BLOOD OF THE IMMORTAL,
Chapter 4: "Parry and Feint"
By Bill K.
Ctesias sat upon her throne, looking at Sailor Moon and Evionne
and their companions. She was serenely calm and confident. The cat
beast that sat in her lap accepted her stroking palm as if it was due.
There was a resemblance between the two, in that each seemed
irritatingly pleased with themselves. Ctesias made no overt
acknowledgment that she knew what they wanted, but it was fairly obvious
she did. It was too much for Evionne.
"We have come for the Chosen One," Evionne growled. "Deliver him
to us - - NOW!"
"The temerity of you," Ctesias purred. "First accusations and now
demands. You know nothing of being a proper guest." Ctesias angled her
head ever so leisurely, dismissing Evionne wordlessly and locking onto
Sailor Moon. "Now you have the mark and bearing of a Princess. Surely
you must have better breeding than your companion."
"We believe Helios of Elysian to be here," Sailor Moon replied.
She fought to keep her tone of voice even and chose her words carefully.
She sensed that it wasn't a good idea to betray the concern she felt for
Helios - - or the fear that rumbled just under the surface, fear born
both of the ominous surroundings she found herself in and of the
unnatural appearance of Ctesias herself.
"No one is here but me," Ctesias calmly told her, "and you."
"LIAR!" roared Evionne. Ctesias ignored her.
"We have - - information - - that he has been brought here,"
Sailor Moon continued, straining to keep her cool.
"Then your information is wrong," Ctesias smiled. The smile was
more a challenge than anything else.
"Perhaps someone else," Saturn began.
"No one else is here but me," Ctesias answered. "You are the
first visitors I've had in - - oh, nearly four hundred years."
"I would still - - appreciate it - - if we could look around,"
Sailor Moon persisted.
"Appreciate it in what way?" smiled Ctesias, predatorily. Sailor
Moon seemed puzzled by the response. "What would you give me to allow
you to search? How precious is this Helios person to you?"
"Enough of this!" spat Evionne. "I will find him without your
permission! And when I do, I will return for your head!"
She turned right and began to stalk off. However, Evionne only
got three paces from the others. In the wink of an eye, tendrils shot
up from the marble floor. They rose ten feet in the air, met at a point
above Evionne's head, then transmuted into iron bars. Evionne found
herself trapped in a giant birdcage. She grasped the bars and shook
them in futility.
"Know you that this is my abode," Ctesias told Evionne, as if
lecturing a child, "and none may traverse it without my leave." She
smiled coldly. "I wonder what songs you will sing for me once you grow
used to your captivity."
Sailor Moon sensed Vesta about to lunge and restrained her.
"Let her go," Sailor Moon said. Ctesias turned back to her.
"Was that a request or a command, Princess?" Ctesias asked.
"A request," Sailor Moon said, clutching her temper with both
hands. "Please don't force it to become a command."
Ctesias smiled. Her eyes twinkled. "You have much potential, my
dear. I should like to meet you again once you have matured." She
fastidiously adjusted her gown. "Very well, I grant your request."
A wave of her hand caused the cage to dissolve into mist. Evionne
stared at Ctesias and the return stare she got told her that the cage
could reappear very easily should she venture another step into the
bowels of the tower.
"Now, where were we?" Ctesias asked playfully. "Yes, we were
bargaining. I fear it is a futile exercise, though, for none of you
possess anything I could want." She looked at them smugly. "Unless
there was something else, I must conclude this audience."
"We're not leaving without Helios," Sailor Moon said. Juno and
Saturn glanced at her with amazement. They'd never heard her use such a
resolute tone.
"He is not here," Ctesias challenged gently.
"He is."
"Do you name me liar as well?" bristled the sorceress.
"My heart does."
"You love him?" Ctesias asked. "Then you have my condolences."
"We're not leaving without him," Sailor Moon declared.
"Oh, but you are," Ctesias leered.
And suddenly they were outside the towers, on the far bank of the
moat. Startled, they looked around. She had only gestured once, a
simple flick of her wrist.
"What the Hell are we up against?" Juno murmured.
All other thoughts were cut short when Juno and the others noticed
Sailor Moon. Her lower lip quivered. Her eyes began to water. The
strength seemed to leave her legs and she sank to her knees. Instantly
Saturn was next to her.
