"Apollo!" Saturn roared, the very stars shaken by his call.

Queen Selinity was caught by King Stephon, her body numb at the sight of her little girl. It was happening all over again; she couldn't loose another person she loved so much. Hotaru joined her father and lifeless sister, tears mingling with the river of blood. Her lavender eyes began to swirl, a darkness expanding until it almost engulfed Lunaria.

Saturn, recognizing the power, slapped Hotaru. She blinked, reaching up to touch her face. It hadn't been hard, but enough to gain her attention. "Never loose control unless you're prepared to deal with the aftermath!" he warned. Of his two children, Saturn knew Hotaru would be the one to possess the powers of death and re-birth. Serenity could never become angry enough; Saturn prayed she never became that angry.

"I'm sorry..."

"Never apologize for following your heart. Just be prepared to live with the results, Hotaru."

"My baby..." Selinity sobbed.

'Endymion,' Saturn called, concentrating all of his mind towards Earth. 'Endymion, re-incarnation of Apollo, if you truly love her, then hear me.'

Endymion was in the process of inspecting his troops, examining rusted or broken blades when he collapsed in pain. His blue eyes turned pure saphire, a powerful heat exploding in every direction. Thankfully his soldiers scattered out of his way, avoiding certain death. He screamed, a golden light bathing the planet. The monsters that happened to be near the castle defenses, instantly vanished, shrieking in pain as they died.

'Apollo!' It was Saturn, calling to his re-incarnation, the golden God responding instantly.

'Do not resist!' He told Endymion, 'You cannot save her unless we merge at this very moment!'

'I...'

'You and I are one! Please, do not allow her to die again,' Apollo pleaded. 'My soul is your soul; the only thing you have yet to do is fuse with the crystal and the power concealed inside! Stop fighting what you are!'

He felt like his skin was burning from the inside out, Endymion thrashing and screaming wildly. No one could help, everyone stepping further and further back in terror. Endymion couldn't think, couldn't speak with his mind in a haze of a pain. His soul was accepting the full power of Apollo, regaining what he had lost so many millennium ago. Soon the fire surrounding him in a thirty foot radius died down to a faint glow, the High Prince standing to his feet.

Endymion stared at the moon, a fury of undying hate rising from his lips; "You will not have her! Serenity, don't you dare die! Selene, you must awaken! Dammit, I'll never let you go!"

His aura changed to a red flame, catching the black dirt on fire. Soldiers and innocent citizens of Elysion gasped, clutching at each other in terror. They knew evil, and they knew the power of a god. Endymion concentrated all of his energy and power towards the moon, focusing on a single person.

Saturn smirked at Apollo's entrance, the Sun God and Endymion finally one. Zoicite had grabbed his cloak to cover Serenity's body, but was thrown back by a surge of Golden Power. Only Saturn was able to withstand the full power pushing at him, adding his own great strength.

Apollo was defying all the rules of death, reaching for her retreating soul. He wrapped himself all around her, fighting violently to keep Serenity with him. 'Selene, don't you dare give up so easily!'

'It hurts,' she whispered, wanting the peace of oblivion. It had been so quiet, and she started to sink back into it, but Apollo dug into her mind deeper.

'No! Don't you understand, I need you!'

'The darkness is too powerful,' she sighed.

'Then we'll fight it again in the future! Never give up and never allow despair to rule your heart! Serenity, please you mustn't allow your past as Selene to control you any longer. You were always so strong. I love you...'

Selinity was still holding on to King Stephon, her eyes on her daughter and the golden light that had lifted Serenity's body off the ground. The Silver Crystal around her neck began to glow, regaining its original shine. It flickered, as if in thought. Slowly, it floated towards Serenity's body, its light becoming brighter. Everyone, including Saturn, was forced to look away.

'I will continue to fight,' she finally agreed. Serenity and Selene's power finally merged, her injuries closing and fading from her body. Her hair became a beautiful silver, the same color the Crystal had been before it had entered her body and became one with her. As her eyes opened, they were no longer an ocean blue, but a soft gray.

"Serenity..." Mars cried, starting towards her friend.

"No!" Jedite shouted, pulling the fire senshi into his embrace. "The Golden Light will kill you," he hissed in warning.

