Sailormoon, its characters, struggles and story, are the copyright and 
children of Naoko Takeuchi. No recognition to this tale can be given 
without properly paying honour to her first. They are rightfully hers 
and I respect how she has raised them all. May what I have written 
here, the dark and the light, be considered worthy as a token of my 
appreciation for the world she has created.


His lordship Chaos / Angel Electric 
12 - The Star That Fell From Heaven

Rated PG13.


*****

It sucked you in, it dragged you down
To where there is no hallowed ground
Where holiness is never found

	--Depeche Mode, "Dream On"

*****


	The kitchens were oddly quiet, Zoicite thought, given how people 
would soon be waking up and expecting some sort of meal. But he didn't 
mind; he preferred the early hours of the morning. Everything was on 
open display: there were no doors covering the numerous storage racks 
and shelves. The far wall of this particular kitchen was nothing more 
than an enormous archway leading to a private outdoor patio that could 
at best fit six tables and no more than twenty guests. Immaculate 
counters carved from some sort of smooth and beautiful green stone 
lined two of the other walls. The remaining wall had been designated 
for stone ovens and open fires. One of the proofers was being heated, 
the humid air already filling the kitchen.
	Ami seemed to know exactly where everything belonged. She moved 
from shelf to shelf, her hands adeptly selecting ingredients from 
amidst a multitude of old bowls, jars with peculiar labels and unnamed 
lidded containers.
	Zoicite kept his distance. Cooking wasn't his thing, and he'd 
probably burn down the kitchen before succeeding at doing anything more 
than boil water. He leaned against the patio archway and watched as Ami 
worked from a central counter located in the middle of the kitchen. 
Above her head hung a large metal grill suspended from the ceiling. 
Various smoked meats and small bowls of vegetables, fruits and spices 
dangled from the grill.
	"So what brings us here?" Zoicite he asked, idly glancing over 
his shoulder at a few jars of cooking spices. Somehow this all seemed 
vaguely familiar.
	"Well, you were hungry," Ami said. "And I just want to talk."
	"Any particular reason?"
	"Because I want to know more about you."
	The candidness of her answer took Zoicite by surprise. "Why me?" 
he asked.
	Ami cracked a smile. "Why not?"
	She had already taken some very foreign items and combined them 
all together to create what resembled some sort of thick paste. It took 
Zoicite a few moments to realize what she was making. Her hands kneaded 
a dough that he assumed would become some sort of bread.
	"You're quite the cook," he remarked.
	Ami's mouth curled into a quiet smile at the compliment. "Thank 
you," she said and jerked her head to one side, casting some of her 
bangs away from her face. "You should see Minako. Poor girl can't cook 
a meal to save her life."
	Zoicite chuckled. "I know the feeling."
	"This won't be ready for a while yet," Ami said. Her gaze shifted 
to the bowls of fruit hanging around her head. She reached into one of 
the bowls and tossed Zoicite a green apple. "Here, this should keep 
your stomach at bay until it's ready."
	Zoicite snatched the apple from the air without really looking or 
trying. "Much appreciated."
	When he sank his teeth into the first bite, an amazingly sweet 
taste filled his mouth. It was unlike any other fruit he'd ever had 
before. Zoicite decided that he liked it, and wondered if he'd have to 
import more of it from Lunaria when this was all over.
	"It's actually from your world," Ami told him, seeing the look on 
his face, "though I don't think it's indigenous to your country. I can 
probably find out where you'd need to go to acquire it. I'm surprised 
you haven't encountered it before." 
	She concentrated back on the moulding the dough. Zoicite glanced 
back out at the empty patio. Just beyond the railing, he could see the 
tops of scattered trees from a garden.
	"This patio overlooks one of the waterfalls. It's a rather 
exclusive location, actually. They always reserved it for private 
parties," Ami explained. "It's really quite beautiful. Take a look if 
you want."
	"I'm fine just standing around here," Zoicite said, and took 
another bite of his apple. "So how often does Serenity reserve this for 
your group?"
	Ami looked away from the dough, surprised. "How did you know?"
	Apple still in his hand, Zoicite gestured to the kitchen. "You 
know your way around here too well. If I didn't know otherwise, I'd 
swear this was your own personal kitchen."
	Ami continued to watch him, until at last she shook her head and 
looked back down at the dough. "You're right, you know," she said. 
	The kneading was at its end. Ami fished out a small metal pan and 
carefully rolled the dough into a shape that would fit inside. With 
great care she pulled open the cover of the proofer, slid the pan 
inside and sealed the door back up.
	"We should go outside onto the patio," she said, brushing past 
Zoicite. "I could use some of that cool air." 
	Before Ami could take another step Zoicite stretched out a hand, 
his thumb caressing the side of her face. Ami blushed, while Zoicite's 
expression remained unreadable. "Flour," he said as he withdrew his 
hand, and showed Ami the white dust now caked onto his thumb. 
	He led Ami outside, into a breeze from the morning Lunarian air. 
They walked to the furthest point and leaned against the railing. 
Beneath them, the walls surrounding the garden had been shaped to 
resemble natural rock, and dozens of cascades of water came pouring out 
from countless cracks and crags, spilling over stone and moss and 
emptying into a deep pool. 
	Zoicite suspected that if anyone ever wanted to, they could take 
a swim too.
	No wonder this place was so exclusive.
	He and Ami stood side by side, basking in the spray of the water 
and comfortable silence. "Tell me about your sister," Ami said 
abruptly.
	Zoicite glanced over at her. "Excuse me?"
	He hadn't ever mentioned his sister to her before...had he? 
Something registered in the back of his mind, something wrong, but he 
couldn't figure out what. Zoicite shrugged it off and looked out at the 
waterfall.
	"My sister was seven or eight when the illness took her," he 
began. "I wasn't much older than her, maybe nine. She had the most 
beautiful hair I could remember."
	Ami glanced down at Zoicite's ponytail. "You wear yours long, in 
memory of her."
	Zoicite nodded. "Yes, I do. Strange...I don't remember ever 
mentioning it to you." He sighed and looked back at the waterfall. "I 
have no images of her, no pictures save for the memories in my mind. 
And even those fade with each passing year. She was born blind. My 
parents could have easily abandoned her, but instead they raised her 
with more love than I'd think was possible. She never could see the 
birds, but she loved to listen to them. She was truly happy."
	"It must be difficult for you to speak of such things," Ami said.
	"Not really," Zoicite said. "Her life was lived with dignity and 
honour. For that much, I am thankful." He turned around and placed his 
back against the balustrade, his elbows resting upon the railing. "One 
day, she fell sick with a fever. My parents were simple farmers, like 
everyone else around them. The nearest doctor was almost a day's travel 
from us--one way. For years I'd watched over my sister and protected 
her. I made the journey alone to the doctor and begged him to see her. 
We didn't sleep at all, arriving just after dawn."
	For a moment, he lapsed into silence.
	"They said she'd died overnight in her sleep. I hadn't been fast 
enough. The one time it mattered, more than any other, and I'd failed 
her. My new life was born in that moment of weakness. I resolved to 
never be so weak that I couldn't fight back and win. If I could not 
protect her, then I would protect everyone else in her stead."
	"And so you became a samurai," Ami said.
	Zoicite smiled upon hearing that word. "My parents knew they 
would never be able to keep me at home, so they sent me to serve under 
Endymion's father. And that has brought me here."
	Zoicite almost jumped back when Ami stretched out one of her arms 
and cupped the side of his face. She stared at him with such remarkable 
sadness and pity. Her face was so close to his. And then Zoicite 
realized with chilling alarm that her eyes had turned amber.
	"At last," Ami told him in a soft, cruel voice. "I understand 
you, General."
	Then she tore her hands from his cheeks and plunged her thumbs 
into his eyes. Zoicite screamed as his vision exploded into white. He 
fell to his knees, writhing and thrashing as Ami pushed her thumbs 
deeper and deeper still, boring into his brain, violating his mind and 
memories and everything he held sacred.
	Zoicite's eyes abruptly flew open.
	The illusion was gone and only his prison remained.
	Frantic, Zoicite blinked his eyes rapidly, reassuring himself 
through the searing agony that he could still see. Everything was 
blurry, dizzying and dark. The waves of pain began to subside and the 
images around him grew clearer. He could make out the flaps and frame 
of a tent. He could see the ornate furniture decorating the interior 
and elegant carpeting covering the earth. And unfortunately, he could 
also see the twins seated in chairs on opposite sides of him, studying 
him like he was a piece of art.
	"Finally," Lazuli huffed, her arms crossed over her chest. 
"Progress."
	"I say we parade his sister around in front of him for a while," 
Lapis said.
	Lazuli turned to her sister. "And then what?"
	"I'm partial to having her tear his heart out through his chest," 
Lapis replied with a shrug. "She could kiss him just before she does 
it."
	"Oh, I like that."
	Zoicite lowered his head, staring down at the chains binding him 
securely to the tent's central post. He'd been stripped of his armour. 
Countless marks and cuts already decorated his chest and back. He 
looked back up when he felt a gust of air and heard new footsteps 
within the tent. He beheld Beryl. 
	No longer needing to hide, the dark queen had adorned herself 
with a long, violet dress. A peculiar crown was nestled in the long 
waves of her red hair. Beryl strolled up to Zoicite, apparently quite 
smug with herself given the expression on her face. Behind her was 
Kunzite, now obscenely wearing the grey dress uniform and cloak of a 
high-ranking, Lunarian military officer. 
	Zoicite glared at his former comrade.
	"How is he coming along?" Beryl asked the twins.
	"He resists," Lazuli said.
	"His defences are unusually strong, "Lapis said. "I blame his 
training with the Seraphim. Give us time, and he'll hate the Sailor 
Soldiers." 
	Lazuli giggled. "He'll love only you."
	"Serve only you."
	"Kill for you," they chorused.
	Zoicite began to laugh, his glare still fixed on Kunzite. "Let me 
out of these chains," he growled, "and I'll be more than happy to do 
some killing. You can be first, you bastard."
	"I guess he hasn't forgiven me yet," Kunzite remarked to Beryl.
	Beryl glanced over at Lapis. "If you can, erase that memory from 
his mind. I'd rather not have my Generals fighting amongst themselves."
	Zoicite let out a derisive snort when he heard that. "Yes," he 
dryly agreed. "You'd rather have us fighting against the only hope this 
system has. The Darkstorm isn't salvation. It's death."
	"I know," Beryl said.
	The casualness of her answer made Zoicite tear his gaze away from 
Kunzite. "And what?" he snarled at Beryl. "You think by serving the 
Darkstorm you'll be spared in the apocalypse?"
	Beryl favoured him with a smile. "You still don't understand, do 
you?"
	"I understand," Zoicite said, his gaze moving up and down her 
violet dress, "that you have no fashion sense whatsoever, but then 
again I might make the same mistake if I were possessed by some insane 
demonic force. Actually...no, I wouldn't. You really do have no fashion 
sense whatsoever, woman."
	The twins immediately sat up in their chairs, hissing at him. 
Even Beryl's expression twisted into contempt. It made Zoicite laugh. 
Kunzite, however, did not let the insult slide. His fist rammed into 
Zoicite's chest, knocking the wind and the laughter out of Zoicite.
	As Zoicite coughed and sputtered, Kunzite grabbed him by the hair 
and yanked his head upwards. "You," Kunzite hissed, "will never speak 
of our Queen that way again."
	Unflinching, unforgiving, Zoicite didn't look away. "Sorry. 
Didn't think it was such a touchy subject...General." He glanced over at 
Beryl. 
	Lapis rose from her chair and glided over to Lazuli. She wrapped 
her arms around her sister's neck, draping herself across Lazuli's 
chest. "Is that the sound of wavering loyalty I hear in his voice?" 
Lapis asked.
	Lazuli nodded, her eyes fixed on Zoicite. "Someone's still having 
second thoughts."
	"Second thoughts always deserve a second torture," Lapis stated.
	Zoicite lowered his head and spat blood onto the rug. "We might 
as well get back to it," he grudgingly agreed. "It's at least better 
than having to stare into his face for the rest of the night."
	Kunzite chuckled and turned away, his callous laughter ringing in 
Zoicite's ears long after Kunzite had left the tent. Beryl looked to 
the twins before departing herself. "Continue your work," she said. 
"When he's ready, let the General know he is welcome to join us at the 
temple."
	Lapis and Lazuli began to giggle. They drifted from their chairs, 
moving towards and around and behind him. He felt the edges of their 
knives slice at his skin again. Drawing blood. Bringing pain. He 
recognized the routine. They'd keep on doing this for a little while, 
get bored when he didn't scream, and then the nightmares would start.
	As the shadows of the twins danced back and forth across his 
vision, Zoicite looked up and watched as Beryl ducked beneath the tent 
flaps. "Once Endymion and the others arrive," he murmured, "I hope I'm 
conscious enough to see them kick your ass."
	Lapis and Lazuli exchanged knowing glances and infernal smirks.
	A horrible buzzing noise filled Zoicite's entire world.
	He closed his eyes to the sound, closed his eyes to the pain and 
the world around him. And then he opened his eyes, and found himself 
standing inside a Lunarian kitchen. Ami stood not three steps away. She 
was idly twirling one of the kitchen knives around in her hands. Her 
skill with the blade set him on edge for some reason. But then she 
smiled at him, and he forgot, and the twins danced within his mind once 
more, parading inside his memories while wearing Ami's gentle face.
	It was Lazuli's voice that came from Ami's mouth.
	"Let's try this again," she said, and rammed the blade into 
Zoicite's side. "One more time."




			Are you dancing?


