A fan fic by Caleyndar. Rating: PG. Notes: This chapter has some scenes in it which I do not recommend for those who do not like blood nor course language. However, this is an important chapter as it builds the foundations apon which the next chapter starts. Any comments, advice, please send to: caleyndar@tac.com.au Visit my web site, "The Portal", at: http://members.xoom.com/caleyndar Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me; only the few I make up. The story, however, is mine. The Name Endymion... Part Four: Angel of Tears... Chapter Three... The heavens swirled and blew away, the clouds like torn ribbons stretched across the blue sky. The endless blue, a dome broken by white above me, endless, yet almost in my reach. The blue of the Earth. When was the last time I had stood still and admired it for all its abundant beauty? Not even when I lived here as an average mortal did I care to admire it. I had taken all of that peace and tranquillity for granted. And this was the price I paid. The loss of it all. At least fate was kind. It had given me a second chance. I smiled softly again. I would not lose it this time. I would not take it for granted. I have learnt my lesson. Life and everything in it was dear. One would kill for what I had, even after I left. Even when I suffered physically in that so called school. I was still loved. But I had thrown that away because of pride. I was so very much the fool. Dismounting, I stood apon the earth which I could no longer call my home. I could almost feel the warmth of it seeping though my long black boots, almost feel the life that lived beneath the surface. Once more, I smiled. Let the sun shine apon my cold face made so by the wind, and warm it. Give it life. I needed the strength for my next task. But it would not be the hardest. Wild Spirit was content to graze where I tethered his long black leather reins to the fence. David and Luke for once were in Luke?s mansion like house, watching the latest block buster movie on Luke?s wide screen television. Television. I almost laughed at that thought. I had not really relaxed by watching the rubbish the television spewed in two years. And there they were, laughing at the jokes, without a care in the world. Some people had it made. I walked up to the front entrance, open wide besides from the screen door. The surround sound system from the entertainment system hit me like intense waves as I pulled the screen door open and stepped inside. Carelessly I let the door slam shut behind me, but no one would be able to hear through all the noise. And as my powers informed me, only Luke and David were here. "Hey, watch this! This is the best part in the movie!" Luke?s voice shouted above the excess sound waves, originating from the family room where the senseless technology had been set up. "I?ve already seen it three times! I want to get a drink! You want one!" David shouted back, backing out of the room, never noticing the silent figure standing behind him, clothed in silver and black armour adorned with a red lined cape and streamline sword. A symbol of the silver moon and blue and green Earth interlocked together graced the figure?s forehead. I did not move as he back into me and nearly jumped a foot in the air like a frightened cat. My face broke into a grin at seeing his shocked expression. He looked me up and down, and then said in a small confused voice, "You know, Luke is not having a party today." I laughed. "No, he is not," I said, and let the happiness die from my face. "I wish I was here to crack jokes, no matter how poor in taste, but I?m here to tell you the real truth of my disappearance for the past two years. And why I have to leave again very soon." David frowned, and motioned with his hands which held an empty plastic cup for me to wait. He retreated back into the family room and switched off the entertainment system, producing a cry of protest from Luke. David then returned, dragging an unhappy Luke with him. Luke?s expression changed to one shock and confusion at seeing me dressed in my armour. He raised his eyebrows at me, asking me with his eyes why in hell I was dressed like that. "Its a long story," I said quietly. It was like reliving all my pain and suffering again. As if someone had recorded my life for the past two years and had forced me to watch it all over again. This time my errors were so obvious to me. They were candles burning in the dark, crying out for me to acknowledge them, for me to burn myself apon them again. Feel the pain? Time had no meaning as I retold my story to my two fading friends. I became just a voice, and I too listened to that voice, and hated myself for everything I had done. But I could also not ignore so many issues, the most prominent being the war that still raged, and the past destruction of my kingdom. What would I do? How could I piece back together the shattered glass orb of my world? My body was shaking physically when I concluded my tale. Somewhere along the journey my hands had danced back to grip the edge of the table, as if hanging on for dear sanity. My knuckles were white, the blood having drained away. I stared down at them now and forcibly pulled them away from the