Chapter 12
Storms Impending
With Beryl's return to her bed, silence swelled to fill the goddess' cave once more. Within Metallia's mind however, her thoughts and emotions sang at full volume.
Lady Beryl was in love. She loved Prince Endymion. It was neither his throne nor his body that excited her. He might have been an ugly street rat and she surely would have wanted him still. She had succumbed to that most dangerous of human emotions, one that even Serenity herself bowed to, the brainchild of the light sister Lady Venus. She was in love.
The thought had at first been troubling to Metallia. As of now, Lady Beryl was the only subordinate she had. She had been promised the throne of Terra. To have one in love in such a high echelon of service to her was surely pure idiocy! The boy had nothing to tie him to her service! He was born of Danu's line! Furthermore, it was Beryl who loved him! Endymion had no feelings for her beyond those instilled in him by duty! His heart belonged to the Princess of the Moon! Why, if he wished, he could even lure Beryl back into the service of the Light Gods! Besides that, his love for the Lunarian princess simply put them at too great an advantage to ignore.
Then, something else had occurred to the goddess. Eventually, she would need more followers. Now that Beryl was in love, it was uncertain how much longer Metallia would be able to trust her. Even if she remained as competent and loyal as she was now, Beryl was only one mortal girl. Alone, there was little she could do as far as recruiting more followers for her mistress' mission, future queen though she may be. It was Endymion who commanded the respect of his people. Terrans truly only listened to Lady Beryl because she stood at Endymion's side. But surely, if both their future king and his queen made their alliance with the Dark Gods... Of course, there might be a few rebels, who would not adhere with them, but they would be easily disposed of.
The goddess smiled as she thought of this now. Although she would not have the time to convert the young prince as thoroughly as she had Lady Beryl, capturing his mind and turning him to her side that way was certainly well within the limits of her power. And besides being a bridge to an entire world of followers, Prince Endymion could also prove to be a valuable method of keeping Lady Beryl herself in line. If ever she overstepped her bounds, she could be well assured of Prince Endymion himself hunting her down like a dog. Of course, Metallia hoped with all her power that it would never come to that. With both Prince Endymion and his betrothed under her command, her army would surely become a juggernaut that even the Sailor Soldiers would not be able to stop.
The thought of the sweet, mortal blood that would be spilled when her great army marched upon the moon awakened such lust that she almost cried out with the thrill and torment of it. No wonder Lady Saturn went to such lengths to satisfy her lust, the goddess thought, fighting to calm her raging material body. It is one of the more...overpowering sensations to drive a worldly form. I mustn't get ahead of myself, though. The meat must be cooked before the feast can begin, and the wine will only grow sweeter with age. Before an army, there must be the Promise Child.
Metallia absently cast her eyes about her cave, which still blazed with the light she had called up for Lady Beryl. Her gaze came slowly to rest upon the bloody Silence Glaive, erected in the corner. For a moment, she merely stared at it, dusky eyes drinking in its every detail. Then, with a wicked grin curving her wine-red lips, she raised a hand and snapped her fingers. The divine blaze flickered out. Yes, the Glaive looked much more magnificent like this, with its own dark power to give off a ghostly glow. The blood upon its blade glistened enticingly, stirring lust within the goddess once more. But she would not be swayed in her mission. Letting her eyelids fall gracefully over her shimmering dark eyes, Metallia shed her worldly form, and stretched across the cosmos with her power, searching for the Promise Child.
The girl was asleep, curled up on a pile of warm blankets and soft, down pillows. She wore one of Princess Serenity's childhood nightdresses. Its pure whiteness, though perfectly matched with Hotaru's snowy complexion, was at odds with her midnight black hair. Not to mention the glorious darkness of her soul, Metallia thought with a grin. Then, letting her smile fall away, Metallia concentrated. Her rope of dark power drifted forward, aiming to encircle the sleeping girl's throat. But Hotaru's subconscious mind recognized the Aura surrounding the braid. She was awake the moment its silky fringe brushed her skin.
