Finally! The final confrontation of my first Sailor Moon
fiction. It's taken a bit of time, but I think its worth it. Of
course, that could be just me, too. ^.^
Sailor Moon is not mine, nor will it ever be. I'm crying right
now. Honestly.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Labyrinth Square
Chapter 12
By Phoenix Cubed
And now quite disgruntled
I realize I am dead.
Serenity and I
will have to wait to be wed.
Serena, my love,
my words ring true,
I promise to find
my way back to you.
^*^*^*
Serena existed within a field of nothing.
All around her, winds of blackness breathed by her skin and
caressed her mind. It was warm and inviting, encircling her
distraught self and pulling her close. Like a caring mother to
a child, she was made to feel safe, loved, and carefree. The
feeling was so comfortable, so familiar, and it gave Serena a
sense that nothing at all was wrong in the world. It was the
feeling of security she had always longed for.
How dare it.
How *dare* this unseen force lull her into happiness! The
nerve it must possess, to comfort her and whisper soothing
thoughts into her mind--that everything was and would be
fine, when most certainly everything was *not!* How dare
it lift her spirits when all she wanted to do was fall to
the floor and drown in self-loathing. She had left her
friends to die! Serena had abandoned her closest and most
dear companions, all because she didn't have the strength,
the force of will to resist whatever it was that drove her
through the doorway Rubeus had constructed.
Tears pricked her eyes--alone at last.
Comforting winds swept about her, brushing the tears
from her eyes and into the darkness. Surprised and angry,
she reached out for them, not wanting the single thing that
was solely hers to be taken away so cruelly. Why couldn't
she have her grief? Why couldn't she wallow in the despair
that had spawned from her unfaithful deeds? It was what
she deserved!
~Do you really think so?~
Serena's eyes flew open. "Who's there?" She asked, her
voice reaching out to the darkness. But no one answered
her. This annoyed her. Who was out in the dark witnessing
her grief? Her vocal chords no longer wavering in mournful
song, she called out once more, "whose out there? Show
yourself!"
A musical laughter flitted through the air, tickling Serena's
senses. "Ah, my sweet Serenity. You have grown so much,
yet changed so little."
A shaft of silver light broke through the darkness, and from
its very top a small star descended, growing larger and more
defined as it made its way down. The song in her mind struck
a high note and Serena gasped. The star tightened in on itself
and began to take new shape. Wings of finely crafted crystal
framed the tiny body of a fairy-sized angel. Her large eyes were
filled with wisdom and love, and her silver tinted lavender hair
was done up in two buns, with the rest streaming down to fall
with her long white dress.
Serena's knees gave out and she fell to the unseen floor as
the beautiful, petite sized woman came to rest level with her
face.
"Always so full of questions, needing to know the answers
right here and now. You drove the royal scholars into a
tizzy many times." She smiled, "how I've missed you."
Sailor Moon could only gape at the woman. "How do you-
who--?"
"Am I really that novel of a sight to you, my daughter?"
Serena gasped, "Queen Serenity," she breathed, "mother."
The Old Queen nodded, pleased. "That's right, Serenity.
But now you must listen to me, there are a great many things
you must know, and we are running out of time. Do you
hear the song?"
Serena nodded, letting the music come forward in her mind.
As if waiting for acknowledgement, the song burst out in a
new variation, captivating the girl and making her want to
seek out the source of it, to hold it close and claim it as
her own.
"That is the Imperium Silver Crystal, Serenity. By birthright,
yours and yours alone. You must protect it and keep it safe
from those who would use it for ill intent. You can use its
power for the greater good of all. But beware of it, also, and
do not let it take over your mind. For just as you use the
Crystal, it uses you, and the more energy you take from it,
the more it will take from you. Do not let your fate become
mine, my daughter."
"Take my energy?" Serena shook her head, confused. I don't
understand."
"That is because you were not meant to, until now." Queen
Serenity's expression became grave. "Listen to me,
Serenity. You must know your past before you can claim
your future. A thousand years ago, you were the princess
of the Moon, engaged to Prince Endymion of Earth--"
Time drifted by unnoticed as Serena listened with rapt
attention to the story her mother weaved. Images of her
past bloomed in vivid color as her mother explained to her
everything she needed to know about her past, the Silver
Crystal, and the Negaverse. And at the sudden remembrance
of her beloved kingdom, a single tear fell down her cheek
and dropped soundlessly into the darkness.
Queen Serenity smiled and stilled the tear in the air before it
could disappear. "And now, my daughter, for your gifts."
The tear glowed and flashed suddenly. In its place floated a
gold crescent moon fixed to shiny rose hilt. "This is the
Crescent Moon Wand, the first royal scepter of the Moon
family. With the Crystal in its base, nothing can stop
you."
Tentatively, Serena reached out and grasped the wand,
amazed at how well it fit her hand. "Its beautiful."
"Now it is time for you to go, my dear, sweet Serenity." The
Queen gave her daughter a sad, proud smile, "I wish you the
best of luck, and send all of my love with you. You know
what to do, my daughter."
Serena nodded, "yes."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Eight feet ran noiselessly down the debris-ridden hallways of
the Labyrinth. Of all Mother Nature's creatures, the cat is
the most successful at stealth and ambush. They can pad
through grassland or city street alike and never make a
sound. However, for this trait cat-kind paid the price of
surprise over all-out endurance. It was a fee that Luna and
Artemis were keenly feeling as they ran for an exit.
"Come on, Luna," Artemis said, trying to urge his companion
on. "We've got to keep going."
"But Artemis," Luna puffed, "we've been running for such a
long time. We need to rest."
Artemis rubbed against Luna in a feline gesture of comfort,
but also to push her forward. "After we're out of the maze,
you can sit in a tree and I'll bring you some fresh fish
directly from the sea port, and we can rest and clean our
paws until we turn gray. But for now, the Scouts told us to
hightail it out of here, so that's what we're going to do."
"I feel so helpless," Luna fretted, "why ever did we become
cats in the first place, Artemis?"
"We're advisors, Luna, not warriors." Artemis nudged her
again, "they'll be all right. We've done all we can to train
and guide the Scouts, now its up to them."
Luna sighed and picked up the trot. "I wonder how they're
doing."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Beryl stared in fascination at the scene that surrounded her,
scarcely able to believe her eyes.
"By all things dark," she whispered into the stagnate air,
but her oath came short, as she had no words left in her
awe.
She wondered how it was possible, when all she had done
was walk through the decorative double doors that heralded
the end of the twisted paths of the maze. She had thought
to come across a room with the Crystal sitting in its center,
or perhaps some roughly painted replica of the original
chamber where it was kept, crafted by uncaring and naïve
mortals with no idea of what they were making. Nothing,
however, could have prepared her for the sight that swept
away her foul breath with a single stroke.
It was exactly how she remembered it. The walls were thick
with green vines and trees that towered high into the eternal
night sky of space. Stars shone with their infallible light,
looking down with their timeless gazes at the follies of
men and mortals. Lunar winds brought the sounds of distant
fountains gurgling as well as the scents of the flower
gardens just beyond the maze walls. And high in the night,
Earth spun on its invisible axis to watch the moon's endless
dance.
She was in the Labyrinth's Center Square. The *original*
Labyrinth Square.
Her feet moved her across the cobbled stone floor as she took
in the marvels that that bloomed before her. She ran a
skeletal hand across the coarse thicket walls until a thorn
snagged her gray hued skin and tore a ragged line down her
palm. Beryl gave it no heed, though, and let the limb fall
back to her side, hardly noticing as dark energy rushed to
the wound and sped up the healing process. Not a drop of
her tainted blood fell to the ground as she continued her
way across the Square.
There was a shining glint that came to her out of the corner
of her eye. Turning, she headed towards the open center,
where the prize of all prizes awaited the ultimate victor--
Of who Queen Beryl had every intention of being.
There it was, suspended not a meter off the ground and
bathing in a cast of starlight that seemed to stream down
from the heavens above her, creating in an endless spotlight.
Its thousands of facets caught and repelled the light, sending
miniature spectrums to dance about the expansive Square.
Like a night insect to a porch light, Beryl was drawn to it,
wanting desperately to hear its call in her mind and feel its
energy in her blood. *This* was what she had worked at for
so many years, the intoxicating power of the immortal Imperium
Silver Crystal!
"Not so fast, Majesty."
Beryl stopped dead in her tracks and turned about to see the
dark haired General, Sapphire, standing there, his arms
crossed and his mouth set in a grim line.
"Sapphire," she snapped, "How dare you order me about!
What do you think you're doing?"
Sapphire crossed his arms. "Reminding you of our
agreement." His body flickered and disappeared, only
to reappear between her and the Crystal. "You haven't
forgotten, have you?"
Queen Beryl sneered and looked down at the man, "I do not
care for your tone, General. I am Queen here, and I will
pick and choose what agreements I care to honor or disregard."
"And I am brother to the Prince of the Nega Moon," Sapphire
replied coolly. "Acting on his behalf to make sure none of
us collect our just rewards prematurely."
