BLOOD OF THE IMMORTAL
Chapter 2: "The Chosen Target"
By Bill K.
In a grassy valley just steps away from a wooded glade that hid a
pristine lake, a disturbance began to form. The wind began to swirl,
softly at first, then harder and faster. The blades of grass, inches
tall and thick and green, were pulled by the suction of the growing
vortex and whipped around as far as their roots would allow. Birds in
the trees and animals by the lake stopped what they were doing and
looked toward the phenomenon. They did not prepare to flee, for they
were of Elysian and threats were foreign concepts to them. The vortex
grew until it engulfed the patch of glade in a whirlwind of dust and
debris.
And just as suddenly as it sprang up, it died out, revealing six
travelers. As their hair fell back to their bodies and their billowing
skirts died from lack of wind support, their eyes slowly opened. No one
spoke at first. Sailor Saturn glanced around.
"Are we there?" she asked. "Is this Elysian?"
"This is it," the newly minted, pink-tressed Sailor Moon smiled
warmly.
"It's so beautiful," sighed Sailor Ceres. Her eyes filled with
wonder, she released the hands of Sailor Juno and Sailor Pallas and
walked through the glade. A happy grin sprouting on her face, she knelt
down next to a patch of daffodils sprouting freely near some trees and
gently stroked their leaves.
"Is the whole realm like this?" Saturn asked.
"It is now," Sailor Moon replied. "Helios put in a lot of work
restoring this place after the attack. But it's all back to what it was
now." Unnoticed by Sailor Moon or Saturn, Sailor Juno's expression
crumpled into one of guilt and remorse.
"Where are the horsies?" whined Pallas.
"Well, there's a lake just through those trees," Sailor Moon told
her. "I imagine there are probably a few watering over there. The
place is filled with all sorts of animals, but horses seem to be the
dominant one."
Pallas' face lit up and she started for the trees, only to be
restrained by Sailor Vesta.
"Hold on," Vesta warned. "I don't think you ought to be wandering
around on your own, at least until we've met up with Helios and gotten
his OK. We're guests here, remember?" Pallas stuck out her lower lip,
but she complied.
"So are we just supposed to wait?" Juno asked.
"Well, Helios knew we were coming, but he might not know we were
coming to this spot," Sailor Moon reasoned. "The temple is at the top
of that hill. They may be waiting for us there."
Venturing forth, flanked by Saturn and her senshi, Sailor Moon
began climbing up the grassy hill. Along the way, Ceres eased up next
to Juno.
"What's wrong?" Ceres asked.
"Oh," Juno hesitated. "I guess I'm just feeling a little guilty.
I hate the fact that we actually helped try to destroy this place once."
"Yeah, I know," sighed Ceres. "I feel a little guilty myself.
You just have to keep reminding yourself that it was a different time
and we were different people." Juno nodded.
As the group neared the summit of the hill, they could see a
building atop it. The open-air building was an unearthly mixture of
architectural styles. The high arched entrances facing all four compass
directions were middle European. The turrets and parapets the extended
out from the center in the shape of a huge "x" seemed vaguely Saxon.
The pillars that grew out of the center and formed an altar on the roof,
covered only by the heavens above, were classic Greek. The though
occurred to more than one that this place may have existed since the
very dawn of humanity and that designers had borrowed from it here and
there after visiting in their dreams. It was a holy place that seemed
to beckon them. Saturn and Juno were impressed with the sight.
Approaching the temple, the six travelers could see people milling
about inside. Voices could be heard resonating from the structure.
While nothing said was comprehensible to them at that distance, the tone
was quite clear. The people inside were upset about something.
"What do you suppose is wrong?" Juno wondered.
"Beats me," Vesta replied. "How about we go ask?"
"That might be intruding," Saturn suggested. "This might not be
any of our business."
At once they heard a whimper from behind them. Turning, the girls
saw Sailor Pallas hanging back. Her face was scrunched up with a
mixture of dread and nervous fear. Ceres instantly was by her side.
"Pallas?" Ceres whispered gently. "What is it?"
"Something bad's happened," Pallas whimpered.
"Did you catch someone's thought?"
"No. Pallas can just tell. All the people are scared or angry.
Pallas is afraid!"
The girls turned to get their cue from the Princess, only to find
Sailor Moon was already sprinting up the path for the temple. Vesta and
Juno traded looks of disgust and followed with Saturn, while Ceres
stayed behind with Pallas.
