The Law Keeper - Chapter nine
First in the Book of the Renewal
By Draegyn
Dragynne2000@yahoo.com.au
His entire body felt like it was encased in syrup. Every movement was ponderous and it was only his overwhelming fury that allowed him to move at all. Tuxedo Mask struck out at the wretch who had restrained him while Sailor Moon had been blasted into what seemed to be a bottomless pit. His fist connected and Diamond's head whipped to the side but the spell on Tux was still too strong to allow him to do any damage. The pale face of the prince turned back to Tux with a snarl and soon Tux was left to rage at his helplessness as the spell overcame him.
The... the pox rotted... demon spawned... pasty-faced... son of a goblin! How dare he?! How dare he, how dare any of them, harm one hair on his Meatball Head's head! How dare they threaten her? He felt an angry force building in him the likes of which had not been seen since the gods last walked the Earth. Through the pounding in his ears he only distantly heard Diamond shouting at the thing that had killed Sailor Moon.
"How dare you Wiseman! She was mine!"
"My Prince, you know well that Serenity is too dangerous, even now, to risk half measures. By her own mouth, she condemned herself when she refused your generous offer not once but many times. The rabbit's mother is obstinate beyond compare. She would never have seen reason and not even her daughter's life would have bought compliance. At least in this time she was both weak and ignorant enough to destroy easily. I thought only to serve, my prince." The words came smoothly from the shadows within the cowl, the tone oily and ingratiating.
"It was not your choice to make! Not only were you insubordinate you were careless! Your ill judged attack cost me my brother as well as my bride!"
"I realise that my prince, yet the opportunity was there, one that may not have come again. She was unprepared and it is unlikely that we would ever have caught her so again. The loss of your brother is minor in comparison to the removal of the prime obstruction to our objectives." The creature's voice was obsequious but if he had been listening closer Tux would have discerned the undercurrent of contempt in it. Even the meaning of the creature's words did not penetrate the formally clad warrior's mind, clouded as it was by a madness born of rage.
Diamond's voice hinted at similar emotions, mastered less effectively and he did hear the less than perfect submission in his supposed servant's voice. "Wiseman, you are getting above yourself. I am the one who determines our objectives, not you. And I have made my will in regards to Serenity very clear; she is mine! You have stolen her from me and, worse, taken my most capable commander as well. Not even you are worth the loss of both. You obey me! You do not do anything without my permission first-"
All traces of subservience disappeared from the Wiseman's voice and its volume grew to fill the entire chamber. "Petty little Prince! You presume to command me? I am the servant of Kaos you mortal worm. You are nothing in comparison to me, you are merely a pawn for me to play with as I please!"
The spell on Tux wavered as its caster's focus scattered. The inarticulate fury that had controlled him had turned to an icy calm. His iron control was absolute and he watched coldly as Diamond was more and more distracted by the revelation that circumstances were somewhat different than what he had believed.
"You serve me!" the white haired prince railed, "I command you, not the other way around. You serve me Wiseman!"
"The Doom Phantom, servant of a mortal?! Never! My true master is a being that you will never even begin to comprehend. And all beings of this universe are his enemies!" A truly gut wrenching cackle burst from Wiseman. "How does it feel, little mortal, knowing that you have betrayed your gods, broken the laws of Selene and Chronos and endangered the Heart of your Universe himself? How does it feel to know that you have doomed every living creature in your universe? You have given me the opportunity to prevent the Renewal. Because of you I was able to kill the Speaker's heir!" The creature gloated over the top of them, the atmosphere growing heavier and heavier with its evil.
Its words were so much gibberish to the scouts but Tux was able to discern some meaning, knowing that he didn't quite grasp the true import of what they were being told. He wasn't quite sure of the scale of the disaster but fragments of dreaming memory returned and told him that Sailor Moon's death was a tragedy for more than the Earth. All the clues he had seen and not comprehended over the past week suddenly connected and he understood. A glance at Diamond's pale face showed that he too had finally realised the magnitude of his error but, instead of remorse it was an expression of utter madness which settled over the features of the Darkmoon leader.
That the white haired man showed no desire to redeem himself for numerous gross errors in judgment that now endangered everything that Tux cared about infuriated him and he was no longer barred from acting. Diamond's instability had weakened the stability of the spell that paralysed Tux and the Terran warrior, in his anger, was more than capable of breaking it and killing the distracted royal. At that moment Tuxedo Mask could have killed the prince, for he had both will and opportunity, yet he did not. A sudden up welling of silver power in the deepest depths of his mind heralded the return of someone he had not the heart to hope had survived and he forgot all about the megalomaniacal prince.
With a silent cry of joy he forgot the limitations of his power and reached for the mind of the one he knew as Sailor Moon. For a moment not for all of his striving could he overcome the barrier of even a minor distance between them but her strength was no longer constrained and her gentle thoughts brushed against his in reassurance. In the brief joining came a plea that he refused adamantly. However, stubborn as he could be, his relief at her return was such that he could deny her nothing. Not even if it meant that he would be called upon to save Diamond's life.
