Serenay Moon
Episode 72: Dying in your arms
© 2003 Kitty Ocean
Vena just stared at Derak. She tried to comprehend what had just happened. Derak... the young man she loved with all her heart... had killed her mother? "No..." Vena shook her head, releasing a small laugh. "That's not true."
Derak looked down and let the Emerald Axe disappear again. "It is..." He only said.
Vena shook her head again, and tears now appeared in her green eyes. "No, no, you are lying!" She screamed. "It can't be!" She ran at him and pounded her fists on his chest. "Tell me you are lying!"
Derak didn't even defend himself. He looked at the sobbing young queen before him. He felt awful, but Vena had the right to know. How could he make up for the loss he had caused? He too lost his mother, but according to his sister that was not his fault. However, deep inside he disagreed. As a little boy, he killed his own mother, and now had taken away a mother again.
"It's not true!" Vena cried on and pushed him away. "I hate you Derak, I hate you!"
"I can't blame you..." Derak replied whispering.
"You're not even going to apologise?!" Vena exclaimed.
"What would be the use of that?!" Derak snapped back. "I never wanted to kill your mother! Saying sorry won't bring her back!"
"Then why did you kill her?" Vena screamed. "What on earth has she done wrong to you! What on earth have I done wrong to you!"
"She threatened universal peace!" Derak said back. "She took one of the Guardians!"
"The Guardians?!" Vena was astounded. "What the hell is that?!"
"The Guardians are powerful beings that protect the galaxy and..."
Vena closed her eyes and tried to withhold the urge to simple kill the guy before her. Her breath stammered and her fist clenched. "My mother was the best being alive!" She said trying to stay calm. "You shall pay for that insult! You AND your friends!"
Vena ran out of the room, and Derak sighed deeply for a second before he went on pursuit.
"What?" Kitt mumbled astounded. "What did you just say?"
Zach turned around and didn't look at her. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" He asked. "Are you going to meet someone else? Is that it? Or will I die before you?"
"Zach, what are you talking about?" Kitt was so confused.
"I know you know who will be Liberty's father!" Zach snapped around. "Why won't you tell me who it is? You owe me that!"
Suddenly Kitt started laughing. "Oh Zach." She laughed and hugged him. "I don't know who the father will be!" She released a charming smile. "I just said that to Mika and the others so they would stop nagging about it!"
"You did WHAT?!" Zach exclaimed. All this worrying for nothing?
Kitt hugged him once more. "Don't worry." She smiled. "I don't know what the future brings. Who knows, maybe I'm not even Liberty's mother! For all we know she could have been confused with Star!"
Zach rubbed his eyes dry. "Star wouldn't want to open a large aquarium." He grinned.
"True." Kitt admitted and embraced him for the last time. This time, her face was not happy. "Stop worrying. If I would have known it, I would have told you right away." With sad eyes she looked at the ground. A lie...
"There you are!" Rocket Stevo burst in.
Zach sighed. "Great, him again..."
Kitt smiled and let go of Zach. "What's the matter?"
Rocket Stevo scratched his head. "I eh... came to apologise because I said Kitt was mean and so. So eh, yeah, I take it back."
"You said what?!" Kitt fumed with anger and Zach smacked himself in the face.
Rocket Stevo did one step back. "I guess this is what your sister meant with 'first thinking and then acting'..."
"Let's just get back to the others...." Zach suggested and followed Rocket Stevo back to the others.
It didn't take long for them to return. While joining them, they overheard a small piece of Mika, Kem and RB's conversation. "Hey, do you think that hunky green haired guy is still available?" RB checked holding tight to his jacket.
All of a sudden Queen Vena burst into the room. "You, Black Soldiers!" She pointed at Mika's friends.
"Who, me?" Kem asked pointing at herself.
"Yes you!" Queen Vena bellowed. "New assignment! Destroy that traitor Derak and his friends!!"
Silence fell in the room. "I guess he told her..." Moka scratched his head.
"Well, what are you waiting for?!" Then Derak entered the room as well.
RB looked confused around. "Eh... I'm lost." She admitted.
"Is it that hard?!" Vena screamed. "Kill them! Destroy them! Now!"
"I don't like where this is heading..." Zach told the others, and they knew what he meant. Even Derak noticed it.
"You disobey me?!" Vena went nuts. "Fine, then I'll destroy you as well!" She raised her hands and a white ball of energy got formed between them. "White.... Sha-"
All of a sudden Vena got knocked over. She fell on the ground and looked back. "Fanen!" Mika gasped astounded.
"What is this?!" Vena got even angrier. "How dare you touch me, you... I know you! You are that rebel set to kill my mother!"
"We sure need to be filled in..." Star sighed and looked at her tiny computer. "I wonder what this button does...." She pressed it, and suddenly her screen went black. "I don't think that was a right one..."
"Good thing I know all the ins and outs of this castle." Fanen proudly smiled. "Seems to me you could use a hand."
"Thanks." Zach smiled back.
