Ladies and Gentlemen, it's lucky number thirteen...


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 
13 - A Last Kiss & Eternal Hope

Rated PG13.


*****

And who will be your man?
And who will be there then?
'Cause we all know shit happens
Let's dance...

--Edwin & The Pressure, "Let's Dance."

*****




	Metalia was a child of the Progenitor. 
	In the beginning, there was only the Progenitor. It was the 
darkness set against the light of the Cauldron of Stars. It was the 
shadow side, the antithesis. The Progenitor forever sought to 
become what the Cauldron already was. In the beginning, there was 
the Progenitor. It did not hate the Cauldron. It did not despise 
the life that came from the Cauldron. Regardless, the Progenitor 
was compelled to destroy everything born of the Cauldron. 
Unwatched, unchecked, the Progenitor might have engulfed the entire 
cosmos and plunged the universe into a realm of pure chaos. 
	The Cauldron of Stars was not without defences. The universe 
and countless worlds growing and thriving within it were not 
without protectors. Destined, they were called--the starseeds 
hidden within their bodies more powerful and shining brighter than 
any other on the planet. 
	They became the Sailor Soldiers. 
	They became legend. 
	A war with no end. A battle with hundreds of champions, their 
starseeds born and reborn into different lives and different 
bodies, and every time they rose up to challenge the oblivion 
brought with the Progenitor's appearance. The fights stretched 
across systems, raged upon hundreds of planets. Wherever the 
Progenitor went, the Sailor Soldiers stood against its fury.
	These became known as the Sailor Wars.
	The Progenitor learned to create life in its own likeness. 
These infernal beings were many, and became as much a plague upon 
the universe as the Progenitor itself. While the Progenitor 
destroyed worlds and fought the Sailor Soldiers who dared to defy 
it, Metalia had been sent out with a mission of her own.
	All she was, all she desired, was to devour.	 
	She was hunger.
	She was the wasteland.
	Just over 400 years ago, she had found a rural system with 
ten planets orbiting around a lesser sun, and those planets were 
brimming with life. She had fallen mercilessly upon them and 
ravaged the lands, turning lush gardens into desolate ice and cold 
rock, breathing poison into the air until all that remained were 
harsh storms and choking atmospheres. One planet dared to defy her, 
and for that she reduced it to belt of lifeless rocks floating 
through space.
	And then she was completely, impossibly, defeated. 
Suppressed. Sealed. Trapped inside a tomb whose walls she could not 
break, a coffin she could not corrode or burn through. Two Sailor 
Soldiers gave their very lives to bind her essence and lock her 
away. For 400 years she slept, alone and desolate and forgotten. 
Then unexpectedly a family of Lunarians stumbled across her 
gravesite.
	It was all she needed. Their blood cracked the seal. They 
gave her a taste of the fresh air waiting for her on the other 
side. They gave her a servant, loyal and ready to finish the task. 
A crack in the seal was one thing. But to shatter it entirely 
required something special. Something she had almost believed would 
never be there, waiting for her after four centuries of hateful 
sleep.
	The starseeds were all that had remained of the two Soldiers 
who sealed her away. Their power alone would unbind the miserable 
chains holding her down. After years of searching, her good and 
faithful servant had found one. 
	It was time to return to what she was.
	What she craved.
	And she was so very, very hungry...




			Are you dancing?


			-ANGEL ELECTRIC-




	The maelstrom was merciless.
	With a terrible roar, something came clawing out from the 
black depths of the chasm. At first there was only the noise: the 
trembling of the earth and the maddening bellows of the Darkstorm. 
Nephrite held Super Sailor Jupiter as close as he could, the 
howling wind smashing into them both. He could barely hear anyone 
over the winds. He wasn't even sure he wanted to. Would it be 
better to close his eyes or keep them open when the end came?
	He glanced over at the edge of the precipice. Endymion laid 
upon the earth, unconscious and unmoving. It was probably better 
that way. Next to Endymion stood Beryl, her arms raised in worship. 
Beryl was triumphant and cackling. 
	"She comes!" 
	In the end, Nephrite kept his eyes open. 
	A churning cloud of pitch black erupted before Beryl. It 
rolled like fire, twisted and devoured and coiled around itself. It 
was like staring into an abyss of everything he'd ever imagined and 
feared, and he was unable to look away. Nephrite suddenly 
understood why Jadeite had spent so much time staring at that 
painting on Lunaria.
	Metalia rushed past them, around them. She tried to move 
through them, into them, unmaking them from the inside out. Now 
Beryl's outstretched hands shifted, her stance changing from 
worship to defence. She held Metalia back, a bubble of protection 
forming around the nine people clustered at the edge of the chasm. 
There was nothing Metalia could touch, nothing her essence could 
distort or devour.
	And Nephrite could feel the rage pounding down against 
Beryl's shield. Metalia snarled and snapped and lunged for them 
all, but Beryl denied her mistress with each renewed attempt. The 
infernal cloud that was Metalia continued to grow and spread. When 
she couldn't swallow whole the people huddled and bowing on the 
ledge, she flooded into the rest of the temple. 
	From there, she exploded across the entire valley.
	Workers and thieves, servants and soldiers--they all screamed 
and fled before her. They tumbled into each other, pushed each 
other down, ran in whatever directions they could. Metalia swarmed 
past them all, consuming every body she encountered, devouring them 
whole as they pleaded for their lives. Within seconds, a cloud of 
pulsating darkness enveloped the dig site. Metalia took her time, 
absorbing everything that made them human, everything that made 
them precious. She took their minds and souls and starseeds, and 
fed.
	Metalia claimed the army as her own. 
	The sobs and screams turned into inhuman shrieks. Their 
humanity gone, all that remained were grotesque imitations. One by 
one, her reborn servants opened their eyes. The forgotten city saw 
a second unveiling of Metalia's glory, and all who were there to 
bear witness were given a new name. 
	Youma. 


				*	*	*
	When Endymion opened his eyes, an unfamiliar face in an 
unfamiliar world awaited him. He blinked and tried to sit up, 
uncertain of how or when he'd fallen over. What he saw nearly took 
his breath away. Wild gardens, lush and green and sprawling out to 
forever around him, filled his vision. The trees shimmered in an 
almost ethereal light that filtered down from above. Endymion 
lifted his head and was forced to shield his eyes from the light. 
The skies of Earth were never so blue. It was like walking through 
a dream.
	But how did he get here?
	Endymion slowly turned his head as he sensed the presence of 
another. Behind him, not five steps away, was a placid, clear pool. 
A young man knelt at the edge of the pool, staring sadly into the 
water. His clothes were almost as white as his hair, and his eyes 
were gold. Sailor Pluto shared the same sort of eyes: eyes that 
spoke of hundreds of years of watching and searching, eyes 
betraying the otherwise youthful appearance of his body. 
	Endymion watched the stranger scoop up a handful of water and 
let it run through his fingers. Somehow, impossibly somehow, he 
knew this boy's name.
	Helios.
	"Neither of us were strong enough in the end," Helios said as 
he looked into the pool. "You were too young to fully realize your 
power when she took you, and I could not break through the chains 
Beryl placed within your mind. Not until now, when it is already 
too late."
	"What is this place?" Endymion asked.
	Helios answered, "It is Elysian."
	Surprised, Endymion looked at the gardens once more. "It's 
real? It's not just a myth?"
	Helios smiled a little. Only a little. "Elysian is not like 
your cities and monuments, Endymion. It is not of your world. The 
winds cannot break it apart. Rain cannot wash it away. People 
cannot tear it down. Elysian will forever stand. It will always be 
here, so long as there are children who still dare to imagine the 
impossible, lovers who defy the odds to create a miracle, or 
dreamers who will chase their beautiful dreams to the ends of 
eternity itself."
	"So...this is a dream?"
	"Something like that." Helios turned away from the pool and 
faced Endymion. "Elysian can always be glimpsed by those whose 
hearts are pure, whose souls shine brighter than the sun. It merely 
waits to be discovered by the ones who know how to walk the path 
between sleeping and wakefulness, and that is the reason it has 
remained safe for so long."
	In as polite a voice as he could manage, Endymion said, "I 
have no idea what you're talking about."
	"All I can speak of are riddles, unfortunately," Helios said. 
"Our time together is short, and there is so much I must teach 
you."
	Without warning and without mercy, the memories came slicing 
back through Endymion's ignorance. He saw everything. He saw the 
world vomit up an evil beyond imagination. He remembered the scent 
of death rising up from the abyss below, the madness igniting the 
air itself. Endymion also remembered thrilling to the sensation, 
the exquisite feeling of standing on the edge and fulfilling his 
Queen's greatest wish. And now...now the mere thought of it made him 
sick.
	Endymion stared blankly down at the grass beneath him. "The 
gods save us," he whispered. "What have I done?"
	He looked back up at Helios, a desperate question on his lips.	
	"Your friends are safe, if only for the moment," Helios said. 
"They are still there, at the edge of the writhing darkness. Your 
body lies there with them, overcome and asleep." 
	Endymion drew in a weary breath and closed his eyes. Despite 
being in such a beautiful place, he never felt so alone. He'd 
betrayed Serenity. He'd betrayed them all. "Is there any hope 
left?" he asked.
	"There is always hope," Helios said. "If there wasn't, I 
would not have bothered releasing you from Beryl's grasp."
	He held out one of his arms, reaching towards Endymion. A 
burning light flickered to life from within Endymion's chest, and 
suddenly the Golden Crystal was hovering in the air between them.
	"This is the true legacy of your family, Endymion," Helios 
said. "This is where your power comes from. For four hundred years, 
it was passed down from father to son, each generation sworn to 
safeguard it from evil."
	For the first time, Endymion saw the crystal with eyes 
unclouded. It was beautiful, and looked like it belonged in Elysian 
more than it did on Earth. "My father never told me," Endymion 
said, reaching out to touch the crystal. The skin on his fingertips 
tingled as they ran along its polished surface.
	"He was denied the chance," Helios said, a great sadness in 
his voice. "Beryl had him assassinated the night before he would 
have revealed everything to you. At the time, she didn't know it 
was the Crystal that gave you your powers. In the end, she was 
right to fear it. She was afraid if your father taught you how to 
control your abilities, the commands she'd placed within your mind 
would be diminished or destroyed."
	Endymion withdrew his touch from the crystal, a sudden surge 
of rage burning through his chest. "Who murdered my father?"
	Helios stared at him with sad eyes. "Knowing will not change 
the fact that he is gone."
	"So you won't tell me?"
	"I will not."
	"Why?"
	Helios shook his head at Endymion. "To avenge your father's 
death, you must travel down a different path from what you'd 
expect. Searching for his killer will bring you no peace, nor will 
it help to protect those in danger. You must make a choice: who 
will you fight for?"
	Endymion was more than ready to shout at Helios, to haul him 
up and demand an answer. But the longer he looked into Helios' 
eyes, the more he was reminded of what was happening to the rest of 
the world. Metalia was out there, infecting the planet. That 
knowledge silenced any harsh words he might have had for Helios. 
Endymion fought back the desperate rage. He searched his heart, 
listened to the gentle wind blowing past them. He found her name. 
	Serenity. 
	"Everyone," Endymion answered. "I'm fighting for everyone."
	The answer seemed to be what Helios had been waiting and 
hoping to hear. He nodded his acceptance and gestured towards the 
Golden Crystal. The crystal began to rise into the air, its shine 
captivating all that was around it.
	"All the powers you've displayed and discovered up to this 
point were mere shadows of what you're truly capable of," Helios 
said. "By accepting the full power and responsibility of the Golden 
Crystal, you will become like the Sailor Soldiers themselves."
	"I," Endymion stated evenly, "am not wearing a skirt."
	Helios smiled. "I said you would become like them, not become 
one of them. But you will share their powers, and their burdens. 
You may yet find yourself called to a destiny that will not release 
you even after death."
	"I'll take my chances," Endymion said. "Do what you have to."
	"I already have," Helios said. "Why else do you think you 
awoke here, of all places? You may have used the Golden Crystal to 
release a terrible evil, but by calling forth its power, it also 
cleansed you of Beryl's poison. However, her filth has lain inside 
you for a long time. There may yet be residual effects."
	Endymion scoffed at the idea. "Like what? I'm going to be 
easy to seduce or brainwash or something?"
	Helios let out a nervous and not altogether convincing laugh.
	Endymion rolled his eyes and looked up at the crystal. He 
hadn't noticed before, but not only did it hover, the Golden 
Crystal also rotated. It defied everything he knew about the earth. 
It didn't even seem to be of Earth or even of their system.
	"What is the Golden Crystal?" Endymion asked.
	Helios turned his gaze back to the crystal shimmering above 
their heads. Once more he reached out his hand, as if silently 
asking for the Golden Crystal to answer him. The crystal began 
lowering itself back down.
	"Four hundred years ago," Helios said, "a small band of 
Sailor Soldiers and Seraphim guards stood side by side with an army 
of Terrans. Together they waged the final battle against Metalia. 
Two Soldiers gave more than just their lives to banish Metalia into 
the darkness. They were the strongest of us all, the ones who 
refused to back down no matter how hopeless it seemed. For that, 
the Sailor Soldier of the Moon lost her body, as did the Sailor 
Soldier of the Earth. They sacrificed all they were."
	The crystal now hovered between them once more.
	Helios cupped the Golden Crystal and held it close.
	"When the war was over, this crystal was all that remained of 
the Soldier of Earth. A similar crystal was all that remained of 
Soldier of Lunaria, though its colour was a radiant silver."
	"The Ginzuisho," Endymion said.
	Helios nodded. "That is what they call it now. Have you ever 
wondered why no Sailor Earth or Sailor Moon have been reborn? When 
all the others died, their starseeds went back to the Cauldron, 
awaiting a time where they would be called back to defend our 
world. But not the moon nor the Earth's. For reasons I do not know, 
neither of their starseeds returned to the Cauldron. They lingered 
here with us. Perhaps they knew their powers would be needed in a 
different form. Perhaps they did not wish to leave behind the ones 
they loved.
	"The crystals were entrusted with the Seraphim guards who 
survived that battle. They took the Silver Crystal to the moon and 
presented it to the Queen of Lunaria. One stayed behind to protect 
the Golden Crystal of Earth. He created a dreamworld to hide it 
within, entrusting the crystal's secret and power with the only 
Terran ruler who had openly marched against Metalia."
	"My ancestor," Endymion said.
	"When each son came of age," Helios said, "his father would 
reveal the crystal to him. Like his fathers before him, he would 
become the Golden Crystal's protector. And I would teach him the 
crystal's secrets."
	Endymion scowled. "And Beryl severed that link with me."
	"It is not your fault," Helios said. 
	He looked back at the Golden Crystal and bowed his head. 
Despite the gentle smile on his face, there was more sadness in his 
eyes than ever before.
	Endymion studied the Golden Crystal for a moment, and 
understood. "You really loved her." 
	"I did," Helios answered. "So much that I was willing to 
never again step foot on my homeworld. We had agreed that if we 
survived the war, we would marry. This is how I treasure her 
memories. I am sure that if she were alive today, she would be 
smiling somewhere amidst these gardens."
	Endymion glanced around at the splendour of Elysian. "They 
are beautiful."
	"They are," Helios agreed. "But you have a duty to fulfill, 
Endymion. There are worlds to protect, and you are all that stands 
between them and Metalia's terrible hunger. I will grant you the 
Golden Crystal's full power. In return, I expect the Earth to still 
be here when the war is over."
	Helios stood, the Golden Crystal floating over his open palm. 
"Rise."
	Endymion got to his feet. Face to face, he towered over 
Helios. Despite that, Helios looked more imposing. Helios swung his 
hand, bringing the Golden Crystal between them. The crystal 
returned to Endymion, burrowing itself inside him in a flash of 
light.
	"When you awaken, you will understand," Helios said. 
"However, you will not have much time left. As it is, I used a lot 
of your power in order to bring you here. Whatever you choose to do 
next, make it count." 
	Endymion nodded.
	The winds within Elysian stirred. They moved and swirled and 
encircled Endymion. The sharpness of the garden's colours began to 
fade. Endymion could no longer smell the trees. He was awakening. 
	"You never did answer me," Endymion called out. "Why won't 
you tell me who killed my father?"
	Helios stared at him with such sad eyes.
	In that moment, Endymion knew.
	His smiled faded as the rest of him faded from Elysian.