He felt her presence approaching with speed and with a thought he broke the spell restraining him and dived at Diamond. The prince was surprised and fell beneath him. No sooner did both men hit the floor than a bolt of silver lightning flashed over the top of them and into the floating being. The lightning crackled around Wiseman and contained it as the dark energy traps had caged Tux and the scouts only a short time before. Diamond looked at Tux with startled eyes yet Tux's own blue gaze was colder than ice. Roughly the warrior pushed the prince away from the floating figure until both were able to get to their feet without too much danger. Diamond's third eye started to glow but Tux ignored it in favour of the shining warrior of light rising out of the pit.
Emerald had stopped struggling against her bonds and that was a good thing because all of the scouts were hypnotised by the sight of Sailor Moon's return and Tux could not blame them. For it was not the slight human warrior dressed in the short-skirted sailor suit that the scouts wore who hovered over the gaping pit. Instead it was a magnificent woman in silver armour, a sword belted at her side, and an unconscious man cradled in her arms. She was most definitely not human, her features too fine, the hue of her skin subtly alien and her wings a blinding white. Yet familiar silver-gold pigtails fell to her ankles from twin buns and brilliant sapphire blue eyes shone under a glittering, golden crescent moon insignia.
The power that he had only caught glimpses of before was now plainly revealed. Intelligence, heart and spirit were no longer disguised. Silver blood pulsed through veins that had evolved to carry magic. She was Bunny Tsukino yet she was more. Not human, not reincarnate, not of Earth at all. She was Serenity.
***
Her role as Sailor Moon had been shucked as if it was an outgrown skin and in some ways it was. On Earth she had concealed not only her race and power but also much of her true personality. Bunny had been as much an act as Sailor Moon was, a name and face which had allowed her to escape her responsibilities for a short time. Now it was time to resume her duties as her mother's Law Keeper and so she donned the guise of Serenity once more.
With a strong and sure beat of her wings, Serenity lifted both herself and her burden out of the pit and past the struggling Darkstar to where the scouts stood, transfixed. Carefully she laid Sapphire by Emerald's side and the woman's brown eyes watched her in terror. When the man had been arranged suitably, Serenity caressed Emerald's cheek and spared a precious moment to provide her with reassurance.
"You need not fear me," she soothed and a delicate mental probe quickly contained the coercions in Emerald's mind. She did not have the luxury of time to properly heal the woman but she could and did install a temporary measure to control the damage. Emerald relaxed slightly and Serenity quickly freed her of Venus' enchanted chain.
"What the hell do you think you're up to? Do you have any idea how hard it was for us to get her tied up like that?" Mars shook herself out of her stupor to protest bitterly but the Lunarian wasted no time to hear her.
Instead she helped the woman sit up and addressed her quickly, "I assume that I will become known to thee of the Darkmoon in thine own time."
"You may so assume," Emerald replied, rubbing her arms to restore circulation. "You are-"
Serenity placed a finger hastily on the other woman's lips. "Nay, I would have it that I not be exposed further to what may come. I only inquired to be certain that you are aware of my origins."
Emerald nodded and Serenity removed her finger. A quick glance at where the Darkstar still struggled reassured her that the containment spell was still holding. The scouts were watching the interaction between the two women in bewilderment and Serenity motioned for Mercury to inspect Sapphire for she had not had the opportunity to do so herself.
"You were one of Selene's guardians, specifically her Law Keeper but you are probably only involved in this because you are allied to Chronos' Law Keeper," Emerald said when she saw that she had Serenity's attention once more. "In this time you're from a small hold fast which is known as the Silver Keep on Earth's moon. You are the princess of the Lunarians, though your twin is your mother's heir. You are the daughter of two Divine Stars, Selene and-"
"That is enough," Serenity said quickly and frowned.
The Darkmoon family knew more about her than she was comfortable with and Emerald had said far more within the hearing of the attentive scouts than she could have wished. The scouts all waited for her to confirm or deny Emerald's words and even though all would be able to accept it if what they had heard were true still it was not something they were prepared to believe easily. She avoided the human teen's questioning gazes and accidentally met Tuxedo Mask's instead. He had approached her unnoticed and was now staring at her in mingled triumph and anger. She dismissed his anger, she had done what she had to fulfil her duty, but she pitied him in his triumph. He now knew far too much and, if they survived, she would be compelled to moderate the danger he now posed to his own planet.
She sighed heavily. The only good thing about her current carelessness was that she now knew that Tranquillity was their mother's heir. She had more than enough trouble being a Law Keeper let alone a Law Maker. Her brother was the one Council-bound and that would eventually leave her free to pursue her own ends.
