This fanfiction takes place near the end of the Silver Millennium. It does its level best to remain true to the manga, though in some parts, it delves into an alternate universe and drifts from the actual facts. It is a tale of hope and despair, love and hurt, and the need to protect those very dear to you. For information on the otaku senshi appearing in this fanfiction, feel free to visit my website.
It is suggested that viewers be familiar with at least the first five books of the manga. This is roughly the equivalent of the first season of the anime. Familiarity with all seasons up to the fourth season (with the exception of Sailor Moon R) - or the equivalent mangas - would be better.
Phantom Crystal - A Legend of the Silver Millenium
Miscellaneous Warnings - Language
---- Indicates a point of view change, such as between Helios and the Maenads.
-------- Indicates a point of view and a place change, such as switching from someone on Venus to someone on the Earth.
Text Indicates mental (mind to mind) speech.
Serenity smiled dreamily as she danced with Endymon. He was here early, ahead of the diplomatic envoy from Earth, which was due to arrive later tonight. Guardian Spectrus was going to have him ordered back to Earth, but Queen Serenity had welcomed him with open arms, overruling Spectrus. The princess had seen the look on Spectrus' face that said she was upset with the rules not being followed, but the Guardian refused to argue - publicly - with the queen. And since she refused to argue, no one here could even comment on his presence without seeming rude.
All of which worked for Princess Serenity. She leaned against him, his hands touching her at the proper places. They made sure to do nothing anyone could take for improper at the balls. It was hard, being in love with him and yet having to steal his kisses as if she was in some sort of affair.
At least her mother's welcome had assured Serenity of her mother's approval. The princess had been unsure if her mother knew of their secret meetings or if she even liked Endymon. But now she knew and that lifted her heart. She smiled softly and danced.
After the dance, Princess Serenity quietly stole out of the room, saying that the amount of people was unnerving her a bit. Endymon excused himself about a half hour later, on the account that he should check if the diplomatic envoy had arrived yet.
He did check, keeping his story valid. However, as no one had arrived, he made his way to the balcony where Princess Serenity waited. He smiled at her and held her close, kissing her mouth softly. Kissing was as far as either of them dared to go, afraid of what their parents might do if it went any further. His parents were already quite upset with him, not to mention his four guardians and Helios. Although, Kunzite had lightened up a little bit after he had - briefly - met Princess Venus. He chuckled, remembering the man's stunned look.
"What is it?" Serenity asked.
"Nothing. Just wondering why Kunzite has been on my case less."
Serenity smiled. "And why do you think that is?"
"I think he's smitten."
"With who?" She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Princess Minako of Venus."
"Really? Oh, they would make such a cute couple!" Serenity giggled. A light appeared in her eyes - Endymon knew from experience that it was the light of matchmaking plans.
"Yes, they would, and no, you aren't going to do a thing about it."
"But Endymon..."
"But nothing. They would be furious when they found out they were being manipulated."
Serenity chewed on her thumbnail. "You're right." She sighed. "Still, I wish I could... encourage them somehow. If Minako actually likes him, she won't talk to him. She'll get scared and clam up."
"I think that part is taken care of."
"You do?" Serenity narrowed her eyes. "Tell me!"
"That young lady with the long black hair in braids - I think her name is Jiriki Anei -"
"Yes, that's her name. She's a Guardian Senshi trainee."
"Really? Then I'll stay out of her way. Don't want to get hurt for liking you." Spectrus had made her opinion of their relationship quite clear. Endymon did not want to get on the bad side of a second Guardian Senshi.
Serenity laughed. "You won't be. She approves of us, if not our sneaking around."
"That's good. Anyway, I saw her talking to Princess Minako while we were dancing. Princess Minako seemed quite flustered."
"Why were you looking at Minako while we were dancing?"
Endymon realized he had slipped onto dangerous ground at Serenity's tone. "Ah, Kunzite had mentioned he was going to try to introduce himself to her. I was wondering if he had, yet."