Clambering up the steps to the temple, Sailor Moon skidded to a
stop. At once all eyes turned to her and all voices hushed. She
surveyed the crowd for Helios. Most of the gathered were strangers,
though they all seemed to recognize her. Her eyes locked on a tall,
willowy woman with long flowing blonde hair and a long, flowing sheer
white gown. It was Ravonna, one of the two temple maidens and main
assistants to Helios. Unlike the rest of the group, Ravonna's demeanor
was as unchanged as usual: calm, stoic, and burdened by the things she
saw and the things she knew as keeper of the history of Elysian and
chief seer. Instantly Sailor Moon walked straight for her.
"Ravonna, what's going on?" Sailor Moon asked, her pink trails
flowing behind her. "Where's Helios?" At the mention of his name,
several distressed gasps rose from the crowd of people. It made her
even more worried.
"Princess Usagi," Ravonna said, bowing courteously. "My apologies
that you had to witness this. I knew of your impending arrival, but we
did not have time to get word to you."
Before Ravonna could continue, a frightened gasp passed through
the gathered. It quickly mutated into an ugly, vengeful sound, though,
as the crowd recognized Sailor Juno and Sailor Vesta, who had ascended
with Sailor Saturn to the temple. Everyone instantly sensed the
hostility passing through the people like a thing alive, but before
anyone could act, it acted.
"It's them!" howled one of the gathered. "The destroyers!"
"They've come back for us!" roared another.
"They must have taken the Chosen One!"
"Don't let them escape!"
Like a tidal wave, the mass rose up to engulf Vesta and Juno.
Both backed up a step, but were ready to use their powers and their
skills to defend themselves and, if needed, the Princess. Saturn, too,
saw what was happening and lunged in front of them.
"Please stop!" cried Saturn. "They've done nothing!"
And the wave surged over them. Saturn was knocked aside.
Growling, Vesta lurched into the onslaught, swinging her fists wildly.
Juno began to invoke her power phrase, but the surge buried her words in
a sea of bodies. Sailor Moon tried to fight her way through the crowd
to aid her comrades, but it was like swimming against a tide.
Frustrated, she began hacking her way through using the judo moves
taught to her by Makoto. Tempers continued to flare and the insurgence
started to turn back onto Sailor Moon and each other. An unglimpsed
blow knocked the Princess to the stone floor. As she looked up, she
could see through the throng. Vesta was struggling in the grip of six
inhabitants of Elysian. Saturn was desperately trying to pull them off
as they threatened to pull Vesta apart. Juno was nowhere to be seen.
"That's it!" spat Sailor Moon, grinding her teeth.
Through sheer force of will, she fought to her feet. Summoning
the Crescent Moon Wand, Sailor Moon forced her mind to clear and her
welling anger to calm.
"Moon Healing Escalation!" she bellowed.
The pink crystal in the bottom of the crescent suddenly flared
like a sun, blanketing the room with pink light. As the energy fell
over the angry mob, propelled by the inner essence of Sailor Moon, the
people touched by it began to quiet. They unclenched their angry fists.
Their legs lost strength. One by one, they sank to the floor, their
anger and fear drained from them, replaced by the warmth and solace of
Sailor Moon's pink energy. Even Vesta fell under its spell, stumbling
backward and coming to rest next to the very man she was grappling with
only moments before.
The energy dimmed. The crystal quieted. Sailor Moon put a hand
to her temple, then her legs buckled beneath her.
"Princess?" Ravonna asked, catching the girl before she fell.
"Are you ill?"
"N-No," she mumbled, noticing Saturn was by her side as well.
"Maybe I should wait a few years until I try that again, though."
Sailor Moon took a few gasping breaths until her head cleared.
"Ravonna, what's happened? Where's Helios?"
"Gone," Ravonna said and icy fingers closed around Sailor Moon's
heart. "Taken."
"By who?" Sailor Moon gasped.
"We do not know. She is a woman, with a long cape of white hair
and a long white dress, and eyes with no soul. This much I saw in my
vision. But I know nothing of who she is, of where she comes from, or
to where she has taken The Chosen One." Ravonna looked off beyond
Sailor Moon and stiffened. "Queen Mother!"
Saturn and Sailor Moon turned and looked. Between two columns
stood Candide, the mother of Helios. She possessed the same snow-white
hair as Helios, hair that flowed down to her waist. She had the same
gentleness to her features that Helios had, but carried herself with a
regal bearing that lent her age an imposing authority. She only lacked
the crystal horn her son possessed. And, Sailor Moon noted, Candide
lacked the vitality she remembered the woman always having. Her face
was drawn with a deep sadness that seemed to sap her energy.