"Stay away!" she shrieked, striking out blindly against the dread that had consumed her with the dark sister's touch. "Stay away, I am warning you!"
"Why, my darling!" Metallia cooed mockingly, pretending to be surprised by the child's reaction. Do you not know me? I am your mother, remember?"
"You are not!" Hotaru shouted defiantly. "My mother is dead! She died a traitor and lives now in Urien's domain!"
"Oh, tut! There is no need to tell me what I already know, little one. The woman who bore you is indeed dead, and her soul resides with Urien. I have told you all this, and adopted you as my own. Do you not remember?"
"I remember," Hotaru seethed. "I remember you told me my mother was dead. You never told me she was a traitor! You let me believe that she was innocent!"
"She was."
"Stop lying! I know who you are! You are the dark goddess, Metallia! You wish to use my power against Queen Serenity! Be gone! Be gone, I say, or I shall call for the Queen, and she will make you leave me alone!"
"You would tell the Queen of me?" Metallia purred, pretending to be frightened. "Oh, dear. That will not do at all. Well, I am afraid I must stop you." And Hotaru trembled, whimpering in abject terror as Metallia's power bore down on her. Suddenly, though, Metallia pulled back, watching Hotaru through her mind's eye with surprise and confusion. A wickedly serene smile had curved the child's lips. Her usually violet eyes burned as red as fire.
"Now, now, my mistress," she murmured in a voice that although childish, seemed to belong to a much older version of herself. "There is no need for any of that." And as Metallia watched, some unconscious, instinctive will to survive forced whatever being had spoken back within Hotaru, leaving only the Saturnine child in her place. Hotaru's violet eyes were bright with tears, and her soft little mouth trembled as she searched Crystal Tower for something visible to explain the dark presence surrounding her; she could not see the cord of power that connected Metallia's spirit to her physical body. It was not meant for mortal eyes.
"Go away, Metallia," Hotaru whispered. "Please leave me alone." And her young face twisted with wrath, the burn of ethereal fire returning to her eyes.
"Shut up, you little fool," snarled the older child at the younger. "My mistress did not come for you. She came for me."
Storms Impending
With Beryl's return to her bed, silence swelled to fill the goddess' cave once more. Within Metallia's mind however, her thoughts and emotions sang at full volume.
Lady Beryl was in love. She loved Prince Endymion. It was neither his throne nor his body that excited her. He might have been an ugly street rat and she surely would have wanted him still. She had succumbed to that most dangerous of human emotions, one that even Serenity herself bowed to, the brainchild of the light sister Lady Venus. She was in love.
The thought had at first been troubling to Metallia. As of now, Lady Beryl was the only subordinate she had. She had been promised the throne of Terra. To have one in love in such a high echelon of service to her was surely pure idiocy! The boy had nothing to tie him to her service! He was born of Danu's line! Furthermore, it was Beryl who loved him! Endymion had no feelings for her beyond those instilled in him by duty! His heart belonged to the Princess of the Moon! Why, if he wished, he could even lure Beryl back into the service of the Light Gods! Besides that, his love for the Lunarian princess simply put them at too great an advantage to ignore.
Then, something else had occurred to the goddess. Eventually, she would need more followers. Now that Beryl was in love, it was uncertain how much longer Metallia would be able to trust her. Even if she remained as competent and loyal as she was now, Beryl was only one mortal girl. Alone, there was little she could do as far as recruiting more followers for her mistress' mission, future queen though she may be. It was Endymion who commanded the respect of his people. Terrans truly only listened to Lady Beryl because she stood at Endymion's side. But surely, if both their future king and his queen made their alliance with the Dark Gods... Of course, there might be a few rebels, who would not adhere with them, but they would be easily disposed of.
The goddess smiled as she thought of this now. Although she would not have the time to convert the young prince as thoroughly as she had Lady Beryl, capturing his mind and turning him to her side that way was certainly well within the limits of her power. And besides being a bridge to an entire world of followers, Prince Endymion could also prove to be a valuable method of keeping Lady Beryl herself in line. If ever she overstepped her bounds, she could be well assured of Prince Endymion himself hunting her down like a dog. Of course, Metallia hoped with all her power that it would never come to that. With both Prince Endymion and his betrothed under her command, her army would surely become a juggernaut that even the Sailor Soldiers would not be able to stop.