"But..."

"He's fighting to keep her alive and any interference will not be forgiven lightly."

Serenity's crescent moon blazed to life, wings sprouting from her back. She took in a breath of air, her heart beating once more. Her body spun in the air, rainbow light surrounding her, changing her bloodied clothes to a blue skirt and white body suit, pink knee high boots and a tiara on her forehead. When her feet re-touched the ground, she gazed at the group of people, a soft smile greeting them. "No more tears," she commanded gently, wiping them away from her sister's face.

"Serenity..."

"Things are happening the way fate has intended, Hotaru."

"Who are you?" Nephrite asked, fighting to keep his composure. Serenity gave him a brilliant smile; not even he could despair when her light wrapped around them all.

"Nephrite, I am still Serenity, the re-incarnation of Selene. My soul remained asleep inside the crystal, awakened by Apollo, Endymion's re-incarnation." Her gaze fell on the four senshi, each approaching her. "Once again we have been called to fight this shadow, but like before now will not be our place to defeat it. The evil has been allowed to grow unchecked."

"That still doesn't explain what you are," Jedite said, still keeping a tight grip on Mar's arm. He was afraid she would disappear like Endymion and Serenity had done a few days ago.

"I am Love and Justice," she answered softly.

"I don't understand; I thought Selene believed in peace," her mother said.

"To have peace, there must be sacrifices. I have chosen to bare the pain and suffering of those that have died before their time. I, Serenity, have become Sailor Moon, a warrior for Peace."

Rei was wearing a red uniform, gently pulling away from Jedite. She gave him a warm gaze before she knelt before Selene. "I am Sailor Mars, the senshi of fire and a servant of Ares, chosen to protect you." The other three senshi did the same, a color shooting towards the star as each swore their allegiance to Serenity.

Ami was dressed in a blue sailor uniform, her voice steady and confident. "I am Sailor Mercury, the Senshi of ice, wisdom and a servant of Hermes, chosen to protect you."

Makoto now wore a green senshi uniform. "I am Sailor Jupiter, the senshi of thunder, lightning and a servant of Athena, the daughter of Zeus. I am chosen to protect you."

Minako, in a orange uniform, was the last to speak. "I am Sailor Venus, the servant of Aphrodite and a senshi of love. I am chosen to protect you, the leader of the inner senshi that have awakened to your call. We are the four planets of Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter."

The moon senshi moved forward, silently asking that each stand. "You have been chosen to wield the power of those that have fallen so long ago. Our journey is far from over, and before they can be released to return home, we must accomplish the journey fate has created." Her gray eyes moved towards the Earth, their depths filled with pain and sorrow. "She is dying, and for that I am sorry."

"Can we not stop it," Mars asked.

Sailor Moon sadly shook her head, "Perhaps if we stop it before it grows this powerful, but now is not our time. The only thing we can do is wait."

"Why you five?" Fera, the Queen of Mars, protested.

"This is our destiny, warriors for the Terra system. The fallen ones knew I couldn't fight this alone, so chose my protectors as they fused themselves and their powers into a single crystal. Unlike myself who was re-born, they are still separate from these four girls. When our destiny is finally finished, they can and will return home, releasing these girls to live the remainder of their lives in peace and happiness. That is what we fight for."

Unable to maintain her form, having used too much energy, Sailor Moon once again became Serenity and collapsed unconscious against her father. Saturn gently picked her up, his expression blank of emotion. How could he tell anyone that Serenity's prophecy was tearing him apart? He knew they would live if Saturn did as she asked, but it made it no easier to allow her so close to death's waiting arms.

The four inner senshi, no longer needing their power, changed back also, surprised to find themselves captured in protective and loving arms. Jedite was the worst, unable to find anything funny to say. He had come too close to loosing Rei, and he'd be damned if let her out of his sight.

Nephrite, still worried about Serenity, looked at Saturn. "That demon didn't..." he choked, unable to fully ask his question.

"No," Saturn said. He moved into the castle, commanding Hotaru to follow.

Selinity felt Nephrite's guilt for leaving her alone, and gently touched his arm. "Thank you for trying to save her."

