As promised, here is chapter 8! Woohoo! I still don't have spell-check,
so please accept any apologies for any poorly-spelled words. Author's
notes are located at the end of the chapter.
Disclaimer: You all know the words! All together now: I don't own Sailor Moon. (If I did, I would live in much fancier digs and my kitty would have a REAL diamond-studded collar!)
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In Chapter 7, Serenity encountered Princess Orleana of the Sun on her turf, namely, in the Moon Palace. Orleana wanted to steal the Ginzuishou, but all she got was a sword in the face. Orleana revealed that Linnaus is on the Earth (kind of passed over that whole dead thing), and Serenity was thoughtful enough to help Orleana escape without anyone else on the Moon knowing about it. Serenity took the crecent moon pendant from Orleana, 'cause she wants to go to Earth herself and find Linnaus. Orleana returned to the Sun and sulked.
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Chapter 8: The Connection
"How do I look?" Endymion asked, smoothing his black hair with his right hand. He posed before the floor-length looking glass and glanced across the room to Jedite. The blonde gaurdian was seated in a green velvet chair, quietly carving into a peice of stone. Pausing in his work, Jedite glanced up and eyed the young man.
"You look like," he paused. Glancing up to the ceiling, the guardian smiled and turned his grey eyes back to Endymion's reflection, "You look just like a prince."
"Thanks a lot," muttered Endymion dryly. Jedite giggled and returned his attention to the rock in his palm. Endymion turned to leave the room.
"Take your sword," ordered Jedite, not looking away from his work. His knife scraped against the soft stone. He blew the dust from the newly formed trench.
"For supper?" questioned Endymion.
"You forget where you are," Jedite chastized. "You forget that your uncle and your cousin would like nothing more than to see your princely head on the top of a pike."
Endymion winced. "What a colorful description," he uttered.
"You know I am right," his guardian responded. "Anyway, Zoicite is already cross enough with you. I would hate to see his wrath if he knew you were behaving carelessly. You may have to answer to Kunzite."
Endymion growled with frustration. He retreated to his room and returned with his sword secured against his hip. Jedite looked up at him and smiled.
"Good boy," He mumbled. "Don't forget to take a cloak."
"What?" balked the prince. "Jedite, supper is in the dining hall downstairs."
"Very true," Jedite agreed, "But supper will be over and the night will still be young. There will be plenty of time, after the other noblemen have retired for the evening, for you to join me and Zoicite at the pub in Caswell Village."
Endymion smiled and reached for his cloak. He tucked it beneath his arm.
"Now, have a good time," Jedite stated, smiling. "And, try not to faint anymore."
Endymion rolled his eyes and left the room. After shaking his head in feigned dissapointment, the prince closed the door behind him. He surveyed the shadowed corridoors. The sun was just beginning its decent toward the western horizon, but he halls of Jade Castle were always dark.
"Lending to that warm, welcoming feel," Endymion whispered quietly to himself. He smoothed the bottom of his forest green tunic as he took a step forward. Each corridoor in Jade Castle seemed to be an intricate portion of a maze. Endymion wandered down hall after hall, searching for the stairway that would lead him to the dining room. The narrow corridoor he was presently walking through eventually emptied into a vast room with a wrapping staircase. In vast contrast to the majority of Jade Castle, the walls in this foyer were covered with brightly colored tapestries. A huge floor rug stretched the length of the room at the bottom of the stairs. An ornate, golden chadelier dangled above. As Endymion descended the stairs, he looked up to the chandelier. The servants had yet to come and light its candles. The small amount of illumination filtering in from the two token windows washed the room in a grey hue. The massive double doors leading to the garden sealed the room like a tomb. On the opposite side of the staircase was a massive jade fireplace. Hundreds of small dragons were carved into the green stone; from Endymion's position on the stairs, the dragons resembled serpent demons slithering awake from their daytime slumber.
The prince paused at a slitted open window at the bottom of the staircase. He closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply, allowing the fresh air to infiltrate his lungs.
The atmosphere was electric. It was the dead of winter, and yet, the air was charged with heat. A storm lingered on the horizon.
A sick feeling washed over the young man. He opened his midnight eyes and peered outside. Daylight was quickly fading into night. Already, a crescent moon and a few stars were visible. Not a cloud lingered in the sky.
Endymion bit his lower lip. Something was not right. He glanced away from the window. The room was still.
He could hear distant laughter somewhere in the castle. His father and uncle, most likely, were already gathered in the dining hall.
The prince cautously stepped away from the staircase and into the center of the room.
The delicate crystals of the chandelier tinkled faintly. The floor began to rumble.
Instinctively, the prince reached his right hand into his pocket. As he cradled the Golden Crystal in his palm, Endymion felt his own uneasiness magnify. Indeed, he had been correct. Something was very wrong. This time, the emotion did not begin with the prince. This time, he could sense that the forboding was very much beyond him. With the crystal in his hand, he held the sensation of doom within his palm. The young prince knew that the negativity was somewhere else, past the dark green walls of Jade Castle. It festered in another place on the Earth's surface.
Shaking his head, Endymion shifted his attention away from the crystal and to the corridoor that would lead him to the dining hall. His dark blue gaze focused toward center of the castle. He withdrew his hand from his pocket, leaving the Golden Crystal to remain in his trousers. The prince drew in a deep breath and stepped forward.
Another rumble beneath his feet caused Endymion to stop again. The tremor was subtle, but the disturbance made the prince jump back with a start. Endymion glanced down to the red and yellow rug beneath him. He expected to see the square tiles beneath the carpet distorting the rug's flat surface as they bobbled up and down from the quake. In obstinace to the prince's expectations, the floor remained still.
He may not have been able to see it, but the prince could still feel the ground roll. The event did not seem to be a natural occurence. The quaking earth sent pulses of energy up Endymion's legs. Pain gripped his heart.
The electric air danced outside. Endymion could sense the sudden elevation of temperature. Heat filled the atmosphere. As the ground and the intense energy in the sky increased, Endymion sucked a deep breath into his lungs. Something terrible was about to happen.
The floor beneath the prince's feet trembled harder. A massive spasm of energy coursed through the ground. Endymion felt the power increase and become more intense.
.and then the build-up was gone. The Earth's crust seemed to expunge the energy suddenly. The prince sensed the powerful explosion burst into the atmosphere. A brilliant flash outside illuminated the room with the intense heat and light of day.