"You mean, to make sure they are not collected at all," the
Snake Queen shot back, her temper on the rise. "Do you think
I am a fool, Sapphire? An imbecile, perhaps? To think
your brother would freely give me the greatest source of
power in the universe, when all he would take is a bride?"
Sapphire hesitated slightly, "they are a fair match in my
prince's eyes."
"That is because your prince is as blind as he is stupid.
The power of Serenity is nothing without the Silver Crystal."
Something flashed across Sapphire's face. Beryl's red eyes
glinted with insight and mischief. "Or didn't you know that,"
she purred to him, "There is no Moon Queen without the
Imperium Silver Crystal, it is what gives them their power."
She let out a short bark of laughter, "and what will give me
mine!"
Sapphire planted his feet firmly on the ground. "Not while
I stand here, you won't. You get nothing until the Prince
arrives."
"Out of my way, Sapphire," Beryl snarled, biting off the words
in her throat. "I *will* take what's mine."
"But *not* until Diamond arrives."
"I do not follow the whims of a lackey!" She screamed at
him, throwing out her fury and frustration and a blinding
ball of frozen ice and power. "Move!"
The deadly wave of energy came hurling at him, faster and
stronger than anything Sapphire could hope to deflect.
Queen Beryl cackled as she prepared to witness the
general's demise. Sapphire threw his arms up to protect
himself the best he could, no time to avoid the blast--
There was a flash of intense, white light, burning into every
corner of his soul, searing his mind in a fashion he had never
felt before. The General heard Beryl's scream of rage and
he lowered his arms, taking in the shock of his life.
Sailor Moon stood in calm repose, acting as a living barrier
between Sapphire and Beryl. Pale lids drew back to reveal
cerulean eyes set in a mask of wise determination. Her arms
lie demurely at her sides and her hair streamed out behind
her like twin banners waving gently in the wind. The white
light receded into outline, defining the sailor suited stature
of a girl he would have never imagined to be a warrior.
"How," Beryl whispered in a hoarse tone, "how can this be?
You're supposed to be on the Nega Moon with the rest of the
brats! Why are you here? Answer me!"
Serena let her eyes settle on the Snake Queen, feeling them
become hard and set. Here was the woman responsible, the
one who had destroyed everyone and everything she had ever
loved. She, who dared call herself queen, was why Serena
was dressed in flowing power and filled with the dreadful
knowledge of her past, instead of being at home, or with
friends, or anywhere else but this empty memory of what
once was.
"It all looks so real, doesn't it, Beryl?"
The woman blinked, "what are you babbling about?"
"This place," Serena motioned, "the Square. It's exactly like
we remember it to be. The stars are out, the winds blow...but
it's not real. Merely an illusion of the past. A well crafted
reminder of what I once had." Serena's eyes darkened in sadness,
"what any of us could have had, if not for your greed and evil."
Beryl curled her lip in disgust, "don't feed me rubbish. This
is the Moon! I won't fall for one of your traps so easily, Moon
Brat."
Serena shook her head, "then your lust for power has corrupted
your sight as well as your soul. Listen, witch, do you not
hear our words echoing?"
The waterfalls. Beryl twitched. That wasn't a fountain she
heard, but her own footsteps echoing off the walls! The Snake
Queen's eyes burned in rage, how could she be fooled so easily?
"No matter," she hissed, "once I have the Crystal, I will create
my own kingdom. One even greater than your mother's!"
"That," Sailor Moon stated, "is something I cannot allow you
to do."
Sapphire, who was standing quietly behind the two women,
blinked in astonishment as the tiny princess suddenly drew
herself up and raised her hand. He swallowed nervously as
he recognized the crescent topped wand held in her secure
grip.
Serena breathed deeply and closed her eyes; siphoning
power she didn't yet have mastery of. "Moon," she
whispered, "Cosmic Power!"
The wand began to glow with an intense light and Queen Beryl
screamed as it shot from the glowing crescent and into her
breast. The blast shook her body, and she staggered forward,
falling to the ground with a gurgling moan. "This isn't over,
Sailor Moon," she choked out, before fading into the shadows.
Serena watched as the last of Beryl disappeared before
slumping to the floor, the Moon Crescent Wand slipping from
her fingers to settle quietly on the floor. Dimly she was
aware of footsteps coming towards her, and a pair of white
trousers stepped in her line of vision.
Sapphire knelt down beside Sailor Moon, his gaze level and
his voice even. "She's not gone, you know."
The Crystal's song flowered in her ears, trying to urge her
closer to its jeweled self. But Serena was too tired from
even the small taste she had of its power, so she only
nodded dumbly at the General's statement.
"I know."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"Beryl, you fool. You have failed me again!"
"My Mistress, please! I have worked too hard to lose now.
Give me one more chance!"
"You don't deserve this, Beryl, but I shall give you this last
gift before I abandon you! Use it wisely!"
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Something was wrong, something was wrong, something
very very was wrong.
A high, constant keening in Darien's mind fed his fear and
his feet, beating them faster and faster against the ground.
Something had happened, he could feel it, and it had to do
with Serena. Was she in danger? Images of Serena lying
injured and dying surged across Darien's eyes, pushing his
body to greater heights of endurance. He rounded a corner
full speed, charging ahead to his goal. He knew he was
getting close, Darien could feel the center like a beacon
reaching out to him, guiding the prince straight to his goal.
Darien ran hard for twenty feet, took the right fork, hurdled
a pile of wall debris and rounded the left bend. Something was
terribly, dreadfully wrong. He had to find out what. The
instincts of a thousand year old prince and a brooding masked
man screamed at him, demanding to know why he ever left his
princess alone.
Somewhere to his left, he could vaguely feel Diamond
rushing forward, pushing his body as hard as Darien.
Diamond must have felt that same urgency. Both princes
were killing themselves to find out what was going on.
But Darien would be damned if he'd give out and let
Diamond find Serena first.
Darien rounded a sharp corner, nearly smashing into the
wall. He balanced himself and took off again, only to look
up and see Diamond doing the exact same a hundred yards in
front of him. This had happened twice already where'd they
meet and branch off again, so Darien kept on running, his
eyes meeting Diamond's for a brief moment in acknowledgement
of the sudden change in atmosphere. Then, as one, they turned
and went into parallel passages, gone from each other's sights.
He could still feel the the prince on the other side of the wall
before it angled away down a long narrow hall.
And smack into a dead end.
Darien swore viciously and skittered to a halt. How had this
happened? As far as he remembered, the corridor was supposed
to open into the cobble-stoned Square. His body turned parallel
to the maze wall, Darien's head turned back and forth in his
dilemma. Then he turned in a snap decision and trotted down
the ending passage, hoping for a miracle.
He got it. There, made of gray painted wood with blending
stone hinges was an opulent door so hidden in vines he almost
missed it. Snapping off the snaking plants and scrubbing
away the dust, his eye caught a gold plaque settled directly
in the door center.
Congratulations! You, lucky Traveler, are the
one of the few to reach the famous Labyrinth
Square. Enter now to claim your place in
history!
Darien raised an eyebrow at the sign, but grabbed the ornate
silver knob and turned his wrist. The door swung wide.
*^*^*^*
Sapphire still stood firm between crystal and royalty, though
he was decidedly unsure if he should stay firm. After helping
Serenity to her feet, he had backed off and taken his place
once again in front of the Silver Crystal. Sapphire had
watched the petite princess take in her surroundings with
mute sadness reflecting in her deep blue eyes before she
had turned back to him with a curious expression. In answer
to her silent question, he had crossed his arms and shaken
his head, setting himself to be as immobile as possible.
Serenity's look of curiosity became more blatant, and she
cocked her head to the side in a gesture that spoke wonders
for his eyes, but said nothing for his ears.
The stereo effect of opening doors alerted Sapphire to the
oncoming duelers. On far opposite sides of the Square, two
doors opened simultaneously. Instinct moved Sapphire's
and Serenity's heads for the same reason, but in different
directions. At last, their princes had come.
Serena's breath caught in her throat as she watched
Darien's armored frame come barreling through the
doorway, watching him hesitate ever so slightly as his
searching eyes caught hers momentarily. Then they shifted
to look behind her, and then she watched them harden with
fierce determination as he came flying towards her.
A small twinge of fear caught Serena's heart, and she turned
to see the White Prince, Diamond, hammering his feet to the
ground with unthinkable speed. His eyes were transfixed
on her and his posture a mirror to her own Darien.
The twinge grew strings that twisted and knotted. It was
happening again. Apprehension rose high in her heart and
mind as her dim past came to incredible sharpness, recalling
the last time the two men had dueled. Her breathing
quickened. They were evenly matched and coming in fast.
A hand grabbed her arm, causing her to jump and utter a
small yelp. She looked to Sapphire, his face set in a
grim line, as he dragged her towards the Crystal.
"You have to be in the exact center," he said, "this has to
be a fair duel." He stopped her not a foot from the Silver
Crystal, then spun her sharply around and looked her straight
in the eye. "You absolutely *must not* touch the Crystal.
This duel has to happen, and if you touch it, there's no
telling what will happen, to any of us. Do you understand?"
