Earth Guardian Prince Endymion:

Special Act

By Senshi of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi

Part Two:

The journey, Zoisite found, began in more or less silence and continued that way. Kunzite did not want them to make any noise that might attract unwanted attention and, whilst Zoisite did agree with this, the quiet was getting through to him. He almost smiled at this. Here he was, the most reserved of the four kings and he was complaining about the silence! Why? It simply gave them too much time to dwell upon what would happen when they finally found Beryl. Whereas Zoisite was not afraid, the seriousness of the situation really got through to him and he was uneasy about this.

Zoisite estimated they had been walking for a few hours at the most through this damn forest. The summer had been dry and the heat was starting to get to them all. Nephrite was muttering complaints under his breath and Jadeite had slowed down so that he was trailing behind Zoisite slightly. Of course risking a teleport to the camp would be foolhardy and Endymion had stressed that Beryl’s armies were on the move a lot of time and it was quite possible that they had moved to a closer location, thus all a teleport would serve to do would be to warn Beryl of their presence. Zoisite idly wondered how the Senshi were faring. They obviously wouldn’t be as hot in their little sailor fukus, he thought. The girls certainly wore the most impractical outfits, Zoisite mused to himself as he swept his cape over his shoulder. Then again, his uniform wasn’t exactly made for cross-country hiking.

Kunzite halted then, explaining that they could stop for a ‘quick rest’. Zoisite found himself a little breathless and sat down on a fallen log beside his blonde companion. Nephrite sat to his right and noted his shortness of breath.

“That’s what happens when you sit inside all day playing the piano” he teased, “Any real work and you end up exhausted before the day has even begun.”

Zoisite gave him a half smile, but didn’t reply. They had brought a few supplies with them; some food and water as well as weaponry. Kunzite walked over to each of them, silently handing them bottles of water and again stressing that they hurried.

Zoisite, again, smiled at this. Though Kunzite had been against the entire concept of working with the Senshi, as his Master had wished it to be so Kunzite was determined not to let the mission fail. He hurriedly drank from the bottle and handed it back to the black haired king. Kunzite then offered him some of the bread they had brought with them. Zoisite shook his head, explaining that he wasn’t hungry.

“Zoisite’s allergic to fresh air” Nephrite grinned, still trying to get a response.

“You would know all about allergies” Jadeite replied slyly, “You were all over Mercury like a rash.”

“I was not! And I told you before! I don’t like Mercury!”

“Nephrite, Jadeite” Kunzite snapped, trying to disguise his own smile at this banter, “Do you want the entire forest to know we’re here? Why don’t you both go and have a look ahead and see if the path is clear?”

Jadeite smiled and stood up. “Nephrite and Mercury sitting in a tree…” he called over his shoulder and Zoisite winced slightly at Nephrite’s shout of anger at this and chased after Jadeite who had run off into some thicker parts of the forest.

“Fools” Kunzite said, though the affection was clear to be heard in his voice.

Zoisite shrugged and flinched at the burst of pain from his right shoulder that this movement gave him.

“They’re afraid,” he observed quietly, “Though they won’t admit it.”

“Are you?”

“No. You?”

“Of course not” Kunzite snapped, finding the idea that any of them should be completely mortifying.

“Sure?”

Kunzite gave him a half smile as he turned to face the white haired king, “What did the Master say to you before we left?”

“Not a lot. I think he was worried that I might do something stupid.”

“Will you?”

Zoisite didn’t answer this, “What about you?”

“He told me to look after you all. A silly thing to say considering you are Tennou, too.”

“You are the leader,” Zoisite pointed out.

Kunzite sighed, “The Master cares too much. It will lead to his own ruin.”

“You have to have faith. If this works--”

“His Kingdom will still fall. Not now, of course, but there will be much resentment between him and his people. If he marries the Princess…” Kunzite trailed off. They both knew what would happen if the Master married Serenity. He would lose the throne.

Kunzite was silent for a moment, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. Then a frown marred his face as he glanced upon Zoisite once more. “You’re bleeding” he stated and indicated his shoulder. Zoisite glanced down at it and was surprised to see blood welling up through the fabric of his uniform as it had the night before.

Automatically he placed a gloved hand over the wound to try and staunch the blood flow, knowing better than to use his magics here.

“How did it happen?” Kunzite demanded quietly.

“Last night when we had that trouble with the Youma.”

“Why didn’t you heal it back at the palace?”

“I did” Zoisite said, trying to sound casual but this fact concerned both of them.

Kunzite frowned slightly, “What exactly happened?”

Zoisite was about to reply when Jadeite and Nephrite returned.