"Sailor Moon?" Saturn asked.
"We were nothing to her," Sailor Moon whispered as water streamed
down her cheeks. "And Helios is in there! I could feel him! And he's
suffering so much! And I can't help him!"
"We're not beaten yet," Ceres offered.
"Mama could beat her," Sailor Moon whimpered. "But I'm not her."
"You told me that," Saturn said. "You're not your mom. But that
just means you have to find a way you can do it. Don't give up so soon.
I believe in you."
Sailor Moon tucked her head to Saturn's breast. Saturn put her
arms around her friend and held on.
"Princess," Evionne said softly, respectful of the girl's sorrow.
"I can fly each of us across the moat."
"A frontal attack?" Juno asked. "Is that wise?"
"Perhaps not," sniffed Evionne superiorly. "I am not wise in the
ways of skulking, unlike your kind."
Juno's eyes narrowed. "Aqua Initiation!" she hissed, gesturing at
the moat. A waterspout rose up and doused Evionne. "I'm getting just a
little tired of you," Juno said.
"Juno!" Sailor Moon said sharply, because the glint in the girl's
eye and the malicious grin was eerily familiar. Juno shook herself, as
if out of a mild trance, and realized what she'd done.
"I'm sorry," she croaked out. "I don't know what came over me."
Vesta and Ceres exchanged concerned glances.
"Maybe we all should do what we do best," Saturn suggested,
looking deferentially to Sailor Moon for approval. She didn't want it
to seem that she was stepping on her friend's acknowledged role as
leader. "Evionne, Sailor Moon and I can mount a direct assault on one
of the towers. Maybe we can get in without being spotted. Meanwhile,
you four can try to find a way in that will flank her."
Juno nodded. "I can explore this moat. Maybe there's a way in
underneath it. And Vesta can invoke some sort of fish power and come
with me."
"Pallas," Sailor Moon said. "When you were working for Queen
Neherenia, didn't you get the Golden Crystal away from her?"
"Yeah!" cackled Pallas at the memory, her eyes glinting with a
little too much cruelty. "Pallas popped in and put a pineapple there
instead. Queen Neherenia was mean to Pallas. Pallas was glad to do
it."
"Pallas!" Sailor Moon said, grabbing the girl by the upper arms.
"Focus! This is important!"
"You don't have to grab Pallas!" she frowned.
"I'm sorry, but we have to find Helios. Can you manage to sneak
into the towers and look for him the way you snuck into Neherenia's
chamber and got the Golden Crystal?"
"Sure," Pallas smirked. "Pallas thinks it'll be fun." She walked
over to the bank, with everyone's stare following her. "But how does
Pallas get across the water? Her Ball Attacks don't work anymore."
"Um, Evionne can fly us over," Sailor Moon said, then huddled with
Juno, Ceres and Vesta. "What's going on with her?"
"I-I don't know," Juno offered. "It's got to be this place. Ever
since we got here, I've been having - - thoughts and feelings I didn't
think I'd ever have again."
"Yeah, me too," Ceres said. "It's like this place brings out your
bad side." She noticed Saturn gulp.
"Maybe that's not such a bad thing," Vesta added. "Maybe Black
Lady and Mistress 9 can take this witch where we can't."
"Don't even speak about such things!" Saturn hissed, then caught
herself and looked away.
"Look," sighed Sailor Moon. "Let's just do this, get Helios, and
get away from this place as fast as we can. Ceres, would you go with
Pallas and keep an eye on her?" Ceres nodded. "And everybody - - be
careful. I want to get Helios back, but I want to get all of you back,
too."
Juno nodded. Vesta patted Sailor Moon on the arm. Speaking her
code phrase, Vesta grew gills on her neck and fins on her arms and legs,
then dived into the moat. Juno followed, the water forming a bubble
around her at her command that trapped air inside.
"Hang on," Ceres said. "See that tree?" Down the bank a ways was
a gnarled thing that could be thought of as a tree, if one didn't stick
too closely to the definition. One of its limbs extended over the moat.
"Maybe I can get it to carry Pallas and me over the moat. That'll leave
you three free to attack from a different place."
With Pallas following, Ceres walked over to the tree. When she
was close enough, she pointed at it and concentrated.
"Floral Stimulation," she said, and strained to make the plant
obey. A few seconds passed. The limb on the tree began to quiver.