Endymion stumbled forward and collapsed onto his knees. The erruption shook him to his very core. The explostion caused his heart to spasm in his chest.
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Serenity fumbled with the Crescent pendant as she walked away from the Teleportation Room. When the opportunity was right, she would travel to the Earth and find Linnaus herself. He would be so proud of her. Before returning to the Moon, she and Linnaus would have a Terran adventure-just like the imaginary ones they had when she was younger. Serenity smiled to herself, dreaming of their travels across the blue seas and over the jagged mountains of the Earth.
Her heart quivered. Serenity paused outside of the ballroom, clutching her chest. Her breath caught in her throat.
A whistling noise screamed in the distance. With each passing second, the whistle turned into a shrill howl. Covering her ears from the offensive noise, Serenity turned her eyes to the glass dome above her head. Through the panels, she spied the source of the noise. A ball of fire flew toward the castle. So immense was its size that it reminded the princess of the Sun. Serenity stood rooted to the ground, her eyes fixed on the object. Soon, the flaming ball be on top of her. It was already so near that the ground began to rumble.
"Serenity!" Luna screamed behind her. "Get out of the way!"
The princess turned and gaped at the black feline. The cat ran toward her. Serenity again craned her head up to the windows of the dome.
Time slowed. Thoughts swam through the princess' head, cluttering her mind with confusion. Was this the source of her earlier dread, after she had been out in the gardens, after she had pretended to be Sailor Moon? By the Goddess of Selene, Serenity thought to herself, if Sailor Moon really existed, perhaps she would have the power to protect the Castle and her friends.
They were all doomed. The red flaming ball was on a crash course, and the Moon Castle was its apparent target. Without her mother or the Ginzuishou present, how would she and the others inside of the castle survive?
"You have power, Serenity!" a voice whispered in her ears. She wanted to cry despairingly as she heard it.
Linnaus. He had told her that once. She had the ability. Inside of her was the power of a great future queen. Like her mother, the Ginzuishou was a part of her. All she had to do was ask to use its power.
She looked one last time at Luna. The cat was almost at her feet. A tear streaked Serenity's face as she whispered, "I am sorry Luna. I have to try."
The feline recognized the determination on Serenity's face. She reminded Luna of the Queen. The cat held her breath. She wouldn't actually try to stop the object, would she?
Luna was about to open her mouth to protest, but she suddenly found herself on the other side of the corridor. Glancing frantically around, Luna realized that was again near the the Teleportation Room. She staggered to her feet. A sharp pain cut into her left side. She had not been thrown, Luna realized, so much as kicked. Serenity had booted her from the immediate area of the central dome.
The feline normally would have been furious. She eyed the determined facade of the princess. The child stared up at the red flaming ball.
"Be careful, princess," Luna whispered quietly.
Serenity clenched her jaw. She threw her hands above her head.
"Please, Selene, please, Ginzuishou," Serenity prayed, "Protect us."
Nothing happened.
The heat now coming off of the burning missile was unbearable. Sweat streamed down the princess' forehead. The orange-red light burned her eyes, but she would not look away. It was now so close to colliding with the castle that the ground beneath her feet shook. Serenity stumbled slightly; she planted her feet firmly on the landing. As a decendant of Selene, Serenity was the only one who could save the castle. She had to try or perish in the attempt.
"Please!" she screamed desperately. Hot tears spilled from the corners of her eyes.
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The prince clenched his fingers together while his fists slammed clumsily into ground beneath him. As the edges of his palms made contact with the floor, Endymion felt another build up of energy in the crust beneath him.
"Not again!" the prince gasped. His breathing was heavy and labored. Endymion slowly sat up on his knees. Reaching into his pocket, the prince again took hold of the Golden Crystal. The black, uneven surface of the mystic stone glowed and pulsed with light. The rock seemed to be communicating to him, but the Terran Prince did not know how to interperet its language. Light from the crystal brightened the room.
"I don't understand!" Endymion growled at the rock.
The prince shook his head. He ran a hand through his midnight hair.
Perhaps Zoicite was right. Maybe the Golden Crystal was more trouble than it was worth. With his second pair of eyes, the prince was already saddled with enough problems. The Golden Crystal just seemed to make everything worse. Endymion squeezed the mystical stone tightly in his fist. He drew his arm back, ready to hurl the crystal across the room.
He heard a voice.
"Please!" it begged him. The voice seemed to be screaming, but it was so distant that it sounded more like a whisper burning the prince's ears.
Endymion stopped in mid-throw. His midnight eyes widened with disbelief. He opened the palm of his hand and discovered that the amber glow of the Golden Crystal had transformed into a white hot silver. The stone hovered above his hand. As it rotated over his palm, the odd-shaped crystal exploded with more light. The prince covered his eyes from the blinding glow.
Amazing energy passed through him and slammed into the Golden Crystal. The feeling was both exhilerating and terrifying. In the flash of a moment, Endymion felt more alive than he ever had in his life. The moment was akin to what he had felt the night of the eclipse, when he had encountered his pixie while the rivers of blood seemed to flow past his unconcious body.
A pain ripped though him. As exhilerating has the initial flush of energy had been, equal was the ache that crept into his flesh. A gush of panic sliced at the prince's joints. Tension threatened to pull his limbs apart. His skin burned. And yet, the light of the Golden Crystal grew brighter and brighter.
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It happened. The energy first erupted at the center of Princess Serenity's forehead. Golden light flowed from the crescent symbol between her eyes. Immense, ancient power pulsated through her body. The blood in her veins felt as though it had transformed to quicksilver, boiling with intense and overwhelming strength. Her heart ached, threatening to explode. The energy raged through her in a torrent as it increased.
Serenity knew what she had to do. The power must be released from within her.
Pure light exploded around her small, child-like form. Beams of energy burst from the palms of her hands. Shafts of light seared across the room, slamming into the glass above her. Some of the windows in the dome shattered. Glass rained down on the princess. Shards clattered all around her. Serenity did not care. Her eyes were on the object in the sky. The energy of her attack seared the fireball. She could feel it slowly shrink.
Time slowed to a crawl. Only a few minutes had passed since Serenity had left the Teleportation Room, but ifelt like a lifetime ago. The power within her palms seemed unlimited; she could draw from this deep well for an eternity. Yet, the energy was too much for her small frame. Her body wanted to reject the intense power before it crumpled her form. She sensed the power fading. Her arms sagged slightly. In the midst of this wonderful energy, the princess' eyelids closed.