"Oh. Okay." Serenity was quiet for a moment. "Why was she flustered?"
"I don't know. Jiriki pointed at Kunzite and Princess Minako turned an interesting shade of red."
"Oooh! She does like him! So you think Jiriki is encouraging her?"
"That's my best guess. Or else they were gossiping about him."
"Jiriki does not gossip. She discusses." Serenity grinned up at him as he snorted in amusement.
Beryl smiled to herself as she felt her plan executing itself smoothly. The two girls were following her, and she could sense Helios coming. The only unknown element was that rude child she had met earlier, but Beryl was sure she could easily be taken care of.
She stopped suddenly and whirled to face the Maenads.
"Lady Beryl, please..." One of them began.
The ice that suddenly covered them cut her off. Beryl smirked and thickened the ice.
Helios and Kodomono came into the empty waiting chamber. "Where -" Helios cut himself off as he felt a sudden surge of magic. He ran towards it, Kodomono following just a few steps behind him.
They halted suddenly, surprised by the colossal piece of ice. Kodomono did not believe her eyes at first - were there people in the ice? She gasped as she recognized the Maenads.
Helios had already gone around the ice, gathering his magic as he realized why Beryl had come here. "So you've finally come into the open, Beryl." He called.
Beryl stood on the ground before the sanctuary's steps. "Priest Helios. You finally showed up."
Helios sent a silent call to Pegasus. "I'm sorry that you had to wait."
Kodomono watched the two duel with words, afraid to move out from behind the column that gave her a view of them and the frozen Maenads. She had turned to look at the ice again when the ground shook, throwing her against the wall.
Helios jumped aside as Beryl attacked. The energy cracked the marble, shaking the sanctuary's front structure. He countered with a spell of his own, delaying to give Pegasus time to arrive. Beryl pointed her walking staff at him and croaked a word. At least, Helios thought it was a word. Lightning lashed out from the staff to him. He hastily threw up a protective shield.
Kodomono staggered down the sanctuary's steps, watching the battle. There has to be something I can do. Helios can't stand up to that all by himself. She fumbled for the ring on her right hand, unsure if she should use it or not. I could just as easily hurt Helios and myself.
Helios gasped with the effort of keeping up a protective shield. The power that Beryl brought to bear on him was too much. A black lightning bolt finally got through. Helios fell to his knees, screaming at the electricity running through him.
Seeing Helios scream in agony pushed Kodomono into a decision. She grabbed the ring and drew it off her hand. "Tsuriai Ring Power!" She yelled, inwardly praying that she could keep her powers in check. She felt the sailor fuku form over her body as her normal clothing melted away.
Beryl knew she was in trouble when she saw the girl morph. Her entire plan was in jeopardy if she couldn't get rid of her quick. She increased the strength of the lightning coursing through the priest's body before turning to take care of the girl. She raised her hand, black energy forming in front of it.
The senshi, in turn, called up energy that was a tangle of white, blue, yellow, and black. Beryl released her energy ball just as the senshi's shield formed. Beryl cursed as the shield took the hit without straining. The senshi ran at her, calling out something that she couldn't hear. Beryl raised her staff, hurriedly throwing lightning at the girl. The wind picked up, screaming in her ears, as the earth cracked around her. She fell as the shifting ground moved under her, as did Helios and the senshi.
Pegasi usually didn't panic. But then, most of them weren't flying straight into a battle. Helios's winged steed, known simply as Pegasus, wished he were elsewhere as he flew into the fray. He landed near Sailor Tsuriai, knowing the girl wasn't as adept a rider as Helios was. She needed time to understand what he wanted her to do and more time to mount.
Helios was faster. He simply leapt on as Pegasus hovered near him. "Take us to the roof of the sanctuary!" Helios said. Pegasus quickly complied, eager to get away from woman throwing lightning at him.
Helios got off just as the roof came under Pegasus' feet. "Tsuriai!" He yelled over the howling wind. "Listen to me! Go to the Earth Palace; let the king know what has happened here! Don't let anyone come here!"
