Warriors of Ether
Chapter 4
By David Farr
Disclaimer: The characters of Sailor Moon belong to their copyright holder. They are used here with permission for fanfiction purposes.
*****
Dominique trudged up the stairs towards the temple, behind her Namoyi followed in a lighter mood. While this trip was for Namoyi, Dominique had suggested the destination.
The Cherry Hill Temple was a beautiful sight, like many of the temples in Tokyo. It had been the first place Dominique had thought of when Namoyi had openly despaired of finding a scene to paint for her art class. She had visited the temple four years ago. Even then the quiet girl had been fascinated in religions. She'd met the young Miko Raye then, Dominique hadn't much liked the bossy girl, but looking upon the temple again she wondered about her.
"This place is perfect!" Namoyi announced beside her. "It's so peaceful and quiet. Almost," she paused, looking for the word.
"Serene," Dominique supplied, a quiet smile on her face.
"Yeah, that's it. No indication that, just beyond the trees, lies a bustling city!"
"CHAD!!!" the scream shattered the illusion. Moments later a young man in priests robes sprinted into view. He was immediately followed by a young woman in similar robes, wielding a broom in a hostile fashion. "I TOLD YOU, NO MORE SINGING!!!" The pair watching them sweatdropped.
"So much for serenity," Namoyi commented as the fighting pair vanished around the corner of the building.
"Yeah," Dominique agreed.
The temple yard was deserted so it wasn't long before the old temple priest approached them. "Ah, what can I do for a beautiful pair of girls like you? I doubt you want a charm to attract boys, maybe luck with your exams?"
Dominique rolled her eyes and turned to look away, leaving Namoyi to deal with the old man. While they talked she watched a couple pass through the gate. She noted that the woman's hair was an unusual shade of green. Her companion at first glance appeared to be a man, certainly in the way the pair held each other, but after watching them Dominique realised he was actually just a masculine looking woman. She looked away from them concluding that life was strange.
By the time Namoyi was finished with the priest, the young man - Chad, if the she remembered right - had come out to start sweeping the yard. Dominique turned back to Namoyi.
"I'm surprised you didn't know about this place," the quiet girl commented.
"Why?"
"Its has had more Sailor sightings than almost anywhere else in Juuban," Dominique replied in her soft voice.
"You're kidding!" Namoyi accused.
*****
Serena found herself standing on a empty plain that stretched till it met the star filled sky. The stars were strange, they just sat in the sky, not twinkling at all. No sounds or smells reached her, she was alone on the plain, and yet she felt a presence. Behind her. She spun around to face it.
Looming over her like a monster ready to pounce, its towers stretching into the sky, the castle filled both the sky and Serena with dread. The gates welcomed her like maw of a hungry creature.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!"
Amy's voice echoed from the castle, coming as a shock in the absolute silence. Serena dashed towards the gates, expecting the teeth-like portcullis to slam down on her as she passed under it.
The air in the courtyard was damp and chilled, the wisps of fog still hanging in the air. Water dripped down the wall and from the gutters. A light frost covered the two bodies lying on the ground.
As she approached the bodies she immediately recognised one as Amy. Not Sailor Mercury, but Amy. She lay unmoving, the picture of blissful sleep, except for the white-blue tinge to her skin. No breath misted from her mouth and her chest did not rise.
The other girl lay face down, as unmoving as Serena's friend. She wore a light cloak of blues and somehow looked familiar. Serena reached down to turn the body.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" Raye's voice echoed through the castle. Urgency gripped Serena, she had to get to her friend.
She hurried towards the keep's doors, passing through them effortlessly. The cold clammy air gave way to stifling heat. The dark star lit courtyard became a grand entry hall. Candles lined the room, flames dancing, and a fire crackled away in a fireplace. The stench of charred meat filled wafted over her.
Again she spied a pair of bodies lying upon the rug nearby, the source of the smell. One body was burnt beyond recognition. the other wore a set of charred priestess' robes.
Serena knelt next to Raye. Her face, a mess of burns, was twisted in terror. The clothes she wore had been seared onto her body. Nausea overwhelmed Serena, forcing her to look away.
"Jupiter Thunder Crash!" Once more the voice of a friend spurred Serena into action. She quickly moved up the stairs and out a set of french doors.
The smell of scorched flesh was replaced by the slightly less nauseous scent of smoke as she rushed through the blasted scenery that had once been a forested garden. Trees lay split and charred as if struck from above.
She found Lita in a gade. As she approached she saw a shadow stand from examining the body and dash away. Her friend, the Sailor Scout of thunder, lay, arms and legs bent, muscles clenched, still smouldering. As Serena stood over her friend pins and needles ran across her skin. She realised that the air was literally alive with electricity.