			-ANGEL ELECTRIC-




	In the palace of Lunaria, masked dancers paraded and laughed and 
drank fine wines. It was time to celebrate, time to reaffirm love and 
life and their triumph over a comet of ice and shadow. Secret whispers 
and secret trysts filled the corridors and rooms, and all was well with 
the moon.
	They didn't know.
	The rumours would begin to drift through the festivals within the 
hour. Few would believe. Most of the others were too lost in the 
entertainment to even listen. Barely anyone even cared to look as 
Artemis threaded his way through the maze of halls and chambers. Jadeite 
kept pace as best he could, trying not to make his limp so obvious. He 
wasn't succeeding.
	Artemis paused and glanced over his shoulder. "Are you all 
right?"
	"I'll live," Jadeite told the white Mau cat. 
	Though for how long remained to be seen. His overall mobility had 
dropped enough to make him painfully aware of how useless he'd be in 
another battle. Jadeite's hand brushed up against the dressings that 
had been wrapped around most of his left arm. He'd suffered a number of 
minor burns that reached down his back and onto part of his right leg. 
With Hotaru needed elsewhere, he'd cleaned and bandaged himself up as 
best he could on his own. He would survive, and that was enough.
	Artemis looked back at Jadeite once more. "I'm sorry I couldn't 
have told you earlier," he said finally. "About me. About everything."
	"You could have," Jadeite said. "You always had the choice. You 
simply decided it was in your better interests to pretend you were just 
a cat."
	Artemis bristled at his words. "My loyalty was and is still to 
Lunaria. I meant no harm to you or the others."
	"And the secrets you collected for your Queen?" Jadeite asked in 
a disturbingly casual voice.
	Artemis hesitated for a moment. "I told her only what I felt was 
necessary. I did not tell her everything. Would you have acted any 
different were you in my position?"
	"No," Jadeite said. "That's why we're still talking to each 
other."
 	With his next step, Jadeite leaned down and scooped Artemis up 
off the floor, setting the Mau cat onto his shoulder. Despite the 
tension in his body and the worried look on his face, Artemis started 
to purr.
	Under Artemis' direction, Jadeite wove through the labyrinthine 
palace until they stood before a beautiful mural depicting the Seraphim 
Order of old. The painting looked ancient; Zoicite's descriptions had 
failed to give it proper praises. It was also, as far as Jadeite could 
tell, completely solid and impenetrable.
	Jadeite set Artemis down onto the floor.
	"So how do we get in?" Jadeite asked.
	On any other day, Artemis would have smirked at him. Any 
amusement was gone from the Mau cat's face as he lifted his head up 
towards the painting. A beam of light shot out from the strange 
crescent marking on his head, striking the painting. Within seconds the 
mural began to melt, revealing a hidden doorway that led into darkness. 
	"I thought only the Seraphim had access to this place," Jadeite 
said.
	"You live in the palace like we have," Artemis replied, "and you 
pick up a few tricks along the way." 
	Jadeite moved forward, raising a foot and setting it over the 
border of what used to be the painting. Artemis did not move, eyeing 
the shadows with a great deal of trepidation.
	"I'm afraid of what we'll find," the cat said quietly.
	Jadeite finished stepping into the open doorway, and then walked 
into the darkness. "Fear won't change the state of the dead."
	A few seconds later, he heard Artemis bound inside after him. 
	The mural didn't seal itself back up. Light from the palace 
poured in through the opening, casting long shadows on the floors and 
pillars. At the edge of the darkness, Jadeite could see an unmoving 
hand on the floor.
	"We need more light," he told Artemis.
	"I'll see what I can do." 
	Small, circular lights mounted to the pillars began to glow, 
revealing everything. 
	Jadeite suddenly wished they'd kept them off.
	The entire chamber was drenched in blood. No matter where he 
looked, rivers of red ran over the tiles and up the walls. Spatters and 
sprays marked the pillars and ceiling and corpses. Bodies lay on top of 
each other, sprawled out on the floor and impaled into the walls. It 
had once been a truly beautiful place, but now all Jadeite could see 
was cruelty and slaughter. He counted at least thirty people having 
fallen in the atrium alone, with indications of even more having died 
further back into the depths of the Seraphim's secret world. 
	Artemis' breathing had become erratic, panicked, the Mau cat 
overwhelmed by the death around them. "Halcyon have mercy," he 
whispered.  
 	Men. Women. Children.
	Beryl had butchered them all. 
	Probably had Cioran help her too.
	Jadeite knelt down next to the body of a little girl sitting up 
against one of the walls. The knife of a first-year Seraphim apprentice 
was still clutched in her hands. Despite the blood splattered all over 
the place, he could make out the scarlet trail left across the floor 
behind her. It hadn't been quick, and she'd fought for as long as she 
had breath. Her eyes were open, and he could see the terror and 
desperation still etched in them. Jadeite's jaw clenched. He reached 
out his hand and as gently as he could, he closed her eyes.
	Hikari had been no older when he fell to the raiders of their 
village.
	There could be no excuse for such an atrocity. 
	This was blasphemy, pure and simple.
	The air around him began to buzz. Familiar whispers echoed across 
the silent corridors. This was blasphemy, pure and simple, and he could 
respond to this with something equally blasphemous if he so chose. All 
he had to do was choose. It could be like the old days, the glory days, 
the days where it rained blood and he danced in the madness. If it was 
revenge he wanted, revenge it could grant him, and all he had to do was 
choose. 
	Jadeite closed his eyes.
	The demon was stirring. It wanted out. Wanted to play. Rattling 
the bars of its cage would be only the beginning. He couldn't linger 
here. Slowly Jadeite lifted himself back to his feet, his head lolling 
around on his shoulders. In the corner of his eye, he caught sight of 
his reflection in the shattered remains of a mirror. His face was cast 
in shadow, but his eyes shone a brilliant, bloody red. 
	He blinked. They were still red.
	He blinked again and they were blue once more.
	Jadeite calmed his breathing and restored his equilibrium. He 
glanced over at Artemis.
	Artemis' back was arched, the Mau cat slowly moving away.
	Jadeite frightened him.
	"We...we will need to tend to the bodies of the fallen Seraphim," 
Artemis said. 
	Jadeite could hear the uncertainty in the cat's voice; Artemis 
wasn't sure he would listen. "There is nothing more we can do here for 
them," Jadeite said. "You are right, Artemis: the dead should be tended 
to. But not by us." 
	He turned and took a step towards the exit.
	"Where are you going?" Artemis asked.
	Without missing a beat, Jadeite picked Artemis up and placed the 
cat on his good shoulder. "We," Jadeite said, "are going to find the 
others."


				*	*	*
	In the two hours that had passed since Beryl's grand 
disappearance, Nephrite had not spoken a single word. He hadn't left 
the corridor where Beryl had confronted them. And no one dared to even 
try and broach a conversation with him.
	Jadeite and Artemis watched in silence as Nephrite restlessly, 
endlessly paced around the last place they had seen Beryl--or Endymion, 
or Kunzite and Zoicite, for that matter. Shards of broken glass were 
crushed beneath Nephrite's boots. Nephrite stared down at them, his 
eyes narrowed, his fists clenched and unclenching. It looked as if 
Nephrite had finally snapped, that he was so lost in anger and 
vengeance he'd forsaken rational thought. Jadeite knew better. Nephrite 
was scrying the hall, searching desperately for some unexpected hope or 
answer.
	Finally, Nephrite let out an animal shout. In one fluid motion he 
drew his katana and hurled it across the corridor. It sank into a 
statue up to the hilt, the tip of the blade punching through the other 
side of the marble figure. Nephrite slowly turned to Jadeite. "The 
bitch," he stated, "must pay." 
	"She left nothing?" Artemis asked. 
	"She left a lot behind, actually," Nephrite said. He knelt down 
and placed his palm against the floor. "The blood of those she's 
already killed is screaming out to those who would listen."
	"How many?" Jadeite asked.
	"I don't know. A lot." Nephrite rose from the floor. "And I can 
hear the roar of the Darkstorm. Would you like to listen to it?"
	"I've already had that displeasure, thank you," Jadeite said 
coldly. "What else have you found?"
	Nephrite stalked past him, heading to the statue. "Nothing else," 
he muttered. "Not a damned thing. Beryl covered her tracks when she 
left the moon." 
	"She's not on Lunaria?" Artemis asked.
	"Not anymore. It's as if she deliberately left that much behind 
so I'd find it and despair."  Nephrite wrapped the fingers of one hand 
around the grip of his weapon, a scowl still on his face. "Tell me you 
know where she is."
	Jadeite nodded his head. 
	"Good." Nephrite yanked his weapon out from the statue's torso. 
	The blade slid out from the stone with frightening ease. 
	"When we find her," Nephrite stated, brandishing the tip of his 
sword at Jadeite, "I call first dibs on beating that smug look off 
Beryl's face."
	"Be my guest," Jadeite said evenly. "I've already done it once 
myself."
	"Am I going to like doing it?"
	Jadeite began to smile. "Oh yes."
	"That," Nephrite said, "is the best thing I've heard all day. So 
where have you two been?"
	"The Seraphim chambers," Jadeite answered.
	Nephrite's smile faded. "How bad was it?"
	Jadeite shook his head.
	Nephrite stared down at the floor, his expression contorted 
somewhere between getting ready to fall to his knees or kill something. 
Not surprising to Jadeite in the least, Nephrite's reaction inevitably 
leaned towards the latter. He shouted a string of Terran-Nihogo curses 
and slashed at what was left of the broken patio windows. Soon enough, 
the frustration and anger passed, and Nephrite regained his composure. 
	"What will you two do now?" Artemis asked.
	"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jadeite said.
	Artemis looked less than humoured. "I may be just a cat," he 
said, "but give me a little credit here. I can see it in both your 
eyes. In the last few hours, everything that binds you here on Lunaria 
has been taken away. I can see no reason why you'd want to stay."
	Nephrite sheathed his sword, though his gaze abruptly shifted to 
somewhere behind Jadeite. When Jadeite looked over his shoulder, he saw 
Sailor Pluto coming towards them. 
	"Generals," she said in formal Lunarian. "Halcyon Queen has 
summoned you both to her throne."
	Nephrite and Jadeite exchanged looks, and silently followed her. 
Artemis padded alongside Jadeite. 
	"What is Halcyon planning?" Nephrite asked. 
	Pluto's gaze was not friendly. "If you hadn't spent the last few 
hours standing there discovering nothing," she said, "perhaps you 
wouldn't have to ask."
	Nephrite's lips curled back. "If you are having the audacity to 
dictate duty to me, then I believe you can go to hell. You should have 
seen this coming. You should have known." In a softer voice, he said, 
"You should have protected them."
	The rancour in Pluto's gaze diminished, though the tension 
remained. "On a good day, I see a thousand different pasts, presents 
and futures all at once," she answered. "I have to try and find the 
darkness as it hides from one vision to the next. If you think you can 
do better trying to find the tragedies before they happen, you're 
welcome to try. Don't make the mistake of thinking I don't care about 
them. Or you."
	Jadeite straightened up as he heard those words. "Why say that?"
	"Because," and Sailor Pluto looked at him with worried eyes, "we 
both know what you're about to do."
	"Told you," Artemis murmured.
	Nephrite shook his head. "Of all the times to finally become 
omniscient, woman."
	Jadeite scooped Artemis up and placed the cat on his shoulder. 
"Will Halcyon even let us leave?" he asked in a low voice.
	"That, I cannot say," Artemis said, and gave Jadeite a helpless 
shrug. "If there is anything I can do on your behalf, just let me 
know."
	Jadeite inclined his head. "Thank you."


