Disclaimer: I do NOT own Sailor Moon or any of the canon characters. Drake, Derek, Sasha, J. J., and the others are merely figments that have escaped from my imagination.
Chapter Twelve: To Save a Prince
Sailor Crystal Crescent stared in shock at Tuxedo Cerberus. "You can't save him? We're in the Underworld, your realm! You are the warrior in charge of souls!"
"Prisma?" Sailor Spirit turned to her twin. "You are Sailor Soul."
The black-clad scout shook her head. "I'm afraid not. Other souls, perhaps, but I cannot touch his. There are too many restrictions on who may assist them."
The princesses of the Havenstar Nebula whispered to each other, not wanting to intrude unless they could help.
Tuxedo Phoenix knelt beside them, taking Tuxedo Mask's hand in his, willing his magic to flow into the prince, as it did during the Golden Kingdom of Terra, when his powers would allow the Prince to heal. But, try though he might, he couldn't get the magic to move.
The Moon Princess stared down at her prince, tears in her eyes. She looked up at Sailor Saturn, when the young scout placed a hand on her shoulder. She stared into the dark eyes, being pulled into the memory the Sailor Scout of Destruction and Rebirth wanted her to see.
Serena looked back up at him. "Hades, Cerberus General of the Underworld!"
"Indeed, Princess. Much like your Sailor Pluto, I wasn't killed at the end of the Silver Millennium. Instead, I retreated here, to the underworld, to fulfill the rest of my responsibilities, safe-guarding the dead."
He turned and looked at the spectral form of Sailor Saturn, hovering behind her princess.
"What will it take for you to allow Hotaru to accompany me back to the living?" Serena demanded. "I know you can't keep my soul. I didn't die."
Hades nodded. "I was unable to swear a vow to you in the Silver Millennium, when you were married to my prince. I wish to be given the opportunity, now. Something dark is coming, Princess, and I have a feeling you will need my help. If I swear allegiance to you, you may command me to release Sailor Saturn, excuse me, Hotaru's, soul, and it shall return with you. The Silver Crystal will not help you restore her, not now that you have both entered my realm."
Bright blue eyes met crimson ones, before she nodded. Hades knelt down before her.
"I, Hades, Cerberus General of Terra, swear allegiance to Princess Serenity of the Moon, until such time as she declares fit to release me. I will defend her, even unto my death." He bent his head and placed a kiss on the back of her hand, sealing his vow.
Crystal Crescent slowly blinked. However, before she could speak, another voice interrupted.
"How sweet," drawled the speaker, standing between the Cerberus and Wyvern thrones of the Underworld. "The Moon Princess and her dying Terran Prince, surrounded by their chosen protectors."
The figure moved forward, revealing a young man, in his late twenties, with tawny brown hair. His dark grey eyes were narrowed, filled with hatred and anger.
"It can't be," whispered Tuxedo Cerberus.
The others all turned to stare at him.
"Casimir Cosmic, Prince of the Cosmic Nomads at the end of the Silver Millennium. He died, during the Great Destruction of the Stellar Courts," explained the black-masked man.
The young man smirked. "Indeed, General Hades, I am Casimir Cosmic, and I am here at the command of my Empress, Apathy, she who will rule all."
"Not if we can help it," declared Cosmic Warrior, stepping forward, his golden sword lifted in his hands.
Cosmic Defender nodded, coming to join his twin. "You are the reason for the curse on our family. We can't let you continue to exist!"
Casimir lifted his hands, sending lightning bolts of energy at the twin warriors, bolts the color of tarnished silver.
Sailors Soul and Spirit dove forward, knocking the two boys out of the way and taking the blasts themselves.
"Spectra!" Cosmic Defender called out, gathering Sailor Spirit into his arms.
"Prisma!" Cosmic Warrior knelt by Sailor Soul's side, taking her hand in both of his.
Sailor Stardust and Sailor Eclipse hurried over to their older sisters.
"They can't be dead!" Stardust cried.
"We will be fine," whispered Sailor Spirit, her pale eyes flickering open. "Be careful, little sisters."
Eclipse rose to her feet, calling her power to her.
"Lunar Eclipse Shadow Strike!"
Black, moon-shaped crescents of energy flew from Eclipse's upraised hands, flying towards Casimir.
Stardust leapt into battle just behind her sister, followed by the Cosmic twins. Sailor Phoenix let loose a barrage of fire blasts, with Martian Knight right beside her. The other warriors from the future quickly joined them. The Outer Scouts wasted no time in moving to protect their princess, the Inner Scouts falling in step beside them.
