Earth
Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
WARNING: Contains character death and
moderate violence.
Act Forty Eight Recap:
(Mamoru’s POV)
“You need to save your energy” Mercury spoke, her voice
cold but betraying hints of fear and apprehension in its depth. “I will open
the portal into the Dark Kingdom.”
Kunzite laughed softly, “We’re not going to trust you. You
betrayed us once before. Who’s to say that you will not be delivering us
straight to Beryl?”
Mercury held his scornful gaze and answered steadily, “I
no longer work for Beryl.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You won’t get into the Dark Kingdom without my help.”
“We can manage.”
“No. You can’t.”
Dark Mercury opened a portal into the Dark Kingdom, but
Kuroki Mio was waiting to greet her.
“Mercury” she spoke softly, “You dare to return here. The
dare to return and still you betray us by bringing the Tennou and Endymion also
to our Kingdom. For that you must suffer.”
Taro stepped between them and took the hit meant for her.
I never would have guessed that Taro could have feelings for one of the Senshi,
let alone keep these feelings hidden for as long as he did.
I couldn’t think straight. Taro was dead. He was dead
because of me. Again someone precious to me was gone because of the past life.
“Mamoru” Zoisite placed a hand on his shoulder, gently
shaking him, “We’ve got to follow Kunzite. If we don’t go now then we could
lose him, too.”
Endymion shrugged away from this contact. How could
Zoisite simply shrug this off? Taro was dead. Did that mean nothing to him?
Glancing up at his friend, Endymion realised, with some
shame, that this wasn’t true. Zoisite was shaking, his gaze refusing to fall
upon Taro and his eyes held a somewhat glassy look in them, as though he was
struggling not to break down.
“We have to go” he said softly, “Master, please.”
Despite our agony, I knew that Zoisite was right. We had
to leave. Taro wouldn’t have wanted us to be like this. We must find Kunzite
and follow through our mission; to destroy the Dark Kingdom.
No one else would lose his life over the mission. They
were the Shitennou whose duty was to protect the Prince, but Endymion did not
care for the laws of the old kingdom. As the Prince, it was his duty to protect
them and this he would do, even at the cost of his own life.
That was the vow that I made, to both myself and my
friends, but… but I don’t know if it’s a vow I will be able to keep…
******
Act Forty-Nine:
“That may be so” Kunzite agreed quietly, “But you killed
him, not Mamoru.”
Mio’s smirk slowly underwent a transformation at his
words. Tightening at the edges, until it became a frown and then fading all
together, Mio turned and fled back down the tunnels, her footsteps pounding on
the stone emphasizing her terror.
Kunzite tore after her, ignoring Zoisite’s shouts for him
to stop.
Kunzite raced down the tunnels of the Dark Kingdom, his
rage fuelling his flight as all he could see when he closed his eyes were
Taro’s last moments. Although they had, had their differences in the past,
Kunzite could have confidently said that, aside from Mamoru, the one of them
that he felt closest too was Taro.
None of us did… this wasn’t our fault…
Now he was dead. He was dead and, while Kunzite had known
that there would be casualties, as there was in any war, he had wanted to
protect them. As the leader of the Shitennou, he felt a certain duty towards
the younger Tennou and he had betrayed this duty.
“But you killed him, not Mamoru.”
Kuroki Mio… this was all down to her and Kunzite resolved
to kill her. Whether this would make himself feel better about what happened or
it would simply accentuate the fact that his friend was dead, he did not know.
All he did know was that Taro was gone. Even if they won this battle against
the Dark Kingdom they would return home without him. No matter who won the day,
Taro would still be dead and his killer had to pay for this.
Kunzite halted as his flight led him into a room, leading
off from the main corridors. It was lighter inside. A purple illumination
shining through the windows to fall upon the girl standing in the centre of it,
her back facing him, but despite this, Kunzite could still see the fine tremors
that shook her body.
Slowly, Kuroki Mio turned around, her hands clasped
tightly in front of her as she whispered, “Please”
That smile, once seen as a symbol of helplessness and
innocence, did nothing but send shivers up Kunzite’s spine. He pointed his
sword at her, holding her tear stained gaze as he spoke:
“You dare to plead with me? You wish to be shown mercy
when you gave Taro none?”
“He got in my way.”
“What about Hina? Did she also get in your way?”
Mio’s fear slowly faded at his words and was replaced by a
hardened frown as she answered, “This is war, Kunzite. How can you expect
anything less?”
“I didn’t but I swore to protect them both”
“And you failed.”
“Yes” Kunzite admitted, as he ran a gloved hand down his
sword, charging it with his trademark blue light, “I failed him, but I will not
allow his death to go un-avenged.”
With these words, he flung his sword hand out, letting the
blue magics fly directly towards his enemy. Mio shrieked in a mixture of
surprise and fear and she was unable to black the attack that sent her crashing
back into the wall behind.
