A fan fic by Caleyndar. Rating: PG. Notes: This chapter discusses some issues between Serenity and Endymion, clearing them up. It also continues on with the dream that haunted Endymion. Parts of this chapter are very serious and deep. Others are meant to be funny. I stress 'meant to be'. Email: caleyndar@tac.com.au URL: http://members.xoom.com/portalsms/ Feel free to contact me if you have something to say. Any suggestions are welcome. Updates of this fan fic may be longer than two weeks per chapter from now on. I am writing a non Sailor Moon novella entitled 'Compile a Life', which I want to finish ASAP. Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me; only the few I make up. The story, however, is mine. The Name Endymion... Part Five: The War of Peace... Chapter Two... Childhood memories chased me, ghosts dragging apon my feet to bound me to my nightmare. I was crying, rubbing my eyes with my little fists, hot tears streaming down my small face. The room I sat in was dark. Night. The moon and the stars shone in the velvet black outside the window, lighting familiar objects which terrified me. Light was born with the simple flick of a switch, and a loving presence entered the monstrous room that seemed to have wanted to devour my soul only moments ago. Another word existed with the light. The room was my bedroom, filled with my belongings which I treasured. "Oh, did you have another nightmare, Darie?" my Mother?s voice broke through my sobs. "Yes!" I cried in between hiccups. "Big monsters came after me! Huge golden crystal creatures that ate the world and me! And then there was nothing left! Nothing but black!" "What have I told you, Sweetie?" my Mother lectured, wrapping a comforting arm around my small shaking form. "I told you not to watch all those horror films before you went to bed." I carelessly wiped my face with my cotton sleeve, sniffling. "I promise I?ll never watch those movies again, Mom! Please, just make the bad guys go away!" My Mother just enveloped me in a bear hug and rocked me back to sleep. With a start, I awoke, my eyes wide, my entire body tense and shaking. "God, why did I dream such a thing? What did it mean?" I questioned in a terrified whisper as I sat up. The sudden movement beside her drew Serenity out from her slumber, her eyelids fluttering and then opening to reveal their blue gems. She looked up at my form, face forward and blank, eyes staring wildly at all things as if elementals unseen taunted me. Gently she touched my arm, silently asking me what troubled me, what made me stare with such a frightened glare. "I dreamt that the universe shattered," I whispered without looking into her worrying eyes. "I dreamt that something tore from my heart a crystal which destroyed the world." These words came from me as if I was in a trance. My mind was racing, questioning, demanding, why in the hell had I dreamt of such an obscene act. Serenity sat up and turned my blank face to look apon her angelic one. "A crystal?" she asked softly, the curiosity behind it unmistakable. "The Golden Crystal?" I just stared at her, unable to answer at first. But my voice took on its only life and gave breath to the first sentence which was uttered in my nightmare. "Peace, without a certain element will never last." A swift pause and then it continued. "The Golden Crystal. The Crystal of Dreams. This is the last element." I blinked my eyes and furiously shook my head. "This Golden Crystal, Serenity, this piece of rock flew up into the sky and shattered it!" I said in horror. Her perfect brow crinkled with a frown, and she sat silent, deep in thought for a moment before speaking. "There was a legend, a prophecy, call it what you will, which told of a crystal with the power of dreams. I do not remember much of it. I never listened to tales such as that, though now I wish I had. But I seem to remember that my Mother, Queen Selenity, always seemed very weary of it," Serenity trailed off, trying to glimpse into forgotten memories. "This was not the first time I have had this dream. When I was a child, this nightmare haunted me. I would wake up crying for the light, for someone to tell me everything was alright," I paused, trying to recall the last time I had dreamt this. Not since I was a child. Certainly not in my high school years. Why had they left me when I grew older? Perhaps a subconscious banishment of them with the development of my powers? But then, why did they come back now? "There?s more. In this dream, I received the distinct impression that the voice which took the crystal from me was not evil, yet as a child, I called them monsters. I do not understand." Serenity