table, clenching them into fists to still the quivering. "I just wish," I whispered, voice unstable, "I just wish that I hadn?t done so many things." I swallowed, trying to pass the words from my dry throat. "I know you think I am insane. You would be foolish not to. Everything I?ve told you sounds like something out of a fairytale nightmare. All make believe. But it has been Hell for me, with a few glimpses of Heaven and its angels." "No. I believe you. Though it sounds unbelievable, that life even exists beyond this world, I believe what you say, what you?ve gone through," David answered, eyes wide, elbows propped on the table, hands holding his head. Luke looked thoughtful, one leg drawn up so it was bent up against his chest, heel resting on the tip on the chair. His arms were causally supported on his elevated knee, and he looked down at the table, where our flat sodas sat, untouched. The low sun floating above the horizon poured dusty light in through the kitchen window, playing on the reflective pools of liquid collected in the cups. "I can understand why you did what you did though. You are only human, with human weaknesses. And I can understand why Nick and Dawn and that other kid did not want to come back. Life on Earth is pretty shit compared to the wonderland beyond, despite all the pain you have described," Luke muttered, still staring at the table. "But, well, everything. How are you going to fix it? How are you going to win Serenity back and get rid of that ass hole Diamond? How are you going to end this war? Even if you believe it was not the Moon Kingdom?s fault, or if it was, it is just a past difference now, the rest of you kingdom is not going to let bygones be bygones!" "I know, I know. But somehow, I will right the wrongs and settle the conflict between the kingdoms. I do not think I have a choice with that," I said, hanging my head. The road ahead only became more difficult and shrouded in mist the clearer my goal was. "You are right about that. You have to do what is right. Even if you aren?t this Prince of the Earth Kingdom, you would do what was right," David said. "So you plan to leave in a week?" "Yes. But I don?t know how my family here will take it," I said softly. "And I think I will leave some details out of it." I smiled weakly. "Yeah. That would be a wise thing to do, Darien," Luke said, also smiling a little. "After all, if you were a parent, and your kid just told you they chopped another man?s head off, you would, well, you know," he trailed off. I grimaced at the dark thought. "The only thing concerning that which puzzles me is who or what controlled me? I really do not know. It may very well have been my subconscious mind, my will to survive. But I think it was not. I think someone did it purposely," I murmured. "Also, I do not think you can consider the Weapons as being defeated completely. They will want revenge," David said, picking up his cup of pale flavoured water and sculling it. I looked away, hate spring forth from my eternal soul. The image of Serenity crucified apon that cross haunted me again, and I shut my eyes. Running away again, Endymion? As if summoned by our very thoughts, in a whirlwind of spiralling leaves and dirt, an evil laugh I knew too well echoed through Luke?s home, tearing at our cloths and knocking over our cups, wrecking havoc apon the loose pieces of paper and rubbish lying around. There was a scream, not human, and too innocent. My eyes widened, and for a moment, time was frozen. The scream just echoed in the silence of time. And then it all shattered. Red. The colour of blood. It was smeared across my vision. It painted the trees, the ground. The source of the blood laid in the middle, a half smashed porcelain doll, front ebony black legs pawing the ground, struggling to stand. His wild head, thrown up to the Heavens, was mattered with his blood. He silver mane was no longer like the moonlight. It was the blood red of sun set. The ending of a life. I stared, standing in the doorway, unable to move nor look away from the horrific sight. My mind would not comprehend it. My soul just kept screaming, howling, it was not true! My eyes. They had to be lying. My ears. Those screams were not real! Laughter, cruel laughter, tore my eyes away from my horse, that struggling, half smashed body apon the ground. The hind legs were broken, half severed from the body, and blood poured out from the gapping wounds to soak into the earth. Who was there that had such a cold heart? Who else but the one whose name was the weapon which had caused this destruction to my friend, my companion? The silver blade was dripping with Wild Spirit?s blood, held so very casually in Blade?s hands. He was laughing, standing apon a hovering machine with lethal steel tentacles which whipped around its body, twitching, waiting to strike something, to cripple it, to kill it. My voice made itself known, spewing forth from my throat, a cry of anger, of hate. "Damn you! Damn you to Hell!" Pointless words, but I could not stop them. My hands rose, and I gathered the energy there, blue light, burning with blind rage. With a roar of anger, I sent the raw power hurtling towards that daemonic figure standing on that