A sudden, thunderous crack reverberated throughout the chamber and her head jerked up. On instinct alone she threw a hasty shield around the gathered souls and no sooner had she done so than a massive surge of energy impacted against it. She grunted in effort and the shield held but it was with horror that she realised that Diamond was not in the gathered group. A quick search found him watching her with glittering purple eyes and an unreadable smile. Her heart fell, his mind had snapped under the pressure of Wiseman's spells and the Heart only knew what he would do next.
"Emerald!" she snapped and the woman jumped to her feet quickly. "Go to the Silver Keep," Serenity panted, the effort of repelling the Darkstar's power quickly tiring her. "Tell... tell my mother what has happened. Tell her I need Luna and Artemis. Get her to warn my brother... GO!"
Emerald opened her mouth to argue, thought the better of it then vanished. Serenity sighed in relief, she would have help soon enough. Now to keep the reincarnates alive long enough for them to be rescued. The power against her increased and she slid backwards over the marble at the force of it. Tux and Jupiter tried to support her physically; helpless as they were to even understand the arcane battle she fought.
"Well Meatball Head, a goddess, I'm impressed." Tux forced levity into his voice and she grimaced in response.
"I... Am... Not... A... Goddess!" she grunted as emphatically as she could.
She felt his gaze as it swept her from head to wingtip and the scepticism was plain in his voice. "Riiigghhht!"
Irritation lent her another measure of strength that she channelled into her shield. "I am not!" she growled, "My mother is, my father is and, apparently, my brother will be but I am not. I'm a guardian, a servant, a lesser power if you will. As Emerald said, I am the guardian my mother chose to be her Law Keeper. And, before you ask, I am not going into it any further." She glanced at Mercury who was staring at her near Sapphire. "Well Blue?" she prodded, "Is he going to be up anytime soon?"
Mercury started, blinked and shook her head. "No, his injuries are too severe and the healing process is being hindered by antimatter residue."
She swore silently, she had hoped he would be able to teleport some of the reincarnates away. She was not up to fighting Wiseman on her own. He was not only a god but she was too young to have built up enough power to even irritate him. The best she could do was delay him until her mother could deal with him and she didn't know if she could do even that. Abruptly the twisted power that beat against her defence eased up but at the same time a crystalline black magic initiated its own attack.
"Diamond's gone completely whack," Jupiter reported and Serenity looked up to find the prince attacking both parties indiscriminately.
"He's going to get himself killed!" she exclaimed.
Tux replied with grim satisfaction, "Good!"
She looked at him in disgust but he was unrepentant. "We have to save him," she insisted with as much force as she could muster, beset as she was.
"Why?" Jupiter asked callously but Serenity's eyes did not leave Tux's.
Brilliant sapphire blue clashed with bottomless ocean blue in a war of wills. She deliberately invaded his mind, for once all of her shields absent, and let him remember.
*You cannot hurt when you have the opportunity to heal.* His mindvoice was deep and irritated but the mind behind it surrendered to her wish. *Just give me a chance and I'll do what I can.*
*Thank you.*
"Jupiter," she said quickly as she gathered what remained of her strength. "You and the other scouts make a shield over Sapphire. Each of you do a layer and as one breaks you make a new one under the others, that means your shield'll keep renewing itself as long as you have energy. While Tux goes for Diamond, I'll draw Wiseman away and see if you can get out of here."
A deep pulse of alarm rushed into her from the man but she stepped away from both humans before they could argue. She sent her gathered power at Wiseman in a massive blow and then dropped the shield while it recoiled. In a smooth motion she drew her silver sword and took to the air. It was time to attack and trust that the reincarnates could take care of themselves.
***
Tux snarled a curse as Serenity flew away from him before he could warn her that she was what the so-called 'Doom Phantom' was after. He whirled on Jupiter and snapped, "Do as she says until I can get back with that albino toad!" With that he turned to approach Diamond. Serenity's sudden departure had thrown the prince off balance and Tux used his distraction to unsheathe the rapier hidden in his cane. Before Diamond had recovered the tip of the steel blade was at his throat. Tux watched him emotionlessly. Promise or no promise, he could and would kill the other man without a regret.
"You won't kill me," Diamond sneered, ignorant of the thoughts in the dark haired man's mind.
"So sure?" Tux replied calmly and the vision of his sword passing through the other man's throat was dangerously attractive.
"Of course," the prince replied and smiled maliciously. "You see, you cannot do anything that I don't want you to." The black crescent on his forehead was once more replaced by the deadly third eye but this time Tux paid no attention to the spell it cast. He had fallen into the man's control once before and would not do so again. It was not a matter of power, he knew that Diamond held more than he did, but a matter of will and that was something that he had in plenty. He was Endymion, prince of no meagre moon but an entire planet and had faced politics that would make Diamond shudder. He was Tuxedo Mask, defender of Earth and the destroyer of a demon. He was Darien, a human man who had groped a goddess and survived unscathed.
