Yea, new chapter!
Disclaimer: I only own the plot, and any new characters I may introduce.
Chapter Summary: First off, Haruka and Michiru aren't completely left out. The assorted Generals, Lords, and one King are kidnapped, and six girls must go on a quest to find the crystals needed for ransom. Haruka and Michiru's prophecy is revealed, and they do what must be done.
Chapter 6-Another Prophecy
The Elemental Prophecy...
Four children, abandoned. A shunned girl, a lonely princess. These six, more power than the world could ever guess. Child of Metal. Child of Lightning. Child of Ice. Child of Fire. Child of Time. Child of Death.
Metal-daughter, the man of metal and moonlight will be yours. Child of Lightning, the stargazer belongs to you. Lover of Ice, you share a bond with the nature-lover and water- controller. Fire-maiden, your counterpart shares your fire, both inside and out. Time protector, you are protected with the love of darkness and void. Child of Death, you are under the care of the energy controller.
Daughters of the Elements, let them be separate from you for a while.
The ambassador of pure evil kidnaps them, and only through the Element Crystals may they be free.
Join the crystals with pure light, to destroy the evil and set your soul mates free.
Metal
Lightning
Ice
Fire
Time
Death
You now your destiny, now fulfill it!
The Warrior Prophecy...
There are two, A bond like no other. One deceptively calm; an ocean on a still day. She wields a weapon of both great beauty and terrible power.
Her soul mate, reckless and wild An untamable whirlwind, loud, dangerous She wields a weapon made of the very sky itself
Two warriors, both great in power and skill Sworn to protect the pure one The one who stands between life and oblivion. They die fulfilling their prophecy
*********************************************************
Trista was the first to wake. She looked up, into her brother's worried blue eyes.
"Tri? Are you alright?"
"Fine," Trista croaked. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm fine. What about the others?"
"They're still in a faint. We had you all moved to the Infirmary. What happened?"
"Our futures were revealed."
"You mean the Elemental Prophecy is true?"
"Yes, and I am one of the six to fulfill it."
"So it has begun."
"Yes. You will be taken, possibly brainwashed. Remember this: none of what is going to happen is your fault. You can't escape fate."
At that moment, Demando, who had to be taken forcibly from Trista's side, stuck his head in the door cautiously. Trista's garnet and black-green flecked eyes turned in his direction, and a gigantic smile lit his face. He walked over to her bed, and kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," Trista said, smiling up at her fiancée. Endymion smiled to himself, and moved on, leaving the affianced to have some private time.
Lita was the next to wake. She sat straight up, looking around with wide eyes. Nephrite was beside her side in an instant, giving her a once-over to make sure she was okay. She smiled at him fondly. "Neph, I'm fine, really. It was just a faint."
Nephrite stared into her lightning-flecked emerald eyes. "I know. I just wanted an excuse to touch you." Lita giggled.
Ami, Rei, and Mina woke at the same time. Hotaru kept Nephrite and Rubeus worrying for another two hours, but she was fine when she woke up.
"Well, what's going on?" Kunzite asked from his position by Mina's bedside.
"We're the fulfillers of the Elemental Prophecy, Z," Mina said quietly. She held up her hand, and a golden glow nestled in her palm.
"What?"
"You heard right, Kunzite. Look at what Ami can do," Zoicite said, nodding at Ami. She reached out and touched a ribbon lying on the nightstand. It froze solid.
"Yeah, watch." Lita pointed to the open window, and a bolt of lightning flew in and touched her finger. The light from the bolt blinded everyone but Nephrite and Lita. When everyone could see, Lita was balancing the bolt on her fingertip. She closed her hand, the lightning disappeared.
Rei didn't say anything, but a flame was sitting in her palm, flickering peacefully.
"Trista and I can't show you our powers. I can kill people with a touch, or heal them the same way, and Trista can stop, start, and travel through time."
Trista's eyes were half-closed as she nodded agreement to Hotaru's statement. She leaned back on her pillow, evergreen and crimson hair fanning out gently. "I'm so tired," Trista murmured. Diamond kissed her forehead, and the princess fell asleep. The men tiptoed out of the room, leaving the women to sleep. Soon, everyone was in a deep sleep.
"What about the other prophecy? The one that was connected to the Elemental Prophecy?" Zoicite asked.