abomination which had crushed my horse. I watched with narrow eyes as Blade just stood there, smiling, one hand holding his weapon, the other on his waist. The blue bolt of energy hit, causing an explosion of brilliant light in the darkness of coming evening. Slowly, as the sunlight faded from the burning sky, so did the blue light of my energy. There was darkness at its core, that morphed into the outline of a human form. It laughed, that patch of absent light. Something flickered around him and his creation, and a line of pale light lowered itself down around the central figure. A shield. I should have known. "Awe, you know me better than that, Prince Endymion! After all, how many times have I attempted to murder the ones you love? Well, I shall let you in on a little secret!" he smiled evilly, teeth showing, eyes filled with a sick desire for revenge. "I shall not fail again! You dying beloved horse is proof of that! See you at your family?s funeral! And you own!" With a smile intended to instil fear into my very soul, he lent forward into the darkness and flew with the swiftness of the wind into the dusk. I stared after Blade, glaring, hating, hands clenched into fists, nails biting into flesh, body shaking with rage. Luke and David stood behind me. I could feel their presence and their turmoil emotions. Fear, confusion, uncertainty. Luke cursed suddenly, a colourful stream of words that spewed forth from his mouth unbidden. His and David?s disgust hit me, just as Wild Spirit?s screams scratched into my soul once more. My eyes were drawn back to the bloody mess that was once my horse. Still it was unbelievable. This seemed no more real that a dream, a nightmare. But it was real. And as I walked, step after agonising step, the reality of losing my friend, my companion, hit me. My emotions left my like a powerful gust of wind and then slammed back into my body, causing me to stumble, to fall apon my weakened knees by Wild Spirit?s torn side. His beautiful head was thrown up again, the whites of his eyes staring insanely at everything, at nothing. He was in unbearable pain. There was no way he could live. "God," the name slipped from my parched mouth. "God, please, I beg of you, if you exist, that you give me the strength to do this now." It was no more than a whisper, a prayer. Why I said it, I could not explain. Perhaps finally I could not stand alone. Not now. Wild Spirit gave up his struggle now. He was weak, he was in agony. Simply, he wanted to die, quickly, with no more suffering. His long black fore legs, mattered with his own blood and the torn up grass and dirt from around him ceased their vain movements and gave out under his half standing bulk, and like a giant slumbering, he fell to his side, head and neck finally coming to rest apon the ground, still bound in black leather and stainless steel. A drop of salt water fell from my eyes, landing apon Wild Spirit?s head. His eyes were still open, and they cried out pain, they wished for death. Hands which seemed not my own reached out and touched his black face, shaking violently as they attempted to instil calm into the dying horse. ?Prince Endymion. Prince Endymion, please grant me this request. Destroy this form of mine now. Set my soul free, Prince Endymion.? The voice. Like a whisper of the wind, the rustling of the leaves. Yet is was in my mind. It was from Wild Spirit. I hung my head, another tear falling, another shattered crystal. I did not want to do this. Yet I could not let him suffer. And he wanted it! My hand was still against his check. So warm, so seemingly alive. This was the illusion of the flesh. The soul wanted death. "I will do so," I whispered. The words tore out my heart. Yet I stood, and drew my sword, my body that of a robot?s, cold, without feeling. I gripped it in both hands, the blade pointed towards the earth, above Wild Spirit?s closed eye. He waited for death now. He wanted it, wished for it. I could not deny an innocent of such a wish. You, Wild Spirit, my beloved companion through my pained last few weeks on Earth, all those years ago. You, who has made these weeks a little more bearable since my return. I will grant your request. Your all too human request. You do not fear death. As if you know what lies beyond. You are too much like, too much like an angel. An angel sent from Heaven above to watch over this poor lost soul, to be there for him to lean apon when he could stand no longer. My guardian angel. I grant your one and only wish, request, of me. I closed my eyes. The blade stabbed though. My horse never opened his eyes again. Silence ruled. The wind blew. Dead leaves trailed the ground. There was only peace in the end. All returned to nothingness. Another tear fell from the endless fount of my eyes. Goodbye, Wild Spirit. The Angel of Tears looked down apon me again. Did he speak? I withdrew my sword, and wiped the blood from it on my cape. How I wanted to look down at Wild Spirit?s lifeless body. But yet I could not. I did not want to see his shredded rear legs nor the gapping wound I had just delt to his beautiful head. What now? His body could not just be left there. And I had to deal with Blade. He would die for this. I was foolish not to