As the Tuxedo Knights stepped forward to join the battle, Crystal Crescent called out, "Wait!"
The five older knights turned and looked back at her.
"I release you, gentlemen. I release you from your service to me," she stated, just loud enough for them to hear.
Beside Tuxedo Mask, Tuxedo Wyvern looked up, his dark eyes widening. He turned, slowly, to stare at the older knights.
Tuxedo Cerberus was the first to kneel at Tuxedo Mask's side.
"With the release from my vows to Princess Serenity, I renew my pledge to you, my prince. I, Hades, Cerberus General of the Underworld, swear my undying loyalty to you, vowing to serve you, even beyond my death."
"I, Malachite, Dragon General of the West, protector to the Prince of Elysian, freed from my vow to Princess Serenity, renew my oath to you, Prince Endymion. I am your loyal vassal, now and until beyond the end of time," swore Tuxedo Dragon, kneeling down beside his friend.
Tuxedo Phoenix knelt next, taking Tuxedo Mask's hand in his, once more. "Released from my oath to Serenity, I renew my fealty to you, Prince Endymion. The strength of the Sacred Flame and all my power are yours to command."
"As is all the power of the stars," added Tuxedo Gryphon, joining his friends. "Freed from my oath to the Moon Princess, I return now to you, Prince of Terra. You have only to give me your orders."
"My prince, once more, my loyalty belongs to you," whispered Tuxedo Sphinx. "I served Princess Serenity until she released me to your service, which she now has. Please, accept the return of my service."
Light flowed from the five kneeling warriors into the dying prince, joined by power from Tuxedo Wyvern, who had silently renewed his own oath. A golden light began to shine from inside Tuxedo Mask. Slowly, his injuries from the Savage Shades began to heal, and the pallor fled from his skin. The hand held in Sailor Crystal Crescent's regained it's strong grip on her small hands.
"History isn't quite repeating itself this time," chuckled Tuxedo Mask, weakly, his dark blue eyes looking up into hers.
She smiled. "No, not this time. I'm sorry, Darien."
"It's not your fault, Serena. I'm sorry, too. For every time I insulted you, for every time I hurt you. I just don't always have the right words around you."
He carefully climbed back to his feet, feeling power flowing back into him, not only from his six generals, but also from his Golden Crystal. The masked prince straightened, his tuxedo melting into his armor from the Silver Millennium. The generals rose, their tuxedos also being replaced by their Silver Millennium era uniforms. To the prince's right stood Malachite, Nephrite, and Erebus. Jedite, Zoicite, and Hades moved to stand to his left.
The Moon Princess looked down, half-expecting to see her Galaxis school uniform. However, she saw she was still wearing a sailor fuku.
"Go get him, Super Sailor Moon," yelled Sailor Uranus, staring over at her cousin.
Super Sailor Moon nodded, summoning her Spiral Heart Moon Scepter.
"Rainbow Moon Heart Ache!"
The heart-shaped burst of energy sent Casimir spinning away, though he quickly climbed back to his feet.
Erebus reached forward and placed a hand on Nephrite's arm. In turn, the tallest general placed his hand on Malachite's shoulder. The head general placed his own hand on his prince's shoulder. In a chain reaction, the hand of Hades came up to rest on Zoicite's shoulder, with the green-eyed general placing his own on Jedite's shoulder, the fire warrior's hand dropped onto his prince's shoulder.
The Golden Crystal emerged and rested in his hands. Endymion channeled all the power he had into the crystal.
"Terran Crystal Convergence!"
The Golden Crystal brightened, sending forth a burst of golden light, edged in black, dark grey, blue, green, red and orange. The combined power from the seven warriors of Terra was met by a joined blast from the Sailor Scouts and a simultaneous attack from the Cosmic twins and Sailors Stardust and Eclipse.
Casimir tottered in place, before finally dropping to the ground. However, even that didn't stop him. He slowly rose to his feet, a dark grin crossing his face.
"You're never going to get rid of me," he laughed. "There's only one power strong enough to get rid of me, and it isn't here!"
Another chapter done. Okay, show of hands. Who really thought I was going to kill Darien? Yes, I know this chapter is short, and it does seem a little rushed. I'm trying to get this done as quickly as I can. My Harry Potter fanfic is still demanding to be written. Just a couple more chapters left!
So, what is this power that can destroy Casimir? And why aren't Derek and Celeste there yet?
