Epilogue:

The chorus had been assembled from all across the solar system. Children and young teenagers from Venus to Neptune had been recruited to serve on the Royal Choir Troupe, probably the most prestigious body of its sort in the known universe.

They were called upon to play for the pleasure of Queen Serenity, the reigning monarch of the Moon Kingdom, as well as on special holidays and highly publicized state events.

Yet this time, they had been called to a small, private ceremony, marking the passing of those who had never even been in the service of the Moon Kingdom. It was hidden deep within the recesses of the royal palace, in a secluded spot which few knew of and fewer visited.

As the mournful voice of the chorus began to die off, the smooth, strong voice of Queen Serenity filled the room. "We are gathered here to mark the passing of four unique men, whose lives were defined by dedication and courage...the same qualities which marked their deaths.

"I never met them. Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite were soldiers of another kingdom on another planet.

"But does one truly need to have met honor? Strength? Sacrifice? These are all qualities which these men personified, qualities that I hold very close to my heart. I did not need to meet them, for I hold as deep a kinship to them as I ever could. They are my friends, who represent the very best characteristics that any can possess..."

As Serenity waxed poetic, the senshi shifted uncomfortably against the back wall. She meant well, they knew, and every single word that was spoken was as heartfelt and sincere as she could make it. But to those who knew the men eulogized, such flowery words did not do them justice.

Truth be told had the generals been there, they would not have recognized themselves in those words. They had been men of action, who had accepted their duties not out of honor or the need to sacrifice themselves on the altar of glory, but because it was their job.

Resistance had continued in Endymion's lands for weeks after the senshi's harried escape, but there was a note of futility that had not been there before. The generals had been that kingdom's last, best hope for salvation and their failure signaled the beginning of a reign of darkness over the lands of Earth. Lunarian spies had recently reported that Beryl had used her magicks and newfound military might to conquer the kingdoms around her, welding together a de facto Terran federation.

The senshi bore no illusions. The Moon was the next target and they were motivated to take necessary steps to combat that particular threat.

Already, Sailor Venus and Mars had brought before Serenity a proposal to expand the size of the Lunarian army by fivefold, through a mandatory draft of all men between the ages of 18 and 25 Terran years. They had further requested that the royal armory be expanded to include crossbows, before banned in the Moon Kingdom as inhumane.

Their pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Serenity had been shocked at the breadth of the proposals and, upon consultation with her daughter, had refused to authorize any changes to the status quo. Her rationale had been that Beryl had never moved aggressively towards them before. An army build up would be taken as a clear provocation, something that could only end in bloodshed.

Curiously, Endymion broke with his beloved's opinion, arguing for a buildup more drastic than the senshi's. He warned of the swiftness of Beryl's assault and her unrelenting cruelty in murdering his father, his friends, and his people. The young prince had even taken one step further by beginning to raise an army in exile from the thousands of refugees who had managed to escape through the portal with him.

Yet, even there Queen Serenity stymied his efforts. Her official decree "extended the full hospitality and friendship of the Moon Kingdom to Endymion's subjects, so long as they did not come to spread conflict and war." The practical effect of such a statement prohibited the flow of weapons and munitions to the ragtag army, rendering it worse than useless.

Perhaps most ironically of all, Serenity had already sent envoys to Beryl, trying to establish diplomatic relations with the young queen and avert the possibility of all out war. For the senshi who had fought her so desperately, it was a clear slap in the face and created a terrifying precedent for the future. Serenity's ministers were already throwing around phrases like 'peace in our time' and 'the end of war.'

Sailor Mars's thoughts drifted back to Jadeite, the hatred she had seen in his eyes when he had seen Beryl on the field. Had he not been bound by the rules of parley, she knew that he would have struck her down instantly, sacrificing his own life to kill the one who had destroyed so much he held dear, to save others if he could not himself.

The darkness of their thoughts soured the moment, for they saw her actions as an insult to the men who had spilled their own blood to defend those they cherished.

At the end of her speech, Queen Serenity gestured to four crystal blocks which lay in the center of the room. "This monument shall forever serve as a tribute to their indomitable spirits. They shall forever have a home in my kingdom. Prince Endymion, if you would."

Endymion nodded stiffly, then took a torch from a guardsman. He approached each of the four monuments, lighting the flames which would inhabit each of them forever.

Serenity moved to embrace the young prince, but was stopped by her mother. "No, my child. Not now."

"But why? He is grieving and I want to comfort him."

"Nothing you can say or do will ever completely erase the darkness which has inhabited his heart. No, it is better that you let him alone to his silence. He will appreciate it."

The younger Serenity seemed shaken by that revelation. She opened her mouth to protest, then bowed her head. "Yes, Mother."

One by one the mourners left the room, leaving Endymion alone in the dimly lit room. He whispered softly, "My friends, it is still hard to believe that you are gone. I wish it had happened some other way. I wish I had been smarter or stronger or better in some way. Then perhaps you would still be with me."

A guttural sob worked its way into his throat and he burst into tears. Endymion slowly approached the monuments, each burning brightly in the darkness, and knelt before them. "My friends...I shall keep these flames burning for an eternity, if need be. Let them serve as beacons to help you find your way back to me no matter how far away you are. Come back to me."

He rose slowly, "We shall meet again, my friends. I promise."