Lost Love in the Moon Palace

Redemption

With a broad and satisfied grin, the Blackmoon ruler observed the battles unfolding beneath his crystal. One by one, the forces of his chosen opponent, who was utterly unaware and imprisoned in the upper part of the crystal, fell. Each of her allies was eliminated and encased in magnificent purple crystals that gradually drained the last spark of their life energy, further increasing his power.

Finally, when the last enemy was defeated and none of Serenity's defenders remained, he knew his moment had come. He would finally do what others had failed to achieve. He would now conquer the Moon and the Silver Kingdom and provide a new home for his Blackmoon family after he had destroyed the queen and her damned Silver Crystal.

His hands grasped the cool crystal that had formed into a small railing, and his own fighters had taken positions before the obligatory balcony, bowing their heads and kneeling.
"Good work. You may withdraw; I will take care of the last bit myself, and then we can claim our new home. Just bring me those two men here first; she should see the last of what she loves perish before her eyes," he called down to them, and with a nod of acknowledgment, his subjects disappeared.

His gaze wandered again over the former battlefield. Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter, the queen's closest guard, were now prominently displayed in the front row so that Serenity would recognize them without a doubt, while Seiya's brothers lined the outer edges. He paused briefly and manifested the little princess and her impulsive companion beside them. Serenity should immediately grasp the full extent of her situation. She was already in a fragile state, and he was certain he could completely break her in no time.

The mere thought of her kneeling before him, whimpering and pleading, made him smirk as he continued with his plan. Those large eyes that had looked at him had haunted his dreams for an eternity, and now he finally knew to whom they belonged. Whether she wanted to or not, once the Silver Crystal was destroyed, he would make her his wife and usher in the era of the Black Moon with her. In his mind, his plan seemed almost perfect. However, if her resistance proved too strong, he would not hesitate to eliminate her, for conquering the Silver Moon remained his top priority.

His footsteps echoed as he returned to the inside of the crystal, summoning a staircase to his prisoner. Serenity cowered fearfully, curled up on the floor in one of the farthest corners of her small prison. She had heard the approaching steps but didn't want to face this man again. The image of what he had done to her daughter had burned itself into her memory, just like that of Seiya's son. Both were so young and just at the beginning of their lives, and now it seemed everything was over. The Silver Crystal weighed heavily between her fingers, which still clutched it tightly and pressed it to her chest.

Only when the noises stopped did the queen force herself to blink. White lacquered shoes had positioned themselves directly in front of her, and she immediately knew to whom they belonged. The man who had introduced himself as the ruler, the one with the black moon on his forehead and white hair. The man who had done all this to her.
"Stand up!" his dominant voice rang out through the room, but she ignored him. Moments later, his hand closed around her arm like a claw and yanked her up with a violent jerk. "When I say stand up, you will do so! Understood?" he hissed angrily, his face so close that Serenity instinctively held her breath.

Serenity managed only a slight nod, wondering what he planned for her now. Without another word, he dragged her down the stairs; her resistance was minimal, paralyzed by grief and fear. About halfway down, he finally released her, and Serenity collapsed to the ground. She clutched her knees and cowered before him. With a diabolical grin, he looked down at his prey. Then he crossed his arms over his chest and paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on the now dimly glowing Silver Crystal, confident in his victory.