She hit the ground and for a minute neither party moved.
Kunzite’s gaze locked on the fallen girl and Mio’s own at the dirt beneath her
cheek. Then, as though moving in slow motion, she raised her head. A delicate
hand reached up and touched her split lip, glowering in disgust when she
glanced down at her fingertips and saw the sticky red blood that painted her
nails.
“Unforgivable” she said softly, her eyebrows knitting
together in a furrowed frown as she raised a hand.
Kunzite barely had time to shield himself from her attack,
holding his cape out in front of him to act as a defence. Still, the attack
forced him to stumble back a few paces. Never before had he felt such power
behind a blow. Kuroki Mio wasn’t Beryl… but she came close to equalling her
Queen in strength.
Gritting his teeth, Kunzite forced himself to counter
this, but his attack was weaker and was easily dispelled by the witch before
him.
Discarding his magical tactics, Kunzite lunged at her with
his sword, catching the girl by surprise and managing to cut through the fabric
of her black dress, just below the thigh. She stumbled back further, a thin
trickle of blood welling up through the torn flesh, her eyes still glaring
hatefully up at him and Kunzite shuddered as he recalled that hated.
It had withstood a thousand years of being sealed deep
within the depths of the Earth. A fury of a woman scorned that had lasted
longer than even Endymion and Serenity’s love itself.
As they stared at each other, Kunzite recognised the true
nature of the beast before him.
In one skilful arch, Kunzite swung his blade upwards,
knocking his opponent’s sword from his hand and it flew behind him, imbedding
itself in the lush grass of the palace grounds.
Endymion frowned unhappily at this latest defeat, even as
Kunzite walked to retrieve the blade, handing it to his Prince and then placing
a gentle hand on his shoulder:
“Master, you attack too reluctantly. Do you think an enemy
will show you mercy?”
Endymion shook his head, obviously chastened by this
gentle reminder and the fact that both Jadeite and Nephrite had broken off from
their own sparring to watch his defeat with some amusement. Kunzite smiled
affectionately at his Prince, knowing full well that Endymion would never
become a master swordsman.
Of course, this didn’t mean that he didn’t have to learn
how to protect himself. The Shitennou guarding him was not enough. Kunzite knew
full well that there might come a time when Endymion would be alone.
“That is enough for today,” Kunzite decided finally, not
wishing to cause his Master any humiliation and Endymion seemed relieved of
this and returned his smile before requesting that they must go back inside.
Kunzite knew the real meaning behind his words and turned away with a wild
sweep of his cape. The Lunarian Princess was visiting with her Senshi guard and
Kunzite had only too well noted the look of longing and awe in Endymion’s eyes
when addressing Serenity.
Admiration was one thing, but Kunzite had long since
suspected that his Master’s feelings coursed deeper than this.
As he started to walk away, he became aware of two things.
One was the sound of a piano playing, from inside the palace. Changing his
course, Kunzite decided to pay the second strongest Tennou a visit. Although he
would never admit to it, he often sought Zoisite’s counsel, especially when he
was concerned about the Master. Zoisite offered good advice, even though
Kunzite rarely acted upon it.
The other was the sound of a female voice calling
Endymion’s name. Casting a glance over his shoulder, Kunzite saw, with some
distaste, that it was courtier Beryl who called after his Prince, her long red
curls trailing behind her on the slight breeze as she made it to Endymion’s
side. Kunzite didn’t like Beryl. There was something about her, a wild anger
that made her dangerous. He disproved of her very obvious love for Endymion, as
unrequited as it were, and had secretly ordered Jadeite and Nephrite to keep an
eye on things, just in case.
As he watched, Beryl said something and gently clutched
hold of Endymion’s arm. To this, the Prince shrugged her off and turned away,
ignoring the glowering features of the young woman.
Kunzite met her gaze and held it for a few moments more
before he, too, disappeared inside the palace, walking swiftly towards the
music room.
Meeting Kuroki Mio’s gaze, Kunzite now recognised the true
nature of the girl. She was Beryl. She was the Beryl that had lived
before Metallia’s corruption had blackened her soul. Of course, she took on a
different face, but there was the same element of fury and danger that Kunzite
had sensed in the palace gardens in her eyes. Kuroki Mio… Beryl… they were one
of the same, even if they themselves refused to realise it.
So stunned was Kunzite, that he did not react when she
raised a hand, almost thinking of striking him again now that he was in shock
and then thinking better of it. Lowering her arm, Mio simply invoked a
teleport, leaving a trail of black rose petals in her wake.
Kunzite sheathed his sword; leaning back against the cool
tunnel he exhaled deeply, the bittersweet memories of the past life threatening
to overcome him as he recalled his fury of earlier and Zoisite’s words.
He shouldn’t have abandoned them. Zoisite could not
protect the Master alone. Driven by his desire for revenge, revenge which he
had not obtained, Kunzite had completely forgotten the true mission.