"We can answer that," A soft feminine voice said. Everyone turned to see Amara and Michelle, both wielding beautiful weapons. Michelle had a whip, made out of ocean-blue leather and set in the handle with aquamarines. Amara had a long curved sword, made with a strange sky-blue metal, and with a hilt of clear crystal. "We're the Elemental Warriors." Amara nodded, and a gust of wind swept through the hall, knocking everyone off balance.
"We're to protect the pure one, who would just so happen to be..."
"Me," Serenity said, stepping forward. Endymion stared at her in open astonishment. "I'm the pure one."
"How can you be sure?" Endymion asked, pulling Serenity into his arms protectively.
"It's my mark." Serenity pulled her bangs away from her forehead to show a crescent moon mark right in the middle of it. The crescent moon had long been regarded as a symbol of purity by Endymion's country. That was why Endymion's parents had been so quick to arrange a marriage between the two. Serenity's kingdom was shrouded in mystery, and no one knew just how the mark had come to grace the petite queen's forehead. She herself had never told anyone, not even Endymion.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Endymion, we need to have a talk. If you'll excuse us?" Serenity led her husband down the hall to their chambers and closed and locked the door firmly behind them.
"I am only half-mortal. My father was the god Tranquility, my mother the queen of Catronia. I am the only person in my country to have this mark, and it was long ago prophesied that the bearer of this mark would be the pure one, sent to save the world from Chaos, or as your people call it, the nameless evil. I have the power to purify entire populations, at a price. If I purify the world unaided, it will kill me. With the Elemental Crystals, I can purify the world, and still live to tell about it," Serenity explained.
Endymion looked surprised. "Oh."
"Yes, that's the whole story. I have to stay here, whilst you are kidnapped, and my friends search for their crystals," Serenity said, lower lip trembling. Her great blue eyes filled with tears.
Endymion pulled her close and rested his chin on top of her head. "We'll get through this, Usako, you know that."
"Yes, but Amara and Michelle might DIE! The Warrior Prophecy says so!" Two big tears ran down both of Serenity's cheeks. She hugged Endymion harder. "I'm afraid, Endy-chan, so afraid!"
"Don't be. I won't get hurt, none of the generals will get hurt, the girls won't get hurt, and we'll deal with the meaning of the prophecy when it gets to that. You have to be strong, for them if not for me."
Serenity wiped her tears away. "Okay, I'll try to be as strong as I can, for all of your sakes."
"Good." Endymion kissed Serenity's forehead. "Now, we should go explain this to the generals. The girls are all sleeping."
Serenity sniffled and nodded. She and Endymion walked out of their room arm-in-arm. They met up with the generals and explained the current situation. Serenity looked around at the grim faces above her. She squeezed Kunzite's hand tightly, then Zoicite's, Jadeite's, and finally Nephrite's. "We'll get through this, won't we?" Four tense nods were her answer.
"WHAT?!"
"Milady, the elementals have been awakened, and will soon depart to search for the crystals." The blonde-haired man cringed.
"This is not good. Where were you, my faithful second-in- command?"
"Milady, I have not been idle. I was seeking for information regarding the king and his generals."
"I see." The white-eyed woman was cloaked with shadows, but the man bowing in front of her could see her nod. "Very well. I want the generals and king kidnapped now."
"Right now? But Majesty, I have not the power..."
"I know; which is why I'm sending her." A tall redheaded woman stepped out of the shadows. Her skin was a peculiar shade of lavender, and her curvy figure was incased in a body-hugging purple dress that left little to the imagination. "This is Beryl, my daughter. She has enough power to kidnap them all."
The blonde nodded and he and Beryl disappeared. The generals, lords, and king didn't know what hit them.
When Kunzite came to, he was lying on a damp stone floor, in someplace he knew couldn't possibly be the castle. He turned his head, massaging his neck, and saw his generals and Demando and Rubeus laid out. He sat up unsteadily, and swore under his breath. He had a headache fit for three men twice his size. A cool damp cloth was pressed against his forehead, and a cup to his lips.
"Drink, please." A sweet musical voice pleaded. Kunzite couldn't help himself, and took a sip. "You may drink more. It's not poison." Kunzite took another begrudging sip. "You are in the realm of her majesty queen Nephernia. In a few minutes, you'll feel some pain, but after that, nothing, because you will be her lead general, and commander of her reptilian armies." The sweet voice said happily. Kunzite stiffed as a bolt of unbearable pain spread through his body. It dissipated, and Kunzite stood, clothed in a grey general's uniform, much like his own back home. It had a cloak and silver trim. The cloak was held in place with a kunzite stone on each shoulder. He looked down at his attendant. She was quite pretty, petite and slender with big blue eyes and long curly turquoise hair. Her skin was milk white, and she gazed up at Kunzite appealingly.