"I deserve your contempt, not your thanks. If I had stayed..."

"No," she cried, pulling the general into her embrace. "My dear prince, you had no way of knowing of the evil here. Please do not blame yourself for what is not your fault."

"You know about my heritage?" He gasped. Selinity nodded and gently kissed him on the cheek before she followed after her daughter being carried by Saturn.

Zoicite had Ami in his lap, Rei already carried away by Jedite, Minako resting against Kunzite and Nephrite sitting beside her best friend Makoto. Nephrite sighed, his hand finding the thunder senshi's hand and holding it. "Until we leave, let's stay like this," everyone silently agreeing.

"What if...?" Zoicite started to ask.

"Let them come," he challenged, his brown eyes trembling violently. "This fight shouldn't depend on these five women; their hearts are too innocent and pure."

"Nephrite?" Zoicite asked, "The golden light, where did it come from?"

"Have you forgotten so soon? It was Endymion, refusing to allow Serenity to die."

Helios finally arrived and grabbed his friend before he could hit the ground, worry in his golden eyes. "Endymion, are you alright?"

Shaking off his exhaustion and using Helios for support, "Helios, I don't care how or what you have to do, I want Serenity down here now!"

He knew better than to try and reason with Endymion when he was this angry, the high prince's shoulders shaking wildly in fear and anguish. 'What happened, my friend?'

Endymion covered his face, hiding the tears that were burning his eyes. 'She belongs here where I can protect her!'

Selinity sat in her rooms, King Stephon and his wife trying to calm the frightened mother. 'My baby. If it hadn't been for Endymion, she would have...' A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, pulling her into strong arms. "Stephon, she's all I have left!"

Terra rubbed the moon queen's back, her eyes meeting that of her husband's. "What do we do?" she mouthed.

"Selinity, do you want to talk about it?" He softly asked her.

She pulled away and wiped the tears from her face. "I'll be ok," she lied.

"Don't lie to us, Selinity!" Terra snapped. Startled, both Selinity and Stephon stared at her, their mouths hanging open. "I may not be Fera or Marlene, but I do know how it feels to worry and grieve for a child. Dear god, how do you think I felt when I thought I had to tell Endymion about this?"

Not letting her answer, "Endymion loves Serenity and it would have literally destroyed him if she had died!"

King Stephon sighed; "Selinity, as much as I hate to say this, your daughter isn't safe here anymore."

"But...,"

"Selinity, can you honestly say that you can protect her all the time?"

"How do I know you can keep her safe, Stephon? She's one of the few reasons I have left to fight anymore!"

"I have no promises that I can give. Elysion is on the brink of war and we may not be able to win this time. Selinity, I want a promise from you. If the last city falls, I want you to declare Earth as a threat to all members of the silver alliance."

"No! You're my friends and allies!"

"Selinity, my son has been fighting this battle since he was fifteen years old, but the use of dark magic has pushed us back into a corner."

"Why didn't you ask me for help?" Suddenly, Stephon didn't look like the forty year old man that she had met, but a tired and worn fighter.

"Pride or stupidity, I'm not sure anymore. At the time, you were busy with trying to strengthen the silver alliance, a task that not even Sol would have succeeded at. The people love and look up to you, which is more than I can say about myself."

She gently stroked his graying head, hoping to ease the pain from his shoulders. "We can't live in the past Stephon. Please don't give up on me."

Terra tiredly walked up to her husband and rested her head on his shoulder. He looked at her in alarm, but she smiled at him in reassurance. "It's more than that, Selinity," he whispered, his hands wrapping around Terra's slim body.

Selinity noticed this and looked closer at her friend. "Terra, I've wondered about your sudden trip to the moon and why you've been so quiet. Is there something wrong?"

She looked at her husband and he nodded; "I've been sick for a very long time, Selinity. A month ago, I found out that I'm dying and have only a few days or weeks left to live. Endymion doesn't know, nor will I tell him."

"What about other doctors?"

"No doctor can save me from the sickness I have. I've lived a long time, Selenity, and I don't regret the decisions that I've made now or in the past. I just pray that my son will never stop fighting after I've gone." Selinity hugged the Earth Queen, finding strength in her words. "Please, you must listen to my husband. Serenity has already chosen to fight this war, and she would be safer where our son can watch her. Besides, they wouldn't think to look for her in the danger zone."