				*	*	* 
	When the others arrived in the throne room, Halcyon was not at 
her throne, seated regally and looking as if she had everything 
perfectly under control. Neither had she curled up and withdrawn 
herself from the world around her. In the first hour, Halcyon had not 
left her daughter's side until she knew Serenity would be all right. In 
the last hour, she'd learned the full extent of the damage Beryl had 
wreaked, one horrific piece of information at a time.
	Earlier in the day her throne room had all the look of royalty 
and quiet dignity. Now her throne room was filled with tables and maps, 
cluttered with reports and preparations for war. The top commanders of 
her royal guards moved in and out of the room at random, some arriving 
to deliver news to her, others leaving to deliver her orders to others. 
Halcyon herself was bent over one of the central tables, conferring in 
quiet voices with Ami, Makoto, Sailor Uranus and a few other high-
ranking soldiers. Uranus' shoulder was now wrapped and nestled in a 
sling.
	Upon seeing Jadeite and Nephrite approach, Halcyon dismissed the 
commanders and left them to their tasks. Jadeite glanced at one of the 
soldiers as they brushed shoulders in passing. He hadn't expected this 
level of organization to follow so swiftly after such a devastating 
attack. If Halcyon had been born in their homeland, he'd probably be 
serving under her and not having the slightest issue with it.
	Up close, Halcyon looked exhausted in every possible way. And 
even then she was magnificent, unwilling to let herself be overrun by 
blind panic and despair. She drew herself up and let out a deep breath 
as the two Generals approached the table.
	"I thank you for seeing me," Halcyon said. "I know you both have 
your own concerns and agendas at this point, but--"
	"The hell with protocol," Nephrite interrupted. "How bad is it?"
	Halcyon lowered her gaze, too sickened to speak.
	Jadeite glanced over at Sailor Uranus. "How bad?" 
	"Bad," Uranus stated. "I'm amazed Sailor Venus didn't bleed to 
death in the corridors. Sailor Mars has at least two broken ribs, plus 
that injury from Endymion's rose. My arm is broken, and Neptune's going 
to be limping for a day or two. For all your injuries, General, you got 
off luckier than the rest." 
	Jadeite's bandaged hand clenched into a fist. "I believe it," he 
agreed. "What about Serenity?"
	"My daughter is all right," Halcyon answered, her voice strained, 
"though her throat was nearly crushed. Luna and Hotaru are looking 
after her right now."
	"It could be worse," Nephrite said.
	Uranus growled at him. "And just how could this possibly be 
worse?"
	"You could be dead, for starters," Nephrite told her. "Serenity 
too, based on what I've heard. Endymion had a chance to kill both her 
and Rei right there, but he didn't."
	Ami glanced over at Pluto. "No time?"
	"Perhaps," was Pluto's reply.
	Artemis hopped off Jadeite's shoulder and padded across the 
table. He made a small bow before Halcyon. "My Queen, General Jadeite 
and I found the Seraphim. I'm sorry...there were no survivors."
	Halcyon closed her eyes and bowed her head. "At last count, I was 
aware of at least one hundred members officially belonging to the 
Seraphim Order." She glanced back up at Artemis, almost desperate. 
"None survived?"
	Weakly, Artemis shook his head.
	Halcyon glared down at the table for a moment. Abruptly slammed 
her fists down on it, and hissed something distinctly Lunarian and 
incredibly vulgar. Needless to say, Jadeite and Nephrite were taken by 
surprise.
	"That's one I haven't heard before," Nephrite remarked. 
	Halcyon looked out at the others gathered before her. They 
allowed Halcyon her moment of fury. It changed nothing, but they knew 
it was still necessary if any of them were to regain their focus.
	"So where does that leave us?" Nephrite asked.
	Uranus sighed and surveyed the maps spread out on one of the 
tables. Most depicted defensive plans for the various kingdoms of 
Lunaria, including projected paths of attack from Earth. "The Seraphim 
are gone," she said. "Half our Soldiers are injured and you've lost 
some of your best men to Beryl. If she unleashes the Darkstorm, I 
honestly don't know how we'll survive."
	"We still have one advantage," Ami said.
	All eyes turned to her.
	"We know where Beryl has gone," she said, glancing over at 
Jadeite. "And we know why." She went over to one of the tables and 
pulled out the map they'd barely managed to rescue from the Archives. 
She set the map down in front of Halcyon.
	"I've already seen this," Halcyon stated.
	"Then you know what this means," Jadeite said, hobbling towards 
the table. "It's where Garnet's family found those ancient ruins. It's 
where they died and she alone survived. It's where, four hundred years 
ago, the Darkstorm was buried and locked away." He turned his gaze to 
Halcyon. "They've gone to break the seal, once and for all."
	Halcyon nodded her head. "Given Beryl's theatrics, I was 
expecting that much. She wouldn't have made a move this grand against 
us unless she felt there was no chance we could stop her."
	"But she's known about that place for years," Makoto said. "Why 
wait until now? If she could have unlocked the seal with her own power, 
she'd have done so years ago."
	"I think that's why Beryl kept quiet for so long," Ami said. "She 
was looking for something powerful enough to do the job she couldn't."
	Pluto looked right at Halcyon. "The Ginzuisho."
	"There's nothing else," Halcyon agreed.
	"Well, I guess Beryl thinks she found the next best thing," 
Nephrite said, "otherwise everything she just did would be kind of 
pointless." 
	Halcyon began to laugh. It was the coldest laugh Jadeite had ever 
heard from her, and he didn't like it. "If only I'd known," the Queen 
said, shaking her head. "I would have given Beryl the Ginzuisho 
myself."
	"My Queen!" Makoto protested.
	"You can't be serious!" Nephrite exclaimed. "The people you'd 
have saved two hours ago would only get annihilated later on once the 
Darkstorm was unleashed!"
	Halcyon met their disbelief with a calculating stare. "You don't 
understand," she told them. "The Silver Crystal's true power is 
purification. As such, it can only be wielded by women of royal 
Lunarian blood. If Beryl even touched it with a single finger, the 
crystal's immense power would instantly consume the evil within her, 
obliterating her body in the process."
	"I take it back," Nephrite said. "We should mail this to Beryl 
along with some complimentary fruit and a heartfelt good-bye letter."
	"And if we touched it?" Jadeite asked.
	"You'd still be incinerated," Halcyon said. "You couldn't hope to 
hold or control the untapped power flowing through this crystal. The 
Queens of the moon have been the only ones capable of using the 
Ginzuisho. And even then, we have barely glimpsed the true extent of 
its power. Even when I used it against the comet, I could sense that 
there is more power in this crystal than I shall ever know."
	"Just what is the Silver Crystal?" Nephrite asked.
	"I'm not entirely certain myself," Halcyon said. "It has been 
handed down from the queens of old, from generation to generation. What 
I do know is that it's a sacred item, found by the surviving Seraphim 
who fought alongside the Sailor Soldiers during that final battle. They 
presented it to the reigning queen. If they knew what the Ginzuisho 
truly was, they never spoke a word to anyone. I can tell you little 
else."
	"I can see why Beryl wanted it so much," Ami said quietly to 
Jadeite. "What bothers me is why she believes she's found a suitable 
replacement."
	"I know," Jadeite said. "But I didn't see her carrying anything 
with her when she left."
	Halcyon stared down at the map as if it had become the very enemy 
she now faced. She drew herself up and looked at the soldiers gathered 
before her, once more resembling the queen of her world in every 
possibly way.
	"Tonight has seen more tragedy than I could ever dare wish upon 
our worst enemies," she said. "But make no mistake: that confrontation 
was meant to push us into despair and blind us from what matters the 
most now. Beryl is dangerously close to completing her goal. She mocks 
us with her cruelty and expects us to do nothing. Well, I refuse to 
play the self-pitying fool for her. If she wishes to come for us, we 
shall be as ready as we can be. Every kingdom has been put on alert, 
and every possible member of our armies and guards have been called 
in."
	"The parties are still going on," Jadeite dryly remarked.
	"People celebrate regardless of what happens around them," 
Artemis said. "The end of the world will only make them drink more."
	"Tempting idea," Nephrite murmured to Jadeite.
	"Beryl may have toyed with us until now," Halcyon said, "but I am 
not going to simply stand by and let this system fall back into chaos 
and ruin. I will do everything in my power to prevent anyone else from 
being sacrificed."
	Jadeite looked away and muttered, "Your sentiments may not be 
enough."
	"Could the Ginzuisho work against the Darkstorm?" Nephrite asked 
the Queen.
	"I don't know," Halcyon admitted. "To my knowledge, it was never 
used during the last war. It could very well consume the life force of 
myself and every last Sailor Soldier, and still not be enough to stop 
the onslaught. But it is an option." 
	The Sailor Soldiers slowly turned towards Halcyon, their eyes 
wide in disbelief.
	Halcyon, on the other hand, watched Jadeite. "I have more at my 
disposal, General, than mere sentiments. This is a good and beautiful 
world. And even if I cannot be there to watch her grow up, my daughter 
will be there to see it."
	The main doors opened up, and Hotaru entered with Minako trailing 
behind her. Minako hobbled along on a Lunarian crutch carved from some 
sort of silver wood, her clothes attempting to cover the bandages and 
wrappings around her chest. 
	"Do whatever you need to up here," Nephrite said to Halcyon. 
"We'll leave Lunaria's safe-guarding to you, Halcyon Queen."
	He glanced over at Jadeite, who nodded in understanding. The both 
of them turned away from Halcyon and began to move for the doors.
	"What are you doing?" Makoto said.
	"We're leaving," Jadeite answered. "I think it's safe to say 
we've overstayed our welcome."
	Halcyon showed no surprise and looked as if she had simply been 
waiting for the moment to arrive. "Where will you go?" she asked them.
	"Home," Jadeite said. "Back to Earth."
	"And then what?"
	Nephrite smiled at the thought. "Payback."
	"I'm going too," Minako abruptly stated, stumbling forward on her 
crutch.
	Her words brought with them a great deal of surprise and 
dissension amongst the other Sailor Senshi. Jadeite and Nephrite 
exchanged sharp glances.
	"That," Nephrite stated coldly, "is out of the question."
	"You've been severely injured," Jadeite said.
	Minako shot him a look. "This coming from you, General?"
	"Out of the two of us, I wasn't the one who got cut open," 
Jadeite said, raising his bandaged hand. "I've suffered worse, and you 
need to recover." 
	"Hotaru healed me!"
	"That doesn't mean you're perfectly intact," Hotaru said. "I'm 
sorry, Minako, but I agree with Jadeite. You should remain here."
	Minako refused to admit defeat. "I am the leader of the Inner 
Soldiers!" she exclaimed. "Halcyon chose me to act as their commander 
in her absence."
	"Your Queen needs you here," Nephrite said.
	"And what?" Minako retorted. "We're not needed down on Earth 
too?"
	Nephrite growled, his voice and his temper rising. "Now is not 
the time to confuse your duty with your feelings for Kunzite."
	Minako did not answer right away. She and Nephrite continued to 
stare each other down. "Why do you deny our help?" she asked.
	As Artemis studied Jadeite's expression, he suddenly realized 
what they had not spoken aloud. "You don't expect to survive," he said 
quietly. 
	Everyone still heard him.
	"The cat's right," Nephrite said. "It's a suicide mission." 
	Minako looked ready to slap him across the face. "There's still a 
chance--"
	"Anyone going to that place won't be coming back," Jadeite 
stated. "Don't be a fool, Minako."
	"And what makes you so certain of this?" Halcyon asked. 
	Nephrite looked at her, ready to lose his temper, ready to say 
anything to get them out of the room. And the more he watched Halcyon, 
the more he couldn't bring himself to speak the words. "Nothing I could 
say will make you believe me," he said finally.
	Halcyon's piercing gaze did not abate. "Then what must you do?"
	Her question made Nephrite laugh. This was turning into one hell 
of day. "How much do you trust me, Halcyon Queen?"
	"Asking a question like that after today--" Halcyon replied.
	"Then let me rephrase it," Nephrite cut in. He glanced around the 
room. "How much do your Outer Soldiers trust me?" 
	Halcyon's patience with him looked to be wearing thin. "With that 
tone of voice, I doubt they'll let you get within two feet of me."
	Nephrite nodded. "I thought as much. And I apologize for this in 
advance."
	He was upon her before she could blink. His hands shot up to 
either side of Halcyon's face, fingertips pressing against her temples. 
And Nephrite unleashed all that he had been shown by the stars. Halcyon 
saw the dying palace and the corpse of an Inner Senshi. She heard the 
demonic laughter of a monster who had once been one of Endymion's most 
trusted Generals. 
	Seconds after touching her, Nephrite was wrenched away from her 
by Sailor Pluto and Sailor Uranus, and flung across the room. Nephrite 
winced as he collided with the wall and crashed to the floor. Before he 
could even begin to pick himself up the slender edge of Pluto's key-
shaped staff nudged itself against the side of his neck.
	"Don't even breathe," Pluto told him.
	 "Setsuna, don't!" Halcyon called out.
	"My Queen!" Uranus protested. "He dared to attack you! He may 
very well be one of Beryl's spies." 
	Pluto glared down at Nephrite, and pressed the end of her staff 
against his neck even harder than before. "He's lucky I didn't kill him 
when he hit the floor."
	"He didn't attack me," Halcyon insisted, putting enough authority 
in her voice to cause Uranus and Pluto to ease back. For a moment, she 
became lost in the visions and blood and cruel laughter, and was 
overwhelmed. "I saw it..."
	Ami was at her side, helping the Queen up. "Saw what?" Ami asked.
	Halcyon lifted her gaze and looked right at Makoto. "Dead," she 
whispered. "Makoto...dead."
	Uranus and Pluto's heads turned sharply towards their queen. 
"What?" they chorused.
	"I'm what?" Makoto exclaimed, her eyes wide.
	Halcyon stared at Nephrite with newfound worry. "Is that what you 
saw?"
	"Yeah," Nephrite said as he picked himself up off the floor.	
	Halcyon turned to Jadeite. "And you also knew about this?"
	Jadeite nodded, his expression a mask.
	Halcyon redirected her gaze back to Nephrite. "And you believed 
this so dangerous, that you would be willing to make yourself an object 
of scorn just to protect the rest of us?" She shook her head. "No 
offence, General, but you're an ass."
	Nephrite shrugged it off. "I've been called worse."
	"Given the way you seem to go about doing things, I can imagine." 
Halcyon paused, reluctant to speak again. "Is...is that the future?"
	"I don't know," Nephrite said. "It is a future. I don't know if 
it is our future. The stars show me only what they choose to. I have no 
more control over it than you." 
	He glanced over at Makoto. She had paled considerably and looked 
to be alternating between staunch denial and overwhelming fear. She 
probably wasn't even listening to their discussion anymore.
	"Why didn't either of you tell me?" Halcyon asked.
	At that, Nephrite let out a snort of laughter. 
	"Would you be willing to let us sit and make plans at your 
table," Jadeite replied evenly, "knowing we could soon turn against you 
and kill you all?"
	Halcyon continued to watch Nephrite with saddened eyes. "A burden 
this heavy should never be borne by one person," she said softly.
	Even then, Nephrite disagreed. "When I first saw the vision, I 
knew it could shatter whatever peace we've managed to create. 
Everything is unfolding as the stars feared. Or did you all fail to 
notice Beryl has not one, but two dark farseers at her side?"
	"How did she even find them in the first place?" Ami asked. 
"Farseers are rare on the moon and even rarer on Earth." 
	"That doesn't matter anymore," Jadeite said. "They've turned 
Kunzite. They've turned Zoicite. And I'm betting they've had Endymion 
under their control since his kidnapping years ago. There's no other 
way to explain his sudden betrayal."
	"All the more reason to send a team of Sailor Soldiers to help 
you fight," Minako insisted.
	"At this point, our chances of succeeding are next to none," 
Jadeite said. "If we fail, nothing we can do will stop the onslaught. 
You go down there, and if you're lucky you'll just be killed right 
away."
	"And what about your fate?" Hotaru asked.
	Nephrite managed a half-hearted grin. "Odds are the next time you 
see us, do us a favour and kill us on sight."
	Sailor Pluto spoke up: "And yet you both are more than willing to 
descend there alone, knowing this may be the action that brings you 
under Beryl's control?"
	"Endymion is still our lord and prince," Jadeite said. 
	"And the Earth is still our home," Nephrite said. "We will not 
abandon them. Not without one hell of a fight first." He turned to 
Minako. "And you're not coming along."
	Desperate, Minako looked to the queen.
	Halcyon only shook her head. "You are in no condition to fight, 
Minako, and everyone here knows this, including you. You cannot go with 
them." She turned to the Generals. "But I am not going to let you two 
do this alone."
	Jadeite opened his mouth to protest, but one stern look from 
Halcyon silenced his tongue. "This involves everyone, General," she 
told him. "The fate of Lunaria also hangs in the balance, and I will 
not permit either of you to act on your own. At least one of my Sailor 
Soldiers is coming with you."
	"Uranus and I must remain here," Pluto said. "As Outer Soldiers, 
our duty is to remain at your side, Halcyon Queen." She ruefully added, 
"Besides, I am the only one who could possibly go at this point, and we 
know I am needed elsewhere." 
	"Fine by me," Nephrite said. He fixed his gaze on Makoto. "It's 
Sailor Jupiter I want."
	The one who looked more surprised than anyone else in the room 
was Makoto herself.  At the very least, it had snapped her out of her 
reverie. She looked from Nephrite to Halcyon, and finally asked,  "Me?"
	"You've pretty much recovered from your earlier injuries," 
Nephrite said. "And Saturn has to stay here to heal the others. Out of 
everyone here, you're in the best shape to fight if we come up against 
Beryl's armies."
	"What about me?" Ami spoke up, more than a little indignant at 
not being mentioned.
	Jadeite shook his head. "You need to stay on the moon--build the 
defences and do what you can to find a weakness in the Darkstorm. Your 
skills are better served here. I'm sorry."
	"Beryl burned most of the Archives," Ami said, her tone still 
icy. "There's little else for us to fall back on."
	"Zoicite was always telling me how diabolically smart you are," 
Jadeite said. "Prove him right. I mean, there has to be something else 
inside this palace we can work with!"
	"I've already organized a search of the quarters of the old 
Sailor Soldiers," Ami said. "No one's actually taken a closer look at 
that place in centuries. So far we haven't found anything beyond empty 
rooms and a few locked doors, which," she glanced over at Sailor 
Uranus, "they're going to need your help unlocking very soon. But I can 
still fight. I'm not just a tactician, I'm a Soldier like them."
	Jadeite turned to Halcyon.
	When she made eye contact with Ami, the queen shook her head. 
	Ami looked far from satisfied, but nevertheless acquiesced. 
	"So why me?" Makoto asked Nephrite, not entirely convinced.
	Nephrite slowly walked towards her. "Physically, you're as strong 
as Jadeite or myself," he said. "And I'm hoping that with all your 
recent training, you've picked up a few new techniques along the way."
	"And you've seen her die," Uranus said.
	Nephrite continued to watch Makoto. "I saw her die on the moon," 
he said evenly. "That means no matter what happens on Earth, at least 
we know you'll survive long enough to escape and spread whatever 
warning you can. What do you say, Sailor Jupiter? You've spent your 
entire life trying to prove yourself to the world. Now's your chance."
	Makoto glanced over at Halcyon, who gave a consenting nod. 
	She made her decision in a heartbeat. "I'm in."
	"Good," Nephrite said. "I'd say a farewell party is in order, but 
time is already against us. We'll leave as soon as we're ready, your 
Highness."
	"I'll arrange the transportation for you," Halcyon said. "In the 
meantime, you three need to get packed."
	Jadeite immediately turned to Makoto. "Take only what you need. 
Once we land in the capital city, it's going to be a long road ahead, 
and we'll need to travel light."
	"Actually," Halcyon spoke up, "I had something else in mind."
	The two Generals paused and looked over their shoulders at her.
	"You'll only need food and supplies for escaping from Beryl's 
camp," the Queen told them. "Depending on how close the nearest town is 
from this tomb, you won't have to burden yourselves too much."
	"Okay," Nephrite remarked. "Now you've got me curious."
	For the first time in the last few hours, Halcyon smiled. "You'll 
see soon enough."
	Jadeite and Nephrite made their way out of the throne room, 
Makoto barely a step behind them. Nephrite did most of the talking, 
outlining how much time they had to pack and where they were to 
rendezvous when ready.
	"Should I flattered you want me tagging along?" Makoto finally 
asked.
	Nephrite smirked. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts 
already."
	Makoto shook her head. "But if either of you turn against me down 
there, I'll kill you where you stand."
	"I sincerely hope you can," Jadeite said. 
	None of them turned or glanced back as they throne room doors 
closed behind them. None of them noticed how they were being watched by 
the Queen and her Outer Soldiers.
	"What do you think?" Halcyon murmured.
	Uranus shook her head. "They're unravelling. Everything is." 
	Pluto turned her gaze to their Queen. "Once you send them back, 
that will be it. No Terran can be allowed to walk freely about our 
world after they go. You risk that, you risk the future."
	"I know," Halcyon said.
 