******
Beryl whirled around, as she felt the aura of her shadow
depart. Kuroki Mio… the symbol of who she once was and had longed to be again.
The Dark Kingdom was crumbling. Beryl had even sensed the last Senshi’s
destruction, be it by her own hand. Soon Endymion would come here and Beryl
would await his arrival.
With two of the Shitennou dead and one deserting them,
Beryl knew that victory was near at hand. No longer caring for the planet, the
red haired Queen could only focus on one thing; making Endymion her own, by any
means necessary.
******
“Welcome, Endymion. Welcome to the Dark Kingdom”
Endymion stood stock still as he gazed upon the red haired
Queen, her very presence igniting the fear he had felt when he had truly looked
at her for the first time.
Despite the crumbling Kingdom around her, Beryl’s regal
and charismatic air was difficult to deny. It was how she had obtained her
position in the old kingdom, Endymion reminded himself. Always the innocent one
to conceal the snake coiled around her soul.
A smile flickered across her lips as she took a step
towards them, her purple dress rustling as she moved, her arms outstretched as
though to embrace him.
Endymion backed away, his hand on the hilt of his sword,
even before Zoisite stepped forwards, his gaze narrowing as he glared hatefully
upon the demon Queen.
Beryl’s smile slowly faded, the corners turning down into
a displeased grimace as she called up her powers. She hurled a stream of purple
and black energy straight at the white haired Tennou. Zoisite struggled to
block this attack with his own powers, but the magics tore through his shield
and threw him backwards.
“Zoisite!” Endymion shouted, his heart skipping a beat as
his friend slammed into the cave wall and fell down, semi-conscious, his sword
falling from his hand.
Endymion amended this though as he tore his gaze from his
fallen friend and looked back upon the Queen. Beryl was shaking with the mere
exertion of that one attack, her hands curled into fists at her sides. Her
breath was coming out in ragged gasps as he hateful glare met his own.
That attack, Endymion knew, had been meant to kill.
“Master” Zoisite whispered, stumbling up onto his knees as
they both drew the same conclusion.
Before, when Mamoru had gone with Kisho and Usagi to
rescue Taro from the Dark Kingdom, it had held a certain aura. A heaviness that
threatened to settle of his soul and magnify every little niggling fear in the
back of his mind into something far worse and even more terrifying. Now there
was nothing. Only the dull silence and foreboding of the atmosphere. Metallia’s
essence, where once it had been ripe in hatred and bitterness, no longer echoed
down the halls of the Kingdom.
“What have you done?” Endymion demanded softly, causing
Beryl to take a hesitant step backwards.
“She… she was growing too strong” the Queen’s harsh
demeanour was fast fading when faced with defeat and she stumbled over her
words, shaking as she did so, “I had to do what I did to protect this planet.”
“Protect?” Endymion asked incredulously, “Why do you wish
for the Earth to be saved?”
“I only wanted you!” Beryl snapped, “In the past life you
were all I could think of. I broke the seal as a declaration of my love. It was
strong enough to withstand Metallia’s hold and ultimately break it!”
“Don’t listen to her” Zoisite warned, managing to climb to
his feet and stumble forward to place a restraining hand on Endymion’s arm,
“She is lying.”
“Why would I lie to you?” Beryl sneered, some of her
confidence returning as Endymion continued to allow her to speak, “It was I who
sealed Metallia away to save this planet. My love for Endymion gave me cause to
betray my Queen.”
Slowly, Endymion began to feel dread bubbling up inside
him at her words. She did this for him? What did she do? Sealing
Metallia away again was impossible. They had come to the Dark Kingdom knowing
that they had to kill her in order to save the Earth.
“What did you do?” he commanded when Beryl refused to
enlighten him further. The fury in his voice was all too evident and the Queen
did not reply.
“What did you do?” Endymion repeated, taking a step
towards her, drawing his sword as he did so.
“You should be thankful” Beryl snapped, “This way I have
made her mortal. She can be killed. You should be grateful for this!”
“Where’s Jadeite?”
“Mamoru!” Zoisite shouted as he stepped nearer still to
the Queen and the other man also took a step forwards until Endymion commanded
that he stayed where he was.
The dread was now creeping over every inch of Endymion’s
body, causing his sword hand to shake as he reached the Queen, the tip of his
weapon pressing lightly against her throat.
“Where’s Jadeite?” he demanded again, though deep now
Endymion knew the answer.
“He’s not your guardian anymore. I imprisoned Metallia
inside his body to make her mortal, so that you could kill her.”
With these words, Beryl reached out with a hand, pressing
her palm lightly against Endymion’s cheek and he was so stunned by her words,
more than her actions, that he was unable to push her away.
“Mamoru!”
He could no longer hear his friend calling him, as Beryl
drew him nearer still, whispering in his ear:
“Do not grieve for him. His soul left his body as soon as
Metallia entered him. She would have consumed his spirit painlessly enough.”
