Of Crystal and Blood
by: Usa Serenity
The old mage stood, hunched over the stone pedestal, sweat dripping
from his tired, wrinkled brow. He was so lost in concentration, that if
someone had entered the sacred chamber, he would have been oblivious.
His frail, spotted hands hovered over a tiny pinpoint of light that grew
minutely larger as the shadows grew longer.
"Ochnama lo, lucrious minochia," he began to chant, softly, in a
shockingly young voice. The light grew more quickly then, expanding and
becoming brighter. It threw off brilliantly colored streams of light in
crimson, sapphire, emerald, and gold. The mage's face looked unearthly
in the prismatic show.
"Ochnama lo, lucrious minochia, selma di ochnama, SELENE!"
His chanting had reached a fevered pitch, and his young voice cracked,
and for a moment, told of his true age. The lights filled the sacred
chamber, turning the dull brown stone to a rainbow hued canvas. Then,
abruptly, it stopped.
The only sound in the tiny stone chamber was the labored breathing of
the mage. It was haggard, frightening, the way it echoed off the soaring
walls. He rested his gnarled hands on the pedestal on either side of a
softly shimmering object; the creation of his labors. He stared in wonder
at his spectacular genesis, and breathed it's name.
"ginzuishou..."
************************************************************************
The city was a giant, a sprawling behemoth that seemed to have a life of
it's own. It was ever growing, ever changing, with the cycle of the
seasons. Crowds of citizens choked the gloriously wide main avenue,
waiting with anticipation for her to appear, like a ghostly mirage, in the
bright blue sky above them. An electric current ran through the throng as
one by one, *they* appeared on the perimeter. Voices rose in excited
chattering; they knew the time was near.
The air grew heavy, and seemed to shimmer like heat waves roiling off
hot pavement. The crowd shifted uncomfortably as the pressure rose,
children began to cry. An audible pop was heard, and the constricting
waves were gone. A face, a beautiful, serene face, appeared impossibly
in the shining blue sky. Large, sapphire eyes cloaked with thick black
lashes fluttered open and surveyed the waiting crowd. Pale pink lips
parted, and the angel spoke.
"My citizens, the events we've all been waiting for have begun. Today
marks the beginning of the regeneration of Crystal Tokyo. As you all
have known for years, our resources are failing at frightening rate. Our
air is pure only by mechanical means, and the same holds true for our
water. The rationing of food and other necessities has given us a slight
reprieve, but it has cost a great deal in terms of the health and well being
of our children.
All the hardships end today. The King has developed a device that will be
able to replenish our fading resources and bring back the easy, carefree
life that we have all but forgotten. The Regenerator, as he has named it,
will require a few small sacrifices, but the greater good it can do will far
outweigh those losses.
I ask that all of us show our support of the King and raises our voices and
spirits in praise of what he has accomplished. Join with me now, as we
emerge into a new, better Crystal Tokyo."
As the vision shimmered and popped out of existence, the crowd cheered
wildly.
The strength required to use the projector and make the speech were
almost too much for her to bear. As soon as the machine was turned off,
she slumped, and wrapped the thick, velvet cape around herself for
warmth. An aide bound up the short stairs to help the frail, but still regal
monarch over to the small sofa that sat to the right of the projector alcove.
He unfolded a woolen afgan and placed it over her lap.
"Thank you," she whispered, and smiled weakly.
"You know, you really shouldn't exert yourself like that....your Majesty."
Her expression changed dramatically, as she snapped her head towards
the mocking voice.
"What business is it of yours?" she spat, contempt coloring her voice.
"Now, now, is that any way to talk to your most trusted advisor?" The man
entered the chamber, a feral smile on his face, and approached the sofa
like a lion stalking it's prey.
"You know, Serenity, if the people found out you spoke to your husband in
that tone, the scandal would ruin Crystal Tokyo," his voice was smooth,
and mocking, and brutal, all at once.
"Yes, Endymion," she choked on that name, "I understand exactly what
the people would think, but the people aren't here, are they?" she
challenged, sapphire eyes flashing.
"You'll pay for your insolence....just you wait," Endymion's eyes narrowed
threateningly, and Serenity shrank away from the pure hatred that lurked
within their cold blue depths.
************************************************************************
The cave was bathed in soft silver light as the ginzuishou pulsed slowly.
The mage let it play across his face and seemed to almost feel a physical
caress from the power that emanated from the clear, faceted stone. He
smiled and reached out to cradle his creation in his hands, but hesitated
as his fingers neared the pedestal. He felt suddenly uneasy and started
to draw his hand back when a tiny bolt of energy that looked like a
miniature lightning strike shot from the crystal and hit his index finger. It
wasn't pain that he felt, but instead an incredible pleasure. His face broke
into a joyous smile and his eyes closed as the waves washed through his
body. The energy bolt spread to each finger on his hand, and crept up
his arm at a leisurely pace. The pleasure swelled and he embraced it as
it consumed him. The crystal flashed, and the energy bolt changed from
white to blue. The mage's eye flew open in alarm as the crystal began to
take rather than to give. He tried to pull away, but he was locked in the
crystal's grip, and could only stand helplessly as his energy was drained
from his body. He felt the bones give in his arm, and watched as the flesh
sunk in and whither away. He tried to scream, but only managed a silent
pantomime of horror as first his fingers, and then his forearm crumbled to
dust. The crystal pulsed, brighter this time, as it sucked hungrily at the
mage's substantial power.
When it was over, the cave was silent and dark. A pile of singed clothing
was all that remained of the mage. The pedestal was empty save for a
scorched mark and a small pile of ash, as if the ginzuishou had burned
itself out. This, however, couldn't be farther from the truth. It had simply
fallen to the floor; black with heavy soot, it looked just like any of the other
fist sized stones that littered the cave.
It was almost a month before the mage was missed. He often
disappeared for long periods of time, but had been expected to make an
appearance at the coronation ceremonies; since this year, it was his own
granddaughter who was being coronated.