				*	*	*
	It could have been mistaken as an epic archaeological dig. The 
valley where the last great battle between the Sailor Soldiers and 
Metalia had taken place now overflowed with people. From his perch upon 
one of the hills, Cioran watched them toil and dig and push themselves 
until they almost collapsed from hunger and exhaustion. None of the 
workers complained. None of them grumbled or muttered conspiracies 
against their keepers. A hunger for power kept them going. A fear for 
their very souls held them at bay. 
	He never could have imagined that such an army of brigands and 
thieves would assemble and organize themselves with such impressive 
detail. Everywhere he turned, he saw loads of rocks and dirt being 
hauled away from the main site. Shovels and heads were barely visible 
above countless other pits and trenches being dug. Ladders and tents 
stippled the landscape.
	Already a number of obelisks and other chilling artefacts had 
been uncovered from the ruins, each one decorated with strange markings 
no one could read. Yet everyone who saw them immediately fell to their 
knees and prayed to whatever gods they believed in.
	There had been a grand and glorious city here once. Now it was a 
city with no name, found on no map, spoken of by no one. Anything 
testifying to its existence had been wiped clean off the face of the 
planet, including most of the city itself.
	Cioran had heard the rumours of how this place met its end. This 
was one of the greatest and most prosperous cities when the Darkstorm 
Wars began. Metalia herself chose to descend here and begin her 
conquest. The Sailor Soldiers had met her, perhaps not ten feet from 
where he now stood. Metalia might have been the one to bury the city 
and everyone in it. The Soldiers themselves might have made the earth 
swallow it up and protect the seal once the battle was over.
	A cold wind blew through the camp.
	The workers around Cioran shivered and muttered to each other. 
Cioran showed little discomfort or fear, glancing up at the skies. The 
stars had long been blotted out by an endless swarm of churning clouds. 
Thunder rumbled in the distance, though lightning had yet to appear. It 
was as if the world itself echoed Metalia's awakening.
	Someone drew up alongside him.
	Cioran didn't even turn his head. "How is he?"
	"Resisting every moment," Kunzite said.
	Cioran smiled. "I expected nothing less. After all, I trained 
him."
	"Yes, and your success is currently placing us behind schedule," 
Kunzite said. "As it is, the rockslide caused by Garnet's parents is 
taking longer than expected to clear away. We'll need both Lapis and 
Lazuli at the temple's entrance once it's been uncovered. And should 
the remaining two Generals put in an appearance, I'd rather have 
Zoicite standing with us."
	Cioran glanced over at Kunzite, visibly amused. "You really do 
think Nephrite and Jadeite will come?"
	"If not to rescue their comrades," Kunzite answered, "then to 
destroy us any way they can."
	"They'd be throwing their lives away."
	"That's what makes them so dangerous. At this point, they'd 
willingly die if it meant taking as many of us with them as possible."
	Cioran let out a bark of laughter. "Look around you, General! In 
order to get close to us, they'd have to walk through a sprawling camp 
of thousands of warmongers--all of whom are loyal to Beryl."
	"Only out of fear and greed," Kunzite said.
	"It's all we require. And should your friends make it this far, 
they would have to contend with you and I...and Zoicite, once the twins 
finish with him. But let's not forget that first and foremost, they 
have to get off the moon. There's only one way I know of, and that's by 
using the Star Chamber. It takes a few hours by zeppelin to reach the 
Star Temple on Lunaria, and when they arrive on Earth, they'd be in 
your capital city. The journey here would take them at best a few 
weeks. And we are mere hours away from uncovering Metalia's tomb. Time 
is not their ally. They would be better to remain on the moon and wait 
for the end to come to them."
	Kunzite's eyes narrowed. He continued to watch the minions around 
them scurry and dig, and said nothing.	
	"You're still sceptical," Cioran sighed.
	"Yes, I am," Kunzite said. "I know how resourceful they are." 
	With a dismissive shrug, Cioran began to make his way down the 
hill, his eventual path leading him towards the entrance to the temple. 
"You really think they'll make it this far?" he said over his shoulder. 
"So be it. Beryl's already got Endymion and the three of us; two more 
will certainly make it interesting."
	Kunzite scowled and turned away, leaving Cioran to wander the 
camp. He made his own way towards back towards Beryl's tent. He kept to 
the hilltops, the digs below carrying on like the beginnings of a 
surreal nightmare. No one seemed to notice him moving about. Kunzite 
preferred it that way. 
	He slowed to a stop when he saw a sudden ripple cut through the 
workers. Many abruptly stopped, their gazes fixated on a single person. 
Endymion marched through their ranks and weaved around their tents and 
fires. Everyone he passed bowed their heads in respect and murmured his 
name. Two days ago, they would have spat on him as their enemy, and now 
they loved and feared him.
	The air became filled with whispers and shadows. Kunzite 
straightened in the presence of his Queen. Beryl rested her palms on 
his shoulder and placed her head upon them. Her scent was dizzying. 
	"Magnificent, isn't he?" Beryl said.
	Kunzite glanced back at her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd 
say you'd grown infatuated with him, my Queen."
	"I've been admiring him since I stole him away eleven years ago," 
Beryl said. "Tell me that in all the years you've served him, you never 
looked up to him."
	"There's a difference between reverence and romance."
	Beryl let out a low chuckle. "He is a prince in his own right. It 
would be fitting for him to become my king when this is all over. Or do 
you think he's better off flitting about with that naïve little 
princess?"
	Below, Endymion rounded a corner and vanished behind a cluster of 
tents.
	"He should have killed her when he had the chance," Kunzite 
stated.
	"A regret we shall rectify soon enough," Beryl agreed. "I 
promised Halcyon I'd return to Lunaria. I think I'll let him choke the 
life out of little Serenity right in front of me. I'd enjoy seeing the 
life in her eyes slowly fade to darkness. A fitting end for a pair of 
star-crossed lovers, wouldn't you agree?"
	In a blur of laughter and passionate embraces, Kunzite saw 
Minako's face. His stomach twisted into a knot, making him want to 
vomit. His expression soured and he turned away from Beryl.
	"I'd almost forgotten," Beryl's voice whispered from behind. 
"Endymion wasn't the only one. Strange that he shows no regret and you 
do...but then again, he doesn't have Lunarian blood in him, does he?"
	"It's nothing," Kunzite stated. "My loyalty does not waver, my 
queen."
	"I know it won't," Beryl agreed. "There is no escape, Kunzite. 
For her or anyone else. Not on the Earth. Not on the moon. We shall 
have our Dark Kingdom, and they all will kneel in front of us before 
they die."