Endymion closed his eyes, listening to the stillness of
the kingdom. Hearing nothing but Beryl’s breath upon his face and her reptilian
touch upon his skin as she drawled:
“You can end this now. Your remaining companions need not
die. Surrender and I will allow them to leave here unharmed.”
“And that leads to the Dark Kingdom?”
“It does.”
“Then prove it. You go first.”
He had tried so hard to remain strong. To take the lead
when really all it had brought about was suffering.
Endymion exhaled deeply and opened his eyes. The mission…
he had to remain focused. He had brought them here for a purpose; to save this
planet. To give in now… to give in now would be, as Zoisite had said, wasting
Taro’s death and this was something that Endymion was not prepared to do.
Glancing to his right, Endymion saw that Zoisite had moved
round behind the Queen as she lent down to press a kiss to Endymion’s lips. He
held himself still until her mouth brushed his own before reacting. Pulling
violently away, Endymion leapt backwards as Zoisite’s attack slammed into
Beryl’s back, knocking her down. She hit the floor, even as she lashed out, a
somewhat weaker attack of black energy hurled in the white haired Tennou’s
direction.
Unlike last time, Zoisite blocked this attack, again
firing it back at the Queen. She rocked backwards, smashing her head on the
cave wall from the force of the blow.
For a moment neither party moved. Endymion saw that
Zoisite’s gazed was fixed firmly on Beryl as the red haired Queen moaned in
pain.
The Prince moved forward until he was beside her and she
glowered hatefully up at him through a curtain of red hair that fell, obscuring
her face from view.
“Endymion” Beryl rasped, breathing heavily as she
staggered to her feet once more. Her dress was torn and hung off her somewhat
tired looking frame in ragged tatters. Endymion allowed her to stand, even
giving her a moment or two more to draw breath before again pressing the tip of
his sword to her throat.
“You killed two of my guardians” Endymion spoke softly,
“You killed them and you claim to love me. If you could truly feel any such
emotion then you would realise that by killing them you bring me pain. You
should never want to hurt the person you love.”
“It was my love that caused all of this!”
Endymion shook his head, lowering his sword to his side
and turning away. “Your love has turned to hatred. There is nothing left for
you.”
He had no wish to kill her. To do so would only bring him
down to her level. Too many deaths had been caused by Beryl’s wickedness, and
Endymion wasn’t about to add another to this, even if it were her own.
“Unforgivable” Beryl seethed behind him, “This is
unforgivable! You won’t even grant me with a dignified death!”
“Mamoru!” Zoisite shouted out a warning and the Prince
turned just as Beryl took another unsteady step towards him, conjuring a ball
of purple energy in one hand as she did so.
Endymion took a step backwards, even as Zoisite moved to
defend him, but then Beryl stopped. She suddenly stood stock still, her eyes
widening a little in surprise and pain as, slowly, the energy at her fingertips
died.
Slowly still, her hand fell back down to her side and she
fell forward, her eyes becoming dull and muted. She was dead before she hit the
ground.
Endymion raised his head, his heart pounding loudly in his
chest as he took in the man standing behind Beryl, half obscured by shadows.
Endymion was stunned at his appearance. He was dressed as
they had seen him last, in a black shirt and matching black trousers, a sword
sheathed at his side. His eyes, before they had been cold, but there had still
been a spark that spoke of life within those brown pools. Now they were muted,
and as black as the darkness that surrounded them. No life danced within them
and they held an almost vacant expression about them. His walk had an added
confidant swagger about it, that certainly hadn’t been there before. His skin
was pale, far paler than it should have been, and his body trembled slightly,
as though its inhabitant was only just getting used to its new form.
“Masaki-kun?” Endymion whispered, genuine shock rooting
him to the spot as his friend paused, his darkened gaze settling on the man
standing behind the Prince.
Then he spoke. His voice sounding as dead and lifeless as
his eyes appeared to be, but yet with something else echoing in its tone.
Something far older than the 19-year-old male standing before them.
“Endymion, Seiichi-kun.”
******
Sailor Moon continued down the deserted tunnels of the
Dark Kingdom, her Moon Wand gripped tightly in one hand. She was desperate to
find Mamoru, but still, deep down, a small part of her was terrified at what
she might find…
She stumbled, more often than not, through the dark and
dank tunnels of the Kingdom, her boots echoing loudly on the stone floor.
Occasionally droplets of water fell from the ceiling above to land on her face,
mingling with her tears.
The image of their bodies still locked in her mind gave
cause for her run faster, almost desperate to find Mamoru before he suffered a
similar fate.
Gripping the Moon Wand tightly, Sailor Moon uttered a
small choked sob. Had she had the courage to face up to her destiny sooner then
it might not have come to this.
No! I mustn’t think like that! To do so will only lead to
despair. I know I’ve made a terrible mistake, but I want to make it right now.