Serenity clamped her jaw tight and widened her crystal blue eyes. Determined hands again stretched higher in the air before her. The princess must destroy the fireball before it destroyed her home. Serenity would not allow her body to prevent her from using the power. She must succeed.
A second wave of energy pulsed through her. It encompassed her body once again, causing her moon symbol to grow brighter.
Serenity smiled slightly. Her friends were down below somewhere, lending her their power. She was grateful for their assistance.
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Endymion had given up shielding his gaze from the light. His eyes burned, but he no longer cared. He lowered his left hand to support himself against the ground. Glancing into the Golden Crystal, Endymion's eyes widened with disbelief.
Within the light of the stone, he could see a huge, burning object hurtling itself forward. Energy from the crystal blasted the fire projectile, widdling it down. The size of the massive meteor seemed to diminish, but the object still threatened to crush the source of the energy. Endymion's shook his head. The object would not find its target. It could not.
"No!" shouted the prince. Again, he drew his arm back. He pushed his hand and the Golden Crystal forward. The energy of Endymion's actions seemed to push the firey object off course. The meteor disappeared from the glowing eye of the Golden Crystal.
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"Serenity!" screamed Luna frantically, "Stop!"
At this rate, the princess would be overcome by the power of the Ginzuishou. Given Serenity's inexperience, she would not know when she must shut off her connection with the ancient crystal.
She knew. Her instincts told her that she was nearly dead. The ball was now one-fourth its original size. It was small enough to not destroy the Moon Castle but still large enough to cause a great deal of damage.
"No!" screamed a man. The princess' eyes widened. Was it Linnaus? She clamped her eyes shut and concentrated on the voice. Sobs of despair threatened to break her concentration. It was not her beloved cousin, she thought bitterly.
"Lend me strength!" Serenity shouted. Her movements were deliberate. She wound her right arm back and pushed her hand forward with all of her might.
Serenity chucked the fire object off course. A small chunk broke off of the meteor and landed somewhere in the East Wing. The Castle rumbled and shook in protest.
Serenity stood on the landing, exhausted. The power of the Ginzuishou and the energy lent to her to dispersed into the air. Breathing heavily, the princess of the Moon sunk to her knees.
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The energy of the Golden Crystal faded. The stone drifted and settled into the palm of Endymion's hand. The prince's chest collapsed with exhaustion. He gulped the air. Licking his lips, Endymion slouched forward. The encounter with the Golden Crystal had lasted moments, but it had sucked most of the strength from his body. The prince clutched the floor with his left hand as he cradled the magical Terran crystal in his right.
He glanced wearily at the Golden Crystal. Instead of the molassas-colored, mis-shapened stone Helios had given Endymion, the mythical rock had unfurled into a honey-colored rose blossom. The edges of the rosette still glittered with residual white energy.
As his palm flattened against the floor of the room, the prince again felt the rumbling. While he had been preoccupied with the Golden Crystal, the negative energy had been building with intensity. Another blast of energy would soon burst from the Earth's core.
"Never!" The prince growled. He wearily lifted himself from the floor of the room. Staggering to his feet, Endymion turned toward the ominous doors behind him. He soon found himself running across the snow-covered fields of his uncle's territory, further away from Jade Castle. The prince thoughtlessly fumbled with the cloak Jedite had insisted that he bring with him. Clumsy hands threw the fabric over his shoulders. Shaking fingers tied the strings of the cloak together. He tripped over jagged rocks. The glow of the Golden Crystal had weakened considerably, but its faint light, coupled with the Moon's glow, guided Endymion through the countryside. The prince did not turn to look back at the castle. He must prevent another explosion from escaping into the atmosphere.
Endymion was in a thicket of trees when the build-up of energy exploded into the sky. Again, the blast slammed into his heart.
"No!" the Terran Prince cried desperately. He held the Golden Crystal in front of himself and willed the magical stone to draw the power needed from his life force to stop the firey meteor from ascending higher into the sky.
"We got us a spy here!" Endymion heard a gruff voice behind him bellow. Before the prince could turn, he was struck on the back of the head with a blunt, heavy object. Endymion stumbled forward. The Golden Crystal faltered in front of him. He cupped his fingers around the stone. The prince raised his gaze to eye his tormentor. He spied the red uniform of a Solarian Soldier.
Again, Endymion was struck across the face. The skin inside of his cheek tore against his teeth. His lower lip split apart. His vision faltered. He staggered while he attempted to hold his balance.
"He's just a kid!" laughed another voice.
"So much for the powerful Terran warriors we were warned about," the gruff voice snickered. "You can kill him."
Endymion blinked his eyes. As his vision focused, he caught sight of the Golden Crystal hidden between his hands, Endymion sensed the power coursing through the stone. He sucked in a deep breath.
"Looks like this ain't your lucky night!" the other voice heckled. The warrior stepped toward Endymion and raised a club above his head.
The prince spun around and opened his palms. The pure hot light of the Golden Crystal blinded the two warriors. The men screamed in horror as the pure energy burned their skin.
Once he had weakened and distracted the two Solarian Soldiers, Endymion drew his sword. In quick, deliberate movements, the prince sliced the midsection of the club-weilding warrior. The man cried in pain as his weapon fell from his hand. Endymion plunged the sword into the man's abdomen. The soldier's gaze trailed from the sword, up the prince's torso, and stopped on Endymion's face. The Terran Prince shuddered.
The Solarian Warrior sunk into the frost-bitten snow. The grey blanket around him turned to shadow as his blood pooled around his body. Endymion tugged at his sword. The blade stubbornly remained within the folds of the warrior's flesh.
"You bastard!" the other soldier shouted. The light of the Golden Crystal had faltered, and the man was no longer enslaved by its energy. He dashed for the prince.
Endymion pressed his left boot against the chest of the slain man and pulled his sword from the Solarian's body. The boy swung himself around in time to wield a fatal blow to the other man. The long blade of Endymion's sword plunged deep into his opponent's heart.
After he pulled the sword from the man's chest, Endymion staggered back. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. He gazed down at the two bodies of the Solarians he had killed. A bright ball of fire illuminated his place in the forest. A flash of daylight brightened and warmed the frosty black night.
Spinning around, Endymion glanced up to the meteor in the sky. The light was akin to daylight and caused his eyes to burn and water. This blast of energy seemed less severe than the one he had encountered earlier; yet, a sinking feeling in Endymion's heart gave him the impression that this projectile was far more treacherous.