				*	*	*
	Endymion awoke with an explosion of light and power. The 
whirlwind from his awakening blew aside Kunzite and Zoicite, and 
nearly caused Beryl to drop the barrier separating them from 
Metalia. As he rose to his feet, Endymion felt the warmth of the 
Golden Crystal flood his body. He turned his head, looking at 
Beryl.
	She tried to pull at his strings; he could sense her probing 
the edges of his mind, searching for fear and allegiance. All she 
found was the Golden Crystal, and it despised her. The corners of 
Beryl's mouth drew back. "You wretched turncoat," she hissed.
	Endymion did not grace her with any sort of reply.
	He turned and walked away from the precipice. 
	The Generals did not move towards him. Cioran remained where 
he was. When the twins tried to take a step towards him, a single 
unimpressed look from Endymion stopped them cold. Endymion gestured 
for Jadeite to follow him. They rejoined with Nephrite and Jupiter, 
and still no one moved against them.
	"Endymion?" Nephrite asked.
	"Once more, yes," Endymion answered.  He knelt down next to 
Jupiter, taking her hand in his. "Sorry I took so long."
	Super Sailor Jupiter looked into his eyes and smiled at what 
she saw. "I thought we'd lost you," she said.
	"So what's the plan?" Jadeite asked.
	Endymion simply said, "We're leaving."
	"Great plan," Nephrite dryly remarked, "but it's not exactly 
like we can just saunter out the way we came in. Beryl will cut us 
down in a heartbeat."
	"She can't," Endymion stated. "All her energy is being put 
into the barrier. It goes down, and we all turn into monsters like 
the rest of the camp. Beryl's not the one to worry about. It's 
everyone else."
	They all turned their gazes to their enemies.
	Zoicite and Kunzite were guarding Beryl. Cioran remained the 
nearest threat, with the twins flanking either side of him. Any 
element of surprise they might have had vanished with Endymion's 
sudden defection.
	"I can get us out of here," Endymion said quietly.
	Nephrite frowned. "How?"
	"You'll see," Endymion said. "I can use my powers, but it's 
going to take a few seconds to gather whatever energy I have left. 
If any of them take me down before then, we'll be trapped here." 
	Jadeite's eyes narrowed as he watched Cioran. "They'll attack 
immediately once they sense it. We need to keep them occupied."
	"It's two against three," Nephrite murmured. "I don't like 
those numbers."
	"Three against three," Jupiter said, rising up.
	Nephrite scowled and placed a restraining hand on her good 
shoulder. "You can't fight. Not like this."
	"I'm not dead yet," Jupiter said, pushing his hand off. 
"Which means I can still fight."
	Before Nephrite could give any sort of retort, Jadeite stood 
and stared defiantly at Beryl. "Wait for my signal," he told them.
	"The hell!" Nephrite snapped.  "What do you think you can--?"
	Jadeite glanced back over his shoulder at Nephrite. "If you 
see her, tell Rei she was right. She was always right."
	Nephrite went silent as he watched Jadeite calmly march 
towards Cioran. Jadeite's hands were splayed at his sides. He 
carried no visible weapons, had no defences set up.
	"You stupid bastard," Nephrite muttered. 
	Jadeite lifted his face to the maelstrom.
	The demon was in his eyes.
 	He made a deal with his own personal devil. At long last it 
would get what it wished, what it craved, what it had wanted since 
first seeping into his flesh and blood so many years go. This time 
there was no one to stop it. Jadeite dropped his defences and 
offered himself up, and one final bargain of swift and bloody 
vengeance became all that was left of Jadeite. The demon overtook 
him. Filled him. Swam across all of his senses. Glorious freedom 
was at his fingertips, its fingertips, and it had been caged for 
far too long. 
	The body of Jadeite hunched over, arms dangling. It sucked in 
a deep breath of air, a tongue running across sharpened teeth. 
Bloody eyes stared out at the curious fleshlings scattered around 
it. They all exuded power. It could practically taste it in the 
air. 
	The demon began to laugh.
	Cioran took a step back, drawing his sword. "No one move!"
	He wasn't talking to the prisoners.
	From behind her Generals, Beryl glared at Jadeite's form. 
	Lazuli stepped out from behind the safety of Cioran's sword.
	"Lazuli, don't!" Beryl shouted. "He's not like the other 
youma. He's untamed."
	Lazuli's lips curled into a vicious sneer. "He's still a 
naughty little puppy. He deserves to be smacked."
	For the first time in her life, she disobeyed her queen. 
Lazuli lunged for Jadeite, twin daggers being twirled in her hands 
and a legion of terrible visions poised to stab into his mind. 
	Beryl's eyes widened. "Lazuli!" She tried to push her way 
through, but Kunzite and Zoicite held her back, not about to let 
her anywhere near Jadeite.
	The demon lifted its head and saw Lazuli.
	It remembered the stranglehold she had placed on its escape 
minutes before.
	It remembered the arrogance in her eyes, the superiority in 
her smile.
	And it remembered the Archives.	
	Lazuli plunged towards the demon and made to sink her daggers 
into his eyes. She came to a jolting stop as her weapons found 
flesh. With a smug grin, Lazuli surveyed her kill, and found her 
kill leering back at her. The demon had stopped her blades with 
Jadeite's hands, the daggers impaled through his palms. 
	A look of surprise and panic overtook Lazuli's face. "You 
impudent little--"
	It happened faster than anyone could see.
	Suddenly Lazuli was on the ground, the demon upon her. Her 
limbs thrashed and her body strained violently against her 
attacker. The mouth and lips and jaws of Jadeite lowered themselves 
down. Blood sprayed everywhere. Lazuli's screams pierced the dull 
roar of Metalia encircling them. 
	Lapis abruptly dropped to her knees, picking up her sister's 
cry.
	The demon lifted its head. Thick rivers of blood dribbled off 
its chin. From their vantage point, Nephrite, Jupiter and Endymion 
could see it all. Lazuli's head lolled to one side, empty sockets 
stained scarlet gazing out at them.
 	The demon had eaten her eyes.
	Beryl cried out, calling Lazuli's name and reaching in vain.
	Cioran stood rooted to the spot.
	There could have been no better nor bloodier distraction. 
	"Endymion!" Nephrite exclaimed.
	Endymion was already channelling the power of the Golden 
Crystal. His entire body radiated heat; it felt as if he would burn 
up from the inside out. Endymion grabbed hold of Nephrite and 
Jupiter's wrists. Somewhere in his vision he saw the silhouette of 
Helios. The light circled around them, and snatched them away.
	The demon wearing Jadeite's face didn't even notice. It 
didn't even care. It was fixated upon Lazuli, relishing her 
grotesque wounds. Lazuli managed to lift her head, somehow glaring 
at him through her injuries.
	"Treacherous...worm."
	The demon plunged its claws into her chest and tore her 
apart.
	Lazuli's final scream was cut off.
	Pieces of her splashed across the precipice. 
	Lapis shrieked, her voice piercing the dull howls that came 
from Metalia. Tears poured from her eyes, scarlet and 
uncontrollable. Cioran wrapped his arms around her chest and 
snatched Lapis away just as she tried to fling herself at the 
demon. She kicked at Cioran, struggled and strained and cursed the 
beast, calling down punishment from creatures older and darker than 
Metalia herself. 
	Cioran's grip was firm and unrelenting. He did not let her go 
even after pulling her back behind Beryl. "Don't look," he murmured 
into her ear. "That's what it wants you to do. Don't look."
	The demon appraised one of its scarlet hands, and suckled the 
blood off a finger. "I have so dearly missed this," it purred. 
"Being caged inside a frail little fleshling makes you appreciate 
the simpler things in life. Mostly tearing them apart."
	Beryl pushed Zoicite and Kunzite aside, and stepped forward. 
"You're rather eloquent for a youma," she said. The quivering rage 
in her voice betrayed her otherwise cool demeanour.
	The demon lowered its head and laughed. "I'm more than them, 
better than them," the demon said. A long, slender tongue slathered 
along Jadeite's lips. "I'm the same as you, Highness. Not quite 
one, not wholly the other. Bastards born in darkness and forever 
damned. You can't tell me it's not fun." 
	The demon lifted Jadeite's head, its eyes blazing red.
	It lunged for Beryl.
	Beryl held her ground.
	The frenzied darkness writhing around them lashed out just as 
the demon got within arm's reach. Lightning shot down from 
Metalia's body, knocking the demon across the chamber. It crashed 
into the stone walls, twitching and stunned. 
	Metalia's infernal form circled over the demon like an angry 
lion.
	"Will you look at that?" Zoicite said. "It's like she's just 
itching for another chance to make it scream."
	Cioran released Lapis from his grasp. She collapsed to her 
knees, sobbing and holding her sides. She would not attack. Not 
yet. Cioran began making his way over to the demon, Zoicite and 
Kunzite behind him. They stood around the demon--weapons drawn, 
just out of its reach. The demon stared at them with Jadeite's 
crimson eyes, but did little else.
	"I had no idea he'd absorbed this much of Metalia's essence 
into himself," Cioran said. "He's almost at the point of complete 
physical transformation."
	"No wonder he always had so much trouble controlling his 
demon," Kunzite said. "It's been allowed to run wild and unchecked 
for years."
	Cioran scowled. "And now it controls him." 
	Zoicite sniffed and looked elsewhere. "We'll have to remind 
it where its allegiance ultimately lies," he said in a casual 
voice.
	The three turned their attention to their queen.
	Beryl knelt next to Lazuli, reverent and silent. She gently 
slid her palm against Lazuli's cheek. "You are so beautiful," Beryl 
whispered. She gathered Lazuli up in her arms and cradled her 
daughter's body. "We were supposed to stand on the threshold of 
paradise together."
	As she held Lazuli against her, Lazuli's body began to 
crumble away. Piece by piece Lazuli became ash, and the ash itself 
turned into scraps of shadow that drifted up into the Darkstorm. 
Piece by piece they were engulfed by Metalia, until Beryl cradled 
nothing but memories.
	She still clutched at the air, holding it close.
	Beryl's eyes opened, and she rose back up. She slowly turned 
her gaze towards the demon and closed the distance between them.
	The demon in Jadeite bowed before her.
	Beryl snarled at the sudden show of respect. She kicked the 
demon across the face, then jammed the heel of her boot against the 
demon's neck as it lay on the rock. "Give me a reason why I 
shouldn't feed you to Metalia right now," Beryl said in a low, 
dangerous whisper, "and pray it's good."
	The demon chuckled and spoke with Jadeite's voice. "We could 
have slaughtered you where you stood. It would have been so 
decorative, so delicious. But where would be the fun in that? We 
are the same, you and I. And so I offer you what you so desperately 
crave."
	Beryl's eyes narrowed. "And that would be?"
	If the demon had been expecting the pressure against its 
throat to ease, it was sorely disappointed. "This fleshling's 
face," the demon said. "And his memories. He's still in here 
somewhere, deep down, wriggling about. It's a little annoying. I 
can't cut him out like a sliver, so I might as well put him to good 
use."
	The demon strained against her boot, staring up at Beryl with 
eager eyes. "Just tell me who you want me to kill, Highness."
	Beryl did not move for almost a minute. Finally she lifted 
her heel from off the demon's windpipe and turned away. "Your 
existence is spared," she stated, "but not your freedom."
	Tendrils of shadow snaked down from Metalia, coiling around 
Jadeite's arms and legs and neck. The demon didn't struggle or 
resist even as the shadows tightened and became solid. Jadeite's 
body became bound by collars and chains it could not hope to break. 
A final stream of darkness wrapped itself around Jadeite's eyes and 
formed a metallic blindfold.
	That seemed enough to satisfy Beryl.
	"Leave him here," she told her Generals. "The youma can 
gather him up and transport him back into camp later."
	"He'll turn on you the second you turn your back on him," 
Kunzite warned.
	"I know," Beryl said. "But he's also right. There's someone I 
want to kill, and he may be the only one who can do it. Return to 
the camp. I'll be with you shortly."
	Zoicite and Kunzite bowed and left. Cioran lingered in the 
doorway, wary of leaving Beryl alone with the shackled demon. 
Reluctantly, he turned away and vanished into the antechambers of 
the temple.
	Only after Cioran left did Beryl approach Lapis.	 
	Lapis sat upon the dead earth, her hands scooping up pebbles 
and letting them fall between her fingers. Beryl leaned down and 
caressed Lapis' hair. Lapis didn't respond. Pebbles were scooped up 
and dropped back onto the ground.
	Beryl opened her mouth to ask a question, but Lapis spoke 
first.
	"We are going to sit here, he and I," Lapis whispered. "We 
are going to sit and talk, and mother Metalia will watch over us."
	Beryl glanced back at the demon wearing Jadeite's skin. "I 
need him alive, Lapis."
	Lapis slowly raised her head. Her bloodshot eyes were wide 
with renewed madness, her smile corroded with vengeance. "With a 
demon inside," she cooed, "he'll live through almost anything."


				*	*	*
	The capital city of Endymion's country sprawled across hills 
and fields, pushing against the rivers and bays. Dawn was coming, 
the light of the rising sun painting an otherwise bleak night in 
hopeful colours of red and orange. Life in the city was already 
stirring. Merchants and vendors were preparing to sell their wares. 
Businesses would soon be opening. A hundred different smells, most 
of them food, were caught up the winds and blown over the walls of 
the imperial palace.
	Standing atop one of the battlements, General Kusanagi 
relished the scent. 
	While he sporadically traveled with Endymion's entourage, 
Kusanagi himself was a legend and enjoyed the rare privilege of 
being able to ride with them without ever needing an invitation. He 
towered over his fellow soldiers, a giant among most of his 
countrymen. He'd seen more years and battles than anyone above or 
below him in rank, and his armour hid a collection of scars to 
prove it. 
	Kusanagi stroked his beard a few times before running his 
fingers through his mane of grey hair. It was still shorter than 
he'd have preferred. After that unpleasant "hair thief" incident, 
it was as if his hair refused to grow anymore out of fear of being 
chopped off again. Soon enough, it would be back to its proper 
length.
	That was his hope. 
	Kusanagi turned away from the view of the city and marched 
into the palace. The latter half of the night had been filled with 
more confusion and revelations than he could recall. The warnings 
and whispers of an enemy army were bad enough; Kusanagi had wished 
they'd been wrong. 
	And then in the middle of the night Endymion, General 
Nephrite and a Sailor Soldier suddenly appeared amidst an explosive 
burst of light that turned the darkness into daylight. Blind luck 
he'd returned to the palace and been on duty at the time, otherwise 
the petrified soldiers on-hand might have speared their own prince 
before realizing who it was.
	Now he knew of everything: Beryl, the forgotten city and 
worst of all, Metalia.
	Preparations were already under way; he was personally seeing 
to that. Messengers had been sent out with word of an emergency 
recall of every last available detachment. So far, almost a quarter 
of the imperial armies had returned to the capital city. While he 
didn't like to admit it, Kusanagi doubted they'd see anywhere close 
to half the army appear before the day's end. For those arriving, 
accommodations were already being made, and for the time being very 
few people in the city had noticed. That wouldn't stay a secret for 
much longer.
	Kusanagi threaded his way through the Imperial palace until 
he reached one of forbidden sections. Guarded fiercely and 
designated for the royal family alone, anyone daring to cross 
inside courted death. When the guards at the end of the corridor 
saw Kusanagi, they stood at attention and allowed him through the 
double doors.
	Inside he was met with a legion of quiet, empty halls. Most 
of the chambers would be empty as well. Kusanagi stopped when he 
reached one set of closed doors, and waited. The doors unexpectedly 
opened, swinging out--though as far as Kusanagi could tell, no one 
had pushed them. He warily leaned forward and glanced into the 
room.
	Endymion sat within the chamber, alone and pensive. Looming 
behind him was the curious Lunarian device that allowed him to talk 
with the Queen of the moon. Kusanagi never could figure out how 
exactly it worked, and considering the strange sort of magic the 
Lunarians were known for, he didn't entirely want to know either.
	Endymion looked up from the floor tile he'd been studying 
intently.
	"I could sense you outside," he said. "No point in making you 
wait, General."
	Endymion rose from the chair and crossed the chamber, meeting 
Kusanagi halfway. Kusanagi started to kneel, but Endymion pressed 
his hands against Kusanagi's shoulders.
	"There's no need to stand on principle right now," Endymion 
said. "How are things looking out there?"
	"Peaceful, for the moment," Kusanagi answered. "As far as I 
or anyone can tell, all is well with the world. Nothing stirs 
against us."
	Endymion let out a deep breath and glanced back at the 
communications device. "I wish I could be so optimistic." 
	"I take it you were able to contact Queen Halcyon."
	Endymion nodded his head. "I was."
	"What did they say?"
	"Halcyon expresses her relief that I am no longer serving 
under Beryl's influence."
	Kusanagi showed no hesitation in immediately asking, "And 
what of the Darkstorm?"
	At that, Endymion grimaced. "We're on our own."
	He turned and began to make his way back through the palace. 
Kusanagi kept pace beside him. They passed through the checkpoint 
easily, continuing to another wing of the palace.
	"This is not unexpected," Kusanagi said. "Lunaria has their 
own borders to worry about." 
	"Yeah," Endymion agreed, "but our borders don't have Sailor 
Soldiers defending them." 
	"Have faith in our own protectors, my prince," Kusanagi said. 
"Now more than ever, our men are going to need that."
	"It's not our men I'm worried about, General. It's the 
firepower we're up against that does worry me."
	They crossed outside into a courtyard, and the cool morning 
air blew against their faces. Usually, this particular courtyard 
was filled with gardens and promenades fashioned from rounded 
stones. Now dozens of soldiers were milling about amidst the floral 
arrangements and beside the ponds, inspecting their weapons and 
checking their armour.
	"How long do you think we have before she attacks?" Kusanagi 
asked, keeping his voice low.
	"I don't know," Endymion said. "I half expected Beryl to show 
up in full force by dawn. Jadeite may have bought us some time by 
killing Lazuli."
	They both fell silent. 
	"Do you think he survived?" Kusanagi finally asked.
	Endymion's jaw tightened. "Absolutely."
	"Then if we had to lose him," Kusanagi said, pride in his 
voice, "I am glad he at least took out one of their commanders in 
the process. That is bushido."
	"There's more," Endymion added unpleasantly.
	Kusanagi turned and gave his prince his full attention.
	"Halcyon told me about hearing rumours of discord being 
spread across our world," Endymion said. "From what her spies have 
told her--"
	Kusanagi shifted, unsettled.
	"--it seems that emissaries from Beryl's armies are appearing 
in the largest cities on Earth. Wherever they suddenly show up, the 
entire city becomes engulfed in an anti-Lunarian riot and almost 
destroys itself."
	"The other Generals?"
	"It has to be," Endymion said. "Everyone else in Beryl's camp 
was transformed into a youma. Beryl has the power to make her top 
commanders speak strange languages. The people would trust someone 
who appears to be one of their own. Makes it easier for them to 
believe that Lunaria has discovered the secrets to immortality and 
is deliberately withholding them from the people of Earth."
	They reached the far end of the courtyard and disappeared 
back into the palace corridors. Endymion's gaze followed after a 
garrison of soldiers as they jogged by. "The fear is spreading," he 
stated. "And there's a distinct possibility that the worst of the 
rioters are being swept up and brought into Metalia's army."
	Kusanagi let out a hiss of air. "She can teleport them?"
	"I don't know. During the Darkstorm Wars, Metalia herself 
could cross worlds and keep her armies somehow alive and intact. 
Something like this is easily within the realm of possibility."
	"Do you think they'll be turned to youma as well?" Kusanagi 
asked.
	"Probably not," Endymion said. "It's easier to kill something 
that looks like a demon. I'm betting she'll keep her human forces 
in reserve until they go after the moon. The Lunarian soldiers 
haven't fought battles the way we have. It'll unnerve them to have 
to kill other people. Makes them hesitate. Makes them easier to 
slaughter."
	Kusanagi shook his head in disbelief. "You really think she'd 
have the audacity to do that?"
	"I would," Endymion said. "The human soldiers will probably 
be in the front lines against the Lunarian soldiers. She'll have 
the youma overrun everything else. It's going to be a massacre."
	"Are you referring to them or us?"
	Endymion didn't answer.
	General Kusanagi glanced out one of the palace windows, where 
the rising sun had almost climbed over the rooftops of the city. 
"Queen Halcyon was right," he muttered. "We are on our own, in 
every sense."
	"We're not dead yet, General," Endymion stated. In a quieter 
voice he said, "I made a promise we'd come out of this war 
victorious." 
	Kusanagi let out a "humph!" and asked, "Make any promises 
about us surviving it?"
	Endymion managed a grin. "In hindsight, I should have done 
that too."
	"So Beryl is coming for us," Kusanagi said. He reached back 
and massaged the back of his neck. "I suppose knowing that makes it 
easier to deal with. Better than not even being sure if or when 
she'd attack us."
	"She doesn't like losing," Endymion said. "And she did not 
like losing me, especially considering what it cost her. She's 
going to come here first, and she will destroy everything just to 
get to me."
	Kusanagi spun around in front of Endymion, blocking his path. 
"Then you should flee this place!" Kusanagi exclaimed. "Protect 
yourself and us, and go to Lunaria. We know she will attack there 
in due time. Better for you to stand with the Sailor Soldiers and 
create a stronger front."
	Endymion stared up at Kusanagi and shook his head. "If I run, 
she will burn this entire city just to spite me. One way or 
another, she's going to show up knocking at our gates. I will not 
abandon our country or its people, Kusanagi."
	With a weary sigh, Kusanagi stepped back and allowed Endymion 
to keep walking. "Then what are we going to do?" he asked.
	Endymion looked ahead: they'd reached the medical compound. 
"We're about to decide that."