				*	*	*
	It was his touch she sensed first, not his presence.
	Rei opened her eyes. The room was still dark. A crack from the 
sliding door behind Nephrite cast a sliver of silver light across the 
middle of her futon. He sat at her side, one of her hands grasped in 
his.
	"Hey." He spoke softly, as if worried he'd get scolded by Hotaru 
for talking too loud.
	Rei tried to sit up. The covers slid off her shoulders and piled 
up around her waist. Her clothes had been removed. Even then Nephrite 
could see very little for all the wraps around her chest and shoulder. 
It didn't matter; he wasn't even in the mood to look. He was just glad 
to know she was all right.
	Rei's eyes widened in panic. "Serenity--"
	"--is recovering, same as you," Nephrite finished for her. "She's 
two rooms down from this one. Michiru's looking after her while they 
both get patched back up. Though to be honest, you took a nastier 
beating than her. How are you feeling?"
	Rei grimaced a little and pressed her fingers against her 
forehead. "Like I fell down a really long flight of stairs." She tried 
to shake off the dizziness and nausea, and looked up at Nephrite. "The 
battle's not going well, is it?"
	Nephrite shook his head. "We've lost Zoicite and Kunzite."
	"Dead?"
	"It would probably be better for them if they were," Nephrite 
said. His gaze travelled down Rei's body, and came to an abrupt stop as 
he saw the tail end of an intricate black marking that poked out from 
the bandages. He recognized it, and his eyes narrowed. "I thought all 
those tattoos had been washed off you."
	Rei's hand went over the rune, her palm hiding it from view. She 
didn't meet his gaze when she answered. "This one's...a little different 
from the others."
	She spoke nothing else about it.
	Nephrite let out a long sigh and looked up at the ceiling. 
"Beryl's forced our hand. She's taken out almost all of our strongest 
soldiers, Lunarian and Terran. And now she's gone down to Earth with 
the intent on breaking the seal on the Darkstorm. If she manages to 
pull that off, it's over. For everyone."
	Nephrite slid his hand out from hers. As he rose, the sliver of 
light revealed the contours of his battle armour. Twin katana hung 
sheathed at his side.
	Rei caught him by the wrist. 
	"You're leaving," Rei said. "Aren't you?"
	Nephrite nodded and glanced over his shoulder at the doorway. "I 
have to," he told her. "I've never been one to hide or cower. It's the 
Earth she's threatening first, Rei. I cannot stand aside and watch her 
destroy my home."
	"But you're coming back, though," Rei insisted.
	He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "Absolutely," he 
lied.
	As he pulled away, he could see the tears clouding her eyes. 
"I'll be waiting," she said. "And I'll be angry if you're late and you 
make me worry."
	Nephrite smiled and slipped out of the room, sliding the door 
shut behind him. He crossed through the Healer's Quarters without even 
a second glance at Serenity's room or the two guards placed outside her 
door. 
	Someone was waiting for him outside in the corridor.
	"You certainly took your sweet time," Jadeite said. He wore the 
same armour from their fight against Spinel; it still bore spatters of 
blood from the rogue Seraphim he'd slaughtered in his berserker state. 
	"I wanted to say good-bye," Nephrite said. "It might be the last 
time ever I see her again."
	Jadeite scowled. "You're wasting time we don't have. The more we 
delay here, the larger the risk of Beryl unearthing her master."
	"I know."
	They left the Healing Quarter behind and began weaving through 
the palace towards the Sanctum.
	"You could have gone in and seen her too," Nephrite said.
	Jadeite avoided his gaze. "Things would have been...awkward."
	"Oh, that's mature," Nephrite said. "You spend the entire trip 
sulking over the fact that you find her attractive, and now you're 
sulking because you didn't even bother to tell her you liked her in the 
first place."
	"I could challenge you for her," Jadeite said.
	Nephrite rolled his eyes. "And how old are we now? Six?"
	"I was joking, Nephrite."
	"I wasn't."
	Jadeite looked ahead; they were almost upon the doors to the 
Sanctum. "There's no point complicating things unless we get out of 
this alive." 
	"All the more reason to complicate things right here and now," 
Nephrite retorted. 
	Jadeite continued walking towards the Sanctum. He didn't look 
back. "We have a world to protect, General," he stated. "This is not 
the time."
	Nephrite followed, scowling, but they did not speak to each other 
for the remainder of their journey.
	Sailor Mercury met them at the door.
	"Any luck with the chambers?" Jadeite asked.
	Mercury shook her head. "There are a handful of doors that won't 
respond to me or Uranus. I may have to borrow Halcyon Queen and see if 
she can do anything about that." She added decisively, "Don't worry. 
We're going to keep trying until we find something."
	Jadeite cast a dark glance over his shoulder at Nephrite. "Good."
	Very little within the Sanctum had changed since they'd last seen 
it: the ceiling was for the most part still missing. More Sailor 
Soldiers than either had expected were inside, most of them milling at 
the base of the platform, and all of them were dressed in their battle 
uniforms. Three of the four Outer Soldiers were present. Halcyon was 
talking quietly with Artemis, a black cat that apparently could also 
talk (just how many of those damned cats were running around the palace 
anyways?), and Sailor Jupiter. 
	Sailor Venus limped forward on her crutch when she saw Jadeite. 
"General," she said, and almost stumbled. Jadeite and Mercury caught 
her before she would have tumbled to the floor. As they picked her up, 
Nephrite entered the room. Minako averted her eyes, and for his part 
Nephrite didn't so much as glance in her direction.
	"Careful," Mercury chided her. "You're still on the mend, 
remember?"
	"I know. I just..." Venus placed her hand on Jadeite's. "If you see 
Kunzite, please tell him...tell him--"
	"I understand," Jadeite said in a quiet voice. He glanced over at 
Halcyon, who was signalling the others. "Looks like it's starting."
	Nephrite bowed his head as he approached Halcyon. This time 
around, he kept more than enough distance between them to avoid another 
clash with the Outer Soldiers. The last one had been unpleasant and 
painful enough. 
	"We're ready," he told the Queen. "What do we have to do?"
	Halcyon gestured for Nephrite, Jadeite and Sailor Jupiter to 
ascend the stairs and move into the middle of the platform. Once they 
did, Halcyon and the Sailor Soldiers joined hands, forming a ring 
around them.
	Nephrite and Jadeite shared an uneasy look.
	"So how exactly does this work?" Nephrite asked.
	"It's been called the Sailor Teleport," Halcyon explained. "The 
Sailor Soldiers will channel their powers and instantly transport you 
to Earth."
	Intrigued, Jadeite arched one of his eyebrows. "Like a Star 
Chamber?"
	Halcyon smiled a little. "Not quite. With Star Chambers, you can 
only travel from one chamber to the next. This will let you go anywhere 
you please."
	"Sounds like fun," Nephrite said. "I'm surprised you haven't used 
this before."
	"Sailor Teleport requires a great deal of power," Pluto said. 
"One only we can generate. And as far as the records have shown, the 
Sailor Soldiers can only perform the teleport on themselves."
	Suddenly Nephrite had doubts about the whole plan. "Okay, so you 
send Jupiter to Earth," he said, then thumbed over to Jadeite. "What 
happens to the rest of us?" 
	"Jupiter will be your link and anchor point," Mercury explained, 
"According to the theory, even though you both are not Sailor Soldiers, 
we should be able to send you and Sailor Jupiter to a location 
relatively close to the ruins."
	"But it's a theory," Nephrite said. "Emphasis on the whole 'not 
having been tested yet' part."
	Jupiter cracked a smile. "Scared?"
	"And you're not?" Nephrite shot back. "I like the idea of my body 
arriving with all its pieces intact and not fused with the landscape, 
thanks."
	"How will you know where you're sending us?" Jadeite asked 
Halcyon.
	Sailor Pluto answered him. "We will concentrate on sending you 
three where you need to go. However, it is up to the both of you to 
visualize within your minds the exact place."
	"My memory's a little vague on that area," Nephrite said, 
frowning. "My only reference is the map."
	"Then picture that area on the map," Sailor Mercury said. She 
turned to Jadeite. "You mentioned you grew up in that region. If there 
is any particular town or landmark from your memories that stands out, 
you'll need to focus on that. Nephrite can help send you to the area, 
but if anyone can give us an exact location, it's you." 
	Jadeite nodded. "I'll do what I can."
	The two Generals turned as Halcyon let go of Uranus and Pluto's 
hands, and approached them. She leaned forward, beckoning them to draw 
near. When they did, she whispered words meant for only them to hear. 
"Make no mistake," she stated. "You both have chosen a path that leads 
only to destruction. My grace and blessings go with you, though I fear 
even they may not be enough. This may be the last time we stand as 
allies. Do what you must down there, but do it swiftly and without 
hesitation."
	"You have my word, Halcyon Queen," Jadeite answered.
	Nephrite simply bowed his head.
	As Jadeite turned and stepped away, Halcyon placed a hand on 
Nephrite's shoulder. "You will bring my soldier back to me," she told 
him, "or there will be hell to pay." 
	"She's not the one I'm worried about," Nephrite said.
	With a great sadness in her expression, Halcyon nodded and backed 
away. She drew herself up and once more addressed the Sailor Soldiers. 
"It is time. While I am confident in all of your skills, General 
Nephrite is correct: this technique has not been tested. The 
teleportation alone requires a great deal of our energy, and we are 
going to be sending them to a different planet. Even I am not certain 
if we require Sailor Mars and Sailor Neptune to accomplish this.  If at 
anytime you feel the link beginning to weaken, break off immediately. I 
will not risk losing one of my soldiers if this starts to fail."
	Nephrite and Jadeite shared another uneasy glance.
	Halcyon rejoined the circle, clasping her hands with Pluto and 
Uranus. As one, the Sailor Soldiers closed their eyes. Within the 
circle, Jupiter closed her eyes and bowed her head as if in prayer.
	"You up to this?" Nephrite muttered aside to Jadeite.
	"We'll find out soon enough," Jadeite replied. "Just don't lose 
your focus, or else we might end up in the middle of a mountain or 
something."
	Nephrite sighed. "Always looking on the bright side of things."
	The Sanctum became silent. 
	Jadeite and Nephrite stood idle, awaiting some sort of cue.
	"Okay," Nephrite remarked. "Now what?"
 	A great pillar of light erupted from the floor beneath them, 
forcing Nephrite and Jadeite to shield their faces. Fierce winds 
swarmed around them, and for an instant Nephrite believed they were 
about to start floating in the air. Through the light he could make out 
the silhouettes of the Sailor Soldiers. Their uniforms were thrashing 
about in the winds, their hair billowing upwards. And around each of 
them was a shimmer of colour so vibrant and beautiful, it almost defied 
words.
	Nephrite redirected his gaze towards Sailor Jupiter. An emerald 
aura had enveloped her. Her skin had become a near pale white. In that 
moment he saw her power and understood. It was like touching destiny 
itself.
	And then every little, insignificant piece of himself was torn 
from the palace and sent hurtling through space. Nephrite lost 
consciousness, lost sight of who he was and what he was. All he knew 
were stars and shadows. The Earth came rushing forth to greet him, and 
he saw how vast the oceans were and how small his homeland looked in 
comparison. The shadows became skies, the skies changing into clouds. 
With a final jolt Nephrite felt himself returning to some sort of 
familiar state. He also felt the cracked, dry earth slam into his feet 
with such a force that he toppled over.
	Jadeite, on the other hand, arrived standing exactly as he'd been 
in the palace. He shook his head and let out an exhilarated breath. 
"Now that was a rush."
	Nephrite groaned as rolled onto his side. "Are we dead?"
	"Not yet," Jadeite said. "But it looks like their teleport 
worked. You okay?" 
	Sailor Jupiter nodded, though her stance was somewhat shaky. "I 
didn't think it would be that jarring." For the first time since they 
arrived, she noticed Nephrite. "What are you doing down there?"
	"Gathering what's left of my dignity," Nephrite retorted. He 
picked himself up and readjusted his pack. "Well, we're in the middle 
of nowhere. I can only assume that means Beryl's close by."
	Jupiter wrinkled her nose. "The air smells foul."
	"Smells fine to me," Nephrite said. As he marched past her, he 
muttered, "Not even a minute down here and already she's found 
something to complain about."
	"I didn't mean it that way," Jupiter stated. 
	Nephrite paused and turned around.
	She looked from one General to the other, confusion in her eyes. 
"Can't either of you sense it?" she asked. "Everything about this place 
feels wrong somehow. The air, the ground...it's all tainted. It's making 
my skin crawl."
	"Like when you met Beryl's twins for the first time?" Jadeite 
said, staring off in another direction.
	Jupiter nodded. "Yeah. That's it exactly."
	"I still don't smell anything," Nephrite said.
	Jadeite took a few steps forward. He didn't look back at the 
others. "When Garnet's family cracked the seal," he said, "Metalia's 
essence slowly began seeping into land. That's why the crops won't grow 
and animals avoid this area. She's been poisoning this place for 
years."
	"And what makes you so damned sure?" Nephrite asked.
	Jadeite didn't turn his head. 
	He simply pointed to the only discernable landmark around them.
	It was a tree, old and knarled, with long finger-like branches 
reaching out towards them. The last time Jadeite had seen that, a dozen 
heads had been hanging from those branches. So this was why his demon 
had been so attuned to the Darkstorm, even in that painting. It hadn't 
even been a demon. It had been her. All along, it had been Metalia 
crawling through his flesh and bone.
	Jadeite looked away from the tree, studying the horizon line. 
After a few minutes of silence, he stretched out his hand and pointed. 
"Her camp is that way."
	"How do you know?" Jupiter asked.
	Jadeite glanced back over his shoulder and smiled at them. For a 
moment Nephrite could have sworn he saw the demon grinning. Jadeite 
began to march, following a path only he could see. Sailor Jupiter 
followed, though only after she gave Nephrite a worried look. Nephrite 
didn't blame her.
 

				*	*	*
	Jadeite and Sailor Jupiter walked side by side across a desolate 
land. They had been travelling for three hours already, and now 
Nephrite had gone ahead to scout out the area, leaving the two to walk 
in strained silence. The few and solitary trees they encountered had 
died years ago and the dried earth showed off little more than a few 
random patches of grizzled wildgrass. It should have been early 
evening, but there was no sun. The clouds had thickened until all they 
could see was a churning mass of grey that grew darker the closer they 
got to their destination. 
	"What will you do?" Jadeite suddenly asked.
	"Hm?"
	"If you survive this, what will you do?"
	Jupiter stared out at the wasteland around them, hesitant and 
uncertain. "I don't know," she said. "I hadn't really thought that far 
ahead. When all you're ever told is how you are destined to fight a 
great war, soon enough it becomes all you can think about. And now that 
it's happening...I feel strangely relieved, like the waiting is finally 
over." 
	Jadeite glanced over at her. "You're that confident?"
	"I said the waiting was over," she said. "Not the dread. I may 
not like him, but if General Nephrite has seen death, I know better 
than to dismiss his premonitions. We may all be walking to our doom." 
	The land around them was changing: flat arid plains gave way into 
hills and slopes. They were getting closer. Jadeite could feel the 
demon wriggling around beneath his skin, muttering and whispering to 
itself. At the very least, the discomfort from that distracted him from 
how much his injured leg hurt.
	"How old were you when you received the sigil?" he asked.
	"How do you know about that?" Jupiter asked, more curious than 
suspicious.
	"I've learned a little, here and there," Jadeite replied. "Ami 
and Rei, mostly."
	Jupiter looked up at the festering stormclouds. "It was my sixth 
birthday. I celebrated it with my mother and a few of my caretakers. My 
father was out with my two older brothers on a hunting expedition. He 
never even congratulated me. Mother asked me to make a wish...and I 
wished that for once, just once, my father would acknowledge me. "
	She let out a long, weary breath and looked at Jadeite. "I have 
four brothers. They are all more special than me. When I made my wish, 
the mark appeared. And it changed nothing. He seemed almost happy to 
get me out of the palace, to no longer be reminded of me. I spent my 
entire childhood being told I wasn't good enough because I was a girl. 
Becoming Sailor Jupiter did nothing to make him think more of me. I'm 
still just the child who wasn't a son. Do you know what he said to me 
before we left Lunaria?"
	Jadeite shook his head.
	"I told him this might be the last time we'd ever see each other, 
that the war I was destined to fight was upon us and I was leading the 
front line." Bitterness clouded her eyes and forced her to turn away so 
Jadeite could not see the tears. "All I wanted was a kind word. A good-
bye. In the end he couldn't even give me that."
	"Sometimes I think Nephrite is the lucky one," Jadeite told her. 
"He has no memories of his childhood."
	"Is that why he's such a..." 
	Her voice trailed off as she searched for the proper words.
	Jadeite smirked and said, "I believe the words you're looking for 
are: arrogant prick."
	It made Jupiter laugh a little. "That would be it, yes." 
	"It's how he copes," Jadeite said. "We all have our own ways of 
coping, of shutting people out so we can protect ourselves from the 
scorn and fear of those around us. That doesn't mean it's the right 
thing to do."
	They passed beside a small cliffside carved into the earth.
	"You've been given a great and terrible power, Sailor Jupiter," 
Jadeite said. "Regardless of what others say, they do not understand, 
and never will. People like us are more than they could ever dream of 
becoming, and it is our burden to either protect them or destroy them."
	Jupiter looked at him. "You're not a Sailor Soldier."
	"I'm not," Jadeite agreed. "I'm something far worse."
	Something atop the cliff moved, a few loose pebbles falling from 
down the side. Jupiter twirled around, lightning crackling at her 
fingertips. Jadeite barely reacted. He stopped and turned his head to 
the height of the hill.
	Nephrite was kneeling down on one foot, watching them from the 
apex. 
	Sailor Jupiter let out a sigh of relief. The electricity coursing 
around her hands disappeared. 
	"Found it?" Jadeite asked.
	"A half hour's hike to the east," Nephrite said. He slowly rose 
to his feet. "You're not going to like it."