To one side stood the other shrine maiden, Evionne. Though
similar to Ravonna, it was easy to tell the two apart. Evionne had more
exotic looking features, particularly her eyes. And Evionne was the one
looking at Sailor Moon with barely contained loathing, a trait not lost
on Saturn. While her friend didn't back down from the glare, neither
did she return it with even a fraction of the venom heaped upon her.
"Princess Usagi," Candide choked out. "I fear you have come at a
bad time. And yet, perhaps your strength is what will be needed to help
us locate and return my son."
"Perhaps that won't be necessary," snarled Evionne. She had
spotted Vesta and Juno and her loathing was even direr for them than for
Sailor Moon. Candide spotted them as well and her breath caught in her
throat.
"Candide, no!" cried Sailor Moon. "They're with me!"
"With you?" snapped Evionne. "You align yourself with our worst
enemies? You . . .!"
"Evionne," Candide said, expecting to be obeyed. "That will do."
Evionne bowed her head in compliance, though her anger was undimmed.
"Princess, please explain."
"They're my senshi, Candide," Sailor Moon told her, getting to her
feet with Saturn's help. "They've reformed. They're no longer a threat
to Elysian. I guarantee it."
"Yes, ma'am," Juno added. "We've renounced our former ways. We
deeply regret the pain we caused any of you and all we ask is a chance
to make up for it."
Candide seemed to look through Juno. As the seconds passed, a
small, charitable smile grew on her mouth.
"No doubt due to your influence, Princess," she said. "Citizens
of Elysian: these two are not our enemies. Princess Usagi has pledged
their innocence and I am willing to believe her. Please calm your
righteous anger."
"Candide, is it true?" Sailor Moon asked. "Did someone take
Helios?"
"It is true," Candide replied softly. "Within the hour before
your arrival. We were even warned. Ravonna spoke prophecy the previous
night, warning us of what was to come. I pleaded with my Helios to take
care, to guard himself." Candide smiled slightly, even through her
sad-eyed expression. "But he let his guard down in anticipation of
seeing you. He has pined for you these many months, my dear. The mere
thought of being with you again brought a light back to his eyes I had
not seen in far too long. And it was that moment she struck."
"Who struck? Who did it?" demanded Sailor Moon.
Candide dropped her head. She shook it several times before she
could find words. "I do not know. My son is gone and I do not know who
or how or where or why!"
Candide crumbled into soft sobbing. Sailor Moon, fighting back
tears of her own, gathered the woman to her and the pair clung to each
other for strength. Everyone looked on in agony. Even Evionne's
burning rage quelled and she looked on in helpless sadness. Saturn
quietly backed to Juno and Vesta.
"I don't know what to do," Saturn whispered. "My powers aren't
equipped to handle this. Any ideas?"
"No," Juno replied. "This is way beyond anything we can do.
Maybe if Sensei Rei-sama were here, she could do something."
"Well there's got to be some clue!" Vesta rumbled, agitated by the
grief she saw in Sailor Moon. "Something we can use to point us in the
right direction!"
"I have found nothing, as has Ravonna," Evionne said coldly.
"Perhaps your sinister Dead Moon Circus wizardry may succeed where we
have failed. At this point, I would even welcome it."
Feeling Vesta's anger welling up, Juno stepped in front of her.
"I wish there was something we could do," Juno said. "We're pledged
both to aid and protect the Princess and to help others. But I don't
know if there's anything we can do."
A low murmur in the crowd attracted everyone's attention. Ceres
had entered the temple, holding a cowering Sailor Pallas by the hand.
Ceres looked around and saw the anger and contempt mixed with fear and
sadness. She swallowed nervously.
"You," Candide said, pointing to Pallas. She was across the room
in moments. Pallas gave as much ground as she could, while Vesta tried
to lunge through Juno to protect her sister amazon.
"Candide, she's with me!" Sailor Moon cried out.
But Candide did the unexpected: she knelt at the feet of the
spooked Sailor Pallas.
"I sense the power in you!" Candide said desperately. "I sense
the levels you are capable of! Please! Only with your help can we
possibly rescue my son! Please, you must help us! I beg you! Please!"
"Uh," Pallas gulped fearfully. "B-But what can Pallas do?"