Serena stared back at the General, wondering how he could
look so much like Darien, yet be so different. She licked her
lips, "Mother explained everything to me, General. I won't
interfere if none of you do."
Sapphire nodded once, then let go of her and moved around
the girl and the podium that held the Crystal, retreating
as far as he could get from the oncoming racers.
Serena breathed in short, shallow gasps. Not daring to look
at either Darien or Diamond, she closed her eyes.
His cape snapped behind him in the wind his body created
as he flew across the ground. But Darien only seemed to
inch closer to his goal. Serena! He wanted to call to her,
tell her to hang on, that he was coming. But that would be
air not converted to his running, energy not put into his
feet. He couldn't afford that. Diamond was too close.
Almost there! Diamond ran on pure adrenaline. She was so
close! He had waited so long for this moment, and now, after
endless centuries of patience and planning, the object of all
his desires was in his sight! So very close, but so was
Endymion. Diamond's eyes narrowed to slits, he would not
lose this time.
And then it happened.
The air shimmered violently, and from the high ceiling a body
materialized. Diamond watched in horror as the familiar
carrot topped body of his General fell unchecked to the
ground--right into Endymion's path. There was no time to
shout a warning, or even for the earth prince to slow down or
dodge. Rubeus landed with an echoing crack not a stride
from his feet. Endymion let loose with an outraged shout as
he collided with the motionless General and fell to the floor
in a mess of tangled limbs.
Three events fired off simultaneously.
Serena's eyes flew open. She screamed.
Sapphire noticed Beryl high in the air from where Rubeus
fell, her eyes full of malevolence and her hand containing
a black sphere of energy, poised to kill.
Diamond took three great, long strides and lunged for
Serena, managing to knock her down and cover her body
just as Beryl's dark weapon flew from her hand and
straight at the vulnerable pair.
There are moments in a person's life where time seems to
slow down to a crawl, and every second stretches into a
millennium to give time for every minute detail of an event.
Should one live even for a millennia of millenniums, he or
she will be able to recall in perfect detail exactly what
happened anywhere or anytime.
And so it seemed for Darien and Sapphire. Beryl's laugh
still echoing in the cavernous Square, the two men watched
her blast descend like a spitfire sun, just as Diamond sent
Serena to the floor in an attempt to shield her body with his
own. The black energy spear hit the two dead on, plastering
them to the ground and enveloping them in darkness for what
seemed like an eternity.
A thunderous shock wave hit them and sent time flying back
to speed.
The black energy cloud blew off with the shockwave,
revealing two unmoving bodies lying piled on the floor
next to the podium that sported the Crystal.
"No," Darien whispered, refusing to acknowledge what his
eyes told him to accept. He untangled himself from the
dead General Rubeus--his neck was snapped and his skull was
compressed grossly from ground impact, he could be nothing
else. The Earth Prince staggered to his feet and went to
his fallen angel. But Sapphire was already there, pulling
the two apart and laying them out gently.
"No, please." Darien picked up his pace and flew to his
princess. He fell to his knees beside her pale, beaten body.
"Serena?" He called to her softly, stroking her bruised
cheek, wondering why she didn't wake up. "Come on, Meatball
Head, you've got to wake up."
Sapphire looked up and stared at the prince. What had he
called her? But Endymion seemed to be lost in his own little
world, trying to rouse his lifeless love. Sapphire's eyes
closed to the tears that burned in his ducts. Diamond
wouldn't wake either. Diamond, his foolish, stupid, loving
brother, who refused to open his shut lids or move air
through his still lungs. Why must he always be so stubborn,
all he had to do was open his eyes, and everything would be
all right. They could go home and forget about all this
nonsense with the princess. He and Sapphire could be
brothers again, playing in the blue fields behind the
palace, just like in the old days...
Someone laughed. It was an offensive, soulless cackle.
The General's eyes snapped open, hatred flaming in his blue
irises like frozen hellfire. Sapphire's hands clenched into
tight fists and he jumped to his feet, turning to the demon
witch that dared show her face.
Beryl stood poised and regal in the corner shadows of
the Square, leaning on a dark metal staff crowned with a
serpentine figurehead. Her skin looked as if she had
rejected oxygen and her eyes glowed like burning coals.
Sensuous lips were drawn up in a triumphant smirk as
she swayed towards the fallen heroes. The staff shattering
the silence every third step, echoing like hollow thunder
against the cobbled floor.
"You," he grated at the Snake Queen, "this is your fault!"
"Why, my dear Sapphire," Queen Beryl purred, coming to a
stop some feet before him. "Don't be absurd. Your brother
brought this on himself. If anything, this is all your
fault."
Sapphire sputtered incredulously. "Mine?"
"Of course. You knew what Diamond was like. You should
have watched out for him better." Beryl, charged with
new energy and refreshed with the sweet drink of revenge,
watched as the Nega Moon general crumbled before her.
However, she still wanted to play with her toy, and so
she drove the nail in deep to his back. "But if you're
so bent on denial, you can always blame Diamond. Choosing
a brat over his own brother, so selfish. I commend you,
Sapphire, letting him die like that was an excellent way
of revenge for shunting you."
Sapphire snapped. "Lies!" He screamed at her, "don't
you *dare* speak of Diamond like that!"
He ran forward, screaming from the very depths of his
shattered heart, bent of extracting his revenge from the
queen's scaly hide. But there was a dark blur that raced
passed him. Prince Endymion, his eyes blazing and his
sword unsheathed, hurled himself at Beryl. She countered
his sword with her Serpent Staff, matching him blow for blow
as he hacked away with ferocious abandon. He feinted a hit
and ducked as she aimed high. Taking advantage of his
opening, he swung out, slicing deep into her arm.
Beryl screeched with rage as a thick river of black ran
down her limb. Eyes flashing, she lashed out with her staff,
connecting with Darien's chin and sending him sprawling.
The Snake Queen howled with glee and raised her weapon
high to finsih the fallen prince.
"No you don't!" Sapphire jumped her from behind, wrapping
his arms around her neck and yanking backwards, throwing
the demon off balance. Furious, her long nails reached up and
raked across his face, furrowing deep lines in his cheeks and
catching his eye. He cried out and his grip loosened, giving
Beryl a chance to reach back and grab his jacket. She hauled
Sapphire roughly over her shoulder and threw him far across the
room in anger. He flew recklessly in the air until he crashed
into the podium, knocking it to the ground and sending the
Crystal that rested atop of it skittering across the floor.
Beryl hissed and lunged for the object, but a flash of metal
glinted in the corner of her eye, and she turned and raised
her staff just in time to deflect Endymion's sword once more.
Exhausted beyond reason, Sapphire could only watch as Beryl
and Endymion fought on in a vicious battle. He smiled
crookedly as he saw the Earth prince skillfully dance about
the queen, fighting blindly through a veil of salty tears.
Endymion really did love Serenity, Sapphire thought sadly as
he lay his cheek against the cool stone floor. And, once
upon a much better time, Diamond might have too. But too
much had changed in a thousand years. Sapphire's eyes
drifted from the fight to moor on the still forms of Diamond
and Serenity. Too much had happened for anything to turn
out happily ever after for any of them.
Then something caught his eye. When Sapphire had been
knocked into the podium, he had sent the Silver Crystal
flying, but hadn't paid attention to where it had landed.
Now, though, he couldn't take his eyes off it. The Crystal
was hovering inches above the prone Sailor Moon, spinning
inquisitively on an invisible axis over what Sapphire knew
as her transformation brooch. That particular trinket had
caused them almost as much trouble as the princess herself.
But the Crystal seemed oddly attracted to the brooch, and
Sapphire watched with amazement as the jewel suddenly
stopped its revolutions and dropped to the adornment on
Sailor Moon's breast bow.
Sapphire was puzzled. What--?
Sailor Moon groaned. Sapphire jerked his head up and
dropped his jaw to the ground as she brought a hand
tenuously up to her forehead, while the other pushed
back and supported her into a slightly upright position.
"I told you," she muttered slowly, her voice unsteady,
"not to call me that."
Darien fought like a man possessed, neither seeing nor
hearing anything but the monster in front of him. Sorrow
and rage poured from his torn soul and into every strike
and thrust he threw at the Snake Queen. Beryl, however,
countered every move. And what was worse, she smiled at
him the entire time.
He lunged at her, "stop that!"
"Oh, but Endymion," she cooed, nearly landing a hit on
his shoulder, "how can a girl help but smile at you?"
"You disgust me," he snarled, fending off the blow.
"You misunderstand me," she retaliated. "Serenity is
done for, Endymion, and soon I will have the power of
the Imperium Silver Crystal." Beryl's serpentine carved
staff swung out and connected with Endymion's sword. Both
fighters leaned their weight into the weapons in a test of
strength and will. "Why not join me? You could be a king
and rule by my side forever!"
For a long, intense moment, Darien merely stared at the
woman, not believing what he had heard. Then, with an
angry shout, he gathered his strength and heaved against
the deadlock, throwing Beryl back against the vine walls.
Stunned, she slipped to the floor as Darien lowered his
sword and glared at her through loathing eyes.
