A Nightmare In The Moon

The Gems

 ~Chapter Eight~

Moonlight woke up early in the morning. She lay on a soft bed of feathers. Around them were white marble walls. I am Queen Moonlight of the Water Kingdom. Soon I will be the queen of the entire continent. Then, suddenly, something brewed up in the back of her head - an evil plan that would surely catch them all. She put on her shoes and opened her night drawer, putting on her gem - a black diamond that used to belong to her older sister, Lily. The Nightmare that failed our ranks. Too bad for her - I will never do anything wrong. I am too clever for that. I am the smartest of the entire continent - even without all this extra knowledge. But yes, it surely does help to know every rebellion and possibility your enemies are planning - including this one that I am soon to face. Hmph. Lily, Lily - did you really think this would fool me?

Three hours later the sun was starting to rise. Moonlight appeared at the cave entrance where her sister was sitting. Lily's eyes were black - but that could not fool Moonlight. Even so she pretended to be fooled. "Hello, big sister. I am here to tell you about the plans I promised you yesterday." "Oh, hello, your majesty," Lily said, bowing. "No need," Moonlight replied, trying not to snicker. Oh, Lily - I know your plans, it's obvious. But I guess it's better to play along. "So. It's time for your training in a new power - a new way to harness your magic." "Oh - sounds great, um, your majesty." Moonlight suppressed another snicker. "Alright, come along, then." She led Moonlily down the dungeon cells. The sound of footsteps behind her kept her alert. "Here," she said, pulling open a big cell door. Lily hesitated a moment before walking in. "Let me tell you my plans now. This evening at seven, we will launch an attack on the Earth Kingdom." Moonlight took out a gem. It was made of four existing gems: Emerald, Sapphire, Amethyst and Diamond. "These are - my friends' gems!" "Your friends?" "I mean, my former friends," Lily amended quickly. "Very well. These are their gems indeed. I will melt them at seven o'clock, and I want you to know what I will put them here. You must guard it thoroughly. I will let my prisoners out for a while at five. Don't let them steal these. I will be planning the attack by then, and I'll check in at seven. I'll be busy today, so I will need to depend on you to guard it." "Um, okay. But melt? What do you mean, your majesty?" Moonlight cackled. "Come here. Let me tell you a secret." Lily came close and strained her ears. "I will melt them indeed, by dragonflame. I will add their powers to mine. By then I would be unstoppable!" Lily inhaled sharply. As soon as Moonlight left she hurried back to her cell, thinking. She reached up and was about to remove the black contact lens she had worn, then thought better of it. Moonlight could still be watching her. The sun had long risen; she was good now, and had been so as she heard her evil sister's plans. I need to find the others, fast. I really acted evil enough, didn't I? She said she'd be gone - and she's going to let the prisoners out for air at five, and she's going to be there at seven. So we need to succeed before six thirty. She forgot that I was good at that time, didn't she? She quickly called Icicle, who was actually large enough for her to hang from the eagle's claws as she flew to get her family. "Jenifer. Jenifer!" She called. Jenifer popped up. "Stay back." She ordered. "Oh - right." Lily said, getting rid of the contacts in her eyes. Jenifer sighed. "Come on." "So she wants to melt our gems?" Moonheal asked. "Is she crazy!?" Princess Fire (the second) shrieked. "Um..." Lily muttered. "So what are we waiting for can we just go now!? Speed is of the essence!" Jenifer snapped. "Yes, let's go now, please, if you don't mind." Eve said. It was decided. They flew towards the cliffs. Lily snapped her fingers and made the shadow guards disappear. "Coast is clear!" Jenifer hissed. They crept down the halls and Lily opened the door. "My gem!" Olivia cried, lunging forward. She snatched her gem and quickly clipped it on her neck. Sirens blared. "Stop stop stop!" Lily yelled at the sirens. The others quickly grabbed their gems and were just about to run out the door when Moonlight's soft voice said, "You really thought you could fool me, huh. That's actually ridiculous." Lily whirled around. "Well," She said slowly, thinking quickly, "obviously I didn't think I could fool you, I'm not that dumb." "But you are still dumb," Moonlight said. "Yeah, I guess I am." Lily said, tackling her. Moonlight just disappeared and appeared across the room. "My turn." She shot fourteen icicles at them and pinned them down. Lily's friends were grabbed. "This was a terrible idea!" Jenifer yelled, struggling to break free. "IT REALLY WAS!" Niagara agreed. Lily lunged at her sister. "You are my sister, but I can't let even you hurt my family!" She shot three beams of blazing light at her. Moonlight waved her hand. A burst of water shot toward the light, then froze into ice, enveloping the light and falling to the ground. Then she turned on Moonlily. Her black eyes flashed. Lily started to raise her hand to strike again. Suddenly her body froze. Her hands reached out without control, and bound themselves together with a magic rope. Only her eyes were still in control. Horrified, Olivia realized what was happening. "She's blood-controlling you! LILY!" She wouldn't dare. Blood-controlling is illegal. IT IS LITERALLY ILLEGAL. She swore she wouldn't use it before. Well, I guess she doesn't care now. "Tie them all up," Moonlight's shrill, cold voice ordered. "I will see them cast into the darkest pit of Tartarus. I will see!" Wow. Is this still Moonlight? The dark power has made her even more powerful than before. I can't believe I've never realized she's so ambitious, or powerful. Or evil. I was really taking up the spotlight then, huh? A few shadows came up to throw them in a cart. When it came to Lily, Moonlight suddenly stopped the shadows. "I did not say it included her." The shadow nodded, then disappeared. Moonlight loomed over her sister. "Well, well. It seems like we can't wait any longer. Fetch me the bottle," she yelled at a shadow. It nodded and ran off. "We'll see what you can truly do." Moonlight said as someone held a damp cloth under her nose. Lily held her breath but the world was already fading in and out. Then everything went black.