"Ravonna!" Candide quickly motioned and the temple maiden appeared
at her side. "Separately we are nothing! But if you join your power to
that of Ravonna's and mine and the Princess Usagi, perhaps we may see
the path along which my son was taken! Perhaps we may see the place
where he is held! Please, child, please help us!"
"Queen Mother!" Evionne gasped in reproach. Candide ignored her
remonstration.
"Pallas will do it if the Princess tells her," Pallas squeaked.
"Pallas will do anything the Princess tells her." Pallas reached out
and gently caressed Candide's cheek. "Pallas is sorry you lost your
sonny. Pallas lost her mommy, so she knows what that's like." Candide
hugged the hand to her cheek, tears pouring down.
"What do we need to do, Candide?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Are you sufficiently recovered, Princess?" Candide asked.
"Wouldn't matter if I wasn't," Sailor Moon said, her lower lip
quivering. "Take it all if it finds Helios."
Candide nodded sympathetically. Waving Ravonna and Pallas in, she
stood opposite Sailor Moon.
"Produce your wand, please," Candide whispered. Sailor Moon
complied. Candide folded her hands over the pink crystal. Her face
seemed to momentarily express a sense of joy. "Sailor Pallas," she said
hoarsely. "Place your hands over mine. Concentrate on finding Helios."
Pallas complied and immediately her eyes closed and her face grew calm.
"Now, Ravonna, take our combined power and see what you have never seen
before."
Ravonna, her skirt and hair billowing from the radiated psychic
waves, folded her hands over those of Pallas. Her eyelids snapped
closed and her lips parted slightly. Everyone watched tensely as a
swirl of light seemed to engulf the four. The pink crystal flared,
tinting the light a pastel red. Ravonna's eyes opened slowly and
clearly she saw what everyone else could not.
"The plains," Ravonna mumbled. "The vistas - - so big - - so
vast. One with everything - - nothing and everything. I am - - I no
longer."
"Ravonna?!" Evionne gasped out fearfully. It seemed to anchor the
woman.
"A path - - paved in evil," Ravonna said distantly. "Shrouded - -
in white - - selfish - - vain - - splattered with red - - the blood
drips - - the eyes bleed. Life and death - - death and life - - life
everlasting - - life without death - - life without life."
Evionne shrieked as Ravonna collapsed upon the stone floor of the
temple. Pallas wasn't far behind her. She sat crying helplessly,
crying from the depths of her soul. As Vesta supported Pallas and
Evionne tended to Ravonna, Sailor Moon felt Candide's strong hands
steady her. She opened her eyes and looked up at the woman.
"Pray, Princess," Candide whispered. "If this does not work, then
all is lost."
"Ravonna!" cried Evionne. "Sister, say something!" She shook the
limp woman. "Ravonna!"
"You possess a voice most shrill," whispered Ravonna. "It has
always been so."
"OH!" fumed Evionne. Then she hugged her sister. "Someday I will
not forgive you so easily for scaring me so!"
"Ravonna?" Candide asked. "Did you succeed?"
Ravonna took a breath to steady herself. "The Chosen One is in
the possession of a practitioner of dark magicks on a planet nestled
just between the plain of unreality and the plain of reality. Her name
is Ctesias. You must hurry. She means much harm to The Chosen One."
"I go, my sister!" Evionne proclaimed. "I will rescue The Chosen
One if it means my life!"
"I'm coming with you!" Sailor Moon said. Evionne glared. "I know
you hate me, Evionne, but this is more important than that! Helios has
to come first!"
Evionne stared, her jaw clenched.
"A truce, then. Let us dedicate ourselves to our love for The
Chosen One and not to other things."
"Then we're coming, too," Juno said. "We stick by you, Princess,
no matter where you go." Saturn and the other senshi nodded in
agreement.
"Thanks," Sailor Moon smiled gratefully.
"Princess, your crystal can now direct you to the planet Ctesias
resides upon," Ravonna said. "May good fortune go with you."
"We can probably get there quicker with Sailor Teleport," Sailor
Moon said.
The senshi formed a circle around Evionne and joined hands. They
closed their eyes and concentrated. As the jewels in their tiaras
flared, a whirlwind began to engulf them. Evionne stood bravely in the
circle, even though she had never seen such a phenomenon before. As the
senshi shouted "Sailor Teleport", the whirlwind engulfed them in a
surge of power. When it died away, they were gone.