The boy ran forward several paces, away from the bodies of the men he had slain. It was hopeless to try and prevent the object from ascending higher. Endymion hoped that he would see the meteor blast into the heavens and dissapear.
Such a harmless course did not seem to be its true intention.
Endymion wearily watched the projectile as it ripped through the atmosphere. It climbed higher into the air. A smoldering tail of smoke streaked the sky. The black ribbon slowly dissolved. The prince squinted his eyes. What had once brightened the world with the light of day was now a small bright pebble far above the Earth's surface.
"The Moon!" Endymion gasped, as he watched the object approach the glowing crescent in the sky.
The prince felt another heavy blow across the back of his head. Endymion stumbled forward. Groaning, the Terran Prince dropped to his knees. After unleashing the power of the Golden Crystal twice, the boy lacked the energy to fight back. He glanced, one last time, to the meteor quickly approaching the Moon. As the prince slipped into unconciousness, he silently apologized to the voice that had pleaded for his strength. His form collapsed against the razor-cold snow.
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"Princess!" screamed Minako from the platform down below, "are you all right?"
A collection of stones fell from the dome. Minako shrieked as she dodged the debris.
"I am fine," muttered an exhausted Serenity from the landing above. Rising to her feet, she stepped toward the damaged railing. Her four friends stood below. She was relieved to see that they were safe, too. "Can you see where the larger portion of the ball landed?"
"I think it was on a collision course to the Sea of Selenity," Ami shouted. "It should cool off there and cause minimal damage."
Makoto leapt up one staircase. Rei bounded up the other.
"How were you able to use the Ginzuishou?" the Princess of Mars pondered.
Serenity opened her mouth to answer. The sky rumbled above. The princess wearily glanced upward. Her bright blue eyes widened in horror. Another mis-shapened flaming object in the sky careened toward the castle. This smaller meteor traveled with more speed than the first. Fear leapt into Serenity's throat. The Moon Princess staggered backward. She shook her head in disbelief.
This time, Makoto's quick reflexes saved Serenity. The Princess of Jupiter darted up the stairs and tackled the blonde girl. Makoto smashed her shoulder into the closed door of the grand ballroom. She grunted as the heavy slabs flew open. The two girls tripped into the room and skidded on their hands and knees across the polished marble floor.
Serenity and Makoto turned back to face the landing. The two covered their eyes as the smaller meteor smashed through the dome and slammed into the very spot where Serenity had previously stood.
The marble stones of the central dome began to fall. The remaining glass and white brick crashed down, smashing the delicately carved railing and cracking the hard stone floor. The crystal chandeliers in the ballroom swayed from their positions above Serenity and Makoto. The delicate tinkling chimes of the chandeliers clashed severely with the sound of utter destruction outside of the room. Makoto and Serenity huddled on the floor of the ballroom and clutched each other as they watched the castle crash down around their ears. Both of them screamed. Tears streaked their cheeks.
The falling of bricks and glass ceased.
Makoto and Serenity each held their breath in and eyed one another. Still clinging to each other for support, the two girls slowly rose to their feet. Hesitantly, the pair inched their way toward the double doors. Clouds of grey dust swirled outside of the ballroom. Serenity and Makoto paused in the doorframe. They quielty observed the damage.
The odd-shaped projectile was simmering on the landing. The marble floor around the meteor had melted to accommodate the new addition to the castle.
Makoto and Serenity were about to take their first step onto the landing when a groan echoed above their heads. Serenity's eyes trailed up to the golden crescent which had adorned the top of the center dome. Now free from most of its supports, the giant gilded moon shape shifted downward.
"It's going to fall!" Rei screamed. She ran, Luna in her arms, from the right corridor and toward the ballroom. Makoto and Serenity moved from the doorway and into the empty room. Once they were all standing in the center of the room, they turned back to face the once great entrance to the Moon Castle. A portion of the giant gold crescent was visible from their position. It swung back and forth several times like a pendulum. The metal again groaned. A snap of the last beam echoed throughout the castle. The gold decoration dropped, passing out of their vision. As the cresent moon loudly crashed into the other rubble on the foyer below, Serenity, Makoto, Rei, and Luna flinched. The crystals from the chandeliers above their heads tinkled.
No one dared to speak. Each of them stared vacantly forward at the destrucition before them. Serenity, exhausted from using the power of the Ginzuishou, fell to her knees. She slumped and glanced down at the grey marble tiles beneath her. Tears streamed down her face.
"This castle has stood for thousands of years," Luna finally whispered, shaking a disbelieving head. "It has survived thousands of battles. Now, it has been destroyed."
"Just the dome, Luna," Makoto tried to point out calmly. As the princess of Jupiter, Makoto prided herself on being tough and unwavering. Today, her tears flowed freely and her voice shook a little as she added, "And a part of the East Wing, I think."
"I hope Ami and Minako are okay!" Serenity gasped. She leveled her eyes to to gaze at the two Senshi apprentices and Luna. Her glassy eyes were moist from her tears. The princess choked a little as she added, "Castles can be repaired but not lives." Serenity settled her face into the palms of her hands. "How could this have happened?"
Luna wandered to the doorway and peered at the smoldering hunk resting on the landing. The object was dark, molten obsidian peppered with veins of gold. "That projectile is from the Sun," Luna observed. She looked over her shoulder to the trio of girls sitting at the center of the ballroom.
Rei shook her head. "It may have been from the Sun," she muttered, "but that attack came from the Earth."
"The Earth?" Serenity echoed. Her thoughts wandered to Linnaus and the blue and green planet he loved.
"That last attack was aimed right at you, Serenity," Makoto noted thoughtfully.
"The first attack was created to establish the location of the Ginzuishou!" Rei concluded.
Makoto agreed. "Whoever caused this expected that the Ginzuishou would be used to deteriorate the attack."
"Which would pin-point the location..." Luna's voice trailed off. She gasped in horror. It made perfect sense. The attack was not intended for the princess. It was meant for a more formidable, experienced opponent.
The Moon Princess felt her stomach knot. She shook her head in disbelief. More tears streaked her cheeks as she muttered, very matter-of-fact, "Whoever did this wanted to kill my mother."
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End of Chapter 8
So, what did you think? Loved it? Hated it? Want to frame it and hang it on your wall?
I'd love some reviews. Because this chapter is laid out differently from previous chapters, I would like to know, specifically, if switching back and forth between Serenity and Endymion made it easier to understand what was going on or more difficult. Please tell me. ^_^ Feedback would be great!