The Royal House of Pluto was crowning a new princess for the first time
in centuries. The current Queen and King had been unsuccessful in
producing an heir for much of their marriage, but finally, there was a
princess of age. She was the equivalent of 12 central system years, and
looked about that age, but was actually much older than that. Time acted
strangely on the remote, desolate planet. Some charons, as they called
themselves, aged very quickly; time passing in what some would consider
a moment. Others lived for centuries, even millennia, while maintaining a
youthful appearance. These latter were rare, and were said to be able to
control the time flux that existed on the planet. For the most part, they
were feared -- referred to as keepers, the handful that were known were
avoided. Most charons lived for about 500 central system years, and
aged as normally as could be expected with such a lifespan.
Zialetes Kinesile Runalta, or Zia as she liked to be called, was a stunning
child. She had long black hair with hints of emerald green that fell like silk
to her knees when it wasn't plaited straight down her back. She had her
father's crimson eyes that could be either cold and distant, or warm and
loving, depending on her mood. She was elusive, and liked to hide for
hours, watching the palace staff or her parents from the shadows. She
seemed to be able to almost blend in with the shadows, and in fact, she
could; having been taught that skill from the beloved grandfather, Orac
the mage.
Orac instantly sensed the dormant magic in the girl the day she was born,
and it was he who insisted on the lie about just when that was. He was
drawn to her shine, and as soon as she was old enough, he began to
teach her the old ways. She learned all the basic spells at his knee, and
at the age of four, could do simple magic with just a thought. He moved
on to instruct her in the more complicated spells, and she picked up on
those very easily. By the time she was nine, though, she began to lose
interest in magic. She became fascinated with time, and insisted that she
could feel it pulling her towards something. She would go off alone,
exploring the planet, and would return with tales of lay lines and power
convergences that frightened the King and Queen, and worried Orac. On
her eleventh birthday, she came to him with a serious discussion.
"Yula? I need to ask you something?" Zia said, approaching Orac almost
shyly.
"Of course, Zia. Come sit beside me," he gestured to a bench by the wall,
and walked toward it, wondering what she had to say.
"Yula...I...," she paused and breathed deeply.
Orac was very concerned now. Zia was an extremely intelligent child, and
was never at a loss for words.
"I had a vision." She said it quickly, as if she wanted the words out of her
mouth before she could change her mind. She looked at her feet guiltily.
Orac was stunned. He knew she had magic, but visions were another
thing entirely.
"I saw you make a crystal, and then, I saw the crystal take you...make
you....it killed you!" she shouted suddenly, tears coursing down her face.
"Yula!" she sobbed. "Promise me you won't make that crystal! Promise
me you'll be at my ceremony!"
"I promise Zia, I promise," he whispered soothingly as he held the
sobbing child. He rocked her gently, but was very shaken by her
prophecy...very shaken.
***********************************************************************
Deep in the bowels of the Crystal Palace, a blue haired senshi sat
hunched over an ancient text. She was in deep concentration, her only
movements other than her eyes scanning the pages, were the occasional
reaches of her fingers to push her glasses up. Suddenly, she gasped,
and sat up, her eyes wide. The glasses, loose and ill fitting with age, flew
off her face and shattered on the floor. She did not notice. She looked
down at the page again, frantically this time, her fingers reaching up to
secure the errant frames, only to find them missing. Confusion swept
over her face as she searched for them, only to find them in pieces on the
cold, stone floor. Still in shock from what she had read, and now unable
to read more, she gathered the text as quickly as possible, and fled the
small, dank, cellar library.
Mercury walked quietly towards her chambers. She had hidden the book
in her dimensional pocket, to keep the King from learning about her
discovery. She struggled to keep her face expressionless, as she passed
by him at the entrance to the throne room.
"Mercury," Endymion addressed her formally, as he always did. "Do you
have the latest intelligence reports ready?"
"Yes, your Majesty, I'll send them with the page as soon as I reach my
office," she replied, bowing slightly, as was the custom.
"Very well, you are dismissed," he stepped aside, and finally let her pass.
Ami held her breath until she rounded the corner, and let it out in an
audible sigh. Her mind was racing, and she hoped the King hadn't
noticed her discomfort during their brief meeting. She couldn't worry
about it now, and hurriedly made her way into the 'working' wing of the
Crystal Palace.
Ami burst through the door to her private office only to see she wasn't
alone. The figure was sitting in a large leather swivel chair, a green era
relic that had been painstakingly maintained by it's owner. Small bare
feet were resting on the corner of the immense crystal-fusion workstation
that was presently covered with old texts, and other paper articles. One
of those antique papers was being scanned thoroughly by the eyes of her
visitor. As she watched, the papers rustled and were lowered to reveal
sapphire blue eyes that held an anxious expression that clashed badly
with the beautiful face that held them.
"Did you find it?" she asked, leaning forward in the chair, a glimmer of
hope turning her eyes an even more impossible shade of blue.
"Yes," Ami said simply, to overcome with the emotion of the moment to
say more than that.
The girl in the chair was up in a second, her arms around Mercury, both
were weeping.
"Oh, Minako...we found it. But we can't let on that we know," Ami pulled
out of the embrace and held Venus at arms length. "If he were to find out,
all of our work would be for nothing. You know what would happen then."
Minako nodded solemnly, and hugged her friend fiercely.
"But, he doesn't know, and now we can do something about it all."
"Yes, finally, we can be free."
"But she won't be....not ever," Minako pulled away from the embrace and
looked at the floor, hot tears welling in her eyes.
"No, we can't bring her back, but maybe we can do something. At the
very least, we can have our revenge on him," Ami's normally kind voice
was icy in it's determination.
A dark, damp corner of the subbasement held the palace morgue. It had
only been used three times since Crystal Tokyo arose. The first two had
been at the same time; a murder-suicide by a married couple who didn't
flourish in the utopian ideal. This third time was much different. The cold,
pale body still lay on the slab, lips and fingers blue with lack of oxygen. It
was plain to see the victim was a female, since she lay there completely
naked. Green and white shreds of cloth were scattered on the floor where
the technicians had cut them off to attend to the body. Long, wavy
chestnut hair topped a still beautiful face, but looked very wrong free of
it's usual jeweled clip. Her body bore no marks of violence, in fact if it
wasn't for the complete lack of color on her face, she looked as if she
could be sleeping. But, she wasn't;
Sailor Jupiter was dead.