"OH!" gasped Ceres in shock.
"What happened?" Pallas asked.
"That tree just told me to," sputtered Ceres, mortified. "Well,
never mind what it suggested! It's physically impossible anyway!"
Pallas let loose a rude snort and started laughing.
"Oh shut up, 'Baby'!" huffed Ceres. She jabbed back at the tree
with both hands, gritting her teeth. "Floral Stimulation!" The branch
quivered again. "Just do it and don't argue!"
The limb began to extend toward them. Weaving its smaller
branches until Ceres and Pallas had a platform to ride upon, the limb
lifted them up into the air. They passed over the moat without
incident. The limb lowered them to the far shore and they stepped off.
However, as it was extending back into the air, the limb used several of
its branches to flip the back of Ceres' skirt. She gasped out in shock,
clapping her hands on her bottom, then turned and glared.
"You better hope I need you to get back across this moat!" Ceres
fumed. "Otherwise you're going to be the first tree that's tied into a
pretzel!"
Ceres stalked off, with a giggling Pallas following.
"Honestly, the low class of plant life they have on this world,"
muttered Ceres.
Sailor Moon waited against the tower as Evionne flew Saturn over.
She glanced at the tower wall, expecting it to try to bite her at any
time. There was a sense of corruption to this place. It was strong and
it was evil. She hadn't experienced sensations like this since Wise
Man. She found herself longing for her mother and father's protection
and she pushed the feeling aside.
"I shall see if there is any entry point from above," Evionne
said, then flew off before anyone could agree or disagree. Saturn
looked at Sailor Moon.
"Well, she's pleasant company," Saturn commented.
"She's worried about Helios, too," Sailor Moon replied.
"So what's the plan?"
"We use your glaive to cut a hole in this wall, sneak in and try
to find Helios before Ctesias knows we're here. Think you're up to it?"
"I'll try," Saturn replied. Evionne rejoined them.
"There is a courtyard in the center of the towers, but it holds
little promise," reported Evionne. "There are no apparent doors or
windows."
"She probably conjures them up as she needs them," Saturn said.
"Stand back."
Saturn pulled the glaive back to swing. The glaive flew in a
deadly arc. The blade disappeared into the stone for a few moments and
came out at the bottom. It was hard to see at first, but there was a
hair thin line through the stone.
"A powerful weapon you wield," Evionne commented. She turned to
Sailor Moon. "Are you not concerned that the sorceress will somehow
sense us?"
"Can't be helped," Sailor Moon said. "You can stay behind if you
want."
"When the safety of the Chosen One is both my desire and my duty?"
Evionne bristled. "How little regard you have for me."
"I meant no offense, Evionne," Sailor Moon told her as Saturn
swung her glaive again in an opposite arc. "I know how much he means to
you." Evionne looked away uncomfortably.
"There," panted Saturn. "A medium sized shove should push
through."
"Are you all right?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Just a little winded," Saturn said, then shot her a wry smile.
"Cutting through stone isn't easy, you know." Sailor Moon returned the
grin.
Evionne stepped up to the cut stone and pushed against it with her
hands. With a little effort, the cut area of the wall began to push in.
Finally it reached a point where there was enough of a gap to squeeze
in. Evionne turned back and nodded the two in.
"You're pretty strong," Saturn marveled.
"It was not I who cut through solid stone with a mere blade,"
Evionne replied, nodding respectfully to Saturn. "In your case, the
Princess has chosen her senshi well."
Once inside, the trio eased down the hall as quickly as they
could. Silence was paramount and they reluctantly sacrificed some speed
to maintain stealth. Evionne took the lead, since she seemed to have
some sensory bond with Helios. Some sense told Sailor Moon that the
temple maiden was leading them correctly and she didn't question it.
Saturn held her glaive at the ready, nervously looking from side to side
in the gloomy corridor.
As they walked, each one could sense the decay in the darkened
hall. It reminded Sailor Moon of all the holo-movies she'd seen of
explorers or adventurers walking through moldering tombs and crypts.
The air around them seemed ancient. The walls seemed ancient. The
floor seemed ancient.