have killed him when I had the chance. Now Wild Spirit was dead because I had not wanted his blood on my hands. I disgusted myself. "Oh shit," Luke muttered, his voice like a ghost in my thoughts. There, yet not there. I was merely concerned with other issues. "Fuck. Damn it, Darien! What the hell are we going to do with the remains? Shit, shit, shit! Give me a god damn cone, David!" There was the sound of a lighter behind me. A friend with weed is a friend indeed. A sad smile graced my face, and finally I looked down at Wild Spirit. I held back my disgust as I took in the sight. And I lifted my hands, sword already back in its place by my side. Blue energy poured from my bare hands into the carcass of the dead horse, encircling it and blocking it from sight. Only a sphere of blue light remained. I felt the flesh turn into heat energy and escape into the atmosphere. Only when nothing was left, not even the bones on the metal from the tack, did I stop fuelling the concentrated inferno with my power. I lowered my hands, and waited for the light to fade and die away. But it did not. My eyes widened as the blue turned to white and radiated its own light energy. Involuntarily I took a step back, the tears drying from my face, my mouth slightly open in confusion and shock. More and more light poured forth from the sphere until I could no longer stand watching it, and shielded my eyes with my arms. This light! It was like that of Heaven! That which showered our dreams and hopes. The light at the end of the tunnel, the candle burning in the eternal darkness. This was like her light. Serenity. Slowly the sphere formed into a shape, and the light became less intense. Through narrowed eye lids I watched through the windows to my soul, as the shape of a mystical creature formed. I could not believe at what I witnessed. It was a pegasus, adorned with a golden horn. Very much like the animals we had seen on the world of Tranquillity, the Planet of Peace. Where I had watched as Serenity left me for Diamond. Do not think of that now, Endymion. It unfolded it?s angelic wings and thrust it?s noble head to the night sky, horn pointed towards the stars. Gracefully it reared and pawed the air before standing apon its four slender white legs. "Prince Endymion." Same voice as before. The pegasus spoke. Aloud this time. "I thankyou for setting me free. Grieve not for you horse, Prince Endymion. Now, go to your family here on this world. They need you help. I will be with you. Always." The white mythical creature rose into the air and vanished in an explosion of light. I staggered backwards, still not believing. What was it that had just passed before my very eyes? A ghost, a vision, an illusion? I turned around and around, until David?s voice pulled me out of my trance. "Your family, Darien. Blade said he was after them," David said in a forced calm voice. I looked at him as if he was insane, and then the reality pounded apon my door. Fear passed through me, and without a further glance nor thought towards my two friends, one which was still frantically smoking, the other who was half sane still, I teleported away, calling my generals to me as I travelled though time and space. My state of mind was too unstable. I hit the tar black road in front of my family?s house, landing badly, almost falling to my knees. Arms caught me as I braced myself for the pain that promised to shoot up though my knees. "Endymion, my Lord, what caused you to call us with such urgency?" Kunzite said once I was stable apon both my feet. He was concerned, and also slightly unsure. His grey eyes were troubled, his expression that of a true friend. Almost like Nicolas. I gave him a weak smile, and turned to point down my road. Still far away. Still too close. Street lights like circular white circles apon the dark ground. Shadows played. All faded to black. His laugher haunted me again, and I stared, bewildered, into the inky darkness which was the night. Wind howled, the tree shook their fists at me. I almost gasped as images of Wild Spirit dying assaulted me once more. Death, pain, death, pain. Blood. Red. In my mind?s eye, Blade stood there, above me, smiling wickedly. The grin of one insane. His weapon, stained with blood. His machine, with those wildly whipping tentacles, also painted in red. What existed in my mind became reality. My generals took up defensive and offensive position around me. I just stood and stared. My mind, though filled with anger and hatred, still could not believe. How was it possible? How could a human being with a heart and soul, who could love, be so without compassion to other life forms? "Blade, of the Three Weapons!" Kunzite called out to the dark figure in the night. "Leave here at once, or else we shall finish what we started!" Blade just laughed. "Circumstances have changed, High General Kunzite! I no longer need your great Prince of the Earth Kingdom alive! He killed his Father! Once Endymion is dead, the Dark Earth Kingdom will belong to the Shadow Kingdom!" He feel silent, and his grin faded. "But do not think, for one moment, Prince Endymion, that I am here merely to kill you and take your resources and people, all that makes you a Prince. I will