“Kunzite” Jadeite started and then trailed off when he saw that Zoisite was bleeding, “What happened?”

“Nothing” Zoisite snapped a little defensively, “It’s nothing.”

“Okay” Jadeite said, taken aback by his tone.

Kunzite gave Zoisite an unreadable look and then asked Jadeite what was wrong.

“I’m not sure, but there are people a little way ahead.”

“People?”

Nephrite nodded, “They are wearing the Kingdom’s army uniforms.”

“Impossible” Kunzite declared. The Master had assured him that all their armies were to the South.

“It looked like it was Kenichi’s brigade” Jadeite added.

“Impossible” Kunzite repeated. Otsuka Kenichi had been in command of the Earth’s human armies for years. A skilled swordsman and one of Endymion’s most trusted servants, after the Shitennou, Kenichi and his troops had kept the Dark Kingdom from taking the land south of the kingdom for months until one day they had simply disappeared. An entire brigade gone. The Master had felt this loss deeply and after that the war had started to turn in the Dark Kingdom’s favour.

“We should move on” Zoisite said quietly, “The Master doesn’t want anyone to know we’re here.”

Kunzite was obviously undecided, “If it is Kenichi’s brigade then they have some explaining to do. Why did they abandon their post? I am sure the Master would want to know that, too.”

“We should go on” Jadeite said, a little uneasily, “I don’t like the fact that they just showed up. Something isn’t right there.”

Zoisite nodded trying not to let his discomfort show. He felt hot… not just the damn summer heat… this was something else. His wound wasn’t exactly hurting, but it tingled and he felt nauseous. He pressed one hand to the wound again and saw that he was shaking ever so slightly and Kunzite picked up on this.

“Zoisite’s hurt” Kunzite said, “The brigade might still have their healer with them.”

Jadeite shook his head, seeming very much against going to the army for reasons that none of them were able to fathom, though Zoisite’s instincts were telling him that Jadeite was right. The blonde man seldom disagreed with anything Kunzite said unless it went against the Master’s wishes.

“Nephrite? How did they seem to you?” Kunzite turned to the red haired king.

Nephrite shrugged, “They seemed fine. We didn’t get too close, but I think---”

He broke off when they all heard the sound of a twig snapping under foot. Kunzite stood up, already drawing his sword. Zoisite followed his lead and tried to ignore the growing dizziness and queasiness that was threatening to overwhelm him.

Forcing these feelings down, Zoisite struggled to keep his focus as a man stepped into the clearing.

Otsuka Kenichi was just as they remembered him. He sported the same immaculate jet-black hair, which was pulled back into a tight ponytail. He was tall and towered above even Nephrite. His eyes were cold and hard like diamonds and there had been occasions when even the Master flinched under his gaze. He wore the standard army uniform; blue trousers and jacket with gold epaulettes depicting his rank and a broadsword sheathed at his side.

Kenichi was flanked by nine other officers, each ones face showing a mixture of surprise and fear when they realised whom exactly they were facing.

“Kenichi” Kunzite stated coolly, “I must admit that this is an unprecedented occurrence.”

“Likewise” he replied, just as coolly, though his men were torn between fleeing and fighting for reasons that Zoisite didn’t understand. “So, Endymion has let his Shitennou fight his battles for him.”

Zoisite didn’t like the way Kenichi said his Master’s name, but at this point he could barely concentrate on anything other than keeping his consciousness.

Kunzite didn’t seem to like his tone either and demanded to know what they were doing this far north.

“I would have thought that was obvious” Kenichi smirked. He had always been arrogant and hated the Shitennou with a passion, even before he… he what?

Zoisite frowned. Jadeite was right. There was something not right about them at all.

“We are fighting the enemy,” Kenichi continued. “Spies are everywhere. We’ve had to be careful.”

Kunzite nodded, uneasy but also concerned about the welfare of his fellow Tennou, “We too fight Beryl,” he said, unwilling to disclose the nature of their mission, “We will protect the palace to the final moment if need be.”

Kenichi smirked and started to walk slowly towards them, “Still loyal I see, even now when you no longer agree with Endymion’s decisions concerning the Moon Princess.”

“We will be loyal until the end” Nephrite snarled, angered by the other man’s tone and Kenichi’s smile widened as he came to a stop beside Jadeite.

“And now you have joined forces with the Sailor Senshi. A surprising and yet pleasing turn of events.”

How does he know that?

Zoisite came to the same conclusion that Kunzite did, but they were both too slow. Before any of them could react Kenichi drew his sword and plunged it into Jadeite’s stomach, right up to the hilt. The blonde uttered a startled cry and for a moment no one moved.