They turned a corner and found a door. On the wall to the left of
the door were runes carved into the stone. Both Saturn and Evionne
walked over to the wall and studied them. Sailor Moon concerned herself
with the door. The door was made of a thick wood-like substance. There
was no window, only an ancient lock and no key around. She pushed on
the door, hoping against hope that it was unlocked. It wasn't.
"I wonder what they mean," Saturn asked, looking at the carved
symbols.
"I don't know," Evionne whispered. "The symbols look familiar,
though. One of the ancient tongues, I would guess. Were Ravonna here,
she would be able to tell."
"Saturn?" Sailor Moon said. "Do you think you can open this
door?"
Saturn nodded and crossed over to the door. Pulling back her
glaive, she was about to swing.
"No," Evionne interrupted. "That may cause too much noise or
otherwise betray us." She pointed to the lock. "You need only cut the
bolt."
Saturn nodded and lowered the glaive. With a little effort, she
managed to slide the blade in between the door and the stone frame the
door rested in. Once the blade was in position, Saturn pushed down on
the handle. The blade slid down like a guillotine. Each one heard the
lock bolt sever. Sailor Moon was about to push the door open. Saturn
held her back and insisted on going first, just in case.
The first thing that caught Saturn's eye was the skull lying on
the floor near a metal collar attached to the wall by a thick chain.
The skull, draped in shadow and highlighted by the low light of the
room, seemed eerily alive with its own manifestation of mortality.
Saturn's breath caught, drawing the attention of both Evionne and Sailor
Moon. They looked at it, too, with dread and revulsion.
"That can't be human?" gasped Sailor Moon.
"It looks like it was a horse once," Saturn answered softly, as if
fearing to raise angry spirits. "But that protrusion in the center of
the forehead is so weird. Could it have been a - - unicorn?
"Could be. But what was it doing in here? And what were those
chains for?"
"Maiden . . ."
Sailor Moon stood bolt upright.
"Helios?" she gasped softly, fearfully, looking in all directions.
"Helios?"
And she locked upon him and her feet became like wings. Heedless
of any possible threat, Sailor Moon flung herself over to where Helios
was. He was in his Pegasus form, the crystal horn catching what little
light there was and reflecting it. As she neared, though, horror slowed
her gait to a crawl.
"Chosen One," Evionne gulped out, her voice stricken and pale.
"And you are here, too, dear Evionne?" Helios thought aloud, for
it was the only way he could communicate in his Pegasus form. "You both
must forgive me, I pray, for I am slightly worse for my ordeal."
Saturn finally caught up and her hand went to her mouth. Helios
rested on the floor of the room, buttressed against the wall for support
with his legs curled beneath him. A steel collar around the equine's
neck was connected to the wall by a stout chain. His manner was drained
and listless. There were several ugly scars across his neck and chest
- - blade wounds that had healed poorly. And his wings - - every
feather had been viciously plucked from his wings. Saturn could see he
lay upon some of them.
Sailor Moon sank to her knees before him. She wrapped her arms
around his neck, buried her face in his shoulder and began sobbing.
Helios turned his head to her and nuzzled her pink coiffure.
"Though my heart is joyous to see you again, Maiden," Helios said,
"it pains me to see the distress my condition gives you. I wish with
all my heart we met again under different circumstances."
"Why did she do this to you?" sobbed Sailor Moon, clutching the
equine tightly. "Why would she do this to anyone?" Not waiting for an
answer, Sailor Moon pushed away and gathered herself. Helios watched
her with curious sadness. "We have to get you out of here. Saturn, can
you cut these chains?"
There was no response.
"Saturn?" Sailor Moon repeated. She turned around. "Evionne?"
Instantly she fell backwards on her side. Not six feet away from
her stood a statue of salt. It was shaped like Evionne and wore the
most horrified expression. Behind it and to the left was Saturn. Her
fuku was intact, but her glaive lay on the floor. Her body had been
transmuted into a tree. Misshapen limbs reached out to Sailor Moon and
gnarled roots dug into the stone floor. Sailor Moon could just make out
in the bark the semblance of a face twisted in surprise and agony.
"Maiden!" Helios said with alarm. "To your right!"
Sailor Moon whirled, crouched and ready to move. Her heart
thumped in her chest and her skin was electric with clammy perspiration.
Standing before her was Ctesias.
"I don't believe you were invited this time, Princess," Ctesias
smiled. Her eyes caressed Sailor Moon with the touch of death.