"Who are you?" Kunzite's voice had changed slightly, deep with growling hatred.
"If it pleases the general, I am Turquoise, your servant." Turquoise said, bowing her head to the general. Kunzite tilted her head up with the point of his sword.
"You'll do." Turquoise stood and motioned for the general to follow her.
Zoicite was the next to awaken. He woke to a cool hand pressing itself against his temples soothingly. "You're awake. Drink." The voice was feminine, a reverberating alto. Zoicite took a tentative sip, and felt a sharp pain, one that emanated from his very soul and spread to his body. When at last the pain subsided, Zoicite stood, brushing away the hands imperiously. His uniform was gray, but minus the cape and trimmed with green.
"Your name, woman."
The young woman gave him a sultry look. Overall, she was very attractive, with thick shimmering black hair and black eyes. Her skin was pale brown. "I am Jet, your maid."
"I see. Where are my quarters?"
Jet stood, and shook her thick curtain of dark hair. "Follow me, Milord."
Nephrite and Rubeus woke at the same time, and were offered the same poison as Kunzite and Zoicite. Nephrite gave a slight grunt of pain as the poison did its job, but the poison did what it was supposed to. Nephrite's outfit was trimmed in burgundy. Rubeus wore a pair of breeches and a tunic, the breeches in ruby, and the tunic in crimson, with a black shirt underneath.
"You, harlot! What are you called?" Nephrite barked.
The young woman's lip protruded sulkily, as she replied. "I am no harlot, general. I am your servant, Opal." Opal's hair was quite unusual, looking white at first glance, but actually a blend of a plethora of colors. Her eyes sparkled with blue and pale green tones. "If you would follow me, I will show you to your chambers." Opal led Nephrite out of the room, her head held high.
"And you?" Rubeus addressed a lovely girl with subtle pink hair, and eyes that were a little darker.
"I am Tourmaline, milord. I will show you to your chambers." They left.
Now the only two people left were Demando, and his servant, a pretty girl with chin length pale blue hair and ocean-blue eyes. She heard her master stir and quickly pressed a cup to his lips. With a shudder of pain, Demando was turned against Tailona. His outfit was the same as Rubeus, only black with a white shirt underneath. He gestured to his servant. "Your name please."
"Aquamarine, at your service. I will show you to your quarters. Should you need anything," Aquamarine's gaze was frank, "simply ask." She led him out of the now-empty room.
Serenity had been talking with Kunzite and the others when they all vanished. The queen stifled her screams and ran for the infirmary.
Rei's eyelashes fluttered, and then parted, framing her eyes. Serenity was standing over her, crying almost hysterically. Rei sat up and moved over to allow the sobbing queen to sit down. "Usa, what's wrong?"
"It's the prophecy, its coming true!"
"What do you mean?" Rei asked warily.
"She's taken them, Rei, The generals, Endy, Demando and Rubeus!" Now everyone was awake and crowded around Rei's bed, where Rei had clasped her hands to her mouth in horror. Trista did the first thing that came to mind and pulled her sister-in-law into her arms.
"Ssh, Sere, hush child. It's okay, it's okay."
"No it's not Trista, it's not!" Serenity cried.
"We'll just have to leave to find the crystals sooner than we thought." Trista's gaze bored into each and every one of the young women. "There is a little more to the prophecy. It gives clues as to where you need to go. Mina, your crystal is in Iless. Lita, yours is in Jermnca, Ami's in Latavia, and Rei's in Anticay. I must travel to Serenity's kingdom to find my crystal, and Hotaru..." Trista swallowed. "Your crystal lies in the kingdom of the dead."
Hotaru's face simply drained of all color. "The Kingdom of the Dead?"
"Yes. I want all of you to go pack. Serenity, you Amara and Michelle will travel with me to your mother's kingdom." All of the women left, except for Trista and Rei. Rei's hands were still over her mouth, her eyes blank with disbelief.
"Trista, he can't be gone. I need him."
Trista grasped one of Rei's hands tightly. "We'll get him back, I swear it." She gently pulled the girl to the door. "We must pack for our journeys."