				*	*	*
	The infirmary where Makoto sat could not have been any more 
different from the one on Lunaria. The walls were lacquered wood, 
with light streaming in through slotted windows and door. She was 
on a mattress that had been unrolled across the floor in the middle 
of the room. Candles and incense burned around her, making her 
dizzy. Somewhere behind her, a large basket had been emptied of its 
contents; bottles of strange compounds and powders were spread out 
on the floorboards.
	Her shoulder had been washed, the wound cleaned and bandages 
wrapped around her chest to keep everything in place. Makoto 
shifted, feeling more than a little self-conscious as she loosened 
the robes around her shoulders and let them fall around her waist.
	"You do not have to worry," said the Healer kneeling behind 
her. He spoke perfect Lunarian. "I'm still not about to peek." 
	Makoto managed a smile.
 	This was her third time being under the care of this Healer. 
She couldn't recall much of her first treatment. All she remembered 
was that it came almost immediately after they arrived in the 
capital city. Her second treatment wasn't pleasant, though the 
Healer calmly apologized for the discomfort as he mended her flesh 
and bones. Overall it felt just like her sessions with Hotaru: the 
same almost-touch, the same warmth that spread through her body 
afterwards. 
	Someone knocked at the door.
	"Is it safe to come in?" came Nephrite's voice from outside.
	"No," Makoto and the Healer chorused.
	Nephrite muttered something and moved around, standing near 
the doorway with his back against the wall. "Still naked, I take 
it."
	"Mostly," the Healer said. "We're almost finished, so if 
you'll just wait outside a little longer."
	"It's not exactly like I have a burning desire to see her 
bosom," Nephrite stated.
	Makoto glared at him through the wall.
	The Healer chuckled and withdrew his hands from over her 
back. He went to work mixing a poultice from the powders. 
"Normally, I would have to expend a lot more energy for this sort 
of injury. And recovery would still take a week at best. You Sailor 
Soldiers have a remarkable healing rate. I am envious."
	Makoto made a face as a somewhat noxious smell filled the 
room. The Healer applied the poultice against the back of her 
shoulder and began to wrap it with new bandages. 
	"So long as we are not interrupted by Metalia," the Healer 
told her, "you should be patched back up by the afternoon. Though 
you should avoid strenuous activity, and stay out of any more 
fights for another few days."
	"I don't think I can make that promise," Makoto said, looking 
down at the floor.
	The Healer taped up the end of the bandage. "I know. It's 
your destiny to walk into wars that everyone else runs from. I do 
not envy you, Sailor Jupiter, but you do have my admiration."
	He moved closer and said quietly, "You cannot move ahead if 
you continue listening to your father. He turned his back on you. 
If you are to fight for your kingdom, then you must turn your back 
on him."
	Makoto turned, surprised that he somehow knew that, and more 
than a little angry at the suggestion. "He's still my father," she 
insisted.
	The Healer nodded. "I never said you should abandon him. But 
right now, you are more than just a daughter. Worlds will fall if 
you harbour any doubts about yourself and your powers. Those 
serving under Beryl will not hesitate to use that against you."
	The anger in Makoto's eyes faded, and for a moment she was 
chilled to think the Healer was talking about Nephrite's vision.
	As calm as before, the Healer glanced at the door. "You can 
come in now, General."
	Nephrite pushed the door the rest of the way open and stepped 
inside. "How are you feeling?"
	"Shaky, but definitely a lot better," Makoto said as she tied 
shut her robes. "Your Healer is impressive." 
	"You praise me too much," the Healer said. "I am just an old, 
retired Seraphim, nothing more." 
	Surprised, Makoto glanced back at the Healer. "What are you 
doing here on Earth?"
	But he didn't answer her. The Healer let out a sigh and 
tousled his messy, black hair as he studied Nephrite. "Now if only 
my idiot student had actually paid attention to all my lessons in 
making poultices, he could have done this himself."
	"Sensei!" Nephrite exclaimed indignantly.
	The Healer turned to Makoto and shook his head. "He's so 
excitable."
	Nephrite let out an exasperated grumble and gestured to the 
heavens as if to say, 'You see what I have to work with here?'
	Makoto indulged in a laugh. "You trained him?" she asked the 
Healer.
	"For a time," the Healer said. "I found him wandering the 
lands when he was but a child. I took him in, raised him like my 
own son and then being the grateful boy he was, he ran off to join 
the army."
	"You're the one who brought me before Endymion's father," 
Nephrite muttered, now pinching the bridge of his nose.
	Makoto placed a hand on the Healer's wrist. "Thank for you 
for treating me," she said. "What do they call you?"
	"I have many names," the Healer answered. "My pupil here had 
a shortlist of very colourful ones when he was growing up." He 
placed his own warm hand atop Makoto's. "If you wish to call me by 
anything, it can be Karasu."
	Makoto searched her memory for the meaning of the word. "The 
raven?"
	Karasu smiled at her. "In many cultures on our world, the 
raven is both guide and trickster. He gives wisdom and is filled 
with mystery. I like to think it's appropriate, unless you'd prefer 
to give me a new name?" 
	"Sensei," Nephrite sighed, "please stop flirting with her."
	"Ooh, somebody's jealous," Karasu said, switching to Nihongo.
	Nephrite looked ready to strangle Karasu on the spot. "Are 
you insane?" he exclaimed. "She can speak that!"
	"I know," Karasu replied, and smirked at Makoto.
	Surprising herself more than anyone, Makoto burst out 
laughing and needed a few moments to finish. When she did, she 
found herself once more under Nephrite's scrutiny.
	"Your eyes," he said, nodding with approval. "They changed 
down there in the ruins. They're still different even now."
	Makoto didn't blush under the praise. Instead she looked 
away. "Sitting there next to Serenity after...after last night on the 
moon," she said quietly, "I realised how much I was still running 
away. All that practice, all that training, and I was too afraid to 
risk accepting what I was." 
	She glanced out the window, into one of the courtyards. "My 
destiny is not in the wrong. My father is. But I believed him more 
than I did my calling. No matter how much I fought against it, deep 
down I still believed I was everything he said I was."
	"A failure could not have become a Super Sailor Soldier," 
Nephrite stated. "After what I saw from you last night, I'll be the 
first to tell anyone that you are far from a failure."
	They turned their heads as Endymion and Kusanagi stepped into 
the room. Nephrite immediately bowed and moved aside. Karasu slowly 
rose to his feet, while Makoto remained seated upon the futon.
	"It's good to see you again," Endymion said, bowing to 
Karasu. "What has it been? Two years now?"
	"Closer to three," Karasu replied.
	Endymion gestured for Karasu to sit back down if he wished. 
"I have to say, I was surprised to learn you were here of all 
places." 
	"You're telling me," Kusanagi agreed. "A week ago, he just 
showed up at the front doors of the palace. Been here ever since."
	"I go where I am needed," Karasu said. "I watched as one by 
one the stars were swallowed up by a terrible darkness. This is 
where the Darkstorm will strike the hardest. This is where the 
battle for Earth shall be waged."
	"And what happens if we fall?" Kusanagi asked.
	"Lunaria." Karasu looked over to Makoto. "It will not be far 
behind."
	An uncomfortable silence settled over them all.
	"So where do we stand?" Nephrite asked.
	Endymion told them everything he had learned from Halcyon-
the good and the bad. "That reminds me," he said afterwards, and 
turned to Nephrite. "Halcyon wanted me to give you a message."
	Nephrite cocked one of his eyebrows. "And that is?"
	"Looks like she's letting you live."
	Karasu chuckled and Nephrite shot him a look.
	Endymion knelt down in front of Makoto and bowed his head. "I 
didn't get the chance to say this earlier," he said quietly. "Thank 
you. Thank you for coming down here with them. As for me...I don't 
think there's any way I can make amends for what I've done--to you, 
your fellow soldiers or your princess."
	"I can suggest a good place to start," Nephrite piped up.
	Endymion stood up and quizzically glanced back at Nephrite.
	Nephrite immediately sucker-punched Endymion across the face. 
"That," he stated, "is for what you did to Makoto." 
	Kusanagi drew his sword, swearing as he glared at Nephrite. 
Endymion held out an arm, stopping Kusanagi from attacking. "You 
know," Endymion remarked, getting back up. "If the world wasn't on 
the verge of ending, I think I'd have you locked up for 
insubordination."
	"Lucky me," Nephrite said. "But since you brought up the 
subject: yes, the world is on the verge of ending. And it's coming 
for us first. So what are we going to do about it?"
	Endymion met his gaze. "We're going to do everything we can 
to protect it. General Kusanagi?"
	Kusanagi straightened. "Sir!"
	"When do you think Beryl will attack us?"
	Kusanagi quickly mulled over the possibilities. "If we're 
lucky? Sunset, maybe nightfall. More than likely from the direction 
of the Boar's Gate. Most of our defensive lines would be facing the 
sun, giving us a distinct disadvantage."
	Nephrite dryly added, "That also leaves her with more of the 
city to tear apart in the process."
	"That too," Kusanagi agreed. "Metalia's given Beryl a day to 
mourn. I doubt she will delay her siege longer than that."
	"Which means we have maybe ten hours before they arrive," 
Makoto said.  
	Endymion turned to Kusanagi. "General, I want you to 
coordinate our armies. We are going to fortify this city as much as 
we can while we have the chance." He glanced over to Makoto. "How 
much can you handle?" 
	"Surprise me," she answered.
	"Then you will work with me in overseeing the evacuation."
	Nephrite and Kusanagi stared at him in surprise.
	"My lord?" Kusanagi asked.
	Endymion did not waver in the slightest. "This city must be 
cleared as much as possible by nightfall," he stated. "We'll have 
whatever squads we can spare to lead the people west towards the 
mountains."
	"Not everyone will want to leave," Nephrite said.
	"Then they will die," Endymion stated. "We can't save 
everyone. We don't have enough time. But we are going to protect as 
many of them as we can. I am entrusting this city to the both of 
you."
 	"Nice to see I'm appreciated around here," Nephrite remarked.
	Karasu smiled. "Don't get jealous. You and I have the hardest 
task of all."
	Confused, Nephrite looked from Endymion to Karasu. "What?"
	"He's right," Endymion said. "I want Beryl monitored. And I 
want the both of you doing it, since you've already proven how 
dangerous a Farseer she is on her own, Nephrite."
	Karasu bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Once we know of 
her intent to attack, we shall inform you immediately."
	They split up soon after.
	Kusanagi slapped Nephrite across the shoulder. "Good luck, 
General."
	"And to you," Nephrite said.
	Endymion left with Makoto, the two of them already talking of 
escape routes and preparing the police to spread the evacuation 
notice. Left alone in the infirmary, Nephrite and Karasu settled 
down onto the mattress.
	"She knows," Karasu stated.
	"Evidently she's not the only one," Nephrite said. "The stars 
showed you the same vision?"
	Karasu nodded, the smile on his face fading away. "She will 
die upon the moon, and in all likelihood you will be her murderer."
	"I had no choice but to show Halcyon the vision," Nephrite 
sighed. "It was the only way Jadeite and I could convince her to 
send us back here." He hesitated a moment before asking, "Did we 
make the right choice?"
	"If you had not returned to Earth," Karasu said, "Endymion 
would still be under Beryl's power. Without you three, the instant 
Endymion regained control of himself, those twin girls would have 
imprisoned him a second time. There are many things in life we 
regret, Nephrite. You still regret coming here, knowing it may cost 
Makoto her life. I regret having met with Endymion so many times in 
the past, and not once sensing Beryl's poison within his heart. 
Which brings us to one other important thing."
	Karasu turned and sucker-punched Nephrite across the face.
	"And that," Karasu told him, "is for hitting your prince. Now 
pick yourself up and follow me. We have work to do." 
	"Yes, Sensei," warbled Nephrite as he picked himself up off 
the floor.