With a vicious smile of his own Tux let his sword draw blood and Diamond's eyes widened in panic. His third eye glared with more desperation but it was in vain. Tuxedo Mask had felt all manner of mind control in his short span and knew perfectly well how to counter it. The spell washed over him to little effect and the warrior relished the apprehension that now dominated the prince's face.
"Is that all you can do?" he mocked and casually caught the wrist of the hand Diamond levelled at him before an offensive spell could be released. Tux shook his head in honest disappointment. "Your power is entirely based on your ability to control the minds of others. You have no charisma or leadership ability do you? You rely on brute force but since there is always someone who will be stronger you can never rest easily... No wonder you're so paranoid!"
Diamond's eyes narrowed. "I know you now!" he hissed. His eyes glittered insanely and abruptly he laughed hysterically. Tux frowned and Diamond grinned at him insanely. "How does it feel to have so much in common with me?"
"We have nothing in common," Tux retorted and spun the man around so he could confine his hands behind him.
"No?" Diamond laughed again. "So sure... but what about her?" He thrust his chin towards where Serenity duelled the Doom Phantom. "You are just like me. You want her but you will never have her. Even if Wiseman does not kill her, she will never settle for a mere human."
Tux dismissed the madman's ravings. He did not want Serenity, Sailor Moon or even the Meatball Head. She was a friend and if his protectiveness was greater than friendship called for that could be accounted for with his knowledge that she was far too important to allow harmed. Still the truth of the prince's words stung far more than they should have. Tux growled impatiently and shoved Diamond towards the scouts. He did not have time for sparring with the waffling white wander-wit.
He glanced, again, to where Serenity fought. It was ironic but for once he knew more about what was going on than she did. She had convinced him to save Diamond by allowing into her mind to see how important it was to her but that wasn't all he had seen. The glimpse of her inner self had been brief but he now knew the purpose behind her restraint in previous battles. She had known of Wiseman but not his purpose and until she had discovered it she had to remain hidden. Even now she still didn't realise that the entire invasion was an elaborate plan to have her assassinated and even if she had known she wouldn't have understood why. She had absolutely no idea that she was destined to be not a god, but their ruler. He watched in despair as the future Heart of the Universe fought a battle she was not yet ready for.
***
Her silver sword slashed the spell asunder. Serenity breathed a sigh of relief and then her time ran out.
"Poor little princess," Wiseman crooned mockingly, "You have no idea of exactly who it is that you face do you?"
"No," she replied honestly, "But it wouldn't make a difference if I did."
"Very true," it sneered, "For, daughter of Selene or not, you are no match for the right hand of Kaos!"
She froze. "Kaos... the Darkheart... You're the Doo-" Her words became a shriek of pain as the Darkstar used her moment of distraction to blast her out of the sky. She tumbled to the ground and rolled to lie tangled in her own wings near the multicoloured shield of the scouts. Tuxedo Mask left Diamond under the guard of Mars and left the protection of the shield to rush to her side. Wracked with pain as she was she had no choice but to accept his aid, even as the threat of the Doom Phantom increased.
"The first true attempt on your life failed yet I will not and Earth will follow you into death." Another bolt of dark energy was hurled towards the pair but Tux dragged her into the relative safety of the scouts' shield with less than half a second to spare.
"Why?" she whispered to herself. All this effort aimed to kill her just did not make sense.
"Because of who you will be," Tux answered softly as he inspected her dislocated wing. She winced as he began to rotate the limb and grasped his proffered mental hand as if it were a lifeline. He steadied her through the pain even as he explained everything in a mental burst. *He told us all plainly when you fell with Sapphire, you are the Speaker's heir and will bring about something called a Renewal. I don't pretend to understand all of it but I do know that the Speaker is just another title for the incarnation of order, as in the Heart of the Universe.*
*It's not possible.*
*It's not only possible but likely. The Heart is the white star in my vision and you are the silver light that will become the new white star after you have joined with the gold light... In fact all of my visions make more sense after today. Rini is from the future that is why I keep seeing it when I touch her and I'm guessing that the Law of Chronos these nuts broke is a rule about time travel. You said you're Selene's Law Keeper and, although I don't know what her Law is that they also broke, I bet you have to help enforce Chronos' as well or maybe it's because the alliance that Emerald spoke of. I'm not sure, but I'll bet it means that we're not supposed to know the future.
And the Doom Phantom, or whatever it wants to call itself, thinks of this as the second assassination attempt because they overstepped when they travelled through time. Kaos' first attempt on your life hasn't happened yet but because of Doom Phantom's mistake you're forwarned-*
*I just have to survive the more difficult killer first... I was told that you were sharp and you are.*
*The other silver light that I saw, the one on Earth, it knows me doesn't it... It's this twin I keep hearing about-*
*Whoa, Darien. Stop right there. Please don't-* It was too late and knowledge of what she would have to do travelled into his mind.
