The Choices We Make: part six
By Draegyn
Dragynne2000@yahoo.com.au
Trust is surely a strange quality. It is a quality that is oft-times given regardless of that which wisdom dictates and, perhaps even more frequently, withheld despite that which the heart advises. Either way or both can cause untold damage. See the manner in which my Senshi behaved with my daughter. An intrinsic part of their beings commanded that their trust be given to their princess and, to a certain extent, they did so. Yet they did so sparingly. She was their sister, their princess, and The Celestial Warrior yet their judgement in regards to Endymion caused in their minds unwarranted caution. And the consequences of such I have already discussed.
Perhaps. Maybe. If.
These words are the banes of my existence. Perhaps if I had been forthright as to the true nature of my daughter's sire the Senshi would have trusted her. Maybe if I had not regarded Endymion as nothing more than a villain my Senshi would have been more open-minded. If there had been trust between my Senshi and my daughter would any of them have had to undergo such pain?
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Chaos observed the activity of its new human allies with a complete lack of comprehension, an occurrence usually reserved for those who attempted to analyse it instead. Three of the lesser humans were clustered around a marble dais, organising bonds both magical and physical for the petite female who was now chained there. The girl, herself, was another mystery. Masses of loose golden hair tangled about her, neither hindering nor helping as her captors spreadeagled her limbs to be manacled. She was the Senshi that had defeated its pet Soldier the afternoon before and yet she was so vulnerable. Even more baffling was the interest that she held for her kidnappers' master.
The unstable creature turned its gaze to Endymion. Any traces of mortality that the dark prince might have used as camouflage had been cast aside to reveal a being that Chaos could, if not respect, then at least tolerate. He stood in shadows; a dark man shrouded by darkness, and listened as his most powerful servant reported to him.
"All went as planned your highness. The Senshi were unaware of our presence and Usagi did not awaken." Kunzite's voice sounded concerned.
Chaos returned its gaze to the unconscious girl. She did not awaken? At all? What kind of Senshi slept with so much danger around her? What kind of Senshi allowed herself to be abducted without so much as objecting to it? It had come to expect more from the Kindred, whether they be Greater or Lesser, than this child had shown.
"What is so vital about this girl?" Chaos demanded, "Why is hers the only starseed you would deny me?" The four lesser men looked up at him and then to their master who had been unimpressed. Endymion raised an eyebrow and Chaos narrowed its borrowed eyes at the dark man.
"My dear Chaos," the prince drawled, "You will have all the starseeds you could possibly desire and I shall enjoy seeing the Senshi at your mercy. The thought of them obeying one such as you is something I will savour for lifetimes to come. However they have been joined by three Starlight Senshi and will no longer be so naïve concerning you. Usako is the one who will deliver them directly into our hands."
"You are so certain? The presence of the Starlight Senshi provides evidence that Cosmos is somewhere off-world, waiting for them to lure me to her. I cannot but wonder if your plan will succeed human. The Greater Kindred are not the pathetic Senshi that you have toyed with on this world. They are Celestial Warriors. They will do everything in their power to complete their mission, up to and including the abandonment of one of their own."
Endymion smiled calmly. "Not this one," he replied with absolute certainty. His eyes traced the curves of the sleeping blonde with possessive pleasure. Eyes so dark they were black looked up to meet Chaos' gaze. "Do you know what a double destiny is?" the man asked. "Has any of the knowledge of the Senshi you have possessed remained within you?"
Chaos sneered. "Galaxia is dead and any remnant of her destroyed as well. Now explain what you mean."
Endymion nodded and Chaos caught a hint of satisfaction in the human. The pseudo-deity's eyes narrowed at the prince and the satisfaction disappeared at once to be replaced with absolutely nothing. For a moment Chaos wondered if the man was attempting to veil his emotions but then it realised that the man had none. That emptiness was a true reflection of Endymion's soul. No mortal man was this but a pawn that required delicate handling. Eyes that were blue no longer, glittered like obsidian gems and Chaos' lips curved in a smile. Yes this was the weapon would bring the Senshi to their knees… all of the Senshi, including Cosmos.