				*	*	*
	If there had ever been a time for Nephrite to be dead wrong, 
Jadeite wished this had been it. He, Nephrite and Sailor Jupiter 
crouched low to the ground at the edge of an enormous valley. Beneath 
them stood Beryl's camp. It stretched across the entire expanse of the 
valley, tents and torches scattered in all directions. More holes than 
Jadeite could count were being dug, crude pulley systems raising up 
whatever dark secrets had laid buried in the earth. Shouts and curses 
and cracking whips echoed across the otherwise still air. 
	"You," Jupiter whispered, "have got to be kidding me."
	"Tell me about it," Nephrite agreed.
	At the far end of the valley, the hills were being hacked and 
pulled away. Amidst the hundreds of flickering lights, Jadeite could 
make out a colossal structure once hidden by the rocks. "There," he 
said, gesturing to the ruins. "It looks like they've excavated most of 
the tomb entrance already."
	"Busy little bandits," Nephrite murmured. He nudged Jupiter. 
"Lose the supplies, but try to keep them hidden. We have to get closer, 
and these packs will get us noticed." 
	"And what do you suggest we do?" Jupiter hissed. "Walk right 
through the crowds?"
	Nephrite glanced down at a cluster of tents near the base of the 
slope. He grinned as he saw a number of clothes being hung over a fire 
to dry. "Sounds like a plan to me." 
	"There's a lot of ground between us and the ruins," Jadeite said. 
"We'll only get once chance at killing Beryl."
	Jupiter turned sharply at him. "What happened to saving your 
friends?"
	"That was before I saw this," Jadeite stated. He glanced over at 
Nephrite. "Halcyon was right: we have to make this swift and decisive."
	Jupiter looked over at Nephrite. "And you agree with him?"
	Nephrite continued to watch the camp, a grim expression on his 
face. "If we tried to rescue even one of our comrades, we'd be caught 
in a heartbeat. And no offence, but even with a Sailor Soldier on our 
side, I don't think we'd last very long against a few thousand men. If 
we have any chance at ending this, it's by killing Beryl before she can 
break the seal on the Darkstorm." 
	Scowling, Sailor Jupiter turned her gaze down to the nearest 
tent.
	"I am right," Nephrite said.
	"I know," Jupiter said. "I'm just wondering if we should split up 
once we've disguised ourselves."
	Her words caught both Generals off guard. 
	"She's got a point," Jadeite said after a moment's consideration. 
"Three separate assassins, three separate chances. If one of us gets 
caught, the other two may still be able to finish this." 
	It was Nephrite's turn to scowl. "If we do this," he said, 
looking directly at Sailor Jupiter, "you will be on your own. No one 
will be able to protect you. No one will be able to cover for any 
mistakes you make." 
	"I'm not asking for anyone to," Jupiter said.
	She glared at him, bracing for an argument. Expecting some sort 
of fight or protest. Instead, Nephrite nodded his head. "Good answer. 
Come on."
	One by one, they made their way down the slope. They kept to the 
shadows and forgotten corners, ducking into the nearest tent after they 
stole most of the clothes on the line. A single occupant was already 
there, passed out on a blanket that had been laid over the ground. 
Nephrite nudged the sleeping man with the toe of his boot; the man 
mumbled something incoherent and rolled over. Nephrite glanced over at 
Jadeite and Sailor Jupiter, shrugged and dropped to one knee before 
punching the man hard across the face.
	"Just in case," he said.
	Jupiter was already sliding the raggedy clothes over her uniform. 
Jadeite helped quicken the process. Of any of them, she was the one who 
stood out the most. Two layers of various attire and she looked almost 
indistinguishable from the masses outside. 
	"Good enough?" she asked.
	Nephrite shook his head. "Your face. The other Generals will 
recognize it on sight. Not to mention with this crowd, I'd be rather 
worried about what would happen if you ran afoul of a gang looking for 
some...stress relief."
	"They writhe in pain after I kick them in their short rabbits?" 
Jupiter ventured.
	"Ouch, and yes," Nephrite agreed, and then blinked in confusion. 
"Short rabbits?"
	She shrugged. "It's a Lunarian phrase."
	"I'm learning all sorts of new profanities today," Nephrite said, 
shaking his head.
	Jadeite slipped out from the tent, and soon returned with a large 
wicker hat. He placed it on Jupiter's head. "The brim's large enough to 
hide most of your face," he told her. "Keep your chin down, and they 
probably won't even give you a second glance."
	Silhouettes passed by the front flaps of the tent. 
	Loud, garrulous laughter blew in from outside.
	Jadeite and Nephrite immediately ducked out of the way, their 
hands gripping their swords. The voices passed by, disappearing into 
the night. Both Generals allowed themselves to breathe again. Their 
hands remained close to their weapons.
	"You'd better hurry," Jupiter said. She gathered the collars of 
her tunic and cloak in her hand, further masking her uniform from view. 
"Sounds like the latest shift is coming back."
	Before either of them could reply, Sailor Jupiter breezed past 
them and out into the night. Nephrite's mouth hung open as he stormed 
over to the entrance and pushed aside one of the tent flaps. Jupiter 
was nowhere to be seen; she had already vanished into the camp. With a 
scowl, Nephrite lowered the flap and retreated back inside.
	Jadeite was busy making himself look like one of the brigands, 
taking extra care to hide the wrappings around his hand. "Do you think 
she'll actually go through with it?" he asked.
	"What?"
	"Killing Beryl."
	Nephrite shrugged and pulled a tunic over his head. "I think 
she'll try. Doubt it'll get her very far."
	"She's very determined," Jadeite said.
	"So far, the only things she's killed were those creepy Snow 
Dancers. They weren't even human. But as for Beryl..." Nephrite paused. 
"We were all good friends with Garnet. If the moment comes, I don't 
think Makoto will be able to bring herself to finish it."
	Jadeite finished the last touch to his disguise, smearing dirt 
across his face. "So why go along with her idea?"
	"We may need the diversion," Nephrite answered. "Especially since 
your limp's gotten worse since we arrived. And it's still a good plan. 
I want you to move along the base of the east ridge. I'll take the far 
side, make my way from there up to the ruins." 
	"What about Sailor Jupiter?" Jadeite asked. "We don't know if 
she's taking any particular route. You could be trailing right behind 
her, and that would kill any element of surprise we have."
	"This is Makoto we're talking about," Nephrite stated.
	Jadeite considered this and nodded.
	"She's cutting through the middle," they chorused.
	Within another minute, they were ready to leave. Despite the 
bulky clothes and loose rags, their swords were easily accessible.
	"This is it," Jadeite said. He rested a hand on Nephrite's 
shoulder. "Good luck."
	"You too," Nephrite said. 
	Jadeite took a deep breath and asked, "What if we all are 
caught?"
	"Then you know what to do," Nephrite stated. "Just make it quick 
for me, and we'll call it even." 
	Nephrite was the first to leave, slipping out from the tent in 
silence. Jadeite watched him vanish into the camp. Alone, he made his 
own way out from the tent, staying close to the base of the ridge. A 
group of men were arguing as he left, each one accusing the other of 
stealing their clothes. Jadeite didn't even look over his shoulder.
	He saw encampments that had been hastily erected in the midst of 
the dig. Firepits and makeshift hovels stood next to chilling artefacts 
carved in the likeness of the Darkstorm. A large assemblage of workers 
grunted and swore as they raised some heavy object out from the 
darkness of a pit. Jadeite kept his distance.
	A cold prickle traipsed its way down his spine.  
	The demon inside him could sense the power leaking through the 
ruins at the end of the valley. It could sense its master. Jadeite's 
hand instinctively rested against the hilt of his longsword. Sooner or 
later, he'd have to run into Beryl. She wasn't the type to hide, not 
now, not in a place like this. All he had to do was find her and finish 
it.
	He ducked and dodged and wove through the crowds. Everywhere he 
looked, the people slaved away without question. As far as Jadeite 
could tell, mutiny was the last thing on any of their minds. That 
wasn't encouraging.
	Suddenly the sharpened edge of a sword pressed itself against his 
throat.
	Jadeite froze. "Shit."
	A quiet chuckle came from the shadows behind him. "Kunzite was 
right," Cioran remarked. "You are surprisingly resourceful."


