The wind tugged at his wings as he flew, fast as he could. The golden scales at the base of his wings clicked as he shifted them to gain the most from the currents. Gold was in his real form. The true, awe inspiring dragon form that had forged the legends of many cultures.
Standing on his hind legs, his size would be that of a five story building and his wingspan more than doubled his size.
At this rate it would only take him a few minutes to get to his destination. He just hoped he would be strong enough and that Earth's warriors would last that long.
Masks & Dragons
Chapter 9
Black
By Wanderer D
As she fell on the Senshi, Coldfire sneered. These were hardly a good match, but at the moment, they were the only beings capable of fighting her.
There was no sign from the knight... a shame really, she would've liked to fight him again. Opening her jaws she expelled a cone of cold at the girls, watching amused as they scrambled out of firing range.
Sailor Moon jumped clumsily to the side, she looked in surprise as the rocks next to her were covered in frost. That breath weapon was as cold as Mercury's attacks... or colder.
The Senshi took cover behind a large rock as Coldfire flew past them overhead and went up, getting ready for another sweep.
Mars and Venus quickly jumped up.
"Flame Sniper!!" Mars shouted summoning fire.
"Crescent Beam Shower!!" Sailor Venus called, extending her hand to the heavens.
Both attacks sped towards the ascending dragon. Venus' beams missed by millimeters, while Mars' sniper managed to hit Coldfire on the tip of her tail.
Coldfire wailed in anger and climbing up faster she soon disappeared between the ash clouds overhead.
Amy performed a quick scan with her computer. "There!!" she shouted pointing up at a seemingly random point.
Seconds after, the place was covered in Sailor attacks.
Roaring out of the clouds Coldfire again dived for the Senshi. This time her low sweep managed to avoid lightning bolts, flame snipers, and rays.
She smashed into Sailor Moon and brought her up with her. The other Senshi didn't attack again, in fear of hitting Usagi.
Coldfire held Sailor Moon close as she flew up out of range. When she was convinced that the Senshi would be unable to attack her, she held Usagi by the throat. She balled her hand into a fist and slammed into Usagi's gut. The girl doubled over, spitting a little blood. Coldfire smiled savagely as she pulled her fist slowly out.
Throwing Sailor Moon up in the air, she quickly hit her with a combination of punches and kicks. Turning in the air she used her tail to slam her and sent her at an incredible speed towards the ground.
By the time she was visible, falling out from the ash clouds, she had lost consciousness.
The sailor Senshi looked in horror as their leader fell. The jagged rocks and flowing magma bellow made their interference impossible.
Uranus tore her gaze away from the falling figure and looked around for Coldfire. She spotted her looking smugly at them.
Suddenly a powerful earthquake shook the ground. While they really had no problem coping with the shaking ground, they were distracted long enough for Coldfire to try another attack. Just as she dived for the Senshi, Coldfire suddenly found herself trapped in a gigantic golden claw.
---
She was standing on the top of a grass covered hill, there was a dirt road crossing it from the forest bellow, up the hill and down to a large lake.
The waters reflected the sky above it like a deep blue mirror. The lake. Somehow the way it reflected the moonlight... the moon? It wasn't supposed to be night yet... even if it were the moon shouldn't be able to shine through... she shook her head. The sky was clear and the sun shone brightly, but the lake reflected the starry night sky and the moon.
Usagi looked around again, the landscape still surprised her. She knew she wasn't supposed to be here, she also knew there was something she should be doing right now, but... there was something about this place...
Near her she saw a small troop of men and women serving as an escort to a large wagon. The men in armor rode huge horses as they paced along the road, while the women, clothed in long, white and delicate dresses slowly followed the entourage.
Curious, Usagi walked towards the gathering at the side of the lake.
When she got there, the wagon revealed to hold the armored body of a man. On his chest, held with both hands rested a gold crown with embedded jewels and a stylized dragon. He was worn beyond his years, but with an inner strength and nobility that made her admire him despite not knowing him when alive.