He responded with fury and emphatic words. *No! Not even you have the right to manipulate my memories! You-*
*I have no choice! There is a reason your people don't know mine exist. There is a reason that my mother's interdiction stands. If you would have your world return to the stars then you must endure the loss of your memories of me.*
*... All my memories of you? I don't think you could, you are too intrinsically connected with what's happened over the past week.*
*Personally, I agree but I would not grow too sure of yourself.* With that she deliberately blocked the connection between them so that only the strongest of emotions would be able to pass. She admitted once again the man had a very sharp mind. The ease with which he had adapted to the lightning fast speed of telepathy was astounding. Then she turned her mind to more serious matters.
During their mental conversation, she and Tux had missed only seconds. Long enough for him to pop her wing back into the joint while she was distracted but not enough time for the Doom Phantom to break through the scouts' shield. Without a word both added their own layers to the protections around them, hers silver-white, his a crimson red. From the expressions the scouts wore they expected a miracle from her and their faces fell at her own grim expression.
"We're going to die aren't we?" Venus said in resignation.
"If the help I asked for doesn't get here in time... then yes we are." the Lunarian replied frankly. They all flinched as another strike broke through the two topmost layers of shielding. Mercury and Jupiter took a second to brace themselves and then formed two new layers underneath Tux's
"Sooo," Mars drawled as if they weren't in fighting for their lives. "Your mother's a goddess."
"A Divine Star," Serenity corrected, "It's not really the same thing."
"Oh?" Mercury asked, interested in new knowledge even in extreme circumstances.
The absurdity tickled Serenity's fancy and she chuckled slightly before she elaborated. "Gods are immortal as in they do not die. Divine Stars are only immortal as in they do not get old. They do die sooner or later."
Another blast and Mars made a new layer. "Darkstars too?" she asked casually.
"Oh yes," Serenity replied with heavy irony. "They can be killed, only usually it's only the Divine Stars who don't get deaded before they do the deed."
The three outermost layers dissolved in the next blast and Venus, Tux and Serenity scrambled to replace them.
"You reckon Emerald'll bring help?" Jupiter inquired as if it weren't important.
Serenity tilted her head and mentally reached for her mother's mind. All she could sense was supreme concentration with a trace of haste. She turned back to the scouts. "Mama knows, it's just a matter of how she'll get help through all the interference here. There is a reason I didn't just teleport on my own and leave you lot safely on Earth." She smiled at the raised eyebrows and shrugged. "This place is basically concentrated dark energy, nega energy, anti energy, antimatter, null matter and lots of other stuff which doesn't belong here but is here in obscene amounts anyway. It really interferes with the power of Divine Stars or guardians." A movement in her peripheral vision caught her eye and she turned to see Diamond watching them with a sneer.
Tux also saw and his jaw clenched. Serenity laid a hand on his arm and shook her head at him. Then she walked towards the madman, grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him close enough that their noses touched. "Your mind might have been damaged but I'm not putting up with your rot any more. You will start helping us or I'll..."
"You'll what?" His purple eyes glittered with animosity and lust.
Her temper snapped and she snarled with a menace that took centuries to perfect, "I'll do nothing but since both Selene and Chronos, not to mention Thanatos, hold my life dear you might find it in your own best interest to pull your finger out and lend a hand. After all it's your soul." Whether it was her words or her tone, a colourless shield soon joined the others and she released the man with an abrupt jerk.
She wiped her hands on her surcoat and moved back to sit near Tux. "We might be here for a while," she informed them apologetically.
Tux removed his mask and slipped it into his vest pocket. "Cool," he said with exaggerated eagerness, "You'll have time to answer our questions! After all, what can it hurt?" She glared at him for the last remark but withheld comment.
"So shoot," she said instead and then added in caution, "But I don't guarantee that I'll answer if you get too personal."
"Fine." Venus nodded and leaned forward, replacing her shield as she did so. "Your name really is Serenity?"
"Yup!"
"And you're important to Selene and Chronos? Why Chronos, he your dad?"
Serenity grinned. "Nah! He's a family friend, plus my best friend is his Law Keeper... and lover too."
"Oooh," Venus laughed, "God gossip!"
Mars hit her on the shoulder. "Give it up you airhead!" She turned back to Serenity. "So who is your father?"
Serenity smiled sadly at the thought of the father whom she still hadn't met. "You probably wouldn't know the name," she told them, "But he's most widely known as Thanatos."
"As in the Lord of the Dead?!" Mercury exclaimed. Serenity nodded and Jupiter whistled.
"Brother?" Tux grabbed the opportunity to ask.
"Tranquillity," she answered.
"Of course, what else?" he responded, "On Earth?"
She looked up and said innocently, "Isn't that a nice pattern on the roof?"