Hollie
Please keep your peepers peeled for chapter 9! (Title has yet to be determined)
Disclaimer: You all know the words! All together now: I don't own Sailor Moon. (If I did, I would live in much fancier digs and my kitty would have a REAL diamond-studded collar!)
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In Chapter 7, Serenity encountered Princess Orleana of the Sun on her turf, namely, in the Moon Palace. Orleana wanted to steal the Ginzuishou, but all she got was a sword in the face. Orleana revealed that Linnaus is on the Earth (kind of passed over that whole dead thing), and Serenity was thoughtful enough to help Orleana escape without anyone else on the Moon knowing about it. Serenity took the crecent moon pendant from Orleana, 'cause she wants to go to Earth herself and find Linnaus. Orleana returned to the Sun and sulked.
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Chapter 8: The Connection
"How do I look?" Endymion asked, smoothing his black hair with his right hand. He posed before the floor-length looking glass and glanced across the room to Jedite. The blonde gaurdian was seated in a green velvet chair, quietly carving into a peice of stone. Pausing in his work, Jedite glanced up and eyed the young man.
"You look like," he paused. Glancing up to the ceiling, the guardian smiled and turned his grey eyes back to Endymion's reflection, "You look just like a prince."
"Thanks a lot," muttered Endymion dryly. Jedite giggled and returned his attention to the rock in his palm. Endymion turned to leave the room.
"Take your sword," ordered Jedite, not looking away from his work. His knife scraped against the soft stone. He blew the dust from the newly formed trench.
"For supper?" questioned Endymion.
"You forget where you are," Jedite chastized. "You forget that your uncle and your cousin would like nothing more than to see your princely head on the top of a pike."
Endymion winced. "What a colorful description," he uttered.
"You know I am right," his guardian responded. "Anyway, Zoicite is already cross enough with you. I would hate to see his wrath if he knew you were behaving carelessly. You may have to answer to Kunzite."
Endymion growled with frustration. He retreated to his room and returned with his sword secured against his hip. Jedite looked up at him and smiled.
"Good boy," He mumbled. "Don't forget to take a cloak."
"What?" balked the prince. "Jedite, supper is in the dining hall downstairs."
"Very true," Jedite agreed, "But supper will be over and the night will still be young. There will be plenty of time, after the other noblemen have retired for the evening, for you to join me and Zoicite at the pub in Caswell Village."
Endymion smiled and reached for his cloak. He tucked it beneath his arm.
"Now, have a good time," Jedite stated, smiling. "And, try not to faint anymore."
Endymion rolled his eyes and left the room. After shaking his head in feigned dissapointment, the prince closed the door behind him. He surveyed the shadowed corridoors. The sun was just beginning its decent toward the western horizon, but he halls of Jade Castle were always dark.
"Lending to that warm, welcoming feel," Endymion whispered quietly to himself. He smoothed the bottom of his forest green tunic as he took a step forward. Each corridoor in Jade Castle seemed to be an intricate portion of a maze. Endymion wandered down hall after hall, searching for the stairway that would lead him to the dining room. The narrow corridoor he was presently walking through eventually emptied into a vast room with a wrapping staircase. In vast contrast to the majority of Jade Castle, the walls in this foyer were covered with brightly colored tapestries. A huge floor rug stretched the length of the room at the bottom of the stairs. An ornate, golden chadelier dangled above. As Endymion descended the stairs, he looked up to the chandelier. The servants had yet to come and light its candles. The small amount of illumination filtering in from the two token windows washed the room in a grey hue. The massive double doors leading to the garden sealed the room like a tomb. On the opposite side of the staircase was a massive jade fireplace. Hundreds of small dragons were carved into the green stone; from Endymion's position on the stairs, the dragons resembled serpent demons slithering awake from their daytime slumber.
The prince paused at a slitted open window at the bottom of the staircase. He closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply, allowing the fresh air to infiltrate his lungs.
The atmosphere was electric. It was the dead of winter, and yet, the air was charged with heat. A storm lingered on the horizon.
A sick feeling washed over the young man. He opened his midnight eyes and peered outside. Daylight was quickly fading into night. Already, a crescent moon and a few stars were visible. Not a cloud lingered in the sky.
Endymion bit his lower lip. Something was not right. He glanced away from the window. The room was still.
He could hear distant laughter somewhere in the castle. His father and uncle, most likely, were already gathered in the dining hall.
The prince cautously stepped away from the staircase and into the center of the room.
The delicate crystals of the chandelier tinkled faintly. The floor began to rumble.
Instinctively, the prince reached his right hand into his pocket. As he cradled the Golden Crystal in his palm, Endymion felt his own uneasiness magnify. Indeed, he had been correct. Something was very wrong. This time, the emotion did not begin with the prince. This time, he could sense that the forboding was very much beyond him. With the crystal in his hand, he held the sensation of doom within his palm. The young prince knew that the negativity was somewhere else, past the dark green walls of Jade Castle. It festered in another place on the Earth's surface.
Shaking his head, Endymion shifted his attention away from the crystal and to the corridoor that would lead him to the dining hall. His dark blue gaze focused toward center of the castle. He withdrew his hand from his pocket, leaving the Golden Crystal to remain in his trousers. The prince drew in a deep breath and stepped forward.
Another rumble beneath his feet caused Endymion to stop again. The tremor was subtle, but the disturbance made the prince jump back with a start. Endymion glanced down to the red and yellow rug beneath him. He expected to see the square tiles beneath the carpet distorting the rug's flat surface as they bobbled up and down from the quake. In obstinace to the prince's expectations, the floor remained still.
He may not have been able to see it, but the prince could still feel the ground roll. The event did not seem to be a natural occurence. The quaking earth sent pulses of energy up Endymion's legs. Pain gripped his heart.
The electric air danced outside. Endymion could sense the sudden elevation of temperature. Heat filled the atmosphere. As the ground and the intense energy in the sky increased, Endymion sucked a deep breath into his lungs. Something terrible was about to happen.
The floor beneath the prince's feet trembled harder. A massive spasm of energy coursed through the ground. Endymion felt the power increase and become more intense.
.and then the build-up was gone. The Earth's crust seemed to expunge the energy suddenly. The prince sensed the powerful explosion burst into the atmosphere. A brilliant flash outside illuminated the room with the intense heat and light of day.
Endymion stumbled forward and collapsed onto his knees. The erruption shook him to his very core. The explostion caused his heart to spasm in his chest.