				*	*	*
	At the temple ruins, the Darkstorm swallowed up the skies and 
blotted out the daylight. Black clouds pulsed and writhed over the 
heads of the thousands of youma stalking about. The remnants of the 
camp that hadn't been blown over by Metalia's release had long been 
stomped into the dirt, though the excavation work continued as 
before. This time, however, the youma were strong enough to dig and 
carry the ancient stone artefacts without needing any sort of lifts 
or pulleys.
	At the start, they worked as a unified whole, occasionally 
snapping at each other. Half a day later and they were almost at 
each other's throats. The creatures glared and snarled whenever 
they bumped into one another. They would have devolved into bloody 
melees if not for Metalia's hold on their minds. 
	The youma remained restless, but docile.
	They allowed their queen her chance to mourn.
	Metalia didn't seem to mind waiting either. Her blasphemous 
cloud-like form hovered over the valley, churning and patient. 
Beryl watched it in silence as she sat on the earth outside her 
tent. A few hours ago Lapis had strolled into the tent, quiet and 
grinning maniacally, Jadeite's blood decorating most of her face. 
Beryl said nothing then. She said nothing now.
	Beryl turned her head as Kunzite's shadow fell over her.
	"Am I disturbing you, my Queen?" he asked.
	Beryl shook her head and stared back out at the Darkstorm. 
"Magnificent, isn't it?" she said softly. "For years, it used to 
dance within my dreams. I could all but taste it as I slept. When 
Lapis and Lazuli were old enough, I let them delve into my mind and 
share the same dreams. Lazuli always laughed when it began to rain. 
She always laughed. It doesn't seem right that she's not here."
	"We will pay them back for her death, my Queen," Kunzite 
said. "All of them."
	"I know." Beryl closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She 
gathered herself up and rose. "You have a report to give me?"
	Kunzite bowed. "The last of our envoys returned a short while 
ago, and your army now swells to almost ten thousand. As you 
requested, we have kept the human soldiers separate from the 
youma."
	"Good. Assemble the Generals." 
	Beryl started to turn away.
	"My Queen," Kunzite added, "I also have a request. One of a 
more personal nature."
	Beryl looked back at him, her eyes narrowing. She barely even 
had to skim the edges of his mind to know. "The girl."
	"She refuses to let me go," Kunzite said. He was avoiding eye 
contact with Beryl. "I close my eyes and I can see her face. Her 
very smile torments me, and every time it plagues me I am sickened 
by it."
	"Then have Lapis tear her from your memories," Beryl said.
	Kunzite shook his head. "She and Lazuli tried once already. I 
do no require a second attempt." He straightened his stance and 
gazed upon his queen. "I ask that you send me to Lunaria."
	Beryl laughed outright in his face. "My prince has already 
betrayed me," she said, "and it cost me one of my daughters. If you 
think I am going to let you run free on Lunaria--"
	"I will never betray you, my Queen," Kunzite said, 
emphatically. "But I cannot simply remove Sailor Venus' face out of 
my mind. If I am to truly be your General, you must have complete 
trust in me." He dropped to one knee, pleading and penitent. "If I 
cannot even trust myself, then how can you?"
	Beryl regarded him for a moment, and considered killing him 
right there on the spot. She'd presumed that she had total control 
over Endymion. Now she was cautious, especially to a General whose 
bloodline was unusually potent against the twins' macabre games.
	"What is it you're proposing?" she asked.
	Kunzite told her what he wished to do.
	By the time he was finished, Beryl's lips were pulled into a 
thin, vicious smile. "I think," she said and gestured for him to 
rise, "that we can accommodate you, General. Though you will miss 
quite the war down here." 
	"If anything," Kunzite answered, "I'll be giving the 
Lunarians a taste of the war to come up there."
	Beryl gave him instructions of where to go and how to prepare 
himself. She watched as he disappeared down the hill, his path 
inevitably leading him into the temple where Metalia's darkest 
heart resided.
	The Sailor Soldiers weren't the only ones capable of 
teleportation. 
	Somewhere beyond the darkness of Metalia, the sun was about 
to drop beneath the horizon. The army was growing tired of waiting, 
and now so was she. Her desire for conquest had soured slightly, 
but her thirst for revenge now bordered on the exquisite. She would 
do more than merely attack. She would make examples of them all and 
revel as the rest of the system cringed before her wrath.
	A familiar presence pulled at the edge of her consciousness. 
	Beryl turned her head and stared out at the distant horizon. 
	Hundreds of miles away, Nephrite and the Healer pulled out of 
their Farsensing. 
	Beryl smiled to herself and walked towards her tent. It 
didn't matter that they knew. It didn't matter how much they knew. 
The fury of the Darkstorm would be upon Endymion within the hour. 
	The lucky ones wouldn't die first.
	They'd just be lucky to die at all.


				*	*	*
	The Star Chamber had been hidden away in the forbidden wing 
of the imperial palace, used almost exclusively by the royal family 
as they received dignitaries from Lunaria, and occasionally sent 
their own representatives to the moon. Named after the shape of the 
teleportation chamber itself, the Star Chamber was built from 
strange rocks that shimmered like diamonds, and believed to have 
been crafted by the artisans of Pluto. The stone architecture was a 
stark contrast to the wood and flowing designs of the rest of the 
palace. Endymion stood in the doorway, lacquer panels behind him, 
shimmering stone before him.
	Super Sailor Jupiter walked up beside him and stared into the 
chamber. "Are you certain you're up to this?" she asked.
	Endymion nodded. 
	The power consumption of the Star Chamber was epic, almost 
beyond what the Terrans were capable of producing in any fashion. 
Lunaria on the other hand had mystic powers in abundance; that was 
why they were usually the ones to send emissaries and later 
teleport them back to the moon. The guard detail at Lunaria's Star 
Chamber had not the capacity to collect Jupiter. Those who could 
had to make the journey from the palace. Time was running out. 
Beryl was coming for them, and Endymion could not risk keeping 
Jupiter on Earth any longer.
	Endymion turned his head and signalled for the double doors 
to be sealed behind them. Nephrite slipped inside moments before 
the doors closed with a heavy thud. 
	Jupiter moved further into the chamber, stopping in the 
middle of the star shape carved into the floor. Intricate Lunarian 
runes ran alongside the gouges. Jupiter turned and faced Endymion 
as he approached.
	"This is where we say good-bye," she said.
	She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Endymion. 
	"When you arrive on the moon, tell Halcyon," he said quietly. 
"Tell her everything. There is a way to end this. Helios told me 
that much, though he didn't have enough time to tell me how."
	"I will," Jupiter said. "We will protect our kingdom, our 
Queen and our Princess with our lives, Endymion. And we will win 
this war. So you make damn sure we see you again when this is 
over."
	At the mention of Serenity, Endymion's chest constricted.
	"If you see Serenity," he said, "tell her...tell her I..." He 
stopped, trying to laugh through the gut-wrenching sensation that 
suddenly seized his stomach. "Damn it, there's nothing I can say 
that won't sound useless or pathetic."
	Super Sailor Jupiter pressed her palm against his face and 
tipped his gaze towards her. "I'll do what I can," she promised. 
"The rest is up to her."
	Endymion nodded.
	As he drew back, Jupiter glanced over at Nephrite. "Any last 
words?" she called out.
	"Just pass along Jadeite's message to Rei," Nephrite said.
	"Anything you want me to pass on to her?"
	Nephrite shrugged. "Tell her Jadeite's still an idiot." 
	Endymion walked out of the star shape, stopping between two 
slender columns that came up to his waist. Atop each of them was a 
design that he had studied for years and still couldn't decipher. 
But Endymion knew what the devices were meant to do. He placed his 
hands atop the columns, closed his eyes and let the power of the 
Golden Crystal wash over him. 
	The crystal's energy flowed from his limbs into the 
receptors. 
 	The Star Chamber reacted instantly, the markings on the floor 
burning with a white light that soon overtook the entire chamber. 
Jupiter closed her eyes as spirals of light coiled around her body. 
Endymion and Nephrite watched as she became engulfed a pillar of 
light.
	"Do you think she'll still be waiting for me?" Endymion 
asked.
	Nephrite shook his head. "I don't know."
	Endymion glanced over at him. "What is it?"
	Nephrite continued to watch Jupiter. "This may be the last 
time she and I see each other while fighting on the same side."
	The light within the chamber abruptly disappeared, taking 
Super Sailor Jupiter with it. Endymion immediately turned and 
headed for the doors. "If that is the future," he said, "it hasn't 
happened yet. We still have work to do, General, and not a lot of 
time."


			*	*	*
	Dusk settled over the capital city, the last blinding rays of 
the sun spilling across countless rooftops. Torches had been lit 
everywhere, lining the main streets and neighbourhoods the battle 
was most likely to crash into. The evacuation call had been sounded 
hours ago. People still jammed the streets, clogging the roads that 
led out of the far end of the city. Most of the western districts 
were empty and silent, but from where he stood Endymion could still 
hear the distant shouts and cries of frightened people jostling 
against each other. 
	He hoped they would all be able to escape in time. He hoped 
Beryl wouldn't chase after the survivors and refugees. He hoped for 
a lot of things, but wasn't about to hold his breath. The core of 
their strategy hinged on Metalia holding back from this battle. 
Endymion felt certain that Metalia would let Beryl lead this 
attack; it was Lunaria that Metalia wanted more than anything. This 
battle was merely entertainment.
	If she didn't join in the fight, they at least stood half a 
hope in hell. If the full fury of the Darkstorm rained down upon 
them...it would be the shortest and most spectacular massacre the 
Earth had ever seen. Right now, all Endymion could do was stand 
atop the highest rooftop near the Boar's Gate and watch his troops. 
The front line consisted of maybe two hundred soldiers, with even 
more carefully stationed and concealed at various defensive lines 
deeper into the city. 
	They all had debated meeting Beryl's army out on the 
battlefield in front of the city, but in the end agreed that the 
ensuing slaughter would be swift and meaningless. Here in the city, 
Beryl's youma would have to smash their way through a maze of 
buildings, back alleys and dead ends. They would spend more time 
running in circles, or being cut down in skirmishes with Endymion's 
army.
	At least some people would escape.
	Unless Metalia changed her mind...
	Endymion glanced down at the tiles beneath his feet. The 
building underneath him had been one of the more profitable textile 
factories in the city. Its grandeur and size put him higher than 
the guards standing watch at the gates. From here, he could see 
everything unfold.
	Alongside Endymion stood Nephrite, Karasu and a number of 
other commanders. Behind them stood a handful of the army's fastest 
messengers, ready to scatter in a heartbeat and spread any of 
Endymion's orders. Kusanagi stood at the front gate with the 
watchmen. In the wide street between the gates and the building, 
soldiers milled about, restless and uneasy.
	"See anything?" Endymion asked Nephrite.
	Nephrite shook his head. "Not a damn thing. And our spies are 
still reporting that they can see nothing out of the ordinary. She 
had better not decide to come at us from a different direction."
	"We will see her soon enough," Karasu stated with grim 
certainty. "Beryl is coming this way to meet us."
	Endymion and Nephrite tipped their heads forward and stared 
at Karasu.
	"What makes you so certain about this?" Endymion asked.
	"Because she knows this is where you are, my lord." Karasu's 
gaze flickered back to the darkening horizon. "She will not keep us 
waiting much longer." 
	The soldiers upon the rooftop with them shifted and murmured 
to themselves. Endymion glanced over his shoulder, his eyes 
narrowing. He turned back to the front gate, took a few running 
steps and then leapt across the expanse of the street. Many of his 
soldiers had never seen him display this sort of power before. Awed 
whispers moved between them, sudden and hopeful.
	Endymion landed atop the watchmen's platform, a few steps 
away from Kusanagi. "That will give them something else to talk 
about for a minute or two," Kusanagi said with approval.  
	Endymion moved to the edge of the platform, staring down at 
the soldiers. 
	"Men of Edo!" he shouted. "The time has come to fulfill the 
vows you swore long ago! Darkness is coming, and it is here that we 
shall meet it! I am telling you right now that it is ugly, and it 
will destroy all of us if it gets the chance. But I don't care if 
hell itself empties out in front of our city. Don't think of the 
enemy or how terrible it is." 
	He drew the Soul Constellation and pointed with it to the far 
end of the city.
	"Think about them, the ones we swore to protect: women and 
children; wives and sons and daughters and lovers! They are still 
evacuating the city, and have no more time left. It's up to us to 
give them more time! We all fall one day. Death comes for each of 
us. If today is the day, then so be it--but I will not lie down and 
simply let it come for me. If Death wants us, if this darkness 
comes to claim us, then we will give it a war to remember. And when 
the fight is over, it will remember each of our names for 
eternity!"
	A thunderous chorus of shouts rose to the skies.
	Karasu smirked as he listened to the soldiers cheer. 
"Endymion has them in good spirits."
	"Only a handful of them are going to survive," Nephrite said, 
turning away. "They all know that. At least they had one last night 
with their families." He glanced over at Karasu. "Are you afraid, 
Sensei?"
	Karasu lowered his head. "Absolutely. We have everything to 
lose in this battle. Everything."
	With a sigh, Nephrite said, "Me too."
	At the front gate, General Kusanagi smirked as he stepped 
back from the edge of the platform. "Nice speech," he remarked to 
Endymion. "You do realize that you took all the good lines and left 
me with nothing else to say."
	"Sorry. The next apocalypse we face, you can make the 
speeches." Endymion paused as he brushed shoulders with Kusanagi. 
"When they breach the surrounding district--"
	"If they breach it," Kusanagi cut in.
	"When they do," Endymion continued, "watch for my signal. You 
know what to do when it happens."
	Kusanagi grimaced. "Don't talk about our city like it has 
already fallen."
	"It will. We both know that. But so long as my people are 
still safe, I am willing to see this city burn. I will not abandon 
them until every last chance is gone, and we are the only ones left 
standing against Beryl's army."
	At that, Kusanagi began to grin. "Sounds like fun, milord. If 
it comes to that, I'll take you up on that offer."
	A cold wind swept over the fields and washed into the city. 
	Endymion and Kusanagi stared out at the distant horizon. The 
dying light of the sun was gone, a great darkness left in its 
place. And the darkness was growing, reaching out across the skies 
and blotting the stars from sight. The temperature in the air 
around them began to drop.
	"So this is what the end of the world looks like," Kusanagi 
murmured.
	"It's not much better seeing it from the inside out," 
Endymion said.
	Kusanagi turned his full attention to the advancing storm. 
"Get back to your post, my prince," he stated. "Leave this to me."
	"May the gods protect you, General," Endymion said. He took a 
step forward and soared back over the street, alighting the factory 
rooftop with ease. Before he could rejoin with his commanders, 
Endymion's legs abruptly gave out beneath him, causing him to 
stumble. Nephrite was there immediately, catching him before he 
fell.
	"You all right?" Nephrite asked.
	Endymion managed a grin as he straightened himself back up. 
"I think the Star Chamber took more out of me than I expected."
	"None of us are operating with much sleep either," Nephrite 
said. In a lower voice he added, "You need to be more careful with 
your powers, Endymion. Conserve as much of your energy as you can, 
no matter how fierce the battle gets. We may yet need that one, 
final burst of power."
	A loud, unholy roar echoed across the city. It beat against 
Nephrite's back, and sent the edges of Endymion's uniform 
fluttering wildly around him. Nephrite slowly turned around and 
faced the Darkstorm. "I know that voice," he stated.
	They must have let the demon consume Jadeite.
	Endymion's grip around the Soul Constellation tightened. 
"Here we go."


