Staring in each pair of eyes in turn, she stifled a sigh. Hope shone in their eyes. How could she not know that what she had to tell them would break their hearts, not to mention their trust in the Army? At least, in a few days, it won’t matter if they believe in us or not. We won’t be around to criticize. Ugh, grim thoughts. Best not think them then…

Not a single day went by now that the figure standing before the Council was not standing before them, they were used to it. Weeks ago they would’ve been worried if she had appeared, but now they expected it. I know at least one noble here who is in their pay; too bad I can’t kill him and take my chances with the rest of the Council… At least the King wasn’t a suspect- that would have been bad for the Kingdom as well as the morale of anyone in the Palace.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to have to be the one to tell you this, but you need to hear it. Our armies, situated on the base of the mountain range, have had to withdraw to covering the base of the Palace hill. I know you want me to tell you that we'll be able to hold out and win but I can't lie to you. We have had more casualties resulting in 'brainwashing' than in actual death. The Negaverse's army has only gotten stronger, not smaller like ours."

"General, if you only bring this piece of news, then let us be off. I'm sure His Majesty has more important things to do than hear reports."

"May I remind you who you address, Lord Beron?" the King stood up and faced Lord Beron even though he addressed the entire Council. "My sister could be Princess of the Star Kingdom if she wanted to but she pursued another career."

"I have also come before you to tell you that you have to leave."

"Why should we leave?" Lord Beron thundered. "Our families, lives, FUTURE exists only here, on this little planet! Where do you suggest we go, to the Moon?"

"Precisely! What better place is there for you if you fit right in? Everyone will have to leave, of course…"

"Except for the King."

Silence followed that statement and I knew I had to set Leo right. "I'm sorry, your Majesty, but you will have to go too. We can't have royalty here- easy targets for their mages. You will ALL have to leave, and that includes you brother."

"You have no right to order your King around as if I were some horse to be kept on display!" "The right to rule, during a Situation or Crisis, is given over to the Army and its head General; that means me. You have to leave.

"We anticipated this problem and have readied a solution." Nodding my head toward the mages, they bowed and set the spell into place forever. At least Queen Beryl won't be able to find the delegation from the Star Kingdom that leaves in one hour. Representatives from the Moon Kingdom are returning home and may they find peace on the Moon. Brother, you will never know how much I'll miss you…You never will. "Ladies and gentlemen of the Moon Kingdom, thank you for visiting us. I regret to inform you that your ship departs in five minutes, so you'll have to hurry. Your baggage and belongings have been loaded on, so all you have to do is dash to the transport. Give my regards to Queen Serenity!"

"Do you think the spell will hold?" Turning to the mages, I kept my eyes on the Star Crest. "It will hold for the rest of their lives, however long they may be. Ours certainly won't be all that long, I must say."

"At least any memory of the Star Kingdom has vanished from their mind. If only it were that easy to do it to the Negaverse. Gods, I just erased any memory my brother ever had of me!"

Staggering in the door, a courier raced up to me. "General Kris!" Saluting smartly, he stood at attention. "A General from the Negaverse is demanding to see you, Sir!" "Lead me to him, or her."

Walking out into the open, I stood atop a hill that overlooked both of our positions. They would've won even if the mercenaries had stayed with us. A Lost Cause can be fought for, but it never will be won… "Who wished to see me? I was having lunch when a courier came to get me and I was positively furious right now. State your business and be off."

"So you are the Star General? Pitiful! No wonder you are losing with such a bad leader and all; Queen Beryl is much better than that young little king you had."

"If you wish to insult my family, go ahead; I'll sit down and finish lunch whilst I wait for you to run out of breath. Have fun." Turning my back to him, I snickered. No true General could resist a challenge like that one!

"Are you challenging me, General?" Flying high, I could see him gather his power about him, a result of his anger.

"Oh no! I challenge a General, not some Captain or whatever you are. I wish to speak to a real General, not some soldier playing dress-up."

"So you are our Great Opponent. How odd that a Great General should be eating with the common soldiers and not with the higher officers. I believe, Malachite, that this mysterious Great Opponent of ours is not present."

"Maybe you’re right Zoisite. This pathetic human can’t be the Great Leader Beryl ordered us to find. A Great Leader does not eat with the common soldier."

"Maybe that’s how you do things where you come from, Malachite and Zoisite, but that’s not how things are done here." Looking heaven ward, I turned my back to my opponents. "Sivar, give me patience with these pathetic weaklings-I don’t know how these infidels are beating us. Grant me a miracle of Fire and Lightening to fry these Negaverse creep-a-zoids and destroy our enemies."

A bolt of Lightening and the Flames of Fire shot out of the sky, directed by one of our mages. Striking the Generals in their backs, I heard loud exclamations of pain from both of them. "Teach you to fly in our skies! So long idiots!"

Walking back to our shielded camp, I noticed that the mages were looking worried. "What’s wrong?" I asked Laurie. "Well," Laurie said, "the shields over our camp won’t hold for much longer. We mages can’t stand the strain any longer-we’ll have to do without them." Waiting for an explosion of outrage, Laurie braced herself.

"I knew it would happen sometime but -gods help me! - why now?" Turning away from Laurie, I knew it wasn’t their fault, I cursed silently under my breath. "The Negaverse will be able to waltz into someone’s dreams and take over their mind because the shield’s will be down. Laurie, tell me this is a joke. Tell me this is a prank. Laurie, tell me it isn’t true!"

Laurie knew that something was not right with her Commander when she saw the mad eyes Kris turned to her. Tears streamed down Kris’ face when she saw a look of fear enter the mage’s eyes. Turning around, Kris crumpled into a tree’s embrace. Silent sobs shook her once-strong Commander and Laurie knew that Kris might be going mad with grief. I guess the loss of her only family member could have driven her mad, it would’ve done the same to me. Turning away from her crying leader, Laurie ran to the mage’s tents.

"Someone find me a Mind-Healer!" Laurie shouted above the din. A page ran up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Where do you want the Mind-Healer to go when I find him?" "I’ll wait for him here and take him to where he needs to go once he arrives."

As the page ran to the Healer’s tents, Laurie reviewed the little she had ever heard about their leader. Ok, I know she doesn’t like the Negaverse, and I know that she had a VERY rocky relationship with every family member BUT her brother, I know that she… Laurie’s internal review was interrupted by the sound of two pairs of footsteps running up the path to Kris’ tent.

"I got the Mind-Healer here as fast as I could Laurie!" Bowing to the Mind-Healer, I noticed that he was the one who was often seen helping Kris, talking to Kris, being near Kris - you get the message. As he bowed to me, I tried to place a name and a face together. His name’s Jed…I think that’s right…anyway, he might be able to help her.