Ami pulled open the closet doors and took out five rucksacks. She took hers and began to pack plenty of warm clothing. Latavia was a very cold place. Trista came in. "I forgot to tell you. You won't need bags. You can simply place your things in another dimension and pull them out whenever necessary."
"How?"
"It's called a sub-space pocket, and all you have to do is concentrate on it and stick your hand behind your back." Trista demonstrated. She hurried out of the room, leaving the girls to work on this new method of packing. Mina's clothes were slightly summery, and Rei's were absolutely meant for desert weather. Lita's was more for a rainy climate, and Hotaru's was quite warm, a lot of cloaks and such. Her face was wan, but determined as she and Lita left the room for the kitchen. They began packing food silently, until Lita punched a hole in the wall and sank to the floor.
"Hotaru, I feel so helpless! We can't do anything until we get the crystals, and we don't even know where they are!"
"Lita, we're going to get the crystals, and get them back, no matter what. We have to be strong, Lita, very strong."
"I understand that, but I'm afraid!"
"As we all are, Lita, but we will find the crystals, and we will free them."
"I hope so, Hotaru, I really hope so." Lita stood and pulled Hotaru to her feet. Hotaru wrapped the bigger girl in a huge hug, and they began packing again.
In the realm of Queen Nephernia, Rei's father was looking at three crystals in a glass case. One of the crystals was flame red, with what looked to be an internal flame burning inside it. Another one was a cheery shade of orange-yellow. The last was dark green, with silver streaks. Rei's father began to laugh, as he turned away from the crystals. The sooner Rei came to collect her crystal, the sooner he would kill her and be done with his daughter, and his dead wife.
Back in Tailona, nine people set off for different places. Two went north, two went south, and the rest headed east. All had the same goal: find the crystals, and rescue their loved ones before they had to kill them all.
*************************************
Okay, before y'all can curse me out, I have carpal tunnel, which is part of the reason this chapter is so short. Another reason is that I plan to devote about six chapters, one for each girl, to their separate journeys, and then I figure maybe one chapter for the big fight, and maybe one or two chapters to tie everything together. Please, review! I need them to pull me out of my depression!
Disclaimer: I only own the plot, and any new characters I may introduce.
Chapter Summary: First off, Haruka and Michiru aren't completely left out. The assorted Generals, Lords, and one King are kidnapped, and six girls must go on a quest to find the crystals needed for ransom. Haruka and Michiru's prophecy is revealed, and they do what must be done.
Chapter 6-Another Prophecy
The Elemental Prophecy...
Four children, abandoned. A shunned girl, a lonely princess. These six, more power than the world could ever guess. Child of Metal. Child of Lightning. Child of Ice. Child of Fire. Child of Time. Child of Death.
Metal-daughter, the man of metal and moonlight will be yours. Child of Lightning, the stargazer belongs to you. Lover of Ice, you share a bond with the nature-lover and water- controller. Fire-maiden, your counterpart shares your fire, both inside and out. Time protector, you are protected with the love of darkness and void. Child of Death, you are under the care of the energy controller.
Daughters of the Elements, let them be separate from you for a while.
The ambassador of pure evil kidnaps them, and only through the Element Crystals may they be free.
Join the crystals with pure light, to destroy the evil and set your soul mates free.
Metal
Lightning
Ice
Fire
Time
Death
You now your destiny, now fulfill it!
The Warrior Prophecy...
There are two, A bond like no other. One deceptively calm; an ocean on a still day. She wields a weapon of both great beauty and terrible power.
Her soul mate, reckless and wild An untamable whirlwind, loud, dangerous She wields a weapon made of the very sky itself
Two warriors, both great in power and skill Sworn to protect the pure one The one who stands between life and oblivion. They die fulfilling their prophecy
*********************************************************
Trista was the first to wake. She looked up, into her brother's worried blue eyes.
"Tri? Are you alright?"
"Fine," Trista croaked. She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm fine. What about the others?"
"They're still in a faint. We had you all moved to the Infirmary. What happened?"
"Our futures were revealed."
"You mean the Elemental Prophecy is true?"
"Yes, and I am one of the six to fulfill it."
"So it has begun."
"Yes. You will be taken, possibly brainwashed. Remember this: none of what is going to happen is your fault. You can't escape fate."