It was a different kind of respect, the kind of respect that came from an equal. Usagi knew she would one day rule, she only hoped she would be as loved as the former king before her, despite the assurances from Chibi-Usa and Setsuna that she would be.
A few knights stood next to him and a weeping woman. One of the knights spoke, and Usagi gasped when she looked at him. His armor was simple compared to that of the other knights, which were decorated with emblems and such.
'Mask!' she thought at first, but then noticed her error.
The difference was in the armor itself, it was green, with a long cape with a hood that was pulled up over a masked face.
The knight's helm was an almost exact copy of Mask's headpiece, but it and the mask were green colored.
She snapped back to what the knight was saying, having almost missed the whole conversation. "...will take him back to Avalon, we all know that's what he wanted."
"Have you fulfilled his other wish?" The one woman that stood apart, clad in black armor, asked.
"With your permission, my lady Morgana." The knight said.
The green knight pulled out a gleaming sword from within the folds of a black cloth.
Usagi crept closer to look at it and stifled a surprised squeak, for embedded into the cross guard decorated with a half moon was… the silver crystal!
She was about to try and grab it when the knight pulled back and threw the sword into the lake. The silver crystal gleamed in sunlight and moonlight as the sword fell down in the center of the lake, where it stayed for a moment, apparently balanced on the point of the blade before it slowly began to submerge.
---
The gathered Senshi stared in awe at the gigantic golden dragon that held Coldfire in its grasp. It was easily five stories high, with a wingspan that almost tripled it's size. He had come so fast and so unexpectedly that the smaller but quicker silver had not been able to react in time.
Coldfire tried to get free. "Gold! You bastard!! Let go off me!!"
The Senshi stared. "Gold?" Mercury asked. "That must be his original form!"
The others said nothing as Gold threw Coldfire against the ground, creating a small crater where she impacted.
Suddenly, they felt a presence above them and looked up, to see a black dragon floating above them.
"Gold. You are alive..." Black stated, amused.
Gold roared as he looked up. "Yes! I am alive, Black!! And I'm going to kill you!"
"Do your best!" Black laughed.
Gold roared again as he launched himself up into the air, heading for the top of mount Fuji.
---
Coldfire slowly crept out of the crater she had created. When she was almost out she met the wrong end of Sailor Uranus' foot.
This time Coldfire had nowhere to go as the Senshi surrounded her.
---
When the water stilled, the knights pushed the boat where they had put the body of the king into the calm waters and started a fire in the manner of Viking funerals.
Sailing with it were two smaller boats, one carrying the green-armored man and the other carrying the woman identified as Morgana, who now held the golden crown in her hands. She slowly lifted the crown and it caught the reflection of the moon in the water and the sun in the sky and mists rose to slowly cover the three boats. Soon, the only thing Usagi could see was the glow of the pyre as it faded into the mist.
In her heart she heard a strong, authoritative, but compassionate voice, a voice with no regret in it's tone, but of quiet dignity and pride.
"It was left for you... call it forth!" the man's voice said. "Its name is…"
"Sailor Moon! Wake up!" a familiar voice shouted, making the world tremble.
---
Michiru slumped against the hard rock, her sailor fuku badly damaged, she felt Uranus' comforting arm around her shoulders as she helped her up again.
They had suffered a lot during this battle, but, for once, they were winning.
Coldfire already had a broken wing from a direct hit by the World Shaking, and numerous scars and blisters from magical lightning, fire and light, not to mention the damage done to her by Gold.
That didn't mean the silver dragon was harmless, she was still stronger than any of the Senshi, and her claws and breath weapon made her a formidable adversary.
Gathering courage, Sailor Neptune nodded and both women ran into battle again.
---
Up in the sky, gold finally met Black in his human form.
"Will you stay that way?" Gold asked Black warily.
