Act 11 - Death of a Hero

When Shadow arrived back in Delos, he was surprised by the silence that greeted him. Usually the sound of the troops training and guns blasting could be heard at all hours of the day. He immediately went to Midnight's bedroom.

"Midnight?" he asked, knocking on the door. "Are you there?"

There was no answer. He opened the unlocked door and popped his head inside. The darkened room was empty. Phantom came up silently cameup behind him.

"Mistress Midnight-sama is not here, sir."

"What do you mean she not here, Phantom? Where could she be? And where are the troops? Why aren't they training?"

There was a sadness in Phantom's eyes. Out of his two charges, Master Shadow had always been his favorite. It pained him to be the bearer of such bad news.

"She took complete control of the troops, and they are now heading toward Earth to begin the attacks on Crystal Tokyo."

"What?" Shadow said, the anger evident in his voice. "We had a deal. Midnight was not to attack Earth until I gave her permission. I might have given up active duty, but I still have the final say in all military matters. I've got to go to Crystal Tokyo and try to stop her!"

He turned to leave when the black cat jumped in front of him, blocking the doorway. "I can't allow you to do that, Master Shadow-sama. They're looking for you."

"Who?"

"The police. I'm afraid Midnight did more than just take full control of the army. She also told the king about your affair with Princess Dreama Aurora of Silver Millennium. There's now a warrant for your arrest on the charge of high treason to the throne."

At those words, the blood left from Shadow's face. Midnight had gone back on her promise, most likely because of what happened yesterday morning. The king now knew of the forbidden romance and there was nothing he could do.

"I've taken the liberty of contacting my brother Specter, who lives in the Loki Galaxy," Phantom continued. "His family has agreed to take you in until this whole thing boils over. Your bag is already packed, and if you hurry, you might be able to leave without anyone knowing you were here."

"No, I won't run away."

"But you must, sir. The penalty for treason is death. If the police catch you, you'll be executed."

"You don't understand, Phantom," Shadow said softly. "I love her."

"Love? There's no such thing."

"But there is, and life is no longer worth living if I can't be with the princess," he declared, barely believing he was saying such things. "So let the police arrest me if they want, I don't care. The only thing I care about is her safety. Earth is the sole barrier protecting Elysion from a direct attack by the Delian Nightmare Army. If Midnight succeeds in taking the blue planet, Yumeko will be in grave danger. I have to at least try."

Phantom stared into his young master's eyes and saw the pain inside. Could it be possible? Had he truly discovered love?

"You'll be killed…but I know you must follow your heart," the cat replied sadly. "Go to Crystal Tokyo."

Shadow slowly faded away as Phantom struggled to hold back his tears. Ever since he was a little boy, the cat had been Master Shadow's constant companion. They had gone through so much together, but he would have to go through this journey alone. He prayed that Shadow would be alright.


Phoenix sighed when he spotted the Delian Nightmare Army in the distance, approaching the walls of Fort Crystal. This was it, the moment they had been waiting for since the outbreak of the war. It was going to be a long and bloody battle, but he was ready to fight.

He raised his arm in the air and brought it down, signaling his men to begin the attack. Ten cannons simultaneously went off, knocking about fifty or so of the enemy's soldiers to the ground, but it was obviously not enough to stop their advance. The Delian Nightmare Army greatly outnumbered the troops stationed at Fort Crystal.

"Keep shooting!" he ordered.

Jumping off the top of the wall where he was standing, Phoenix grabbed a long piece of wood and placed it across the door, hoping to delay the enemy's entrance into the main fortress. He could hear the screams of his men outside as they valiantly fought against the powerful army, knowing that by the time the battle was over, they would most likely all be dead. Their general chanted a short prayer in their honor before turning to the troops that had assembled in the center of the fort.

"The time has come, for boys to become men and for men to become heroes, as our fallen comrades have done today," he began, his eyes dark. "Let their bravery be a source of inspiration for us.
Fear not death, for to die in battle is the ultimate honor for a true warrior, but fight for life. Not only yours, but the lives of your parents, your siblings, your friends, your lovers, your children, and for your beloved king and queen. The dream of Silver Millennium must live on. Do not let in the nightmares!"