Mamoru-kun, Komoro-san and Tamura-san are facing a terrible danger and I have
to focus on helping them.
She paused, as the tunnel branched out into a fork. Left
or right, Sailor Moon mused to herself. Which way should she go? And, more
importantly, which way did Mamoru-tachi go?
Sailor Moon took a deep breath and started down the path
to her left, shivering slightly as the dank cold penetrated her sailor fuku and
she gripped the Moon Wand tighter than ever to the point where she feared that
the handle would crack.
Her heart was pounding in her chest, her breath was coming
out in short, ragged gasps as her white-gloved hand closed around the keys to
the safe. Her brown eyes darted to the slumped form of the security guard and a
soft sigh escaped her lips as he continued to snore loudly. Quickly, she moved,
her breath now quickening as she turned to the safe itself. She slipped the
little silver key into the lock. It opened with a painfully loud snap and the
guard grunted, startling her. Frozen, she could only crouch helplessly under
the desk as he shifted his position and one hand scratched lazily at his
stomach, still in the fits of a dream.
Again, she exhaled and turned back to the safe, her
shaking hand now reaching inside and taking out a velvet jewellery box. Her
heart skipped a beat as she opened it to reveal a glimmering silver gemstone.
“Is this the illusionary Ginzuishou?”
She had come such a long way since then, Sailor Moon mused
sadly, struggling to take her mind off the dark thoughts what threatened to
invade her fragile mind. She had to keep herself from giving into despair. To
do anything else would lead to her own destruction.
“You stupid kid! Watch where you are going! You could have
been killed!”
Usagi’s cheeks flushed a bright red at this and the fact
that passers by had stopped to stare at her. Her hands trembled at the knowledge
that she could have easily been on her way to the hospital or worse and the
fact that this jerk could only care about his bike and would call her names.
Tears blurred at her eyes. She wouldn’t have even done something that stupid
under any other circumstances!
So she did the only thing that she could think of to do.
Usagi whirled away from him, flipping her hair over her shoulders and made a
noise of, what she hoped to be, indifference as she walked passed him. Still,
she felt a strange sort of thrill as their eyes met and his narrowed
disdainfully. That man… Usagi thought uneasily. There was something about him…
Sailor Moon was
pulled from her thoughts by the sound of movement from further down the tunnel.
She halted, trembling slightly as she did so. Her breath quickened, as the
footsteps grew nearer still. Part of her wanted to call out, for she hated
being alone, but an even bigger part of her warned her to be silent for she did
not know what other creatures walked these hallways.
“Does this make any difference to you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Will you fight?”
“Just because he is alive doesn’t make things any better.”
“That’s right. It doesn’t but feeling sorry for yourself
and pretending that everything is normal won’t help either.”
They had parted on such bad terms, Sailor Moon thought
bitterly, recalling her last conversation with Mamoru. She found it so
difficult to believe that, that conversation might be the last that they ever
had. Sailor Moon didn’t want this. She wanted to tell him that she was sorry,
that he had been right to call her a coward. Had she faced up to the Princess’s
true power to begin with then perhaps there might have been some way too…
Sailor Moon shook her head. She would not blame
herself anymore. She had come to help,
not to assuage her own feelings of self-pity.
So the footsteps grew nearer and she raised her head,
expecting to see Mamoru-tachi or possibly even some Dark Kingdom Youma. A small
surprised cry escaped her lips when she saw him. Standing quite alone, Kunzite
drew his sword and advanced towards her, whilst demanding to know what she was
doing.
“I’ve come to help” Sailor Moon replied, refusing to be
intimidated. She was not the enemy! Why couldn’t he see that?
“Help?” Kunzite mocked softly, “As you helped
Masaki and Seiichi? That kind of aid we can do without, Princess.”
“I am not the Princess. Not in this lifetime.”
“If that is so then it was you who almost killed them.”
Sailor Moon closed her eyes, briefly, as she exhaled
deeply and nodded, “My weakness nearly killed them, but I am not going to dwell
upon the past. I am here because I want to help. I want to defend this planet.”
Kunzite shook his head, his eyes narrowing further and
Sailor Moon realised that she was trembling. Why must they all continue to live
according to the events of the past life? Why couldn’t he see that she wanted
to help them?
“If you truly care about this planet then you will leave
the Dark Kingdom. This is not your battle.”
He turned away with a flip of his cape to signal that, as far
as he was concerned, this conversation was over. Sailor Moon’s heart sank at
this dismissal, but, suddenly, she was seized by a burst of determination and
she lunged forward, grabbing hold of his arm.
“How can you say that? I have people whose lives depend on
the outcome of this battle, too. I have a mother, a father and a brother whose
lives will be lost if the Dark Kingdom triumphs!”
“Then why didn’t you think of them before? Why has it
taken you until now to realise this?”