*************************************************************************
"Zia! Hurry girl! You'll be late for the fitting!" Adriene shouted up to her
daughter. "Zia?"
She climbed the massive stone staircase that dominated the front portion
of the house. It was glossy black, and shone almost like a mirror in
certain light. At the top, she surveyed the room below. Enormous double
doors marked the entryway, stretching tall to brush the twenty foot height
of the ceiling above. On the rich, wood floor, the royal seal marked the
exact center of the room. Oval in shape, it was divided into four
quadrants. The upper right contained a stylized key, with the curious
overlapping L and P that was the sigil of the house, in the background. In
the upper left, there was a staff, said to represent the unwavering honor in
this royal house. The lower sections contained a cloak and a feather,
respectively. The cloak represented wisdom, and the feather, magic.
Adriene grew thoughtful and then anxious as she stared at the symbols of
the seal, her eyes drawn to the key. She recalled a vague memory that seemed
almost out of reach; the day of Zia's birth...
Foggy...why was the room foggy?
It's a doctor.
Oh!
Oh...the
baby...it's a girl.
Shhh...little girl.
don't cry. mama's here.
oh...your
face...its' so warm.
what?
what's that? a pale violet light.
It can't be.
crying?
no, i can't cry..no one must know.
Father.
he's seen us little girl, but it's okay. you can always trust your Yula.
Yula will make it alright.
Adriene shook her head to rouse herself from the strange daydream.
Why had she thought her father had been present at the birth? Orac had
been away for many years. Too many for him to have been around for
Zia's birth. The girl was only eleven. Orac hadn't been to the palace in
almost one hundred and twenty years.
Adriene laughed softly at herself, but a disturbing sensation tiptoed
through her mind all the same.
She came to the end of the long upstairs hallway, and rapped on Zia's
door.
"Zia, it's almost time for your fitting. Come on down so I can brush your
hair."
When there was no reply, she slowly opened the door. The room was
very neat, the floor clean and swept, and the bed made expertly, but Zia
was not there. Puzzled, Adriene turned to look elsewhere.
Zia ran blindly down the overgrow path that led to the base of the great
cliffs that soared into the morning sky. Tears burned her eyes and face,
but she was oblivious to the grimy tracks that marked her cheeks. She
had to get to Yula. The vision had come again, this time stronger and
even more forcefully than before. She broke free of the tangled forest
and saw the entrance to the cave.
To the ordinary observer, the cave looked vacant and abandoned. It was
shrouded in a musty scent that turned away even the most curious
explorer. However, Zia was no ordinary explorer. The powerful aura of
recent magic burst from the entrance, flooding the air above in rainbow
hues. She was frightened, but a visceral need to see her precious Yula
drove her forth into the narrow tunnel.
It grew too small for her to squeeze through about a dozen yards in, so
she transfigured and crawled ahead, smaller and more lithe in the new
body she had chosen. The tunnel opened into a cramped interior room,
and the field mouse stretched grotesquely into it's original form; Zia stood
and looked around.
The walls were blackened by what looked like soot, and a smoldering pile
of cloth lay in the floor, beside a waist high stone pedestal. She reached
out a trembling hand and touched what she knew to be robes, fat tears
dripping to the floor. It was more than the child could stand, and she knelt
down, clutching at her grandfather's robes, and sobbed.
After what seemed like an eternity, her tears slowed, and a faint glinting
caught the edge of her vision. She half turned and picked up the dirty
stone and rubbed at it. Under all the soot, she saw it wasn't a stone at all,
but a shining, clear crystal. She cleaned it the best she could on the skirt
of her dress, and watched in wonder as it began to glow, pulsing in time
with her heartbeat; and then she knew...this was the crystal in her vision.
She wanted to drop it, to hurl it away, but found that she couldn't. Fear
swelled in her breast, as she came to realize that this crystal might take
her life as well as her Yula's. The tiny lighting strike pulsed out and
touched one finger at a time, and fear turned to panic. Not knowing what
was happening, or how to stop it, Zia began to instinctively chant the
forbidden spell.
"ochnali ba we shou. ochnali ni jou chi. ochnali exodus."
The sensation was strange. She could see the power flow frozen in it's
journey from her hand to the crystal. She could see her own body, locked
in a wide eyed panic. Even the very air seemed stalled, unmoving. Then
she realized what she had done. Time had stopped. Now she would die,
for that was the punishment for the forbidden spell. She wasn't afraid,
however unusual that must seem, even in her own mind.
"Zia."
The sound of her name made her turn, but it felt like she was underwater.
"Yula?" she mouthed. She could hear no sound come from her mouth,
but realized that she didn't need her voice in this limbo.
"You are even more powerful than I thought, my child." Orac smiled. "It
was necessary that you say the spell. You did right.
I wish I could hold you, but we have no real bodies in the limbo, only
spirits that our minds give form to. Now, you must listen while I explain."
Zia nodded, but it felt strange, sluggish. She was getting used to the
feeling, but very slowly.
"You are a keeper. Probably the most powerful keeper to grace this
planet since the dawn of time. Everyone thinks you are only eleven, but
in reality, you are already over one hundred years old. This has been
kept a secret because most of the people distrust keepers. The people
must trust their princess," he paused and smiled lovingly at Zia, who
stared, open mouthed at the revelations.
"The crystal you hold in your hand is called ginziushou. It's power is
limitless, but can only be wielded by the purest soul. Not even you, my
innocent granddaughter, have a soul pure enough to control ginzuishou.
It had now fallen to you to seek out this pure, shining light that will bring
order to chaos. All I was able to learn about this person is that she has
an aura of the purest silver, and will be born in about 4000 years. She
has already managed to touch your soul, since you bore one of her marks
at birth; the softly glowing sigil of this planet which shines on your spirit
self as we speak."
Zia touched her fingers to her forehead, but felt nothing. She could,
however, make out the pale violet light reflected in her grandfather's eyes.
"You may wonder how a person that won't be born for millennia could
have possibly marked you with such a sign. The answer to that question
lies in the galaxy cauldron, which is the birthplace of all life, and seems to
have an even deeper hold on those with power. "
"And now, I must go. I'm afraid I cannot attend your coronation, however,
you will receive a gift from me. I had it delivered a week ago, so it should
be waiting for you. I love you, my precious granddaughter, never forget
that," Orac smiled and began to fade.