The troops cheered as their general lifted his golden sword in the air. Phoenix's impromptu speech seemed to strike a chord in their hearts. In response, they too raised their swords in a gesture of unity.

The sound of the enemy trying to break through the barricaded door banged in their ears as a woman's voice barked out orders. The board would not hold out much longer. It would not be long now.

A few minutes later, a flood of men, dressed in the color of darkness, entered the fort, ready to fight. There were thousands of them, all with fire in their eyes. They kept coming and coming, surrounding the smaller Earth army. Phoenix looked around, realizing the hopelessness of the situation. The army's number was even larger than he first thought.

But he would not surrender. He had a duty to his planet and to himself, one that he intended to keep, even if it killed him. Phoenix took in a deep breath, then stepped forward with his sword drawn.

"Attack!"


When Shadow arrived in Crystal Tokyo, the battle had already begun. He discreetly snuck inside the fort, careful to stay hidden in the shadows. Among the troops, the bright sunlight reflected off the golden badges of the military police, reminding him of the danger he was putting himself in by coming.

He watched in horror as one of his former comrades stabbed a young Earth soldier in the stomach. The man fell to the ground about ten feet in front of Shadow, covered in blood as his murderer laughed, enjoying the soldier's pain. It was hard to believe that just a few short months ago, he had been just like that, heartless and cruel.

The fallen soldier was not the only casualty. The ground was covered with a pool of red blood, spilling from the butchered bodies. Looking around him, Shadow saw that about a hundred or so soldiers from Midnight's army were among the dead, but that total was far less than the Earth Army's fatalities, which appeared to number in the thousands. He had to find his sister and stop this before more were killed.

Grabbing a helmet from the dead soldier, Shadow entered the battle. The helmet, which covered most of his face, provided him with a small amount of protection from the police. He was able to freely move through the troops without raising suspicion, searching for Midnight.

Shadow could hear her voice above the roar of the battle, barking orders. It sounded like it was coming from the other side of the fort. Following the voice, he pushed through the multitude of warriors to where Midnight was fighting.

"Midnight!" he yelled. "I order you to stop this battle right now!"

His sister took off her helmet, surprised that someone was actually bold enough to challenge her authority. "Who do you think you are, soldier?" she asked, turning her bloodied sword on him. "I'm in charge here, meaning I make the decisions. You will give me your name, traitor."

"You know my name well, my sister."

Shadow slowly took off his helmet and threw it to the ground. The look on Midnight's face was first of surprise, which quickly turned into contempt. "You!"

"Midnight, I'm begging you to call back the troops. If you even once loved me as a brother, please stop this madness!"

She laughed at Shadow's request. "Why should I listen to you, Shadow? You're nothing more than a love-sick fool who couldn't keep his pants on."

"We had a deal!"

"Really, brother, have you ever known me to actually keep my promises? Don't blame me for your mistakes. If you know what is best for you, you will get out of my sight before I call for the police."

"Midnight, try to understand!"

She whistled loudly, alerting the police to Shadow's presence. A couple of nearby men turned and chased after the wanted criminal, who, realizing that there was nothing more he could do, began running for his life.

I'm sorry, Yumeko…

Shadow managed to lose the men in the crowd, but it would only be a matter of time before he was discovered again. He had to get out of here, but how?

Looking for another way out, he turned a corner, where he found two men from the Earth Army laying on the ground. One of the men appeared to be seriously wounded. On closer look, Shadow was surprised to discover it was General Phoenix, Yumeko's former fiancé. It appeared had pushed the other man out of the way, taking a bullet to the chest. The younger man seemed in shock, but otherwise was fine except for what appeared to be a broken arm.

"Get the doctor!" Shadow ordered the soldier as he went to Phoenix's side. Though confused, the boy ran to find the doctor, holding onto his injured arm.

"Who are you?" Phoenix asked in a voice barely above a whisper. He was very weak from the loss off blood.

"Just call me a friend."

Shadow ripped off a piece of his cape and placed the fabric over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. It was all he could think of to do. His hands were trained to kill, not to heal.

The wounded soldier squinted his kind green eyes, contemplating the man dressed in black. He looked vaguely familiar. "I know you from somewhere…"

"I don't think so."