At that moment, Demando, who had to be taken forcibly from Trista's side, stuck his head in the door cautiously. Trista's garnet and black-green flecked eyes turned in his direction, and a gigantic smile lit his face. He walked over to her bed, and kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," Trista said, smiling up at her fiancée. Endymion smiled to himself, and moved on, leaving the affianced to have some private time.
Lita was the next to wake. She sat straight up, looking around with wide eyes. Nephrite was beside her side in an instant, giving her a once-over to make sure she was okay. She smiled at him fondly. "Neph, I'm fine, really. It was just a faint."
Nephrite stared into her lightning-flecked emerald eyes. "I know. I just wanted an excuse to touch you." Lita giggled.
Ami, Rei, and Mina woke at the same time. Hotaru kept Nephrite and Rubeus worrying for another two hours, but she was fine when she woke up.
"Well, what's going on?" Kunzite asked from his position by Mina's bedside.
"We're the fulfillers of the Elemental Prophecy, Z," Mina said quietly. She held up her hand, and a golden glow nestled in her palm.
"What?"
"You heard right, Kunzite. Look at what Ami can do," Zoicite said, nodding at Ami. She reached out and touched a ribbon lying on the nightstand. It froze solid.
"Yeah, watch." Lita pointed to the open window, and a bolt of lightning flew in and touched her finger. The light from the bolt blinded everyone but Nephrite and Lita. When everyone could see, Lita was balancing the bolt on her fingertip. She closed her hand, the lightning disappeared.
Rei didn't say anything, but a flame was sitting in her palm, flickering peacefully.
"Trista and I can't show you our powers. I can kill people with a touch, or heal them the same way, and Trista can stop, start, and travel through time."
Trista's eyes were half-closed as she nodded agreement to Hotaru's statement. She leaned back on her pillow, evergreen and crimson hair fanning out gently. "I'm so tired," Trista murmured. Diamond kissed her forehead, and the princess fell asleep. The men tiptoed out of the room, leaving the women to sleep. Soon, everyone was in a deep sleep.
"What about the other prophecy? The one that was connected to the Elemental Prophecy?" Zoicite asked.
"We can answer that," A soft feminine voice said. Everyone turned to see Amara and Michelle, both wielding beautiful weapons. Michelle had a whip, made out of ocean-blue leather and set in the handle with aquamarines. Amara had a long curved sword, made with a strange sky-blue metal, and with a hilt of clear crystal. "We're the Elemental Warriors." Amara nodded, and a gust of wind swept through the hall, knocking everyone off balance.
"We're to protect the pure one, who would just so happen to be..."
"Me," Serenity said, stepping forward. Endymion stared at her in open astonishment. "I'm the pure one."
"How can you be sure?" Endymion asked, pulling Serenity into his arms protectively.
"It's my mark." Serenity pulled her bangs away from her forehead to show a crescent moon mark right in the middle of it. The crescent moon had long been regarded as a symbol of purity by Endymion's country. That was why Endymion's parents had been so quick to arrange a marriage between the two. Serenity's kingdom was shrouded in mystery, and no one knew just how the mark had come to grace the petite queen's forehead. She herself had never told anyone, not even Endymion.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Endymion, we need to have a talk. If you'll excuse us?" Serenity led her husband down the hall to their chambers and closed and locked the door firmly behind them.
"I am only half-mortal. My father was the god Tranquility, my mother the queen of Catronia. I am the only person in my country to have this mark, and it was long ago prophesied that the bearer of this mark would be the pure one, sent to save the world from Chaos, or as your people call it, the nameless evil. I have the power to purify entire populations, at a price. If I purify the world unaided, it will kill me. With the Elemental Crystals, I can purify the world, and still live to tell about it," Serenity explained.
Endymion looked surprised. "Oh."
"Yes, that's the whole story. I have to stay here, whilst you are kidnapped, and my friends search for their crystals," Serenity said, lower lip trembling. Her great blue eyes filled with tears.
Endymion pulled her close and rested his chin on top of her head. "We'll get through this, Usako, you know that."
"Yes, but Amara and Michelle might DIE! The Warrior Prophecy says so!" Two big tears ran down both of Serenity's cheeks. She hugged Endymion harder. "I'm afraid, Endy-chan, so afraid!"
"Don't be. I won't get hurt, none of the generals will get hurt, the girls won't get hurt, and we'll deal with the meaning of the prophecy when it gets to that. You have to be strong, for them if not for me."