“Because I’m not a warrior! I’m a fourteen-year-old girl
whose destiny was decided long before I was even born! I’m not a warrior and
neither are you. Mamoru-san didn’t want to fight, but he had you to make him
that little bit stronger. I was alone. I have watched my Senshi die and I don’t
want Mamoru-san to go through that. I don’t want anyone to suffer. I want this
to end so that we can all go back to having normal lives. How could I sit at
home in safety knowing that the four of you were risking everything?”
“Taro’s dead” Kunzite snapped abruptly, as he brushed her
aside, “So there are just the three of us.”
Sailor Moon nodded tearfully, “I know. What about
Mamoru-san and Komoro-san? Where are they?”
Kunzite shook his head, his eyes showing the depth of his
sorrow for their fallen comrade and some guilt as he replied, “We were
separated after Taro… I don’t know where they are,” he admitted quietly.
“Then let me help you” Sailor Moon pleaded.
For a minute Kunzite simply stared at her and Sailor Moon
forced herself to hold his gaze. To do anything less would only accentuate his
earlier feelings towards her.
“Very well” he said at length, “You may come with me, but
only if you do not get in my way.”
Sailor Moon nodded, knowing that, for the moment at least,
this was the best that she could hope for. With any luck they would find Mamoru
and Komoro-san quickly and then they could end this.
Still, a part of her still trembled at the prospect of the
oncoming battle. No one was that strong…
******
“Endymion, Seiichi-kun.”
Zoisite stood still, almost mesmerised by the horrific
transformation that his friend had undergone, unable to answer this cold
greeting. All the while, Masaki’s gaze continued to glare into his own, making
him feel distinctly uneasy, even before a sly smile formed across the younger
man’s lips as he took another step towards them, now completely ignoring
Endymion.
“Do not grieve for him. His soul left his body as soon as
Metallia entered him. She would have consumed his spirit painlessly enough.”
Beryl had been right. The creature stood before them was
not Masaki anymore. He was dead. They were facing the Great Ruler of the Dark
Kingdom, Queen Metallia.
“You fear me,” Metallia stated quietly, when she gained no
response from Zoisite or Endymion. “Why? Did you not expect to see me this
way?”
“Leave him” Endymion answered, his voice wavering as he
spoke, “Let us fight you in your true form.”
“This is now my true form. If you wish to save this
miserable planet and go back to your meaningless and pathetic lives then you
will have to destroy me.”
“Masaki--”
“No” Zoisite shook his head, recalling Beryl’s words.
“Mamoru, this isn’t Masaki, not anymore.”
Metallia half smiled, and half sneered at this statement
and said, “Then perhaps you will fight me?”
Zoisite nodded and drew his sword, knowing that they had
to remain strong. Masaki wouldn’t have wanted to end up this way. They owed to
him, as his friends, to end this now. Ignoring Endymion’s protests, he raised
his weapon and lunged forward, pressing the tip of his sword to Metallia’s
throat.
To his utter shock, she didn’t resist at all and, she
needn’t do so. Very suddenly the expression on her face changed to a
reproachful look that Zoisite was all too familiar with.
“As I said before, you are pretty full of yourself if you
think that we are friends. We have only just met.”
Zoisite stumbled backwards in shock and some pain as she
repeated the lines that Masaki had spoken to him when he had first discovered
Komoro Seiichi’s other identity. He felt his sword slip from his fingertips and
clatter to the floor as a lump formed in his throat. He couldn’t do this,
Zoisite knew, and he hated himself for it.
“He was right” Metallia sneered with an almost gleeful
sense of triumph in her voice, “You are pretty full of yourself to think that
your powers are a match for mine, even in this weak body, but you are also a
coward. You won’t turn on your friend. You can’t bring yourself to harm me,
despite knowing that his soul is gone. That there is nothing left, but this
shell. He hated you at the end. He wanted to kill you for your betrayal. It was
his hatred that drew me into his body. I can still feel his rage. His desire to
make you suffer as he did. It burned deep within him before I consumed his
spirit.”
“You’re lying” Endymion shouted, and Zoisite felt his
Prince place a hand on his shoulder as though to somehow assuage his pain.
“Masaki wouldn’t wish for such a thing!”
“He did” Metallia snapped back, “He hated you.”
“All you ever cared about was your precious Master. The
rest of us were just pawns to you, weren’t we? All a part of this past life
that no longer exists.”
“The past life is---”
“All that matters? You’ve kept telling yourself that for a
year, but deep down you know that this is the real lie and you’re scared.
You’re scared of facing up to who you are in this world. Pretending to be
Zoisite is easier for you, isn’t it? But really that is all it is! A pretence,
a lie to cover up how scared you really are.”
Perhaps he did, Zoisite thought with growing sorrow.
Perhaps he had died hating them, but all Metallia could recognise was hated and
lies, and Zoisite wanted desperately to believe that his friend hadn’t died
with this hatred in his heart.