"A double destiny," the other's words came, calm and emotionless, "Is where a Senshi is called to more than one duty. Bluntly put, when she is an heiress. Usako is Senshi yet she is also the only daughter of Serenity of the White Moon and, as such, is the sole heir of the silver queen. They will do anything to get her back. Anything.
"They waited for her when I raised their kingdom, the waited when I sank Avalon, and they even waited when I systematically set about eradicating every last trace of mage-blood from humanity. After so many centuries of witnessing what I am capable of they will do everything within their power to retrieve her. However…" Cold lips curved into an evil smile. "It will not be enough."
There was a deadly promise to the Senshi and this silver queen in his voice and Chaos savoured it. Such power and inhumanity was wrapped within that dark human seeming. Yet, for all the barrenness of his being, shrouded and camouflaged with shadow, Endymion still possessed a brilliant soul.
It was a glorious irony. So much light in such a malevolent being. The prince was a contradiction. Impossibility rode in his wake. Turmoil was fostered in his shadow.
Death
Devastation.
Imbalance.
Entropy.
He was the perfect tool and, if it had not been foreign to its nature, Chaos would have thanked the unknown monarch for creating him for it. As it was a part of the demi-deity determined that the so-called 'White Moon' would be the next port of call in its sojourn of the universe.
"You might be interested to know that her mother was doubly destined as well."
Chaos refocused its attention on the prince and waited for him to elaborate.
With a malicious smile on his face, Endymion obliged. "Queen Serenity possesses the soul a Greater Senshi. I would imagine that her own starseed is something to behold."
His knowing smirk indicated that Endymion knew full well he had betrayed an entire people to Chaos and he did not care. Yet could anything else be expected of one who had handed away his own planet? What was a foreign kingdom in comparison to that?
"Trust me Chaos," the dark eyed prince murmured smoothly, "With my help every Senshi you desire will be brought low before you. Including Cosmos." There was a flash of white as he bared his teeth in feral glee.
Chaos' attention was fully upon the prince. Cosmos…
"You will see them chained and naked before you," he promised and lightly crossed the distance to the dais and its burden.
A wicked laugh burst from the prince as the golden-haired Senshi's eyes snapped open. With a flamboyant gesture a stiletto appeared in his hand and he laid it at her throat. Her sapphire eyes, so reminiscent to Chaos of another's, were wide as they fixed on him. Slowly and torturously he drew the blade down her abdomen. Chaos watched the fabric of her apparel gape with private amusement; the small slit of creamy skin bared was a tantalising promise of what remained concealed. With a wrench that concealment was removed and she lay bare before them all with only her hair to provide inadequate cover. One hand placed possessively on her stomach, Endymion looked back at Chaos. "Usako is only the first."
The generals showed no surprise at either their master's actions or the Senshi's beauty. Apparently the games they had played for a millennium with her sisters had worn the novelty away from such a scene. Thoughts of a silver-haired Senshi in place of the gold teased Chaos and he smiled hungrily in anticipation as Endymion bent close to his captive so that his breath could brush her ear. His words echoed around them, mocking and arrogant. "The Senshi warned you not to trust me."
Chaos erupted into laughter. When its amusement faded it addressed the prince. "The life of this one Senshi is all you wish? There is nothing more?" Its mood altered to one of suspicion like quicksilver. "Why would you offer me so much if there was not something else?"
"I have no doubt that you can sense the truth in my words," the prince drawled calmly, despite the danger. "You must be aware that I have not lied once. I will deliver the Senshi to you and even restrain them while you rip their starseeds from them if it comes to that." His lips moulded themselves into an evil smile. "And I would enjoy it. I would not care if you eradicated the Senshi from the universe so long as Usako remained mine. In fact watching and perhaps even aiding you in your plans would have been enough in other circumstances. I never did like the way this universe was run anyway."