embraced me, kissing me softly on the cheek. "Dreams were not meant to be logical, Endymion, though at times they do have embedded within them meaning. Do not concern yourself over it. If there is importance to this vision which plagues you, then we will understand it soon enough." "I fear it, Serenity. I fear the meanings it may have. Most of all, I fear that I will lose you," I said quietly, lifting my hand and brushing my fingers along her silky smooth cheek. "Why has fate been so kind? It demands that we be together, that our destinies be intertwined, yet it has it so that we love each other more than the very air we breath. Though if loved never targeted us, would we have felt such pain, such sorrow? Would we have merely done as destiny demanded of us and lived our weary lives?" "Without Light, there can be no Darkness. Without Darkness, there can be no Light. Without Hate, there can be no Love. Without Love, there can be no Hate," Serenity said softly, more so to herself than to me. "We may have hurt each other, Endymion, hated even, but never through all our pain and suffering did we stop loving each other. And I would not have had it anyone other way." "Why did you forgive me?" I whispered, my eyes riveted to hers. "Why did you stop fearing me? Why are we together now? Is it because of destiny?" Our faces were so close, her sapphire eyes filled my whole vision. Eyes which reflected my very soul and made it pale compared to hers. "You know why," was her almost silent answer. Her breath was so sweet caressing my face. "It is the same reason you forgave me, the same reason you are here now." "There was nothing to forgive, for there was no wrong done," I answered my own question, searching her eyes for a sign of right or wrong. "It was a misunderstanding twisted into lies by others, causing us to feel dark emotions which covered up the light. And I began to understand, and doing so, saw there was nothing to forgive, and that I had only made a horrific mistake. And fear? I do not know that I ever feared you. But I knew I could not live without you. It was as simple as that. It is why we are here now. Because I can not see a reason for living in this universe when you are not by my side." I shut my eyes pressed my forehead against hers, our symbols touching one another. "It is why I ran following the death of my Father. I feared you would never forgive me for my actions, never stop avoiding me because you did not want to be hurt by me again." These words I spoke hurt me. They made me want to cry. Such memories they brought back. Such dark memories and emotions. "Dear God, do you know what I feared the most then?" I uttered suddenly, though I dared not to open my eyes. "I feared that I would hurt you again! If I had killed my Father, then by Heaven and Hell, what if I could hurt you?" "Endymion, please don?t question such possibilities. I do not want to let them inhale a breath of life. My Love, please, cast such evil thoughts away. I love you, I know you would never hurt me again, and I trust in you. Believe in my love for you, my trust. But please, do look back apon the dark past. Let that rest in peace. We are together now, and that is all that matters," Serenity said in her kind voice which was full of force and strength. Her gentle hand lifted my chin and forced me to look into her ever forgiving eyes. "What matters is the future, Endymion. And whatever daemons take sanctuary there we will face together, for love is the strongest force in existence." I leaned forward and kissed her, almost crushing her fragile frame in my tight embrace. Her very words soothed my soul, her very gaze gave me a comfort, a peace, which I had always been searching for but have found in no place other than her innocent eyes. My passion for her touch, her warmth against my bare skin, was almost frightening. I wanted her so much! In her I found peace! In her I found love, everything I had ever longed for! In our pure love and need for one another, our minds and bodies became one. Light and heat washed over us, filling our souls with such contentment for life that all woes disbursed and became nothing, and the thought of living was more than bearable. It was attractive! Words alone could never describe the feeling, the bliss that came from this joining of our souls which were meant to be one. We laid in each others arms, eyes closed, just enjoying each other?s touch, the mere realisation that we were together, and that for all the wrong in the universe, in our very kingdoms, we were happy for we had each other. With our love, with our combined strength, all would be right. In the peaceful sleep that