Chapter 23: Battle of Numbers
"Hey you two, are you ever going to stop and breathe?" Lita asked as Koaru and
Amy were embraced in a kiss. "Hey Lita, be nice," Serena said, "Koaru just got back from the battle fields." "He was only gone for two weeks!" Lita continued. "Yea," Koaru started,
"but a day away from my Amy is like a year to me." "Suck up" Lita replied under her breath. "So, are we winning?" Mina asked Koaru as they walked to the castle. "I don't know, especially since we don't even know who is sending the monsters. It is almost like they are coming from thin air."
meanwhile on the Black Moon...
"Are we ready to attack yet?" asked the tall figure to young man kneeling in front of her. "Almost, Queen Beryl, almost." responded Jedite, who had joined the Negaverse some weeks earlier after being left on the field for dead. "The armies of the Inner Planets are all waiting for the next attack on Neptune. Their home planets are defenseless." "Excellent," Queen Beryl said as she sat down on King Souls newly repaired throne, "we attack Jupiter after our next wave on Neptune."
on the battlefields of Neptune...
"It's too quite, ya know?" Glave asked Koaru as they sat in their tent, waiting for something to happen. "I was just thinking that myself," Koaru replied, "that, and what Amy's reaction to her Christmas gift that I sent her." he added with a smile. "If all goes well, we should both be back in time for Christmas." Glave replied, his thoughts now on his girlfriend back on Saturn (he and Raye had broken up, long story). He pulled out a small box from his pocket, "Do you think she will like this ring?" Koaru looked at the grape sized diamond on the ring. "I don't think she will complain." he replied.
Jedite sat on the west side of the valley, overlooking the armies encampment. "They are off guard," he thought, "now is the time."
The lookouts were the first to be struck, falling as they shouted warnings to the sleeping base. Koaru rushed out of his tent at the noise. "Oh...shit." he said as he saw the wall that was advancing toward the base. "Glave, wake the others!" Koaru shouted as he ran to the monsters, pulling his crystal dagger from his pocket.
The monsters heard the lone solider shout to another as he ran towards them. 'No problem' they all thought, watching the figure get closer to them. However, the flash of light that cut down twenty of them was what made them realize the danger that this lone human posed to them.
"That got their attention," Shadow Mercury said to himself as he watched the group of demons that he aimed his Crescent Blade attack at vanished under a wave of green and blue blood. Then the demons started to rain arrows and energy blasts at him and at the base. Koaru flinched at the sound of his fellow soldiers dying behind him as they tried to help him. The demons were advancing behind their merciless attack, and soon they were cutting the humans down one by one. Shadow Mercury was starting to grow tired as he minced what seemed to be the thousandth demon when Glave and Greg appeared to give him aid. "How many of these mother fucers are there!" Greg asked as he slashed one after the other. "Too many!" Glave replied as he cut one fifty-fifty.
Jedite watched the battle from the hill with satisfaction. The Inner army was all but destroyed, only a dozen or so remained, while hundreds more demons were charging down the hill. "It will soon be all over." he smiled as he said these words. "The Inner Planets are ours for the taking.
"Mercury Icicle Impalement!" Shadow Mercury jabbed the tip of his blade into the earth and spikes of ice erupted from the ground, skewering all demons in its path. Then he saw Glave jump behind him, and heard him scream. "Glave!" Koaru yelled as he turned to see that his friend had taken an arrow meant for him. "Greg! Get down!" he yelled as he sheathed his Crescent Blade and grabbed a katana.
"Tritus Celestial Array!" bright red blades of energy flew from his sword and obliterated any demon that they touched. Then Koaru turned to Glave. "Where did they get you?" he asked. "It doesn't matter," Glave replied, "I've already been cut a few times. Just promise me something." "Don't you talk like that," Koaru said, "you're gonna make it." "Cut the crap," Glave said, "I know that it is a lie. Just promise me that you will give her this." he then handed the little box to Koaru. "I will do my best." Koaru said. Glave then smiled, closed his eyes, and breathed his last.
"Time to finish the rest of them." Jedite said. "Crush every last one of them!"
"Koaru! We gotta go!" Greg yelled, "We gotta get the hell outta here!" "Greg...catch." Koaru threw the box to him and turned to meet the oncoming horde of monsters. "What the fuc...Koaru! What are you doing!" Koaru turned to face Greg, his eyes solemn, yet serious. "You go. I'll buy you time to escape. Don't worry," he added as Greg started to object, "I plan to see you again in this life. Now go." Greg hesitated, then ran as fast as he could. "I will not lose to these freaks." Koaru thought to himself. The monsters were ten feet away. He drew his giant sword, and rushed in.
three days later...
Everyone was standing around the portal outside of the Moon Palace, waiting to see their friends and loved ones. The portal then glowed and a lone figure emerged. He was tattered, bloody, and had a look of complete shock in his eyes. Two people stood out the most for the man, and he walked to them. "Yuna," Greg said to the girl who was standing next to Lita, "Glave died in combat. He wanted you to have this. I'm sorry." he added as Yuna dissolved into tears as she took the box. He then turned to Amy. "Princess Mercury," he started, "Koaru stayed to buy the few survivors time to escape. We went back the next day, but...there was no sign of him."
