Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Glad you like it! Enjoy the New Year's update!
Wishfull-star: Happy New Year! Hope you enjoy this chapter.
A shorter chapter than usual, but we're getting closer to the end.
Enjoy the story.
A menacing chuckle rang out as the sisters both got back onto their feet, standing right next to each other. "Very smart of you, boy..." the voice that clearly belonged to Wiseman hissed. "Well done." His disembodied voice echoed in the fortress, coming from nowhere and yet everywhere at the same time. "But not good enough."
The imposing castle around them started to crumble as a dark, misty form reappeared, solidifying into Wiseman's withered form once more. "You were very clever... using white magic against me. But I'm afraid that your time ends... now." The castle's walls cracked, sending large pieces of stone and debris falling onto the floor.
"Azarath Metrion—" Raven's incantation was cut short by a sharp shard of crystal flying straight at her. Fortunately, the sorceress was quick enough to move aside, so that the shard sliced across her cheek, leaving a thin string of blood running down her pale face. It dripped onto her blue cloak, staining the blue fabric a dark violet that almost seemed to be a darker shade of her eyes, but the Titan hardly cared at this point.
"Word of advice: use shorter magic words."
Raven grit her teeth at the memory of the villain's taunting words and forced her powers into a large black shadow that vaguely resembled a raven, wrapping the shield over and around the group to prevent the falling debris from injuring one of the Titans or one of Usagi's guardians. A large cracked stone smashed into the shield, shattering over it and falling to the ground, making Raven grunt from the exertion of keeping the protective barrier intact.
In truth, she really didn't need the incantation to use her powers — they just helped her concentrate when using large amounts of magic. And now, without a medium to concentrate through, she was nearly taxing herself by keeping the barrier up. Another piece of debris fell from the roof, smashing into the barrier and making the Titan grimace. "I'll have to let go of the barrier in a minute at most!" she hissed to the group by the way of warning.
"Titans," Robin called out, assuming control as the leader of the original five Titans, whipping out his staff and slamming the end of it into the ground. "Once Raven gives the signal, scatter and attack! Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, since the thee of you have the most impact with your attacks, you'll attack, then leave an opening for us to follow up with another attack. We'll alternate between each attack until Raven and Sailor Moon can do what they need to!"
The Titans each gave their version of a 'yes' or 'okay', and the trio of Senshi nodded solemnly. "We're ready," Uranus growled, cracking her knuckles.
"Let's do this, dudes!" Beast Boy shouted, green eyes narrowed.
Serenity reached a hand out, gently resting it on Raven's shoulder. "It's going to be fine," she assured, determination sparkling in her blue eyes. "I promise, Raven."
The purple-haired Titan nodded wearily. "Ready, move!" The sorceress stopped pushing her power into the barrier, letting it collapse, and without wasting time, she and Serenity quickly ducked out of the way whilst the others scattered around the room immediately. Raven almost instantly felt the backlash of using so much power without a focus, wincing as she gripped her head, trying to temper out the wicked headache that pounded in her skull.
Serenity had summoned the Illusionary Silver Crystal again, and the lotus-shaped item glowed in the dim lighting of the ruined castle, pulsing with power. "We need to cleanse his essence from the world," the princess said firmly. "We have stop him once and for all." The crystal that hovered in between her hands suddenly pulsed as if it agreed with her words, though the surge of power gave Raven a mild headache that paled in comparison to the discomfort of overexerting herself.
"We can do this," Raven murmured.
"I believe so." Dimande's voice could be heard from behind the sisters. The two had moved towards the two brothers when they had left the protection of Raven's collapsed barrier. "The crystal that carries his power is somewhere within the castle. Wiseman can summon it to draw more power, and that is when you must attack," he continued. "Destroy that crystal, and it will instantly disperse all power and influence he has upon Nemesis."
Raven nodded, not wanting to question him at the moment no matter what he had tried to do to Usagi. "Understood," she said, voice strained with tension.
Serenity, on the other hand, looked less inclined to be hostile. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "For Saphir..."
The white-haired man lowered his head, eyes downcast. "No... no... this is my fault..." he whispered. "If only I had listened to him... perhaps we would not have come to this... Princess Serenity... Sailor Moon... I am sorry."
The Titan grimaced at a sudden pain in her head. "No time for apologies," she hissed, amethyst eyes narrowing in pain as she observed the fight while slowly working to fight back her discomfort and return her control over her powers.
"Dead Scream!" Pluto shouted, spinning her key-shaped staff and sending the energy attack towards Wiseman. Instantly, the attack was followed up by Robin flinging an explosive projectile while Cyborg unleashed a bright blue beam from his sonic cannon, detonating the projectile into their 'Sonic Boom' combo.
Wiseman laughed mockingly. "Such persistence... but it fails to have any effect!" In front of him, a black crystal slowly took form.
That was it — their chance!
