothing better to do. At least the camp should be good. Five days and four nights, no parents, and we can take our horses with us," Nick replied. "Well, I'm finished. Let's go, shall we? We have to get back before four, since I'm leaving at about five." "Yes, alright," I said, standing up and dumping my rubbish in the bin. "Come on then. The ride itself takes half an hour, you know. That means we only have about two hours there." I led Wild Spirit out of the paddock and mounted him. Nick did the same. We were soon trotting along side the road. Luckily for me, Wild Spirit seemed accustomed to traffic, and did not shy at any vehicles that passed by. Most of the land we passed by was covered by tall trees and scrub, and a few paddocks and houses. There wasn't alot to see until we reached Luke's place, a large horse stud, which included a very extensive jumping course, and a few trail back in the mountains, as well as a number of large paddocks which were currently free of horses. Nick and I rode past Luke's house, which was empty as his parents were away doing business, to the jumping course. The only other people around were the stables hands who looked after the horses. Luke was sitting his own horse, watching someone go around the course. "Hey, Luke," Nick greeted our friend. "Hi Nick, Darien. New horse? Very nice," Luke commented. "David's on the course right now, and I think Dawn and Claudia is out in one of the paddocks," Luke said to Nick, knowing full well that Nick had a crush on Dawn. Nick grinned, and rode off. "How's Skywalker been?" I asked, referring to Luke's bay Quarter Horse gelding. "Moody, as usual," Luke answered. "David is getting better at the course. I think he's finally forming a bond with his horse. But Wolfkiller is such a suck up horse, even if he is one good jumper." David came back then, riding the seventeen point two hands tall Trakehner gelding. "So, how did I go?" he asked, pulling his tall horse to a stop in front of us. "Better," Luke said. "Could do a bit more work on controlling him though. You cantered out of control once or twice after you jumped. Hey, Darien, you want a go?" "Yeah sure," I said, shortening my long reins and riding Wild Spirit out onto the cross country jumping course. I pushed him up to a canter and we went over the first jump. I leaned forward slightly, and we landed perfectly over the other side. Wild Spirit seemed to like jumping, and we went through the course without any major mishap, though Wild Spirit did shy once at the water jump. I rode him back to the others and an extended trot, and stopped him before them. "Pretty good," Luke said. "My turn now," he said, and rode off on Skywalker. I turned Wild Spirit around so I was standing next to David. "Is Nick with Dawn and Claudia?" David asked me, watching Luke still. "Yes. I think he's wasting his time though. Dawn thinks Nick is shallow and full of himself. Unless he acts more serious, he doesn't really have a chance," I said. "But then again, I could be wrong." "It's the truth though. Dawn likes the more mature guys. It's too bad since almost every guy in our grade likes her," David said. "Well, except you," he added, looking at me. "In fact, you have never liked a girl, have you?" "The right one just hasn't come alone yet," I said. "I don't like getting hurt. Besides, I don't see the point in falling in love so young. I've got my whole life in front of me, and the whole world for me to explore. There's plenty of time to get my heart broken." "Haven't you heard the saying 'it is better to have loved, and lost love, than to never have loved at all'? Besides, you don't know that your heart will be broken," David said. "And you know you could have practically any girl you want. I mean, with your looks and all. And not to mention that symbol on your head. Alot of girls like that. They think it's interesting and beautiful." I sighed. "I don't want a girl to like me merely because of my looks. That would be shallow and vain. And nothing would come of a relationship based entirely on lust except heart break." David shook his head. "You need to loosen up a bit. Luke's holding a party next weekend. You should come and get drunk or something," David said. "Nick's going, and so am I." "You know I don't drink, or take drugs. And I don't particularly like parties all that much either," I replied, a smile on my face. "I find them completely unsatisfying." "Yeah, whatever. The girls are going to be disappointed," David said. When Luke came back, the three of us rode over to the paddock where Dawn and Claudia were riding in. Nick and White Angel were following Dawn everywhere, and Nick was reciting love poems to her. Luke and David laughed. I just looked on, shaking my head. Claudia trotted her horse, a dark bay mare by the name of Galaxy, over to where the three of us stood. She was laughing