Continued in part 5
Chapter 4: "Parry and Feint"
By Bill K.
Ctesias sat upon her throne, looking at Sailor Moon and Evionne
and their companions. She was serenely calm and confident. The cat
beast that sat in her lap accepted her stroking palm as if it was due.
There was a resemblance between the two, in that each seemed
irritatingly pleased with themselves. Ctesias made no overt
acknowledgment that she knew what they wanted, but it was fairly obvious
she did. It was too much for Evionne.
"We have come for the Chosen One," Evionne growled. "Deliver him
to us - - NOW!"
"The temerity of you," Ctesias purred. "First accusations and now
demands. You know nothing of being a proper guest." Ctesias angled her
head ever so leisurely, dismissing Evionne wordlessly and locking onto
Sailor Moon. "Now you have the mark and bearing of a Princess. Surely
you must have better breeding than your companion."
"We believe Helios of Elysian to be here," Sailor Moon replied.
She fought to keep her tone of voice even and chose her words carefully.
She sensed that it wasn't a good idea to betray the concern she felt for
Helios - - or the fear that rumbled just under the surface, fear born
both of the ominous surroundings she found herself in and of the
unnatural appearance of Ctesias herself.
"No one is here but me," Ctesias calmly told her, "and you."
"LIAR!" roared Evionne. Ctesias ignored her.
"We have - - information - - that he has been brought here,"
Sailor Moon continued, straining to keep her cool.
"Then your information is wrong," Ctesias smiled. The smile was
more a challenge than anything else.
"Perhaps someone else," Saturn began.
"No one else is here but me," Ctesias answered. "You are the
first visitors I've had in - - oh, nearly four hundred years."
"I would still - - appreciate it - - if we could look around,"
Sailor Moon persisted.
"Appreciate it in what way?" smiled Ctesias, predatorily. Sailor
Moon seemed puzzled by the response. "What would you give me to allow
you to search? How precious is this Helios person to you?"
"Enough of this!" spat Evionne. "I will find him without your
permission! And when I do, I will return for your head!"
She turned right and began to stalk off. However, Evionne only
got three paces from the others. In the wink of an eye, tendrils shot
up from the marble floor. They rose ten feet in the air, met at a point
above Evionne's head, then transmuted into iron bars. Evionne found
herself trapped in a giant birdcage. She grasped the bars and shook
them in futility.
"Know you that this is my abode," Ctesias told Evionne, as if
lecturing a child, "and none may traverse it without my leave." She
smiled coldly. "I wonder what songs you will sing for me once you grow
used to your captivity."
Sailor Moon sensed Vesta about to lunge and restrained her.
"Let her go," Sailor Moon said. Ctesias turned back to her.
"Was that a request or a command, Princess?" Ctesias asked.
"A request," Sailor Moon said, clutching her temper with both
hands. "Please don't force it to become a command."
Ctesias smiled. Her eyes twinkled. "You have much potential, my
dear. I should like to meet you again once you have matured." She
fastidiously adjusted her gown. "Very well, I grant your request."
A wave of her hand caused the cage to dissolve into mist. Evionne
stared at Ctesias and the return stare she got told her that the cage
could reappear very easily should she venture another step into the
bowels of the tower.
"Now, where were we?" Ctesias asked playfully. "Yes, we were
bargaining. I fear it is a futile exercise, though, for none of you
possess anything I could want." She looked at them smugly. "Unless
there was something else, I must conclude this audience."
"We're not leaving without Helios," Sailor Moon said. Juno and
Saturn glanced at her with amazement. They'd never heard her use such a
resolute tone.
"He is not here," Ctesias challenged gently.
"He is."
"Do you name me liar as well?" bristled the sorceress.
"My heart does."
"You love him?" Ctesias asked. "Then you have my condolences."
"We're not leaving without him," Sailor Moon declared.
"Oh, but you are," Ctesias leered.
And suddenly they were outside the towers, on the far bank of the
moat. Startled, they looked around. She had only gestured once, a
simple flick of her wrist.
"What the Hell are we up against?" Juno murmured.
All other thoughts were cut short when Juno and the others noticed
Sailor Moon. Her lower lip quivered. Her eyes began to water. The
strength seemed to leave her legs and she sank to her knees. Instantly
Saturn was next to her.