				*	*	*
	Halcyon stared up into the heavens. 
	High over her head, the Earth sat amidst the stars. 
	It looked deceptively peaceful. 
	Halcyon turned her gaze away and left the solace of her 
parlour. Somewhere along the way, the shadow of Sailor Pluto 
appeared next to her. Halcyon barely even flinched, long since 
accustomed to Pluto's sudden comings and goings. She'd glimpsed the 
Hundred Gate only once, and it had been enough. Pluto had perhaps 
the cruellest duty of them all, and they would never know it. 
	"What did you see?" Halcyon asked.
	"We are catching up to the future shown by the mirrors," 
Pluto answered. "And all I can see is death."
	"Whose?"
	Pluto hesitated a moment before saying, "You don't want me to 
answer that."
	Halcyon didn't blame her. She knew well enough that there 
were some secrets even she could not be privy to. Even then, she 
wished for some glimmer of hope in the war to come.
	Every kingdom was dealing with the threat in their own way, 
and not all of them were dealing well. Halcyon had heard nothing 
from the Jupiter kingdom since the initial call had been made. The 
Pluto kingdom flat out refused to believe that the Darkstorm had 
returned, and the Mars kingdom was throwing one of the biggest 
parties the moon had ever seen, citing it was probably going to be 
the last one ever, so they might as well enjoy the end of the world 
before it arrived on their doorstep.
	The soldiers were mobilizing as fast as they could, but they 
were having more than enough problems in trying to set up defensive 
perimeters across Lunaria. The mixed messages being conveyed by the 
different kingdoms were throwing many people into confusion or 
blind panic. Riots were breaking out in countless places. Mass 
religious gatherings were everywhere, bringing out into the open 
some of the more notorious cults the Seraphim had once been 
tracking. Many fled to be with their families, while others helped 
out however they could with the defences. Some carried on without a 
care in the world. Some were echoing the same sentiments as the 
Mars kingdom and throwing elaborate "end of the world" parties. 
	Halcyon was aware of at least two such parties in the palace 
itself.
	"We're not going to win this war, are we?" she said to Sailor 
Pluto.
	Pluto cast her gaze down to the floor. "Death does not always 
mark the end, Halcyon Queen," she said. "Sometimes it's a path to a 
new beginning."
	"That's very vague, Setsuna."
	"It's all I can offer."
	They arrived at the throne room, the doors automatically 
swinging open as they sensed Halcyon's presence. Halcyon stepped 
inside and found her warriors waiting. All but one of the tables 
had been pushed to the walls; the Sailor Soldiers sat at the lone 
table in the centre. Halcyon took the last empty chair.
	With the eight Soldiers assembled, it was painfully clear how 
much they'd suffered from Beryl's last attack. Haruka's arm 
remained in a sling. Rei had one to match, as well as bandages 
wrapped around most of her chest. Michiru's face was perfectly 
calm; she hid the pain from her leg well. Makoto's bandages were 
somewhat visible beneath the robes she wore, and Minako's crutches 
were leaned up next to her chair. Even Hotaru and Ami looked near 
exhausted.
	Sailor Pluto remained the only one who seemed unharmed. She 
stood behind and to the right of Halcyon, silent and almost 
unnoticed.
	Halcyon looked to the chair next to hers: Serenity was awake, 
the worst of her injuries gone. She wore a light scarf around her 
neck to hide the lingering bruises from where Endymion's fingers 
had squeezed. 
	Halcyon slowly rose from her seat and addressed the Soldiers. 
"I have word on the battle on Earth," she said. 
	Makoto wasted not time in asking, "Are they holding Beryl 
back?" 
	With a heavy breath, Halcyon answered, "Their front line was 
smashed apart within minutes. Beryl's army has invaded the city. 
From what our spies have told me, it will fall within the hour."
	The Sailor Soldiers reacted differently, some letting out 
audible gasps and others looking away. Haruka scowled and held 
herself back from slamming her fist down on the table.
	"Any news yet on the prisoners she's taking?" Rei asked.
	"Beryl doesn't take prisoners," Haruka said. "She captures 
new recruits for her army."
	Ami asked, "Has anyone escaped?"
	"There appears to be a massive exodus at the far end of the 
city," Halcyon said. "Endymion's armies are deliberately trying to 
slow Beryl's forces down from reaching the fleeing refugees. 
However, Endymion is not among the refugees. He is fighting in the 
front lines, along with General Nephrite."
	Rei sucked in a breath and closed her eyes momentarily.
	Serenity lifted her head and turned to her mother. "Do you 
think he will survive?" she asked. Her voice was quiet but strong. 
She'd have barely been able to whisper if not for Hotaru's healing 
powers.
	Halcyon bit her lower lip, unwilling to look her daughter in 
the eyes. "I do not hold out hope. There is an equal chance that he 
will be killed in battle, or be captured by Beryl and turned 
against us once more. Which brings me to one of the hardest decrees 
I must make. I wanted you all to know of this beforehand."
	She drew in a deep breath and steeled herself. "By my 
command, no Terran shall be allowed to set foot upon the moon, not 
unless they were already here before the siege on Earth began."
	Minako sat up sharply in her seat. "You can't decide that!"
	"It was already decided when General Nephrite and General 
Jadeite left us," Halcyon stated. "I want to believe that at least 
one of them will survive and somehow make it here. But I will not 
endanger all of Lunaria because of it. We have already seen how 
well Beryl can hide her assassins among us. To grant any of them 
asylum at this point is to invite a potential killer into our 
midst."
	"But there's no point in her doing that," Minako insisted. 
"Why send in a stealth assassin when her armies are just going to 
march all over Lunaria in a few hours anyway?"
	"Beryl will not want any chances taken," Michiru said in a 
distant voice. She sounded like she wasn't really listening to the 
debate. "Metalia was defeated once before by Sailor Soldiers. 
Neither will risk it happening again. If she can get to us first, 
Beryl will try it."
	Minako looked into Halcyon's eyes and realized she was 
defeated. Too exhausted to fight against her queen any further, 
Minako slumped down in her chair.
	"I wish I could believe in Endymion's forces, I really do," 
Halcyon said. "But all of you know what we are up against. The war 
will be upon us soon, and we are far from prepared. I need each and 
every one of you ready to fight at full strength...which is why I am 
willing to put myself at risk."
	Suddenly she had the attention of everyone in the room, even 
Pluto's. The only one who didn't seem caught off-guard was Hotaru. 
She was the one Halcyon turned to. "I can use the Silver Crystal's 
power to channel Hotaru's healing abilities into each of you," 
Halcyon said. "If this succeeds, it will be as if none of you had 
been injured."
	There were debates. Questions and concerns, mostly about 
Halcyon and Hotaru's safety during the procedure. They didn't last 
long. The Sailor Soldiers remained seated, linking their hands 
together. Princess Serenity slipped out from her chair, allowing 
Pluto to join the circle. Halcyon waited for Hotaru to nod she was 
ready. They closed their eyes and channelled their powers. Silvery 
hues flickered around their bodies, and each Soldier stiffened 
slightly as she felt the entwined powers flowing through her. 
	Serenity watched in silence.
	It was perhaps the quietest and most profound display of 
power they had ever seen before. It was hard to tell where one 
power ended and the other began. From the inside out, the injured 
bodies of the Sailor Soldiers were mended. Visible scars faded from 
existence. Many of them took in a breath of air with newfound 
strength and purpose.
	As the glow faded, Hotaru almost slumped over in her chair. 
Makoto and Haruka helped steady her.
	"Are you all right?" Makoto asked.
	Hotaru nodded her head. "I...I think so," she said between slow 
gasps for air. "Just a little...light-headed, that's all."
	"Find a place where you can rest uninterrupted for a few 
hours," Halcyon said. "It will help you regain your strength."
	"Yes, Halcyon Queen."
	They sat together for a little longer. Halcyon gave each of 
them instructions and a place she wanted them to stand guard. 
Unlike Endymion, they would not stand as a single, united front. 
There was too much of the palace for them to protect, and so 
Halcyon concentrated on the main access points into the rest of 
Lunaria. There was a lot on the moon that Metalia could crush, but 
it would be the palace she'd want to crush first.
	One by one the Sailor Soldiers bowed before her for the last 
time, and departed. Pluto was the last to leave, helping Hotaru 
make her way to the Healer's quarters. Halcyon watched as the doors 
closed shut, and turned her head, looking for her daughter. She 
found herself alone in the throne room.
	Halcyon knew her daughter well, and followed the smells and 
sounds left behind by the princess' sadness. She found Serenity 
within one of the royal family's private gardens. Halfway across a 
small bridge spanning a canal of dark, blue water, Serenity stared 
down at her own reflection. 
	"It's not right," Serenity whispered, and shook her head. 
"The others can fight in this war. They can do something. All I can 
do is stand around, helpless and uncertain. All I can do is 
smile...and a smile will not destroy what's coming for us. I should 
have been a Sailor Soldier. I should be protecting those I love, 
not hiding here in the shadows. It's not right."
	She leaned against the balustrade, her grip around the 
railing tightening. "Why is there no Sailor Moon?"
	Halcyon wrapped her arms around her daughter and held 
Serenity tight. "You may yet become a Sailor Soldier," she said 
quietly. "Destiny is not finished with you, Serenity, and that is 
what terrifies me most of all."
	In the quiet of the garden, Halcyon told her daughter what 
little she knew about the starseeds, about the reincarnations of 
the Sailor Senshi. Serenity listened, her eyes widening every now 
and again, her breath stolen away at least once. As Halcyon 
finished, she cradled her arms close to her chest. The light of the 
Ginzuisho radiated out from between her fingers, and as she drew 
her arms away the crystal hovered in the air between them. Serenity 
reached out to carefully cup the Silver Crystal in her hands.
	"The Ginzuisho is our legacy," Halcyon said. "This is the 
starseed of the Sailor Moon who fought against the Darkstorm four 
hundred years ago. It should have rejoined with the other 
starseeds, but instead it remained here with us. This is the heart 
and soul of our ancestor, Serenity. You are holding her destiny and 
yours in your hands."
	Serenity watched the soft light being produced by the 
crystal. She could feel the warmth from its glow spreading into her 
fingertips and into her very core. "How do you know all this?"
	"Endymion told me," Halcyon said. "So long as the crystal 
remains in this state, you cannot transform and become Sailor Moon. 
Only a great upheaval or rendering of the crystal can change that. 
For now, it is mine to use. It is bound to me, and I am to it. You 
cannot use its powers, nor will it accept you as its keeper. Not 
yet."
	In a quiet voice she added, "Not until I die."
	Serenity looked up, alarmed. "No," she said, shaking her 
head. "You can't die."
	"It's a question of love, my Serenity," Halcyon said. "It's a 
question of sacrifice. When the time comes, it will be my power to 
use and my choice to make."
	No child ever wants to hear their parents talk of death. As 
she listened to Halcyon, Serenity held the Ginzuisho close to her. 
The tears began to fall. "It should not have to be like this," 
Serenity whispered. "No one should have to die anymore."
	One of her tears struck the surface of the Silver Crystal.
	The crystal reacted instantly, its shine increasing tenfold. 
Halcyon stepped back as the Ginzuisho lifted Serenity into the air. 
Serenity never showed any signs of surprise, cradling the Ginzuisho 
and listening to its song. Her eyes slide closed. Winds that 
Halcyon could not even feel blew Serenity's dress and hair in all 
directions. Serenity's body began to spiral upwards, and still she 
kept the Silver Crystal close to her.  
	An explosion of light overtook her.
	Halcyon shielded her arms over her eyes as she was bathed in 
a flurry of light and angel feathers. She lowered her arms as it 
continued to rain down feathers, almost unbelieving of what she 
saw. 
	Two enormous, white wings unfolded from Serenity's back. 
Serenity's blonde hair looked almost silver, and her robes had 
become mere shimmers of light and air. The injuries she had 
suffered earlier were all but gone.
	Serenity opened her eyes.
	The power of the Ginzuisho escaped from the crystal, arcs 
coiling around Serenity's arms and running up along her body. It 
was different from lightning, but still just as breathtaking.
	A glimpse of destiny--of eternity--of the angel electric.
	Halcyon slowly approached her daughter, raising her hands to 
silently ask Serenity to come back down. Whether it by Serenity's 
or the Ginzuisho's choice, Halcyon couldn't tell, but Serenity 
began to descend.
	Serenity alighted the bridge once more, staring down at the 
Ginzuisho as if it was talking to her. She smiled to herself and 
closed her eyes, and handed the crystal back over to her mother. As 
Halcyon hid the Silver Crystal within herself, she could sense the 
crystal's reluctance to return. 
	Serenity's hair returned to its natural colour, her bangs and 
robes settling back down. She opened her eyes and raised her head. 
Everything about her seemed different somehow. "When she came 
back," Serenity said, "Makoto had a message for me."
	"What was it?"
	"Endymion still loves me."
	"He told her this?"
	"He didn't have to." Serenity looked out at the canal, 
watching as the water curved around a cluster of flowers and 
vanished from sight. 
	Halcyon asked, "And what are you going to do with this 
message?"
	"I cannot fight like the others, and I will not run away," 
Serenity said. "But I can wait for him."
	Halcyon continued to watch her daughter, suddenly unnerved by 
whatever bond she and the Silver Crystal had just shared. "You 
still believe in him."
	Serenity turned back to her mother with a strange, new 
determination in her eyes. "He will come for me," Serenity stated. 
"And I will find a way to make my own destiny. We will protect this 
future together."