				*	*	*
	Lapis and Lazuli were waiting for him.
	They stood in front of the temple's facade, dressed in robes of 
scarlet and silk. Gold dangled from their necks and ears, and their 
fingernails had been painted with the blood of the slaughtered 
Seraphim. Pillars and overhangs towered above their heads, the 
torchlight revealing foreign markings carved into the structure. A 
gaping doorway, once blocked by enormous wooden gates, had been cleared 
of boulders and debris. Ropes and pulleys and stones were in constant 
motion, though the workers still kept their distance from the twins. 
	Jadeite was thrown to the ground at their feet: stripped of his 
two katana, his hands shackled behind his back.
	"Told you I smelled his treacherous little worm scent," Lazuli 
stated, turning to her sister. "You owe me his tongue now."
	Lapis stuck out her lower lip and pouted. "I'm still keeping his 
fingers for myself. You cannot convince me otherwise."
	Jadeite glanced back over his shoulder at Cioran, an incredulous 
look on his face. Cioran merely shrugged. "I don't try to understand 
them," he said to Jadeite. "I mostly just tune them out."
	A dagger sliced through the air.
	Cioran's head snapped to one side before the blade would have 
sunk into his eye, his fingers wrapping effortlessly around the 
dagger's handle. He slowly directed his gaze at Lapis.
	"Another harsh word like that," Lapis stated, "and next time we 
won't miss."
	Cioran hurled the dagger into the ground at her feet. "I believe 
you."
	Another voice spoke up. "Have they found the other one yet?"
	Jadeite turned his head; Beryl was approaching them.
	"Not that I've heard, no," Cioran answered as he bowed to her. 
"All three of them went hunting though, and Nephrite will most 
certainly be somewhere inside the camp. It's only a matter of time." 
	They didn't have to wait long.
	Jadeite strained to see through the legs of the workers as they 
shouted and cheered and shuffled around. And then Nephrite's body came 
dropping down from one of the slopes. He hit the ground and tumbled 
onto his side, conscious and not entirely thrilled with that fact. 
	Atop the hill, Kunzite sneered. "What did I tell you?" Kunzite 
said to someone nearby. "Where one shows up, the other can't be far 
away."
	Endymion stepped into view. He stared down at Jadeite and 
Nephrite like they were strangers. A long, slender cut ran across his 
right cheek. Blood still flowed from the wound. Endymion slid down the 
slope, Kunzite a step behind him.
	Nephrite rolled himself onto his side, his eyes half-open, the 
side of his face caked in dirt and blood. Like Jadeite, his weapons 
were gone and his hands had been chained at his back. "I'm still going 
to want my katana back when this is all over," he said.
	Endymion ground the heel of his boot against the back of 
Nephrite's head. "You call this a plan, Nephrite? I'm disappointed. I 
would have expected something just a little more grand."
	"Grand or otherwise," Nephrite hissed, "I still managed to draw 
blood."
	Endymion's eyes narrowed.
	Another figure appeared behind Endymion. Dressed in grey Lunarian 
military robes, Zoicite smirked as he stared down at his former 
comrades. "You're nowhere near our level of skill," Zoicite stated. 
"Neither of you are. The next time you want to try and kill our prince, 
you might want to improve yourself first." 
	Lapis knelt down in front of Nephrite, her palm delicately 
caressing the side of his face. She tipped his chin up. "You were being 
very, very naughty," she told him. "I'm going to have to scold you 
later with whips and chains and demons in the dark." 
	Nephrite was hardly impressed, and spat blood across Lapis' face.
	Lapis took no offence, smiling as she drew away from Nephrite. 
She rose from the ground, turned and found herself in Lazuli's embrace. 
Lazuli leaned in and with one long, slow lick she ran her tongue over 
the blood.
 	"He tastes like ashes and strawberries," Lazuli purred.
	Lapis wrapped her arms around her twin, her tongue snaking out 
and licking the blood coating Lazuli's lips. "Delicious, isn't he? We 
could take turns, if you're willing to share."
	Cioran cleared his throat, catching their attention.
	They all fell silent as Beryl stepped forward, approaching 
Jadeite and Nephrite. "So in your darkest hour, all Halcyon can do is 
put all of her hopes, all of her trust in you. I cannot begin to tell 
you how much respect I've lost for her."
	"Oh right, like we came here on her orders," Nephrite retorted. 
"She almost didn't let us make the trip down. The nerve of her, wanting 
to fortify Lunaria against any attack you can try to throw at her. Can 
you imagine?"
	"Even in the face of utter defeat, he still manages to be an 
insufferable bastard," Zoicite said.
	Nephrite rolled onto his other side so he could face Zoicite. 
"And what are you going to do? Spank me?"
	"Nephrite, watch it," Jadeite muttered through his teeth. "The 
twins are getting this really scary look in their eyes."
	Beryl regarded them with amusement. "And yet, when all the pithy 
remarks and banal threats are gone, here we stand: lost in triumph and 
despair. You didn't really think you could kill me, did you?"
	"Actually," Nephrite muttered, glancing over at Endymion, "I was 
aiming for him."
	Beryl's gaze flitted towards Jadeite. "Then I suppose that makes 
you my angel of death. A valiant effort, but a poor job never the less. 
You both were condemned to kneel before me the second you returned to 
Earth. Though I must confess my curiosity as to how you both managed to 
get here quickly. There are no Star Chambers this far out into the 
wilderness."
	"Get used to disappointment," Jadeite replied evenly.
	Beryl shook her head, idly walking around them. "Did you know 
that when Metalia came to this backwater system, not everyone ran from 
her? Not everyone opposed her. By the time she came for the Earth, this 
city had filled with people who worshipped and adored her."
	Nephrite let out a caustic laugh. "The worship part, I believe. 
But adored? Come on, that's pushing it."
	"You doubt my words?" Beryl asked him.
	"I doubt the sincerity of a bunch of people groveling in the 
dirt just so they don't get wiped out."
	"I cannot deny some of the masses who gathered here gathered out 
of fear," Beryl said. "But not all of them did. Some truly adored 
Metalia. They called her 'the star that fell from heaven'. They 
marvelled at her beauty and destruction. Like the others, they came 
here to a city that now lays in ruin beneath our feet. They came to be 
her minions, her army. Why else, of all the grand cities deserving to 
be smote by her hand, did Metalia come here? She came to give her 
worshippers what they wanted."
	"Death?" Jadeite remarked.
	Beryl reached out and stroked his cheek. "Immortality."
	"Bullshit," Nephrite said, and spat another mouthful of blood 
onto the ground. He pushed himself up to a kneeling position. "This 
city was laid to waste, buried and forgotten for centuries. Those 
worshippers who so loved her are nothing but dust. That's not 
immortality. That's annihilation."
	"Oh no," Beryl said. "You are mistaken, General. They live on."
	"If you say as the undead, I'm leaving." 
	Beryl' lips were pulled into a thin, chilling smile. "They live 
on in her. For four hundred years, they have basked in the glory of 
being joined with Metalia's very essence. There is no greater reward 
for them."
	"And what's your reward?" Jadeite asked. "Are you going to just 
let yourself be swallowed up by the Darkstorm?"
	"My role is different," Beryl said, "as is my reward. When 
Metalia is finished here, she will move on to conquer and claim another 
system. And I will be left behind to rule the dark kingdom she 
establishes here. I will sit upon the throne of Earth alongside my 
husband, slave and king."
	She stretched out her arm and beckoned for Endymion.
	He came to her, bowed before her and kissed her hand.
	Jadeite and Nephrite tried to charge Endymion and end it somehow. 
They were forced back onto the ground by their captors.
	"He's my prince now," Beryl stated. "He's the very key that will 
unlock the tomb. Metalia shall be released by the hand of the one who 
fought against her the hardest."
	"That's impossible," Nephrite snapped. "Yes, Endymion has power--
power that defies description. But you can't honestly believe he's got 
enough to crack open that seal. What is it that makes you so certain 
he's the one?"
	Beryl began to chuckle. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
	She sauntered away from them, the smile on her face unchanged. 
Her hands went to Endymion's cheeks as she glided past him, her 
fingertips lingering against his skin as long as they could. "Metalia's 
growing impatient. Bring them."
	"You foolish bitch," Jadeite growled, shaking his head.
	Beryl froze. Her head slowly turned back.
	"You heard me," Jadeite said. "Do you honestly believe you'll get 
to rule over your quaint little fiefdom once Metalia's returned? She'll 
devour you, just like she'll devour everyone and everything else in her 
path. I saw the painting. I saw into it."
	He pulled his arms apart as far as the shackles would let him, 
making sure Beryl could hear the clink of the metal. "What do you think 
is crawling beneath my flesh? I know her better than you ever could. 
She won't reward you. She'll give you what she gave the people of this 
city: Hell. And you will scream for mercy, and she will never hear you. 
That's what is waiting for you in that tomb. And you're a foolish bitch 
if you think otherwise."
	His words were rewarded with the back of Beryl's hand striking 
him across the face. "Never insult my mistress again," Beryl hissed.
	Jadeite toppled sideways, crashing onto the ground. This time, he 
didn't try to get up. He laid there, staring blankly at the masses 
around him. He vaguely heard Nephrite's voice saying, "You sure know 
how to flatter a girl." He didn't laugh. He didn't care. They had lost. 
	The workers were finishing the last of their tasks as fallen 
rocks and columns were hoisted aside. Jadeite exhaled and tried to 
resign himself to his fate. If he was going to implement their final 
plan, he'd have to wait until the last possible minute, right when 
everyone was distracted. Dozens of pairs of feet moved around him. And 
beneath the edges of a worn and dirty cloak some thirty steps away, he 
saw a pair of emerald green boots. 
	Jadeite blinked and lifted his head off the ground. 
	Kunzite's hands abruptly grabbed him by the shoulders, yanking 
him up. Jadeite yielded, compliant and unspeaking. He kept his gaze 
fixed on the stranger with the boots. The wicker hat made it near 
impossible to see the stranger's face. Yet he knew the stranger was 
watching him. The stranger turned her head and looked at Beryl. 
Debating. Hesitating. Her shoulders stiffened. Her body tensed.
	And the stranger began to move.
	Jadeite was abruptly jerked around, brought face to face with 
Zoicite. "You're rather quiet all of a sudden," Zoicite said. "Nothing 
left to say?"
	Jadeite only smirked as he meet Zoicite's gaze. "You're an ass. 
How's that?"
	The hooded stranger was already moving, racing atop a fallen 
pillar with frightening speed. Most of the workers hadn't even noticed 
and were still yanking on the pulley ropes in an attempt to hoist the 
stone column out of the way. She leapt off the edge of the pillar, 
soaring into the air. Endymion and Cioran were racing towards Beryl, 
swords drawn. The stranger's shadow had already fallen upon her. 
	In a loud, clear voice the stranger called forth her attack: 
"Supreme Thunder!"
	Lightning rained down from heaven, engulfing the hooded stranger. 
The tattered clothes were burned away, and left in their place was a 
Sailor Soldier.
	Beryl stood rooted in place as she stared up at the airborne 
intruder. 
	"Jupiter," she hissed.
	Sailor Jupiter reached the height of her ascent, hovering for a 
brief instant above Beryl's head. Arcs of lighting coursed across her 
body and spiralled down around her limbs, crackling and almost beyond 
control. Jupiter crossed her arms over her chest and flung her attack 
down towards Beryl. The lightning exploded from her arms and drove away 
the shadows.
	Beryl's arm shot out, her open palm awaiting the attack. 
Lightning smashed into her hand, met with an equally strong and defiant 
power. The entire site trembled as the warring energies collided, 
trying to tear each other apart. Arcs of lightning scattered in all 
directions, flung into rock and tent and human. Explosions were set 
off, fireballs rising into the skies and catapulting dozens of 
screaming workers into the air.
	Nephrite flung himself aside as one bolt from Jupiter's attack 
carved a hole through the earth, nearly shearing his legs off in the 
process. Cioran sidestepped another arc as it pummeled a boulder, 
shattering the rock into pebbles. Zoicite dragged Jadeite down behind a 
mound, a sharpened ice crystal in hand, not about to let Jadeite out of 
his sight. Even Kunzite and Endymion were forced to retreat for their 
own safety. Only the twins remained standing, silent and unmoving as 
numerous streaks of lightning shot past them, some coming so close they 
left scorch marks on their clothes. 
	Beryl's eyes flickered from red to black as she drove away the 
last of Jupiter's lightning. The attack fizzled out. Darkness swallowed 
up the site once more. With a great deal of satisfaction, Beryl smiled 
at the disbelief in Jupiter's eyes.
	Gravity seized hold of her, and Jupiter plunged down towards 
Beryl.
	Beryl was waiting.
	Before Jupiter even had a chance for her feet to touch the 
ground, Beryl lunged forward and drove her fist into Jupiter's stomach. 
The impact jolted Sailor Jupiter, her eyes wide as the air was driven 
from her lungs. Beryl didn't stop, using all her infernal force and 
power to send Jupiter back through the air. Jadeite looked away as 
Jupiter struck one of the obelisks, a sickening crunch echoing across 
the otherwise quiet camp as the obelisk was broken apart. Black rock 
tumbled around Jupiter as she crashed onto the earth.  
	A burst of wind blew through the site, almost snuffing out the 
torches and fires still burning from Jupiter's attack. Lapis crouched 
low next to Jupiter, brushing a strand of brown hair away from the 
soldier's face. Jupiter was alive, though her breaths came in shallow, 
ragged gasps. Her uniform had been torn in numerous places, trickles of 
blood decorating her skin.
	"She is a beautiful, broken doll," Lapis whispered.	 
	Endymion walked over to where Jupiter lay, grabbed her by the 
back of her uniform's collar and dragged her across the dirt. Once he 
stood before Beryl, he released Jupiter and let her drop to the ground.
	"That was unexpected," Beryl said, looking down at the fallen 
soldier. "I didn't think Halcyon would be so willing to send one of her 
own precious Sailor Soldiers on a suicide mission."
 	"We should kill her right now," Endymion said.
	"I agree," Kunzite said as he joined them. "Powerful or not, a 
Sailor Soldier is very a dangerous thing to have here."
	"Forget about her," Beryl stated. "She's nothing. A failure."
	"She got further than either of us," Jadeite spoke up. "And is it 
my imagination, or are you actually winded from having to defend 
yourself?"
	The savage grin on his face disappeared as Lazuli drove her 
fingernails into his lower back, digging them into his flesh until she 
could feel his blood dripping off her hand. "I'd behave better, if I 
were you," Lazuli whispered into his ear. "You're an invited guest 
here, and I'm the one who gets to decide how we play with your tongue."
	"I have better plans for the Soldier," Beryl said. "Bring her. 
Bring them all."
	Jadeite and Nephrite were hauled to their feet, pushed and shoved 
closer to Beryl than either would have preferred. Beryl was visibly 
enjoying herself as she watched them fight against their captivity. 
"You two will witness Metalia's release," she told them, "without my 
twins influencing you beforehand. You will kneel before my mistress and 
tremble at her fury. And then you will understand the mercy I shall 
bestow upon you by inducting you into my army."
	"It'd be more merciful to go at my kneecaps with a warhammer," 
Nephrite muttered.
	Endymion turned his attention to Sailor Jupiter. "And her?"
	"A sacrifice is not required," Beryl said, "but I can think of no 
better way to whet our master's appetite for Lunaria. I imagine Metalia 
will enjoy devouring her." 
	Beryl paused as she walked past Sailor Jupiter. "Such a pity."
	Endymion followed closely behind Beryl, while Nephrite and 
Jadeite had to contend with Kunzite and Zoicite as their escorts. 
Cioran strolled over to Sailor Jupiter and nudged her with the toe of 
his boot.
	Slowly, painfully, Jupiter forced herself onto all fours. 
	"Come on then," Cioran said. "Our Queen's decided you can 
accompany us, and it would be rude to keep her waiting."
	Sailor Jupiter's head was bowed in seeming defeat, her bangs 
hiding her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
	"...failure," she whispered.
	Cioran's brow furrowed. "Hm?"
	Jupiter lifted her head. There was no despair in her eyes. Only 
fury.
	"I," she shouted, "am not a failure!"
	The sigil of Jupiter exploded, melting away her tiara, the mark 
burning itself upon her forehead. Cioran was blown backwards as a 
pillar of emerald light erupted from beneath Jupiter. She rose to her 
feet, the blood on her skin and defeat in her face now gone. Hesitation 
and doubt were no longer in her eyes.
	For a second time, people scattered and fled.
	Jadeite and Nephrite were shoved to the ground as the other 
Generals and Endymion formed a defensive perimeter around Beryl. Lapis 
and Lazuli stepped aside, watching and lurking.
	"Is this what you saw with Sailor Mars?" Jadeite managed to ask 
Nephrite over the noise.
	Nephrite nodded his head as he watched the light dissipate, 
revealing Super Sailor Jupiter standing before them all. "Different 
reasons, same display of power," he murmured. 
	The next few minutes were about to get very interesting.
	Super Sailor Jupiter slowly trained her gaze upon Beryl. Her eyes 
narrowed, and she squeezed her fists hard enough to crack her knuckles. 
A stray arc of lightning sparked from one of her hands and coiled 
itself up around her arm.
 	"She looks pissed," Zoicite remarked. 
	Endymion stepped forward, more than eager to meet her challenge. 
"She'll still fall the same way. Let me handle this, my Queen."
	Beryl gestured towards Jupiter. "If you so insist." 
	Jadeite sucked in a breath. Endymion didn't look like he'd hold 
back, and was more than ready to kill Super Sailor Jupiter if the need 
or whim arose. 
	Endymion smiled malevolently and drew his sword, gripping it with 
one hand. He lowered his arms and held them out, as if daring Jupiter 
to come and test her skills. Super Sailor Jupiter bent her legs, poised 
to attack. 
	Both became still and silent.
	And in a blur of unnatural speed they charged each other. Jadeite 
could barely follow them with his eyes. Frantic, he traced their 
footsteps, only to discover their footprints had disappeared. Jupiter 
and Endymion collided in midair, a fierce shockwave radiating out from 
their impact. Almost everyone watching the fight had to shield their 
eyes from the dirt and wind being carried through into the air.
	The Soul Constellation rang as Jupiter's fist smashed into the 
flat of the blade. Endymion grimaced as he was thrown backwards onto 
the ground. Jupiter was upon him before the dust even had a chance to 
settle onto his boots. She kicked him hard across the chest, slamming 
him into a pillar. Jupiter allowed him a moment to catch his breath, 
surveying him with dispassionate eyes.
	This time, he came for her. 
	Jupiter held her ground, relaxed and ready as he exploded into a 
cloud of dirt and steel. If it had been any other opponent, they'd have 
been dead after the first swipe of his sword. Endymion couldn't even 
touch Jupiter. Somehow she anticipated every move he threw at her. She 
dodged every lunge, ducked every punch. She danced around his slashes 
and spun beneath kicks. The harder Endymion tried, the easier it was 
for her to read his movements. For her part, it didn't even look like 
Jupiter was even breaking a sweat.
	The sparring ended when Jupiter's hand suddenly grabbed hold of 
Endymion's sword wrist. Everything changed. Endymion was sent tumbling 
through the air, slamming into one of the pulley systems. He stumbled 
to his feet, throwing ropes off his shoulders, searching for his 
opponent.
	Jupiter was already standing behind him. She unleashed her own 
fury at Endymion, holding nothing back. Her kicks and punches hit every 
mark, her movements as fluid and graceful as a dance. Distinctly 
Lunarian, surprisingly vicious. This was a far cry from what any of 
them had seen her capable of during Spinel's assault, and only part of 
it could be attributed to her evolution to a Super Sailor. Jadeite had 
to wonder who'd been teaching this to Makoto during the interim.
	There was hope yet.
	Something else caught his notice. 
	Zoicite had his arms crossed over his chest, one of his fingers 
impatiently tapping his forearm. "Why doesn't he just stop playing with 
her already?" Zoicite muttered.
	"Let him have his game," Kunzite said. "He's still a little wound 
up after being denied the chance to kill Serenity." 
	"And how would you know that?" Zoicite asked.
	Kunzite shot him an amused look. "I had to let you live, didn't 
I?"
	Another kick sent Endymion tripping backwards into a wall, the 
Soul Constellation lost from his grip. Jupiter stepped down onto the 
blade and sent the weapon sliding across the ground a good ten feet 
behind her. His breathing laboured, blood dribbling out from his lips, 
Endymion held his side and watched as she raised her hands above her 
head.
	Emerald lights swarmed around Jupiter's body.
	Jadeite could see something gathering between her palms. 
	And then he saw something else. A golden aura was radiating from 
Endymion's body, faint at first but fast gaining intensity. It was 
frighteningly similar to the auras given off by the Sailor Soldiers 
whenever they transformed. Jadeite couldn't believe what he was seeing. 
	"That's impossible," Nephrite whispered beside him.
	Unable to sense the growing power against her, Super Sailor 
Jupiter completed her attack. With a cry of, "Jupiter Oak Evolution!" 
she unleashed a volley of what looked like electric green leaves at 
Endymion.
	Endymion began to smile and held out his hand.
	His true power manifested.
	The sheer ferocity of Jupiter's new attack exploded around 
Endymion. It should have torn him apart, gone right through him and 
shredded him to pieces. Jupiter's Oak Evolution touched nothing. 
Whatever barrier Endymion had created, it was perfect. The final leaf 
from her attack came.
	Endymion caught it in his hand and crushed it.
	He watched the last few sparks struggle to cut into his fingers 
and scorch his skin. Then he slowly turned his head and looked right at 
Super Sailor Jupiter. "My turn," he stated.
	Suddenly he was standing behind her.
	Jupiter was flung into the air with a single punch, her body 
careening across the front of the temple. Endymion was waiting for her 
as she came crashing down. He drove his elbow into her side, sending 
her into one of the pillars. Despite her injuries, despite all of her 
senses left reeling, Jupiter got to her feet and kicked at his head. 
Endymion grabbed her by the ankle and spun his entire body around. 
Jupiter was lifted into the air before Endymion slammed her back 
against the pillar.
	As she fell to the earth, Endymion made a quick gesture with his 
fingers. A rose was suddenly being twirled in his hand. He pulled 
Jupiter back up to her feet, and let her flesh taste the rose. The end 
of the stem seemed crueller than any blade ever forged. It sliced 
through her uniform and her skin, drawing blood wherever it cut. 
Jupiter's mouth hung open as he slashed across her back and then her 
torso, down her legs and up her arms. No other part of Endymion seemed 
to touch her, and worst of all Endymion had no expression on his face. 
	He didn't even seem to care.
	"Damn it, she's had enough!" Nephrite shouted, straining forward. 
	Cioran and Kunzite turned and pushed him back against the rocks.
	"He's right," Zoicite hissed. He scowled as he watched the fight. 
"We are wasting time with this."  He opened his palm, summoning 
whatever water he could squeeze out of the air. The water became a 
sphere, the sphere became a shard, and the shard became ice.
	Cioran saw the shard out of the corner of his eye. "Zoicite!" he 
exclaimed.
	Zoicite hurled the ice shard through the air, watching with a 
great deal of satisfaction as the shard buried itself into Super Sailor 
Jupiter's left shoulder. Jupiter screamed, falling to her knees, 
fingers weakly fumbling around her shoulder until they located the 
shard.
	Endymion stalked up to her, waiting until she realized she was 
standing in his shadow. Jupiter's eyes widened in alarm as she lifted 
her chin. One strike across the face and she fell to the ground. 
	No one spoke.
	Cioran broke the uneasy quiet. "Well, that was an adventure."
	Endymion scowled as he stalked back towards Beryl and the others. 
He went straight for Zoicite. "Do that again," Endymion said, "and I 
will have the twins rip off your arms and spoon-feed them to you." 
	"You were taking too long," Zoicite snarled back. "We don't have 
time for these childish sparring matches."
	Endymion grabbed Zoicite by the collar and pulled him close to 
his face. "I am still your prince," Endymion stated, "regardless of 
whom we both serve. Do well to remember that, General."
	He shoved Zoicite aside and stormed away.
	"That makes two Super Sailors now," Kunzite said. He turned to 
Beryl. "Are you still willing to let her live?"
	"Not for much longer," Beryl said, and glanced at the twins. "I 
want her alive when Metalia devours her, but that doesn't mean she has 
to be in one piece when it happens. She so much as looks at me wrong 
during the ceremony, cut out her eyes." 
	Eager smiles on their faces, Lapis and Lazuli bowed their heads 
in acknowledgement.
	In the aftermath of the fight, Nephrite and Jadeite found 
themselves all but forgotten. Not that they had anywhere they could run 
to, or any friendly faces they could hope to find in the middle of a 
desolate nowhere. However, the opening was enough to allow them to move 
to Super Sailor Jupiter's side. The shackles binding their hands behind 
their backs denied them doing anything to help. All they could do was 
watch.
	Mercifully, Jupiter was unconscious, though probably still aware 
of the pain. The shard was half-buried into her shoulder. Blood seeped 
everywhere into her uniform. Nephrite knelt down in the dirt next to 
her, unusually stoic. "There is no honour in dying like this," he said 
quietly.
	Cioran abruptly glided in between them, causing both Generals to 
jump back. Though they expected to be yanked aside or struck for not 
cowering in fear, they received no such punishment. Cioran didn't even 
seem to notice them as he gently pressed his palm against the 
protruding end of the ice shard. There was a flicker of light and a 
surge of power.
	The wound vanished, but the blood remained.
	"It's not a permanent healing by any stretch," Cioran said as he 
withdrew his hand. "My talents amount to a patch job at best, but it 
will ensure she's very much awake when Metalia devours her. Don't think 
I've done her a favour."
	"You've done enough," Jadeite said, grateful.
	The sound of boots scraping against the earth came from behind 
them. "If your tearful reunion is finished," Zoicite said, "we have 
work to do. Get them to their feet, Cioran. All of them. We're going 
into the temple."
	"At this moment, what you demand is impossible for the Soldier," 
Cioran said.
	"Then drag her behind you in the dirt for all I care!" 
	Nephrite was on his feet in an instant, right in Zoicite's face. 
"The hell you will!" he hissed. "I'll carry her myself." 
	Zoicite glared at him, practically itching to use another shard.
	Nephrite refused to be intimidated, refused to back down. "Are we 
going to argue about this now?" he said. "With your Queen watching? 
That's quite the scowl on her face."
	"I will be the one to permit this," Cioran stated, sliding in 
between Zoicite and Nephrite. "Should anything happen, I assume full 
responsibility for it, General. Go and attend to our queen."
	Zoicite shot Nephrite another murderous glare and relented, 
moving to Beryl's side. Beryl was already standing at the entrance into 
the temple, with Endymion beside her and the twins a few steps behind. 
Kunzite and now Zoicite followed after the twins. 
	"And that leaves us to bring up the rear of the procession," 
Cioran said.
	Nephrite knelt back down at Jupiter's side. "I can't pick her up 
like this," he said.
	Cioran began to smirk. "I thought you two didn't get along very 
well."
	"You don't understand," Nephrite said. "Halcyon will have my ass 
if I don't bring her back." 
	Cioran tipped his head back and let out a bark of laughter. "I 
like you, General, I really do. It will be fun to have you at our side 
soon enough. As it is, I fear the twins were a little overzealous when 
it came to General Zoicite." He drew in closer to Nephrite's ear and 
added in a quiet voice, "When the time comes, don't resist. It will 
only make things more painful."
	"That's what makes us so unique," Nephrite said. "We Terrans just 
don't know when to give up and die."
	Cioran shook his head. "Only some of you." He scooped Jupiter up 
and carefully placed her against Nephrite's back.
	They began the march towards the temple entrance. Cioran walked 
behind them, saying nothing. Every worker they passed watched them go.
	With Jupiter's added weight upon his back, Nephrite had trouble 
keeping pace. Jadeite slowed down until he and Nephrite walked side by 
side. "Looks like this is good-bye after all," Nephrite said.
	"I'll try and buy you two enough time to escape," Jadeite said. 
He glanced ahead. "I've never seen Endymion give off that kind of aura 
before. Even against Spinel, nothing like that. What the hell did Beryl 
find inside of him?"
	Scowling, Nephrite looked over his shoulder at Super Sailor 
Jupiter. "The key to everything."