For the first time, Zia found her voice to speak. "Yula! How do I get back?"
she cried out.
"You only need to wish it so....," came the faint reply, and then Zia was
alone in the limbo.
The rustling sound startled Adriene and she turned quickly back towards
the bed. There, amongst the coverlet, was Zia, shaking and crying
silently. Adriene rushed over and wrapped the girl in her embrace,
holding her until the trembling subsided and the tears slowed.
************************************************************************
Serenity lay sprawled in the overly large, canopied bed. Sheer sheets of
gauzy fabric hung from the top frame and enclosed her in silken prison.
Her face was tense, as the dream held her in it's grasp. She tossed
suddenly, flinging thin, pale arms over her head, and then quickly down
again to rest at her sides. Beads of perspiration formed on her brow, and
ran down to join their counterparts on the damp pillowcase below. With a
frightening intensity, she thrust herself to a sitting position, a breathless
scream dying on her lips. Her eyes were wide and fearful, still caught in
the nightmare even though she was now awake. Her breathe came in
ragged, tearing gasps as she fought to regain control of her emotions. No
longer able to contain it, a strangled sob forced it's way from her tender
throat, and she collapsed on the bed, letting the tears cleanse the last of
the vicious dream from her psyche.
**Mako was screaming...**
NO! No! I won't think about it!
**He smiled...**
STOP! I can't bear it anymore!
**The muted thud, as her body fell to the floor...**
Serenity leapt from the bed, pacing around the room frantically, trying to
clear the remnants of the dream from her thoughts. The rapid pacing soon
exhausted her, and she had to stop and sit -- this time on the chaise
instead of the bed. She grabbed for the afgan that lay over the back of
the pale silver, velvet seat, and brought it up to her neck. She lay there,
shivering, until sleep claimed her once again.
The fire grew fierce and hot, trying to shake off it's controller and find it's
way to freedom. It ached to consume; to grow; to burn. Tiny, orange
fingers licked at the master, scalding and searing where they made
contact with cool, pale skin. It reared one final time, and then receded in
defeat, spreading it's aura so she could read those hellish visions once
again. It would not break free this time, but would wait for the next
instead, the enticement of this knowledge made it glow white hot at it's
core.
Mars knelt before the sacred fire, always in control, but out of it as well.
Sweat beaded on her forehead and ran down her face in rivulets. She did
not feel pain as her skin was reddened again and again by the flames.
The blisters that arose vanished when they popped, dripping their
scalding contents to blister again. She should have been horribly
disfigured from the burns, but her face was always clear and smooth
when she finished the rites.
She watched the visions appear and studied them with as much intensity
as the fire that burned before her. It was the same set of images that had
been coming to her for months, years. The pink haired woman--beautiful
and shining in a flowing pearl colored gown, held up a treasure and
cleansed them all. His face burned in the pure light, and the flesh turned
soft and fell from the bone underneath. The bones turned to dust, but not
before a skeletal hand wrapped around Serenity's ankle, turning it black.
Serenity screamed as the shadow hued infection consumed her. She
turned her crystal blue eyes to Mars and whispered, "Onegai?".
Mars cursed under her breath as the fire grew dim, it's birthing of
information spent. She chanted a short incantation and rose from her
position, smoothing her robes, as she left the fire chamber.
She walked quickly, barely making it to her private bathroom before her
light dinner forced it's way out. She leaned heavily on the porcelain bowl
as she retched. The vision always made her ill. She rinsed the bile from
her mouth and stumbled over to her bed. She lay down, letting the tears
scald her face like the fire never could.
*************************************************************************
Coronation day was cold, the sky heavy and lead gray in color. Sharp,
piercing gusts of wind tore at the gold and purple bunting that decorated
the small outdoor stage. The girl looked out at the forbidding landscape
and sighed deeply. She had not told anyone of her experience in the
cave. The ache in her heart caused by her Yula's death was her own
burden to bear. She was afraid to tell, afraid of the fearful gaze of her
mother, and the mistrust in her father's eyes were she to let them in on
her secret, her newly found destiny. Had she really been twelve, she
didn't think she could have done it, but she was well into young adulthood
in all actuality, and that extra maturity made all the difference. In the
days after her revelation, she had stood in front of her mirror many times,
letting the deceptive mask of youth fall away. Before her eyes, she aged
shockingly, feeling both comfortable and uncomfortable in her "real" body.
Once, her mother had walked in while she was changed, but Zia was
surprised when her mother didn't seem to notice. It was then she realized
that it must have been Yula who had cast the enchantment over them all.
That was why she never had to think about making herself appear young.
When she aged, she was not casting, but simply breaking the masking
spell.
The newly crowned Princess Zialetes of the Royal House of Pluto,
Runalta Dynasty, sat in a plush window seat, lost in her thoughts of the
past few weeks, holding a small, ornately wrapped box. She tore herself
away from the memories and focused her attention on the gift she held. It
was from Yula, and she was pensive about opening it. She placed one
still gloved finger under the broad, dark green silk ribbon and pulled it
from the box gently. The wrapping paper was heavy and coarse, dyed to
a violet so pale it almost seemed white. She removed it carefully, so not
to rip it, and placed it on the velvet seat along side the ribbon. The box
inside was made of polished metal; pewter, or perhaps even silver, with
emerald green jewels embedded in it's top. She opened it, feeling it's
weight as the hinged top smoothly raised to reveal it's contents.
On a black velvet pad, rested a small gold key on a fine chain. She lifted
it out to study it more closely. She felt the power that emanated from the
jeweled tip, where a blood red garnet was set. Then she noticed the
small white parchment card that rested towards the back of the box. She
almost cried out when she recognized the small cramped handwriting.
Dearest Zia:
This is the time key.
Keep it close for it is your talisman.