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Serenity fumbled with the Crescent pendant as she walked away from the Teleportation Room. When the opportunity was right, she would travel to the Earth and find Linnaus herself. He would be so proud of her. Before returning to the Moon, she and Linnaus would have a Terran adventure-just like the imaginary ones they had when she was younger. Serenity smiled to herself, dreaming of their travels across the blue seas and over the jagged mountains of the Earth.
Her heart quivered. Serenity paused outside of the ballroom, clutching her chest. Her breath caught in her throat.
A whistling noise screamed in the distance. With each passing second, the whistle turned into a shrill howl. Covering her ears from the offensive noise, Serenity turned her eyes to the glass dome above her head. Through the panels, she spied the source of the noise. A ball of fire flew toward the castle. So immense was its size that it reminded the princess of the Sun. Serenity stood rooted to the ground, her eyes fixed on the object. Soon, the flaming ball be on top of her. It was already so near that the ground began to rumble.
"Serenity!" Luna screamed behind her. "Get out of the way!"
The princess turned and gaped at the black feline. The cat ran toward her. Serenity again craned her head up to the windows of the dome.
Time slowed. Thoughts swam through the princess' head, cluttering her mind with confusion. Was this the source of her earlier dread, after she had been out in the gardens, after she had pretended to be Sailor Moon? By the Goddess of Selene, Serenity thought to herself, if Sailor Moon really existed, perhaps she would have the power to protect the Castle and her friends.
They were all doomed. The red flaming ball was on a crash course, and the Moon Castle was its apparent target. Without her mother or the Ginzuishou present, how would she and the others inside of the castle survive?
"You have power, Serenity!" a voice whispered in her ears. She wanted to cry despairingly as she heard it.
Linnaus. He had told her that once. She had the ability. Inside of her was the power of a great future queen. Like her mother, the Ginzuishou was a part of her. All she had to do was ask to use its power.
She looked one last time at Luna. The cat was almost at her feet. A tear streaked Serenity's face as she whispered, "I am sorry Luna. I have to try."
The feline recognized the determination on Serenity's face. She reminded Luna of the Queen. The cat held her breath. She wouldn't actually try to stop the object, would she?
Luna was about to open her mouth to protest, but she suddenly found herself on the other side of the corridor. Glancing frantically around, Luna realized that was again near the the Teleportation Room. She staggered to her feet. A sharp pain cut into her left side. She had not been thrown, Luna realized, so much as kicked. Serenity had booted her from the immediate area of the central dome.
The feline normally would have been furious. She eyed the determined facade of the princess. The child stared up at the red flaming ball.
"Be careful, princess," Luna whispered quietly.
Serenity clenched her jaw. She threw her hands above her head.
"Please, Selene, please, Ginzuishou," Serenity prayed, "Protect us."
Nothing happened.
The heat now coming off of the burning missile was unbearable. Sweat streamed down the princess' forehead. The orange-red light burned her eyes, but she would not look away. It was now so close to colliding with the castle that the ground beneath her feet shook. Serenity stumbled slightly; she planted her feet firmly on the landing. As a decendant of Selene, Serenity was the only one who could save the castle. She had to try or perish in the attempt.
"Please!" she screamed desperately. Hot tears spilled from the corners of her eyes.
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The prince clenched his fingers together while his fists slammed clumsily into ground beneath him. As the edges of his palms made contact with the floor, Endymion felt another build up of energy in the crust beneath him.
"Not again!" the prince gasped. His breathing was heavy and labored. Endymion slowly sat up on his knees. Reaching into his pocket, the prince again took hold of the Golden Crystal. The black, uneven surface of the mystic stone glowed and pulsed with light. The rock seemed to be communicating to him, but the Terran Prince did not know how to interperet its language. Light from the crystal brightened the room.
"I don't understand!" Endymion growled at the rock.
The prince shook his head. He ran a hand through his midnight hair.
Perhaps Zoicite was right. Maybe the Golden Crystal was more trouble than it was worth. With his second pair of eyes, the prince was already saddled with enough problems. The Golden Crystal just seemed to make everything worse. Endymion squeezed the mystical stone tightly in his fist. He drew his arm back, ready to hurl the crystal across the room.
He heard a voice.
"Please!" it begged him. The voice seemed to be screaming, but it was so distant that it sounded more like a whisper burning the prince's ears.
Endymion stopped in mid-throw. His midnight eyes widened with disbelief. He opened the palm of his hand and discovered that the amber glow of the Golden Crystal had transformed into a white hot silver. The stone hovered above his hand. As it rotated over his palm, the odd-shaped crystal exploded with more light. The prince covered his eyes from the blinding glow.
Amazing energy passed through him and slammed into the Golden Crystal. The feeling was both exhilerating and terrifying. In the flash of a moment, Endymion felt more alive than he ever had in his life. The moment was akin to what he had felt the night of the eclipse, when he had encountered his pixie while the rivers of blood seemed to flow past his unconcious body.
A pain ripped though him. As exhilerating has the initial flush of energy had been, equal was the ache that crept into his flesh. A gush of panic sliced at the prince's joints. Tension threatened to pull his limbs apart. His skin burned. And yet, the light of the Golden Crystal grew brighter and brighter.
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It happened. The energy first erupted at the center of Princess Serenity's forehead. Golden light flowed from the crescent symbol between her eyes. Immense, ancient power pulsated through her body. The blood in her veins felt as though it had transformed to quicksilver, boiling with intense and overwhelming strength. Her heart ached, threatening to explode. The energy raged through her in a torrent as it increased.
Serenity knew what she had to do. The power must be released from within her.
Pure light exploded around her small, child-like form. Beams of energy burst from the palms of her hands. Shafts of light seared across the room, slamming into the glass above her. Some of the windows in the dome shattered. Glass rained down on the princess. Shards clattered all around her. Serenity did not care. Her eyes were on the object in the sky. The energy of her attack seared the fireball. She could feel it slowly shrink.
Time slowed to a crawl. Only a few minutes had passed since Serenity had left the Teleportation Room, but ifelt like a lifetime ago. The power within her palms seemed unlimited; she could draw from this deep well for an eternity. Yet, the energy was too much for her small frame. Her body wanted to reject the intense power before it crumpled her form. She sensed the power fading. Her arms sagged slightly. In the midst of this wonderful energy, the princess' eyelids closed.
Serenity clamped her jaw tight and widened her crystal blue eyes. Determined hands again stretched higher in the air before her. The princess must destroy the fireball before it destroyed her home. Serenity would not allow her body to prevent her from using the power. She must succeed.