It was truth. Every sentence and every word was the complete and utter truth. Chaos regarded the prince. Such an admirable state of mind he possessed. It was a pity that more did not share it. For example the helpless Senshi who glared at it from her stone bed could benefit from a dose of such attitude, the serene expression in her sapphire gaze grated. Still, the being could not imagine that peace enduring for long after she had a chance to fully enjoy her new master's control.
"And the other Senshi?" it inquired, "You are sure they will come here?" It was not convinced that the Senshi would come, no matter what Endymion might say. In its experience Senshi never placed personal matters above duty.
Endymion frowned but not for the reason Chaos had expected. "Kunzite!" The pale-eyed general bowed and Endymion nodded towards Chaos. "Our friend here has a point. They will probably need a map. See to it that they actually know where to come."
The general nodded and disappeared and Endymion smirked at Chaos. "You know Senshi," Endymion commented sardonically, "Sometimes they are a little slow to catch on."
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Seiya walked down the dimly lit corridor, her long black ponytail swaying in her wake. Behind her the voices of her sister Senshi blurred into one another as they endlessly discussed the problem of Chaos. No suggestions were being made that had not already been considered a thousand times before and still the dilemma of how to lure the abomination off Earth remained.
"Starf… Seiya-san wait up!" an uncomfortably loud voice from behind her called.
The Starlight turned to find the Senshi of Venus trotting towards her. "Yes Minako-san?" Her voice was unintentionally cold but after she considered it for a moment Seiya found that she did not regret it. Minako blinked in surprise at the slightly critical tone but shrugged it off and Seiya found her irritation growing.
It had been several hours since the disquieting prince had left them and nearly two since Usagi had excused herself. To be alienated by Kindred, specifically the Senshi who should have been closest to her no less, was a terrible thing for Usagi to endure. She had done so for as long as she could but it was inevitable that she would leave for the familiar safety of solitude. Seiya found it abhorrent that the beautiful Senshi was reduced to seeking comfort in the same thing that had been her bane for centuries and the leader of the Starlights could not stop herself from blaming the Planetary Senshi for the necessity of it.
She knew her eyes reflected some of this but the Celestial Soldier showed no sign of noticing.
"I was just wondering if you could tell me a little more of the princess…" Minako trailed off under the weight of Seiya's surprised eyes. The blonde made a face and explained sheepishly. "You see she left us when she was only three days old…"
"I know," Seiya interrupted impatiently. What was the point of this?
The other Senshi blushed. "I guess you do, after all it was a Starlight who trained her right?"
"Yes, so?"
"It's just… The princess is like our icon. She's the symbol of our future, our light of hope… but she seems so… I don't know… different I guess," Minako stuttered.
"Different?" Seiya inquired archly. These Senshi did not know Usagi as Serenity or Cosmos. Who were they to judge if she was different or not?
Minako waved her hands in a lame attempt to help explain herself. "She doesn't act like a princess…"
"She was not raised as one," Seiya snapped.
"I know," Minako agreed hastily, "But she doesn't act like a Senshi should either. She's Senshi twice over for Serenity's sake and the Senshi to boot! She is the ultimate Celestial Warrior and I'd be willing to bet that Sailor Moon is the ultimate Celestial Soldier. She shouldn't be treating this so… so…"
"Lightly?" Seiya stared into Minako's blue eyes scornfully. This woman looked so like her friend and yet they were so different. Usagi would never be deceived by appearances. "Do you have any idea of what it is like for her?" she demanded angrily and Minako took a step back. "A thousand years Minako, a thousand years she has pursued Chaos knowing that she might have to sacrifice her friend to finally defeat it. A thousand years that for the most part she has spent alone in her grim duty. A thousand years of undoing the devastation it leaves in its path to taunt her. She shoulders the guilt of its actions because she believes that the atrocities it causes are because of her and the fixation it has on her. You wonder why she distracts herself with minor concerns? It is because she will go mad if she does not. Do not resent her for the few joys she finds because soon she will loose them again."