"Can I speak with her first?"

King Stephon nodded and Selinity softly entered her daughter's room, her pale face touched by the moon light. Saturn and Hotaru were beside her, each quiet as they watched Selinity approach the bed. Feeling something sit beside her, Serenity opened her eyes and smiled at her mother. "Mother, why do you cry? Everything will work out," she promised.

"How do you feel about the Earth Prince, Serenity?" Her answer was a warm laugh, Serenity's sorrow fading for just a moment.

"I wanted to keep it a secret, but if it will bring happiness to your hearts before I leave..." Saturn glared at his daughter, starting to rethink that talk he needed to have with Endymion. Hotaru giggled, snuggling closer to her father as if she were still a small child. "Hyperion agreed that Endymion and I should marry on Olympus. The war had already taken so much from us, that this was our way of defying fate's cruel hand."

Selinity hugged her daughter, over joyed that her daughter had finally found a husband. Saturn on the other hand, looked ready to kill Endymion. "The brat could have at least asked first!"

"Do you not approve, father?" Suddenly she looked like his little girl again, and Saturn couldn't find it in himself to stay angry.

"Fine, but if he makes you cry..." he warned dangerously.

"Do you love him?" Selinity asked.

"Love is the only reason I came back."

"Serenity, I..."

"Mother, I'm aware that I won't be staying. However, I ask that you not tell the other senshi. Until the time is right, they will be needed here."

Hotaru burst into tears, not wanting to see her twin leave. "Sere..."

"Shhh, little Taru. We will see each other again; I promise you."

"Really?"

"Hai."

Weakly, Serenity climbed from the bed and headed for the space ports. Before she left her room, she gave her parents and Hotaru a final good-bye, refusing to shed a single tear. This was the burden she had chosen to bare. Jedite, Zoicite, Nephrite and Kunzite were already waiting for her, easily accepting her as one of their own. They had all trained her as a child, and had no doubt about her fighting skills.

All of them had said their farewells to the senshi, never mentioning that Serenity would be joining them. The moon grew smaller and smaller, a pilot breaking them from their thoughts as she shouted. "What the hell is that?"

A black ball of fire was heading straight for them. "Evasive maneuvers!" Nephrite commanded, shoving the pilot out of his seat. Hitting the intercom, "Look out!" he shouted to the space craft in front of him. Watching in horror, the object smashed into the side of his King and Queen's craft, killing everyone on board. "No!" Serenity cried out.

Jedite covered her head with his cloak, his heart crying in agony with her. More balls came flying at them, but Nephrite expertly dodged with Zoicite's help. "Endymion!" Nephrite shouted, praying someone would hear them, "Help us! We're being attacked and I can't land near the castle! I repeat we're being attacked!"

Helios staggered into Endymion's war room, all the color gone from his face. "What happened?"

"Sit down, Endymion."

"Dammit, quit stalling and tell me!"

"One of the space crafts was destroyed on its way back to Earth."

Endymion crashed to the floor, all the feeling gone from his body. "Which one?" he gasped, not recognizing his own voice.

"I'm sorry Endymion, but your parents are dead."

He wanted to cry, scream, tear something apart, but it would never bring back his parents. They meant everything to him and now they were gone, stolen from him by an enemy he couldn't see nor fight. "What the hell is happening, Helios?"

"I don't know, but if we want to save the other shuttle, we need to get out there."

"We?" Helios transformed, raising on his back two legs before settling back down. Turning, he glanced at Endymion, his eyes telling the prince to climb onto his back. Forcing himself to stand, Endymion pulled his sword from it's sheath, murder blazing in his eyes. "Helios," he vowed, "The person that did this will die slow and painfully."

Getting to the space craft was simple, but what greeted them was enough to make even Endymion snap out of his depression. "What the hell are they?"

"Endymion!" Nephrite roared, slashing at another monster. The four generals had formed a tight circle around Serenity, still too weak to transform again. Growling, Endymion charged through the chaos. "Can Serenity and one of the Generals ride you?" he asked Helios.