as well, and barely had the energy to direct her horse. "Please Dawn?" Nick's voice carried over to us. "What do I have to do?" he begged. "Go to hell!" Dawn replied, pushing her horse into a fast gallop up towards us. "Why don't you like me?" Nick asked, galloping after her. "Tell me! I'll change!" The two of them sprinted past us, barely realising we were standing there. Wild Spirit, seeing the two other horses racing, suddenly reared up, turned on his hind legs, and galloped after them. It was only my reflexes that allowed me to grab onto the reins and hang on for dear life. The wind rushed through my loose hair, and I leaned forward, over Wild Spirit's neck, and we started gaining on Nick and Dawn. Behind me there was thunder, as Luke, David and Claudia followed on their horses. Wild Spirit passed White Angel, and I looked up to see Nick glance at me, a grin on his face. I smiled back, and urged Wild Spirit on, and we soon came up next to Dawn, and then galloped past. We neared the top of the paddock, and the fence, and I leaned back, expecting Wild Spirit to slow down. But without warning, he sped up, and then I realised that he meant to jump the high fence. The fence loomed closer with each bound, and just before Wild Spirit took off, I positioned myself into the jumping position. We soared through the air, almost flying due to the speed we had been galloping at, and we landed on the other side. Without missing a beat, Wild Spirit galloped on, until I finally pulled him up to a halt. I turned Wild Spirit around, and saw the others still on the other side of the fence, the expression on their faces were that of shock. Wild Spirit and I walked slowly back towards them, our breaths short and fast from our wild gallop. "That was a six foot fence," Luke said, his eyes wide. "You have an A grade jumper there," he added, looking at me and then at Wild Spirit. "Most of our stallions can't even jump that fence." "You'll find Wild Spirit is full of surprises," I said, smiling. Nick and I left at three thirty in the afternoon, as we had to be back by four. We said farewell to our friends, saying we'll see them on Monday at school. Luke, David, and Claudia groaned, but Dawn merely waved us goodbye, thankful that Nick was leaving. We rode back to our riding school without much conversation. Nick was silent with thought, no doubt thinking up some plan to get Dawn to like him. I was just happy and content, and trying very hard not to let other issues concern me for the moment. I untacked Wild Spirit and rugged him up when we arrived back at the school. Wild Spirit seemed glad to be back in his stall, tired from a full day's ride. I made sure he had fresh water in his stall, and then gave him his dinner of oats, corn and chaff. He dug in as soon as I had emptied it into his feed bucket. I watched him for a moment longer, playing with his mane. The sun was near the horizon when I said goodbye to Nick and started my ride home. I was tired also, and my mind was wandering, hardly paying any attention to the dark road in front of me. The stars were beginning to show in the east, and the sky seemed to be on fire as the sun set in the west. The silver moon was already high in the sky, making it's long journey around the world. Suddenly, a felt a strange presence, the same presence I had felt last night, of someone watching me. I realised I was riding past the bush thicket. Light was almost completely gone from the sky now, and I think I felt a touch of fear. Without warning, my bike jerked, as if someone had pulled it sharply. I almost fell off, and hung on with all my strength, trying to steer it. It was pointless; the bike swerved off the road, and crashed into the bush thicket. Branches and leaves whipped my face, arms and neck. I tried breaking, but the bike would not stop, as if someone was pushing it from behind, or pulling it on a invisible string. I could see nothing; only feel in leaves and branches rush past me. Darkness was all around me, and above me. No star or moon light penetrated through the thick canopy of dark leaves and branches over head. My bike suddenly struck something on the ground, and I flew over the top of it, flying through the dark air. And then nothing. No pain, only darkness every where. End of Part One, Chapter One. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Name Endymion... Part One: Innocent Life... Chapter Two... Notes: The Character "Armand", is from the "Vampire Chronicles", written by Anne Rice. I will be using some of her characters in this fan fic. They are not mine. I am sorry for the slow start into this story, but I thought it nessary. Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me; only the few I make up. The story, however, is mine. A fan fic by Caleyndar. Rating: PG. The stars shone down on me, and the moon was smiling at me, peeking out from it's blanket of ghost like clouds. The dark trees towered over me, almost as if peering down at my small form. Feeling was slowly returning to my shocked body, and the recent events were coming back to me as well. I slowly sat up when my body allowed it, and looked around at my surroundings. I was sitting in the middle of a small clearing. My bike was leaning up against a tree, seemingly undamaged, with my helmet hanging off the handle bars, and my bag on the ground next to the front wheel. I felt myself over, finding that I was unhurt. My forehead still possessed the symbol with it's blue Earth and silver moon. I stood up, my body tense, ready to defend myself. As far as my eyes could tell, there was no one near me, but my senses told me other wise. I could still feel the presence of that being around me, watching me. I wanted to shout out to it, to demand that it show it's face. A stick broke underfoot. I turned around fast, facing the being who had caused the noise. And a young man with an angel's face stood before me, a soft smile on his lips, his large brown eyes, staring into my own. His features were that of a boy, yet he was dressed in a man's suit, and looked to be older, wiser to the world and what it offered. "Endymion," he said, his lips moving almost seductively as he formed the word. He bowed briefly, before speaking again. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. After fifteen years, the whole galaxy thought you were dead. Except, of course, those who knew exactly where you were." "I'm not Endymion," I managed to say at last. "So you have to yet opened the box," the young man stated. "But there is no use denying it, Darien. You are Endymion. That symbol on your head tells all." He paused, as if wondering what to say next. "And I am Armand. Let's say I am a friend for now. I am here to teach you your legacy; your powers, which exist only in your line." "I was adopted," I said darkly. "I have no parents, I have no line. Let me leave. I care nought for your words, or who you say you are." "You know what I say is true. The symbol apon your head makes it true, as does the wooden box with the exact same symbol sitting in your room of your home," Armand said, refusing to let me leave. "Besides, what else can you do? If I do not teach you to control your powers now, mark my words, they will come to you, and you will not be able to control them. And then, you may hurt those you love; your adopted family, your friends, even your beloved horse, Wild Spirit." "How do you know so much about me?" I demanded. "I know alot of things," he replied, smiling. "I know all about your real family, your real parents. In short, I know more about you then even you yourself does." "Tell me about my real family then," I sneered, angry. "Don't waste your anger on me, Endymion. You could use it on much more worth while things," Armand said. "And as for telling you about your real family, I will not. Not until you accept what I say as the truth, and you agree to let me teach you." He paused, and then smiled darkly at me. "Of course, you don't have to. But then, you'll never know what you want to know, and you'll never be able to control you powers. And that would be a tragedy," he laughed, a cruel, evil laugh. I glared at him, hating him immensely. He stopped, and looked at me with his brown eyes. "I'm being cruel, am I not? I apologise. I can not help what I am, and by my nature, I am alas cruel, and very much evil," he said, sighing. "Come. Sit down. I have much to tell you. About your past, your future, and your powers. And the night is short, whilst the story long." He walked to the edge of the clearing and sat down on a fallen tree, gesturing for me to sit by him. I did so, but wearily. "Before you were born, I was already over eight hundred years old. And has much as I was sick of my eternal life already, I loved the peace that existed, and the galaxy we both are now in. But then you were born." Armand looked at me, watching my reaction in a way which did not seem unlike that of a predator watching it's pray. "So I was born. And what does it matter whether one insignificant life was born or not?" I asked, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "And how can you possibly be over eight hundred years old?" "Immortality, Endymion. A terrible curse. But to put it plainly, I am a vampire. And yes, I drink blood, and no, I am not restricted by night and day. I can go out in full sunlight if I wished," he said, looking bored, as if he had said those few words millions of times. "But to continue, your life is not insignificant. On the contrary, your life is perhaps one of most valuable in this galaxy. And when you were born, a war broke out. The beginning of your life in this universe destroyed millions of others. It wasn't your fault. It was the greed of others for