“So” Kenichi taunted as he ripped his sword from Jadeite’s body and the youngest Tennou fell to the ground, “You bleed after all.”

“You bastard!” Nephrite shouted as Jadeite fell and, with this, the spell was broken. The red haired king lunged at the closest soldier, all but cutting him in two as Kenichi gave the orders to attack.

The nearest soldier went for Zoisite and their blades clashed, the noise painfully loud in his ears. Zoisite stumbled back slightly with the first blow, only just managing to counter the second, but, despite his current weakened state, the fury over Jadeite blinded him to everything else and for a while Zoisite continued to mindlessly attack soldier after soldier, smiling grimly at their screams as the remaining Tennou, being the more experienced swordsmen, cut them down.

The battle was over soon enough. The last soldier fell to Nephrite’s sword and only Kenichi remained. The traitor was on the ground. Clutching feebly at his thigh, red blood seeping through his trouser leg as he struggled to pull back, away from them.

“Why?” Kunzite demanded, hauling him up by his hair and forcing him to put weight on his injured leg.

“I-I… I did what I had to do to protect my men.”

“By selling out to Beryl?”

“It was the only way. You would have done so too in my place.”

Kunzite shook his head, his gaze darting to Jadeite, “No, I wouldn’t” he decided, “We would rather die than surrender to Beryl.”

“Really?” Kenichi hissed vehemently realising that they would kill him regardless, “It was worth it. She offered us so much more than Endymion himself had. She offered us power, wealth… a chance to live for eternity under the grace of the Goddess Metallia.”

“To live as a traitor?” Nephrite whispered, shocked at the dishonourable man before them.

“Endymion is the real traitor! He betrayed his own people when he allowed himself to become bewitched by the Moon Kingdom filth! Surely even you can see that he is in thrall to the Silver Millennium’s rule. Beryl might be a coward, but at least she is up front about it. Endymion is nothing but a--” the words died on his lips as Kunzite thrust his sword through his chest. The angry light in Kenichi’s eyes died and he slumped to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

Sheathing his sword, Kunzite turned away, hurrying to where Jadeite lay. The blonde was still conscious as Kunzite knelt down at his side. Their leader gently reached out with a hand and touched the stab wound, causing Jadeite to cry out. Quickly withdrawing his hand, Kunzite turned to them. “It’s deep. He should be dead by now, but his powers are sustaining him… for now anyway. If he doesn’t get help fast then he’ll bleed to death.”

Zoisite nodded, feeling sick as he gazed upon his fallen comrade. If they had just listened to Jadeite to begin with! He looked away. The sickness hadn’t gone away. If anything he felt worse. Briefly Zoisite closed his eyes, but when he opened them again the entire forest was spinning rapidly. He gasped softly and placed a hand to his forehead, willing away this vertigo. As he did this, he was barely aware that Nephrite was calling him. His vision flashed white and Zoisite fell, his eyes sliding closed as he hit the ground.

*****

“It’s deep. He should be dead by now, but his powers are sustaining him… for now anyway. If he doesn’t get help fast then he’ll bleed to death.”

Kunzite stated this fact calmly so not to panic the remaining Tennou but he was secretly afraid. Afraid and furious. The Shitennou had often been injured in battle, but usually they were able to heal themselves. If Jadeite were to do this here then Beryl would find them and the mission would fail. Still… as it was Jadeite couldn’t continue. One of them would have to either get help or carry him back to the palace for treatment. Kunzite had meant what he said. If Jadeite didn’t get that wound seen to then he would die.

The blonde was unconscious now and Kunzite tore the bottom of his own cape, pressing the cloth firmly against the wound to try and staunch the every flowing red tide that welling up over his hands and stained his gloves crimson.

“Zoisite?” he heard Nephrite speaking, but didn’t think too much of it until he cried out Zoisite’s name again the tenor in his voice causing Kunzite to look round.

The white haired king lay on his stomach, his eyes tightly closed. “What happened?” he demanded. Not another one… Kami-sama, this wasn’t happening!

“I don’t know” Nephrite knelt down beside him, rolling him onto his back and shaking him gently, “Zoisite?”

“Is he wounded?” Kunzite shouted and Nephrite shook his head.

“Just that cut he had earlier. I think that’s stopped bleeding now, but he can’t have lost that much blood.”

“Check it” Kunzite ordered.

“What? I don’t see why--”

“Shut up and do as I say.”

Nephrite scowled at this tone of voice, but knowing that this was not the time or the place to start an argument, he leant over the second Tennou and gently unbuttoned his jacket.

“Well?” Kunzite prompted.

“It’s not bleeding anymore,” Nephrite confirmed, “But there’s something wrong. I think you should have a look.”