"Someday," he said to her, "I will be King. But not yours,"
he whispered, "never yours."
"Darien." Serena's voice penetrated his battle-hazed mind.
His eyes widened and hope sang through him.
"Serena?" He turned to see the tiny blonde slowly pushing
to her feet. "Serena!" Relieved beyond measure, Darien
forgot his battle and rushed to the girl, sweeping her close
to his body in a tight embrace. Tears began to prick the
corners of his eyes again, but he blinked them away, too
happy to cry. "You're okay," he breathed, "I can't believe
it, your all right."
Serena pulled away from him just enough to look up at
Darien and smile, "of course I am. What else would I be?"
"Dead would be nice."
Darien stiffened in Serena's arms, and his eyes went wide
with shock as he began to turn. But then he stopped
altogether and his body became suddenly very loose as
he gave a small moan of pain and slid to the ground.
"Darien!" Serena cried out, easing his fall until he came to
his knees. A long black staff of cold metal protruded from
his back. Beryl wore a grim smile as she slowly twisted it
further in his body before yanking hard and letting the
sharpened end slide from his back with a metallic scraping
against his armor.
"If I cannot have him," she declared, "then no one can!"
Sailor Moon stared at the queen with incredulous eyes,
before a pained groan from Darien diverted her attention
back to the matter at hand. He coughed, and Serena
gasped as the cobblestones were spattered with dark
liquid.
"Oh, Darien," she cried softly, her eyes welling with
salty crystal tears.
"Serena--" Darien choked, and slipped from his knees.
Serena gave a startled gasp and guided him to the floor,
resting his head in her lap. He met her eyes and lifted
his hand to her cheek, smiling as she covered it with her
own. "Serenity," he whispered, "my sweet Sailor Moon.
I finally found you, princess. I can't belive, right in
front of me, this whole time..."
"It wasn't your fault," she murmured, squeezing his hand.
"We were all Meatball Heads."
He laughed softly before his lungs tightened, and he shut his
eyes in a painful grimace. "You know," he said slowly, "I
never got to tell you...how much...I loved you." He opened
his clouding eyes and focused them on Serena with clear
determination shining in their fading light. "But I will...I
promise you...I will..."
With that, Darien's eyes closed one last time, and his hand
slipped from Serena's cheek, nevermore to rise.
"Dear Darien," she whispered, kissing his cooling forehead.
With great care, she lifted him from her lap and lowered
him to the floor, then slowly stood and walked away, never
looking back.
Beryl stood some feet away, leaning on her tainted staff, her
face set into an expression of neutral indifference. If she
had any remorse for killing her long time infatuation, she hid
it well. Her eyes shifted from his corpse to Sailor Moon, who
had begun to come towards her. Queen Beryl chuckled. This
would be over soon.
Serena walked towards the woman with fateful determination.
All the killing, the sorrow, the senseless fights--it was
going to stop, *now.*
"It ends here, Snake Queen," Sailor Moon bit off, still striding
forward. "You're reign is over."
"You think you can defeat me?" Queen Beryl raised her staff
and pointed it at the last remaining Scout. Energy poured
into the snakehead that crowned it, and the reptile's eyes
glowed red. "Take this!" Two intense beams of fire shot
from its glowing orifices and directly at Sailor Moon.
The negative energy hit and a brilliant white light exploded
around the girl. Beryl winced and shielded her eyes from
intense glare, crying out in surprise. The light faded and her
eyes adjusted, giving way to a sight that made her scream.
Sailor Moon was gone, but in place stood a delicate young
woman in a flowing white imperial gown, holding in front of
her the Crescent Moon Wand, complete with the Imperium
Silver Crystal resting in its base.
Serenity opened her eyes to look upon her opponent. "I will
defeat you, Beryl. In the name of the Moon and all things
good, you must die."
Queen Beryl sneered and cocked her head to the side. "So,
Serenity, we meet at last. Its time to finally finish this."
She threw her staff to the ground and raised her hands high,
gathering her newfound energy and power. "Your mother
can't save you this time. Good bye, princess!"
Beryl sent the energy stream flying towards the princess,
hell-bent on destroying her. The dark energy of the
Negaverse surged in her veins and into the blast.
"Mother, give me strength," Serenity whispered, then gripped
the Crescent Wand hilt tight and shouted, "Moon Crystal
Power!"
The Silver Crystal lit up in a brilliant spectral display,
willing and eager to do whatever it was asked. It formed
and cast its energy with startling force at the attack that
dared threaten its guardian. The two powers collided with
awesome force, shaking the maze structure to its core.
Neither power gave an inch as both queen and princess contested
in the ultimate battle of wills. The dark, numbing energy
of the Negaverse jolted against the Moon Princess, trying
to jar her loose from the Crystal. But in turn, the lunar
jewel hurled painful knives of pure goodness into Beryl,
cutting her insides and making her want to scream in pain.
Where the energies collided, a huge sphere bloomed, the
necessary blossom of two very different seeds. It wavered
back and forth, pushed one direction by the evils of the
Negaverse, thrown back by the goodness of the princess
and everything she stood for.
With a strength born of desperation, Beryl threw everything
she could muster against the princess. "Time to join your
friends, moon brat!" And hurled a pulse that rocked Serenity
hard. The colliding sphere in the middle teetered and began
falling towards the princess.
*My friends,* she thought, and her concentration began to
waver. The Crystal became distraught and pulsed, looking
for the reasons of distress and distraction from the fight
that was close to killing what it had worked so hard to bring
back.
"No!" She shouted, "I *cannot* lose! My friends are
counting on me!"
"We'll see about that!" Beryl screamed, throwing down the
chain even more power.
Serena was becoming tired, but poured all her strength into
the Crystal, trying desperately to push the energy back.
She needed more power!
~Then use ours, Serena.~ Came Lita's voice out of no
where, ~we've got plenty left.~
~Yeah!~ Mina giggled in the corner of her mind. ~That
Rubeus wasn't so tough. We took care of him, and now we
can do the same with Beryl.~
~Its our last assignment, Serena,~ Amy whispered
somewhere close by, ~and then its off to the arcade.
Let's finish it.~
~We mean it, Meatball Head,~ Ray fumed playfully, ~let
us help or I'll never speak to you again!~
"My friends," she whispered, "always there for me. Yes,
please help me! Lend me your strength."
And then came a gloved hand, reaching from the corner of
her eye to cover her own that rested on the wand's hilt.
Then another, and another, until her Scouts stood around
her, smiling and ready as always.
~Mercury Power!~
~Mars Power!~
~Jupiter Power!~
~Venus Power!~
The individual energies from the four separate planets
surged into the Crystal and its glow intensified a hundred
fold. Potential energy coursed through her veins, waiting
for her signal.
Serenity's eyes flashed, "Moon Planet Power!"
The Silver Crystal flickered. Then the pent up energy deep
inside rushed forward and exploded from the jewel, and five
different colored energies ran up the chain and into the
sphere. The energy clashed orb swelled to enormity and
shot upwards, riding the waves back to the Snake Queen.
"What's this?" Beryl's eyes widened and she panicked,
trying to severe the connection. But it was too late.
"No! This can't be--ah!" She screamed as the blast hurled
towards her, enveloping her body and seeping into every
crevice of her being.
The air around her fluxed violently, and the light gave out
for one long second. Beryl's cry cut off abruptly as the
substance of her body exploded, ending the final threat of
the Negaverse. The shockwave blew outwards with incredible
force, shaking the earth and rocking the maze foundation to
its threshold. Serenity shielded herself as the energy nearly
knocked her from her feet. Her friends' presences began to
fade and the walls began to crack and crumble. All around
her the Labyrinth began to break apart. Dust and pebbles
began to fall and the ground shook in small, sporadic
earthquakes.
She turned from the battle on tired feet. Sapphire lie near his
brother, protecting his prince's body with his own. He looked
up at the princess with ragged eyes, answering the silent
question she posed with her own. She nodded tiredly, her
eyes soft and understanding, oblivious to the growing rocks
that fell around her.
A white light surrounded the two men. "Go home," she told
Sapphire. "Let things be as they should."
"Thank you," he whispered, and then he was gone.
The ground gave a violent shake and the princess collapsed
to the ground. She had nothing left. Boulders the size of
small cars began to fall, crashing down dangerously near to
her. Serenity ignored it all though, and gathered the last
of her strength for one last movement.
"Endymion," she choked out. Crawling on her knees, she was
almost lost to a rift that split open underneath her. But
sheer force of will kept her going until the body of her dead
prince came into sight. With a contended sigh, she pillowed
her arms on his chest and laid her head down. Serenity could feel
her heart falter and slow, but she no longer cared. Boulders
tumbled to the dying memory of the glorious past closer and
closer, until they could go nowhere else.
~I wish...~
A whistling filled her failing senses and a shadow loomed
overhead, growing larger by the second. Tired, she nuzzled
her cheek against her prince's shoulder and closed her eyes.
Her fingers laxed, and a bright jewel twinkled in her palm
as the last boulder fell from the starry ceiling.