the power you hold locked inside of you. As a result of the war, you were hidden, in an attempt to end the war, thus you are here, on this planet named Earth. But the war did not end. It rages still. Your parents were killed shortly after you were brought here to safety," Armand finished softly, all cruelness in his voice gone, replaced by something that might have been pity, sadness. He looked at me with his large liquid brown eyes. "My real parents are dead," I whispered to myself. "Then what does it matter whether or not I learn my powers?" I asked, anger flaring up in me again. "Because until recently, the powers were dormant inside you, for you were too young, your mind too undeveloped. But the power now grows, and demands to be set free. You may not feel it yet, but it is there, and becomes stronger everyday. And those who wanted you from the moment you were born will want you once more, for your power could control the universe," Armand explained patiently, as a teacher does to a child who does not understand. "Then why should I trust you? Why should I trust anyone if what you say is true?" I demanded, standing up in my confusion and rage. "You have to trust someone. And I have no reason to want more power, now do I? I am immortal. I have eternity ahead of me. And I have my own powers, which are enough for me. The only reason I am helping you is because I feel sorry for you. No one deserves what you will soon go through, and I am only trying to lessen the blows you will soon be dealt. If you are trained in your powers, at least you will be able to use them to help you," Armand replied, standing up also. "And what will I soon go through?" I questioned darkly. "As I said before, those who killed your parents will want your power. They will seek to control you, to use you for their own greed driven obsessions. Now will you let me help you or not?" Armand asked. "Go home now. It's late. If you want my help, come back tomorrow night, after your day at the riding school. I will be here. And read what lies within the box, and bring the weapon that it contains as well. The letter there will explain all." I said nothing, and did not look at him, but walked over to my bike and strapped on my helmet and swung my bag on to my back. When I did looked back already he was gone. All that he had said now swam in my head, confusing me more. I barely knew where I stepped as I made my way back to the road through the thick scrub, and rode home. It was very late by the time I arrived home. The lights were still on; my parents had waited up for me, concerned for I was so late arriving home. I explained to them that I had crashed on my bike, and it had taken me a long time to fix the chain and the twisted handle bars. I walked up to my room without eating, and in a trance I showered and climbed into bed. But I did not sleep. Everything I had been told repeated itself in my head. That my parent were dead, that I was the cause of millions of deaths. And that my name is really Endymion. Something snapped inside of me, and I could not stand it anymore. I took the wooden box from where it sat on my window sill, and in the moon light, I opened it. A letter laid inside the silk lined wooden box, and a long silver weapon. The letter was parchment, with a seal in silver on it, which bore the same symbol on my forehead and on the box. I broke it, and felt as if I had opened Pandora's Box, and set evil loose into the world. Carefully, I unfolded it, fearing what it would reveal to me, the secrets it held. I read it carefully; My Prince Endymion, I regret that I am not able to tell you this in person, but time is short, and you are but too young to understand what I have to say to you. Your kingdom is at war, and your mother, Queen Giai, has asked me you take you to safety, thus you are on this planet, Earth. When all is well, I will come for you, and you will take your rightful place as Prince of the Earth Kingdom. Your father, King Ares, has asked me to give you this weapon, and your mother has requested that I pass this message on to you; forget not the power within you. I closed my eyes, and set the letter down. Everything Armand had said was true. Until I had read that, I doubted it. But now, I had no choice but to believe. This was what I had feared. The knowledge weighed down on me, crushing me. Compared to being told I was a dopted, this was ten times worse. Why was this happening to me? All I ever wanted was to be normal, to be human. I never asked for this. My mind was screaming, and I wanted to scream. Yes, open the window, and let all my pain empty from my body through my voice. I did not do it. I merely forced the pain away, and replaced the letter in the box. I sat there, silent, thoughtful. An hour passed before I moved again to take the weapon out of the box. The moon was beginning to set, and