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" Fear surged through Serena at the sound of her final friend's voice. Once more she hurried onwards.
A shadow darted away as she entered. Mina was lying in a room full of shattered art. Statues and painting had once graced the room, but now they lay shattered, holes blasted through them. The fight had ruined the unusual pieces. It had also finished her last friend. A hole, cauterised by the beam, had been cut directly through her chest, right where her heart had been.
Serena didn't stop, couldn't stop. She hurried on, towards whatever goal her friends had died a second time for. She found herself running along a stone corridor. The air was cold, but dry, the walls dark and lifeless.
The large chamber opened before her. In the centre, between two glowing discs stood Astra and the Moon Princess. In Astra's outstretched arms was a glowing staff, The Moon Princess held the silver crystal before her, it's light brightening he room.
"Cosmic Moon Power!" the Moon Princess yelled.
"Astral Power Supreme!" Astra yelled at the same moment.
A blinding light overtook the two.
Serena turned and ran. Down the corridor, past the broken statues, through the garden, along the entry hall, across the courtyard and out the gates. She whirled around to watch as the castle exploded, rending open the starry sky.
The hoards of heaven and hell descended towards her.
*****
Serena's scream woke the whole house. Her parents rushed to find her sitting up in bed, wild eyed and hyperventilating. Sammy stood at the door watching as they soothed her. The teenage girl held onto her cat, gently rocking and crying.
After a while Serena calmed down, and with assurances that they were just down the hall, her parents left. Luna waited until they were gone before speaking.
"Why couldn't you tell you parents about the dream?" Luna asked,
Serena shivered in the darkness. "It was about the scouts. They were all dead, horribly dead. We failed," her voice was no more than a hoarse whisper.
Luna regarded her charge seriously. "Are you sure you weren't just having a nightmare about Queen Beryl?"
"No. There were two others dead, and I think another two I didn't quite see. Astra was there, she and I were doing something momentous. We failed, and those *things* invaded." Serena started to sniffle.
"It was probably just a nightmare, but we'll get Raye to do a fire reading tomorrow morning," Luna assured her, 'And I'll keep watch on you tonight,' she added silently.
*****
Namoyi turned up at the Cherry Hill Temple early the next morning. She set up her easel and paints then stood contemplating her subject.
Again the temple area was deserted. Leaving Namoyi peace to work. She never noticed the tired form of Serena slink across the yard with a black cat in tow.
Raye was surprised and shocked to see Serena. Normally the loud-mouthed cry-baby wouldn't be seen up that early, that surprised Raye. She was shocked by the way Serena looked.
The normally energetic girl looked like the walking dead. Her eyes were sunk into black pits and she listed to one side as she stumbled up to Raye.
"Hi, Raye," Serena groaned. "Can we go inside?"
"Uh, sure," Raye stuttered as Serena staggered past her. She looked down at the moon cat, but didn't ask the question.
Luna answered it anyway. "She had a nightmare and couldn't get back to sleep," Luna shook her head. "It scared her Raye. I was hoping you could do a fire reading and find out something."
"She thinks it was prophetic?" Raye inquired, glancing into the temple after Serena.
Luna nodded. "It featured Astra and her doing something together, and all of you dead. She thinks we're going to loose this fight."
Raye turned to look into the temple for a few seconds. "Okay, I'll go get ready. You find where Serena's wandered off to."
*****
Aki and Fujiko looked at the backpack. It was the cumulation of weeks of work on his part and years of theorising on her's. The pair had, if Fujiko wasn't a first class loon, invented a device which could detect and analyse the emanations of the Sailor Scouts and the monsters they regularly fought,
Of course if you asked anyone who knew Fujiko, they would probably tell you she was a first class loon. To be fair to the girl, she was a genius, and she wouldn't be the first intellectual to be laughed at. Unfortunately her personal grooming habits and a number of bad experiments had left her looking like the stereotypical mad scientist.
It was a testament to her persuasive skills that she had managed to convince Aki to join her little experiment. Or maybe love really is blind.
"We'll need to field test it," Fujiko announced, looking at the Quantum Reality Field Scanner.
Aki smiled cunningly. "I know the perfect place," he pulled out a map of Juuban, then pointed to a spot on it, "its had the most sightings, including one of those beams of light."
Fujiko looked the name of the place under his finger. "Yes, perfect," she agreed. "Absolutely perfect." She threw back her head, laughing a laugh that would have put villains to shame..
Aki gave her a strange look.
