Tobias mopped his brow. "I don't know how much longer we can hold out here. They're weak, but endless!"
Eàryon seized his chance as the tide of battle shifted away from him to reach Tobias's side. With a lightning lunge his starlit blade slid through a Skrala exoskeleton before the insect solider could sink its poisoned mandibles in Tobias's back. ""Watch yourself," he told his friend, with a gentle smile that looked totally out of place on the killing field.
Tobias made to reply, but a sudden roar drowned out his words. They both glanced to one side simultaneously, where the Knights of Neptune and Jupiter staggered on rubber legs before toppling to the ground. A surprise—these Skrala hurled stones from rudimentary slings.
"Visors!" Eàryon roared. The leader of the Sailor Knights snapped down the visor on his own platinum helm." Get those Knights to safety," Serenity's general continued. "We'll cover their retreat." He charged to the spot, magnificent blade whirring into a silver wheel.
The stupid bugs, he thought coldly, feinting and lunging with shocking speed for his build. They must know it's useless to keep throwing themselves at the Silver Millennium.
Limbs and ichor piled up around the Knight as he vented his frustration on the blank-eyed warriors. The Skrala soon learnt to keep away from him, clustering just out of reach of that wicked blade.
What? Eàryon thought suddenly. *Learnt?* Skrala don't learn! That's the only reason why we beat them!
Stones rang off his armour. He cursed under his breath for allowing his attention to wander. "Jularm! Take over here, I'm starting to slow down." The Lawlos Knight of Saturn ran forward, eager to prove his skills with his newly-won sword.
"Get your breath back," he said, excited. "I'll hold them off."
Eàryon nodded and stepped back, behind the line of Millennium soldiers. The Skrala chittered in a frenzy, jointed mouthparts clicking in delight to see their slayer backing away. Almost as one—almost? Eàryon wondered. We've always suspected they had a hive mind—the insectile warriors swarmed over the Saturnian Knight. His sword darted out in defence, but too many of the vermin were on him, pushing their slain brethren aside in their eagerness to get at the fresh meat. Jularm let out a single hoarse scream as they swarmed him under.
"Saturn!" Eàryon roared. He had held back, not wanting to insult the Knight by offering help in his first difficulty, but now he was in real danger.
The leader of the Sailor Knights streaked forward, his sword flashing out, severing mandibles, cracking chitin and shredding viscera. The Skrala drew back, hissing, then launched themselves at the lone Knight. He slew many, many insect warriors in the first minutes, but the sheer weight of them bore him down. Soon the filthy spawn were climbing all over him. It took all his concentration to swing the next stroke of his sword, and as they swarmed him over he could feel their razor mandibles slicing his skin... their burning poisons filling his eyes and mouth...
Eàryon groaned and his eyes flicked open, instantly alert. All he could see was whiteness. Where had his vision gone?
"Good, you've woken," a soft voice said. "Don't worry, the bandage is over your eyes to leech the poison out. You're not blind. How are you feeling?"
"Honestly? As if I'd been the moth that fell in an ant's nest," he replied, smiling a little at his own complaint. "Where am I? Who are you?"
"I am—"
There was a commotion from what sounded like another room. "Eàryon!" a familiar voice said in great relief. The Knight finally relaxed as he recognised the voice of Princess Darkness. Her crystal slippers rang on the tiled floor, her perpetual music, as she came to his side. "How are you feeling? Can you stand?"
"Not so good. I don't even want to try and walk," he replied, trying to keep the whine from his voice. "What happened out there?"
"Sir Tobias brought you back," the soft-voiced healer told him. "Queen Serenity, as you know, is meeting the Earthling embassy, so she couldn't attend to your injuries. The Princess and I have nullified the poison and closed your wounds, but you've lost a lot of blood. I didn't think you would wake up."
"That's my Knight. He can even protect us from Death," Princess Darkness said proudly. "Your condition is stable. I'll leave you to rest. Can you watch over him, Hotaru?"
"Of course, Princess."
"I don't need watching," Eàryon interrupted. "Just some rest."
"My decision, Sir Knight," the Princess told him with a hint of steel in her voice. "Now, go to sleep." Obediently, Eàryon closed his eyes.
It was a week before Eàryon was strong enough to stand, and another three days before he made his way, unsteadily and leaning heavily on Hotaru, to the Sailor Knight's training dojo.