it appeared like a huge silver disk sitting on the dark landscape. The weapon was light, a long silver cylinder encrusted with jewels and gems, finished with intricate designs of gold. On it was also the symbol, staring up at me in the dull light. Strangely, it felt so right there, clasp in my hand. It felt as if it belonged there, always, fuelled by the power within me. I looked at it, tracing it's patterns with my eyes, wondering what I should do with it now. And then, without realising, I pressed the controls, and a brilliant silver blue energy blade flared up from the handle. I swung the blade, feeling it's energy as it sliced through the air. My movements were smooth, as if I had welded the weapon since I was born. Without pausing, I pressed another control, and a twin blade extended itself from the other end of the handle. I twirled it in my hands, almost becoming hypnotised by it's swilling silver blue light. Suddenly, I stopped, and held the weapon away from me in one hand, parallel to the ground. I pressed the controls again, and watched in silent wonder as the twin blades contracted back into the handle as if they had never existed. I held the weapon up, looking at it again. It suddenly disappeared. With a single flash of blue light, the weapon no longer existed in my hand. I narrowed my eyes, and concentrated, wanting the weapon to be back in my hand. Another flash of light, and I was once again holding the silver weapon. My powers were indeed beginning to surface. I made the weapon disappear again with a mere act of will, and then closed up the box. My eyes landed on the mirror, showing me the reflection of a boy, sitting on his bed, looking sad, depressed. His blue eyes shone with something that was not unlike an inner strength, but was really inner power, shinning out through the windows of his soul. The symbol on his forehead shone with it's own faint glow. I hated it suddenly, and I wished it wasn't there. I wanted it gone. Another flash of blue light. I looked back in the mirror once my vision cleared. My reflection no longer showed the symbol. My forehead was clear; no striking symbol showing under the strands of black hair, no silver, blue or green catching the light. I smiled softly to myself, wondering what else this new found power would accomplish. I shook my head, surprised at my own attitude towards my power. It seemed in this moment of clarity that every time I used it, I found it additive, as if I wanted more. It would be so easy to use it to change my life, so easy to manipulate people. Would I dare? I pressed my lips together and vowed that I would not, silently, within my heart. Time passed, and I was soon asleep. It was strangely dreamless, yet restless. Everything I had gone through the day before was still clear in my mind; the sleep had not washed them away. I left the house that day, reminding myself that the power within me would never be used to hurt others. Nick met me at the riding school as usual, and the first thing he asked was what had happened to the symbol. I lied to him, saying I didn't know, that it had disappeared over night. My tone of voice told him to leave it at that, and reluctantly, he did so, turning his attention to his mare. The day passed without my realising it, and I was soon riding home, and turning into the bush thicket, riding towards the clearing. Dusk was apon me when I reached the small cleared space within the bush land. I dismounted from my bike and leaned it up against a tree before unstrapping my helmet and setting my bag down. I then seated myself on the same fallen tree trunk as yesterday, and awaited for the arrival of Armand. I looked up suddenly from the ground at which I had been staring, into his angelic face. He smiled at me, and touched my forehead with his icy cold, yet delicate long fingers. "A wondrous power, is it not? And a wise move. Without the symbol, only those who are trained and have a certain power can single you out in a crowd of humans," he said, and sat down beside me. I did not reply, but materialised the weapon in my hand with a flash of blue light. "Well, you have out done yourself. Your powers are developing rapidly. I trust you know how the weapon works? Show me," he said, smiling softly at me again. I complied, as if I had not will of my own. Like the night before, I touched the controls, and the blade flared to life. I swung it, watching the blade cut through the air. Throwing it, the blade swirled through the air, and cut a small tree down with a brilliant arc of blue light. I willed it to come back into my hand, and it swung around in mid air and flew as if by magic back to me. Switching it to the other setting, I twirled it in my hands a few times before shutting it down. "Perfect," Armand said. "Many of the powers, you will learn by yourself, as you have discovered those you have