Serenity wiped her tears away. "Okay, I'll try to be as strong as I can, for all of your sakes."
"Good." Endymion kissed Serenity's forehead. "Now, we should go explain this to the generals. The girls are all sleeping."
Serenity sniffled and nodded. She and Endymion walked out of their room arm-in-arm. They met up with the generals and explained the current situation. Serenity looked around at the grim faces above her. She squeezed Kunzite's hand tightly, then Zoicite's, Jadeite's, and finally Nephrite's. "We'll get through this, won't we?" Four tense nods were her answer.
"WHAT?!"
"Milady, the elementals have been awakened, and will soon depart to search for the crystals." The blonde-haired man cringed.
"This is not good. Where were you, my faithful second-in- command?"
"Milady, I have not been idle. I was seeking for information regarding the king and his generals."
"I see." The white-eyed woman was cloaked with shadows, but the man bowing in front of her could see her nod. "Very well. I want the generals and king kidnapped now."
"Right now? But Majesty, I have not the power..."
"I know; which is why I'm sending her." A tall redheaded woman stepped out of the shadows. Her skin was a peculiar shade of lavender, and her curvy figure was incased in a body-hugging purple dress that left little to the imagination. "This is Beryl, my daughter. She has enough power to kidnap them all."
The blonde nodded and he and Beryl disappeared. The generals, lords, and king didn't know what hit them.
When Kunzite came to, he was lying on a damp stone floor, in someplace he knew couldn't possibly be the castle. He turned his head, massaging his neck, and saw his generals and Demando and Rubeus laid out. He sat up unsteadily, and swore under his breath. He had a headache fit for three men twice his size. A cool damp cloth was pressed against his forehead, and a cup to his lips.
"Drink, please." A sweet musical voice pleaded. Kunzite couldn't help himself, and took a sip. "You may drink more. It's not poison." Kunzite took another begrudging sip. "You are in the realm of her majesty queen Nephernia. In a few minutes, you'll feel some pain, but after that, nothing, because you will be her lead general, and commander of her reptilian armies." The sweet voice said happily. Kunzite stiffed as a bolt of unbearable pain spread through his body. It dissipated, and Kunzite stood, clothed in a grey general's uniform, much like his own back home. It had a cloak and silver trim. The cloak was held in place with a kunzite stone on each shoulder. He looked down at his attendant. She was quite pretty, petite and slender with big blue eyes and long curly turquoise hair. Her skin was milk white, and she gazed up at Kunzite appealingly.
"Who are you?" Kunzite's voice had changed slightly, deep with growling hatred.
"If it pleases the general, I am Turquoise, your servant." Turquoise said, bowing her head to the general. Kunzite tilted her head up with the point of his sword.
"You'll do." Turquoise stood and motioned for the general to follow her.
Zoicite was the next to awaken. He woke to a cool hand pressing itself against his temples soothingly. "You're awake. Drink." The voice was feminine, a reverberating alto. Zoicite took a tentative sip, and felt a sharp pain, one that emanated from his very soul and spread to his body. When at last the pain subsided, Zoicite stood, brushing away the hands imperiously. His uniform was gray, but minus the cape and trimmed with green.
"Your name, woman."
The young woman gave him a sultry look. Overall, she was very attractive, with thick shimmering black hair and black eyes. Her skin was pale brown. "I am Jet, your maid."
"I see. Where are my quarters?"
Jet stood, and shook her thick curtain of dark hair. "Follow me, Milord."
Nephrite and Rubeus woke at the same time, and were offered the same poison as Kunzite and Zoicite. Nephrite gave a slight grunt of pain as the poison did its job, but the poison did what it was supposed to. Nephrite's outfit was trimmed in burgundy. Rubeus wore a pair of breeches and a tunic, the breeches in ruby, and the tunic in crimson, with a black shirt underneath.
"You, harlot! What are you called?" Nephrite barked.
The young woman's lip protruded sulkily, as she replied. "I am no harlot, general. I am your servant, Opal." Opal's hair was quite unusual, looking white at first glance, but actually a blend of a plethora of colors. Her eyes sparkled with blue and pale green tones. "If you would follow me, I will show you to your chambers." Opal led Nephrite out of the room, her head held high.
"And you?" Rubeus addressed a lovely girl with subtle pink hair, and eyes that were a little darker.