*****
The Pigeon's Nest was almost empty. The restaurant was closed until mid-afternoon and usually Katsuko would be fast asleep resting for a busy night's work. Unfortunately once every couple of weeks she needed to come in to check the stocks of the various liquors.
The sudden knocking from the front door disturbed her inventory. Cranky from lack of sleep she decided to ignore whoever it was and continue with her work.
Shortly the sound of the door being unlocked carried over bar. "Sorry, we're closed." Koan, the Pigeon's Nests owner, had answered the door. Katsuko could recognise his voice anywhere, the pair had been friends for a long time.
"I know, I'm looking for a Miss Chino," the woman's voice was soft and gentle. There was an apologetic turn to it.
"Oh, right, come with me." Katsuko cursed silently as she heard Koan's heavy footsteps approaching. She surfaced from behind the bar as the pair entered.
Koan was a large man. He had gotten into the restaurant business because he loved fine food and this was obvious from his girth. The Pigeon's Nest was a success largely because of him. His friendly outgoing personality infected the rest of the staff, making the place a nice cozy place.
The young woman next to him had a quiet beauty about her and wore a friendly smile. When she first saw her Katsuko's first thought was: 'housewife.'
"Katsuko, you have a visitor," Koan told her.
Katsuko nodded. "I heard. Thank you, Koan." She turned to the woman. "What can I do for you?"
"I received a letter from a solicitor who had been asked to hold it for my late mother. It directed me to find you and give you this." The young woman handed Katsuko a neatly folded piece of paper.
Katsuko opened the letter.
"Lady Chino," the letter started, "I write this letter because I know that I shall soon die. As you directed I have not told my husband what we discussed and my daughters are still too young for any to understand the import of it. My solicitor has directed to release this letter only to my eldest some years from now.
"Hopefully my children will be ready for you by then. I plead with you to be patient with them, for I have taught them nothing of our family and our heritage. It has been long since we met, and I wish you luck in the life destiny has set you."
Katsuko frowned as she glanced at the signature. She didn't recognise the name, and certainly couldn't remember any Tendo's in the family tree. Then an old memory surfaced.
"You're father wouldn't happed to be called Soun Tendo would he?" Katsuko asked the woman waiting patiently before her.
"Yes, he is," the girl replied simply.
"Ah, then I think I know what this is about. Your mother was a distant cousin of mine, obviously there was some family obligations your mother left unfulfilled, but I'll need to go over my records to discover what. Unfortunately I have business that will keep me in Juuban for sometime, so this will have to wait," Katsuko explained.
"I'm sure that, whatever it is, it can wait. Please come visit us when you're ready," Kasumi suggested. Katsuko wrote down the Tendo dojo's address as Kasumi gave it to her.
"Do you have a brother?" Kasumi asked, a touch of worry in her voice.
Katsuko blinked at the unexpected question. "No," she replied. "I had a little sister, but no brothers."
"Oh good, it won't be an engagement then, we have enough of them as it is," Kasumi said in her happy voice.
Katsuko stared at her for a few seconds, then decided it wasn't any of her business, yet. "Okay, I'll see you in a few months," she said, coming out from behind the bar to escort Kasumi to the door.
Leaning against the door Katsuko shook her head. "I can't believe I forgot something that important," she muttered.
*****
Raye sat before the fire, trying again to see something, anything other than... "that blasted castle again!" Raye exclaimed.
"Just like the one in my dream," Serena commented again. Raye's original description had been so vivid that Serena had immediately made the connection.
"Apparently it looms important in our future," Raye said. "Perhaps we should call the others and talk about this, see if anyone else is having dreams."
"We're all gonna die!" wailed Serena.
"No we are not!" declared Luna. "This is probably like what Darien went through, the enemy trying to disturb us. It's a dream, nothing more."
Raye frowned, doubting her.
Outside the temple Namoyi was painting energetically so she didn't notice Aki and Fujiko arrive. Aki was carrying the Scanner backpack and holding the small monitor in his left hand. Being an observant scientist he immediately spotted his friend. It wasn't hard, the only other people were a couple wandering around admiring the temple.
Fujiko rolled her eyes as Aki made a beeline towards the painter. She hurried over to see what he was doing. The pair of mad scientists stared at the half done painting for a few seconds.
"Ah, Namoyi," Aki started.
Namoyi didn't look up. "Hmm? Oh hi Aki," Namoyi greeted in a distracted voice.
"You know that looks nothing like the temple," Aki commented.
"What?" Namoyi jumped in shock. She looked at the canvas. "What?" she repeated in disbelief.
"And they call me crazy," Fujiko commented.