Jadeite had stopped bleeding and whether this was a good thing or not, Kunzite did not know. He left the blonde for a moment and hurried over to Zoisite.

“How did it happen?”

“Last night when we had that trouble with the Youma.”

“Why didn’t you heal it back at the palace?”

“I did”

This was… Kunzite did not know. The wound itself had stopped bleeding, but the flesh all round it was almost purple in colour.

“What is this?” Nephrite demanded, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Kunzite didn’t reply. He pulled off his bloodied gloves and pressed a hand to Zoisite’s forehead. He was hot to touch.

As he did this, the white haired king stirred. His eyes were bloodshot and misted over.

“How did this happen?” Kunzite asked, indicating Zoisite’s shoulder even as the younger king struggled to sit up.

“That Youma last night. I told you.”

“How?” Kunzite pressed, “How exactly.”

“An arrow” Zoisite replied as he succeeded in pushing himself up into a sitting position, leaning against a tree for support. “I’ll be fine in a minute.”

“I doubt it” Kunzite snapped, annoyed with his tone. “How did you treat it?”

“The same way we were taught. I pushed it right the way through and then healed the wound.”

“It must have been coated with something. You’ve been poisoned.”

“I’ll be fine. I think its Jadeite you need to worry about.”

“You fool! I’ve only seen this a few times before, but Youma poison is slow acting, and fatal within 48 hours.”

Zoisite sprang to his feet, furious at Kunzite’s words, but the black haired king had already turned back to Jadeite as the truth started to dawn upon him. Placing a hand on the blonde’s stomach, he quickly invoked a spell to knit together the wound as best he could.

“What are you doing?” Nephrite protested, “The Master warned us against using our powers.”

“He also told me to protect you” Kunzite shot back, “Zoisite, sit down. Walking about will only help the poison travel faster through your blood stream.”

“This is stupid” Zoisite grit out, but did as Kunzite ordered, “We have to find Beryl.”

“Beryl set this up! Can’t you see that? Kenichi knew we were coming. He knew we were working with the Senshi. She must seek to destroy us so that there will be no resistance when she reaches the palace. I’ve healed Jadeite’s wound as best I can, but he can’t fight and neither can you, Zoisite. Nephrite, you must take them both back to the palace for treatment.”

“What about the plan?”

“There is no plan! This is a trap and the Senshi are going to walk right into it!”

“So?” Zoisite shrugged, “They are not our responsibility.”

“The Master won’t see it like that” Kunzite retorted. As much as he would love to leave the Senshi to their fate, he knew that Endymion would never forgive them. “I’ll go after the Senshi,” he decided.

“I’ll go with you” Zoisite said.

“Look at you? You can barely stand!”

Zoisite frowned, realising that this was true, but Kunzite knew he would never admit to such weakness.

“Nephrite” Kunzite said at length, “Kenichi’s camp should be deserted now. I want you to go there and see if there is a healer’s tent. If there is look and see if they carried any antidote. It will be in a glass vile and will be marked as such.”

Nephrite nodded and hurried away. Zoisite shot Kunzite a surprised look. As Kunzite had said before, Youma poison was a rare weapon as it was too slow in acting and most Youma wanted to kill their foes as quickly as possible. The chances were that Nephrite would find no antidote.

“You should have told me,” Kunzite said, as he knelt over Jadeite once more and checked the blonde’s pulse. It was very weak.

Zoisite shrugged, “I’m fine.”

Kunzite raised an eyebrow when he saw the sweat beading on Zoisite’s brow and detected the slight tremor in this voice.

“Is this really a trap?” he asked quietly, most probably wanting to take the focus away from himself.

Kunzite nodded, “So in some ways I suppose your foolishness has worked to our advantage. I would not have stopped to speak with Kenichi had I not been worried about you.”

“What do we do now? Beryl will be at the palace before long.”

“I don’t know” he admitted quietly, “I don’t know.”

Zoisite was silent for a moment, before saying: “Let me go after the Senshi.”

“You’re injured.”

“Exactly. If Beryl makes a move against the palace the Master will need you there to help defend him. What use will I be like this? You said it yourself that I cannot fight.”

Kunzite smiled, not one to lament on the past, but Zoisite’s words stirred an distant memory inside of him and he couldn’t help but answer, “Do you remember that summer that we spent East of the Kingdom? You were only about ten at the time and the Master was seven.”

Zoisite nodded, “The Master wanted to go exploring and dragged the four of us with him. We went along the river bank and the Master got too near the edge and fell in.”

“You were the only one to jump in after him.”

“What is your point, Kunzite?”

“There was barely a current that day. The Master could have climbed out without your help. Remember how angry he was with you?”