Tsuriai started to protest, but Pegasus lifted her out of earshot. "Not yet! Please!" She begged. Pegasus paused for a moment, also unsure if he should leave the priest alone to battle Beryl.
Helios took a moment to gather his wits. Then he knelt and grabbed the single crystal that adorned the top of the sanctuary's front wall. Its power ran through him, restoring his energy. He gathered up the crystal's energy in one hand, murmuring an ancient spell. As soon as he completed the spell, the energy left his hand to crash through the barrier Beryl set up at the last moment.
There! That should buy me some time. Helios felt relieved for a moment, until he saw what had actually happened to the noblewoman. "Oh, shit."
A dark, shifting shape had taken Beryl's place, its eyes made of two dark shining stars. It drained energy from the ground around it; the grass dried and withered, turning into dust at an accelerated rate. It moved forward, reaching a tentacle up towards Helios.
He turned his head to find that Tsuriai and Pegasus had not left. "Go!" He yelled at them.
Tsuriai wrapped her arms about herself. The passage from Elysion had been extremely cold. After that, the air over the Earth Palace felt blistering hot.
Pegasus glided down slowly, allowing them time to adjust to the radical temperature changes, as well as take in the palace. The normally pristine gold walls and arches were dusty, with cracks running through them. Some areas of the palace had completely fallen in. People the size of ants swarmed in the enormous fields surrounding the palace, while a few others wandered through the destroyed areas.
As they reached the ground, Tsuriai was glad to see that the King of Earth was still alive. She still had someone to report to.
"Sailor Tsuriai? Pegasus?" A courtier near the King asked. Pegasus was a frequent visitor with Helios; the nobles knew Tsuriai only because of her power - she despised royal functions and had been quick to ensure Helios and the Maenads understood that.
"I need to talk to His Majesty! It's urgent!" She told the well dressed man.
The King's tan face was pale. "Are you certain? A creature, that took the form of Lady Beryl, has attacked Elysion?" Tsuriai nodded, hands tightly clasped in her lap.
Chairs had been found for the King and Tsuriai - and semi-privacy from the nobles - through the King's command. "Yes, your majesty. It has disabled the Maenads - the priestesses of Elysion," she corrected, remembering that 'Maenad' was an Elysian word, not one that the King would know. "When Helios bade me to leave, the creature was attacking him."
"If what you say is true, then we are all in trouble." The King ran a hand through his hair - quite an unkingly mannerism in Tsuriai's eyes.
"Sir?" Tsuriai was puzzled. Elysion is that important?
"Elysion is the life-blood of this planet. It ensures that we living beings have a fighting chance, that we won't all be crushed, that new life can occur. It is a reservoir of dreams that allows us to go on living. Without dreams, hopes, what would be the point? Without Elysion, the desire to live is gone."
"Oh." Tsuriai suddenly felt very scared.
The earthquake that had befallen the Earth Palace, as far as Tsuriai could tell, had happened at the same time as the one in Elysion. She knew it wasn't due to her own powers - she had caused quakes in Elysion before that had done nothing to Earth. Tsuriai suspected that it something to do with the creature, but she had no clue why.
The quake had destroyed much of the palace, leaving little untouched. Most of the rooms that still stood were dangerous - the walls supporting them were perforated with cracks. However, the one room that seemed untouched was the Grand Chamber, where the Elysion Gates had been erected.
The Elysion Gates were the portal to Elysion for nobles who needed to meet with Helios or the Maenads when they were not at the Earth Palace. They stood on a series of five daises, the third dais used to crown new Kings and Queens.
It was before these gates that the King had assembled what he could of the Earth Royal Army. Barely fifty men stood in semi-military order, still disoriented by the quake. Pegasus and Tsuriai stood to one side. She had tried to prevent the King from sounding the call to arms, but he had overruled her. Now all she could do was watch as they prepared to march to Elysion to try to assist Helios.
END Part Two