followed, no dreams nor nightmares plagued me. My soul and heart was at rest with the knowledge that Serenity loved and trusted me, for our need for one another out weighed our fears. The time that ensued in which the small space craft was our universe, slicing through space as light must, little happened that provoked deep thought or emotions. Slowly my strength returned, and slowly my pain ebbed away until it was an ever present dull throbbing in the empty part of my heart. Fear still lingered in my mind for the dream which visited me. It had instilled in me a fear I could not quite understand, and that troubled me. Diamond was much changed. He was silent now, talking to no one. Not even his beloved Brother Sapphire. He spent much of his time in the cockpit, sitting next to the stone cold Sword, staring out into the brilliant white light of space ripping past us at light speed as she did. Two silent figures staring at nothing. They were a horrific sight to look apon. They never moved. They merely sat and stared. Only when necessary did their bodies move on their own accord to take in food or adjust a control. Their actions were uncanny, and even Serenity began to worry, though she by all other?s advise left Diamond alone in the fear of his reaction. Apon seeing Diamond?s state, Sapphire was much distressed. Often I would see him trying to talk to his Brother, but only silence replied. Silence, or an outburst of anger which sent Sapphire swiftly walking away with a pained and annoyed expression tainting his face. The silence soon spread to Sapphire. There was little those remaining could do but watch and offer a shoulder to cry on. They were never taken though. Sapphire took his pain and locked himself in his cabin. "We can?t sit around here all night and day feeling sorry for them," Venus said from her place at the small table located in the dinning room aboard the ship. She leaned against Kunzite who had his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "If they will not vent their emotions, then there is nothing we can do. We may as well plan ahead to our arrival at the head quarters of the Dark Dragon Kingdom." I sighed and rested my head apon Serenity?s shoulder. "I do not even want to think about it. Armand is going to yell at me, and most likely bite me," I muttered, shutting my eyes and making a face. Serenity and Venus could not help but giggle. Kunzite cleared his throat. "I doubt it. Marius will be there, if you recall. Armand will not be acting out of line. Besides, why should you fear his anger towards you? He knew what he tempted you to do was wrong. I would have thought that he would be the one fearing your wrath." "Perhaps," I said softly, knowing well that it may be true. I did love him once. But that love had been born in rank soil, and was not pure. But did I still feel something towards that devil with the face of an angel? I shook my head slightly and kissed Serenity softly apon her forehead. "What ever the case, after I talk to Armand, we will see Queen Selenity and my Mother. This war will end." "It is fortunate at least that there has been no active fighting for some time. At least no more lives are being lost now," Venus said quietly. "And by the time we have finished our business with the immortals, the others should have returned from their meetings with Queen Giai and Queen Selenity. I have ordered them to arrange for a engagement together on the capital of the Moon Kingdom. We will travel there as soon as we are done on the Dark Dragon Kingdom," Kunzite informed me. I leaned back in the stiff chair, satisfied that the road to peace, though rocky, was progressing. I had not told of the others my dream. It seemed pointless. After all, it had been a dream, nothing more. A figment of my imagination. Cast it aside until called for. The dormant battle station of the Dark Dragon Kingdom laid before us, unchanged from when I first glimpsed it in my spirit form, whisking away to Serenity?s side. What a hatred filled memory that was. But this was not the time for the past. We headed into the future, towards that streamline metallic object hanging in dark space, tiny lights making it stand out against nothingness. Five of us were crammed into the small cockpit: Sword, Kunzite, Venus, Serenity and myself. Diamond had long ago left when I first came in after dropping our velocity from light speed. He had brushed coolly past my shoulder, the only emotion emitting from his form was that of hatred. "This is Lestat de Lioncourt speaking. Please state your identity and purpose," Lestat?s laughing voice burst onto the communications system. "Lestat?" I wondered. "Why are