Zoisite frowned, “I had thought he was embarrassed.”

“No. He recognised what I have done from the beginning. You are brave, Zoisite, but you are almost too willing to risk your life. There are other ways.”

“We are supposed to give our lives to protect the Master.”

“Yes, but only if the situation calls for it. Suppose I let you go in my place and find the Senshi? You can barely walk as it is. What if Beryl finds you before you can warn the Senshi? Could you fight her as you are now? No, I didn’t think so.”

“I still think that the Master needs you more. You are the strongest of us. You have to protect him.”

“We’re wasting time” Kunzite answered him, “When Nephrite gets back he will teleport the three of you back to the palace. I will find the Senshi and we can make it back in time to defend the palace.”

Zoisite nodded, far from satisfied, but knowing better than to argue with Kunzite. Kunzite himself was surprised at his patience were the white haired Tennou was concerned. He usually had little time for Zoisite’s differences of opinion and very much preferred to pull rank rather than sit down and discuss anything with him.

“There is no possible antidote as the camp, is there?” Zoisite asked, a hint of amusement in his voice as he said this.

“No” Kunzite answered, as he glanced over at Jadeite, “We both know that you would never have accepted what I had to say had Nephrite been here.”

“I don’t accept it now” Zoisite shot back, “But…” he sighed, “I can see the sense in your words.”

Kunzite nodded, not saying more on the subject as Nephrite returned.

“There’s no antidote” he confirmed what they both knew to be true and Kunzite hid a small smile as he replied to this, “Teleport them back to the palace. I’ll find the Senshi and we’ll all meet you back there.”

He could tell that Nephrite, like Zoisite, did not like this, but was reluctant to refuse an order.

“Go. Now” Kunzite urged them and made it a little easier for Nephrite by teleporting away. He re-appeared about a mile from them, the fighting in the distance was now the only sound to be heard. Kunzite sighed to himself and started on his way once more.

No matter how he might feel about the Senshi, if they were to have any chance of defending the palace they would need them. Kunzite could only hope that he reached them in time.

******

Where are they? Venus wondered to herself as she craned her neck to peer between the gaps in the trees, hoping to see any sign of the Shitennou.

The Senshi had found Beryl’s campsite without any mishaps and were now waiting for Endymion’s guardians to arrive so that they might attack. Serenity had been adamant that they wait for them or Venus would have ordered the attack long before now. They had been waiting for a few hours as it was and the route that the Shitennou had taken had been the quickest!

“One of us must get to Beryl. We can help each other make this so. One of us will die so that the others can survive and continue to serve the Prince and Princess.”

Zoisite wouldn’t let them down. Venus was almost positive that the white haired guardian would come, even if the others didn’t. But time was getting on and it was only a matter of time before they were discovered and if that happened… Venus didn’t want to even think about it.

“Venus” Mars hissed, voicing her thoughts, “We can’t wait forever. They are not coming.”

“They will” the blonde Senshi replied, more to convince herself than her friend, “Zoisite said--”

“Something must have happened” Mercury said quietly, her own face reflecting the worry inside them all.

Jupiter agreed, “We can’t wait. We must attack.”

“Serenity-sama said we can’t defeat Beryl without them” Venus argued, anxious not to risk the lives of her Senshi unless she had too, “We can wait a while longer.”

“No” Mars snapped, “We can’t. We have to go now. Before we are discovered.”

Venus glared at Mars. The Senshi of fire was always questioning her decisions and, Venus suspected, deep down that Mars had her own aspirations of leadership.

“We wait,” she answered, turning away to signal that the conversation was over. Whatever Mars’s wrath may be later on, Venus knew that she had to do what was best for her Senshi.

From an early age they had been trained as Serenity’s guardians and protectors and Venus was not going to throw that all away now.

Glancing at Jupiter and Mercury, Venus was sure that they agreed with her, even if common sense was telling them that Mars was right.

“I don’t like it anymore than you do” Venus whispered quietly, well aware that any moment their hiding place could be discovered, “Whoever heard of men guarding the royal family? This entire Kingdom is insane.”

Jupiter nodded whilst Mercury replied softly, “I think you do underestimate them. They are obviously stronger than the men in our world.”

Venus frowned slightly at this. She was not blind and had seen the way that Mercury had looked at Nephrite and she did not like it one bit. The Senshi could have no lives outside being the guardians of the Princess and it was the same for the Shitennou, too. Any such fantasies, no matter how innocent that they might be, were a recipe for disaster Venus knew. If the truth were known, she too sometimes wished for a chance to have a normal life. Being a Senshi was a great honour and a great burden and, as the leader, Venus tried to carry the weight of this burden for her Senshi.