"Sailor Moon?" Saturn asked.
"We were nothing to her," Sailor Moon whispered as water streamed
down her cheeks. "And Helios is in there! I could feel him! And he's
suffering so much! And I can't help him!"
"We're not beaten yet," Ceres offered.
"Mama could beat her," Sailor Moon whimpered. "But I'm not her."
"You told me that," Saturn said. "You're not your mom. But that
just means you have to find a way you can do it. Don't give up so soon.
I believe in you."
Sailor Moon tucked her head to Saturn's breast. Saturn put her
arms around her friend and held on.
"Princess," Evionne said softly, respectful of the girl's sorrow.
"I can fly each of us across the moat."
"A frontal attack?" Juno asked. "Is that wise?"
"Perhaps not," sniffed Evionne superiorly. "I am not wise in the
ways of skulking, unlike your kind."
Juno's eyes narrowed. "Aqua Initiation!" she hissed, gesturing at
the moat. A waterspout rose up and doused Evionne. "I'm getting just a
little tired of you," Juno said.
"Juno!" Sailor Moon said sharply, because the glint in the girl's
eye and the malicious grin was eerily familiar. Juno shook herself, as
if out of a mild trance, and realized what she'd done.
"I'm sorry," she croaked out. "I don't know what came over me."
Vesta and Ceres exchanged concerned glances.
"Maybe we all should do what we do best," Saturn suggested,
looking deferentially to Sailor Moon for approval. She didn't want it
to seem that she was stepping on her friend's acknowledged role as
leader. "Evionne, Sailor Moon and I can mount a direct assault on one
of the towers. Maybe we can get in without being spotted. Meanwhile,
you four can try to find a way in that will flank her."
Juno nodded. "I can explore this moat. Maybe there's a way in
underneath it. And Vesta can invoke some sort of fish power and come
with me."
"Pallas," Sailor Moon said. "When you were working for Queen
Neherenia, didn't you get the Golden Crystal away from her?"
"Yeah!" cackled Pallas at the memory, her eyes glinting with a
little too much cruelty. "Pallas popped in and put a pineapple there
instead. Queen Neherenia was mean to Pallas. Pallas was glad to do
it."
"Pallas!" Sailor Moon said, grabbing the girl by the upper arms.
"Focus! This is important!"
"You don't have to grab Pallas!" she frowned.
"I'm sorry, but we have to find Helios. Can you manage to sneak
into the towers and look for him the way you snuck into Neherenia's
chamber and got the Golden Crystal?"
"Sure," Pallas smirked. "Pallas thinks it'll be fun." She walked
over to the bank, with everyone's stare following her. "But how does
Pallas get across the water? Her Ball Attacks don't work anymore."
"Um, Evionne can fly us over," Sailor Moon said, then huddled with
Juno, Ceres and Vesta. "What's going on with her?"
"I-I don't know," Juno offered. "It's got to be this place. Ever
since we got here, I've been having - - thoughts and feelings I didn't
think I'd ever have again."
"Yeah, me too," Ceres said. "It's like this place brings out your
bad side." She noticed Saturn gulp.
"Maybe that's not such a bad thing," Vesta added. "Maybe Black
Lady and Mistress 9 can take this witch where we can't."
"Don't even speak about such things!" Saturn hissed, then caught
herself and looked away.
"Look," sighed Sailor Moon. "Let's just do this, get Helios, and
get away from this place as fast as we can. Ceres, would you go with
Pallas and keep an eye on her?" Ceres nodded. "And everybody - - be
careful. I want to get Helios back, but I want to get all of you back,
too."
Juno nodded. Vesta patted Sailor Moon on the arm. Speaking her
code phrase, Vesta grew gills on her neck and fins on her arms and legs,
then dived into the moat. Juno followed, the water forming a bubble
around her at her command that trapped air inside.
"Hang on," Ceres said. "See that tree?" Down the bank a ways was
a gnarled thing that could be thought of as a tree, if one didn't stick
too closely to the definition. One of its limbs extended over the moat.
"Maybe I can get it to carry Pallas and me over the moat. That'll leave
you three free to attack from a different place."
With Pallas following, Ceres walked over to the tree. When she
was close enough, she pointed at it and concentrated.
"Floral Stimulation," she said, and strained to make the plant
obey. A few seconds passed. The limb on the tree began to quiver.