~I wish...~
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
^.^ Bet you didn't see that coming.
phoenix_cubed@hotmail.com
fiction. It's taken a bit of time, but I think its worth it. Of
course, that could be just me, too. ^.^
Sailor Moon is not mine, nor will it ever be. I'm crying right
now. Honestly.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Labyrinth Square
Chapter 12
By Phoenix Cubed
And now quite disgruntled
I realize I am dead.
Serenity and I
will have to wait to be wed.
Serena, my love,
my words ring true,
I promise to find
my way back to you.
^*^*^*
Serena existed within a field of nothing.
All around her, winds of blackness breathed by her skin and
caressed her mind. It was warm and inviting, encircling her
distraught self and pulling her close. Like a caring mother to
a child, she was made to feel safe, loved, and carefree. The
feeling was so comfortable, so familiar, and it gave Serena a
sense that nothing at all was wrong in the world. It was the
feeling of security she had always longed for.
How dare it.
How *dare* this unseen force lull her into happiness! The
nerve it must possess, to comfort her and whisper soothing
thoughts into her mind--that everything was and would be
fine, when most certainly everything was *not!* How dare
it lift her spirits when all she wanted to do was fall to
the floor and drown in self-loathing. She had left her
friends to die! Serena had abandoned her closest and most
dear companions, all because she didn't have the strength,
the force of will to resist whatever it was that drove her
through the doorway Rubeus had constructed.
Tears pricked her eyes--alone at last.
Comforting winds swept about her, brushing the tears
from her eyes and into the darkness. Surprised and angry,
she reached out for them, not wanting the single thing that
was solely hers to be taken away so cruelly. Why couldn't
she have her grief? Why couldn't she wallow in the despair
that had spawned from her unfaithful deeds? It was what
she deserved!
~Do you really think so?~
Serena's eyes flew open. "Who's there?" She asked, her
voice reaching out to the darkness. But no one answered
her. This annoyed her. Who was out in the dark witnessing
her grief? Her vocal chords no longer wavering in mournful
song, she called out once more, "whose out there? Show
yourself!"
A musical laughter flitted through the air, tickling Serena's
senses. "Ah, my sweet Serenity. You have grown so much,
yet changed so little."
A shaft of silver light broke through the darkness, and from
its very top a small star descended, growing larger and more
defined as it made its way down. The song in her mind struck
a high note and Serena gasped. The star tightened in on itself
and began to take new shape. Wings of finely crafted crystal
framed the tiny body of a fairy-sized angel. Her large eyes were
filled with wisdom and love, and her silver tinted lavender hair
was done up in two buns, with the rest streaming down to fall
with her long white dress.
Serena's knees gave out and she fell to the unseen floor as
the beautiful, petite sized woman came to rest level with her
face.
"Always so full of questions, needing to know the answers
right here and now. You drove the royal scholars into a
tizzy many times." She smiled, "how I've missed you."
Sailor Moon could only gape at the woman. "How do you-
who--?"
"Am I really that novel of a sight to you, my daughter?"
Serena gasped, "Queen Serenity," she breathed, "mother."
The Old Queen nodded, pleased. "That's right, Serenity.
But now you must listen to me, there are a great many things
you must know, and we are running out of time. Do you
hear the song?"
Serena nodded, letting the music come forward in her mind.
As if waiting for acknowledgement, the song burst out in a
new variation, captivating the girl and making her want to
seek out the source of it, to hold it close and claim it as
her own.
"That is the Imperium Silver Crystal, Serenity. By birthright,
yours and yours alone. You must protect it and keep it safe
from those who would use it for ill intent. You can use its
power for the greater good of all. But beware of it, also, and
do not let it take over your mind. For just as you use the
Crystal, it uses you, and the more energy you take from it,
the more it will take from you. Do not let your fate become
mine, my daughter."
"Take my energy?" Serena shook her head, confused. I don't
understand."
"That is because you were not meant to, until now." Queen
Serenity's expression became grave. "Listen to me,
Serenity. You must know your past before you can claim
your future. A thousand years ago, you were the princess
of the Moon, engaged to Prince Endymion of Earth--"
Time drifted by unnoticed as Serena listened with rapt
attention to the story her mother weaved. Images of her
past bloomed in vivid color as her mother explained to her
everything she needed to know about her past, the Silver
Crystal, and the Negaverse. And at the sudden remembrance
of her beloved kingdom, a single tear fell down her cheek
and dropped soundlessly into the darkness.
Queen Serenity smiled and stilled the tear in the air before it
could disappear. "And now, my daughter, for your gifts."
The tear glowed and flashed suddenly. In its place floated a
gold crescent moon fixed to shiny rose hilt. "This is the
Crescent Moon Wand, the first royal scepter of the Moon
family. With the Crystal in its base, nothing can stop
you."
Tentatively, Serena reached out and grasped the wand,
amazed at how well it fit her hand. "Its beautiful."
"Now it is time for you to go, my dear, sweet Serenity." The
Queen gave her daughter a sad, proud smile, "I wish you the
best of luck, and send all of my love with you. You know
what to do, my daughter."
Serena nodded, "yes."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Eight feet ran noiselessly down the debris-ridden hallways of
the Labyrinth. Of all Mother Nature's creatures, the cat is
the most successful at stealth and ambush. They can pad
through grassland or city street alike and never make a
sound. However, for this trait cat-kind paid the price of
surprise over all-out endurance. It was a fee that Luna and
Artemis were keenly feeling as they ran for an exit.
"Come on, Luna," Artemis said, trying to urge his companion
on. "We've got to keep going."
"But Artemis," Luna puffed, "we've been running for such a
long time. We need to rest."
Artemis rubbed against Luna in a feline gesture of comfort,
but also to push her forward. "After we're out of the maze,
you can sit in a tree and I'll bring you some fresh fish
directly from the sea port, and we can rest and clean our
paws until we turn gray. But for now, the Scouts told us to
hightail it out of here, so that's what we're going to do."
"I feel so helpless," Luna fretted, "why ever did we become
cats in the first place, Artemis?"
"We're advisors, Luna, not warriors." Artemis nudged her
again, "they'll be all right. We've done all we can to train
and guide the Scouts, now its up to them."
Luna sighed and picked up the trot. "I wonder how they're
doing."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Beryl stared in fascination at the scene that surrounded her,
scarcely able to believe her eyes.
"By all things dark," she whispered into the stagnate air,
but her oath came short, as she had no words left in her
awe.
She wondered how it was possible, when all she had done
was walk through the decorative double doors that heralded
the end of the twisted paths of the maze. She had thought
to come across a room with the Crystal sitting in its center,
or perhaps some roughly painted replica of the original
chamber where it was kept, crafted by uncaring and naïve
mortals with no idea of what they were making. Nothing,
however, could have prepared her for the sight that swept
away her foul breath with a single stroke.
It was exactly how she remembered it. The walls were thick
with green vines and trees that towered high into the eternal
night sky of space. Stars shone with their infallible light,
looking down with their timeless gazes at the follies of
men and mortals. Lunar winds brought the sounds of distant
fountains gurgling as well as the scents of the flower
gardens just beyond the maze walls. And high in the night,
Earth spun on its invisible axis to watch the moon's endless
dance.
She was in the Labyrinth's Center Square. The *original*
Labyrinth Square.
Her feet moved her across the cobbled stone floor as she took
in the marvels that that bloomed before her. She ran a
skeletal hand across the coarse thicket walls until a thorn
snagged her gray hued skin and tore a ragged line down her
palm. Beryl gave it no heed, though, and let the limb fall
back to her side, hardly noticing as dark energy rushed to
the wound and sped up the healing process. Not a drop of
her tainted blood fell to the ground as she continued her
way across the Square.
There was a shining glint that came to her out of the corner
of her eye. Turning, she headed towards the open center,
where the prize of all prizes awaited the ultimate victor--
Of who Queen Beryl had every intention of being.
There it was, suspended not a meter off the ground and
bathing in a cast of starlight that seemed to stream down
from the heavens above her, creating in an endless spotlight.
Its thousands of facets caught and repelled the light, sending
miniature spectrums to dance about the expansive Square.
Like a night insect to a porch light, Beryl was drawn to it,
wanting desperately to hear its call in her mind and feel its
energy in her blood. *This* was what she had worked at for
so many years, the intoxicating power of the immortal Imperium
Silver Crystal!
"Not so fast, Majesty."
Beryl stopped dead in her tracks and turned about to see the
dark haired General, Sapphire, standing there, his arms
crossed and his mouth set in a grim line.
"Sapphire," she snapped, "How dare you order me about!
What do you think you're doing?"
Sapphire crossed his arms. "Reminding you of our
agreement." His body flickered and disappeared, only
to reappear between her and the Crystal. "You haven't
forgotten, have you?"
Queen Beryl sneered and looked down at the man, "I do not
care for your tone, General. I am Queen here, and I will
pick and choose what agreements I care to honor or disregard."
"And I am brother to the Prince of the Nega Moon," Sapphire
replied coolly. "Acting on his behalf to make sure none of
us collect our just rewards prematurely."
