Out of the Darkness and into the Light --- Written by Selena (s2jemeko@atlas.vcu.edu). http://www.geocities.com/selena_moongoddess ---The characters, name, and places in Sailor Moon, both the manga and the anime, belong to Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha Comics, DIC, and Mixx. Chapter 1 ********************* A young man, dressed in stately attire, with white hair and black, empty eyes walks up to a small boy, dressed in rags. The boy has ebony hair and big, sapphire eyes. He shrinks back as the fair-haired older child enters the room. The tassels and many ornaments dressing his attire sway as he circles around the dark-haired boy, eyeing him carefully. "Don't you know how to address royalty, boy? Well, you had better learn." He pulls the hair at the back of the boy's neck, forcing him to his knees. "Ow! That hurts. Stop!" The boy struggles in vain as tears begin to swell from his eyes. "A crier too. Don't shed too many tears. I have much worse in mind for you. But for now, it looks like you're in luck, rat. I'm going to Earth for training. And YOU get to go as my page. Just remember, *I* found you. You owe me. *************************** "That one...He is strong, Beryl...In fact, one of the strongest!" "But, Queen Metallia, he is so small. He is but a boy!" "Fool! You still need my help to see his power?! I gave you enough strength to rule the universe! And yet your humanity still clenches a hold on you intelligence, does it?! Has the demon that now possesses your soul lost it hold? Perhaps I ought to eliminate you and find someone more worthy..." "No! I will do as you bid. Forgive me." The creature steps out from the shadows. Her long wavy, hair glistens blood red in the faint light of cavern. A long, black gown clings to the curves of a woman's body. A beautiful face crowns her appearance. She has a smooth, creamy complexion. Her lips shame the reddest rose. Deep emerald eyes glisten in the faint light. But as she approaches the gaseous entity, her loveliness melts away as the darkness consumes the light. Fangs seep out from her mouth, her eyes narrow to the slits of a demon and glow in a swirling blackish-yellow, and her skin turns a deathly pale white. Around her neck appears a necklace of human bone. The demon bows before her master. "Very well, Beryl. The time has come. If we are to succeed, we must begin our mission now. This one, this child as you put it, is vital to our cause. Right now, we lack the strength to conquer the white moon. The power of the chosen ones is too great. There is only one force that serves as a rival to the Moon's power..." Beryl's eyes flicker as she realizes what she must do. "Earth." "Yeeeesssssss." The demon hisses. They served as one until the battle. Now do you see the importance of killing them?! We finally have our chance. The Queen knows not what we shall do. This boy holds their power. You must take him, Beryl. But not now. We must go slowly. The child is no fool and will not come unless seduced in secret. I have already set my plan into motion. My puppets are positioned for their acts in my play." "But he's still a mere child. He could not possibly... "Silence!! You know nothing!" A glowing pool swirling with green mire rises and hovers in mid air before Beryl. "Watch..." ************************ The eight-year-old boy lays in the yellow straw-bedded floor of the stables. A moth-eaten blanket covers his shivering form. His head whips from side to side in restless sleep. 'Who...It sounds like someone is calling me...' He feels something warm touch him and shifts his position. A faint glimmer causes him to slowly crack open his eyes. A searing light blazes through the room. The boy's sapphire-blue eyes snap wide open. His head jerks back; dark, sweat-soaked bangs cling to his forehead. Electrifying, golden pulses stream up from the ground and flow through his body. His eyes glaze over and all goes black. "...ien............Darrr..........ien...........Darien..." A veiled figure cloaked in long, flowing robes calls out form the shadows. It seems as though it pleads from another world, desperately trying to reach him. He can make out the contours of a woman with long, wavy hair flying in the wind. The gusts diminish and all falls to the silence of the boundless regions of space and countless stars. Weightlessly, he travels through spiraling galaxies and exploding novas. He stops. A blue jewel spins in its orb around a golden star...Earth. The shadowed silhouette of the stranger appears before it. Slowly, two eyes lift their long, thick lashes. A feminine voice speaks in a dreamlike trance. "We came out form the deep To help and understand, But not to kill. Emerging as brother and sister Some lost, all lost It takes many lives till we succeed To clear the debts Of many, many hundred years..." Foaming ocean waves crash in the distance. Leaves of trees mingle with flower blossoms and weave circled patterns around her body. As Earth spins on its axis, the sun extends its scintillating light in solar array to meet her form - as if in prayer or blessing. She glistens with a golden light. "Please..." She whispers. "Please! You must find..." The pulses disappear and the phantasm vanishes. Only darkness remains to swallow the light. Desperately, he searches for her. "Wait! What do I have to find?!" Tears stream down his cheeks as he whispers, "Don't leave me alone." But it is too late. All is gone. ************************* A wave of pain sends Darien crashing back into consciousness. A harsh sound breaks through the silence. "Get up, boy!" He cries out as a large, black boot hurls into his chest. "Ugh..." Darien lies curled on the floor, praying that he will wake form this nightmare. But it is not a nightmare, just the darkness of his reality. "Did you hear me, rat?! I said get up!" The boy's focus clears enough to let him see the shadowed figure standing before him. Its him. The older boy- The Prince. A noxious cloud fills his eyes and an evil smile lingers on his lips. Darien sees the haughty prince's foot rise again and clamps his eyes shut, bracing himself. Another blow lands in his stomach. 'No! Gotta get up!' He struggles to quickly get to his feet. The room spinning and sharp pain ripping though his side, it takes a moment to regain his balance. "Yes, Your Highness?" He breathes through clenched teeth. "Good. You are awake." The older boy grabs him by the collar and throws Darien to the floor. He turns and begins to leave. Looking disdainfully over his shoulder, he commands, "Now, get my horse! It's nearly dawn, and you were still asleep!" He hisses. "You would be dead if not for me." "Right away,Your Highness." 'Better to be dead.' He thinks. Darien crawls back to his feet. The light - haired boy whips around. "Oh and one more thing..." He puts his foot on his shoulder and knocks him down, placing a muddy boot over his neck. "You had better do it right. I know where to find you, and I will always know! You remember that just in case you get any bright ideas in that thick head of yours." The 14 year-old boy walks smugly out, slamming the stable door behind him. An axe sails from its hanging-niche in the ceiling. It hits the earthen floor with a sharp crash, implanting itself about 2 centimeters from Darien's head. Already scared for his life, the sharp object does not phase him. He doesn't even flinch. Instead, he slowly raises his head to stare at the light glaring on the smooth surface. Every nerve in his body cries out in wrenching pain. Darien winces as he moves a hand to inspect his broken ribs. He feels the hot lump in his throat swell with oncoming tears. "No more tears! I swore I'd be strong." His eyes darken to near black. He glares at the spot where his new *master* just stood. "I swear to Gods that I will pay him back! I don't care how long I wait, even if it takes a thousand years." He hisses. **************************** To be continued... Send all comments to s2jemeko@atlas.vcu.edu. You can read my other stories at my homepage. Please visit it and sign my guestbook! My address is: http://www.geocities.com/selena_moongoddess. Thanks for reading!