make you suffer first. You deserve to feel every pleasure pain has to offer before you die! You made me look like a fool! You made my family look like fools! You will pay! And first, I will kill your family!" This was human pride. "Sword! Sabre!" Blade roared. Two other life forms suddenly made themselves known to us. Like snakes they had laid in waiting for their preys. Now, with supernatural speed they struck, fangs dripping with venom. The tentacles on their flying metal contraptions lashed out at us, sending us flying with ease. The ground met me, slapping me with rough hands. The air above me move. Here the pain would come. I would not cry out. I would not scream like a child that at heart I surely was. "In the name of Venus, the Goddess of Love, I command you to stop!" Venus?s voice rang out in the silence of the night. Her shadowed form stood out against the rising moon. She looked too much like Serenity. The other Inner Soldiers stood with her, four young and strong soldiers of justice. The blows from the metallic arms never came. Only Blade?s laughter and his kindred?s silence. "Oh, the legendary Soldiers of the Moon Kingdom. You fought against one of my creations before, and you would have lost if it was not for this piece of meat," Blade said. An iron icy cold tentacle, encrusted with Wild Spirit?s dried blood, wrapped itself around my legs and strung me upside down for all to see. My head was spinning from the previous blow, and I could not gather my thoughts to summon my powers. I was helpless. Arms dangling, cape flapping in the wind. My sword fell in slow motion to the ground, impacting with a metallic sound. "You can do nothing. Or else your precious Prince dies," Blade said, addressing both my generals and the Inner Scouts. "Sword, Sabre. Destroy his family. Let them all watch. I want them to feel the pain we felt all those years ago." Something flashed though my mind. A vision. A dream. My mind was in turmoil. I did not know what to make of it. A beach. Sparkling waters, golden sand. Gentle roar of the waves as they crashed apon the rocks. Laughter. Sweet, happy, innocent. The splash of salt water. Children playing. Joy. Three figures. Two twins, boys. A younger girl, their sister. Smiling, laughing, playing. Water as clear as their future. To be happy. To rule together their peaceful neutral kingdom. The Light Kingdom. But something happened. Natural disaster. Thousands of asteroids entered their part of the galaxy. Enormous flaming rocks of destruction as they impacted with their worlds. The children?s parents where killed. They watched as they died slowly, crushed to death under fallen rubble. None of the other kingdoms had come to help in the aftermath. The Sun Kingdom wanted to remain neutral, and stay so, helping no one, despite the circumstances. The Crystal Star Kingdom never even knew of the destruction outside of its Space Divider field. And the Dark Dragon and Dark Earth was too occupied fighting the Moon and Black Moon. The Earth Kingdom just did not have the resources. And so the Light Kingdom became a very dead and lifeless kingdom. Technology was all that remained for them now. And thus the kingdom was renamed the Shadow Kingdom, and the Weapons were born, sworn to crush those who had refused to help them in their hour of greatest need. This was why they attacked us. Not because of greed. Because they wanted to avenge their parents, their worlds. They attacked out of hate, and they too could not understand why man kind could be so cruel to others of their race. To leave them to die in such a way. I wanted to cry for them. I wanted to kill them. I was torn. Lights were coming on from the houses that surrounded us. The neighbours wondered and worried about the sounds outside their safe homes. My little sister screamed, as did my Mother. There were shouts and curses from my Father. They cried became louder as they were brought outside. I, still upside down, stared with blind eyes at their frightened and confused forms struggling to be free of their steel bonds. The neighbours could contain their curiosity no longer. They ventured out. More curses as they saw the display. Some ran back inside. Perhaps to call the police. I really did not care. "Any last words, Prince Endymion?" Blade said to me, grinning. "Because after you family dies, and your generals and their loves, you will too. And they will all die like your horse did." He smiled softly at me, as if it was all a sick joke. "Did you like killing him?" He laughed, taunting me. My generals slowly stood up, as did the soldiers. Blade glared at them, and the creature apon which he stood shot out green glowing ropes of energy. They did not even have time to lift their hands to call apon their powers when the ropes reached them and encircled them, pinning their arms to their sides, making them as useless as I was. The end had come. There had been a beginning. When I learnt of my name. Endymion. And this was the end. I closed my eyes and awaited Death. I would not watch as those I love died. I had not the courage. And it pained me that I could not see Serenity before I died. Well, love, farewell. Be happy. I will always love you. End Part Four, Chapter Three.