Truth Be Told by Cat Woman part 11 I ran down the path deep in the forest that 
was located just outside the Cave of Ares. As I approached the end I saw him. 
Ares. The God of War! I hid behind a bunch of rocks and bushes hoping that he 
wouldn't see me. I listened intently hoping to catch something of his 
conversation with some girl.

"Am I to believe that a young woman as beautiful as you were unable to locate 
and steal a simple little crystal?" Ares said somewhat angrily and seductively.

"You know, My Lord, the Imperium Silver Crystal isn't as easy to get as you 
think it is! That little witch of a Princess, Serenity, has it nowhere even near 
the palace grounds! I know.....I checked and scanned several times! In 
fact.....I didn't even find her there when I was there!" she said angrily. 

"All I have to say to you, is that you had better find that crystal and find it 
fast before our window of opportuinty is gone! Now leave, and don't come back 
until after you have the crystal, or at least some new information!" he said as 
he walked away from the girl and back into the cave. The girl started to walk 
away and quickly disappeared. I stood and looked around, especially at the cave 
entrance. Something weird was goin on! I know they wanted my crystal, although I 
haven't quite figured out why yet, but there was something else. Something that 
was simply unspoken in the conversation between Ares and that girl.

I returned to the tavern where I met up with Hercules and Mina.

"So, did you find anything?" Mina stood as I entered the tavern. I sat down on a 
chair at their table and let out a big sigh.

"No.....all I found out was that they want the Silver Crystal!" I said like it 
was meaningless. It wasn't though. It was meaningful, but I had other things on 
my mind that was clouding thoughts.

"WHAT!?!" Mina screeched.

"Mina...calm down! I don't need you to go insane on me!" I softly said.

"Excuse me, but what is this Silver Crystal?" Hercules asked. I folded my arms 
on the table and sunk my head in them attempting to get some type of rest. Mina 
finally sat down.

"The Silver Crystal is a special crystal that belongs to the women in the 
bloodline of the Royal Moon Family. It is the source of immense power and purely 
good energy. However, it is tied into the life-force of whoever is in control of 
the crystal. The good thing, is that it can only be controlled by the it's 
female possessor. The bad thing, is that if Ares is looking for this thing, that 
it either means that he has within his possession, a woman for the Royal Moon 
Family, or he's planning on doing something to Serena." Mina explained. 

"Does Serena have the crystal on her now?" Kora asked. I was totally oblivious 
to her. I looked up at her.

"Yes, I do! I have to or else I will gradually become weaker and weaker." I said 
matter-of-factly. I looked around and immediately felt something was terribly 
wrong.

I walked around the throne room and waited for my brother and the God Apollo to 
see me. I looked at all the pictures of my entire family and I. I also saw ones 
of my brother and his family. Oh, how I wanted a family! My brother and Apollo 
entered the room.

"Hello Serenity!" Apollo greeted. After all these years, Apollo still looks at 
me like I'm a desired prize to be won. By the Gods do I hate that!

"Hello sis!" my brother greeted as he hugged me and kissed my cheek.

"Hello Derek!" I hugged back and smiled brightly. It had been a few years since 
I had last seen my brother, and I missed him dearly. We separated and he went to 
his throne.

"So, how's Mother?" he asked innocently. Obviously he hadn't heard of mother's 
death. I looked down and away towards a wall.

"Derek.....I have some bad news for you. Mother was killed.....a few days ago." 
I managed to get out while not crying.

"What happened? Who did it?" he said as he stood and walked towards me. I 
couldn't fight the tears back any longer and began to sob as my brother wrapped 
his arms around me.-

"She was on her way home.....and she was attacked and killed.....by.....by..." I 
couldn't finish, the tears were so overwhelming.

"Serenity.....WHO!?" he demanded. I looked up at him. My face stained by the 
tears. My eyes all puffy and red by the abruptness of my tears.

"It was.....Ares! That's why I came to see you! He now wants the Silver Crystal 
and he probably even knows that I am the only thing standing in his way of 
possessing it. But I don't know if he realizes that I'm the only one who can use 
it or not!" I said finally feeling a bit of calmness flush over me. 

"Serenity, I think we should hide you somewhere until all of this blows over!" 
Apollo suggested putting a comforting hand on the small of my back. I sighed and 
looked at him.

"You don't get rid of problems by running and hiding from them, but by 
confronting them and dealing with them. And that's exactly what I plan to do 
with this problem." I said rather sternly. I looked at Derek. "Will you help me 
get rid of this 'thing' that he's been trying to sick on me?" I asked sweetly.

"What exactly is this 'thing'?" he asked in return.

"It's a woman, or at least I heard a woman's voice. Anyways, she and Ares were 
talking about the Silver Crystal and about getting it before their 'window of 
opportunity' was gone. Whatever that means." I said almost as if I were just 
shrugging it off like it were no big deal.

"Sere.....I think you might want to take into consideration the fact that you 
might have to go into hiding!" Derek suggested.

"NO! I'm only 16! I will NOT go into hiding just because of ONE little crisis! 
Besides...my friends are in danger...the future of the Moon Kingdom is in 
danger...the man I love is in danger! I will NOT go into hiding while all of 
this is being handled for me or even until this blows over!" I said almost 
yelling angrily at the two of them. I stomped out of the room and disappeared 
returning to Earth. 

I walked into Kora's and immediately sat down not noticing anything about the 
place. I didn't know if anyone were there or even if someone were watching me, 
the things that I can usually sense in a split-second. I placed my elbows on the 
table and rested my head in my hands. I closed my eyes hoping to drift off to 
sleep. I felt a hand suddenly placed on my shoulder. My eyes shot open and I 
looked up only to see...