Now, as the sun got lower in the sky, Venus knew that she had to make a decision. They had to attack soon or the chances of being discovered were all the greater, but without the Shitennou success was only a thin hope.

If one of us can get near to Beryl… only one of us…

Venus stood, her gaze locking on her fellow Senshi as she spoke, “We must go. One of us must get to Beryl.”

“What do you think happened?” Mercury dared to ask, concern for the Shitennou clear in her eyes.

Venus shrugged. They wouldn’t have betrayed them, would they? Of course not. Zoisite was not the type and, in any case, he wanted Beryl dead as much as Venus did.

“They must be dead” she said out loud and, indeed, there was no other explanation.

“Dead?” even Mars seemed shocked at this prospect.

A guardian dying was unheard of in the Silver Millennium and, so Venus believed, here, too.

“They are dead” Venus repeated, “They are dead and we must continue the mission for the sake of both our worlds.”

Jupiter, Mercury and Mars nodded in agreement, now all turning to their leader as they waited for the order to attack.

******

Kunzite knew that he was getting close to Beryl’s camp. Youma were everywhere, his progress hampered by having to kill each one that saw him lest he be discovered. If he were found then the Senshi would die and the Master would never forgive him if that happened.

“Teleport them back to the palace. I’ll find the Senshi and we’ll all meet you back there.”

What would they go when they got back to the palace? Youma were closing in on them and it was only a matter of time before the Kingdom fell. Endymion would not abandon the Earth. Kunzite had heard Serenity urging him to flee to the Moon with her, but Endymion would not abandon his people. Despite his mistakes, Kunzite knew that he would rather die alongside them. They would all die… they would die and the Earth would fall. Then the Moon would be in Beryl’s sights.

“Is this really a trap?”

“So in some ways I suppose your foolishness has worked to our advantage. I would not have stopped to speak with Kenichi had I not been worried about you.”

Beryl forces would have killed them and then the palace would have stood no chance. As it was two of the Shitennou were injured. As much as it galled Kunzite to admit it, he needed the Senshi’s help.

There! Kunzite pushed his way through a gap in the trees and stopped dead. The camp was gone. In fact there were hardly any signs of it being there at all. The dying fire, embers flickering slightly in the breeze and a few dead Youma scattered about the clearing were the only remnants of the Dark Kingdom’s existence.

Kunzite frowned, not understanding what had happened here. Hesitantly, his sword drawn as he did so, he stepped into the clearing fully, calling for the Senshi. Silence was his only reply. Would they have turned back? No, Kunzite shook his head. If he knew Venus he knew that she would have decreed that they continue the mission without the Shitennou.

Then he was too late, Kunzite realised. They were dead. There was no other explanation. For some reason this affected him more than he thought it would. A tiny part of him blamed himself and an even bigger part of him blamed his fellow Tennou. Had they not slowed him down…

Kunzite shook his head, knowing better than to start laying down blame. He had to forget about the Senshi now. The important thing was getting back to the palace. This he must do… at all costs…

*****

Zoisite slowly opened his eyes, staring dazedly at the ceiling as the room slowly came back into focus. He was in his room, in his bed and he had little recollection of how he had got there. Everything that happened after Kunzite left was a blur of hazed images and, try as he might; Zoisite was unable to sort them out into some kind of order.

“Zoisite?” he glanced to his left and saw the Master seated upon a blue velvet chair by the bedroom door. Endymion looked tired, defeated almost and the roars of the battle were closer than ever.

“Master? What happened?” he asked, pushing himself up into a sitting position as he spoke.

Endymion did not answer straight away and his silence on the matter forced Zoisite to cast his mind back.

“One of us must get to Beryl. We can help each other make this so. One of us will die so that the others can survive and continue to serve the Prince and Princess.”

“So” Kenichi taunted as he ripped his sword from Jadeite’s body and the youngest Tennou fell to the ground, “You bleed after all.”

“An arrow” Zoisite replied as he succeeded in pushing himself up into a sitting position, leaning against a tree for support. “I’ll be fine in a minute.”

“I doubt it” Kunzite snapped, annoyed with his tone. “How did you treat it?”

“The same way we were taught. I pushed it right the way through and then healed the wound.”

“It must have been coated with something. You’ve been poisoned.”

“What about the plan?”

“There is no plan! This is a trap and the Senshi are going to walk right into it!”

“So?” Zoisite shrugged, “They are not our responsibility.”

“Kunzite?” Zoisite asked out loud, “Has he returned?”

Endymion shook his head, “Four hours have passed. We have heard nothing”

“I see. How’s Jadeite?”