Namoyi continued to stare at canvas. "Why did I paint that blasted castle again?!" she demanded. Before anyone could come up with an answer all hell broke loose.
A pair of large devils stormed out of the trees, their wings raised intimidatingly behind them, charging towards the couple Aki had noticed earlier. The young couple, the same two that Namoyi and Dominique had seem the previous day responded in the last way anyone would have expected. They transformed.
The two angels easily dodged the clumsy attack, striking the devils' backs with their staves and sending the two devils smashing into the side of the temple. As the devils emerged from the inside of the temple the two angles lowered pointed their staves and fired off beams of light, narrowly missing their enemy.
Aki, Fujiko and Namoyi stood stunned at the turn of events. When the devils prepared to return fire, Aki was the first to act. He grabbed the arms of the two girls. "Let's get out of here!" he yelled.
Both girls ran, startled out of their shock, joined him in dashing away. Just in time to be missed by devils' beams as they incinerated the easel.
"My painting!" wailed Namoyi, as they collectively jumped down the stairs.
"Tell me that things on!" demanded Fujiko.
"It's on, it's on!" replied Aki, glancing at the flashing device in his hand. As soon as they felt safe the two scientists skidded to a stop and started taking reading with the device.
Back in the temple grounds the fight continued. Angles fired at the devils, tearing holes in the ground as they missed. Devils fired back, sending bright scarlet rays soaring into the air. Neither group could touch the other, resulting in much collateral damage
Serena, Raye and Luna, alerted by the commotion had summoned the other Sailor Scouts before the girls transformed. They had stopped to watch the battle, trying to decide what to do.
"We have to stop them!" Sailor Moon declared, surprising her friend.
"Sailor Moon, they could easily destroy us, especially if they join forces against us," Mars argued.
"They'll destroy the temple if we don't!" Sailor Moon replied. She quickly decided that she could rely on them staying still enough for the sceptre, so plucked the tiara from her head. "Moon Tiara Magic!" The small disc struck the devils just as the angles fired off a volley. The angels' blasts slammed into the distracted devils, sending them reeling. Sailor Moon's Tiara then looped around and buzzed through both Angles' wings, dropping them to the ground.
The four monsters turn to the pair of Sailor Scouts. The battered devils and the Angles with tattered wings glared menacingly at the pair standing just inside the temple.
"Sailor Moon, I think you've made them angry," Sailor Mars said, eying the four warily.
Glows developed around the staves of the angles and the hands of the devils. They stalked towards the two scouts, murder in their eyes. All four snarled as one and released there energy bolts. Sailor Moon screamed.
A flash of red light and the energy exploded in their faces, sending the four supernaturals reeling back. Everyone looked off to one side to find...
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon cried happily.
"And the Sailor Scouts!" chorused a trio of voices from the temple gates. Standing there in their introduction poses were Mercury, Jupiter and Venus.
The four monsters turned and separately charge the three groups. The six heroes leapt into combat.
Sailor Jupiter landed before one of the large devils. He immediately swung at her. She grabbed its arm as it flew past her and pulled, throwing the monster, crashing to the ground.
One of the angle's dove forward, reaching out with a clawed hand to grab Sailor Moon. She gave one of her characteristic wails and scampered away. The angel gave chase, only to have a volley of roses bury themselves in its back.
Sailor Mars was taunting the second angle, dodging its enraged attacks. As the creature stabbed forward with its staff she grabbed he weapon, pulled and shoved down, causing it to strike the ground, sending the angle vaulting over her. The angle grinned and stretched out its claws as it saw it was heading straight for another scout. Mercury's smile was the last thing it saw. "Mercury Icestorm Blast!" was the last thing it heard.
Sailor Venus had been sparring with the second devil, but was distracted by the sound of shattering ice. Her opponent, taking advantage of her inattention, slammed a glowing fist into her gut.
Out of the corner of her eye Jupiter saw Venus take the punch and fly backwards before crashing into a tree, She slumped to the ground, head rolling forward. Mercury dashed over to her, kneeling and pulling out her computer. Sailor Mars, wielding the angle's staff, jumped forward to attack the devil.
"Scout's pull out and regroup," Jupiter ordered, leaping away from the devil. Strangely as the four remaining scouts and Tuxedo Mask formed a line on one side of the yard, the devils and remaining angle formed up across from them.
Mars blinked. "Are these things stupid?" she asked, stunned. The answer became evident as a third devil burst from the trees behind them.
The scouts were sent sprawling as the largest devil they'd ever seen smashed past trough them. There was a startled screech as the angle was pummeled into the ground.