"Eàryon!" Tobias smiled in relief. "Good to see you about again." He clasped his best friend's hand tightly. "I've tried to train the Knights, but you're our real teacher. Good to have you back."
"Thanks," his friend said with a wan smile. "I still feel as weak as Luna's kittens. When are the others?"
"They've lost their discipline. Everyone's late today—"
"Hey!" a surprised group of Lawlos men said in unison behind Eàryon. "You're awake!" Jularm went on, stepping toward his idol and stopping abruptly. None of the other Knights came any closer to their leader.
"What's wrong?" he asked, puzzled. They were staring at Hotaru with deep disgust. Under her calm expression, Eàryon could feel the pale girl shaking with barely concealed terror at the hostile Knights ranged before her.
"You're our leader! A hero! How could you be with *her?*" Artea said in a revolted voice.
"Huh?" Eàryon had never seen his Knights act like this. Seeing that he didn't understand, Cyrus softened his voice.
"She's one of *them,*" the Knight of Neptune explained. "The Sailor Senshi!" he cried, losing control of his anger. "You're Sailor Saturn! Get out of my sight before I run you through!" With a scream of displaced air, his sword swept into his hand. Stepping away from Eàryon, Hotaru took hold of a long glaive that hadn't been there a heartbeat before. She snapped it down, aiming at the furious Knight.
"Stop!" Eàryon roared. "Put up your sword, Knight! Neither of you will battle until *I* give you leave! Now, what's the cause of this discord?"
Crimson shuffled his feet, face flushed but still defiantly holding his sword. Slowly, his grey eyes met Eàryon's dark ones, furious at the loss of control in a Knight he had trained.
Cyrus sheathed his sword.
"Miss Hotaru, thank you for all your help. You had better go now, or I cannot promise your safety." The pale girl nodded and bowed, then walked off down the corridor, her long boots tapping neatly on the rainbow tiles.
Eàryon leant against the wall, taking several calming breaths. "Now," he said, when his temper was under control. "What was all that about?"
Over the next few hours, Eàryon's bewilderment turned into shock. The outcome of the battle with the Skrala had not, as he assumed, been decided by his Knights and the Millennium soldiers, the army of the Moon. After he had lost consciousness, Tobias had borne both Jularm and Eàryon to safety. The three remaining Sailor Knights had fought bravely, but with their comrades gone the vanguard had fallen. They had broken into full retreat ("We ran like dogs with our tails between our legs," Cyrus growled sourly) but the advancing Skrala had been halted by new defenders of the Silver Millennium.
"Girls?" Eàryon asked in disbelief. "Little girls stopped that army?"
"They're not like any girls *I've* seen before," Crimson said grimly. "The first attack filled the air with mist, so no-one could see. That covered our retreat, but Cyrus and I went back into the battle." He paused. "We lost," he added shortly.
"I was still conscious for some of it," the Knight of Mars admitted, pale-faced. "These... girls... They tore into those bugs like nothing I've ever seen before. One threw lightning, one hurled fire. I saw attacks from them that ripped up the ground and trapped whole battalions of Skrala into a crevasse."
"How many of them were there?" Eàryon asked dazedly. Little girls, succeeding where his Knights had failed...
"Eight," Artea said grimly. "Your friend Hotaru was one of them—the most fearsome of all, it is rumoured."
Eàryon stared at nothing. "I need to talk to Queen Serenity," he said finally. "Tobias, will you help me there?"
"Of course."
"Your Majesty," Eàryon intoned, bowing deeply and sweeping his arm before him. He kept his face expressionless with an effort, showing nothing of how hard it was to stand unaided.
Queen Serenity inclined her head. Her two daughters, Princesses Serenity and Darkness, smiled at their foremost bodyguard.
"Our faithful servant," the Queen responded. "How can I help you, my General?"
"Your Majesty. Who are the Sailor Senshi? What is their purpose?"
"They were my daughter's idea," the silver-haired monarch replied, smiling at Princess Serenity. "Formed as allies of yours, we had hoped you would complemented each other. But there is no risk in their battles—they strike from afar with magical attacks. I plan to establish them as equals of the Sailor Knights. Your oath of allegiance and protection can now cease, at least towards Princess Serenity. She has the Sailor Senshi, and no need of further protection."