"I am Tourmaline, milord. I will show you to your chambers." They left.
Now the only two people left were Demando, and his servant, a pretty girl with chin length pale blue hair and ocean-blue eyes. She heard her master stir and quickly pressed a cup to his lips. With a shudder of pain, Demando was turned against Tailona. His outfit was the same as Rubeus, only black with a white shirt underneath. He gestured to his servant. "Your name please."
"Aquamarine, at your service. I will show you to your quarters. Should you need anything," Aquamarine's gaze was frank, "simply ask." She led him out of the now-empty room.
Serenity had been talking with Kunzite and the others when they all vanished. The queen stifled her screams and ran for the infirmary.
Rei's eyelashes fluttered, and then parted, framing her eyes. Serenity was standing over her, crying almost hysterically. Rei sat up and moved over to allow the sobbing queen to sit down. "Usa, what's wrong?"
"It's the prophecy, its coming true!"
"What do you mean?" Rei asked warily.
"She's taken them, Rei, The generals, Endy, Demando and Rubeus!" Now everyone was awake and crowded around Rei's bed, where Rei had clasped her hands to her mouth in horror. Trista did the first thing that came to mind and pulled her sister-in-law into her arms.
"Ssh, Sere, hush child. It's okay, it's okay."
"No it's not Trista, it's not!" Serenity cried.
"We'll just have to leave to find the crystals sooner than we thought." Trista's gaze bored into each and every one of the young women. "There is a little more to the prophecy. It gives clues as to where you need to go. Mina, your crystal is in Iless. Lita, yours is in Jermnca, Ami's in Latavia, and Rei's in Anticay. I must travel to Serenity's kingdom to find my crystal, and Hotaru..." Trista swallowed. "Your crystal lies in the kingdom of the dead."
Hotaru's face simply drained of all color. "The Kingdom of the Dead?"
"Yes. I want all of you to go pack. Serenity, you Amara and Michelle will travel with me to your mother's kingdom." All of the women left, except for Trista and Rei. Rei's hands were still over her mouth, her eyes blank with disbelief.
"Trista, he can't be gone. I need him."
Trista grasped one of Rei's hands tightly. "We'll get him back, I swear it." She gently pulled the girl to the door. "We must pack for our journeys."
Ami pulled open the closet doors and took out five rucksacks. She took hers and began to pack plenty of warm clothing. Latavia was a very cold place. Trista came in. "I forgot to tell you. You won't need bags. You can simply place your things in another dimension and pull them out whenever necessary."
"How?"
"It's called a sub-space pocket, and all you have to do is concentrate on it and stick your hand behind your back." Trista demonstrated. She hurried out of the room, leaving the girls to work on this new method of packing. Mina's clothes were slightly summery, and Rei's were absolutely meant for desert weather. Lita's was more for a rainy climate, and Hotaru's was quite warm, a lot of cloaks and such. Her face was wan, but determined as she and Lita left the room for the kitchen. They began packing food silently, until Lita punched a hole in the wall and sank to the floor.
"Hotaru, I feel so helpless! We can't do anything until we get the crystals, and we don't even know where they are!"
"Lita, we're going to get the crystals, and get them back, no matter what. We have to be strong, Lita, very strong."
"I understand that, but I'm afraid!"
"As we all are, Lita, but we will find the crystals, and we will free them."
"I hope so, Hotaru, I really hope so." Lita stood and pulled Hotaru to her feet. Hotaru wrapped the bigger girl in a huge hug, and they began packing again.
In the realm of Queen Nephernia, Rei's father was looking at three crystals in a glass case. One of the crystals was flame red, with what looked to be an internal flame burning inside it. Another one was a cheery shade of orange-yellow. The last was dark green, with silver streaks. Rei's father began to laugh, as he turned away from the crystals. The sooner Rei came to collect her crystal, the sooner he would kill her and be done with his daughter, and his dead wife.
Back in Tailona, nine people set off for different places. Two went north, two went south, and the rest headed east. All had the same goal: find the crystals, and rescue their loved ones before they had to kill them all.
*************************************
Okay, before y'all can curse me out, I have carpal tunnel, which is part of the reason this chapter is so short. Another reason is that I plan to devote about six chapters, one for each girl, to their separate journeys, and then I figure maybe one chapter for the big fight, and maybe one or two chapters to tie everything together. Please, review! I need them to pull me out of my depression!