you there?" "The control officer is at supper!" Lestat replied before laughing out loud. "What does he mean by that?" Serenity whispered into my ear. "It means our dear friend Lestat ate him," I said flatly, not at all amused. "What have I told you, Endymion? We say ?drink?!" Lestat retorted. "Yes, whatever," I muttered. "Just give us clearance, alright?" There was a short pause before a new voice took over. "Prince Endymion? This is Louis de Pointe du Lac. Ignore Lestat. Go ahead and set down in landing bay twelve." Then in the background, Louis spoke to Lestat as an annoyed teacher might. "The word ?drink? makes no grammatical sense there anyway. To think you?ve lived for centuries." "Thankyou Louis," I said and cut the transmission. "I can?t believe I put up with that for two years," I mumbled, shaking my head at the two vampires? behaviour. "Well, my Prince, we put up with you for a year, which I believe is worse," Kunzite answered my complaint with a slight smile on his face. "Why you!" I yelled before grabbing for his throat. "Endymion!" Serenity and Venus both yelled. The hanger bay. It was cavernous and empty of other space crafts. Only bright unrelenting light blasted down apon us, lighting everything up as bright as day. Moments passed as I just stood at the exit of the space craft, waiting for my eyes to adjust. "Back here again. What have I learnt in my absence? Life is a lesson. So what did I learn?" I whispered to myself softly. "Did I learn that I could love? Did I learn that others can forgive, and I could forgive myself? Yes, I learnt the truths of lies, and that has taught me to be less trusting. That nothing is as it seems. Did I also learn to follow my heart?" I looked up from my deep thoughts to see Venus and Kunzite conversing with Serenity. They had braved the harsh artificial light and now stood under it without a care. My High General, dressed in his uniform. He was so loyal and full of pride. Why did he still wear the uniform my Father gave him? The Soldier of Love and Beauty, Sailor Venus. Adorning her short pelted skirt and blue bow. The red ribbon in her hair. Did that have some significance to her? It did not match the suit. And Serenity. My sweet angelic Serenity, Princess of the Moon Kingdom. Did I truly at one point in time wish to kill you, to take your life? It seemed an impossibility. It seemed a will most incorrect to Heaven, to bloody your snow white dress that complemented your figure in everyway. Why such thoughts, Endymion? Did this place bring back unpleasant memories? "Diamond insists on accompanying me back to the Moon Kingdom. There?s no changing his mind, and since he?s staying, so is Sapphire. I fear though that his emotions will lead him to do something rash, something with none of us will like," Serenity said softly as I walked up to join them. "Of Sword, I do not know what to do." "Sword has a very fragile soul, and it is beyond repair," I said quietly. "Perhaps in time she will become as she was, but it is doubtful. Her kingdom is another matter. What will we do about that? Are we not still at war with it?" "Without a head, a body can not be," Venus replied. "The Shadow Kingdom will most likely alliance with another kingdom if Sword does not continue to control it." I looked back at the ship. The three we spoke of were still on board and had no intention of coming to join us. Emotions seemed only a burden to mankind. It made them venerable to everything, even themselves. Yet some of those same emotions which hurt us more than gave us pleasure, we would surly kill for to feel. Why were humans made this way? It made us so insufficient. The appearance of two figures at a distant doorway let me escape from these thoughts. Without a closer glance I knew it was Lestat and Louis, dressed in their fine cloths that belonged more in the eightieth century on earth. They walked with some sound to notify us of their arrival. "I hope you are all well," Louis greeted us with a smile. "As well as mortals can be," I answered, returning the smile. "When did you arrive?" "Oh, a few hours ago. We stayed on Earth a while longer once leaving you. Call it home sickness," Lestat replied to my inquiry. "Do not worry, Endymion. We did not hunt while we were there. We only visited Paris and New Orleans. We had a history there when we lived on Earth," Louis assured me. "Has our comrades contacted you?" Kunzite spoke up. "No. Were they meant to?" Louis asked. Kunzite shook his head. "I was only making sure. They were meant to meet us here after they had completed their mission. On that note, where is Marius?" "With Armand," Louis answered. "Should we go and see