"You mean, to make sure they are not collected at all," the
Snake Queen shot back, her temper on the rise. "Do you think
I am a fool, Sapphire? An imbecile, perhaps? To think
your brother would freely give me the greatest source of
power in the universe, when all he would take is a bride?"
Sapphire hesitated slightly, "they are a fair match in my
prince's eyes."
"That is because your prince is as blind as he is stupid.
The power of Serenity is nothing without the Silver Crystal."
Something flashed across Sapphire's face. Beryl's red eyes
glinted with insight and mischief. "Or didn't you know that,"
she purred to him, "There is no Moon Queen without the
Imperium Silver Crystal, it is what gives them their power."
She let out a short bark of laughter, "and what will give me
mine!"
Sapphire planted his feet firmly on the ground. "Not while
I stand here, you won't. You get nothing until the Prince
arrives."
"Out of my way, Sapphire," Beryl snarled, biting off the words
in her throat. "I *will* take what's mine."
"But *not* until Diamond arrives."
"I do not follow the whims of a lackey!" She screamed at
him, throwing out her fury and frustration and a blinding
ball of frozen ice and power. "Move!"
The deadly wave of energy came hurling at him, faster and
stronger than anything Sapphire could hope to deflect.
Queen Beryl cackled as she prepared to witness the
general's demise. Sapphire threw his arms up to protect
himself the best he could, no time to avoid the blast--
There was a flash of intense, white light, burning into every
corner of his soul, searing his mind in a fashion he had never
felt before. The General heard Beryl's scream of rage and
he lowered his arms, taking in the shock of his life.
Sailor Moon stood in calm repose, acting as a living barrier
between Sapphire and Beryl. Pale lids drew back to reveal
cerulean eyes set in a mask of wise determination. Her arms
lie demurely at her sides and her hair streamed out behind
her like twin banners waving gently in the wind. The white
light receded into outline, defining the sailor suited stature
of a girl he would have never imagined to be a warrior.
"How," Beryl whispered in a hoarse tone, "how can this be?
You're supposed to be on the Nega Moon with the rest of the
brats! Why are you here? Answer me!"
Serena let her eyes settle on the Snake Queen, feeling them
become hard and set. Here was the woman responsible, the
one who had destroyed everyone and everything she had ever
loved. She, who dared call herself queen, was why Serena
was dressed in flowing power and filled with the dreadful
knowledge of her past, instead of being at home, or with
friends, or anywhere else but this empty memory of what
once was.
"It all looks so real, doesn't it, Beryl?"
The woman blinked, "what are you babbling about?"
"This place," Serena motioned, "the Square. It's exactly like
we remember it to be. The stars are out, the winds blow...but
it's not real. Merely an illusion of the past. A well crafted
reminder of what I once had." Serena's eyes darkened in sadness,
"what any of us could have had, if not for your greed and evil."
Beryl curled her lip in disgust, "don't feed me rubbish. This
is the Moon! I won't fall for one of your traps so easily, Moon
Brat."
Serena shook her head, "then your lust for power has corrupted
your sight as well as your soul. Listen, witch, do you not
hear our words echoing?"
The waterfalls. Beryl twitched. That wasn't a fountain she
heard, but her own footsteps echoing off the walls! The Snake
Queen's eyes burned in rage, how could she be fooled so easily?
"No matter," she hissed, "once I have the Crystal, I will create
my own kingdom. One even greater than your mother's!"
"That," Sailor Moon stated, "is something I cannot allow you
to do."
Sapphire, who was standing quietly behind the two women,
blinked in astonishment as the tiny princess suddenly drew
herself up and raised her hand. He swallowed nervously as
he recognized the crescent topped wand held in her secure
grip.
Serena breathed deeply and closed her eyes; siphoning
power she didn't yet have mastery of. "Moon," she
whispered, "Cosmic Power!"
The wand began to glow with an intense light and Queen Beryl
screamed as it shot from the glowing crescent and into her
breast. The blast shook her body, and she staggered forward,
falling to the ground with a gurgling moan. "This isn't over,
Sailor Moon," she choked out, before fading into the shadows.
Serena watched as the last of Beryl disappeared before
slumping to the floor, the Moon Crescent Wand slipping from
her fingers to settle quietly on the floor. Dimly she was
aware of footsteps coming towards her, and a pair of white
trousers stepped in her line of vision.
Sapphire knelt down beside Sailor Moon, his gaze level and
his voice even. "She's not gone, you know."
The Crystal's song flowered in her ears, trying to urge her
closer to its jeweled self. But Serena was too tired from
even the small taste she had of its power, so she only
nodded dumbly at the General's statement.
"I know."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"Beryl, you fool. You have failed me again!"
"My Mistress, please! I have worked too hard to lose now.
Give me one more chance!"
"You don't deserve this, Beryl, but I shall give you this last
gift before I abandon you! Use it wisely!"
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Something was wrong, something was wrong, something
very very was wrong.
A high, constant keening in Darien's mind fed his fear and
his feet, beating them faster and faster against the ground.
Something had happened, he could feel it, and it had to do
with Serena. Was she in danger? Images of Serena lying
injured and dying surged across Darien's eyes, pushing his
body to greater heights of endurance. He rounded a corner
full speed, charging ahead to his goal. He knew he was
getting close, Darien could feel the center like a beacon
reaching out to him, guiding the prince straight to his goal.
Darien ran hard for twenty feet, took the right fork, hurdled
a pile of wall debris and rounded the left bend. Something was
terribly, dreadfully wrong. He had to find out what. The
instincts of a thousand year old prince and a brooding masked
man screamed at him, demanding to know why he ever left his
princess alone.
Somewhere to his left, he could vaguely feel Diamond
rushing forward, pushing his body as hard as Darien.
Diamond must have felt that same urgency. Both princes
were killing themselves to find out what was going on.
But Darien would be damned if he'd give out and let
Diamond find Serena first.
Darien rounded a sharp corner, nearly smashing into the
wall. He balanced himself and took off again, only to look
up and see Diamond doing the exact same a hundred yards in
front of him. This had happened twice already where'd they
meet and branch off again, so Darien kept on running, his
eyes meeting Diamond's for a brief moment in acknowledgement
of the sudden change in atmosphere. Then, as one, they turned
and went into parallel passages, gone from each other's sights.
He could still feel the the prince on the other side of the wall
before it angled away down a long narrow hall.
And smack into a dead end.
Darien swore viciously and skittered to a halt. How had this
happened? As far as he remembered, the corridor was supposed
to open into the cobble-stoned Square. His body turned parallel
to the maze wall, Darien's head turned back and forth in his
dilemma. Then he turned in a snap decision and trotted down
the ending passage, hoping for a miracle.
He got it. There, made of gray painted wood with blending
stone hinges was an opulent door so hidden in vines he almost
missed it. Snapping off the snaking plants and scrubbing
away the dust, his eye caught a gold plaque settled directly
in the door center.
Congratulations! You, lucky Traveler, are the
one of the few to reach the famous Labyrinth
Square. Enter now to claim your place in
history!
Darien raised an eyebrow at the sign, but grabbed the ornate
silver knob and turned his wrist. The door swung wide.
*^*^*^*
Sapphire still stood firm between crystal and royalty, though
he was decidedly unsure if he should stay firm. After helping
Serenity to her feet, he had backed off and taken his place
once again in front of the Silver Crystal. Sapphire had
watched the petite princess take in her surroundings with
mute sadness reflecting in her deep blue eyes before she
had turned back to him with a curious expression. In answer
to her silent question, he had crossed his arms and shaken
his head, setting himself to be as immobile as possible.
Serenity's look of curiosity became more blatant, and she
cocked her head to the side in a gesture that spoke wonders
for his eyes, but said nothing for his ears.
The stereo effect of opening doors alerted Sapphire to the
oncoming duelers. On far opposite sides of the Square, two
doors opened simultaneously. Instinct moved Sapphire's
and Serenity's heads for the same reason, but in different
directions. At last, their princes had come.
Serena's breath caught in her throat as she watched
Darien's armored frame come barreling through the
doorway, watching him hesitate ever so slightly as his
searching eyes caught hers momentarily. Then they shifted
to look behind her, and then she watched them harden with
fierce determination as he came flying towards her.
A small twinge of fear caught Serena's heart, and she turned
to see the White Prince, Diamond, hammering his feet to the
ground with unthinkable speed. His eyes were transfixed
on her and his posture a mirror to her own Darien.
The twinge grew strings that twisted and knotted. It was
happening again. Apprehension rose high in her heart and
mind as her dim past came to incredible sharpness, recalling
the last time the two men had dueled. Her breathing
quickened. They were evenly matched and coming in fast.
A hand grabbed her arm, causing her to jump and utter a
small yelp. She looked to Sapphire, his face set in a
grim line, as he dragged her towards the Crystal.
"You have to be in the exact center," he said, "this has to
be a fair duel." He stopped her not a foot from the Silver
Crystal, then spun her sharply around and looked her straight
in the eye. "You absolutely *must not* touch the Crystal.
This duel has to happen, and if you touch it, there's no
telling what will happen, to any of us. Do you understand?"