"So no comment," Jupiter translated and then grinned. "Boyfriend?"
"None," she answered with a sigh.
"Exes?" the brunette persisted.
"Nope."
"Ever?"
"Could we please talk about something other than my nonexistent love life?" she begged.
Tux grinned. "So you're a virgin!" he announced and she glared at him. She knew, just knew, that he was thinking that he was not only her first kiss but also the first man to touch her in any way. She still owed him for that too.
"How would you like your perfect profile ruined?" she threatened and then sighed. "Look it's kind of complicated for me. My people… we have a... well it translates into soul-mate OK? It's real, it's necessary and it's bloody monotonous waiting for it to happen."
"How long have you waited?" he asked softly.
She smiled crookedly. "Not quite sure, we measure time differently to you humans. If it's any help I was born before the Black Death swept Europe... or that's what Artemis told me. I have to admit that I've only paid very minor attention to what's been happening on Earth..."
They stared at her in shock. "That was centuries ago..." Mercury whispered.
Serenity shrugged. "So? I'm still as young for my people as you girls are for yours... though I have to admit puberty and mood swings are a long way behind me, thank the Speaker."
She bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing at their expressions. No more questions seemed to be forthcoming and she reached for her mother again with even less success than the first time. Apparently her brother sensed her searching for his probe caught hers before she had withdrawn it.
*USA?!*
*Yeah Toki?*
*What's happening?*
*The reincarnates all know who and what I am, we're bottled under a shield that cannot possibly last for much longer and the Doom Phantom is currently shooting as us with specific intention to kill me. All in all, not much*
*Stars, Usa, don't be flippant. What are you going to do?*
*Wait until Artemis and Luna get her, what else? I can't defeat it on my own.*
*... You don't know?*
*Know what?*
*Kaos has equipped his servant too well, we can't get anyone through to you.*
*...*
*Usa? Usa?! USAGI!*
*Goodbye Toki.*
*USA-* She cut the connection and withdrew to her mind quietly. She sighed and Tux looked at her.
"You OK?" he asked.
"As well as I can be with a wing that needs strapping, more bruises that I have hair, and an insane immortal trying to kill me."
"That's nice" he responded fatuously and she smiled at his tone. She edged closer and rested her head on his shoulder, allowing the muffled noise of his thoughts to sooth her. It was strange that, of all the reincarnates, it was he that she turned to for strength. "So what's really wrong?" he asked quietly, voice little more than a breath in her ear. She reach up and her bare hands traced along his face as her mind reached for his.
*We're on our own. No help can get through the interference.*
*Meatball Head...*
*Frog-face...*
*... So what next?*
*I can't beat him Darien, I'm too young to have that kind of power yet and even all of the experience in the universe cannot make up for that lack. You'll like the Silver Keep Darien, it's beautiful with a wonderful view of Earth.*
*What-*
*Oddly enough it's in the middle of the Sea of Serenity.*
*I don't-*
*You and the scouts get Diamond and Sapphire there and keep the shield around you. If you shout with your mind the way you did when I was coming out of the pit someone will hear you and then all you'll have to do is wait. I'll join you as soon as I can.*
His eyes widened and she smiled sadly. *You know I have always wanted to visit Earth and now that I have I truly understand why my mother is so determined to see you humans return to the starways. I won't let anything hurt your planet Darien, I promise.* She pulled away from him and stood.
"What are you going to do?" Venus asked.
Serenity adjusted her sword belt and rolled her shoulders. Her wing was still sore but it would hold. If only she could have spared the energy to heal it properly. She looked across to the pit. It was quite a distance away with her wing but she could make it, she had to for down that pit was a larger version of Rubius' dark crystal. A larger version meant a bigger bang and hopefully that bang would be big enough to blow the whole moon. She only hoped that she'd have enough time to teleport away... enough magic would be nice too.
"You lot have to get out of here, fast. You can't get back to Earth with the shield and all, but Tux knows what to do if you go to the moon."
"What are you going to do?" Tux demanded as he scrambled to his feet.
She started to walk to the edge of the shields. "I can't beat him but I can make damned sure that I destroy him."
"Wait!" She would have ignored him but then she heard him fiddling with something. "I think I know why Rini asked what she did when we all first met." She turned in time to catch a glittering sphere. Her gaze flicked from the hollow pommel of his sword that had been the knob on his cane, to his serious eyes. Slowly she opened her clenched fist to reveal a crystalline orb. As she watched the myriad facets began to glitter and then beam with light. She could feel the possibilities contained within the small stone and she let breath out slowly as her gaze rose to meet Tux's once more. Only it wasn't Tuxedo Mask who met her eyes, it was a man in black armour worthy of any prince.
"My line has awaited your coming for aeons," he intoned, as if they were in the midst of a sacred ceremony. "I am..." he paused and she smiled, knowing that he was trying to decide which of his names was more appropriate. "I am Endymion, final keeper of the Imperial Silver Crystal, and I am honoured to present the Crystal to its rightful wielder."