Yula
She quickly clasped the chain around her neck, as if Yula were watching,
waiting for her to accept his gift. The chain was long, and the small key
hung low, easily hidden by her clothing. She felt warmed by it's
presence, and smiled to herself.
by: Usa Serenity
The old mage stood, hunched over the stone pedestal, sweat dripping
from his tired, wrinkled brow. He was so lost in concentration, that if
someone had entered the sacred chamber, he would have been oblivious.
His frail, spotted hands hovered over a tiny pinpoint of light that grew
minutely larger as the shadows grew longer.
"Ochnama lo, lucrious minochia," he began to chant, softly, in a
shockingly young voice. The light grew more quickly then, expanding and
becoming brighter. It threw off brilliantly colored streams of light in
crimson, sapphire, emerald, and gold. The mage's face looked unearthly
in the prismatic show.
"Ochnama lo, lucrious minochia, selma di ochnama, SELENE!"
His chanting had reached a fevered pitch, and his young voice cracked,
and for a moment, told of his true age. The lights filled the sacred
chamber, turning the dull brown stone to a rainbow hued canvas. Then,
abruptly, it stopped.
The only sound in the tiny stone chamber was the labored breathing of
the mage. It was haggard, frightening, the way it echoed off the soaring
walls. He rested his gnarled hands on the pedestal on either side of a
softly shimmering object; the creation of his labors. He stared in wonder
at his spectacular genesis, and breathed it's name.
"ginzuishou..."
************************************************************************
The city was a giant, a sprawling behemoth that seemed to have a life of
it's own. It was ever growing, ever changing, with the cycle of the
seasons. Crowds of citizens choked the gloriously wide main avenue,
waiting with anticipation for her to appear, like a ghostly mirage, in the
bright blue sky above them. An electric current ran through the throng as
one by one, *they* appeared on the perimeter. Voices rose in excited
chattering; they knew the time was near.
The air grew heavy, and seemed to shimmer like heat waves roiling off
hot pavement. The crowd shifted uncomfortably as the pressure rose,
children began to cry. An audible pop was heard, and the constricting
waves were gone. A face, a beautiful, serene face, appeared impossibly
in the shining blue sky. Large, sapphire eyes cloaked with thick black
lashes fluttered open and surveyed the waiting crowd. Pale pink lips
parted, and the angel spoke.
"My citizens, the events we've all been waiting for have begun. Today
marks the beginning of the regeneration of Crystal Tokyo. As you all
have known for years, our resources are failing at frightening rate. Our
air is pure only by mechanical means, and the same holds true for our
water. The rationing of food and other necessities has given us a slight
reprieve, but it has cost a great deal in terms of the health and well being
of our children.
All the hardships end today. The King has developed a device that will be
able to replenish our fading resources and bring back the easy, carefree
life that we have all but forgotten. The Regenerator, as he has named it,
will require a few small sacrifices, but the greater good it can do will far
outweigh those losses.
I ask that all of us show our support of the King and raises our voices and
spirits in praise of what he has accomplished. Join with me now, as we
emerge into a new, better Crystal Tokyo."
As the vision shimmered and popped out of existence, the crowd cheered
wildly.
The strength required to use the projector and make the speech were
almost too much for her to bear. As soon as the machine was turned off,
she slumped, and wrapped the thick, velvet cape around herself for
warmth. An aide bound up the short stairs to help the frail, but still regal
monarch over to the small sofa that sat to the right of the projector alcove.
He unfolded a woolen afgan and placed it over her lap.
"Thank you," she whispered, and smiled weakly.
"You know, you really shouldn't exert yourself like that....your Majesty."
Her expression changed dramatically, as she snapped her head towards
the mocking voice.
"What business is it of yours?" she spat, contempt coloring her voice.
"Now, now, is that any way to talk to your most trusted advisor?" The man
entered the chamber, a feral smile on his face, and approached the sofa
like a lion stalking it's prey.
"You know, Serenity, if the people found out you spoke to your husband in
that tone, the scandal would ruin Crystal Tokyo," his voice was smooth,
and mocking, and brutal, all at once.
"Yes, Endymion," she choked on that name, "I understand exactly what
the people would think, but the people aren't here, are they?" she
challenged, sapphire eyes flashing.
"You'll pay for your insolence....just you wait," Endymion's eyes narrowed
threateningly, and Serenity shrank away from the pure hatred that lurked
within their cold blue depths.
************************************************************************
The cave was bathed in soft silver light as the ginzuishou pulsed slowly.
The mage let it play across his face and seemed to almost feel a physical
caress from the power that emanated from the clear, faceted stone. He
smiled and reached out to cradle his creation in his hands, but hesitated
as his fingers neared the pedestal. He felt suddenly uneasy and started
to draw his hand back when a tiny bolt of energy that looked like a
miniature lightning strike shot from the crystal and hit his index finger. It
wasn't pain that he felt, but instead an incredible pleasure. His face broke
into a joyous smile and his eyes closed as the waves washed through his
body. The energy bolt spread to each finger on his hand, and crept up
his arm at a leisurely pace. The pleasure swelled and he embraced it as
it consumed him. The crystal flashed, and the energy bolt changed from
white to blue. The mage's eye flew open in alarm as the crystal began to
take rather than to give. He tried to pull away, but he was locked in the
crystal's grip, and could only stand helplessly as his energy was drained
from his body. He felt the bones give in his arm, and watched as the flesh
sunk in and whither away. He tried to scream, but only managed a silent
pantomime of horror as first his fingers, and then his forearm crumbled to
dust. The crystal pulsed, brighter this time, as it sucked hungrily at the
mage's substantial power.
When it was over, the cave was silent and dark. A pile of singed clothing
was all that remained of the mage. The pedestal was empty save for a
scorched mark and a small pile of ash, as if the ginzuishou had burned
itself out. This, however, couldn't be farther from the truth. It had simply
fallen to the floor; black with heavy soot, it looked just like any of the other
fist sized stones that littered the cave.
It was almost a month before the mage was missed. He often
disappeared for long periods of time, but had been expected to make an
appearance at the coronation ceremonies; since this year, it was his own
granddaughter who was being coronated.