The thought of the sweet, mortal blood that would be spilled when her great army marched upon the moon awakened such lust that she almost cried out with the thrill and torment of it. No wonder Lady Saturn went to such lengths to satisfy her lust, the goddess thought, fighting to calm her raging material body. It is one of the more...overpowering sensations to drive a worldly form. I mustn't get ahead of myself, though. The meat must be cooked before the feast can begin, and the wine will only grow sweeter with age. Before an army, there must be the Promise Child.
Metallia absently cast her eyes about her cave, which still blazed with the light she had called up for Lady Beryl. Her gaze came slowly to rest upon the bloody Silence Glaive, erected in the corner. For a moment, she merely stared at it, dusky eyes drinking in its every detail. Then, with a wicked grin curving her wine-red lips, she raised a hand and snapped her fingers. The divine blaze flickered out. Yes, the Glaive looked much more magnificent like this, with its own dark power to give off a ghostly glow. The blood upon its blade glistened enticingly, stirring lust within the goddess once more. But she would not be swayed in her mission. Letting her eyelids fall gracefully over her shimmering dark eyes, Metallia shed her worldly form, and stretched across the cosmos with her power, searching for the Promise Child.
The girl was asleep, curled up on a pile of warm blankets and soft, down pillows. She wore one of Princess Serenity's childhood nightdresses. Its pure whiteness, though perfectly matched with Hotaru's snowy complexion, was at odds with her midnight black hair. Not to mention the glorious darkness of her soul, Metallia thought with a grin. Then, letting her smile fall away, Metallia concentrated. Her rope of dark power drifted forward, aiming to encircle the sleeping girl's throat. But Hotaru's subconscious mind recognized the Aura surrounding the braid. She was awake the moment its silky fringe brushed her skin.
"Stay away!" she shrieked, striking out blindly against the dread that had consumed her with the dark sister's touch. "Stay away, I am warning you!"
"Why, my darling!" Metallia cooed mockingly, pretending to be surprised by the child's reaction. Do you not know me? I am your mother, remember?"
"You are not!" Hotaru shouted defiantly. "My mother is dead! She died a traitor and lives now in Urien's domain!"
"Oh, tut! There is no need to tell me what I already know, little one. The woman who bore you is indeed dead, and her soul resides with Urien. I have told you all this, and adopted you as my own. Do you not remember?"
"I remember," Hotaru seethed. "I remember you told me my mother was dead. You never told me she was a traitor! You let me believe that she was innocent!"
"She was."
"Stop lying! I know who you are! You are the dark goddess, Metallia! You wish to use my power against Queen Serenity! Be gone! Be gone, I say, or I shall call for the Queen, and she will make you leave me alone!"
"You would tell the Queen of me?" Metallia purred, pretending to be frightened. "Oh, dear. That will not do at all. Well, I am afraid I must stop you." And Hotaru trembled, whimpering in abject terror as Metallia's power bore down on her. Suddenly, though, Metallia pulled back, watching Hotaru through her mind's eye with surprise and confusion. A wickedly serene smile had curved the child's lips. Her usually violet eyes burned as red as fire.
"Now, now, my mistress," she murmured in a voice that although childish, seemed to belong to a much older version of herself. "There is no need for any of that." And as Metallia watched, some unconscious, instinctive will to survive forced whatever being had spoken back within Hotaru, leaving only the Saturnine child in her place. Hotaru's violet eyes were bright with tears, and her soft little mouth trembled as she searched Crystal Tower for something visible to explain the dark presence surrounding her; she could not see the cord of power that connected Metallia's spirit to her physical body. It was not meant for mortal eyes.
"Go away, Metallia," Hotaru whispered. "Please leave me alone." And her young face twisted with wrath, the burn of ethereal fire returning to her eyes.
"Shut up, you little fool," snarled the older child at the younger. "My mistress did not come for you. She came for me."