"OH!" gasped Ceres in shock.
"What happened?" Pallas asked.
"That tree just told me to," sputtered Ceres, mortified. "Well,
never mind what it suggested! It's physically impossible anyway!"
Pallas let loose a rude snort and started laughing.
"Oh shut up, 'Baby'!" huffed Ceres. She jabbed back at the tree
with both hands, gritting her teeth. "Floral Stimulation!" The branch
quivered again. "Just do it and don't argue!"
The limb began to extend toward them. Weaving its smaller
branches until Ceres and Pallas had a platform to ride upon, the limb
lifted them up into the air. They passed over the moat without
incident. The limb lowered them to the far shore and they stepped off.
However, as it was extending back into the air, the limb used several of
its branches to flip the back of Ceres' skirt. She gasped out in shock,
clapping her hands on her bottom, then turned and glared.
"You better hope I need you to get back across this moat!" Ceres
fumed. "Otherwise you're going to be the first tree that's tied into a
pretzel!"
Ceres stalked off, with a giggling Pallas following.
"Honestly, the low class of plant life they have on this world,"
muttered Ceres.
Sailor Moon waited against the tower as Evionne flew Saturn over.
She glanced at the tower wall, expecting it to try to bite her at any
time. There was a sense of corruption to this place. It was strong and
it was evil. She hadn't experienced sensations like this since Wise
Man. She found herself longing for her mother and father's protection
and she pushed the feeling aside.
"I shall see if there is any entry point from above," Evionne
said, then flew off before anyone could agree or disagree. Saturn
looked at Sailor Moon.
"Well, she's pleasant company," Saturn commented.
"She's worried about Helios, too," Sailor Moon replied.
"So what's the plan?"
"We use your glaive to cut a hole in this wall, sneak in and try
to find Helios before Ctesias knows we're here. Think you're up to it?"
"I'll try," Saturn replied. Evionne rejoined them.
"There is a courtyard in the center of the towers, but it holds
little promise," reported Evionne. "There are no apparent doors or
windows."
"She probably conjures them up as she needs them," Saturn said.
"Stand back."
Saturn pulled the glaive back to swing. The glaive flew in a
deadly arc. The blade disappeared into the stone for a few moments and
came out at the bottom. It was hard to see at first, but there was a
hair thin line through the stone.
"A powerful weapon you wield," Evionne commented. She turned to
Sailor Moon. "Are you not concerned that the sorceress will somehow
sense us?"
"Can't be helped," Sailor Moon said. "You can stay behind if you
want."
"When the safety of the Chosen One is both my desire and my duty?"
Evionne bristled. "How little regard you have for me."
"I meant no offense, Evionne," Sailor Moon told her as Saturn
swung her glaive again in an opposite arc. "I know how much he means to
you." Evionne looked away uncomfortably.
"There," panted Saturn. "A medium sized shove should push
through."
"Are you all right?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Just a little winded," Saturn said, then shot her a wry smile.
"Cutting through stone isn't easy, you know." Sailor Moon returned the
grin.
Evionne stepped up to the cut stone and pushed against it with her
hands. With a little effort, the cut area of the wall began to push in.
Finally it reached a point where there was enough of a gap to squeeze
in. Evionne turned back and nodded the two in.
"You're pretty strong," Saturn marveled.
"It was not I who cut through solid stone with a mere blade,"
Evionne replied, nodding respectfully to Saturn. "In your case, the
Princess has chosen her senshi well."
Once inside, the trio eased down the hall as quickly as they
could. Silence was paramount and they reluctantly sacrificed some speed
to maintain stealth. Evionne took the lead, since she seemed to have
some sensory bond with Helios. Some sense told Sailor Moon that the
temple maiden was leading them correctly and she didn't question it.
Saturn held her glaive at the ready, nervously looking from side to side
in the gloomy corridor.
As they walked, each one could sense the decay in the darkened
hall. It reminded Sailor Moon of all the holo-movies she'd seen of
explorers or adventurers walking through moldering tombs and crypts.
The air around them seemed ancient. The walls seemed ancient. The
floor seemed ancient.
They turned a corner and found a door. On the wall to the left of
the door were runes carved into the stone. Both Saturn and Evionne
walked over to the wall and studied them. Sailor Moon concerned herself
with the door. The door was made of a thick wood-like substance. There
was no window, only an ancient lock and no key around. She pushed on
the door, hoping against hope that it was unlocked. It wasn't.