Continued in Chapter 3
Chapter 2: "The Chosen Target"
By Bill K.
In a grassy valley just steps away from a wooded glade that hid a
pristine lake, a disturbance began to form. The wind began to swirl,
softly at first, then harder and faster. The blades of grass, inches
tall and thick and green, were pulled by the suction of the growing
vortex and whipped around as far as their roots would allow. Birds in
the trees and animals by the lake stopped what they were doing and
looked toward the phenomenon. They did not prepare to flee, for they
were of Elysian and threats were foreign concepts to them. The vortex
grew until it engulfed the patch of glade in a whirlwind of dust and
debris.
And just as suddenly as it sprang up, it died out, revealing six
travelers. As their hair fell back to their bodies and their billowing
skirts died from lack of wind support, their eyes slowly opened. No one
spoke at first. Sailor Saturn glanced around.
"Are we there?" she asked. "Is this Elysian?"
"This is it," the newly minted, pink-tressed Sailor Moon smiled
warmly.
"It's so beautiful," sighed Sailor Ceres. Her eyes filled with
wonder, she released the hands of Sailor Juno and Sailor Pallas and
walked through the glade. A happy grin sprouting on her face, she knelt
down next to a patch of daffodils sprouting freely near some trees and
gently stroked their leaves.
"Is the whole realm like this?" Saturn asked.
"It is now," Sailor Moon replied. "Helios put in a lot of work
restoring this place after the attack. But it's all back to what it was
now." Unnoticed by Sailor Moon or Saturn, Sailor Juno's expression
crumpled into one of guilt and remorse.
"Where are the horsies?" whined Pallas.
"Well, there's a lake just through those trees," Sailor Moon told
her. "I imagine there are probably a few watering over there. The
place is filled with all sorts of animals, but horses seem to be the
dominant one."
Pallas' face lit up and she started for the trees, only to be
restrained by Sailor Vesta.
"Hold on," Vesta warned. "I don't think you ought to be wandering
around on your own, at least until we've met up with Helios and gotten
his OK. We're guests here, remember?" Pallas stuck out her lower lip,
but she complied.
"So are we just supposed to wait?" Juno asked.
"Well, Helios knew we were coming, but he might not know we were
coming to this spot," Sailor Moon reasoned. "The temple is at the top
of that hill. They may be waiting for us there."
Venturing forth, flanked by Saturn and her senshi, Sailor Moon
began climbing up the grassy hill. Along the way, Ceres eased up next
to Juno.
"What's wrong?" Ceres asked.
"Oh," Juno hesitated. "I guess I'm just feeling a little guilty.
I hate the fact that we actually helped try to destroy this place once."
"Yeah, I know," sighed Ceres. "I feel a little guilty myself.
You just have to keep reminding yourself that it was a different time
and we were different people." Juno nodded.
As the group neared the summit of the hill, they could see a
building atop it. The open-air building was an unearthly mixture of
architectural styles. The high arched entrances facing all four compass
directions were middle European. The turrets and parapets the extended
out from the center in the shape of a huge "x" seemed vaguely Saxon.
The pillars that grew out of the center and formed an altar on the roof,
covered only by the heavens above, were classic Greek. The though
occurred to more than one that this place may have existed since the
very dawn of humanity and that designers had borrowed from it here and
there after visiting in their dreams. It was a holy place that seemed
to beckon them. Saturn and Juno were impressed with the sight.
Approaching the temple, the six travelers could see people milling
about inside. Voices could be heard resonating from the structure.
While nothing said was comprehensible to them at that distance, the tone
was quite clear. The people inside were upset about something.
"What do you suppose is wrong?" Juno wondered.
"Beats me," Vesta replied. "How about we go ask?"
"That might be intruding," Saturn suggested. "This might not be
any of our business."
At once they heard a whimper from behind them. Turning, the girls
saw Sailor Pallas hanging back. Her face was scrunched up with a
mixture of dread and nervous fear. Ceres instantly was by her side.
"Pallas?" Ceres whispered gently. "What is it?"
"Something bad's happened," Pallas whimpered.
"Did you catch someone's thought?"
"No. Pallas can just tell. All the people are scared or angry.
Pallas is afraid!"
The girls turned to get their cue from the Princess, only to find
Sailor Moon was already sprinting up the path for the temple. Vesta and
Juno traded looks of disgust and followed with Saturn, while Ceres
stayed behind with Pallas.