"This can't be happening!" Vena cried confused and desperate. "Lord Inferno, I need you!"
"What?" Rocket Stevo gasped.
"That can't be!" Kem and RB gasped as well.
Star looked up from trying to fix the computer. "Oh dear..."
"Eh... huh?" Mika asked.
Starleen came closer. "I don't know who Lord Inferno is, but his name gives me Goosebumps."
"Me too." RB admitted. "He feels bad, way bad!"
Vena tried to call for his help again. "Lord Inf-!" But Rocket Stevo placed a hand on her mouth.
"Trust me, you don't want him here!" He said to the others.
Vena struggled underneath his hand. "Hey, let her go!" Derak snapped at Rocket Stevo.
"She's biting me!" Rocket Stevo let go and looked at his hand. "That was so... so... smart!"
"I want to ask you something, my Queen." Fanen suddenly said.
"Why should I listen to a rebel!?" Vena demanded. "And why are you saying 'My Queen'?"
"Because you are!" Fanen yelled. Vena was stunned; a rebel said she was his queen?! "My Queen, when has been the last time you've been outside?"
Vena stepped up. "What kind of question is that?!" She demanded to know. "I've been outside plenty of times!"
"I mean, when was the last time you saw your people?" Fanen continued.
"I've visited many places!" Vena threw back. "Galar, Homan, Fraia..."
Fanen sighed. "Only the places approved by your council..." He concluded.
"What?"
"Have you been to Dalia, Celium, Zorgas and Vellum?" He asked. "Have you ever visited a REAL city?"
Vena got silent. This man accused her of not knowing how the world was outside! That was not true! Her council, Lord Inferno, they informed her of the world outside! Why would any of them hide anything from her? Hiding from her, the Queen!
"Have you ever seen the blue rivers turn brown?" Fanen asked the shaken girl. "Have you ever seen the green hills being covered by blood from war?" Vena looked into his eyes. "Have you ever seen the real world?"
Vena gasped. "You're saying... my mother did all that?" She began to cry. "No, she couldn't have!!"
All felt sorry for the young crying girl on the ground. Zach lay a hand on Fanen's shoulder. "Maybe you should leave." He suggested. "We can handle it from here." Fanen nodded. "Thank you."
"Don't be so hard on her." Fanen requested. "I now know I've always been right. Queen Vena will make things better... if given the chance." And then he vanished.
Derak kneeled at Vena. "I wish I could say anything..." Derak started, knowing there were no words that could heal the fresh wounds. The girl had just heard her mother may have been a good mother, but a bad queen.
All of a sudden Derak got blasted away by a ray of black energy. "Derak!" Zach immediately ran at him, to see if Derak was all right, but he was not.
"Healing Heart!" Mika immediately started, while all turned at who had been attacking Derak.
"Lord Inferno!" Vena jumped on her feet and ran at him.
"Stay away from the queen!" Lord Inferno yelled and looked around. He saw the former Black Soldiers. "I knew you would mess up!" He cursed and aimed his hand.
"Mika, save me!!!!!!!!!" RB screamed and hit behind Rocket Stevo.
Lord Inferno's eyes widened open when he saw his pathetic soldiers. "No!" He cursed. "How could this have happened!!" He actually threw away Queen Vena. "This is impossible!"
Derak smiled while he got up. "Believe me, it has happened."
"Your soldiers are bye-bye." Zach joined him. "So, if you give up now, we won't..."
But Lord Inferno didn't give up! He immediately started attacking Zach and the others, who dove away. "Hide!" Kitt ordered Mika's friends and her sister, who were very happy to obey. They quickly hid behind a pillar, just before the attack would hit them.
Zach and the others transformed and were ready to fight. "Stop it!" Vena ordered. "Lord Inferno, don't fight!"
But Lord Inferno only pushed her away again. "Shut up!" He yelled at her.
Vena got angry with him. "Lord Inferno, what the hell do you think you are doing?!" She placed her hands in her hips.
"Pipe down kid." Lord Inferno didn't even look at her, while he was ready to attack Zach and the others.
"What did you just say?!" Vena exclaimed. "May I remind you who is the Queen and who is the advisor? May I remind you who rules this planet?" Lord Inferno did not reply. All he did, was looking at her in a meaningful glaze that paled Vena out. It struck her like lightning, and she gasped shocked. "You... you lied to me?"
"You puny kid..." He turned away from Zach and the others, who listened curiously to the conversation. "It finally got through your tiny brains, didn't it? Your mother had it figured out a lot sooner."
"You are lying!" Vena screamed. "I am the ruler of the NightWing!"
As a reply, Lord Inferno suddenly send an attack at her, blasting her metres away and against the wall. "Vena!" Derak screamed and wanted to run at her, but Zach stopped him.
Vena shook her head and opened her eyes. With a horrified face, she looked up and saw her once trusty advisor looming above her. She could feel his darkness. "You are wrong, my child." She heard him grin. "You have never been the ruler of the NightWing... nor has your mother been."