A second wave of energy pulsed through her. It encompassed her body once again, causing her moon symbol to grow brighter.
Serenity smiled slightly. Her friends were down below somewhere, lending her their power. She was grateful for their assistance.
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Endymion had given up shielding his gaze from the light. His eyes burned, but he no longer cared. He lowered his left hand to support himself against the ground. Glancing into the Golden Crystal, Endymion's eyes widened with disbelief.
Within the light of the stone, he could see a huge, burning object hurtling itself forward. Energy from the crystal blasted the fire projectile, widdling it down. The size of the massive meteor seemed to diminish, but the object still threatened to crush the source of the energy. Endymion's shook his head. The object would not find its target. It could not.
"No!" shouted the prince. Again, he drew his arm back. He pushed his hand and the Golden Crystal forward. The energy of Endymion's actions seemed to push the firey object off course. The meteor disappeared from the glowing eye of the Golden Crystal.
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"Serenity!" screamed Luna frantically, "Stop!"
At this rate, the princess would be overcome by the power of the Ginzuishou. Given Serenity's inexperience, she would not know when she must shut off her connection with the ancient crystal.
She knew. Her instincts told her that she was nearly dead. The ball was now one-fourth its original size. It was small enough to not destroy the Moon Castle but still large enough to cause a great deal of damage.
"No!" screamed a man. The princess' eyes widened. Was it Linnaus? She clamped her eyes shut and concentrated on the voice. Sobs of despair threatened to break her concentration. It was not her beloved cousin, she thought bitterly.
"Lend me strength!" Serenity shouted. Her movements were deliberate. She wound her right arm back and pushed her hand forward with all of her might.
Serenity chucked the fire object off course. A small chunk broke off of the meteor and landed somewhere in the East Wing. The Castle rumbled and shook in protest.
Serenity stood on the landing, exhausted. The power of the Ginzuishou and the energy lent to her to dispersed into the air. Breathing heavily, the princess of the Moon sunk to her knees.
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The energy of the Golden Crystal faded. The stone drifted and settled into the palm of Endymion's hand. The prince's chest collapsed with exhaustion. He gulped the air. Licking his lips, Endymion slouched forward. The encounter with the Golden Crystal had lasted moments, but it had sucked most of the strength from his body. The prince clutched the floor with his left hand as he cradled the magical Terran crystal in his right.
He glanced wearily at the Golden Crystal. Instead of the molassas-colored, mis-shapened stone Helios had given Endymion, the mythical rock had unfurled into a honey-colored rose blossom. The edges of the rosette still glittered with residual white energy.
As his palm flattened against the floor of the room, the prince again felt the rumbling. While he had been preoccupied with the Golden Crystal, the negative energy had been building with intensity. Another blast of energy would soon burst from the Earth's core.
"Never!" The prince growled. He wearily lifted himself from the floor of the room. Staggering to his feet, Endymion turned toward the ominous doors behind him. He soon found himself running across the snow-covered fields of his uncle's territory, further away from Jade Castle. The prince thoughtlessly fumbled with the cloak Jedite had insisted that he bring with him. Clumsy hands threw the fabric over his shoulders. Shaking fingers tied the strings of the cloak together. He tripped over jagged rocks. The glow of the Golden Crystal had weakened considerably, but its faint light, coupled with the Moon's glow, guided Endymion through the countryside. The prince did not turn to look back at the castle. He must prevent another explosion from escaping into the atmosphere.
Endymion was in a thicket of trees when the build-up of energy exploded into the sky. Again, the blast slammed into his heart.
"No!" the Terran Prince cried desperately. He held the Golden Crystal in front of himself and willed the magical stone to draw the power needed from his life force to stop the firey meteor from ascending higher into the sky.
"We got us a spy here!" Endymion heard a gruff voice behind him bellow. Before the prince could turn, he was struck on the back of the head with a blunt, heavy object. Endymion stumbled forward. The Golden Crystal faltered in front of him. He cupped his fingers around the stone. The prince raised his gaze to eye his tormentor. He spied the red uniform of a Solarian Soldier.
Again, Endymion was struck across the face. The skin inside of his cheek tore against his teeth. His lower lip split apart. His vision faltered. He staggered while he attempted to hold his balance.
"He's just a kid!" laughed another voice.
"So much for the powerful Terran warriors we were warned about," the gruff voice snickered. "You can kill him."
Endymion blinked his eyes. As his vision focused, he caught sight of the Golden Crystal hidden between his hands, Endymion sensed the power coursing through the stone. He sucked in a deep breath.
"Looks like this ain't your lucky night!" the other voice heckled. The warrior stepped toward Endymion and raised a club above his head.
The prince spun around and opened his palms. The pure hot light of the Golden Crystal blinded the two warriors. The men screamed in horror as the pure energy burned their skin.
Once he had weakened and distracted the two Solarian Soldiers, Endymion drew his sword. In quick, deliberate movements, the prince sliced the midsection of the club-weilding warrior. The man cried in pain as his weapon fell from his hand. Endymion plunged the sword into the man's abdomen. The soldier's gaze trailed from the sword, up the prince's torso, and stopped on Endymion's face. The Terran Prince shuddered.
The Solarian Warrior sunk into the frost-bitten snow. The grey blanket around him turned to shadow as his blood pooled around his body. Endymion tugged at his sword. The blade stubbornly remained within the folds of the warrior's flesh.
"You bastard!" the other soldier shouted. The light of the Golden Crystal had faltered, and the man was no longer enslaved by its energy. He dashed for the prince.
Endymion pressed his left boot against the chest of the slain man and pulled his sword from the Solarian's body. The boy swung himself around in time to wield a fatal blow to the other man. The long blade of Endymion's sword plunged deep into his opponent's heart.
After he pulled the sword from the man's chest, Endymion staggered back. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. He gazed down at the two bodies of the Solarians he had killed. A bright ball of fire illuminated his place in the forest. A flash of daylight brightened and warmed the frosty black night.
Spinning around, Endymion glanced up to the meteor in the sky. The light was akin to daylight and caused his eyes to burn and water. This blast of energy seemed less severe than the one he had encountered earlier; yet, a sinking feeling in Endymion's heart gave him the impression that this projectile was far more treacherous.
The boy ran forward several paces, away from the bodies of the men he had slain. It was hopeless to try and prevent the object from ascending higher. Endymion hoped that he would see the meteor blast into the heavens and dissapear.