"If it means that she overlooks the obvious then yes I will resent her for it. I wouldn't if she wished to undergo a light flirtation, for Serenity's sake I'm the Senshi of love! But not with Mamoru, never with Mamoru. He is evil, completely and utterly…"
"So you have said already," Seiya interrupted with disgust. "You have told all of us at great length about the vileness of Earth's prince. I have heard it all before. Now why don't you attempt to hear what my fellow Starlights and I have been trying to hammer into your thick heads? Odango, Usagi, Serenity, Moon or Cosmos, her judgement is sound. Stop thinking in such narrow confines and broaden your horizons! She is not the princess or the Senshi that you have been expecting! She is more! Why do you think she fascinates Chaos so much? It isn't because she is some delicate little princess or your run of the mill Senshi!"
"Why don't you tell me?" Minako retorted sharply back. "Why is Chaos so interested in her? Does she have some kind of evil magnet? Does she enjoy attracting lunatics and monsters?"
Seiya realised that she had pushed the other Senshi too far but still the reply was unforgivable. Ocean-blue eyes scornfully regarded the Lesser Senshi. Lesser indeed. Until now the Starlight had never interacted much with any of the Kindred aside from Cosmos and her two fellow Starlights and now she was grateful for it. If the Moon Kingdom's Senshi were typical then her segregation was a blessing. How could any be so blind about the true nature of one they professed to serve?
"Ask your queen!" the Starlight answered in a stony voice. "I have no doubt that she knows and I would not be surprised if it had much to do with whom Odango's father is."
"Are you implying that queen Serenity…" Minako stuttered in rage.
Seiya rolled her eyes. "I implied nothing!" she spat, "I have better manners than to insult someone so deserving of respect. Unlike you who has been casting doubt on the abilities of your own princess. Where is your faith now Minako? Your princess has returned to you and tied herself to the double burden of duty that you and your people have forced upon her but where is your trust? Does she not deserve even a little?"
The blonde looked stricken and Seiya relented slightly. "It is not your fault but you are expecting both more and less from her than she can give. She will be your greatest friend if you let her but she will not be your leader. She might form temporary alliances as she has with myself and the other Starlights but in the end she fights alone. Ultimately that is what it means to be of the Greater Senshi."
"But…"
"She is not the one who will make everything right for you and lead you into a happily ever after. She is the one who will make it possible for someone else to do so." Seiya sternly examined the Planetary Senshi to see if she understood. "Respect her judgement and all will be well."
"I…"
"You do still have a voice yes?" Seiya teased gently, pleased that the lesson was, if not learned, then at least underway.
"She was supposed to become our saviour," Minako said sadly, apparently taking the Starlight's words to heart.
"I don't remember Starteacher telling me anything about that," Seiya responded, "But I think that you'll find that she already is…" she trailed off when she realised that Minako was staring at something behind her. She spun and her eyes widened. The door at the end of the hall, the one to the room in which Usagi had retired to, had fallen off its hinges. Without a second thought both Senshi dashed towards it only to come to an abrupt halt when they were able to see within the room itself.
The first thing that Seiya noticed was Kai, or rather Kunzite floating in the centre of the room and the second was that Usagi was gone. There was no trace of her energy anywhere within the building let alone the room.
"Where's the princess?" Minako demanded. Seiya noticed that she still persisted in thinking of Usagi as royalty and despaired but it was not the time to dwell on it.
Kunzite shrugged insolently. "My prince wanted to see her so he sent my fellow generals to issue an invitation that she just could not refuse. I was told to extend that same invitation to you. His new associate is very eager to meet you all."
New associate? Seiya felt her stomach sink. Surely Endymion would not be so stupid as to ally with Chaos? Surely…
"You bastards!" Minako screamed and an instant later was garbed in the uniform of Sailor Venus. A whip of orange power snaked at the silver-haired general but he merely snorted and flicked the power away.
"Come now Venus, surely you have more imagination than this? I learned to defeat this centuries ago!" Moments later a spell very like the one that a certain prince had cast earlier bound the Senshi of love yet again.
Venus snarled unintelligibly and her head turned to Seiya who watched blankly. "And Serenity wanted us to trust them," she growled.