Vena looked down and saw her crown on the floor. "Mother?" She gasped. "No, you are wrong!! My father and mother..."
"Were pawns in MY plan!" Lord Inferno bellowed back. "I doubt your tiny brain will comprehend this, but this is all you need to know now... I AM THE TRUE NIGHTWING!" He turned around, ready to attack Zach and the others.
However, Vena stood up. "You..." She growled angry. "You manipulated me! You shall pay for that!" She raised her hands. "WHITE SHADOW!"
The ball of white energy blasted through the sky, at Lord Inferno. He just stood there, looking at the coming ball. He didn't seem to worry, while Zach and the others could feel the mighty force. The attack hit him, and when the light cleared, Zach and the others saw Lord Inferno hadn't moved a muscle.
"My dear sweet Vena." He smiled. "You actually thought you had the strength to hurt me?" His hand went through his hair. "You are forgetting one tiny detail. All your power comes from me!"
"It does not!" Vena screamed. "I am the queen of the NightWing! You are nothing, you-"
"Shall rule all!" He finished for her, and immediately blasted her again. With a scream she fell down. "Don't you all get it by now? You were nothing put pawns in my plan! I shall get back what belongs to me!"
Vena struggled to get up again. "No... you... will... not." She bit on her teeth.
Lord Inferno blasted her away again. "Did I give you permission to get up again?" He asked, showing her who was more powerful.
"You... you..." Zach had no words for it. All that had been happening on this planet was not Queen BlackHeart's fault. It had not been Queen Vena's fault. It was his! This guy, this man... it was all HIS fault!
"You kids sure gave me some trouble." Lord Inferno smiled at them. "The Guardians finally found someone worthy... finally worthy opponents."
"Whatever you want, you won't get it!" Was heard from behind. Vena was back on her feet, and looking more determent than ever. "If we were all pawns in your stupid game, then you are responsible for my mother's death!"
Lord Inferno smiled, but Derak saw what was coming. "Vena, no!" He tried to stop her, but it was too late.
Vena closed her eyes and started praying. "I call upon the powers of the great NightWing." She started. "Grant your might to your loyal servant." Then she started whispering. "Endorah, Breaden, give me strength." She raised her arms, and with all her might, Vena called out her most strongest attack: "Sweet Surrender Hurricane Kiss!!"
The power filled the room. Zach and his friends closed their eyes for this blinding white light, and Rocket Stevo and the others tried to become as small as possible behind their protective pillar. Everyone could feel these destroying powers, coming from this young queen.
Zach grabbed Kitt and stood protective before her, sheltering her from his attack. Derak took Mika and Moka and tried to protect them as well. It cost them a lot of trouble just standing there, while the entire interior just flew through the room. A chair hit Zach, but he did not give up. Within his arms, he held the most precious treasure all time, and he did not plan on loosing it.
The light finally died down. Fatigue, Vena gasped, looking into the room. "You should have stayed down." Was the only thing she heard.
Lord Inferno raised both hands and released the biggest beam of black energy anyone had ever seen. Vena got blasted backwards, screaming, and her gown getting torn apart. It did not take long, but it was long enough.
"Vena!" Derak yelled and ran at her unmoving body.
Vena slowly opened her eyes. "I'm hurt..." She could only whisper.
Derak took her in his arms. "Come on, hang on!" He screamed at her. The others could just gasp at what had just happened, while Lord Inferno just smiled.
"I'll be seeing you..." He greeted, and then dissolved into the air.
Mika rushed over to Vena and placed her hands at the body. But, instead of calling for her spell, she pulled her hand back. "Come on Mika, heal her!"
Mika looked away, not daring to look at Derak. Derak then felt a hand on his face. "It's okay..." She smiled painfully.
"What? No!" Derak disagreed. "Mika, you..."
Vena took his sunglasses and looked into his eyes. They were all watery. Vena could read his despair in his eyes. "I'm sorry Derak." She apologised. "Please forgive me."
"Don't say that!" Derak shook his head. "You are not going to-"
Vena placed her finger on his lips. "Shh." She hushed. "I'm sorry for being so blind..." All of a sudden she started to cry. "I'm afraid Derak..."
"I'm right here!" Derak cried and hugged her tight.
Vena cried in his arms. "I love you Derak." She admitted. All of a sudden, she looked paler. Derak saw her crying. Slowly, she was dissolving in his arms. "I love you!"
"Vena, no!" Derak cried, and tried to hold on to her, but how can you hold on to air? He saw Vena closing her eyes, and stop moving. "No! Vena!" Derak saw how she vanished into thin air. Sparkles went down, and Derak tried to grab them, but even they vanished. And then, he simply stared at his hands.
Mika started crying, burying her face in her hands. Moka tried to comfort her, while Kitt sat down before Derak. For a second Derak's eyes seemed emptier than ever. It scared Kitt a bit, but next thing she knew, was that she felt his body trembling on her shoulders, and crying his heart out...
End of episode 72