				*	*	*
	The once beautiful city of Edo was dying.
	Endymion raced through the streets, ignoring the thick smoke 
smothering the air around him. His eyes stung. His muscles ached. 
His armour had already been cut apart in half a dozen places, warm 
trickles of blood spreading against his skin. And the flickering 
yellow lights behind him were catching up. The signal had already 
gone out: a pillar of light channelled by Endymion himself telling 
the countless hidden armies to start lighting the city ablaze. Key 
rows of houses and neighbourhoods were lit on fire, the infernos 
routing many of the rampant enemies. 
	The worst part was, they were not fighting any humans.
	For this battle, Beryl sent every last youma she had.
	They swarmed through the streets--smashing through houses and 
walls, tearing apart buildings and cutting soldiers to ribbons. 
Many stopped in the middle of the fighting to feast on fresh 
victims. Endymion still found it difficult to believe that their 
front line had been destroyed so quickly. Over half their forces 
had been killed in seconds. He wasn't even sure if General Kusanagi 
had made it out alive.
	Now, his armies scattered and beset upon at every junction, 
Endymion found himself alone. He couldn't let it end this way. He 
refused to let it end this way. And so he ran, destroying the youma 
wherever he found them and saving whatever men he could.
	All he had to do was follow the screaming.
	Endymion crouched low to the ground and summoned his power. 
He sprang into the air, soaring over a row of houses onto the roof. 
He raced across the rooftops, eyeing the streets below. He passed 
over an intersection and crossed another row of buildings, and 
found a small garrison of his men still alive. 
	Six soldiers stood their ground against twenty youma. Not 
that they had anywhere they could run to; the youma had them pinned 
on either side of the street. Endymion's eyes narrowed as he 
approached the edge of the building. All he focused on were the 
youma. All he cared about was seeing them destroyed. As he flung 
himself from the roof, Endymion spun his sword about until the tip 
of his blade was aimed at the street.
	He put all the power of the Golden Crystal behind his strike, 
the blade of the Soul Constellation hammering into the ground. The 
earth split apart, pieces exploding into the air. The tear rampaged 
through the street and barely even slowed down as it smashed into 
the youma. The beasts howled and writhed in their last few seconds 
of life. Fragments of them went in all directions, striking the 
houses and soldiers. 
	A blur of fangs and spit flashed across the corner of his 
vision. Endymion barely even glanced over his shoulder as he flung 
a rose. The youma shrieked as its head snapped back, blood spraying 
out from one of its eyes. Endymion spun his body and let the Soul 
Constellation finish the kill. 
	"Get out of here!" he shouted at the soldiers behind him. 
"Reform the line at the Asakusa ward!"
	Another volley of roses cut apart most of the youma on the 
other side of the garrison. The stragglers met with Endymion's 
wrath. He hacked apart whatever wasn't human, cleaving off limbs 
and heads, refusing to even slow down until the last of the 
soldiers had rounded the corner.
	A sudden burst of fire and heat exploded from the houses 
beside him. Endymion stumbled sideways, shielding his face from the 
blast. The fires had caught up with them already. Endymion vaulted 
back onto the rooftops and left the street before the inferno 
overtook it. He crossed overtop another row of buildings 
	Endymion stiffened as he sensed something coming at him. He 
spun around and threw his sword up in front of his face. A great 
weight rammed into the Soul Constellation, pushing Endymion across 
most of the rooftop. Endymion fought to regain his footing and 
forced himself to a stop.
	The youma on the other side of his sword glared at him with 
maddened silver eyes. Horns protruded from its face in three 
different places, and an enormous pair of leathery wings beat at 
its back. The winged youma roared a second time and slashed at 
Endymion's face with one of its horns. The horntip drew blood as 
Endymion jerked back his head. 
	The bloodied tip of a sword suddenly punched through its 
ribcage. 
	The youma froze, choking in surprise as both it and Endymion 
stared down at the blade. A second later the blade was dragged 
upwards, slicing the youma in half. As the pieces of the monster 
fell to the side, they revealed Nephrite standing there.
	Blood ran down half his face and marred a good portion of his 
uniform. Nephrite was breathing heavily from exhaustion, but still 
managed a grin. "Fancy meeting you here."
	Endymion bowed his head in thanks.
	He and Nephrite immediately whirled to the left and blocked 
attacks from two more youma. The creatures were dispatched with 
relative ease, giving Endymion and Nephrite a momentary respite. 
	"It's all gone to shit, hasn't it?" Nephrite said.
	"We're not dead yet," Endymion countered, and risked an 
upwards glance. "And it looks like she's only here to watch."
	Nephrite stared up at the skies. All he could see was the 
pulsating darkness of Metalia, and that infernal face grinning down 
at him. "What are you smiling at, you bitch?" he snarled.
	The howl of more youma sounded close by. 
 	Endymion and Nephrite followed the noise, darting through 
streets and smashing their way through shops. They came out into 
what had once been a thriving open market. Tables and stands were 
deserted and scattered across the wide road. Many had been toppled 
over, and a few were on fire. Bodies littered the area. Most of 
them were human.
	With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Endymion surveyed the 
carnage. This had been one of the largest contingents he'd had 
lying in wait. 
	"I didn't think they had already gotten this far into the 
city," Nephrite murmured.
	The screams of a human caused them to turn around. A flock of 
bird-like youma had surrounded one of the soldiers. The soldier let 
out a strangled cry before the youma tore him apart as they fought 
for their favourite piece.
	Endymion's fingers tightened around the Soul Constellation.
	One last soldier remained. His leg bloodied and unable to 
support his weight, the young man was left propped up against one 
of the overturned tables. With a single arrow left in his arsenal, 
the soldier drew back his bow and shot one of the youma in the 
head. The youma let out a squawk of surprise and toppled over, 
dead. Its brethren stopped and slowly fixed their attention upon 
the survivor.
	There was little else they could do.
	Endymion was upon them before they registered his presence. 
The battle was brief and decisively in Endymion's favour. In his 
anger, he didn't even summon any roses. The youma all fell to his 
sword.
	"Come on," Nephrite said as he pulled the soldier up and 
draped the soldier's arm over his shoulders. "This isn't exactly a 
safe neighbourhood anymore." 
	The soldier just stared at Endymion in amazement. "My lord?"
	"Be happy to see him some other time," Nephrite said. 
"Endymion, can you support his other side? I can't move fast 
carrying him by myself."
	Endymion moved towards the wounded soldier, and abruptly 
froze. He slid himself out from under the soldier's arm and slowly 
turned to the far end of the marketplace. 
	A crowd of youma overflowed onto the street and covered the 
distant rooftops. A hundred pairs of eyes shimmered through the 
smoke. Heavy breaths and guttural snarls seemed to come from 
everywhere. They stood, knelt, crouched, hovered and above all, 
waited. 
	In the forefront stood a woman with flowing red hair and a 
violet dress. 
	Endymion's eyes narrowed. "Beryl."
	As gently as he could, Nephrite set the wounded soldier back 
onto the ground before drawing his sword.
	Beryl sauntered forward a few steps, laughing softly to 
herself. The youma remained where they were. "I've come for you, my 
prince," Beryl said. "I've come to reclaim you."
	Endymion's jaw clenched, his eyes alive with wrath and fury. 
	"Unless," Beryl said, her gaze darting over to the bodies 
strewn out behind him, "you'd prefer I kill everyone in this city 
first."
	That did it.
	Endymion roared and raised the Soul Constellation against 
her. Nephrite jumped out in front of Endymion and shoved him back. 
	"No!" Nephrite exclaimed.
	"She did this," Endymion snarled. He pushed against Nephrite, 
straining to reach Beryl. "Let me kill her, Nephrite! I can end 
this now!"
	Nephrite let loose with a punch to Endymion's face. Endymion 
stumbled back, his cheek stinging. "You stay here," Nephrite said, 
"and she will reclaim you. And she will send you to Lunaria and 
have you choke Serenity to death all over again. Is that what you 
want?"
	The cruel memory of how much he had delighted in wrapping his 
hands around Serenity's neck and squeezing stabbed into Endymion's 
mind. He froze, his efforts dying away. The Soul Constellation was 
lowered, and Nephrite let out a sigh of relief.
	It was Nephrite's to turn and glare at Beryl.
	Cioran emerged from the mass of youma clustered behind her. 
He drew up next to Beryl and said quietly to her, "Zoicite has run 
into heavy resistance. It will be a bit before he rejoins with us."
	"He can handle himself," Beryl said. 
	Their distraction wouldn't last much longer. Nephrite turned 
to Endymion. "Get out of here," he said. "It's you she'll chase 
after. It's your power she wants. We can't let her take it again."
	"Are you telling me to run away?" Endymion said 
incredulously.
	"Yes, dammit!" Nephrite snapped. "The longer I have to stand 
here and talk sense into you, the more youma are surrounding us!" 
	The wounded soldier fought to push himself up. "He's right," 
the man agreed. "You have to escape, my lord. If you fall, so does 
all our hope for this city." He glanced over Nephrite. "Give me a 
weapon, and I'll do what I can to help."
	"You'll die," Endymion stated.
	The soldier managed a weary smile. "It's what I swore to do, 
if it meant protecting you." 
	Nephrite located the sword of a fallen soldier a few steps 
away. He slid the tip of his boot beneath it and kicked the weapon 
into the air. The wounded soldier caught it one-handed, wincing 
slightly as the weight of the sword forced him to put pressure on 
his injured leg. 
	At Beryl's silent command, the youma started closing the gap 
between them and Endymion. She turned to Cioran. "Endymion is not 
to be harmed, and I want General Nephrite taken alive."
	"And the third?" Cioran asked.
	Beryl's lips became pursed into a thin smile. "Feed him to 
the youma." 
	The walls of the building next to Endymion suddenly exploded, 
pieces of wood flying in all directions. Zoicite's body came 
careening through the air and landed in the dirt at Beryl's feet. 
Zoicite groaned and growled and struggled to get back up.
	Karasu emerged from the hole left in the wall, and threw 
Beryl an icy look as he stepped into the marketplace. "I trust I'm 
not interrupting." 
	A silhouette stepped onto the edge of the rooftop just behind 
Karasu. With a bark of laughter, General Kusanagi surveyed the 
battlefield. "You sure as hell know how to make an entrance," he 
said to Karasu. "There's no way I'll be able to top that."
	The winds blew aside a plume of smoke obscuring the light of 
the fire. As the shadows pulled back, they revealed a small legion 
of armed soldiers standing in behind Kusanagi. 
	"Then again," Kusanagi remarked, and jumped down onto the 
street.
	Endymion looked on in surprise as the soldiers rallied around 
him, forming a small but distinct line between him and Beryl's 
youma. The youma paused and looked to Beryl for orders.
	"Sorry we're late," Kusanagi said over his shoulder to 
Nephrite. "We ran into a little resistance until Master Karasu 
showed up and kicked Zoicite's ass across the district."
	"You're a hard man to find, Endymion," Karasu added as he 
took a place next to Kusanagi. "Leave this to us."
	Cioran raised his arm and shouted a command in Lunarian.
	The youma charged en masse, a blur of monstrosities speeding 
towards them. Karasu dropped to one knee and placed his palms 
against each other as if he were praying. Karasu's eyes momentarily 
closed. When they opened, his eyes were black. Lightning, black as 
the night, crackled at his fingertips. Without uttering a word, 
Karasu pressed his palms against the ground. 
	The earth tore itself open, tendrils of black lightning 
erupting from below and coiling around the first wave of creatures. 
Youma shrieked as they were incinerated from the inside out. The 
lightning jumped and leapfrogged, as if driven mad and frenzied. 
The youma scrambled out of the way as it fell upon them, trampling 
over one another in an attempt to stay alive. 
	Beryl regarded the attack with piqued interest. "Isn't that 
one of your favourites?" she asked Cioran.
	"Who do you think taught me that move?" Cioran answered. "I 
should step in, my Queen. He is older and stronger than he appears. 
He will make more trouble than this if we allow him the 
opportunity."
	"Not just yet," Beryl said. "Let Master Karasu indulge 
himself for a little longer. I'm curious to see just how much he's 
changed, if at all."
	A number of youma broke through Karasu's defence, throwing 
themselves against Kusanagi's men. Claws and swords clashed 
together, sending up blood and screams. Endymion launched a barrage 
of roses, taking even more down before they could overpower the 
line.
	"Go!" Kusanagi shouted over the noise. "Get to the palace!"
	He hacked at whatever body parts were nearest. Grotesque 
limbs and heads whirled in numerous directions, black blood 
spraying across Kusanagi's uniform. 
	"I don't care about the palace!" Endymion shouted back. "It's 
just a building! We're getting slaughtered, General. You need me 
right here!" 
	Endymion turned and found himself face to face with Karasu. 
	"The palace is where you both must go," Karasu stated. "The 
palace is where you shall make your final stand." Without even 
looking, he held out a hand. A youma lunging for them abruptly 
screeched and collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony as it 
clutched at its head. 
	Endymion looked warily at Karasu. "And what will you do?"
	"We will make sure you get there alive." Karasu glanced at 
Nephrite. "Both of you. Get to the Star Chamber."
	Nephrite finished driving his sword into the face of a fallen 
youma. "I hate to point out a flaw in your strategy, but there's 
about a hundred youma standing between us and the exit."
	Karasu began to smirk. "Leave that to me."
	He closed his eyes and threw up his arms.
	Every last youma standing before him suddenly screamed and 
lost their will to fight. Blood sprayed from their eyes, ears and 
mouths. They howled and moaned and fell to their knees, rocking 
back and forth as they clawed at their temples. Searing pain 
stabbed into the minds, relentless and driving away all other 
thoughts. 
	"Go!" Karasu exclaimed.
	Nephrite smacked the flat of his sword against the back of 
Endymion's shoulder and ran. Endymion kept pace alongside him, 
hacking at the random youma feebly grabbing for them. They 
disappeared into the maze of the city, leaving the others behind.
	The youma swarmed around them, slashing and biting until only 
Kusanagi and Karasu were left standing. Surrounded by a ring of 
youma, they put their backs together and slowly circled around. 
Whatever youma tried to dart forward and attack them wound up dead. 
	Zoicite scowled as he managed to get back up to his feet. 
With a quick gesture he summoned a number of ice shards and sent 
them at Kusanagi. Karasu caught sight of the shards, and made a 
motion at one of the youma. The youma abruptly threw itself in 
front of Kusanagi, its body spasming as the shards buried 
themselves into its body.
	"I hate that Farseer," Zoicite grumbled.
	Cioran began to draw his sword. "If you've finished playing 
with them, my Queen..."
	Beryl clamped a hand down on his wrist. "Don't kill them. I 
have a much better plan for those two."
	Cioran sheathed his weapon. "You have already chosen five 
Shadow Warriors."
	She nodded. "And these two are the strongest of them all. 
Capture them, and ensure that they are brought without harm to the 
camp." She began to smile. "Once Metalia's essence overtakes them, 
body and soul, there will be nothing recognizable left save for 
their allegiance to me."


				*	*	*
	From the distant hills, Lapis watched the city burn.
	The pulsating body of Metalia coursed across the skies above, 
but she took no comfort in it. The screams of the people, the 
pungent scent of blood in the air--they gave her no joy. She stood 
and watched the thick clouds of smoke coil up into the heavens, and 
found only emptiness. Lapis lowered her head and wrapped her arms 
around herself, letting herself believe for a moment that it was 
her sister's embrace she felt. But the hands were hers, and there 
was no voice to echo her thoughts and desires. She was hollow and 
lost.
	She was alone.
	Behind her, Jadeite began to chuckle. The chains were still 
wrapped around his body, his eyes covered by the metal blindfold. 
Yet he stood as if he could see the carnage perfectly.
	Lapis turned her head. "What do you find so amusing?" she 
asked coldly.
	Jadeite grinned, displaying his sharpened teeth. 
"Everything."


				*	*	*
	The palace crumbled around Endymion and Nephrite.
	Whatever lead they'd been given by Karasu and Kusanagi's 
sacrifice had vanished by the time they reached the palace walls. 
Youma swarmed all around them, smashing through walls and dropping 
through holes in the ceiling. Wall to wall, they filled the 
corridor, an unforgiving tide that pushed and surged towards them.
	A handful of guards were still left alive in the palace as 
Endymion and Nephrite raced towards the Star Chamber. Whenever they 
encountered survivors, they never said to stand and fight. They 
told the others to run. In the end, it was to no avail.
	One by one the guards were picked off.
	A youma burst through the floor and dragged the last guard 
down, screaming and reaching for Nephrite. Nephrite threw himself 
to the edge of the hole, grabbing hold of the guard's hand.
	"Don't let me go!" the guard cried, his eyes wide in panic.
	Nephrite gritted his teeth as he strained to hold on.
	A sharp tug wrenched the guard down into the darkness, 
leaving Nephrite to stare on in grim horror. Endymion pulled 
Nephrite to his feet, and they ran again as more youma came pouring 
out from the hole in the floor. After what felt like an eternity of 
dodging youma, they reached the Star Chamber.
	Nephrite didn't even slow down, bracing himself as he crashed 
into the double doors with his shoulder, flinging them both open. 
Nephrite toppled onto the floor, Endymion almost tripping over him.
	Endymion made a gesture, and the double doors swung shut. 
Something glided across the walls and sank into the surface. "That 
ought to stall them for a bit," Endymion said.
	"How long will your barrier hold?" Nephrite asked. 
	Endymion was already racing past Nephrite. "Hopefully long 
enough." 
	He slammed his palms down on the receptors, wincing as even 
more of his strength was sucked out of his body. The Star Chamber 
began to brighten, and he almost collapsed to his knees. Nephrite 
caught him and hoisted him back up.
	"It's charged," Endymion panted. "All you have to is step 
across the markings, Nephrite."
	Nephrite froze, staring at Endymion.
	"Our city is lost," Endymion told him, "and Lunaria will be 
next. The war will be upon them within hours if they're that lucky. 
They have to know what they'll be up against."
	The double doors shuddered as something large and unpleasant 
slammed against them. 
	"I don't have enough strength left in me to send two people," 
Endymion stated. "One of us has to stay behind. One of us has to 
make the sacrifice. This is my last command as your prince and 
lord, Nephrite: get in the Star Chamber."
	Nephrite stared at him for another few moments, torn between 
his desire to carry out his lord's command and his desire to 
protect Endymion. Finally he lowered his head and rested one of his 
hands on Endymion's shoulder. "It has been the greatest honour of 
my life to serve under you," he said quietly.
	His other hand curled into a fist and rammed into Endymion's 
chest. Endymion wasn't expecting it, and absorbed the entire blow. 
He nearly dropped to his knees, coughing as his arms wrapped around 
his chest. Without even waiting, Nephrite hoisted the prince up, 
placed his boot against Endymion's chest, and kicked Endymion as 
hard as he could. Endymion tumbled backwards, tripping right into 
the Star Chamber. The chamber reacted immediately to the power of 
the Golden Crystal, beams of light spiralling around Endymion's 
form. 
	"That's why you're going!" Nephrite shouted over the noise of 
the chamber. 
	Endymion stared at him in disbelief. He scrambled back to his 
feet, but already he was starting to fade from sight. Though the 
noise drowned out his voice, Nephrite could read the prince's lips. 
Endymion was shouting his name.
	Nephrite closed his eyes and bowed his head.
	In a final flash of light, Endymion was gone.
	Nephrite slowly turned around as he heard the doors shudder a 
second time.
	With silent ceremony he unsheathed his katana, one after the 
other. His weapons drawn, he waited as the doors shuddered again, 
and once more, and came crashing down onto the floor. Zoicite and 
Cioran stood at the threshold, swords drawn. Behind them stood 
Beryl and a legion of ugly, snarling youma.
	Outnumbered and outmatched, Nephrite met his enemies with a 
smile. 
	"What kept you?"


				*	*	*
	Within the Venus Kingdom, the line between rioting and 
revelling had blurred completely. If anything could be said of the 
state of affairs, it was turning into one hell of a party. And if 
the world ended the next day, at the very least no one would have 
to suffer the ferocious hangovers they were earning for themselves.
	Lord Temagami stood upon a private balcony, his arms crossed 
behind his back. If he closed his eyes and listened, he could hear 
the shouts from the surrounding city. There was little else to 
listen to. The palace was almost empty. Most of the guards had been 
deployed throughout the city in the vain attempt to keep reasonable 
control on the chaos breaking out. The rest of the palace staff had 
been dismissed and given the opportunity to spend these last hours 
with their loved ones.
	Much to his surprise, a number of his staff had willingly 
stayed by his side. Determined and operating on little sleep and a 
lot of strong Venusian beverages, they coordinated the policing 
efforts and kept in frequent communications with the emergency 
shelters being set up. Most were busy packaging up whatever food 
was in the storehouses and transporting them to the shelters.
	Temagami didn't mind the food being sent away, even the 
supplies from his private stock. He wasn't feeling hungry anyways. 
No word had come from Lunaria as to how much time they had left. 
All they could do was guess and wait. He hated waiting. 
	Turning away from the view, Temagami walked through his 
study. Given the time, his wife would be returning shortly from the 
emergency parliament session. He hoped Chihiro arrived soon. Of all 
the people in his kingdom he feared for, she and Yurino were the 
ones he feared for the most.
	He glanced over at one of his couches. Yurino was curled up 
on the cushions, asleep and clutching one of her favourite dolls. 
She'd been with him for the past few hours, not wanting to be left 
alone. He hadn't wanted to be alone either. 
	Temagami leaned over and gently shook her shoulder.
	"Wake up, little one," he said.
	Groggy, Yurino lifted her head and rubbed at her eyes. "Is 
mama home yet?" she asked.
	"Not quite yet, it appears," Temagami said, smiling at her. 
"How about we wait for her on the steps?"
	Yurino nodded through a yawn.  
	Temagami gathered his youngest daughter up in his arms and 
carried her through the palace. Yurino wrapped her arms around his 
neck and snuggled into him as much as she could.
	"I miss Minako," she said quietly.
	"I know, little one. We all do." 
	He wished he could take the shortest route to the carriage 
house, but in light of the impending attack from Metalia there was 
one other thing he wanted to check up on. He had to see, one more 
time. He had to be certain it was still locked away and safe.
	Temagami had almost reached the location when a commotion 
sounded from around the bend. He turned the corner and stopped in 
surprise. Yurino lifted her head.
	Stumbling down the corridor, limping and covered in blood, 
was Kunzite. His sword dragged on the ground behind him. He reached 
out his free hand towards Temagami. Between laboured gasps for air, 
he managed to rasp out, "Help...me...."
	"Kunzite!" Yurino exclaimed.
	Temagami set Yurino down. The second her bare feet touched 
the floor she broke into a run, moving towards Kunzite.
	Relieved as he was to see Kunzite, something seemed wrong. 
Temagami looked at Kunzite again, and realized the blood on 
Kunzite's armour wasn't his own. Panic flooded his entire body. 
"Yurino, no!" he shouted. 
	Yurino skidded to an abrupt stop just a few steps away from 
Kunzite. Her eyes were wide in surprise, her mouth moving though no 
sound came out. She stared up at Kunzite, unable to bring herself 
to believe that his sword was now buried in her throat. A trembling 
hand reached up, and she wrapped her fingers around the blade.
	Still gripping the handle of his katana, Kunzite leaned 
forward and kissed Yurino on the cheek. A second later he rammed 
the remaining length of the blade through her. Yurino made a quiet 
choking noise and went limp.
	Temagami screamed her name as she fell to the floor.
	Kunzite casually pulled the katana out. Slowly, pleasantly, 
he turned his head and looked at Temagami. "Hello, Lord Temagami." 
	Temagami could only stare at his daughter as he fell to his 
knees, tears coursing down his face. "What have you done?" he 
whispered.
	Kunzite made no indication of listening to him. "I've already 
visited your wife," Kunzite remarked, and examined his reflection 
in the bloodied blade. "And I really wanted to keep you for last, 
so this saves me the trouble of searching the entire palace for 
Yurino."
	Temagami froze, his gaze fixed on the crimson spattered 
across Kunzite. In a quiet voice he demanded, "What have you done 
to Chihiro?"
	Kunzite said nothing.
	Temagami's voice became louder. Angrier. "What have you done 
to Chihiro?!"
	Kunzite began to grin, his smile contorted. It barely looked 
human. He stepped over Yurino's corpse and advanced towards 
Temagami. "I promised Minako I'd see her one more time," Kunzite 
stated. "It would be rude of me not to bring her a present."
	Yurino's blood continued to drip off his sword as he moved 
towards Temagami. 
	Two guards rushed out from a connecting hall, weapons raised.
	Kunzite barely afforded them a second glance, and they barely 
even slowed him down. With his free hand, he grabbed the first 
guard by the face and smashed it into the wall. The other guard's 
head was taken off at the neck with a single blow from the katana. 
	"Well, that was pointless," Kunzite remarked as he glanced 
down at the bodies. Though he was rather curious as to how they had 
arrived so quickly when the alarm hadn't even sounded within the 
palace. 
	A twisted presence tapped at the edges of Kunzite's mind. It 
was not the call of his queen, but it was old and vaguely familiar. 
Kunzite looked down a connecting corridor, and saw a set of cruel 
iron doors. Something trapped within the darkness on the other side 
banged against them. 
	Kunzite began to laugh, quiet and heartless. "If my queen 
never saw fit to release you from that prison," he said over his 
shoulder to the doors, "what makes you think I'd be inclined to act 
otherwise? Sit in your mirror and rot forever."
	Locked away within her cage, Nehelenia fumed. There was 
little else she could do. Sleep overwhelmed her again, and her 
golden eyes slowly closed as pleasant oblivion overtook her senses. 
	Kunzite turned his head and grinned at Temagami. 
	"Never a moment's peace."