Trust… Perhaps Mamoru was not the only one who had made a gamble. Perhaps…
"Your prince is playing a risky game," Seiya said calmly, still reluctant to garb herself in her battle leathers. "Chaos is more than unstable and unpredictable. There is no guarantee that it will give him what it promised."
"There are no guarantees in life," Kunzite responded and there was more respect in his voice than there had been with Venus.
"And if it realises who Odango is? He is risking her soul."
"It won't learn…"
"What do you mean?" Venus demanded, "They've probably already given her to it bound and gagged on a silver platter!"
"A marble dais actually," Kunzite drawled, "And she is not gagged, it was not necessary, although the chains most definitely were. We could not risk her summoning her power of course and I must admit that Endymion is enjoying her position greatly. He always did like having Senshi naked and helpless before him."
"What?!" Venus screeched, outraged. Not far away their sister Senshi heard the scream and started to run for them. The situation would become bloody but Seiya was not certain that she regretted it. If even a portion of what the general implied was true then she herself would want to extract her pound of flesh from the arrogant prince on behalf of her friend.
Kunzite must have seen her growing ire for he addressed her quietly, ignoring Venus. "Her dignity might have been taken but her soul is still safely kept by my prince. She is his and he will not give her up. That is the one thing you can trust, Endymion will ensure her safety from Chaos."
That was why…? The turn of events suddenly made sense to Seiya and absently she called on her power as Senshi. Trusting Endymion meant trusting a self-admitted monster. Believing her sister Senshi was the logical path but she could not help but question their judgement… She felt the currents of destiny moving strongly now and shook her head. Starfighter met Kunzite's eyes and intuition roused. "You know the price that you and your fellows will pay for your prince's decision?"
He did not answer but for the smallest moment the icy façade that concealed his thoughts disappeared and she saw the overwhelming weariness of the man's soul. Only duty and love had compelled him to follow his prince for so long. Death now was not to be dreaded, it would be a blessing but only if he could ensure that his prince would be well. It was only fraction of a second and then it was gone. Behind her the other Senshi had arrived.
So many risks and so much to lose.
She decided.
"Take us to them," she told the man. He smiled slightly and bowed.
"You can't be serious?!" Venus burst out incredulously while their sisters looked on, baffled. "You can't seriously intend to trust him?!"
"No," Starfighter agreed. "I'm going to trust Usagi."
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She was defenceless against Chaos. Her power as a Senshi denied to her by the manacles that bound her and she was helpless to change it. Usagi had never felt such fear in her entire thousand years and she let it show in her eyes. Chaos seemed to enjoy it but her Mamo-chan, for all his show of cruel lust, did not. Chaos might not see it but Usagi did and that was more than enough reason for her to continue trusting him and that trust in turn made him stronger. She could feel it through the contact of his fingers on her bare skin just as she could feel another power growing within her.
It was something she had never encountered before. It was an experience entirely new to her but one she welcomed for with it came warmth and promise. It was golden and warm and foreign to her but so familiar that she could have wept for it. It was a tantalising hint of a future that might be if given a chance to develop. It was the sensation of a soul being shared with her, a soul beginning to pulse with life after a long dormancy.
Her eyes were wide as she met Endymion's. Eyes that were indigo no longer showed a hint of regret before they left hers. Chaos no doubt believed that the prince's wandering hands were causing her to fear but it did not understand her and Mamoru did. Endymion… he was Endymion in this form and she forced herself to remember it but she could not stop herself from thinking of him as Mamo-chan. When he cruelly squeezed her arm in a crushing grip moments later she made no effort to hide her cry of pain.
Chaos watched her hungrily as Endymion deliberately caused her pain and it was that rather than the mild abuse that caused more discomfit. She was not the only one who noticed and it irritated the prince as much as it made her uneasy.
"She is mine remember partner," he growled in warning.
"So she is," Chaos agreed with a placating smile but Usagi did not need prior experience to detect the deception in the being. It had not realised who she was… yet but it would soon. It was unavoidable, a product of the most basic facet of her identity that preceded even that in her that was Senshi. It was the reason she was the one who had to hunt Chaos. It was the reason Chaos wanted to hunt her.