"Yes, for a minor skirmish I see no need to change into my real form or even my hybrid form." Black laughed.
In a blind rage Gold used his fiery breath, Black was completely engulfed in flames that reached the side of the volcano and started melting the rocks.
The attack lasted for about 8 seconds before it was suddenly cut off.
Black had emerged from the stream of fire completely unharmed. "You are sadly predictable, 'Gold'. I'm surprised you weren't kicked out of the council after I left." Black said with a shake of his head.
"I'll show you predictable!" Gold roared as he transformed into his hybrid form. He proceeded to attack Black with claws, wings, tail and breath weapon, all to no effect, as the black dragon blocked evaded and ignored his attacks.
Suddenly, Black backhanded him with a casual motion and Gold almost crashed with the force of the blow.
The sudden sharp teeth of reality bit him, sending cold shocks through his spine. Black was holding back, and he had almost killed him. With a dismissing blow.
Gritting his teeth, Gold tried to think up a good strategy.
---
"Back off!!" a very battered Coldfire yelled, holding Sailor Saturn in a vice-like grip in front of her.
The Senshi glared at her as she smiled. "One more attack and she dies!"
Coldfire had moved her clawed hand to the younger Senshi's neck and passing her arm around Hotaru's waist effectively trapping her arms.
"Coldfire! Let her go! Are you such a coward that you would hide behind a small girl?" Venus challenged.
Coldfire laughed coldly. "You are mistaking me for Gold. I have no such weakness as a warrior's honor." She laughed at the Senshi.
Saturn squirmed and tried to get free, but Coldfire's grip was too strong.
Weakly, she concentrated, slowly summoning the Silence Glaive back as the silver dragon bickered with the other Senshi.
When it was mere centimeters away, she finally summoned it with all it's speed.
Coldfire barely had time to react as the Silence Glaive flew towards her head. Letting go of Saturn, she dodged the weapon but was able to grab it before it completely got past her.
She was about to use Saturn's own weapon to kill her when a new shout stopped her
"Silver Moon Sword Ascension!" silvery winds shot past the Senshi's heads, cutting whatever stood in it's way. As the attack slammed Coldfire, sending her sprawling and making her let go of the Silence Glaive, the Senshi ignored the dragon to look at the origin of the attack.
Eternal Sailor Moon was standing on the edge of a cliff, smiling at them.
Coldfire slumped to the ground, unmoving, while the Senshi looked at their princess with tears in their eyes.
"Usagi!!?" Mars asked disbelieving.
Sailor Moon nodded as she jumped towards them.
Haruka was at a loss for words. "But how? We saw you fall to the rocks! You were unconscious! You couldn't survive!" she asked.
Usagi pointed behind her. All the Senshi smiled in comprehension when they saw Sapphire.
When they looked at their princess, they all gasped in surprise, as the fuku slowly melted into an armor of sorts.
Her uniform now sported high armored boots with knee protectors and gold trimmings, the sailor Senshi design had not been abandoned, but her fuku now seemed to be made of white studded leather, while the miniskirt was covered in light metal.
She now had solid shoulder pads decorated with a large ruby each, a sword sheath hung from her left side, ever ready to house the powerful sword she held in her right hand.
Eternal Sailor Moon's wings had grown into angel-like proportions and her tiara had transformed into a battle-crown. Her silk gloves had also been replaced by leather, with 9 small crystals in the back of each hand.
A silvery aura enveloped her for a moment after the transformation was complete.
Absently, Sailor Moon sheathed the sword and looked at the others curiously.
When she noticed they were looking at her, she looked down on herself.
"AHHH!!! WHATHAPPENEDTOMYSAILORFUKU!?!?" she screamed turning around and spinning in place, trying to see herself.
The others face-faulted. The illusion of greatness had disappeared.
Ami typed at her computer as Sapphire landed next to her. "Hmm. This is... not good." The Senshi muttered.
"What is not good?" Uranus asked.