Such a harmless course did not seem to be its true intention.
Endymion wearily watched the projectile as it ripped through the atmosphere. It climbed higher into the air. A smoldering tail of smoke streaked the sky. The black ribbon slowly dissolved. The prince squinted his eyes. What had once brightened the world with the light of day was now a small bright pebble far above the Earth's surface.
"The Moon!" Endymion gasped, as he watched the object approach the glowing crescent in the sky.
The prince felt another heavy blow across the back of his head. Endymion stumbled forward. Groaning, the Terran Prince dropped to his knees. After unleashing the power of the Golden Crystal twice, the boy lacked the energy to fight back. He glanced, one last time, to the meteor quickly approaching the Moon. As the prince slipped into unconciousness, he silently apologized to the voice that had pleaded for his strength. His form collapsed against the razor-cold snow.
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"Princess!" screamed Minako from the platform down below, "are you all right?"
A collection of stones fell from the dome. Minako shrieked as she dodged the debris.
"I am fine," muttered an exhausted Serenity from the landing above. Rising to her feet, she stepped toward the damaged railing. Her four friends stood below. She was relieved to see that they were safe, too. "Can you see where the larger portion of the ball landed?"
"I think it was on a collision course to the Sea of Selenity," Ami shouted. "It should cool off there and cause minimal damage."
Makoto leapt up one staircase. Rei bounded up the other.
"How were you able to use the Ginzuishou?" the Princess of Mars pondered.
Serenity opened her mouth to answer. The sky rumbled above. The princess wearily glanced upward. Her bright blue eyes widened in horror. Another mis-shapened flaming object in the sky careened toward the castle. This smaller meteor traveled with more speed than the first. Fear leapt into Serenity's throat. The Moon Princess staggered backward. She shook her head in disbelief.
This time, Makoto's quick reflexes saved Serenity. The Princess of Jupiter darted up the stairs and tackled the blonde girl. Makoto smashed her shoulder into the closed door of the grand ballroom. She grunted as the heavy slabs flew open. The two girls tripped into the room and skidded on their hands and knees across the polished marble floor.
Serenity and Makoto turned back to face the landing. The two covered their eyes as the smaller meteor smashed through the dome and slammed into the very spot where Serenity had previously stood.
The marble stones of the central dome began to fall. The remaining glass and white brick crashed down, smashing the delicately carved railing and cracking the hard stone floor. The crystal chandeliers in the ballroom swayed from their positions above Serenity and Makoto. The delicate tinkling chimes of the chandeliers clashed severely with the sound of utter destruction outside of the room. Makoto and Serenity huddled on the floor of the ballroom and clutched each other as they watched the castle crash down around their ears. Both of them screamed. Tears streaked their cheeks.
The falling of bricks and glass ceased.
Makoto and Serenity each held their breath in and eyed one another. Still clinging to each other for support, the two girls slowly rose to their feet. Hesitantly, the pair inched their way toward the double doors. Clouds of grey dust swirled outside of the ballroom. Serenity and Makoto paused in the doorframe. They quielty observed the damage.
The odd-shaped projectile was simmering on the landing. The marble floor around the meteor had melted to accommodate the new addition to the castle.
Makoto and Serenity were about to take their first step onto the landing when a groan echoed above their heads. Serenity's eyes trailed up to the golden crescent which had adorned the top of the center dome. Now free from most of its supports, the giant gilded moon shape shifted downward.
"It's going to fall!" Rei screamed. She ran, Luna in her arms, from the right corridor and toward the ballroom. Makoto and Serenity moved from the doorway and into the empty room. Once they were all standing in the center of the room, they turned back to face the once great entrance to the Moon Castle. A portion of the giant gold crescent was visible from their position. It swung back and forth several times like a pendulum. The metal again groaned. A snap of the last beam echoed throughout the castle. The gold decoration dropped, passing out of their vision. As the cresent moon loudly crashed into the other rubble on the foyer below, Serenity, Makoto, Rei, and Luna flinched. The crystals from the chandeliers above their heads tinkled.
No one dared to speak. Each of them stared vacantly forward at the destrucition before them. Serenity, exhausted from using the power of the Ginzuishou, fell to her knees. She slumped and glanced down at the grey marble tiles beneath her. Tears streamed down her face.
"This castle has stood for thousands of years," Luna finally whispered, shaking a disbelieving head. "It has survived thousands of battles. Now, it has been destroyed."
"Just the dome, Luna," Makoto tried to point out calmly. As the princess of Jupiter, Makoto prided herself on being tough and unwavering. Today, her tears flowed freely and her voice shook a little as she added, "And a part of the East Wing, I think."
"I hope Ami and Minako are okay!" Serenity gasped. She leveled her eyes to to gaze at the two Senshi apprentices and Luna. Her glassy eyes were moist from her tears. The princess choked a little as she added, "Castles can be repaired but not lives." Serenity settled her face into the palms of her hands. "How could this have happened?"
Luna wandered to the doorway and peered at the smoldering hunk resting on the landing. The object was dark, molten obsidian peppered with veins of gold. "That projectile is from the Sun," Luna observed. She looked over her shoulder to the trio of girls sitting at the center of the ballroom.
Rei shook her head. "It may have been from the Sun," she muttered, "but that attack came from the Earth."
"The Earth?" Serenity echoed. Her thoughts wandered to Linnaus and the blue and green planet he loved.
"That last attack was aimed right at you, Serenity," Makoto noted thoughtfully.
"The first attack was created to establish the location of the Ginzuishou!" Rei concluded.
Makoto agreed. "Whoever caused this expected that the Ginzuishou would be used to deteriorate the attack."
"Which would pin-point the location..." Luna's voice trailed off. She gasped in horror. It made perfect sense. The attack was not intended for the princess. It was meant for a more formidable, experienced opponent.
The Moon Princess felt her stomach knot. She shook her head in disbelief. More tears streaked her cheeks as she muttered, very matter-of-fact, "Whoever did this wanted to kill my mother."
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End of Chapter 8
So, what did you think? Loved it? Hated it? Want to frame it and hang it on your wall?
I'd love some reviews. Because this chapter is laid out differently from previous chapters, I would like to know, specifically, if switching back and forth between Serenity and Endymion made it easier to understand what was going on or more difficult. Please tell me. ^_^ Feedback would be great!
Hollie
Please keep your peepers peeled for chapter 9! (Title has yet to be determined)