Before any more could be said between the two Kunzite returned, Senshi in tow. It was only a moment before the atmosphere was permeated with their outrage and hatred as they saw her. Then Endymion obscured her view of them and with her bounds inhibiting her power she could only follow the short scuffle by the sound alone. She knew it was over when Chaos laughed and for a moment she felt incredible regret. If she had believed Venus and Mars then she would not be in these straights. Then Endymion's hand squeezed hers gently while Chaos was distracted and her faith returned in a rush.
When he cleared her line of sight Usagi saw the inner Senshi on their knees, each watched by a general. The outer Senshi and the Starlights looked defeated, held as they were in a chains of power, and Chaos eyed them all greedily.
"Chained and naked, as you promised," it reminded the prince.
Endymion nodded with a small smirk. "So I did," he agreed easily. He ambled across the room to where Kunzite stood with Venus contained at his feet. Without being told the general levitated her into the air.
Usagi's heart clenched as the prince's smile grew malicious. "Well pretty Venus," he murmured, "It appears you do not like being trapped. I wonder if you thought of that when you killed Zoisite and Kunzite all those centuries ago."
His power roused and not even the manacles could have stopped her from sensing it. The dark prince reached into the golden Senshi's chest and tore her power asunder.
Venus no longer, Minako screamed in agony. As Endymion's hand withdrew, a pulsing orange mass of energy held in his fist, he ripped at her clothes and left her bare from neck to waist.
"How's this?" he asked nonchalantly, displaying the orange power for all to see.
Chaos' face was almost respectful as it answered, "And her starseed is still intact within her. Impressive."
Endymion shrugged slightly. "Not really. She is a Lesser Senshi. She did not have to earn her power, nor did the gods choose her for her worthiness. A mortal queen simply gave it to her. What is so difficult about taking it back again?" He looked at Minako who hung wretchedly in Kunzite's spell. With a dismissive flick, he hurled the orange mass back at her. Her eyes remained blue marbles as her power soaked back into her, it would take time for her to recover from the hurt that she had suffered.
Endymion had already forgotten her and continued on to his next victim. He stopped before Mercury and despite herself she trembled. Usagi closed her eyes, unable to watch her sister's torture. The Senshi of ice whimpered and there was a pause.
"I wonder if you would like to try one," Endymion mused aloud. Usagi's eyes snapped open to find Chaos's lips twitching in interest. "After all," the prince continued, "You have a few to practice on and there is almost nothing more enjoyable than Senshi screaming in pain caused by you."
"True," Chaos agreed in pleased surprise. "That is very true…" It glanced at Usagi and neither she nor Endymion missed it but he said nothing.
With an arrogant swagger it joined Endymion near Mercury and mimicked his movements of moments before. Ami screamed and Usagi felt tears come to her eyes at the pain they were enduring.
Chaos flourished the pale blue amorphous mass of magic aloft and it cackled in abrupt glee. Suddenly inspired, it moved to Mars and did the same. As Rei slumped to the ground Chaos regard the scarlet in its left hand and the blue it its right. With a brutal snicker it pushed the two together and magicks of fire and ice melded.
"I agree that it offers many possibilities," Endymion interrupted indifferently, "However if you still wish to collect starseeds then I would advise you not to extinguish their power completely. It would render their starseeds to level of a normal mortal's but it is your decision."
Sighing in a blatant mockery of regret, the winged being separated the two powers and tossed them back to their respective owners. It regarded the captured Senshi for a moment and then turned to Endymion. "I do believe I owe you a favour for demonstrating that nasty little trick of yours."
Endymion raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What do you have in mind?"
It smiled and Usagi shivered. "How about I teach you how to take a starseed?"
The prince tilted his head. "Tempting," he replied and smiled darkly. "Why not begin with Jupiter? Give her sisters the time to recover so that they may appreciate the experience of the theft more completely."
The other Senshi looked at the prince with hate but Usagi was grateful. None of the three would have been able to endure a theft, not now, not so soon after having the source of their power violated so badly.