Despite Shadow's insistence that they had never met, Phoenix couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen this man before. Crystal Ball… Yumeko… the kiss…

"You're the one Yumeko loves," he said, finally remembering. There was no jealousy in his voice, only sadness. "Will you give her a message for me?"

"Yes, of course…"

"Tell her that I love her," he whispered.

Shadow nodded his head as the general groaned. Phoenix was growing weaker and weaker. His pathetic attempts to stop the bleeding had not helped. Where was the doctor?

Using the last of his strength, Phoenix pulled the sapphire and diamond ring off his pinkie and handed it to Shadow. "Take care of her. She loves you so very much…"

He then closed his eyes, welcoming the eternal slumber. A few seconds later, General Phoenix was dead. Shadow sighed, realizing he had failed. Phoenix did not deserve to die like this. Nobody did.

Shadow glanced down at the ring Phoenix gave him. He recognized it as Yumeko's engagement ring. It was really quite beautiful if you wiped away the blood. Slipping the ring in his pocket, Shadow then took Phoenix's sword and placed it in his sheath, discarded of his own sword. He knew what he had to do.

"There he is!"

He quickly turned around and saw that the police had managed to find him again. Jumping up, Shadow ran out the exit as the men chased after him, but once they got outside, he was already gone.


King Helios threw another piece of wood into the sacred fire, chanting a prayer. He had been in his prayer room the entire day, contemplating the events of the past few weeks and praying for the millions who died protecting the beautiful dream of Silver Millennium.

Guilt filled his heart. If it weren't for that fake picture of him and Eos kissing, none of this would have happened. Helios knew his rival well. King Scorpio, or Magic as he used to be known, had no real desire to rule the world. His sole purpose in raging this war against Silver Millennium was revenge for what he considered his wife's betrayal. World domination was just a delicious side dish to the main entree, Helios' head.

"It's not your fault," a soft voice whispered in his ear as a woman wrapped her graceful arms around his neck.

Helios turned his head and found himself staring into Queen Lady Serenity's garnet eyes. She had entered the room so quietly, he hadn't even noticed her appearance.

"You've been in here all day, Helios. Why don't you go to bed? I know you haven't been able to sleep very well the last couple of days. Perhaps a short nap is just what you need to clear your mind."

"I'm fine, my maiden."

The queen didn't look convinced. There had been a noticeable change in her husband's appearance over the last week or so. Helios seemed older, more weak. His once eternally youthful face now showed the early signs of aging and a few streaks of gray highlighted his white hair. Even his tired golden eyes seemed less bright.

Diana walked into the room, her head hung down low, with her daughter Elysia right behind her, a similar expression on her face. The queen and king turned toward the door, both sensing bad news.

"Diana, what is it?" Serenity asked.

"The palace just received a telegram from Crystal Tokyo. The fort was attacked earlier today by the Delian Nightmare Army. It is now under their control."

Serenity gasped as Helios reached for her hand. This was the day they had feared ever since the war began. "Are my parents alright?" she asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"Yes, my queen. The Crystal Palace was not attacked. Usagi-sama and Mamoru-sama are both safe. Only the fort is under the enemy's control. The Earth Army was able to stop their advance into the rest of the city."

"How many fatalities?" Helios asked.

"At last count, it was 636 dead on their side and 5,149 on ours, including General Phoenix, who was killed protecting another soldier."

"Phoenix is dead?"

Serenity felt weak. So many were dead, including the man they had grown to love as if he were their son. This was a nightmare, a horrible, horrible nightmare!

"I have to tell Yumeko," she said softly.

Helios gave her a small hug. "No, I'll tell her, Serenity. You should start packing. We'll leave tomorrow for the funeral."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, then left the room to find his daughter. Elysia was right behind him. "Where's Yumeko, Elysia?" he asked after he knocked on her bedroom door and got no answer.

Elysia didn't know if she should answer him. The princess had snuck out of her room shortly before eight o'clock and went out to the gardens. She suspected that Yumeko was going to meet her lover. Though the golden cat had no desire to get her beloved mistress in trouble, she saw no other way out.

"I believe she went down to the gardens, Your Majesty," she finally answered, realizing she had no choice.


Yumeko pulled her thin sweater tightly around her body as a cool breeze blew over the gardens. Where was he?