already shown me. But let me show you another little trick. A very destructive power, and a very beautiful one." An hour passed. Perhaps more. I was not concerned, really. I could easily twist my adopted parent's minds to make them think that I had arrived home on time. And I didn't even have to ride home; I would teleport there, bike and all. But this was nothing compared to the power Armand showed me. A deadly power, more destructive that my hand held weapon. My body glowed with a blue light; the sign of my power. My eyes flashed briefly; and then a glowing ball of blue lightning energy formed in my hands. I let it grow, fuelling it with my emotions, and all my physical and mental power. Then I threw it against a tree. It exploded in a splendid bright blue flame. When everything cleared, nothing was left where the tree stood except a blackened patch on the scorched ground. I closed my eyes, feeling the power within me. In my room, I threw myself down on my bed, my mind screaming at me. What was this power doing to me? I had just lied to my parents, using the power to make them believe me. And what was I doing, wanting to use them so much? Did I not care anymore about the people around me? All I seemed to want to do was to use my powers, to grow stronger in them. Please, please don't let it take control again. I did not like the person I became with the use of these powers. Dawn. The sunlight shone on my face, and it felt so good, like it was purify me, taking away the evil side of myself. Outside my window, birds sang; a wonderful, peaceful tune. I smiled, glad to be my old self. I would not have to see Armand for a full day. At least until then, I could be myself. And perhaps, if I was strong enough to resist myself, I would not go to him tonight. I dressed in my school uniform and quickly ate my breakfast. Within half an hour, I was at the bus stop, my bag on my back, awaiting the arrival of the bus which would take me to school. I felt good today, glad that no one would stare at me any longer, for I had hidden the symbol with my powers. The bus ride was for once peaceful. No little kids ran up to me and asked me questions about the symbol, no one stared at me. For the first time, I felt almost normal, human. Only I was not. Nick met me at the gate, a dreamy expression on his face. "Thinking about Dawn again?" I asked, punching him softly in the arm. "What else?" he asked, barely looking at me. His eyes were looking down the road, in the direction that Dawn's bus came. "I suppose you're going to Luke's party. But the question is, is Dawn going?" I asked, leaning up against the fence, grinning at him. "Yeah, she sure is," he replied, though it seemed that he was talking to himself. I rolled my eyes, and shook my head, grinning still. "And I suppose you are going to get drunk and make a perfect fool out of yourself," I said. "Yes, exactly," he said. I laughed, realising he wasn't even listening to me. Nick suddenly snapped out of his day dream, and his eyes brightened, and a huge smile appeared on his face. I looked down to road to see Dawn's bus coming. It pulled up in front of the gate, and the students pushed their way off, never caring about the others in their mindless rush. Dawn was one of the last to get off the bus, and when she saw Nick standing there, she looked as if she wanted to retreat back onto the bus. As soon as Dawn stepped of the bus, Nick ran up to her and tried to embrace her. Dawn shoved him off. "You are such an immature brat!" she yelled at him and stormed off, her blond hair flying out behind her. Having forgotten me, Nick followed her like a puppy. I was about to follow, but something stopped me, and made me look back towards the bus. A girl was the last to descend the steps of the bus. As her foot touched the ground she looked up. Into my eyes. Something slammed into my heart, and I could hardly breath. Emotions rushed through me, causing me to feel as if I would faint. In that split second that my eyes had met with her large clear sky blue ones, I had lost my heart. I felt myself drowning in her eyes, and we must have stood there, staring at each other for minutes, if not more. Time had no meaning. She suddenly widened her large eyes, and an expression of mild shock passed through her lovely features. The world tilted around me, and I realised I had sank down onto my knees. "Are you alright?" her lovely, voice asked me; the voice of an angel. Her silky golden hair done up in an unusual style of two 'meat balls' framed her beautiful face, and those deep eyes. The hair fell down in two golden streamers all around her, the length of it almost reaching her knees. I looked up at her face, and this time, the beauty, the innocence, the tranquillity of it was too much for me. I fainted. The vision of her faded as the darkness took over. End Part 1, Chapter 2.