"Why not indeed?" Chaos murmured and both looked at the brunette Senshi. Her face was twisted into a defiant scowl but there was fear in her emerald eyes. Chaos strolled over to her and Nephrite obligingly raised the captive Soldier into the air.
Moments later Jupiter slumped and Chaos held out her emerald starseed for the prince to take. He did so and examined it closely. "And that is all it involves?" he asked.
Chaos nodded. "Simple yes?"
"Very… and with its absence you can force a Senshi to serve you?"
"If you have the power to keep her alive after it is gone."
Endymion nodded thoughtfully and Chaos moved back to Venus. It started to repeat the process when a high pitch whine stopped it. It began to turn but not fast enough. Only the fact that its wing had moved saved it. The tip of the dragon-wing fell to their ground and the being shrieked in betrayal as pain lanced through it. Endymion did not waste time though. He struck again and again without hesitation.
"Liar!" It back-pedalled away from the attacking prince.
Endymion laughed grimly. "How so? I brought the Senshi to you." He slashed but Chaos threw itself back and he missed by a hair's width. "They are chained… but not all naked and, although their starseeds are here with you, you don't have them… I meant it at the time but I guess I am a liar. Surprise, surprise!"
Chaos drew itself up, power beginning to shimmer around it. "You could have been a god at my side."
"I would have been a slave," Endymion contradicted coldly, "What do you think I am? A moron? You are a fool. One that gave me the secret to the universe however so I guess I should be grateful to you." He moved in a blur and he brought his sword down upon Chaos' head with all of his strength. "But I'm not."
There was a resounding clang as Chaos blade interposed itself under Endymion's.
"Ungrateful worm!"
Power flared, bonds of magic were broken, bodies were flung apart and through it all Endymion stood strong. "I am the worm? It is I who arranged the downfall of the Senshi, not you. You cannot even find a pawn that can stand against one Senshi let alone eight."
Two different and yet strangely similar powers grappled with one another. The first had evolved beyond its mortal origins and struggled with its full potency. The second was kin to nothing living and merged with the stolen power of a Senshi and neither of its dual facets had fully wakened yet. Wakened or not, with each blow the ground shook, the walls trembled and the roof shuddered. Endymion was outmatched, of that Usagi was sure, but he did not seem to realise that. The point was driven home when a wave of pure force began to crush him.
Chaos' eyes flicked to Usagi, no doubt reminded that it was she who had defeated said pawn. Its dark eyes lit up and it started towards her but the generals barred its way.
"We won't let you go past," Kunzite informed it levelly.
It sneered at them. "What makes you think you have a choice?" Dragon-wings arced in the air above it. Galaxia's stolen power snaked out and surrounded the four. Endymion countered its spell and attacked it from behind but one of the wings swept out and threw him across the room. There was a crack as he hit a stone wall. The four generals attempted to break free of the magic holding them but they were simply outmatched. Slowly, one-by-one, four cracks broke the stillness and, one-by-one, the generals' corpses fell to the ground.
Chaos did not bother to turn and mock the prince. Instead it persisted in approaching Usagi. She shrank back as far as her chains would allow her but it was not far enough. A hand pregnant with power reached for her and paused as insane eyes met her own. For an endless moment crimson eyes locked with sapphire and frowned. A mauve tinted hand reached towards Usagi's chin and the Senshi trembled.
It was beginning to see…
Usagi was starting to panic. Chaos' power was fully roused, they did not stand a chance unless she became Cosmos and that would mean the end of the Earth. She wrenched her gaze from Chaos' and sought out Endymion's. With everything in her she begged him to prove her trust was warranted.
He wordlessly acted. His sword spun through the air in a graceful ballet. Chaos whirled at the faint hum it made and leapt towards him. Endymion was soon involved in a grim struggle for his life as Chaos attempted to wring the breath from him personally. A part of her mind was transfixed by the life and death struggle, another part – the part that was Senshi – was focused intently on the airborne blade. It seemed like an eternity as she watched it slice almost unnoticed through the air. It neared her and, almost in slow motion, she raised one of her manacled wrists as high as she was able.