The Royal House of Pluto was crowning a new princess for the first time
in centuries. The current Queen and King had been unsuccessful in
producing an heir for much of their marriage, but finally, there was a
princess of age. She was the equivalent of 12 central system years, and
looked about that age, but was actually much older than that. Time acted
strangely on the remote, desolate planet. Some charons, as they called
themselves, aged very quickly; time passing in what some would consider
a moment. Others lived for centuries, even millennia, while maintaining a
youthful appearance. These latter were rare, and were said to be able to
control the time flux that existed on the planet. For the most part, they
were feared -- referred to as keepers, the handful that were known were
avoided. Most charons lived for about 500 central system years, and
aged as normally as could be expected with such a lifespan.
Zialetes Kinesile Runalta, or Zia as she liked to be called, was a stunning
child. She had long black hair with hints of emerald green that fell like silk
to her knees when it wasn't plaited straight down her back. She had her
father's crimson eyes that could be either cold and distant, or warm and
loving, depending on her mood. She was elusive, and liked to hide for
hours, watching the palace staff or her parents from the shadows. She
seemed to be able to almost blend in with the shadows, and in fact, she
could; having been taught that skill from the beloved grandfather, Orac
the mage.
Orac instantly sensed the dormant magic in the girl the day she was born,
and it was he who insisted on the lie about just when that was. He was
drawn to her shine, and as soon as she was old enough, he began to
teach her the old ways. She learned all the basic spells at his knee, and
at the age of four, could do simple magic with just a thought. He moved
on to instruct her in the more complicated spells, and she picked up on
those very easily. By the time she was nine, though, she began to lose
interest in magic. She became fascinated with time, and insisted that she
could feel it pulling her towards something. She would go off alone,
exploring the planet, and would return with tales of lay lines and power
convergences that frightened the King and Queen, and worried Orac. On
her eleventh birthday, she came to him with a serious discussion.
"Yula? I need to ask you something?" Zia said, approaching Orac almost
shyly.
"Of course, Zia. Come sit beside me," he gestured to a bench by the wall,
and walked toward it, wondering what she had to say.
"Yula...I...," she paused and breathed deeply.
Orac was very concerned now. Zia was an extremely intelligent child, and
was never at a loss for words.
"I had a vision." She said it quickly, as if she wanted the words out of her
mouth before she could change her mind. She looked at her feet guiltily.
Orac was stunned. He knew she had magic, but visions were another
thing entirely.
"I saw you make a crystal, and then, I saw the crystal take you...make
you....it killed you!" she shouted suddenly, tears coursing down her face.
"Yula!" she sobbed. "Promise me you won't make that crystal! Promise
me you'll be at my ceremony!"
"I promise Zia, I promise," he whispered soothingly as he held the
sobbing child. He rocked her gently, but was very shaken by her
prophecy...very shaken.
***********************************************************************
Deep in the bowels of the Crystal Palace, a blue haired senshi sat
hunched over an ancient text. She was in deep concentration, her only
movements other than her eyes scanning the pages, were the occasional
reaches of her fingers to push her glasses up. Suddenly, she gasped,
and sat up, her eyes wide. The glasses, loose and ill fitting with age, flew
off her face and shattered on the floor. She did not notice. She looked
down at the page again, frantically this time, her fingers reaching up to
secure the errant frames, only to find them missing. Confusion swept
over her face as she searched for them, only to find them in pieces on the
cold, stone floor. Still in shock from what she had read, and now unable
to read more, she gathered the text as quickly as possible, and fled the
small, dank, cellar library.
Mercury walked quietly towards her chambers. She had hidden the book
in her dimensional pocket, to keep the King from learning about her
discovery. She struggled to keep her face expressionless, as she passed
by him at the entrance to the throne room.
"Mercury," Endymion addressed her formally, as he always did. "Do you
have the latest intelligence reports ready?"
"Yes, your Majesty, I'll send them with the page as soon as I reach my
office," she replied, bowing slightly, as was the custom.
"Very well, you are dismissed," he stepped aside, and finally let her pass.
Ami held her breath until she rounded the corner, and let it out in an
audible sigh. Her mind was racing, and she hoped the King hadn't
noticed her discomfort during their brief meeting. She couldn't worry
about it now, and hurriedly made her way into the 'working' wing of the
Crystal Palace.
Ami burst through the door to her private office only to see she wasn't
alone. The figure was sitting in a large leather swivel chair, a green era
relic that had been painstakingly maintained by it's owner. Small bare
feet were resting on the corner of the immense crystal-fusion workstation
that was presently covered with old texts, and other paper articles. One
of those antique papers was being scanned thoroughly by the eyes of her
visitor. As she watched, the papers rustled and were lowered to reveal
sapphire blue eyes that held an anxious expression that clashed badly
with the beautiful face that held them.
"Did you find it?" she asked, leaning forward in the chair, a glimmer of
hope turning her eyes an even more impossible shade of blue.
"Yes," Ami said simply, to overcome with the emotion of the moment to
say more than that.
The girl in the chair was up in a second, her arms around Mercury, both
were weeping.
"Oh, Minako...we found it. But we can't let on that we know," Ami pulled
out of the embrace and held Venus at arms length. "If he were to find out,
all of our work would be for nothing. You know what would happen then."
Minako nodded solemnly, and hugged her friend fiercely.
"But, he doesn't know, and now we can do something about it all."
"Yes, finally, we can be free."
"But she won't be....not ever," Minako pulled away from the embrace and
looked at the floor, hot tears welling in her eyes.
"No, we can't bring her back, but maybe we can do something. At the
very least, we can have our revenge on him," Ami's normally kind voice
was icy in it's determination.
A dark, damp corner of the subbasement held the palace morgue. It had
only been used three times since Crystal Tokyo arose. The first two had
been at the same time; a murder-suicide by a married couple who didn't
flourish in the utopian ideal. This third time was much different. The cold,
pale body still lay on the slab, lips and fingers blue with lack of oxygen. It
was plain to see the victim was a female, since she lay there completely
naked. Green and white shreds of cloth were scattered on the floor where
the technicians had cut them off to attend to the body. Long, wavy
chestnut hair topped a still beautiful face, but looked very wrong free of
it's usual jeweled clip. Her body bore no marks of violence, in fact if it
wasn't for the complete lack of color on her face, she looked as if she
could be sleeping. But, she wasn't;
Sailor Jupiter was dead.