them?" I asked. "Or is it a bad time right now?" "No!" Lestat said with a grin, while at the same time Louis nodded his head and said "yes". "Am I to believe that in the centuries you have known each other, you have never agreed either," I said rolling my eyes. "Why should I not see them now, Louis?" "Don?t listen to Louis!" Lestat cut in, and grabbed me by the arm, barely missing my bandaged wound. "Armand would love to see you right now!" With that, he dragged me out of the landing bay. Kunzite just shrugged and followed with Venus and Serenity close behind. Louis threw his hands up in the air with a sigh and gave in. This situation did not suit me at all. The heavy double oak doors stood unguarded, despite being shut. The six of us stood outside of them, undecided on our next course of action. I rubbed my arm where Lestat had gripped me. His hands were just a little too cold and hard. More like marble than flesh. Serenity moved to stand behind me, and without conscious thought, my arm slid around her waist and pulled her closer to my body clad only in black pants and top. Black against white. How different were we? A smile crossed my lips as I remembered the time we had shared together aboard Sword?s space craft on the journey here. Despite all that had occurred in the recent past, the last few days would undoubtedly have to had been the best of my life. Being with Serenity. Of one mind and body. Yes, we were different. Different as night was from day, the sun from the moon. But we were one and the same, and we loved one another. And that in the end was all that mattered. My lovely memory was suddenly snatched from my brain as the double doors burst open. Armand dashed out, flying right into Serenity and me. The three of us were knocked over, sending us tumbling onto the cold hard floor. And with my luck, I was of course on the bottom of the pile. Never the less, my hand snaked up and locked around Armand?s ankle before he could sprint away. It wasn?t a wise move. With his supernatural strength, he sprang up and dragged me over five meters before falling with a dull thud. Dragged me apon my sore arm. I gritted my teeth. Someone was going to pay. With glaring eyes I pushed myself up from the floor and scowled at the devil that laid sprawled before me. And my anger fled. There was no devil lying there. Only a broken child who was crying and tried so hard to hide it. His sobs shook his whole body. My eyes widened with shock. His dazzling cloths were little more than rags that barely clung to his body. Rags which were soaked in blood and shredded until it was not even a resemblance of aristocratic clothing. Wounds scarred his previously flawless flesh, covering him from head to toe, caused by perhaps a crop or whip. But even as I watched, the lacerations began to heal by their own accord, until not even the slightest scar remained. Yet he still wept. What was this feeling that came over me as I watched him? It was almost like what I felt towards Serenity, towards my little sister, even Wild Spirit. Could it be that I truly did care for him? Love him even? I knelt down beside him, and pulled him up into my arms. He wouldn?t look at me. His large brown eyes would not stare into my dark blue ones. He had lost his pride today. No longer was he the mysterious stranger, the dark lord and master. He was just a little boy lost in a world filled with giants. I just embraced him as a brother might, and lifted him to his feet, holing him close still. Marius stormed out then, a dark expression on his face, the inflector of pain gripped in his hand. "Endymion, give him to me," he said, voice not overly loud, but full of demand. "I think he?s learnt whatever lesson you are trying to teach him," I said softly, Armand?s face still buried into my shoulder and my arm still around him protectively. "He may have caused me much grief, he may very well deserve to rot in hell, but he is not a beast of burden that should be whipped. We are civilised people here. I am sure we can talk through this without violence." Marius smiled grimly at me. "Very well then, Prince Endymion. But he is my child. In the future, do not come between us again. Though I love him, he needs to be punished." Marius paused and recomposed himself, becoming calm and more like the teacher I had thought him to be when we first met. "Actually, I think he deserves to die for what he?s done to me, but you need not torture him," I answered, my voice still without menace, despite my words. I do not think I really meant them. "Ask him of the Golden Crystal then. The Crystal of Dream," Marius said in an equally soft voice. End Part Five, Chapter Two.