"Well, if my computer's readings are correct... -not to mention my common sense- Sailor Moon's new battle armor means that this threat is way out of our current abilities, the armor didn't even appear when we fought Galaxia and she was quite powerful."
"That doesn't sound good." Sapphire growled.
"Well, now that Sailor Moon has reached a new level of power, maybe the rest of us…"
Mercury's words were cut short as the ground shook. The Senshi tried to maintain balance, while Sailor Moon and Sapphire, who had picked up Ami, jumped and hovered, their wings batting softly. Usagi seemed to have done it on instinct. Ami didn't have a choice.
Tux and the rest of the girls had to hang on.
The clouds above started whirling, making a cloud whirlwind, in it's center two small figures fought.
"That's Gold!" Venus cried recognizing one of the small figures.
"But who's the other one?" Tux asked.
"Black." Makoto growled.
---
Black was getting bored... Gold was getting desperate. Everything the gold scaled dragon had tried had failed, brute force brought him no where, his fiery breath didn't even faze Black, his usual fighting techniques did nothing short of amuse Black.
Finally the black dragon snap-kicked Gold.
Even as far as the Senshi were they still could hear the sound of the gold's gigantic neck breaking. Black then picked up the body and threw it into the now active volcano.
The gold dragon fell into the lava and slowly started sinking.
When he had seen his foe sink out of sight Black looked down.
He frowned when he saw Coldfire's still form lying at the feet of the earth's warriors and Sapphire. His human form shifted into his Hybrid form as he hovered down to the ground until he finally stood before the Senshi.
---
Sapphire felt her knees grow weak. She felt a fear the like she had never felt before. However she stood her ground, even when every instinct told her to run and hide.
The Sailor Senshi squared into fighting stances, Tuxedo Mask holding his cane in front,
Sailor Moon unsheathed her sword uncertainly. Black looked at all of them contemptuously. "So, this is Terra's finest. I must admit I'm not impressed." He said.
He walked towards the small crater Coldfire had created from impact and looked inside.
"Hmm. She's still alive." Ignoring the silver, he turned to look at the Senshi and Co.
Sailor Mars was about to snap at Black giving him a piece of her mind, when she felt the hair in the back of her neck stand.
Turning around she gasped at the sight that met her eyes.
Jupiter was surrounded in black lightning. The small lightning bolts danced around her, her face contorted in a scowl of barely contained anger. The black aura the Senshi had witnessed before started emanating from her, surrounding her almost menacingly.
Mars took an unconscious step back, as did the other Senshi when the aura had finally enveloped her.
The now shimmering and almost transparent aura created ghostly wings on Makoto's back, while equally ephemeral claws adorned her stretched hands.
Sapphire stood there gawking at Makoto. She knew this presence, the aura... she turned to look fearfully at Black.
The black dragon did nothing, said nothing. He just stood there assessing the situation.
"You die!" Makoto roared.
Everyone had seen what Makoto could do when the aura surrounded her, Jade had received extreme damage the first time it appeared –the second was his last day alive.
Mask had fought all the Senshi at the same time and whooped their butts around. When Makoto's aura had surrounded her... he didn't stand a chance.
Now, the Senshi realized that the aura had never felt this strong before. They knew nothing would stop her now as Makoto literally flew towards Black, her ghostly claws extended.
Time seemed to stop. As Makoto's 'claws' were about to reach Black, he grabbed her by he wrist with his right hand and swung her, smashing her against the hard rock. In slow motion, Makoto stood up again and jumped at Black again. Black backhanded her, sending her sprawling. Time seemed to resume it's normal course as Makoto hit the ground and the aura disappeared.
"Stupid hatchling, did you think you could outfight me?" Black growled.
Makoto groaned softly but stayed down.
The Senshi took an involuntary step back.
"You must be Black." a voice said suddenly. The Senshi recognized the voice and were not sure if the situation was better or more desperate as Black turned around to face Mask.
End Chapter 9