She opened her mouth to inquire as to whether he'd lost his mind but something inside of her felt the rightness of it. The Crystal was hers, she could feel it resonate with her to the depths of her soul. She held her palm flat and the Crystal rose a short way off it. She met his eyes and for a moment was silent. He had not given it to her now because he believed it to be the final time he would see her. It was a wordless message that she understood instinctively as did the scouts. The four human girls moved to stand by Endymion until they faced her in a rough semi-circle. She smiled. "Thank you."
Endymion nodded in acknowledgement and turned to the silent Diamond. "Take your brother to the Sea of Serenity on Earth's moon. Provide yourself with the means to breath for some time and wait. If you have a method to bespeak Emerald, I suggest you do so, otherwise it might be some time before you are retrieved."
The prince nodded awkwardly and moments later the last two members of the Darkmoon family had abandoned their home. The remaining warriors now waited, no longer replacing the layers of the shield, for the protections to fall. Serenity had turned her back on the humans so that she could face the Doom Phantom but her friends knew that she did not do so in abandonment. As she contemplated the sparkling depths of the stone in her possession they gathered around her, Jupiter and Venus to her right, Mercury and Mars to her left and Endymion directly behind her.
Each began to raise their power in their own way, their brilliant auras becoming visible to each other and then there was only one protective layer of magic between them and their enemy. Serenity spilled silver power into the gem soon followed by Mars' scarlet with overtones of violet, Mercury's icy blue streaked with a deep sapphire shade, Jupiter's power glowed emerald freckled with steely sparks and Venus' strength was a smooth, rich golden yellow. The beginnings of crimson heralded Endymion's final addition but she didn't notice anymore for the final shield broke. She gathered the power, the very substance of her allies and melded it with her own.
The final shield fell but it wasn't a group of defeated mortals that met the Doom Phantom. It was a group of warriors united in a way told of only in legend and guided by one who had been born for such workings. Rainbows danced within the crystal, the colours swirled and joined until there was a continuous, blinding white and then she struck. A bolt of power paralysed the being that threatened them and another shot from the crystal, across the chamber and down the pit into the heart of the Darkmoon. Inextricably connected as they were all six felt the elemental power of their very beings connect with the dark crystal which resided within the Darkmoon. The structure destabilised and collapsed in a maelstrom of uncontrollable energies.
The deadly power bubbled up the pit and into the chamber. The energy fields were swallowed by the voracious energies and the immobile Doom Phantom could only scream in pain as he was swallowed whole. The explosion of power did not stop there but continued unchecked throughout the Darkmoon.
An image formed in her mind and transmitted itself to the others in the joining. White marble, silver trellises, a large chamber. It was safe and it was protected. Human and Lunarian mind alike yearned for the distant sanctuary and with a last pulse of power the crystal granted their wish and then it went dormant. Serenity was the only one to arrive fully conscious. Confused and worried faces stared at her but one dominated as it rushed to her. Concerned silver eyes stared at her and Serenity smiled as she drifted into darkness. She was home.
***
She giggled as she danced on an errant breeze and he sighed, she refused to come within reach of his eager hands. "So exactly what are you?" he questioned in exasperation.
"A guardian!" she twirled and her hair flew outwards and revealed her other, more delectable assets. "I'm a Guardian Star!"
He moved closer to her unobtrusively. "So what's that?" Suddenly he jumped but her ankle slipped from his grasp as she twisted away.
"Not mortal, not god!" she chanted in a sing-song voice. She smiled at him and descended to the ground several steps away from him. The sudden light in her face made him freeze and she took a slow step forward. "Guardian Stars are often the children of Divine Stars who have not yet or will not ever become a Divine Star themselves." She took another step. "Sometimes they are powerful mortals who find favour with an immortal." Then she was only two steps away. "They are all guardians sworn to the service of a Divine Star. Often a Divine Star has a favourite who becomes The Guardian and they will serve as their patron's Law Keeper should their patron ever need to be a Law Maker." Her sapphire eyes were strangely dark as they stared at him. "I am the Guardian of Selene." Then she was in his arms and all thought deserted him.
There was only the two of them, surrounded by wind, and the gods, even hers, were far distant.
***
He didn't want to leave his slumber, for the first time in a long time his dream was progressing in a satisfactory manner and did not look to about be prematurely ended. Yet the real world beckoned and his subconscious demanded that he answer the call. Memory of the dream dissolved even as his eyes opened and he swallowed a virulent curse. He knew that he had dreamed and he would give anything to remember it but voices stopped him from frantically pummelling his memory and the memory was lost far beyond his reach.
"I would like to talk to him before I do this. It cannot cause more damage than has already occurred"
"Serenity I do not consider-"
"It would do no harm your majesty."