Eàryon's heart and mind froze. "You—Your Majesty! Forgive me, but you shouldn't be so hasty! The Knights are trained warriors, we are more than capable of—"
"And this is why only the Senshi could halt the Skrala attack?" Princess Serenity asked bluntly. Eàryon was staggered inwardly—although she seemed like no more than a pretty little bimbo, the Moon Princess could be shocking astute at times.
Eàryon tried to get his tattered thought processes back together. "I will withdraw by your leave, Your Majesty." He bowed again, then paused. "Your Majesty. I propose that I take the Sailor Knights and attack the Skrala hive-nest. We can—"
"There's no need," Princess Darkness said.
"What?" Eàryon caught himself. "—did you mean, Highness?"
"There's no point your going," Darkness repeated, plainly not happy about this. "The Sailor Senshi have already routed the Skrala Queens. They are no threat any more."
Eàryon's mind exploded. This had gone too far. Taking over his duties, stealing glory that should have been his—these girls were destroying his life!
The cessation of his blood-oath to Princess Serenity's protection may as well have been her death. The sense of duty that had been instilled in the Sailor Knight since his earlier training screamed for just one thing.
Revenge.
Eàryon was a Sailor Knight, and did not rush lightly into these things. He waited another week while he regained his strength, as the popularity of the Sailor Senshi grew in court circles. Luna, the cat, was their advisor, and Eàryon sought her out when he was finally ready to exact his revenge. He would have to destroy the teamwork and unity of the Sailor Senshi—
By killing them one by one.
He found Luna in the Moon Court. "Good morning, Luna. I was hoping to find you here."
"Is something the matter, Sir Eàryon?" the black cat asked respectfully. It didn't do to make enemies of legendary warriors, after all.
"Not at all," he lied smoothly. "I was wondering—who is the weakest of the Sailor Senshi?"
"What do you want to know something like that for?" Luna asked in surprise.
"I want to form a bridge between the two forces," Eàryon told her. "To do that I will train their weakest warrior."
"Oh, I see! A very noble ambition. You must never say I told you this, of course, but I believe Sailor Venus is their weakest link. She has less combat experience, and little will to fight."
Eàryon's smile was genuine, but double-edged. "Thank you. I'll go and find her now, and give her the lesson." A lesson indeed, he thought as he moved away. She will never forget *this* lesson.
Eàryon strode through eh corridors of the Moon Palace, fully armed. His platinum breastplate glinted in the creamy light that filtered through the ceiling and filled the halls with rainbows. Courtiers discreetly crossed to pass at a cautious distance—it was easy to see he was on a mission.
Soon, he stood outside the Sailor Senshi's training dojo. Inside he knew Aino Minako, Sailor Venus, was training hard, alone. He eased the door open and slipped inside.
Sure enough, Venus stood there, Senshi fuku concealed by the mass of blonde hair that fell past her hips.
Moving like a shadow, the Knight drew his sword with the barest whisper and crept up behind the Senshi. She was firing beams from her hand at a target, and failed to notice as he held his sword inches from her neck.
He gritted his teeth. Strike, damn you! You could end it all here! But his body refused to respond—years on years of discipline in knightly conduct had left him unable to strike an unsuspecting victim from behind. Cursing his training, he moved back to the doorway. "Sailor Venus!" he called to her. "I have to speak to you."
She turned, her hair fanning out behind her head as she whirled. "Yes—oh."
Eàryon's sword dropped from nerveless fingers. Sailor Venus was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, more lovely even that Queen Serenity. He stared—she stared right back, obviously feeling something of the same order for him.
"You wanted me..?" she asked eventually, pulling her mind on-track.
"Oh, my God, yes. I mean yes," he said belatedly, realising what she actually meant. "Sailor Venus, I..." He sighed. May my Knights forgive me for what I am about to do. "I've come to train you."
Then he put out his hand, and she took it, and they were together.
Sailor Pluto watched Eàryon's meeting with Minako with great interest. Newly appointed, the lonely Sailor Senshi was stationed outside the great Door of Time, and through it she observed everything that happened in the Moon Palace.
Her smile was erased by sudden worry. Minako's hand was already promised, she was sure—an arranged marriage, such as was becoming more common in the Silver Millennium.
Setsuna, the new Sailor Pluto, shrugged. With this extraordinary cast in the theatre of life, the drama would certainly be worth watching. She had no doubt it would all work itself out in the end.