				*	*	*
	Endymion opened his eyes and saw the Earth hovering high over 
his head. Light trickled down through the dome, leaving most of the 
room obscured by shadows. Something soft was underneath him. 
Sheets. Pillows. A bed. Endymion blinked, blinked again and 
wondered what had happened to his armour. He tried lifting his head 
off the pillow.
	A woman's voice came from the shadows.
	It took Endymion a moment to realize it was Halcyon's.
	"Lie still," she said. "You are safe."
	Everything in his head was swimming. Endymion winced and 
pressed the base of his palm against his temple, desperate to clear 
away the disorientation. "What...what happened?"
	"You're on Lunaria," Halcyon told him. "However it happened, 
you managed to find a way into your city's Star Chamber and sent 
yourself here."
	A blinding flash of memories crashed into each other before 
Endymion's eyes. He saw the fangs and claws of the youma, the 
searing fires engulfing the city. He saw Nephrite standing on the 
other side of a bright light, watching him disappear.
	"Your Golden Crystal must be powerful indeed," Halcyon said. 
"Not only could it break Metalia's seal, but it also brought you 
here."
	"What's so surprising about that last part?" Endymion asked, 
sitting up.
	Halcyon leaned forward, her expression grave. "You don't 
understand, Endymion. As a security precaution, I ordered that our 
Star Chamber be deactivated. If your city fell, as it already has, 
then Beryl could not use the chamber to send a surprise assault 
force here. My people were in the process of dismantling it when 
you arrived."
	"And?"
	"The Star Chambers only work if both ends are operational. 
Our side was already cut off. Your teleportation should not have 
happened. You should not be here." She paused, allowing him to 
digest what she'd said. "You were unconscious on the floor when 
they found you. They considered killing you on the spot. 
Fortunately, the commander there contacted me. I had them bring you 
here and tend to your wounds. You've been asleep for the past few 
hours."
	Endymion stared down at the blankets covering him. In a quiet 
voice he said, "Edo is gone?"
	"Beryl burned whatever she could. Metalia destroyed the rest. 
I'm sorry."
	Endymion placed his head in his hands and let out a long, sad 
breath. "In the end, I couldn't save them."
	He felt the warmth of Halcyon's hand rest upon his shoulder. 
"Most of your people escaped. They may be scattered across the 
land, but they still live. And the ones who died, died protecting 
what they cared about the most. Under the circumstances, you did 
the best you could. You did the right thing."
	Her words brought comfort, though Endymion did not entirely 
believe in them. 
	"Beryl has Nephrite," he said. "All four of my Generals are 
gone."
	He turned his head towards Halcyon.
	Through the shadows he could see a faint silhouette of the 
Lunarian Queen seated upon a simple chair. In her lap, her hands 
cradled a strange sceptre in the shape of a crescent moon. The 
Ginzuisho sat within the crescent, a faint shimmer in the darkness. 
That Halcyon would have the Silver Crystal so openly displayed 
puzzled him.
	"What is that?" he asked.
	Halcyon glanced down at the sceptre.
	"An artefact from the Darkstorm Wars," Halcyon said. "The 
Seraphim of that time said it had been wielded by Sailor Moon, and 
as such was part of the legacy the Lunarian queens were to guard. 
It eventually was called the 'moon crescent wand'. It is said to 
amplify the powers of the Ginzuisho." 
	"You'll need it," Endymion said. 
	He told Halcyon about the battle. He told her everything he 
could remember. Whatever details or tactics he knew of or thought 
about, he shared with her. Halcyon spent most of her time 
listening. She asked questions only to clarify. When he asked about 
Super Sailor Jupiter, her answer was brief.
	"She's helping the others fortify the palace," Halcyon said. 
"Here on the moon, we have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and 
many different places the enemy can attack us from."
	"You could use the Ginzuisho and teleport the civilians to 
Earth right before the battle starts," Endymion offered. 
	"That would kill me in the process and change nothing in the 
end," Halcyon countered. "Wherever my people may flee to, unless we 
stop Metalia here she will chase after them until all of humanity 
is wiped out."
	They lapsed into grim, awkward silence.
	"Do you still think we can win this war?" Halcyon asked.
	"Maybe." Endymion shook his head at the idea. "Two Sailor 
Soldiers sacrificed themselves, and all they managed to do was put 
Metalia to sleep for a few hundred years. To destroy her once and 
for all...I don't know what could be done."
	He turned to Halcyon and held his palm over his chest. 
Shimmers of golden light flickered from his hand. "I can lend you 
whatever I have, whatever powers and skills I can manage. The 
Golden Crystal belongs to me, but I will use it to protect Lunaria 
however I can. Just tell me what you need me to do."
	A sad smile appeared on Halcyon's face as she stared down at 
the sceptre in her lap. "I am glad that you were willing to offer," 
she said, "but I must decline."
	She might as well have slapped him across the face.
	Endymion stared at her in disbelief, almost certain he'd 
heard her wrong. The light from the crystal vanished. "What? 
Halcyon, you said it yourself: the Golden Crystal is powerful! I 
don't know if it can compete with the Silver Crystal, but they came 
from similar starseeds. That has to count for something."
	Halcyon almost laughed, and Endymion cringed at the 
bitterness in her voice. "Again, you don't understand," she told 
him. "I very much wish for the power of the Golden Crystal...but I do 
not wish for you to be the one wielding its power. If it could be 
used separate of you, then yes. But I know better than anyone: 
these crystals bind themselves to the life force of their masters. 
Only you can wield its power."
	With a chilling realization, Endymion understood. "It's not 
the crystal you don't trust," he said quietly. "It's me."
	"There's no going back," Halcyon said. "Those were the words 
I said to Jadeite and Nephrite when we sent them to Earth to rescue 
you. I had no joy saying those words then. I do not even now, but 
they must be said."
	Endymion stiffened, his fingers crushing fistfuls of sheet. 
He had an unpleasant idea of where this was headed.  
	"I may want to trust you, Endymion," Halcyon said, "but for 
the sake of the future, I cannot. You may remain in this room, but 
you are a prisoner of Lunaria."
	His stomach twisted inside his chest.
	"This had better be a sick joke," Endymion stated. When 
Halcyon said nothing else, he practically leapt to his feet on the 
mattress. "I can still fight! You need everyone you can get! Why 
won't you believe me?"
	Halcyon looked away, pained by the ugliness of the situation. 
	"There must be a way," Endymion insisted. "Can't you use that 
crystal to prove I don't have any of Beryl's poison left in me?"
	"If it is capable of such ability," Halcyon said, "I do not 
know how to go about doing it."
	"Then what fucking use is it?" Endymion snapped. "We may not 
survive the night. None of us! My Generals and Cioran--they will 
not hesitate to kill your Soldiers. You need me. You need me to 
fight for you."
	Halcyon met his gaze, and there was so much sadness in her 
eyes. "And what would happen if I released you, and you began 
killing my Soldiers yourself? Or worse, my daughter? Would my life 
be forfeit too? You forget, Endymion: I tried to peer into you with 
the Ginzuisho when we first met. Even then, I could not sense the 
hold Beryl had on you. I could not sense it then, and I cannot 
sense it now. Nothing has changed."	
	"Then you have to trust me," Endymion said, pleading with 
her. "Dammit, why are you even here with me if you're so afraid I 
might start killing people on Beryl's command?"
	Sailor Neptune's voice echoed across the chamber: "Whoever 
said she was alone in this room with you?"
	Endymion froze, suddenly very much aware of how close he was 
to Halcyon. The shock and disorientation from the last few hours 
had dulled his senses. Frantic, he closed his eyes and calmed 
himself. Three other hearts beat within the room. He could feel the 
power radiating from Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune. One stood 
next to Halcyon in the shadows. The other stood at the far end of 
the bed, near the doorway.
	If he made any sudden movement, they'd probably kill him.
	Slowly he leaned away from Halcyon and sat back down in the 
middle of the bed.
	"So this is where our truce ends," he said icily. "I'm to sit 
here until Beryl comes and smashes down the walls."
	Halcyon rose from her chair, the sceptre clutched in her 
hands. Endymion could see a faint bit of movement on her left side 
from Sailor Uranus. "This room will be sealed when I go," Halcyon 
said as she moved into the shadows. "Leave it, and you will be a 
hunted man. No matter what we have shared in the past, my guards 
will kill you if they see you. Even if you were unaware and 
unwilling, you've betrayed me once. I will not risk it again, not 
when we are on the verge of everything ending."
	A fierce light crashed into Endymion's sight as the door 
opened up, forcing him to shield his eyes. "Don't do this," he said 
to her. "Please."
	Halcyon paused in the doorway and looked back at him. "I am 
sorry, Endymion."
	The door closed behind her, plunging him back into shadow.


				*	*	*
	Edo had fallen. 
	Abandoned and desolate, it cringed beneath Metalia as she 
swirled and danced across the heavens. Flickers of her grinning 
mouth and terrifying eyes appeared overtop the ruined palace. If 
Zoicite didn't know any better, he swore she was enjoying the sight 
of the entire city burning out of control. He turned away, the 
otherwise dark night behind him lit up by the walls of flame.
	The fields around the ruined city swarmed with youma. Many 
were dancing to the sound of the inferno, drunk on the blood of 
Endymion's soldiers. Others had curled up to sleep and lick the 
wounds inflicted upon them. At the far end of the field, the flat 
earth turned into foothills, where the human faction of Beryl's 
army waited. Beryl's tents decorated the edge of the hills, giving 
most of her commanders a spectacular view of the destruction. 
	Zoicite ducked into one of the larger tents and found the 
others.
	Bound and gagged, Nephrite writhed and screamed through the 
cloth stuffed into his mouth. A different chain was shackled to 
each wrist and each ankle. Whenever he managed to get back up, he 
lunged at Beryl, and always came within inches of smashing his 
forehead into her chin. Then the chains would go taut, never giving 
no matter how hard he strained, and Lapis would suddenly be 
standing behind him.
	Nephrite gave a muffled shout as Lapis raked her nails down 
his back. He dropped to his knees, his entire body jolted as Lapis 
left another series of marks across the back of his neck. His 
eyelids began to droop, no matter how hard he fought against Lapis 
burrowing into his mind. 
	Zoicite glanced around. "Where's Jadeite?"
	"Probably rolling in the corpses," Cioran replied. He had 
chosen to stand near the far end of the tent, putting him within 
arm's reach of the other prisoner. "I'm going to recommend he take 
a bath before we invade Lunaria. I don't want to be smelling the 
fresh death on him on our journey."
	Zoicite muttered something to himself, still looking around 
the tent. "And where the hell is Kunzite?"
	"Elsewhere."
	"Elsewhere? What kind of an answer is that?"
	Cioran growled, "The kind that tells you I don't know where 
he is, but evidently our queen does, and as she sees fit not to 
tell us there's no point in pressing the matter any further."
	Zoicite scowled and stormed out of the tent. Cioran barely 
gave him a second glance; the original Zoicite had been a much more 
enjoyable character. He missed the soldier he'd fought alongside 
and trained with inside the Seraphim's chambers. This new version 
was little more than an opportunist and a sadist. At the very least 
Kunzite had displayed some finesse after embracing Beryl as his 
queen. 
	That last thought made Cioran shift his attention to Beryl.
	She watched silently as Nephrite was tortured in front of 
her, and for as cruel as Lapis was, Beryl took no pleasure in 
seeing the last of the four Generals being turned. She'd forgotten 
about the Star Chamber, and as a result Endymion had escaped. Her 
grief over losing Lazuli had made her lose focus. Made her lose the 
prince she had grown so fond of having around as her personal 
slave. The first thing she'd done after taking Nephrite prisoner 
was have Metalia level the palace. 
	Nothing could escape now.
	Beryl didn't care to pursue the refugees; it would be a waste 
of time, and Metalia was growing restless. Beyond finishing their 
current task, there was nothing left to keep them on Earth. Metalia 
wanted Lunaria. She wanted Endymion. Soon enough, they would both 
be granted their darkest wishes.
	Nephrite collapsed onto the floor, and Lapis straddled his 
waist. She scratched her nails across his chest, giggling as she 
carved intricate runes into his flesh. Nephrite barely offered up 
any fight now, his eyes rolling back into his skull.
	Despite the risk of leaving the other prisoner unattended, 
Cioran crossed the tent and stood in behind Beryl. "I know she's 
being vigorous to forget what happened last night," he said 
quietly. "But without her sister, Lapis is not stable enough to 
maintain the hold. Jadeite was different; the demon already within 
him makes him easier to control. But the control we'll have over 
Nephrite will not be as strong or complete as with the others. He 
may one day turn against us."
	Beryl's expression remained unchanged. "I only need him long 
enough to conquer Lunaria," she said. "After that it won't matter." 
	Lapis cupped Nephrite's cheeks in her palms and lifted his 
face off the ground. His blood still decorated her lips as she 
pressed her mouth against his and kissed him. One of Nephrite's 
hands lifted up, shaking as it reached for her. The fingers 
strained and sought, desperate to close around her neck and squeeze 
every last infernal breath from her. 
	Out of the corner of her eye, Lapis saw his hand. She smiled 
and slid her tongue into Nephrite's mouth. When they reached Lapis' 
face, his fingers caressed her cheek and began to play with her 
hair. 
	Beryl turned away.
	"Do you know why I have kept all of you untainted by 
Metalia's essence?" she asked. 
	Cioran knew it was a question she was about to answer. He 
kept his mouth shut. 
	"Being exposed to Metalia's essence completely corrupts the 
human mind and form in a matter of seconds," Beryl said. "I myself 
am proof of this, though because the seal was still functioning 
reasonably well, Garnet received only a very diluted amount. Were 
it more, even I would look and behave no different from the youma 
army we are amassing. Endymion's Generals, like you, Cioran, are 
key figures in our conquest. I need you all for your knowledge and 
skills, not for your sheer brute power. 
	"If I gave any of you even the smallest fraction of Metalia's 
essence, you would be soldiers serving no greater purpose than 
fodder. That is why instead, I had my twins Farsense into your 
minds and reshape your loyalties. Youma are like sheep; they are 
easily herded, and have very little will or thoughts of their own. 
My new Generals will be the ones to lead them, to give them purpose 
and direction. My new Generals also know the personal weaknesses 
the Sailor Soldiers have, and can exploit them."
	They both turned their heads as they heard Lapis let out a 
soft moan.
	Despite the chains, Nephrite was sitting up and kissing her. 
Their hands were roaming over each other's bodies, excited and 
possessive. It didn't look like either of them wanted to or were 
going to stop.
	Beryl crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. 
"Prepare my armies," she said aside to Cioran. "When Nephrite is 
ready, we go to war. I have new weapons being forged just for the 
occasion. I intend to see the total downfall of Lunaria, Cioran. 
Not partial. Not eventual. Before the night is gone, I want 
everything to burn beneath the dark storm of Metalia."
	"Then I shall see to it your desire comes to pass," Cioran 
stated, and bowed his head. He disappeared into the night, the tent 
flap falling closed behind him. 
	Beryl turned her attention to the other prisoner trapped 
within the tent. The chains around Karasu's body were different 
than the ones they'd bound Nephrite with. The metal links wrapped 
around Karasu were black and pulsated as if alive. Beryl deemed him 
as much a threat as Jadeite had been hours earlier; those chains 
were forged from Metalia herself.
	Karasu knelt on the mats spread across the floor of the tent, 
his arms crossed over his front and shackled to other chains 
running along his shoulders and chest. His breathing was still slow 
and haggard, and the chains were not helping. In the end, she'd 
been forced to step into the fray herself and help subdue Karasu. 
The resulting battle had left him cut apart on the outside and 
inside, and Beryl's right arm paralysed for hours.
	Now he sat in her presence, having said very little of 
anything since waking up and seeing Lapis finish her breaking of 
Nephrite.
	Beryl glanced over at Lapis. "Talented, isn't she?"
	Her words seemed empty, the pride gone from her voice.
	Karasu continued to watch Lapis with careful appraisal. "It 
appears you've learned a few new things since you disappeared, 
Garnet."
	Under other circumstances, Beryl would have smiled. She 
didn't care to gloat or revel in the tension on Karasu's face. 
Seeing only Lapis there reminded her too much of Lazuli's absence. 
"So you did notice after all," Beryl said.
	"The hair is different," Karasu said. "And the fangs are 
certainly new. But something in your eyes remains unchanged. That 
is what I recognized."
	"If you say there's still hope for me, Master Karasu--"
	"There's nothing left of Garnet," Karasu said, suddenly 
turning his gaze towards her. "You devoured her, Beryl, and now you 
are all that remains."
	He turned his head and looked away, a faint smile appearing 
on his face. "I still remember the first day I found Garnet-
wandering the mountainside, looking so hopelessly lost. But that 
been your intention all along, hadn't it? You wanted me to find 
her."
	"Metalia made it very clear that I would require that sort of 
power if I was to stay properly hidden," Beryl said. "I needed you 
to teach me the ways of the Farseer."
	Unfortunately, she'd had to wait until she came of age, and 
by then Karasu had retired from the Seraphim Order and vanished. 
Years spent in the company of scholars and aristocrats who touted 
her achievements and always said how melancholy it must have been 
to lose her parents in that accident. Only when she reached that 
age was she able to leave Lunaria of her own volition and search 
Earth, bringing her in time to the famed and reclusive farseer of 
Nihongo.
	"So many quiet, wonderful years spent together," Beryl said. 
"You taught her so much, Master Karasu, and you didn't even ask if 
she had a past or a family or a home to go to."
	"Knowing would have made little difference. She had a natural 
gift and a willingness to learn." 
	She asked him, "Do you still regret having taken that 
Lunarian woman in?"
	"No," Karasu said. "but I regret what she became."
	Beryl stared down at her former sensei. "You've changed very 
little. Even now you act as if this is just some distant stage play 
being put on by a group of children. Have you forgotten how she 
came to you that one night and warmed you with her own body? Have 
you forgotten the nights you spent together after that? Garnet may 
have loved you, Master Karasu. I simply used you to learn the 
Farsensing techniques, and in the end I was her master." 
	A commotion from the centre of the tent distracted them.
	Nephrite was moving his touch and tongue lower and lower down 
Lapis' chest. Lapis abruptly grabbed a handful of Nephrite's hair 
and yanked him away from her skin. "Not there," she hissed. 
Nephrite was compliant and willing as he stared up at the tears 
starting to run down Lapis' face. "Only she could kiss me there," 
Lapis said to him, "and she's not here anymore, so no one will ever 
press their lips to that sacred place ever again."
	When she let go of Nephrite's hair, he pressed himself 
against her once more, and Lapis allowed him to move all over her. 
He never returned to that one forbidden place on her body. It still 
didn't stop Lapis from scratching at his skin with her nails.
	"Is that why you disappeared?" Karasu asked. "When you 
learned she was pregnant?"
	"You would have raised them properly," Beryl said. "You would 
have raised them to fight against Metalia. But with me to guide 
them, they became more powerful than either of us ever imagined."
	"Had that been a part of your plan too?"
	Beryl shook her head. "Lapis and Lazuli were unexpected, and 
I loved them. I always loved them."
	Karasu lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I believe you," 
he said. When his eyes opened back up, he looked directly at Beryl 
and told her, "If you continue with this war, you will die."
	"I've heard this sermon already, Master Karasu," Beryl said 
sharply. "Endymion's Generals all gave it to me in one form or 
another. 'The Darkstorm only leads to destruction. If I think I'll 
be spared, I'm dead wrong.' I'm disappointed to hear the same tired 
speech come from you as well. I expected more of you."
	Karasu shook his head. "You misinterpret my words, Beryl. It 
doesn't matter what the Darkstorm ultimately decides to do with 
you. If you do not stand down, one way or another you will die."
	She glanced down at him. "And you've seen this?"
	"If not in life, then in the next."
	"You're bluffing."
	Karasu grinned. It was one of the few grins that made Beryl 
want to step away. "You make me one of those mindless monsters," he 
whispered, "and you'll never know if I am until it's too late."