"If you are sure Setsuna then perhaps..."
"He is awake!"
He finally found where the voices were coming from and Darien saw Bunny, no, Serenity standing with two unknown women. Or rather, one unknown woman. The other was the one he had seen in his vision and he had no doubt as to her identity. Silver hair, silver eyes and a golden crescent insignia. She was Serenity's mother, Selene.
"So you know who I am Endymion?" the goddess murmured softly while she examined him. She sent a faintly reproachful glance at her daughter. "You have acquired much knowledge which is dangerous to your world."
"To be fair to the Meatball Head, I have to admit that most of what I know I didn't learn from her," he replied and then swallowed. Considering that Selene wore the same hairstyle as her daughter it was possibly not the wisest thing he could have said. "Ahh..."
The Divine Star smiled gently and his worries faded. "I shall leave you to my daughter's tender mercies. I am afraid that recent events have left much to be done. Whatever else, I am grateful for this opportunity to have met you face to face young mage."
Darien bolted up and Serenity supported him when dizziness almost caused him to fall back. A faint silver light surrounded her hands where she touched him and he felt his strength return. The energy transfer meant that he would not go into shock from energy deprivation as she had they day before...
"How long?"
"A week," the stranger answered. Darien examined her. Dusky skin, dark green hair, magenta eyes, power but no threat. He turned back to Serenity and looked at her in question.
She smiled. "This is Setsuna, the other Law Keeper I told you about."
"Chronos'," he recalled.
"Yes, and it is with her help that much of the damage on Earth was undone." He looked at her sharply and she explained, "We destroyed the Darkmoon and the shield protected the planet from debris until the spell faded-" He was about to ask her about the backlash they'd feared but she forestalled him. "The spell didn't do so naturally, my twin guided it so no harm was done." So Tranquillity was on Earth. "Yet the damage done before the shield was erected remained." She frowned and he sensed that she was trying to find words, her facility with his language failing her for the first time in his memory. "Setsuna spliced time, making it so, according to the creatures of Earth, that the week in which the Darkmoon attacked never happened."
"It was a localised spell Endymion," Setsuna continued, "Only Earth was affected and so the Darkmoon was still destroyed, as was the Doom Phantom and Serenity still took the next steps on her path to her destiny."
At that Serenity turned to her friend and glared. "I owe you for not warning me about this Sets."
"You have never wished to know your future," the second woman replied calmly and then smiled with sudden mischief at Darien. "Technically that's not true, she just learned her lesson after the first time and has been scrupulous about it ever since."
"Anyway Darien," Serenity said loudly. His lips twitched and she transferred her glare to him, daring him to say something. "Anyway," she repeated, "Earth's back to normal and that just leaves you and the scouts."
"And our memories," he finished.
Serenity glanced to Setsuna and back. "Actually, it's just your memories that remain now. The scouts have already been done and Luna and Artemis are just waiting for us to finish with you before they teleport you all down to my brother to see home."
He didn't say anything, just stared at her. He knew that she thought it necessary and he trusted her judgment but that did not mean that he would make it easy on her.
"I know nothing I can do or say will make it OK with you," she eventually said, "But maybe I can compensate you for the intrusion on your mind. I will take eight days from you but, in exchange, I will return your first six years to you."
He stared at her blankly. To remember his life before the accident which had left him an orphan had always been his fondest wish and he wondered how far she had delved into his mind to discover it. "You can do that?" he requested hoarsely and she nodded. "Do it," he ordered.
She smiled at him sadly. "One final thing, you lost your cane back in the Darkmoon and it cannot be retrieved so we have replaced it." She presented him with a slender new staff. It was polished ebony with a silver know that looked almost identical to his original tool. "It's stronger and lighter than your other one and the release mechanism for the blade is the same... The crystal is in the knob like before." He looked at her in surprise and she avoided his gaze.
"Why? It's yours," he told her and she met his eyes. Hers were shadowed, the events of the last battle had scarred her and it showed.
"I'm not ready for it," she said, "Neither mentally nor physically. If I were to use it again, it'd probably kill me."
He concealed his disbelief and nodded. "If my vision continues to run true, we'll meet again. You can get it then."
Setsuna raised an eyebrow at that but Serenity just shook her head. "Deal." She reached out and gently touched his temples.
"I guess this means that you won't be able to get revenge for that little... ah... prank I pulled in the temple huh?" he said, hoping to delay the inevitable. She looked at him in confusion and he boldly stroked her breast with his thumb. She reddened and both of Setsuna's eyebrows disappeared into her hair. When she had her colour under control once again she smiled at him wryly.
"Aren't you lucky?"
"Very," he agreed but he didn't believe it to be the truth. Her gentle touch intensified and the hours and days fell away from him. His last thought as the recollection of a rotted wooden bridge vanished was that, childhood memories or no, it was not a fair exchange at all.