*************************************************************************
"Zia! Hurry girl! You'll be late for the fitting!" Adriene shouted up to her
daughter. "Zia?"
She climbed the massive stone staircase that dominated the front portion
of the house. It was glossy black, and shone almost like a mirror in
certain light. At the top, she surveyed the room below. Enormous double
doors marked the entryway, stretching tall to brush the twenty foot height
of the ceiling above. On the rich, wood floor, the royal seal marked the
exact center of the room. Oval in shape, it was divided into four
quadrants. The upper right contained a stylized key, with the curious
overlapping L and P that was the sigil of the house, in the background. In
the upper left, there was a staff, said to represent the unwavering honor in
this royal house. The lower sections contained a cloak and a feather,
respectively. The cloak represented wisdom, and the feather, magic.
Adriene grew thoughtful and then anxious as she stared at the symbols of
the seal, her eyes drawn to the key. She recalled a vague memory that seemed
almost out of reach; the day of Zia's birth...
Foggy...why was the room foggy?
It's a doctor.
Oh!
Oh...the
baby...it's a girl.
Shhh...little girl.
don't cry. mama's here.
oh...your
face...its' so warm.
what?
what's that? a pale violet light.
It can't be.
crying?
no, i can't cry..no one must know.
Father.
he's seen us little girl, but it's okay. you can always trust your Yula.
Yula will make it alright.
Adriene shook her head to rouse herself from the strange daydream.
Why had she thought her father had been present at the birth? Orac had
been away for many years. Too many for him to have been around for
Zia's birth. The girl was only eleven. Orac hadn't been to the palace in
almost one hundred and twenty years.
Adriene laughed softly at herself, but a disturbing sensation tiptoed
through her mind all the same.
She came to the end of the long upstairs hallway, and rapped on Zia's
door.
"Zia, it's almost time for your fitting. Come on down so I can brush your
hair."
When there was no reply, she slowly opened the door. The room was
very neat, the floor clean and swept, and the bed made expertly, but Zia
was not there. Puzzled, Adriene turned to look elsewhere.
Zia ran blindly down the overgrow path that led to the base of the great
cliffs that soared into the morning sky. Tears burned her eyes and face,
but she was oblivious to the grimy tracks that marked her cheeks. She
had to get to Yula. The vision had come again, this time stronger and
even more forcefully than before. She broke free of the tangled forest
and saw the entrance to the cave.
To the ordinary observer, the cave looked vacant and abandoned. It was
shrouded in a musty scent that turned away even the most curious
explorer. However, Zia was no ordinary explorer. The powerful aura of
recent magic burst from the entrance, flooding the air above in rainbow
hues. She was frightened, but a visceral need to see her precious Yula
drove her forth into the narrow tunnel.
It grew too small for her to squeeze through about a dozen yards in, so
she transfigured and crawled ahead, smaller and more lithe in the new
body she had chosen. The tunnel opened into a cramped interior room,
and the field mouse stretched grotesquely into it's original form; Zia stood
and looked around.
The walls were blackened by what looked like soot, and a smoldering pile
of cloth lay in the floor, beside a waist high stone pedestal. She reached
out a trembling hand and touched what she knew to be robes, fat tears
dripping to the floor. It was more than the child could stand, and she knelt
down, clutching at her grandfather's robes, and sobbed.
After what seemed like an eternity, her tears slowed, and a faint glinting
caught the edge of her vision. She half turned and picked up the dirty
stone and rubbed at it. Under all the soot, she saw it wasn't a stone at all,
but a shining, clear crystal. She cleaned it the best she could on the skirt
of her dress, and watched in wonder as it began to glow, pulsing in time
with her heartbeat; and then she knew...this was the crystal in her vision.
She wanted to drop it, to hurl it away, but found that she couldn't. Fear
swelled in her breast, as she came to realize that this crystal might take
her life as well as her Yula's. The tiny lighting strike pulsed out and
touched one finger at a time, and fear turned to panic. Not knowing what
was happening, or how to stop it, Zia began to instinctively chant the
forbidden spell.
"ochnali ba we shou. ochnali ni jou chi. ochnali exodus."
The sensation was strange. She could see the power flow frozen in it's
journey from her hand to the crystal. She could see her own body, locked
in a wide eyed panic. Even the very air seemed stalled, unmoving. Then
she realized what she had done. Time had stopped. Now she would die,
for that was the punishment for the forbidden spell. She wasn't afraid,
however unusual that must seem, even in her own mind.
"Zia."
The sound of her name made her turn, but it felt like she was underwater.
"Yula?" she mouthed. She could hear no sound come from her mouth,
but realized that she didn't need her voice in this limbo.
"You are even more powerful than I thought, my child." Orac smiled. "It
was necessary that you say the spell. You did right.
I wish I could hold you, but we have no real bodies in the limbo, only
spirits that our minds give form to. Now, you must listen while I explain."
Zia nodded, but it felt strange, sluggish. She was getting used to the
feeling, but very slowly.
"You are a keeper. Probably the most powerful keeper to grace this
planet since the dawn of time. Everyone thinks you are only eleven, but
in reality, you are already over one hundred years old. This has been
kept a secret because most of the people distrust keepers. The people
must trust their princess," he paused and smiled lovingly at Zia, who
stared, open mouthed at the revelations.
"The crystal you hold in your hand is called ginziushou. It's power is
limitless, but can only be wielded by the purest soul. Not even you, my
innocent granddaughter, have a soul pure enough to control ginzuishou.
It had now fallen to you to seek out this pure, shining light that will bring
order to chaos. All I was able to learn about this person is that she has
an aura of the purest silver, and will be born in about 4000 years. She
has already managed to touch your soul, since you bore one of her marks
at birth; the softly glowing sigil of this planet which shines on your spirit
self as we speak."
Zia touched her fingers to her forehead, but felt nothing. She could,
however, make out the pale violet light reflected in her grandfather's eyes.
"You may wonder how a person that won't be born for millennia could
have possibly marked you with such a sign. The answer to that question
lies in the galaxy cauldron, which is the birthplace of all life, and seems to
have an even deeper hold on those with power. "
"And now, I must go. I'm afraid I cannot attend your coronation, however,
you will receive a gift from me. I had it delivered a week ago, so it should
be waiting for you. I love you, my precious granddaughter, never forget
that," Orac smiled and began to fade.