Serena stared back at the General, wondering how he could
look so much like Darien, yet be so different. She licked her
lips, "Mother explained everything to me, General. I won't
interfere if none of you do."
Sapphire nodded once, then let go of her and moved around
the girl and the podium that held the Crystal, retreating
as far as he could get from the oncoming racers.
Serena breathed in short, shallow gasps. Not daring to look
at either Darien or Diamond, she closed her eyes.
His cape snapped behind him in the wind his body created
as he flew across the ground. But Darien only seemed to
inch closer to his goal. Serena! He wanted to call to her,
tell her to hang on, that he was coming. But that would be
air not converted to his running, energy not put into his
feet. He couldn't afford that. Diamond was too close.
Almost there! Diamond ran on pure adrenaline. She was so
close! He had waited so long for this moment, and now, after
endless centuries of patience and planning, the object of all
his desires was in his sight! So very close, but so was
Endymion. Diamond's eyes narrowed to slits, he would not
lose this time.
And then it happened.
The air shimmered violently, and from the high ceiling a body
materialized. Diamond watched in horror as the familiar
carrot topped body of his General fell unchecked to the
ground--right into Endymion's path. There was no time to
shout a warning, or even for the earth prince to slow down or
dodge. Rubeus landed with an echoing crack not a stride
from his feet. Endymion let loose with an outraged shout as
he collided with the motionless General and fell to the floor
in a mess of tangled limbs.
Three events fired off simultaneously.
Serena's eyes flew open. She screamed.
Sapphire noticed Beryl high in the air from where Rubeus
fell, her eyes full of malevolence and her hand containing
a black sphere of energy, poised to kill.
Diamond took three great, long strides and lunged for
Serena, managing to knock her down and cover her body
just as Beryl's dark weapon flew from her hand and
straight at the vulnerable pair.
There are moments in a person's life where time seems to
slow down to a crawl, and every second stretches into a
millennium to give time for every minute detail of an event.
Should one live even for a millennia of millenniums, he or
she will be able to recall in perfect detail exactly what
happened anywhere or anytime.
And so it seemed for Darien and Sapphire. Beryl's laugh
still echoing in the cavernous Square, the two men watched
her blast descend like a spitfire sun, just as Diamond sent
Serena to the floor in an attempt to shield her body with his
own. The black energy spear hit the two dead on, plastering
them to the ground and enveloping them in darkness for what
seemed like an eternity.
A thunderous shock wave hit them and sent time flying back
to speed.
The black energy cloud blew off with the shockwave,
revealing two unmoving bodies lying piled on the floor
next to the podium that sported the Crystal.
"No," Darien whispered, refusing to acknowledge what his
eyes told him to accept. He untangled himself from the
dead General Rubeus--his neck was snapped and his skull was
compressed grossly from ground impact, he could be nothing
else. The Earth Prince staggered to his feet and went to
his fallen angel. But Sapphire was already there, pulling
the two apart and laying them out gently.
"No, please." Darien picked up his pace and flew to his
princess. He fell to his knees beside her pale, beaten body.
"Serena?" He called to her softly, stroking her bruised
cheek, wondering why she didn't wake up. "Come on, Meatball
Head, you've got to wake up."
Sapphire looked up and stared at the prince. What had he
called her? But Endymion seemed to be lost in his own little
world, trying to rouse his lifeless love. Sapphire's eyes
closed to the tears that burned in his ducts. Diamond
wouldn't wake either. Diamond, his foolish, stupid, loving
brother, who refused to open his shut lids or move air
through his still lungs. Why must he always be so stubborn,
all he had to do was open his eyes, and everything would be
all right. They could go home and forget about all this
nonsense with the princess. He and Sapphire could be
brothers again, playing in the blue fields behind the
palace, just like in the old days...
Someone laughed. It was an offensive, soulless cackle.
The General's eyes snapped open, hatred flaming in his blue
irises like frozen hellfire. Sapphire's hands clenched into
tight fists and he jumped to his feet, turning to the demon
witch that dared show her face.
Beryl stood poised and regal in the corner shadows of
the Square, leaning on a dark metal staff crowned with a
serpentine figurehead. Her skin looked as if she had
rejected oxygen and her eyes glowed like burning coals.
Sensuous lips were drawn up in a triumphant smirk as
she swayed towards the fallen heroes. The staff shattering
the silence every third step, echoing like hollow thunder
against the cobbled floor.
"You," he grated at the Snake Queen, "this is your fault!"
"Why, my dear Sapphire," Queen Beryl purred, coming to a
stop some feet before him. "Don't be absurd. Your brother
brought this on himself. If anything, this is all your
fault."
Sapphire sputtered incredulously. "Mine?"
"Of course. You knew what Diamond was like. You should
have watched out for him better." Beryl, charged with
new energy and refreshed with the sweet drink of revenge,
watched as the Nega Moon general crumbled before her.
However, she still wanted to play with her toy, and so
she drove the nail in deep to his back. "But if you're
so bent on denial, you can always blame Diamond. Choosing
a brat over his own brother, so selfish. I commend you,
Sapphire, letting him die like that was an excellent way
of revenge for shunting you."
Sapphire snapped. "Lies!" He screamed at her, "don't
you *dare* speak of Diamond like that!"
He ran forward, screaming from the very depths of his
shattered heart, bent of extracting his revenge from the
queen's scaly hide. But there was a dark blur that raced
passed him. Prince Endymion, his eyes blazing and his
sword unsheathed, hurled himself at Beryl. She countered
his sword with her Serpent Staff, matching him blow for blow
as he hacked away with ferocious abandon. He feinted a hit
and ducked as she aimed high. Taking advantage of his
opening, he swung out, slicing deep into her arm.
Beryl screeched with rage as a thick river of black ran
down her limb. Eyes flashing, she lashed out with her staff,
connecting with Darien's chin and sending him sprawling.
The Snake Queen howled with glee and raised her weapon
high to finsih the fallen prince.
"No you don't!" Sapphire jumped her from behind, wrapping
his arms around her neck and yanking backwards, throwing
the demon off balance. Furious, her long nails reached up and
raked across his face, furrowing deep lines in his cheeks and
catching his eye. He cried out and his grip loosened, giving
Beryl a chance to reach back and grab his jacket. She hauled
Sapphire roughly over her shoulder and threw him far across the
room in anger. He flew recklessly in the air until he crashed
into the podium, knocking it to the ground and sending the
Crystal that rested atop of it skittering across the floor.
Beryl hissed and lunged for the object, but a flash of metal
glinted in the corner of her eye, and she turned and raised
her staff just in time to deflect Endymion's sword once more.
Exhausted beyond reason, Sapphire could only watch as Beryl
and Endymion fought on in a vicious battle. He smiled
crookedly as he saw the Earth prince skillfully dance about
the queen, fighting blindly through a veil of salty tears.
Endymion really did love Serenity, Sapphire thought sadly as
he lay his cheek against the cool stone floor. And, once
upon a much better time, Diamond might have too. But too
much had changed in a thousand years. Sapphire's eyes
drifted from the fight to moor on the still forms of Diamond
and Serenity. Too much had happened for anything to turn
out happily ever after for any of them.
Then something caught his eye. When Sapphire had been
knocked into the podium, he had sent the Silver Crystal
flying, but hadn't paid attention to where it had landed.
Now, though, he couldn't take his eyes off it. The Crystal
was hovering inches above the prone Sailor Moon, spinning
inquisitively on an invisible axis over what Sapphire knew
as her transformation brooch. That particular trinket had
caused them almost as much trouble as the princess herself.
But the Crystal seemed oddly attracted to the brooch, and
Sapphire watched with amazement as the jewel suddenly
stopped its revolutions and dropped to the adornment on
Sailor Moon's breast bow.
Sapphire was puzzled. What--?
Sailor Moon groaned. Sapphire jerked his head up and
dropped his jaw to the ground as she brought a hand
tenuously up to her forehead, while the other pushed
back and supported her into a slightly upright position.
"I told you," she muttered slowly, her voice unsteady,
"not to call me that."
Darien fought like a man possessed, neither seeing nor
hearing anything but the monster in front of him. Sorrow
and rage poured from his torn soul and into every strike
and thrust he threw at the Snake Queen. Beryl, however,
countered every move. And what was worse, she smiled at
him the entire time.
He lunged at her, "stop that!"
"Oh, but Endymion," she cooed, nearly landing a hit on
his shoulder, "how can a girl help but smile at you?"
"You disgust me," he snarled, fending off the blow.
"You misunderstand me," she retaliated. "Serenity is
done for, Endymion, and soon I will have the power of
the Imperium Silver Crystal." Beryl's serpentine carved
staff swung out and connected with Endymion's sword. Both
fighters leaned their weight into the weapons in a test of
strength and will. "Why not join me? You could be a king
and rule by my side forever!"
For a long, intense moment, Darien merely stared at the
woman, not believing what he had heard. Then, with an
angry shout, he gathered his strength and heaved against
the deadlock, throwing Beryl back against the vine walls.
Stunned, she slipped to the floor as Darien lowered his
sword and glared at her through loathing eyes.
"Someday," he said to her, "I will be King. But not yours,"
he whispered, "never yours."