Clambering up the steps to the temple, Sailor Moon skidded to a
stop. At once all eyes turned to her and all voices hushed. She
surveyed the crowd for Helios. Most of the gathered were strangers,
though they all seemed to recognize her. Her eyes locked on a tall,
willowy woman with long flowing blonde hair and a long, flowing sheer
white gown. It was Ravonna, one of the two temple maidens and main
assistants to Helios. Unlike the rest of the group, Ravonna's demeanor
was as unchanged as usual: calm, stoic, and burdened by the things she
saw and the things she knew as keeper of the history of Elysian and
chief seer. Instantly Sailor Moon walked straight for her.
"Ravonna, what's going on?" Sailor Moon asked, her pink trails
flowing behind her. "Where's Helios?" At the mention of his name,
several distressed gasps rose from the crowd of people. It made her
even more worried.
"Princess Usagi," Ravonna said, bowing courteously. "My apologies
that you had to witness this. I knew of your impending arrival, but we
did not have time to get word to you."
Before Ravonna could continue, a frightened gasp passed through
the gathered. It quickly mutated into an ugly, vengeful sound, though,
as the crowd recognized Sailor Juno and Sailor Vesta, who had ascended
with Sailor Saturn to the temple. Everyone instantly sensed the
hostility passing through the people like a thing alive, but before
anyone could act, it acted.
"It's them!" howled one of the gathered. "The destroyers!"
"They've come back for us!" roared another.
"They must have taken the Chosen One!"
"Don't let them escape!"
Like a tidal wave, the mass rose up to engulf Vesta and Juno.
Both backed up a step, but were ready to use their powers and their
skills to defend themselves and, if needed, the Princess. Saturn, too,
saw what was happening and lunged in front of them.
"Please stop!" cried Saturn. "They've done nothing!"
And the wave surged over them. Saturn was knocked aside.
Growling, Vesta lurched into the onslaught, swinging her fists wildly.
Juno began to invoke her power phrase, but the surge buried her words in
a sea of bodies. Sailor Moon tried to fight her way through the crowd
to aid her comrades, but it was like swimming against a tide.
Frustrated, she began hacking her way through using the judo moves
taught to her by Makoto. Tempers continued to flare and the insurgence
started to turn back onto Sailor Moon and each other. An unglimpsed
blow knocked the Princess to the stone floor. As she looked up, she
could see through the throng. Vesta was struggling in the grip of six
inhabitants of Elysian. Saturn was desperately trying to pull them off
as they threatened to pull Vesta apart. Juno was nowhere to be seen.
"That's it!" spat Sailor Moon, grinding her teeth.
Through sheer force of will, she fought to her feet. Summoning
the Crescent Moon Wand, Sailor Moon forced her mind to clear and her
welling anger to calm.
"Moon Healing Escalation!" she bellowed.
The pink crystal in the bottom of the crescent suddenly flared
like a sun, blanketing the room with pink light. As the energy fell
over the angry mob, propelled by the inner essence of Sailor Moon, the
people touched by it began to quiet. They unclenched their angry fists.
Their legs lost strength. One by one, they sank to the floor, their
anger and fear drained from them, replaced by the warmth and solace of
Sailor Moon's pink energy. Even Vesta fell under its spell, stumbling
backward and coming to rest next to the very man she was grappling with
only moments before.
The energy dimmed. The crystal quieted. Sailor Moon put a hand
to her temple, then her legs buckled beneath her.
"Princess?" Ravonna asked, catching the girl before she fell.
"Are you ill?"
"N-No," she mumbled, noticing Saturn was by her side as well.
"Maybe I should wait a few years until I try that again, though."
Sailor Moon took a few gasping breaths until her head cleared.
"Ravonna, what's happened? Where's Helios?"
"Gone," Ravonna said and icy fingers closed around Sailor Moon's
heart. "Taken."
"By who?" Sailor Moon gasped.
"We do not know. She is a woman, with a long cape of white hair
and a long white dress, and eyes with no soul. This much I saw in my
vision. But I know nothing of who she is, of where she comes from, or
to where she has taken The Chosen One." Ravonna looked off beyond
Sailor Moon and stiffened. "Queen Mother!"
Saturn and Sailor Moon turned and looked. Between two columns
stood Candide, the mother of Helios. She possessed the same snow-white
hair as Helios, hair that flowed down to her waist. She had the same
gentleness to her features that Helios had, but carried herself with a
regal bearing that lent her age an imposing authority. She only lacked
the crystal horn her son possessed. And, Sailor Moon noted, Candide
lacked the vitality she remembered the woman always having. Her face
was drawn with a deep sadness that seemed to sap her energy.
