Crystal of the Heart

Act 27. The Decent of a Princess

Ritsuko lay unconscious on the cold marble floor of the Dark Kingdom Throne Room. Pure black pillars holding up the very walls themselves where many of the Dark Kingdom subjects lay at watch. Having an interest in the bright light they had sensed from Ritsuko's sleeping form. Many of the subjects had slinked over to discover what made the young girl shine so bright,only to be purified by the blinding gold light and disintegrated into nothing but ash.

The rest of the subjects,afraid for their very lives hissed at the blinding light. Sticking to the shadows in hopes that the holy light would not reach them from such a distance. "Enough!" Boomed the familiar voice of Queen Beryl. Immediately the subjects bowed before their dark ruler. Watching as her lanky form made its way to Ritsuko. Queen Beryl stood a great distance away from the girl, a look of pure disgust evident on her face.

It was as the Dark Kingdom Commanders had described. The Princess of the Earth Rhea had indeed returned to this world. Reincarnated, and appeared to be the carbon copy of the original Princess. The one that Beryl had thrust a bloody blade through,and watched with glee as she bled out on the white marble floor. Queen Beryl had thought that would be the end of the nuisance,but apparently she was wrong.

The princess somehow had been reincarnated by ways that simply escaped Beryl. She was sure she had buried Princess Rhea's body in the forgotten land of earth where no one would dare trek. Surely her body still lay their in wait,yet here she lay. Unconscious with the same angelic and peaceful expression on her face the Beryl dispised with a passion.

Beryl immediately ordered her subjects to leave her in peace. All the while allowing 3 of them to remain behind. Clad in skimpy black dresses stood Princess Rhea's court. Completely brainwashed and out of reach of her blasted power. These girls would prove more difficult to save,which was what Beryl was counting on. She wanted Ritsuko to suffer once again in this life as she did in the last. And be destroyed by the people she held dear.

A smirk appeared on her lips at the thought before noticing Ritsuko stirring in her sleep. She released a light groan before opening her cerulean pools to a very disorienting sight. Around her stood the remainder of her lost friends clad in black dresses,but it wasn't that which stopped Ritsuko in her tracks. It was the woman who stood before her with a smirk on her crimson painted lips.

The woman was fairly tall,wearing a skin tight lavender dress which touched the shivering cold marble floor. She had long flowing crimson hair with abit of a curl to it,with a strange shaped crown embedded in it. The woman held dsrk crimson pools which revealed nothing but pure hate for Ritsuko. An immediate chill ran down Ritsuko's spine as she recognized the woman. It was the same woman who had run her through with a blade ending her life. The same woman whom she had befriended so long ago. Beryl.

Ritsuko's eyes widened fearfully as she found herself crawling away from Beryl who cackled. "Leaving so soon Rhea?" She taunted ordering her court to stop her. Ritsuko stared to see Demeter before her with a blank expression on her face. Before Ritsuko could speak Demeter drug the girl to her feet,binding her hands behind her back roughly. Ritsuko released a light wimper as Beryl closed the distance between the two,her smirk immediately fading. "Its been a long time,hasn't it Rhea?" Beryl asked with a serious expression,Ritsuko tore her gaze away from Beryl. Only to have her head forcefully turned to the Dark Kingdom Queen.

Ritsuko winced at the action before hesitantly meeting the gaze of her killer. "Not nearly long enough." She huffed as Beryl sighed while circling the reincarnated princess,clinking her tongue against her teeth. "You are the spinning image of your past self,its almost like looking into the past." Beryl stated eyeing Ritsuko quietly who remained silent. "It seems you have come to haunt me for your death is that it Rhea?" Beryl questioned the young princess who kept her silence.

Beryl snapped her fingers ordering Eos to make her talk. Eos roughly wrapped her hands around Ritsuko's neck beginning to choke the princess until she spoke. "I-I would never-! I would have rather not to have laid eyes on you again!" Ritsuko exclaimed as Beryl bid Eos to release her which she did. Ritsuko coughed violently at the sudden assault as Beryl smirked"And why is that?" She asked as for the first time Ritsuko's angelic face turned dark in rage."Because you killed me!"She screamed as Beryl thought for a moment.

"Oh yes that's right,I stabbed you with a blade and watched you bleed out while that foolish priest held your corpse." Beryl recalled relishing the pain she had inflicted on the reincarnated princess. "Leave him out of this!" "But why? He was after all a foolish man. Falling for a woman he would never have,and falling to pieces after her death. It was degrading to watch." Beryl commented.

Ritsuko's body began to tremble violently as she shook free from Demeter's grip before charging towards Beryl with rage in her heart. "SILENCE!" She screamed only to be stopped by Anemone who delivered a devastating punch to her stomach. Ritsuko coigher up blood as she stumbled to the ground before Beryl,her body trembling in agony. "Look how weak you are Rhea,you use to be in control of your emotions. Now look at you. Your pitiful." Beryl spat eying the 3 women before her. "And now I'll rid your pitiful existence from this world permanently." She stated as Eos,Anemone and Demeter slowly walked towards Ritsuko who recovered from her hit and began to run.

"Let's recreate your final moments of life! Only this time,your own court will run you through!" Queen Beryl cackled,watching in pure satisfaction as the 3 women chased their princess through the Dark Kingdom with the intent to murder her in their minds. "Run all you like Princess Rhea! You won't escape!" Beryl's voice taunted,echoing through every nook and cranny of the Dark Kingdom.

But truth be told she was right,deep down Ritsuko knew their would be no escape from her damnation. She couldn't bring herself to attack her dear friends,and she was a sitting duck in the mazr like structure of the Dark Kingdom. She would die here.