"Darien." Serena's voice penetrated his battle-hazed mind.
His eyes widened and hope sang through him.
"Serena?" He turned to see the tiny blonde slowly pushing
to her feet. "Serena!" Relieved beyond measure, Darien
forgot his battle and rushed to the girl, sweeping her close
to his body in a tight embrace. Tears began to prick the
corners of his eyes again, but he blinked them away, too
happy to cry. "You're okay," he breathed, "I can't believe
it, your all right."
Serena pulled away from him just enough to look up at
Darien and smile, "of course I am. What else would I be?"
"Dead would be nice."
Darien stiffened in Serena's arms, and his eyes went wide
with shock as he began to turn. But then he stopped
altogether and his body became suddenly very loose as
he gave a small moan of pain and slid to the ground.
"Darien!" Serena cried out, easing his fall until he came to
his knees. A long black staff of cold metal protruded from
his back. Beryl wore a grim smile as she slowly twisted it
further in his body before yanking hard and letting the
sharpened end slide from his back with a metallic scraping
against his armor.
"If I cannot have him," she declared, "then no one can!"
Sailor Moon stared at the queen with incredulous eyes,
before a pained groan from Darien diverted her attention
back to the matter at hand. He coughed, and Serena
gasped as the cobblestones were spattered with dark
liquid.
"Oh, Darien," she cried softly, her eyes welling with
salty crystal tears.
"Serena--" Darien choked, and slipped from his knees.
Serena gave a startled gasp and guided him to the floor,
resting his head in her lap. He met her eyes and lifted
his hand to her cheek, smiling as she covered it with her
own. "Serenity," he whispered, "my sweet Sailor Moon.
I finally found you, princess. I can't belive, right in
front of me, this whole time..."
"It wasn't your fault," she murmured, squeezing his hand.
"We were all Meatball Heads."
He laughed softly before his lungs tightened, and he shut his
eyes in a painful grimace. "You know," he said slowly, "I
never got to tell you...how much...I loved you." He opened
his clouding eyes and focused them on Serena with clear
determination shining in their fading light. "But I will...I
promise you...I will..."
With that, Darien's eyes closed one last time, and his hand
slipped from Serena's cheek, nevermore to rise.
"Dear Darien," she whispered, kissing his cooling forehead.
With great care, she lifted him from her lap and lowered
him to the floor, then slowly stood and walked away, never
looking back.
Beryl stood some feet away, leaning on her tainted staff, her
face set into an expression of neutral indifference. If she
had any remorse for killing her long time infatuation, she hid
it well. Her eyes shifted from his corpse to Sailor Moon, who
had begun to come towards her. Queen Beryl chuckled. This
would be over soon.
Serena walked towards the woman with fateful determination.
All the killing, the sorrow, the senseless fights--it was
going to stop, *now.*
"It ends here, Snake Queen," Sailor Moon bit off, still striding
forward. "You're reign is over."
"You think you can defeat me?" Queen Beryl raised her staff
and pointed it at the last remaining Scout. Energy poured
into the snakehead that crowned it, and the reptile's eyes
glowed red. "Take this!" Two intense beams of fire shot
from its glowing orifices and directly at Sailor Moon.
The negative energy hit and a brilliant white light exploded
around the girl. Beryl winced and shielded her eyes from
intense glare, crying out in surprise. The light faded and her
eyes adjusted, giving way to a sight that made her scream.
Sailor Moon was gone, but in place stood a delicate young
woman in a flowing white imperial gown, holding in front of
her the Crescent Moon Wand, complete with the Imperium
Silver Crystal resting in its base.
Serenity opened her eyes to look upon her opponent. "I will
defeat you, Beryl. In the name of the Moon and all things
good, you must die."
Queen Beryl sneered and cocked her head to the side. "So,
Serenity, we meet at last. Its time to finally finish this."
She threw her staff to the ground and raised her hands high,
gathering her newfound energy and power. "Your mother
can't save you this time. Good bye, princess!"
Beryl sent the energy stream flying towards the princess,
hell-bent on destroying her. The dark energy of the
Negaverse surged in her veins and into the blast.
"Mother, give me strength," Serenity whispered, then gripped
the Crescent Wand hilt tight and shouted, "Moon Crystal
Power!"
The Silver Crystal lit up in a brilliant spectral display,
willing and eager to do whatever it was asked. It formed
and cast its energy with startling force at the attack that
dared threaten its guardian. The two powers collided with
awesome force, shaking the maze structure to its core.
Neither power gave an inch as both queen and princess contested
in the ultimate battle of wills. The dark, numbing energy
of the Negaverse jolted against the Moon Princess, trying
to jar her loose from the Crystal. But in turn, the lunar
jewel hurled painful knives of pure goodness into Beryl,
cutting her insides and making her want to scream in pain.
Where the energies collided, a huge sphere bloomed, the
necessary blossom of two very different seeds. It wavered
back and forth, pushed one direction by the evils of the
Negaverse, thrown back by the goodness of the princess
and everything she stood for.
With a strength born of desperation, Beryl threw everything
she could muster against the princess. "Time to join your
friends, moon brat!" And hurled a pulse that rocked Serenity
hard. The colliding sphere in the middle teetered and began
falling towards the princess.
*My friends,* she thought, and her concentration began to
waver. The Crystal became distraught and pulsed, looking
for the reasons of distress and distraction from the fight
that was close to killing what it had worked so hard to bring
back.
"No!" She shouted, "I *cannot* lose! My friends are
counting on me!"
"We'll see about that!" Beryl screamed, throwing down the
chain even more power.
Serena was becoming tired, but poured all her strength into
the Crystal, trying desperately to push the energy back.
She needed more power!
~Then use ours, Serena.~ Came Lita's voice out of no
where, ~we've got plenty left.~
~Yeah!~ Mina giggled in the corner of her mind. ~That
Rubeus wasn't so tough. We took care of him, and now we
can do the same with Beryl.~
~Its our last assignment, Serena,~ Amy whispered
somewhere close by, ~and then its off to the arcade.
Let's finish it.~
~We mean it, Meatball Head,~ Ray fumed playfully, ~let
us help or I'll never speak to you again!~
"My friends," she whispered, "always there for me. Yes,
please help me! Lend me your strength."
And then came a gloved hand, reaching from the corner of
her eye to cover her own that rested on the wand's hilt.
Then another, and another, until her Scouts stood around
her, smiling and ready as always.
~Mercury Power!~
~Mars Power!~
~Jupiter Power!~
~Venus Power!~
The individual energies from the four separate planets
surged into the Crystal and its glow intensified a hundred
fold. Potential energy coursed through her veins, waiting
for her signal.
Serenity's eyes flashed, "Moon Planet Power!"
The Silver Crystal flickered. Then the pent up energy deep
inside rushed forward and exploded from the jewel, and five
different colored energies ran up the chain and into the
sphere. The energy clashed orb swelled to enormity and
shot upwards, riding the waves back to the Snake Queen.
"What's this?" Beryl's eyes widened and she panicked,
trying to severe the connection. But it was too late.
"No! This can't be--ah!" She screamed as the blast hurled
towards her, enveloping her body and seeping into every
crevice of her being.
The air around her fluxed violently, and the light gave out
for one long second. Beryl's cry cut off abruptly as the
substance of her body exploded, ending the final threat of
the Negaverse. The shockwave blew outwards with incredible
force, shaking the earth and rocking the maze foundation to
its threshold. Serenity shielded herself as the energy nearly
knocked her from her feet. Her friends' presences began to
fade and the walls began to crack and crumble. All around
her the Labyrinth began to break apart. Dust and pebbles
began to fall and the ground shook in small, sporadic
earthquakes.
She turned from the battle on tired feet. Sapphire lie near his
brother, protecting his prince's body with his own. He looked
up at the princess with ragged eyes, answering the silent
question she posed with her own. She nodded tiredly, her
eyes soft and understanding, oblivious to the growing rocks
that fell around her.
A white light surrounded the two men. "Go home," she told
Sapphire. "Let things be as they should."
"Thank you," he whispered, and then he was gone.
The ground gave a violent shake and the princess collapsed
to the ground. She had nothing left. Boulders the size of
small cars began to fall, crashing down dangerously near to
her. Serenity ignored it all though, and gathered the last
of her strength for one last movement.
"Endymion," she choked out. Crawling on her knees, she was
almost lost to a rift that split open underneath her. But
sheer force of will kept her going until the body of her dead
prince came into sight. With a contended sigh, she pillowed
her arms on his chest and laid her head down. Serenity could feel
her heart falter and slow, but she no longer cared. Boulders
tumbled to the dying memory of the glorious past closer and
closer, until they could go nowhere else.
~I wish...~
A whistling filled her failing senses and a shadow loomed
overhead, growing larger by the second. Tired, she nuzzled
her cheek against her prince's shoulder and closed her eyes.
Her fingers laxed, and a bright jewel twinkled in her palm
as the last boulder fell from the starry ceiling.
~I wish...~
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
^.^ Bet you didn't see that coming.
phoenix_cubed@hotmail.com