				*	*	*
	Endymion was sitting at the foot of the bed and staring 
blankly at the floor when the door opened up. He lifted his gaze 
and saw Sailor Pluto standing in the doorway, her key-shaped staff 
grasped in her hands. It was not exactly a comforting sight.
	"What do you want?" he asked, looking away.
	Pluto glanced down the corridor. "Your former lodgings are 
not very far from here, along with everything you left behind. And 
no one's thought to change the locks on the doors. They should 
still open for you." 
	Slowly, incredulously, Endymion looked back at her. 
	Before he could ask any questions, something long and heavy 
landed on the sheets next to him. In the dim light, Endymion didn't 
need to ask what it was. One of his hands reached over and came to 
rest upon the scabbard for the Soul Constellation.
	"You'll need that," Pluto told him.
	Endymion grabbed his sword and rose from the bed. Without any 
place to easily fasten the scabbard to, he'd be forced to carry it 
in his hands until he reached his old chambers.
	"Why are you doing this?" he asked.
	"Because it has to be done," Pluto answered. "The Hundred 
Gate shows me many things, Endymion. Not everything I see is 
relevant, or can protect us in this dark hour. But I do know you 
must not linger in this room. Go to where you must be."
	"There's a lot of places I could be," Endymion said.
	"No. Only one." Sailor Pluto turned away and disappeared from 
the doorway. "What is it you want to protect the most?"
	When Endymion followed out after her, she was gone. The 
corridor was empty, and the door to his elegant prison sealed shut 
behind him. Endymion began to thread his way back to the guest 
quarters, though the journey was slower than he'd have liked it to 
be. It took him wandering through two sections before he regained 
his bearings and realized where in the palace he was. Numerous 
people, some dressed in armour and others dressed in elaborate 
costumes, traversed the halls, forcing Endymion to duck and hide.
	Just as Pluto had said, the double doors to their former 
quarters swung open when he approached, though their movements were 
shaky. Endymion idly wondered if he could have just stuck his arm 
through the gaping hole and unlocked the doors himself. 
	He hesitated at the threshold as a cold chill wormed its way 
down his spine. The lights flickered on, but did not entirely work. 
The doors swung shut behind Endymion as he stepped inside and 
beheld what was left of their private sanctuary. The furniture had 
been shoved aside, many of the chairs toppled over. A few had been 
reduced to splinters and cushions. Blood stained the floors and 
pillars in numerous places. Everything felt tainted and horribly 
wrong.
	Endymion's grip on his scabbard tightened. He marched through 
the middle of the common room and into his chambers. At least here 
the air wasn't so stagnant. Endymion closed the doors to his room 
and looked around. Most of his belongings were right where he'd 
last left them: clothes, weapons, personal items. Endymion opened 
up one of his closets and beheld a full, regal suit of black 
Lunarian armour. 
	A gift from Halcyon in the aftermath of Spinel's attack.
	There were not a lot of other options for him. His extra 
pieces of Terran armour would make him unpleasantly obvious to 
anyone he crossed paths with, and he did not entirely relish 
dressing up. Endymion tossed his sword on the bed and rested a hand 
on the breastplate of the armour.
	Would this be the best way to see her again?
	There were many questions, many doubts. The last time he'd 
been with Serenity, he was a monster. He couldn't even be certain 
Super Sailor Jupiter had been given the chance to talk to her, or 
what her response might have been. Endymion pushed the fears aside 
and donned the armour. He would learn how she felt soon enough. 
There was not enough time left for hesitation.
	The Soul Constellation sheathed at his side, Endymion moved 
back out into the palace and began the search for the one he wanted 
to protect the most. It was difficult to guess where he might find 
her: Halcyon could easily have Serenity under lock and key, or else 
confined to the areas of the palace where only the royal family was 
allowed.
	Endymion closed his eyes and focused everything he could on 
the Golden Crystal. There was no sudden explosion of light, no 
grand display of power. A comforting warmth grew within his chest, 
radiating out into every limb of his body. It seemed so familiar, 
like the scent of his father. 
	He never pleaded. He did not shout or demand. 
	Endymion simply asked.
	Whispers filled his ears.
	He turned his head and looked through hole in the main doors. 
He caught a glimpse of Helios standing in the corridor, head turned 
as if watching something further down the hall. Endymion followed 
after Helios' shadow. At every juncture, all he had to do was look 
around; somewhere further along the path, Helios stood and waited 
for him to catch up.
	Endymion found her at the end of the world party.
	She stood at the edge of a balcony, overlooking a fountain 
that spanned the entire expanse of a courtyard below. Her eyes were 
lifted up at the quiet Earth. Fireworks exploded in the skies, 
decorating the heavens in radiant colours of red, blue and yellow. 
Serenity stood in silence, unwilling to turn around and join the 
others in their final acts of revelry, unable to sit in solitude 
within her own private chambers.
	A midnight wind stirred to life, playing with the folds of 
her white dress and the long, golden tresses of her hair. Serenity 
shifted her stance and looked down at the fountains below. She saw 
him standing next to the water, staring up at her.
	"Princess Serenity," he whispered.
	Serenity stared down at him in surprise. "Prince Endymion."
	It felt like an eternity since Endymion had last seen her 
face. He remembered falling asleep next to her in the gardens; the 
soft touch of her skin whenever he ran his fingers along her 
cheeks; the beauty in her blue eyes. He wanted so much to run to 
her, to cross through shadow and air, and land next to her, to wrap 
her up in his arms and feel the heat of her lips against his. For 
all he longed to do, Endymion remained where he was. And the 
distance between them brought only pain.
	A loud cheer came from the party in the ballroom behind her. 
They both glanced over to the towering windows. Inside, masked 
dancers drank and sang and tried to forget how long they had left.
	"It sounds like a wonderful party in there," Endymion said, 
and added, "Sorry I'm late."
	Serenity smiled down at him, tears welling up in her eyes. "I 
was waiting for you." She looked so happy to see him, overwhelmed 
and relieved and wanting so much to be caught up in his arms. Her 
fragile smile began to fade. "Why aren't you moving?"
	Endymion forced himself to "It's safer if I remain here. For 
both of us."
	Another series of fireworks went off behind him, their light 
casting his shadow upon the stones.
	"I was ready to kill you, Serenity," he told her. "I almost 
did. I am the reason the Darkstorm has returned. And now Beryl has 
taken advantage of the Terran's yearning for the longevity of your 
people. It won't be long before she comes for Lunaria."
	Serenity clasped her hands together and brought them against 
her chest. It looked as if she was holding something. Endymion had 
no idea what it was until he heard the music.
	Serenity set the star-shaped locket onto the railing. "You 
forgot this. I've been keeping it safe until you returned." She 
looked away from the locket, staring down at Endymion. "Why do you 
hesitate?"
	"Even though the Golden Crystal has purified me, Halcyon 
cannot afford to trust me." He looked away. "Most of my people have 
been brainwashed by Beryl. The others are scattered and in hiding. 
I've lost almost everyone I ever trusted or cared about. You're all 
I have left."
	Endymion clenched his fists and forced himself to meet her 
gaze. "I have to know: do you still believe in me?"
	The way she smiled at him seemed odd, as if she had suddenly 
become so wise and was trying not to laugh at how foolish his words 
seemed. Serenity picked up the locket and opened her mouth to 
speak.
	Another voice boomed across the courtyard instead, and it was 
cold and cruel.
	"Who's there?"
	Endymion winced as he looked over his shoulder and saw a trio 
of guards glaring at him through their suits of armour. Each of 
them brandished a particularly unpleasant-looking poleaxe. There 
was no going back anymore. The alarm would be raised, and every 
soldier in the palace would be hunting him now.
	Endymion looked back up at Serenity for as long as he dared.  
"At the ball!" he called to her, then ran for all he was worth.
	The guards chased after him.
	He didn't have the opportunity to look back and see whatever 
expression she might have given him as he ran. He couldn't hear any 
sort of response from her over the clanking of metal and the echoes 
of their footfalls against the stone.
	The masquerade would be her answer.
	If she came for him there, he would know.
	If she didn't, then he had lost truly everything.


				*	*	*
	Serenity made her way into the ballroom. 
	On the floor below, Lunarians paraded about in costumes and 
masks, laughing and drinking with each other. Many looked out 
through the windows and watched the fireworks. No one wanted to be 
alone, from the clusters of strangers finding comfort in their 
situation, to the couples holding each other tightly on the dance 
floor. The music was far from loud and boisterous. It was a time to 
forget and a time to remember all at once.
	Serenity searched the crowds for a familiar face, but saw 
none.
	She moved down the stairs, one hand holding up her dress, the 
other gripping the banister. With each step, she sought to find 
Endymion somewhere in the masses. All she saw were fanciful gowns 
and ornate masks.
	On her final step, a hand reached out and gently came to rest 
upon hers.
	Serenity turned her head. A stranger in a black tuxedo was 
smiling at her, a simple white domino obscuring his eyes from view. 
"Princess," he said to her. "May I?"
	It took Serenity a moment to recognize him. 
	He led her into the crowd for one last dance.
	One last stand together.
	Women looked on at the masked stranger dancing with Serenity, 
jealous more of the expression on her face than the beauty of her 
dance partner. For a time neither spoke any words, letting the 
motions of their bodies guide them through confessions and 
affirmations. The music grew quiet and respectful, giving them the 
chance to hold each other.
	Serenity's embrace around him tightened, as if she were 
afraid if she loosened her grip he would vanish like a dream. 
"Endymion."
	"Please pardon my appearance," he said to her. "But right 
now, in the eyes of Lunaria, you and I have become enemies. I 
cannot let them see who I am."
	"How did you change so fast?" she asked.
	Endymion began to smirk. "Apparently it's one of the Golden 
Crystal's abilities. It's not quite as dramatic as your Sailor 
Soldiers, but it'll do for now."
	He pulled her against his chest, and they circled together. 
The world seemed to fade around them, and all they knew were the 
touch and sounds of one another. 
	"Are we truly enemies?" Serenity asked.
	Endymion bent her over, dipping her low to the ground. Her 
every movement was graceful and slow, so much trust being placed in 
him to keep her from harm.
	"I appeared on the moon right before my city was destroyed by 
Metalia," he said, drawing her back up. "Halcyon has no way of 
knowing whether Beryl captured me earlier on in the siege, and sent 
me here to assassinate you or someone else. And I cannot prove that 
I am still an ally. She's doing what she must...and so am I."
	Serenity leaned into his arms. "I never gave up hope."
	She could feel the warmth of his body even through his 
clothes, and with it the comforting energy of the Golden Crystal. 
The princess allowed herself a moment to close her eyes and 
surround herself with his scent. When her eyes opened, they were 
clouded with worry.
	Endymion bent over and whispered into her ear, "Come with 
me."
	He brought her out from the ballroom, and they stood upon a 
patio that overlooked the Sea of Serenity. Endymion removed his 
mask and held it over the railing. The winds snatched the mask from 
his fingertips, carrying it down into the water.
	"If we do nothing, this moon will be destroyed, and the Earth 
will soon follow," he said. "I wish I knew a way to obliterate 
Metalia and crush Beryl's ambitions, but I do not. Everything seems 
hopeless, and yet all I can think about is being here with you."
	Serenity stretched out her hands, presenting him with the 
Star Locket. The lid flipped open, its haunting melody beginning 
anew. "This belongs to you," she told him. "It was my gift to you 
then. It still is now. Endymion, I want to see the green trees and 
feel the evening wind against my face. I want you to show me how 
beautiful your world is."
	Endymion placed a hand over the locket, closing the lid and 
delicately silencing the song. "We may not survive the night."
	"Whether or not we survive," Serenity told him, "we will 
protect this world together as best we can."
	They were so close, the warmth of their breaths caressing 
each other's cheeks.
	"I never did say the words before," he said. "You deserve to 
hear them now. I love you, Serenity. I would do anything to see you 
smile. All that I am, all that I will ever be, I want to give to 
you."
	Serenity closed her eyes as their lips met in one last, 
tender kiss.
	Endymion wrapped her up in his cape and embrace, holding her 
for as long as she wished. He did not pull away even when the tears 
began to slide down her cheeks. 
	Worlds rise and fall. Millennia begin and end. And yet there 
is always one thing stronger than the darkness, one thing that will 
stand even when everything else crumbles around it. 
	Hope.







	The curtains close on a kiss-
	God knows
	We can tell the end is near
	Where do we go from here?

	--Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "Once More With Feeling"







Sailormoon, its characters, struggles and story, are the 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 this tale, and if you wish to make use of 
them I'd rather you asked first than after the fact.

Whenever possible, the final scenes between Endymion and Serenity 
were closely based off of episode 44 from the anime series made by 
Toei & Kodansha. Certain portions of dialogue were taken from the 
ADV subtitles & translation, though many lines were redesigned in 
one way or another to suit the nature of this story.

Close, personal thanks goes out to: Mel, for being willing to give 
ideas and critiques at this junction in the story, despite knowing 
how it shall end; and to the Fic Bitch, who will one day take me in 
as her apprentice and teach me proper Google-fu techniques.

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










		and finally...

				...the end of everything you know