To one side stood the other shrine maiden, Evionne. Though
similar to Ravonna, it was easy to tell the two apart. Evionne had more
exotic looking features, particularly her eyes. And Evionne was the one
looking at Sailor Moon with barely contained loathing, a trait not lost
on Saturn. While her friend didn't back down from the glare, neither
did she return it with even a fraction of the venom heaped upon her.
"Princess Usagi," Candide choked out. "I fear you have come at a
bad time. And yet, perhaps your strength is what will be needed to help
us locate and return my son."
"Perhaps that won't be necessary," snarled Evionne. She had
spotted Vesta and Juno and her loathing was even direr for them than for
Sailor Moon. Candide spotted them as well and her breath caught in her
throat.
"Candide, no!" cried Sailor Moon. "They're with me!"
"With you?" snapped Evionne. "You align yourself with our worst
enemies? You . . .!"
"Evionne," Candide said, expecting to be obeyed. "That will do."
Evionne bowed her head in compliance, though her anger was undimmed.
"Princess, please explain."
"They're my senshi, Candide," Sailor Moon told her, getting to her
feet with Saturn's help. "They've reformed. They're no longer a threat
to Elysian. I guarantee it."
"Yes, ma'am," Juno added. "We've renounced our former ways. We
deeply regret the pain we caused any of you and all we ask is a chance
to make up for it."
Candide seemed to look through Juno. As the seconds passed, a
small, charitable smile grew on her mouth.
"No doubt due to your influence, Princess," she said. "Citizens
of Elysian: these two are not our enemies. Princess Usagi has pledged
their innocence and I am willing to believe her. Please calm your
righteous anger."
"Candide, is it true?" Sailor Moon asked. "Did someone take
Helios?"
"It is true," Candide replied softly. "Within the hour before
your arrival. We were even warned. Ravonna spoke prophecy the previous
night, warning us of what was to come. I pleaded with my Helios to take
care, to guard himself." Candide smiled slightly, even through her
sad-eyed expression. "But he let his guard down in anticipation of
seeing you. He has pined for you these many months, my dear. The mere
thought of being with you again brought a light back to his eyes I had
not seen in far too long. And it was that moment she struck."
"Who struck? Who did it?" demanded Sailor Moon.
Candide dropped her head. She shook it several times before she
could find words. "I do not know. My son is gone and I do not know who
or how or where or why!"
Candide crumbled into soft sobbing. Sailor Moon, fighting back
tears of her own, gathered the woman to her and the pair clung to each
other for strength. Everyone looked on in agony. Even Evionne's
burning rage quelled and she looked on in helpless sadness. Saturn
quietly backed to Juno and Vesta.
"I don't know what to do," Saturn whispered. "My powers aren't
equipped to handle this. Any ideas?"
"No," Juno replied. "This is way beyond anything we can do.
Maybe if Sensei Rei-sama were here, she could do something."
"Well there's got to be some clue!" Vesta rumbled, agitated by the
grief she saw in Sailor Moon. "Something we can use to point us in the
right direction!"
"I have found nothing, as has Ravonna," Evionne said coldly.
"Perhaps your sinister Dead Moon Circus wizardry may succeed where we
have failed. At this point, I would even welcome it."
Feeling Vesta's anger welling up, Juno stepped in front of her.
"I wish there was something we could do," Juno said. "We're pledged
both to aid and protect the Princess and to help others. But I don't
know if there's anything we can do."
A low murmur in the crowd attracted everyone's attention. Ceres
had entered the temple, holding a cowering Sailor Pallas by the hand.
Ceres looked around and saw the anger and contempt mixed with fear and
sadness. She swallowed nervously.
"You," Candide said, pointing to Pallas. She was across the room
in moments. Pallas gave as much ground as she could, while Vesta tried
to lunge through Juno to protect her sister amazon.
"Candide, she's with me!" Sailor Moon cried out.
But Candide did the unexpected: she knelt at the feet of the
spooked Sailor Pallas.
"I sense the power in you!" Candide said desperately. "I sense
the levels you are capable of! Please! Only with your help can we
possibly rescue my son! Please, you must help us! I beg you! Please!"
"Uh," Pallas gulped fearfully. "B-But what can Pallas do?"