For the first time, Zia found her voice to speak. "Yula! How do I get back?"
she cried out.
"You only need to wish it so....," came the faint reply, and then Zia was
alone in the limbo.
The rustling sound startled Adriene and she turned quickly back towards
the bed. There, amongst the coverlet, was Zia, shaking and crying
silently. Adriene rushed over and wrapped the girl in her embrace,
holding her until the trembling subsided and the tears slowed.
************************************************************************
Serenity lay sprawled in the overly large, canopied bed. Sheer sheets of
gauzy fabric hung from the top frame and enclosed her in silken prison.
Her face was tense, as the dream held her in it's grasp. She tossed
suddenly, flinging thin, pale arms over her head, and then quickly down
again to rest at her sides. Beads of perspiration formed on her brow, and
ran down to join their counterparts on the damp pillowcase below. With a
frightening intensity, she thrust herself to a sitting position, a breathless
scream dying on her lips. Her eyes were wide and fearful, still caught in
the nightmare even though she was now awake. Her breathe came in
ragged, tearing gasps as she fought to regain control of her emotions. No
longer able to contain it, a strangled sob forced it's way from her tender
throat, and she collapsed on the bed, letting the tears cleanse the last of
the vicious dream from her psyche.
**Mako was screaming...**
NO! No! I won't think about it!
**He smiled...**
STOP! I can't bear it anymore!
**The muted thud, as her body fell to the floor...**
Serenity leapt from the bed, pacing around the room frantically, trying to
clear the remnants of the dream from her thoughts. The rapid pacing soon
exhausted her, and she had to stop and sit -- this time on the chaise
instead of the bed. She grabbed for the afgan that lay over the back of
the pale silver, velvet seat, and brought it up to her neck. She lay there,
shivering, until sleep claimed her once again.
The fire grew fierce and hot, trying to shake off it's controller and find it's
way to freedom. It ached to consume; to grow; to burn. Tiny, orange
fingers licked at the master, scalding and searing where they made
contact with cool, pale skin. It reared one final time, and then receded in
defeat, spreading it's aura so she could read those hellish visions once
again. It would not break free this time, but would wait for the next
instead, the enticement of this knowledge made it glow white hot at it's
core.
Mars knelt before the sacred fire, always in control, but out of it as well.
Sweat beaded on her forehead and ran down her face in rivulets. She did
not feel pain as her skin was reddened again and again by the flames.
The blisters that arose vanished when they popped, dripping their
scalding contents to blister again. She should have been horribly
disfigured from the burns, but her face was always clear and smooth
when she finished the rites.
She watched the visions appear and studied them with as much intensity
as the fire that burned before her. It was the same set of images that had
been coming to her for months, years. The pink haired woman--beautiful
and shining in a flowing pearl colored gown, held up a treasure and
cleansed them all. His face burned in the pure light, and the flesh turned
soft and fell from the bone underneath. The bones turned to dust, but not
before a skeletal hand wrapped around Serenity's ankle, turning it black.
Serenity screamed as the shadow hued infection consumed her. She
turned her crystal blue eyes to Mars and whispered, "Onegai?".
Mars cursed under her breath as the fire grew dim, it's birthing of
information spent. She chanted a short incantation and rose from her
position, smoothing her robes, as she left the fire chamber.
She walked quickly, barely making it to her private bathroom before her
light dinner forced it's way out. She leaned heavily on the porcelain bowl
as she retched. The vision always made her ill. She rinsed the bile from
her mouth and stumbled over to her bed. She lay down, letting the tears
scald her face like the fire never could.
*************************************************************************
Coronation day was cold, the sky heavy and lead gray in color. Sharp,
piercing gusts of wind tore at the gold and purple bunting that decorated
the small outdoor stage. The girl looked out at the forbidding landscape
and sighed deeply. She had not told anyone of her experience in the
cave. The ache in her heart caused by her Yula's death was her own
burden to bear. She was afraid to tell, afraid of the fearful gaze of her
mother, and the mistrust in her father's eyes were she to let them in on
her secret, her newly found destiny. Had she really been twelve, she
didn't think she could have done it, but she was well into young adulthood
in all actuality, and that extra maturity made all the difference. In the
days after her revelation, she had stood in front of her mirror many times,
letting the deceptive mask of youth fall away. Before her eyes, she aged
shockingly, feeling both comfortable and uncomfortable in her "real" body.
Once, her mother had walked in while she was changed, but Zia was
surprised when her mother didn't seem to notice. It was then she realized
that it must have been Yula who had cast the enchantment over them all.
That was why she never had to think about making herself appear young.
When she aged, she was not casting, but simply breaking the masking
spell.
The newly crowned Princess Zialetes of the Royal House of Pluto,
Runalta Dynasty, sat in a plush window seat, lost in her thoughts of the
past few weeks, holding a small, ornately wrapped box. She tore herself
away from the memories and focused her attention on the gift she held. It
was from Yula, and she was pensive about opening it. She placed one
still gloved finger under the broad, dark green silk ribbon and pulled it
from the box gently. The wrapping paper was heavy and coarse, dyed to
a violet so pale it almost seemed white. She removed it carefully, so not
to rip it, and placed it on the velvet seat along side the ribbon. The box
inside was made of polished metal; pewter, or perhaps even silver, with
emerald green jewels embedded in it's top. She opened it, feeling it's
weight as the hinged top smoothly raised to reveal it's contents.
On a black velvet pad, rested a small gold key on a fine chain. She lifted
it out to study it more closely. She felt the power that emanated from the
jeweled tip, where a blood red garnet was set. Then she noticed the
small white parchment card that rested towards the back of the box. She
almost cried out when she recognized the small cramped handwriting.
Dearest Zia:
This is the time key.
Keep it close for it is your talisman.
Yula
She quickly clasped the chain around her neck, as if Yula were watching,
waiting for her to accept his gift. The chain was long, and the small key
hung low, easily hidden by her clothing. She felt warmed by it's
presence, and smiled to herself.