The three devils walked over to the dazed scouts, grinning. They loomed over the girls, laughing,
"Lucifer orders you dead," hissed one of the smaller devils.
"Then Lucifer's will will not be done," a voice cried. Everyone turned to find, standing atop the temple gates, a girl wrapped in a red and orange skintight uniform. Her face was masked by a cowl that swept down into a cape that fluttered in the breeze. "Born of Nature and Light, guiding the spirits to fight the dark, I am Phasma, Warrior of Ether."
Sailor Venus climbed weakly to her feet. "Guys, we need to find her tailor," she said weakly.
Phasma crossed her arms before her, then raised them above her head. A large bird formed above her. "Phasmic Falcon Fly!" she yelled, bringing her arms down and apart. The large bird of light swept down to strike the devils. An explosion sent the three tumbling to land in a stunned pile. "Now Sailor Moon!" Phasma cried.
"Right," Sailor Moon answered, leaping to her feet. "Moon Sceptre Elimination!" she cried, waving the moon sceptre before her. The crescent of energy swept towards the pile of devils. "Moon dusted!" Sailor Moon exclaimed happily as the devils vanished.
Mercury returned to Sailor Venus' side. "You should't be moving, you might have broken ribs," she fussed.
Sailor Venus leaned against a tree and gently touched her side. "I think that's a definite possibility," she groaned.
"Phasma's done the disappearing act," Tuxedo Mask commented, looking around.
"Great," Mars said sarcastically. "They never hang around to explain things do they?"
"Who don't?" Astra inquired, landing lightly beside her. "And what happened here?"
"Oh, not much, we almost got ourselves pasted by a half dozen angles and devils. In fact the only reason we're standing here is because your friend Phasma has better timing than you!" Sailor Mars raged.
Astra's dark filled hood gazed at her for a few seconds. "Phasma you say?"
Mercury's computer beeped in her hand and the Sailor Scout frowned at the reading. "I was right, two broken ribs and lots of bruising," she told Venus.
"Perhaps I can help," Astra suggested, sweeping over to the pair. "I was too late to aid your battle, but I can aid you in recovery."
Mercury levelled her gaze on the girl. "And what do you plan to do?"
Astra didn't answer, instead she held up her hand, palm pointed towards Venus. She started chanting softly in a language none of the others recognised. A glowing sphere developed before her hand, which she slowly pushed into Sailor Venus' side. Mercury watched closely as Venus tensed and gasped, then relaxed.
The glow faded and Mercury quickly scanned her friend. As she did Astra leaned heavily against the tree Venus was propped against. For a brief moment Venus could have sworn that she could see the outline of a face within the darkness of Astra's hood.
"She's fixed your ribs," Mercury announced in awe. "That's incredible."
"And difficult," Astra added. "I would prefer you relied on not being wounded than my healing."
"You feel up to answering some questions?" Jupiter asked, walking over.
"I suppose you deserve them now that the war has truly started, but not here or now. The authorities will soon arrive and none of us wish to answer their questions," Astra turned her gaze to Sailor Moon. "I will meet you tonight at twelve at the old church, if that is alright with you. There I will tell you the story of the war we fight."
*****
The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask met outside the church. The place had always been avoided by the locals. Not only was it private property, but the place was spooky. It was said that strange lights could often be seen moving about inside, despite the fact that it was uninhabited.
"I did some research at the city records." Mercury told the others. "This church is currently the property of a Lawson family estate, an American family, I couldn't find anything interesting on them. However a little over a year ago they purchased it from the estate of one Maxfield Stanton."
"MAXFIELD STANTON?!" Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars chorused in surprised.
Mercury nodded. "Apparently this is where Nephlyte had his base of operations."
"I hope Astra knows what she's doing," Jupiter commented.
"I'm sure she does," Tuxedo Mask said, smiling. "I think we should go inside, its past ten."
"Perfect place for a trap," Venus noted as they walked up to the church.
The doors swung open as they approached, revealing the dark interior. Swapping glances the Scouts cautiously walked through the doors. A globe of slowly spinning stars dominated the main room, before which stood Astra, gazing towards them.
"Greetings, Sailor Scouts," she boomed, "welcome, enter."
The group marched forward to stand before her, but before they could say a word she held up her hand to silence them.
"You came here for truths, and truths you will get, but first we should divest ourselves of our greatest deceit," she announced.
Venus leaned over to Jupiter. "What's she talking about?" she whispered. Jupiter shrugged.
Astra raised her right hand to her breast and closed it as if holding something. She stood still for a moment, the her robes started moving. The grey cloth became like water and flowed across her body into her enclosed hand.
Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Tuxedo Mask gasped in shock.