"Ravonna!" Candide quickly motioned and the temple maiden appeared
at her side. "Separately we are nothing! But if you join your power to
that of Ravonna's and mine and the Princess Usagi, perhaps we may see
the path along which my son was taken! Perhaps we may see the place
where he is held! Please, child, please help us!"
"Queen Mother!" Evionne gasped in reproach. Candide ignored her
remonstration.
"Pallas will do it if the Princess tells her," Pallas squeaked.
"Pallas will do anything the Princess tells her." Pallas reached out
and gently caressed Candide's cheek. "Pallas is sorry you lost your
sonny. Pallas lost her mommy, so she knows what that's like." Candide
hugged the hand to her cheek, tears pouring down.
"What do we need to do, Candide?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Are you sufficiently recovered, Princess?" Candide asked.
"Wouldn't matter if I wasn't," Sailor Moon said, her lower lip
quivering. "Take it all if it finds Helios."
Candide nodded sympathetically. Waving Ravonna and Pallas in, she
stood opposite Sailor Moon.
"Produce your wand, please," Candide whispered. Sailor Moon
complied. Candide folded her hands over the pink crystal. Her face
seemed to momentarily express a sense of joy. "Sailor Pallas," she said
hoarsely. "Place your hands over mine. Concentrate on finding Helios."
Pallas complied and immediately her eyes closed and her face grew calm.
"Now, Ravonna, take our combined power and see what you have never seen
before."
Ravonna, her skirt and hair billowing from the radiated psychic
waves, folded her hands over those of Pallas. Her eyelids snapped
closed and her lips parted slightly. Everyone watched tensely as a
swirl of light seemed to engulf the four. The pink crystal flared,
tinting the light a pastel red. Ravonna's eyes opened slowly and
clearly she saw what everyone else could not.
"The plains," Ravonna mumbled. "The vistas - - so big - - so
vast. One with everything - - nothing and everything. I am - - I no
longer."
"Ravonna?!" Evionne gasped out fearfully. It seemed to anchor the
woman.
"A path - - paved in evil," Ravonna said distantly. "Shrouded - -
in white - - selfish - - vain - - splattered with red - - the blood
drips - - the eyes bleed. Life and death - - death and life - - life
everlasting - - life without death - - life without life."
Evionne shrieked as Ravonna collapsed upon the stone floor of the
temple. Pallas wasn't far behind her. She sat crying helplessly,
crying from the depths of her soul. As Vesta supported Pallas and
Evionne tended to Ravonna, Sailor Moon felt Candide's strong hands
steady her. She opened her eyes and looked up at the woman.
"Pray, Princess," Candide whispered. "If this does not work, then
all is lost."
"Ravonna!" cried Evionne. "Sister, say something!" She shook the
limp woman. "Ravonna!"
"You possess a voice most shrill," whispered Ravonna. "It has
always been so."
"OH!" fumed Evionne. Then she hugged her sister. "Someday I will
not forgive you so easily for scaring me so!"
"Ravonna?" Candide asked. "Did you succeed?"
Ravonna took a breath to steady herself. "The Chosen One is in
the possession of a practitioner of dark magicks on a planet nestled
just between the plain of unreality and the plain of reality. Her name
is Ctesias. You must hurry. She means much harm to The Chosen One."
"I go, my sister!" Evionne proclaimed. "I will rescue The Chosen
One if it means my life!"
"I'm coming with you!" Sailor Moon said. Evionne glared. "I know
you hate me, Evionne, but this is more important than that! Helios has
to come first!"
Evionne stared, her jaw clenched.
"A truce, then. Let us dedicate ourselves to our love for The
Chosen One and not to other things."
"Then we're coming, too," Juno said. "We stick by you, Princess,
no matter where you go." Saturn and the other senshi nodded in
agreement.
"Thanks," Sailor Moon smiled gratefully.
"Princess, your crystal can now direct you to the planet Ctesias
resides upon," Ravonna said. "May good fortune go with you."
"We can probably get there quicker with Sailor Teleport," Sailor
Moon said.
The senshi formed a circle around Evionne and joined hands. They
closed their eyes and concentrated. As the jewels in their tiaras
flared, a whirlwind began to engulf them. Evionne stood bravely in the
circle, even though she had never seen such a phenomenon before. As the
senshi shouted "Sailor Teleport", the whirlwind engulfed them in a
surge of power. When it died away, they were gone.
Continued in Chapter 3