"I wonder what they mean," Saturn asked, looking at the carved
symbols.
"I don't know," Evionne whispered. "The symbols look familiar,
though. One of the ancient tongues, I would guess. Were Ravonna here,
she would be able to tell."
"Saturn?" Sailor Moon said. "Do you think you can open this
door?"
Saturn nodded and crossed over to the door. Pulling back her
glaive, she was about to swing.
"No," Evionne interrupted. "That may cause too much noise or
otherwise betray us." She pointed to the lock. "You need only cut the
bolt."
Saturn nodded and lowered the glaive. With a little effort, she
managed to slide the blade in between the door and the stone frame the
door rested in. Once the blade was in position, Saturn pushed down on
the handle. The blade slid down like a guillotine. Each one heard the
lock bolt sever. Sailor Moon was about to push the door open. Saturn
held her back and insisted on going first, just in case.
The first thing that caught Saturn's eye was the skull lying on
the floor near a metal collar attached to the wall by a thick chain.
The skull, draped in shadow and highlighted by the low light of the
room, seemed eerily alive with its own manifestation of mortality.
Saturn's breath caught, drawing the attention of both Evionne and Sailor
Moon. They looked at it, too, with dread and revulsion.
"That can't be human?" gasped Sailor Moon.
"It looks like it was a horse once," Saturn answered softly, as if
fearing to raise angry spirits. "But that protrusion in the center of
the forehead is so weird. Could it have been a - - unicorn?
"Could be. But what was it doing in here? And what were those
chains for?"
"Maiden . . ."
Sailor Moon stood bolt upright.
"Helios?" she gasped softly, fearfully, looking in all directions.
"Helios?"
And she locked upon him and her feet became like wings. Heedless
of any possible threat, Sailor Moon flung herself over to where Helios
was. He was in his Pegasus form, the crystal horn catching what little
light there was and reflecting it. As she neared, though, horror slowed
her gait to a crawl.
"Chosen One," Evionne gulped out, her voice stricken and pale.
"And you are here, too, dear Evionne?" Helios thought aloud, for
it was the only way he could communicate in his Pegasus form. "You both
must forgive me, I pray, for I am slightly worse for my ordeal."
Saturn finally caught up and her hand went to her mouth. Helios
rested on the floor of the room, buttressed against the wall for support
with his legs curled beneath him. A steel collar around the equine's
neck was connected to the wall by a stout chain. His manner was drained
and listless. There were several ugly scars across his neck and chest
- - blade wounds that had healed poorly. And his wings - - every
feather had been viciously plucked from his wings. Saturn could see he
lay upon some of them.
Sailor Moon sank to her knees before him. She wrapped her arms
around his neck, buried her face in his shoulder and began sobbing.
Helios turned his head to her and nuzzled her pink coiffure.
"Though my heart is joyous to see you again, Maiden," Helios said,
"it pains me to see the distress my condition gives you. I wish with
all my heart we met again under different circumstances."
"Why did she do this to you?" sobbed Sailor Moon, clutching the
equine tightly. "Why would she do this to anyone?" Not waiting for an
answer, Sailor Moon pushed away and gathered herself. Helios watched
her with curious sadness. "We have to get you out of here. Saturn, can
you cut these chains?"
There was no response.
"Saturn?" Sailor Moon repeated. She turned around. "Evionne?"
Instantly she fell backwards on her side. Not six feet away from
her stood a statue of salt. It was shaped like Evionne and wore the
most horrified expression. Behind it and to the left was Saturn. Her
fuku was intact, but her glaive lay on the floor. Her body had been
transmuted into a tree. Misshapen limbs reached out to Sailor Moon and
gnarled roots dug into the stone floor. Sailor Moon could just make out
in the bark the semblance of a face twisted in surprise and agony.
"Maiden!" Helios said with alarm. "To your right!"
Sailor Moon whirled, crouched and ready to move. Her heart
thumped in her chest and her skin was electric with clammy perspiration.
Standing before her was Ctesias.
"I don't believe you were invited this time, Princess," Ctesias
smiled. Her eyes caressed Sailor Moon with the touch of death.
Continued in part 5