“Luckily he was healed in time. He’s just feeling a little weak, as you are. The Youma are on the move. They have reached the palace.”

Zoisite nodded, glancing down at his own wound as the Master spoke. It was healed, only a faint scar showed where it had once been.

“You were lucky” the Master said to this, “A few hours later and the antidote would have had no effect. What the hell did you think you were doing going off like that when you knew that you were not fit to travel?”

“I wanted to fight. Would you have let me go if you knew?”

“Of course not”

Zoisite did not answer this. There was no need.

Obviously frustrated, the Master stood, “Zoisite, the Youma will kill all within these walls. I have been trying to get the women and children away. We have evacuated as many as we can, but the Youma have the palace surrounded. We are going to make a final stand in the grounds. Serenity is leaving. The Moon Kingdom needs their Princess.”

“Running away” Zoisite answered bitterly, “So they will not come to our aid, even now.”

“The Senshi are gone! What do you expect? As the surviving heir she has to go.”

“And what about you? Master, you are also the only heir to the Earth Kingdom! You must go, too.”

“Forsake my Kingdom? You know I can’t do that.”

Zoisite knew that the gravity of the situation and Endymion’s mistakes spelled doom for them all. Still… he was the Master and Zoisite would do whatever it took to defend him, even if it meant his own destruction.

“Then I shall fight to protect what is left of the Kingdom.”

“The Earth Kingdom is lost. Beryl will try to conquer the Moon and she will fail. Serenity will not allow her to triumph.”

“Which is why you must go.”

“No” Endymion shook his head, “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You have too” Zoisite snapped, startled at his tone of voice as he stood. He was actually shaking as he spoke those words. He had never defied his Master before and now was not really the time to start, but this was foolishness!

“Kunzite is gone. You were right. I have brought a terrible destruction down upon the world. I abandoned my people once before. I will not do so again.”

“You are the Prince.”

“I am and I chose to do this.”

“You are going to die! Master--”

“I have made my decision, Zoisite” Endymion cut him off, “And, as one of the Shitennou, I expect you respect that.”

With those words the Master left Zoisite alone with his thoughts.

This is madness, he thought to himself. The Master wasn’t thinking straight. He who should be leaving for the Silver Millennium with Serenity. Endymion was trying to atone for his bad judgement, but throwing his life away needlessly was not the way to accomplish this!

Hurriedly pulling on his uniform, Zoisite left his room. Already he could hear the sounds of the battle and he ran towards these sounds, almost knocking into the Princess who had been rushing down the corridor towards him.

“Zoisite-san!” she called, but Zoisite ignored her.

“Zoisite-san!” she shouted, as he brushed passed. Still, Zoisite ignored her and she ran after him, as the battle cries grew nearer still. “Where’s Endymion?”

Zoisite pushed open the double doors that led into the palace grounds, even as Serenity caught up with him.

There was carnage everywhere; mostly human bodies littered the once beautiful grounds. The fountains ran red with blood and tortured screams of the dying tore through the air. The battle raged fiercely around them, but Zoisite easily found the Master. Endymion was still fighting, though he looked tired. Jadeite and Nephrite were with him; the blonde king seemed dangerously weak considering his ordeal and Zoisite doubted that they could last much longer.

Drawing his sword, he teleported to the Master’s side. “Master, leave here” Zoisite shouted as the battle continued. “You mustn’t stay! The Earth needs its Prince!”

Endymion ignored him and Zoisite was forced to let the matter drop for now as he focused on the battle. He could not order the Master and, if Endymion was truly intend on staying, Zoisite knew that there was little he could do to change his mind.

“Venus love-me… chain!”

“Burning Mandela!”

“Shine aqua… illusion!”

“Supreme… thunder!”

“Minna!” Serenity cried out as the attack slammed into the ground before Endymion and the remaining Tennou. Endymion staggered back, his sword falling from his hand as he fell.

“Master!” Zoisite shouted, the smoke from the attack momentarily blinding him, but, when it cleared, he saw the four Senshi standing before them.

Venus and Mars stood to the left and Mercury and Jupiter to the right. Standing between Mars and Mercury was Beryl.

“No” Serenity whispered, falling to her knees when she saw the cruel smiles upon the Senshi’s lips, “What is this?”

“Princess” Beryl snarled out, the loathing and lambent fury in her voice echoing around the kingdom and causing all who were still fighting to cease, “By stealing Endymion from me you took everything and now I will pay you back a thousand fold. Your foolish plan delivered your Senshi right into my hands and now I will destroy this world. A world that your ancestors carved with their own hands!”

“Venus!” Serenity implored, “Mercury, Mars, Jupiter!”