“He died hating you” Metallia’s voice took on another tone
as she spoke these words, her gaze boring directly into Zoisite’s own. “And his
hatred served to fuel my powers. I will now take my revenge upon this planet.”
“No” Endymion shook his head, stepping up beside Zoisite.
Slowly her grin widened and served to further drive tiny
stabs of fear down Zoisite’s spine. He swallowed hard and struggled to remain
focused. She is just toying with us. The mission… the mission is all that
matters.
“Step aside,” she snarled, but Endymion stood his ground.
“I won’t let you destroy the planet”
Leisurely, Metallia dipped softly back into the shadows.
For a moment that seemed to last a millennia neither
Zoisite nor his Prince moved. Zoisite’s heart pounding so loudly that he was
surprised that Endymion could not hear it. He had never dreamt that the final
battle would turn out this way. That he would have to destroy his friend.
Gradually Metallia reappeared and she was not alone.
Zoisite couldn’t help the small gasp of dismay that escaped his lips as he
recognised the being in Metallia’s grasp.
Shackles held its arms and legs together so that it
couldn’t escape, but Zoisite could sense the real reason behind its
submissiveness. The Youma, his Youma, feared Metallia, despite her current
form, and its terror paralysed it into complete stillness.
“Now will you stand aside?” she derided softly as she slid
the knife from the belt around her waist.
So this is why… Zoisite realised. In her
natural form, Metallia’s powers are infinite, but now she is trapped inside a
human her powers have become muted. They would have to have been for Beryl’s
spell to work otherwise she would have simply consumed her human host and
broken free again. Metallia realises that the Master could kill her.
“Stand aside!” she barked as, with a lightening quick
movement, she slashed the blade across the back of the Youma’s right arm,
causing the creature to squeal in pain.
Zoisite withheld his own cry as a tear in his uniform
appeared in the exact same location and a thin trickle of blood welled up to
trail steadily down his sleeve and splash onto the stone floor.
“Stop it!” Endymion shouted as she raised the knife again.
Pausing, Metallia repeated her demand: Stand aside.
Endymion glanced desperately at Zoisite, as Metallia’s
free hand dug into the Youma’s open wound, pressing her fingers ruthlessly into
the torn flesh.
Zoisite bit his lip, afraid to utter any kind of sound
that might cause Endymion to stand down. If Metallia left the Dark Kingdom…
“Stop it!” Endymion repeated, taking a step towards her.
Metallia shook her head and pressed her blade tightly against the Youma’s
jugular.
“If you come any closer and I will slit its throat.”
She wasn’t lying, Zoisite knew. He could feel the blade
pressing tightly against his flesh and he stumbled slightly, one hand clasped
tightly over his bleeding arm.
“Mamoru” Zoisite whispered as his Prince moved, as though
to step out of Metallia’s path, “Don’t. Remember the mission--” a scream did
escape him as Metallia attacked the Youma again. Plunging the knife, all the
way to the hilt, into the creature’s thigh.
He collapsed to the floor, feeling the colour draining
from him as more crimson blood welled up over his hand that was now pressed
tightly against this new wound. Pain seared from this injury and Zoisite felt
tears building up in his eyes. He had to remain strong… if Mamoru let this
monster passed…
“Step aside, now” Metallia ordered, ripping the knife from
the Youma’s body and pressing the tip lightly against its chest.
Zoisite felt his breathing quicken at this action, the
blood loss of earlier already started to make him feel light headed and even
the knowledge of what was to come failed to penetrate this. His entire body was
starting to tremble and his hair, long coming free from its usual ponytail,
hung over one shoulder, some strands dipping into the pool of blood beneath
him, felt heavy against his skin.
Glancing up at Endymion through the shorter wisps that had
hung forward to partly obscure his vision, Zoisite saw, with growing horror
that he was about to heed Metallia’s request.
“Mamoru” he whispered quietly, giving the Prince cause to
pause, “Please don’t.”
Endymion shook his head, and then moved away from the
tunnel exit, “I’m sorry.”
Metallia’s smirk widened and, with one clean movement,
thrust the knife into the Youma’s chest.
For Zoisite, all he felt was an initial burst of agony,
which quickly ceased as the wound reached his heart… Then all he knew was
darkness…
******
For a second that lasted an entire lifetime, Endymion
could only stare at the lifeless form of the Youma, slumped heavily against
Metallia’s shoulder. Then, ripping the bloodied knife from its body, she
allowed it to fall the floor with a dull thud that echoed around the kingdom.
Then there was silence. Endymion could hear the steady
dripping of water from the ceiling above and felt it striking his face,
mingling with his tears.
“Zoisite…” his gaze travelled from the Youma to the body
of the second Tennou.
He lay on his side, his eyes, thankfully, were closed. As
Endymion watched, the tiny spot of red that had appeared in the centre of his
jacket grew larger in size until the entire front was turned from its usual
pure white to a dark crimson.