The sword sheared through the spell-wrought metal with a screech of protest and neither manacle nor blade survived the meeting. With the loss of the restraint came the return of her power and without hesitation she wrenched herself free of her remaining bonds. She stood and the remaining fragments of her clothes fluttered away but it did not matter, moments later she was garbed in the uniform of Sailor Moon and her sword was in her hand.
She started to go to Endymion's aide, to forcefully pull the creature aside from him regardless of the consequences. It had stolen one of her friends from her and she would never let it take him as well. She would use every last drop of the power within her to save him, it did not matter if it realised who she was. It did not matter if the long awaited confrontation between the two was begun. She would not let it have her prince. Then a glimpse of the Senshi stopped her. The inners were sprawled across the floor, temporarily crippled because of their treatment at the hands of the same prince she wished to save. The outer Senshi and the Starlights beat at the confines of their cage but even in death the generals' spell held strong. They were caught, and they were helpless. Starfighter's dark blue eyes met hers, knowing the dilemma she was in. She could fight Chaos but only at the cost of their lives… and the Earth's.
She could feel Chaos' power beating at her, a twisted radiance that hurt her senses to behold. It knew of her observation, it even turned to grin and taunt her as it crushed the life from the dark prince. That was its undoing. In that one moment of distraction Endymion lashed out, both mentally and physically. An armoured boot connected with the centre of Chaos' breastplate and a lash of gold magic cut through its spells. Moon watched Endymion roll hastily away from Chaos and lurch to his feet and she started towards him once more. His eyes did not leave Chaos' form but he knew of her intent before she did.
"NO!" his voice a command that even she could not disobey. "Run!"
Run? She blinked. The Senshi… Chaos… Mamo-chan…
"Go!" it was an agonised shriek. Endymion hurled himself uselessly at Chaos to buy her time to flee but his very insistence worked against him and revealed his weakness to his enemy. Sensing how it could hurt the treacherous prince the most, the being casually backhanded the man away and turned back toward the dais on which Sailor Moon stood.
Endymion staggered back, his face white with what could only be fear. "Go!" he shouted again as he attacked once more. Moon hesitated, unsure as to what she should do. Run? But how could she leave her sisters like this? Stay? But to do so would inevitably mean revealing her true power and Chaos would react to that the way a rat did when cornered: by becoming ten times more dangerous. Chaos saw her indecision and its arrogant swagger slowed as it gloated over its triumph.
"If you don't run I will kill the Senshi myself…"
Strangely the threat calmed her. Her eyes flicked back to Endymion's and no longer did they find chips of obsidian flint. Twin indigo infernos caught and held matching sapphires. He would follow through on the threat, no one who heard it doubted that but instead of betrayal she felt determination and she knew. She knew what he had intended. She knew that she had been right to trust him. And she knew that this time, because of him, she would win.
White wings spread and wind gusted as they came down in a powerful stroke. She was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My daughter's instant rapport with the Terran prince is a bond that I, even to this day, cannot be glad of. Yet that bond gave her heart a message and she listened. She trusted him with a joy and gladness that I can do naught but envy and that trust stood her in good stead. He who had mastered death faced a fate far worse than that for her. Had Chaos not allowed him his independence he would not have capable of objecting. For all that he had faced the being down previously his manner had been pure bluff.
It is true that he performed atrocious acts and the question of whether the end justifies the means once more arrises. He tortured my Senshi in a way that none bar another Senshi could ever comprehend the magnitude of. He degraded my daughter. Still it was these acts and the genuine indifference within him that allowed him to succeed where no other could.
Chaos was stronger than he. It was older and far more dangerous. It was undependable. If it had decided to reft his starseed from the prince then Endymion could have done nothing aside from die. The prince risked not only his soul, an item he did not value overmuch but also his freedom, a concept that he treasured beyond all else. In doing so gave my daughter the opportunity she had sought for a millennium. Did that make his acts right however? I think of my Senshi who even now still fear him and I remember my daughter for whom he risked everything.
He gambled and won. What more can I say?