The Senshi paid little heed to the stricken heiress to the Moon Kingdom and Venus only smirked slightly when she saw the tears in Serenity’s eyes.

They didn’t recognise her, Zoisite realised. They didn’t know who Serenity was. What had Beryl done to them?

Serenity’s cries only served to feed the amusement of the red haired Queen and Beryl let out a triumphant cackle that made Zoisite’s flesh crawl. He started backwards, back towards the Master, knowing that Beryl still had him in her sights.

“Princess! I will take away everything that you hold dear to you. Your Senshi belong to me for all eternity and, very soon, so will the Prince.”

“Endymion!” Beryl shouted, her gaze locking on that of the Prince’s as he ran to Serenity’s side. “You’re world is crumbling, but I will give you this one chance to save it. Kill the Princess and return with me to the Dark Kingdom. Do this and I will allow your people to live.”

“To live? To live where?” the Master shouted back as he placed an arm around Serenity’s shoulders as she started to sob, “You have destroyed everything and for what? Even if I agreed to your terms I would never love you? I didn’t love you before and now… now that you’ve become this--this monster? I would rather the Kingdom be destroyed!”

“Monster” Beryl whispered and, for a brief moment, Zoisite saw a flicker of the innocent that she had been before. Before Metallia’s touch had tainted her soul. “You hateful child!” she screamed at the Princess, “You have turned him against me!”

With these words she attacked. Black magics lashed out from her hands, slamming into the ground all around the remaining Tennou and their Master. Zoisite stumbled, falling to his knees as the smoke covered the grounds, making it impossible for them to see. He could hear Nephrite and Jadeite urging the Prince to escape and Zoisite was glad of this. Again and again, he felt Metallia’s energies strike the palace.

Zoisite gagged slightly as he inhaled the dust from the falling masonry. Even Beryl’s laughter was drowned out by the sounds of the palace collapsing.

“Master!” Zoisite tried to cry out but as soon as he opened his mouth he broke off in a coughing fit, tears streaming down his cheeks as the dust entered his eyes. Dropping his sword, Zoisite staggered to his feet, his only concern was finding the Master. This was proving to be an impossible task. Everyone who could still stand was fleeing the palace grounds. Zoisite found himself being forced further and further away from where he thought the Master was.

“Do you remember that summer that we spent East of the Kingdom? You were only about ten at the time and the Master was seven.”

Zoisite nodded, “The Master wanted to go exploring and dragged the four of us with him. We went along the river bank and the Master got too near the edge and fell in.”

“You were the only one to jump in after him.”

“What is your point, Kunzite?”

“There was barely a current that day. The Master could have climbed out without your help. Remember how angry he was with you?”

Zoisite frowned, “I had thought he was embarrassed.”

“No. He recognised what I have done from the beginning. You are brave, Zoisite, but you are almost too willing to risk your life. There are other ways.”

Kunzite was wrong, Zoisite thought bitterly as he listened to the screams from those around him. There was no other way. The Master had to survive! Nothing else mattered… nothing else…

Then the smoke cleared. Zoisite glanced wildly about, barely taking in that the east wing of the palace lay in ruins and that the rest was swaying dangerously from side to side in the breeze.

Endymion stood among the ruins, Serenity cowering behind him as Beryl towered over them. The Princess’s dress was torn and, in some places, bloodied.

“Master!” Zoisite shouted as Beryl hurled an attack of black energy straight at the Prince and Princess, knocking them both to the ground.

“Endymion!” Beryl crowed, as the Master struggled to get up, shielding Serenity once more, “Why do you still protect her? I have killed two of your guardians. Will you allow the third one to die?” her gaze swung round to focus on Zoisite as she spoke and the colour drained from Endymion’s face and he shouted at Zoisite to run.

Jadeite… Nephrite…

Despite his resolve, despite knowing that there would always be causalities in war, Zoisite was horrified when his gaze settled on the bodies of his comrades. They lay a metre or two away from the Master, crushed under the rubble from the palace, their swords still in their lifeless hands.

After a moment that seemed to last a lifetime, Zoisite managed to crush all his conflicting emotions and focused on Beryl once more. This truly was it… the end of the Earth Kingdom.

You are brave, Zoisite, but you are almost too willing to risk your life.

But I have nothing else… all we have ever known is that we serve the Master…

“Stand aside!” Beryl ordered and to accentuate the fury in her voice she aimed an attack directly at Zoisite. The magics slammed into his chest and knocked him to the ground with a dizzying force that brought tears to his eyes.

“Stand aside!” Beryl repeated as Zoisite raised his head to meet the Master’s gaze. He shook his head slightly, though the pain on Endymion’s face was almost unbearable and Zoisite forced himself to look away.