"Usagi, now!" Raven hissed, and wrapped both sisters in her shadows, quickly reappearing in front of Wiseman as the sisters concentrated on their crystal once more, a bright white beam of energy shooting out to attack the black crystal that Wiseman controlled.
"Moon Crystal Power!"
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
The beam of white light intensified, pressing against the black crystal, almost to the point of cracking.
Wiseman cackled maniacally. "Fools! Your efforts are nothing! My crystal, destroy them!" The Maleficent Black Crystal started pulsing a sickly black, countering the bright white beam of the sisters with a darkened, murky glow as it pushed the white energy of the Illusionary Silver Crystal back. "Pathetic sisters, die!"
The darkened magic was getting stronger by the second, pushing back against the sisters' combined power with a great deal of force. Raven grimaced, the conflicting power of the Illusionary Silver Crystal was bad enough, already weakening her by simply being white magic. "It's not enough, Usagi," she gasped out, hands trembling as she fought to keep the powerful white energy under control. "I-I need to use my own magic to counter it!" Her amethyst eyes narrowed, and she snarled out her incantation, the colour of her eyes completely being taken over with a white glow. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"
From her hands that were cupped around the crystal, the telltale black glow of her powers emerged, turning into a dulled white glow as they passed through the Illusionary Silver Crystal, adding the slightest bit of strength the the beam of the sisters, just enough to counter the darkness that pushed them back. "It's still not enough!" she hissed.
"We need to make it work!" Serenity shouted out, the golden crescent moon on her brow suddenly seeming brighter as it glowed. "It will work, don't worry! We can do this, together!"
"Together," Pluto suddenly echoed. "Princesses, I give you the strength of Pluto!" She stepped forward, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder. Her tiara shattered, golden shards vanishing into nothing before they hit the cracked floor. On her forehead, formerly hidden by the golden tiara, the sign of Pluto burned a powerful green. "Pluto Planet Power!" With her free hand, she spun her staff and slammed it into the ground, garnet eyes closing as she channeled her power into the golden-haired princess, and indirectly, into the crystal.
"Together," Uranus and Neptune agreed, stepping up as well. Uranus took a step forward, resting a hand on Serenity's shoulder. "I give to you the strength of Uranus! Uranus Planet Power!
"I give you the strength of Neptune!" the aquamarine-haired woman called out, imitating her partner's actions. "Neptune Planet Power!" Their tiaras shattering, the marks of Uranus and Neptune gleamed on their brow as the trio of Senshi sent their powers to the princesses.
A tri-coloured beam of green, blue, and yellow joined the mainly white beam of the sisters, fading into a brilliant white as it passed through the crystal, strengthening the power of the beam further. It seemed to be working, pushing back the black glow of the Maleficent Black Crystal more and more, slowly building up an advantage for the sisters.
"It's working," Serenity murmured.
"Not quite, fools," Wiseman hissed, and the strength of the black crystal suddenly increased tenfold, pushing back the beam of energy that was channeled through the silver crystal. "I am the God of Darkness! I will not be defeated!"
Raven cursed, struggling to keep up a defense as the Illusionary Silver Crystal pulsed, attempting to drive off the foreign forces that were attempting to shatter it. "I... can't... keep this up... much... longer!"
A heavy metal hand clapped onto her shoulder, and Cyborg gave her a light squeeze. "Course you can, Rae," her surrogate brother assured her softly. "You can do it."
"C'mon Raven," Beast Boy joined in, gloved hand resting on her shoulder. "This is nothing. You can do it!"
"Yes, friend Raven." Starfire hovered behind her, both hands gently resting on each of her shoulders. "We are the Teen Titans, yes?"
Robin's hand found its way onto her shoulder. "And the Teen Titans always win. Always." He sounded so determined, it was infectious, even. The Boy Wonder always had a knack for being inspirational. "Titans, go!"
"Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos..." Raven repeated, concentrating. Please... just work with me this once... please... "Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos..."
Let's do this! I'm ready for a fight! Courage.
I'm sorry... I'm scared to lose... so we have to win... Timid.
Let's show him how optimism works! The Titans always win! Joy.
Anyone that goes against you is against me! Kill him! Anger?
For our sister, for our friends, for our family. Love.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted out, sending an intense flare of power out towards the crystal, though strangely, it was a pure, untainted white. Her cloak bled from a dark blue to a brilliant, snow-like white, and her eyes glinted as the white glow that marked use of her powers took over.
Her cloak and leotard, both now fully white, billowed behind her in a gust of wind summoned by the intense power rush she felt. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see — the power that surrounded her from her friends, emotions, and her family through and through. The glow that left her hands was a pure white that rivalled that of the Illusionary Silver Crystal itself, fading into the brilliant glow from Serenity's hands and channeling into a powerful push that slammed Wiseman and his crystal back.
The golden crescent of the Silver Millennium's Lunar Kingdom gleamed on her brow, identical to the one sported by Serenity. This battle had only just begun...
White Raven was back, and so was the Princess Selenity.
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