"I will allow it," Helios permitted.

"Endymion," Kunzite gasped, glad to see his friend. "This is insanity!"

"It was the minute Serenity was attacked yesterday! Whoever wants her dead, is sparing nothing to do it."

"No one knew she was coming!"

"She isn't the only person they wanted out of the way. This attack was directed towards Elysion as well, and in order to do that, they needed to take out the main power. Dammit, they're not taking me without a fight!" Loosing himself to anguish, he attacked, swung, killed and dodged.

Endymion wasted no time in grabbing Serenity and tossing her to Kunzite. "Get her on Helios and go!"

"Wait!" Serenity shouted, clinging to Kunzite's back. "What about Endymion?"

"He can't fight if you're in the way. Don't worry, he has the best fighters with him." Serenity started to shiver, everything hitting her at once. A mile from the castle, Helios reared up and flung off its riders, shrieking in hatred at the cloaked figure that stepped from the shadow of the trees.

"Greetings Kunzite. Hand her over and I'll spare your life."

"Who are you?" he growled, pulling the princess behind him.

With a laugh, the figure threw back her hood, making Kunzite stand back in horror. "What's the matter general? Does the sight frighten you?"

"What the hell happened to you?" he choked out, unable to look away from her blood stained lips, her cheeks scared and her swelling stomach.

"A gift from Satan himself. In a few short days, I will give birth to man kind's destruction."

"Beryl!" He growled.

Serenity shuddered at the evil she felt and clutched Kunzite's cape. "Run," she whispered. "You can't beat her."

"She's a woman, Serenity."

"She might have been, but this woman has more power than you can imagine. Please, listen to me. You won't survive if you fight her."

"Serenity's right, you know. However, it's not you I want." Screaming, she flung Kunzite out of her way with a wave of energy, her feet gliding across the ground. "I warned you to give her up."

"No!" Kunzite snarled in pain, trying to stand back up. "What do you want her for?"

"How much is Endymion willing to sacrifice for her? Although, I don't think he would want her back once my master has his way."

Serenity paled, but glared at the evil presence before her. "You will not hurt Endymion!" she screamed, the crescent moon coming to life. With a pain filled cry, Beryl fled, holding her face between her hands.

"What happened?" Kunzite asked her.

"I wasn't going to let her harm anymore innocent people today." Serenity sagged to the ground, suddenly very tired, but she couldn't afford to give into the blackness. Crawling over to the wounded general, she placed an arm over her shoulder and helped him to stand. "Can you walk?"

"Serenity, you can't carry me back to the castle!"

Helios walked beside them, keeping an eye out for further trouble. "Shut up!" she snapped. Kunzite and Serenity slowly made their way home, not knowing if they were going to make it back alive or dead.

Endymion felt like he had been fighting for hours, loosing himself to the inhuman strength that fueled his body. His friends were exhausted, but the desire to live, drove them to continue fighting against impossible odds. When the last demon fell to their feet, they crumpled to the ground on top of each other, breathing in painful gasps.

"We can't stay here," Endymion commanded, the first to leap to his feet.

"That's easy for you to stay," Nephrite grunted, too tired to glance up.

"That's not a request Nephrite! Get up, before I make you! I know you're tired, but we have a castle to defend and it won't happen if we continue to sit here! Now move!"

The generals were a bit startled and hurt by Endymion's harsh words, but when they saw the anguish in his eyes, they knew he was trying to deal with the situation by lashing out with commands and actions. With a tired cry, Nephrite forced himself to stand and fall in behind his friend and leader.

After two hours of marching and slicing through more demons, the tired party finally reached the castle to discover that Serenity and Kunzite were no where to be seen. "Find them now!" Endymion shouted to fresh guards.

"That won't be necessary," Kunzite groaned, staggering in through the castle gates with Serenity. Exhausted, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and fell into Endymion's arms before she could hit the street.

"What happened?"

"Helios has been fighting off the demons as we made our way back to the castle. We had an encounter with Beryl. I don't know how, but she's the one controlling the army of darkness, Endymion."

"Set up the parameters around the castle." Lifting Serenity into his arms, he gave a few more commands and left, determined to keep the moon princess from further harm.