Then, as with Taro before him, Zoisite’s transformation
shimmered and then disappeared altogether, leaving his true form behind.
“Seiichi” Endymion whispered, leaning down to place a hand
on his friend’s shoulder, but stopping just before he made this contact.
“Step aside, now”
Again, standing, Endymion whispered hoarsely, “I did what
you asked” and then, much louder, “I did what you asked! I stepped aside! Why
did you kill him?”
Metallia let out a cruel and grating laugh, “Would you
really have let me go?”
To protect them… I would do anything, but at what cost?
The fate of this planet?
“No” Endymion admitted softly, taking a step towards
Metallia, “I wouldn’t.”
“You’ve got to concentrate on why we are going to the Dark
Kingdom, not the outcome. We’re going to save the world and rescue our friend.
Just think about that.”
Masaki, Taro and Seiichi were dead. He had led them to
this. He owed it to them to finish this. To become the leader that they had
believed he was.
Slowly, he unsheathed his sword and took another steps
towards the Queen. Her smirk was fast fading as she read the furious intent in
his eyes.
“Mamoru!” she suddenly cried, the evil tenor of her voice
dissipating until she sounded so much like the friend he had lost.
Endymion shook his head, “You’re not Masaki. He’s dead.
You said so yourself.”
“So you will kill me? You will kill your friend?”
“You are no longer my friend.”
Panicked Metallia raised a hand, calling up a sphere of
purple light, which she unleashed upon the Prince. Endymion leapt backwards,
raising his cape to shield himself from the attack, but it never struck.
“Mamoru!”
Lowering his cape, Endymion was in time to see Kunzite in
front of him, blocking the attack and then sending it wild, smashing it back to
the floor behind Metallia. The rock groaned under this assault and gave way,
brown earth and mud collapsing in a downward spiral and falling into the chasm
that the magics had created.
Metallia cursed loudly upon seeing the strongest Tennou’s
presence and, to both parties shock, that of Sailor Moon.
“Daijobu?” Kunzite enquired softly, as his gaze fell on
his comrade’s body.
Endymion shook his head, not wanting to lie to his friend
and tears for his dead companions sprang into his eyes once more when he heard
Sailor Moon’s shocked whisper: “Komoro-san.”
For a long time, neither party spoke, all lost in their
own thoughts and feelings. Endymion couldn’t bring himself to look upon the
Princess for fear of what Kunzite might read into the situation. Any possible
elation he could have felt with her decision to fight was now lost with the
loss of his friends.
“Masaki” Kunzite spoke at last, taking a step forward, but
Endymion stopped him with:
“He is no longer Masaki. Beryl and Kuroki Mio sealed
Metallia into his body. It was Metallia who killed Zoisite. Masaki is dead.”
The look of rage upon Kunzite’s face as he digested these
words was unmistakable and he lunged forward, with the obvious intention of
fighting the Dark Queen, when Endymion shouted:
“Stop it! Stay back!”
“Why?” Kunzite snarled out.
You are the last… I may be the Prince, but I want to
protect you.
“She killed my guardians and she will pay for it, but
under my blade not yours.”
“Mamoru--”
“Stay back” Endymion ordered as he again started to
advance on Metallia. The Queen was clearly panicked and stumbled backwards,
hurling attacks of purple and black energy at the advancing Prince. These
Kunzite deflected, understanding the true meaning behind his Prince’s orders
and respecting his decision.
Over the roar of the battle, be it at the moment
one-sided, Endymion could hear Usagi crying for him to stop, but he could not.
This would end here.
Venus… Mars… Jupiter…
Jadeite… Nephrite… Mercury… Zoisite… in this world it was the Senshi and
the Shitennou who were suffering.
Metallia paused, her heels now reaching
the gully behind her. There was nowhere else for her to go, but she still had
that foul smirk twisting her lips, even as Endymion raised his sword above her
head.
Masaki… I’m sorry…
He slowly started to bring the blade
down, when her hand shot out, tightly getting a grip round his throat. Endymion
gagged, dropping his sword as her hand tightened, crushing his windpipe as
Metallia propelled him forward until he was pressing against her body.
“Fool” she sneered as the corners of his
vision began to fade. “Do you think I am going to allow for you to kill me?”
Endymion gasped in agony as her free
hand plunged her dagger into his stomach.
“Mamoru!”
Cruelly, she twisted the blade, but
above his pain, Endymion could still hear Beryl’s words.
I imprisoned Metallia inside his body to make her mortal,
so that you could kill her.
Glancing over her shoulder and down into
the abyss, he gauged that it was just far enough…
His strength fast ebbing as his blood
soaked his uniform, Endymion allowed himself to full slump forward into the
Queen.
Metallia’s body could not support this
added weight. Uttering a scream of shock and horror she toppled right over the
edge, taking Endymion with her.
Endymion also made a vow to himself. No one else would lose his lif