The Assignment
Chapter 1: "Cult"ural Ties
AN: This is my very first story...as in ever. I am so excited to actually be writing a story. I have always enjoyed reading fanfics; now I am actually writing them too! =) So, don't be shy, let me know what you think. Give me suggestions on character development, and any areas I might have left lacking. I may keep revising as I go. I posted this chapter earlier, but decided to do some major reconstruction before the release of Chapter 2. Enjoy! I am also looking for a Beta Reader, so send me a PM if you're interested. (Don't forget to review!) =]
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon=not mine
It was all Marley's fault, plain and simple.
Then again, Marley was dead, and it really wasn't fair to blame her current position on a dead man. The syndicate really didn't care who they hurt, as long as they brought in their bounty.
Serenity cursed under her breath, shaking her long silver hair out of her azure orbs. Changing her position slightly, she turned her thoughts to the events that led up to her current captivity. As the commanding general of the Third Lunar Army, it was her job to be prepared. Her troops relied on her to keep them safe. The mission to Earth was supposed to have been reconnaissance only, the Black Moon Cult had been threatening the lunar court for far too long, and there was a rumor that Diamond, the leader of the cult, was ill. Serenity had volunteered on pure impulse, anxious to see the glimmering cities and beautiful forests of Earth firsthand. Instead, she had ended up in some backwater part of Old London tracking that fool Diamond's lackey through the sewers. How she hated Rubeus. But she was getting off track. Yes, it was Marley's fault. If it weren't for Marley, Serenity would have seen that attack coming.
Normally, she could handle any attack, but Marley had talked her into "blowing off some steam." Tracking a loser was one thing; actually engaging in combat with a youma was something completely different. Unfortunately, that is exactly what ended up happening. Somewhere in the slums, they had run across a nest of particularly nasty youma. Instead of leaving, which would have been smart, Marley thought it would be nice to show them a bit of Lunarian power. In the end, Marley ended up trading punches with a particularly nasty youma while Serenity dealt with three of its slightly less appealing friends. Exhausted after their sparring match, Marley had dragged Serenity into this dilapidated old pub situated just outside the slums. Sometime during the night, someone had drugged Serenity's drink, and as Marley dragged her half-conscious body back to their transport they had been ambushed. All serenity remembered was a black uniform with a sun emblazoned on the shoulder, the uniform of The Syndicate. Then, everything went black.
It was three days before she woke up again, and now, six hours later, she was staring at the same wall she had seen when her eyes first opened, trying to ignore Marley's dead corpse propped up in the corner. Too bad the stench of rotting flesh kept sneaking up her nose. One thought kept running through her head. She was alone, utterly alone on this practically medieval planet. Marley had been her only contact here; with him gone, she was on her own.
Serenity was shackled to a pole in the middle of a small dark room. A small, rust-covered door served as the only entrance or exit to the filthy pit. The only source of light was from a miniscule, barred skylight directly overhead. Even in the dim light, Serenity could still make out the blood splatters covering the concrete walls. Her hands and feet were bound with heavy metal chain, and a strange metal collar hung about her neck. Escape seemed impossible. Normally, she would have just used magic to destroy her bonds, but the strange alloy that composed the collar and shackles seemed to be draining any magic energy she managed to collect. It must have been some Syndicate trick.
Serenity's thoughts turned to The Syndicate and what she had learned about them in her studies on the moon. The most efficient, deadly team of assassins and bounty hunters on Earth, The Syndicate prided itself in never having lost a bounty. It was doubtful Serenity would be able to escape while she was in their care; however, someone had hired them to capture her. She could only hope that escape would be easier once she was handed over to the scumbags.
The rusty metal door on the side of the room opened to reveal a small man in an ebony syndicate uniform. Serenity watched helplessly as the man bent over to look her in the eyes, whispered "goodnight sweetheart," and hit her hard on the top of the head with his plasma sword, knocking her unconscious once again.
Midnight blue eyes scanned the skyline of Old London, looking for any abnormalities. From his perch atop the Crystal Palace Transmitter, Endymion could see the entire city. It was a beautiful sight to behold, if not a little forlorn. Endymion knew every inch of the skyline in Old London. He had sat atop this same tower countless times, waiting for a mission to start, or simply watching the stars. It had been hard to convince his parents to let him join the Royal Terran Army. As the crown prince of Earth, he was the sole heir to the throne, but he had convinced them that fighting this war would help him hone his leadership skills. He was currently the leader of a top-secret task force specializing in magical threats. He enjoyed chasing rebel groups down, and eliminating possible threats to his people. Somehow, it made him feel connected to them. As much as he enjoyed his work however, nothing was more tedious than a six-month hiatus in the slums. Truthfully, the only thing keeping him in this dilapidated town was his duty to the army.
Endymion was tired of Old London. His task force had been assigned to the Black Moon Cult six months ago, and they were still chasing rabbit trails all over the ancient city. He had been in every hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the city, explored every nook and cranny of the vast sewer system, scoured every inch of the expansive subway network, and there was still no sign of the infamous Diamond.
He was almost ready to be reassigned….almost. Endymion ran his fingers through his silky black hair. He had to remind himself that tonight was different. There was an occult ritual going down at the old St. Paul's Cathedral ruins. Their source had identified the acting mage as Diamond. This was their lucky break. If they could catch Diamond actually performing the ritual, they would have enough substantial evidence to put him away for good. Diamond would never hurt anyone again once he was locked in Scotland Yard's maximum-security prison. Not even the most skilled mages could escape the confinement spells placed on the cell blocks there.
Old London had once been a thriving city full of promise and culture, but ever since the revolution in 3365, nothing had been the same. Now, the ancient city was a refuge for the scum of this planet, like the Black Moon Cult. New London, separated from old London by a thick wall of polycarbonate glass and a powerful magic force field, had evolved after the revolution as the new central hub of Europe. Endymion hated the wall, but it was necessary to protect the citizens of New London from scum like Diamond. It was strange how some things still survived, even after the revolution.
Endymion glanced up at the enormous clock tower once known as Big Ben. Though its face had long since been extinguished, the clock still kept time. It was half past eleven, time for him to start his mission. Little did he know that this mission would change his life forever.