She again glanced down at her watch. It was almost nine o'clock, and Shadow still hadn't appeared. She was beginning to worry. His letter said to meet him here at eight. What could be keeping him?

Humming to herself, she absent-mindedly began pulling the petals off a pretty red rose. He loves me…he loves me not…he loves me…he loves me not…he loves me…

The sound of footsteps on the ground brought a smile to her face. Finally he was here, albeit an hour late, but she could hardly be mad at him. The important part was that he came.

"Shadow?"

But it wasn't him. Her father appeared before her, his eyes filled with sadness. Instantly Yumeko knew something had happened. Without saying a word, the king took his daughter's hand and led her
toward a nearby bench.

"Papa?"

"I'm afraid I have some bad news, my little princess," he said softly, his voice cracking.

"What is it?"

Holding her hand, Helios stared into her questioning golden eyes, so much like his own. He didn't know if he could go through with this. This was going to break her heart. Even if the engagement had been called off, he knew Yumeko had cared for Phoenix very much.

"Papa?"

"There was another battle today," he said softly. "The enemy attacked Fort Crystal in Crystal Tokyo and thousands of our soldiers were killed."

"A battle at Fort Crystal?" she asked, letting the news soak in. "What about Phoenix? Is he okay?"

Tears filled her eyes as her father slowly shook his head. Helios pulled Yumeko close to him, letting her cry on his shoulder. Sobs shook through her body as the news finally hit home.

"I'm so sorry, Yumeko," he whispered, comforting her. "Phoenix didn't make it. He was killed trying to protect another soldier."

"It's not fair, Papa!" she cried. "He didn't deserved to die. Phoenix was one of the kindest men I've ever met. Why did they have to take him away? Why!"

"I know death is difficult to understand, but everything happens for a reason. It was Phoenix's destiny to die today. He fought bravely in the face of overwhelming odds and died a hero, just as he always dreamed."

"That doesn't make it any easier to accept."

"No, it doesn't," he admitted, drying her eyes with his handkerchief. "A long time ago, I too lost someone I cared for deeply as well. Her name was Aurora, and she was a Maenad in my shrine."

"Was she the girl who pushed you out of the way of Prince Damian's attack?"

"Yes, Aurora gave her life in order to save mine and she died in my arms after being hit with a blast of negative energy which was meant for me. That scene still haunts me, Yumeko. I can still remember exactly how she looked, how she smelled, how cold her skin felt…"

Helios could feel a knot rise in the back of his throat as he relived the memories of that awful day. "After her death, I felt this intense guilt. I kept on thinking that if only I had given in to Damian's demands, maybe Aurora would be still be alive today. I even considered killing myself. It was the most horrible feeling, but eventually I came to realize that it wasn't my fault. Damian killed her, not me."

Understanding his pain, Yumeko hugged her father. She had no idea how much he cared about Aurora and how much her death affected him. It was strange, but she never felt more close to Helios than she did right now, bonded in their common grief. "Papa…"

He lightly kissed the top of her head, then pulled himself away from her embrace. Yumeko stared at him quizzically as her father looked up at the sky.

"Do you see that star?" he asked, pointing toward a bright star near Ursa Major. "Everyone is born a star, and everyone dies a star."

"What does that mean, Papa?" she asked, confused by her father's puzzling words.

"Did your grandmother ever tell you the story about how she fought Chaos in the Galaxy Cauldron?"

Yumeko nodded. It was one of her favorite stories. She loved hearing about how Grandmother Usagi threw herself into the Cauldron in order to stop Chaos from taking over the world.

"The Cauldron is the birth place of stars," he continued. "They are then scattered around the universe to bring life to the planets. When a person dies, their soul returns back to its original form and takes its rightful place in heaven, looking down on the people they love. Nobody is ever truly gone, their light lives on in the night sky."

"Is Phoenix up there?"

"Of course he is. Just look with your heart, and you will find the general's star."

Yumeko glanced up at the star-filled heavens, searching for Phoenix's star. There was so many lights. Which one was his? Suddenly, she felt a heat in her heart as her eyes passed over a star she never noticed before. The star twinkled, almost as if it realized Yumeko was looking at it. She had found him.

Phoenix, I'm sorry, she thought as she and her father walked back to the palace. I'm so sorry.