				*	*	*
	The temple was dark, empty and forsaken.
	Whatever had been used to construct the structure was black and 
shimmered like polished glass. Murals and inscriptions decorated almost 
every available space: images of worship, of suns and stars and 
planets, of slaughter and carnage. Torches and large bowls of burning 
oil had been set up all over the temple's interior. Reflections of the 
flames jumped and crackled everywhere.
	As the procession marched through, Jadeite's gaze lingered on an 
immense stone alter. Unlike the rest of the temple, the alter was a 
vivid red. He wondered how much of the colour was from stone, and how 
much was from the blood sacrifices he'd seen depicted in the main room.
 	Jupiter stirred upon Nephrite's back. She murmured something and 
lifted her head, her eyes partly open. Nephrite kept looking straight 
ahead. "You still alive?" he asked.
	Jupiter gave a small nod and rested her head against his 
shoulder. "I'm starting to think this trip was a bad idea," she said, 
trying to smile through the pain and exhaustion. "You sure you saw that 
vision right?"
	"I'm hoping so. For what it's worth, you earned my respect 
tonight." He then added, "Doesn't mean I like you."
	Jupiter managed to chuckle. "It'd be the end of the world if you 
did."
	Nephrite caught sight of Endymion ahead of them, the prince 
guiding Beryl by the hand. "You may not be far off."
	In the final chamber they entered, the far wall was shaped like a 
face.  Jadeite felt a chill creep down his spine as he recognized the 
malevolent eyes of the Darkstorm leering high above their heads. A set 
of double doors had been carved into some sort of grotesque imitation 
of a mouth, and they opened obediently with a single gesture of Beryl's 
hand.
	On the other side was a rounded ledge facing an enormous chasm 
cut into the earth. A winding flight of stairs curved around the edge 
of the ravine. The only way to go was down.
	Beryl stopped at the precipice, turning to face her servants and 
her prisoners. The twins split apart, standing on either side of her 
and staring down into the maw.  "Here is where Metalia poured out her 
wisdom and essence," Beryl proclaimed. Her voice echoed down into the 
darkest fathoms of the chasm. "Here is where she came down from the 
heavens. Here is where she lays, cursed and sleeping."
	Endymion, Cioran and the Generals went down on one knee, penitent 
and ready. Jadeite did not move, did not bow. Nephrite knelt down, 
allowing Jupiter to slide off his back. She could do little else beyond 
sit on the ground and clutch at her wound. Sweat dripped from her face 
and her breathing was growing uneven.
	"Don't tell me your 'patch job' is already starting to unravel," 
Nephrite muttered as he appraised Jupiter's shoulder. He glanced back 
over as he heard the twins begin to speak.
	"What once was shall be again," Lazuli stated. "What laid 
dreaming in the dark shall rise up and return to us."
	She drew out a dagger and ran the tip of its blade across her 
palm. With a near gasp of ecstasy, Lazuli closed her fist and flung the 
knife down into the void.
	"Blood to consummate the union," Lapis said, mimicking her 
sister's actions.  "Power to consecrate the faithful. And all that 
other delicious apocalyptic joy."
	They twirled along the edge of the precipice, their feet passing 
over the darkness below. Called by their silent commands, Endymion 
slowly drew himself up and approached them. Lapis and Lazuli raised 
their arms and cupped his cheeks in each of their bloodied hands. As 
they pulled away, crimson smears were left behind on the prince's face.
	Jadeite stared at Endymion and looked at the chasm in newfound 
panic.
	"Oh, don't look so horrified, General," Beryl said, strolling 
towards him. "We're not going to kill him. The sacrifice has already 
been made. It was made decades ago."
	Desecration of the seal was what had weakened it in the first 
place. Garnet's parents once stood at this very edge, until the rock 
collapsed beneath their feet. Together they had plunged into the 
darkness and been crushed against the seal itself. And Garnet had stood 
in the doorway, watching as the seal cracked. As the child was given a 
taste of Metalia's true beauty, Beryl had been born.
	Beryl placed the tip of her index finger against Jadeite's lips. 
"You are wrong, boy. I've tasted her glory, too. We're so much alike, 
you and I and my precious twins. The only difference is you're still 
trying to resist."
	Jadeite tried to smash his forehead into her nose, but Beryl was 
already backing away from him, and Kunzite pulled at his shackles. 
Helpless, Jadeite could only watch as Endymion made his way to the 
ledge. 
	Something stirred in the air, a hundred different whispers 
echoing around them.
	Jadeite convulsed, his insides suddenly on fire. The demon was 
fully awake, clawing and scratching and tearing at his very soul. It 
was crawling up his throat and out of his fingertips and oh god, it was 
ready, it had been ready for so long. And in that moment Jadeite knew 
he could not delay the inevitable.
	"Endymion!" Jadeite shouted.
	Endymion paused and glanced back over his shoulder.
	"You'll destroy us all," Jadeite told him. "You'll destroy 
everything we ever fought to protect."
	Unimpressed, Endymion turned back to the edge. "It is what my 
Queen wants. And I live to serve her."
	Jadeite lowered his head and hissed, "Then you will die alongside 
her."
	He blinked, and his eyes became scarlet. He would give the demon 
eyes. He would give it a voice. He would give it his heart and mind, 
never ask for it back, and all it had to do was slaughter everyone 
around him. All he could do was trust Nephrite to get Jupiter out 
safely before the bloodbath carried outside.
	The demon seized his voice and growled.
	Lazuli was there instantly, her hand clamping around Jadeite's 
throat and squeezing the demon back into submission. Jadeite sputtered, 
choking on the venom and his own tongue.
	"Naughty little boy," Lazuli crooned. "Fanfare comes after the 
show. We wouldn't want you to miss the spectacle now, would we?"
	Oblivious to those behind him, Endymion stretched out his arms 
and closed his eyes. He could sense Metalia permeating everything now, 
even the very air they breathed. He offered himself to her, offered 
everything he had.
	A golden light erupted from his chest.
	The Golden Crystal appeared.
	Endymion closed his hands around the crystal, his senses 
revelling in the exquisite power that flowed from it. For so many years 
he'd never known. The grand displays of power he'd shown on Lunaria 
were trifles compared to this. It was almost more than he could 
control. 
	The light was so beautiful...
	Endymion cupped his hands around the crystal, raising it above 
his head. The entire chasm was bathed in a fierce light, shadows 
shrieking and churning all around them. So much magnificent power, and 
all for a single purpose. 
	He lived to serve his Queen.
	Endymion stared down into the void and found the seal. It 
splintered apart beneath the power he flung down at it. The howling 
wind around them turned into a deafening roar. Endymion unleashed the 
power of the Golden Crystal a second time.
	The seal shattered.
	Everything went abruptly silent. The winds died, the whispers 
ended. For one insane moment, Jadeite almost believed that Beryl had 
failed.
	Super Sailor Jupiter stiffened, her eyes wide.  
	Something cold and terrible erupted around them.
	A second later, the maelstrom flew from the deep of the chasm, 
threatening to tear them apart. Nephrite tried to shield Jupiter, 
squinting through the stinging fury that raged around them.  
	The light of the Golden Crystal flickered. The crystal vanished 
and Endymion collapsed onto the earth. 
	Kunzite, Zoicite and Cioran were forced back as they desperately 
tried to shield their eyes. Lapis and Lazuli dropped to their knees, 
eyes closed and heads lifted up, giggling as if they were enjoying a 
summer shower. Beryl pushed against the winds, making her way to the 
edge, a maniacal look on her face. 
	Jadeite remained standing as he stared into the storm. "I had no 
idea it would be like this. It's the most beautiful and hideous thing 
in this world."
	Nephrite looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "What is?" he 
exclaimed.
	Jadeite continued to stare ahead at the maelstrom. 
	Crimson tears flowed down his cheeks.
	"Freedom," Jadeite whispered.
	Metalia rose up from the depths below, and came for them all.





	The dance shall end with a last kiss and an eternal hope...



Sailormoon, its characters, struggles and story, are copyright and the 
children of Naoko Takeuchi. No recognition of my story can be made 
without giving her proper recognition first. There are original 
characters in my story (Halcyon, Spinel, Garnet, Cioran and the twins 
at this moment), and if you wish to make use of them I'd rather you 
asked first than after the fact.

Close, personal thanks goes out to: Mel, for being there when the 
entire story seemed ready to fall apart; and to the Fic Bitch, who not 
only found all the unsightly places where I was being too wordy, but 
also proved a handy educator in bread making.

A sincere "thank you" must also go out to everyone who had to wait 
longer than usual for this to arrive. A lot happened amidst the writing 
of this chapter, some of it good and some of it disturbingly 
unpleasant. Hopefully, this was worth the wait.

My sincerest appreciations to Andrea & George for creating, updating, 
maintaining and revising 'A Sailormoon Romance.' (www.moonromance.net) 
It is good to know that so many wonderful stories will always have a 
home at ASMR, and it is a good home I will always enjoy coming back to.


Email Chaos at: hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com