Guardians of the Star: Chapter Sixteen: Apocalypse North
Sailor Moon hurried through the halls of the Hikawa Shrine on the way to the glade they were using to teleport from. It was time to kick Morgoth to oblivion, if they could.
Everyone had said their good-byes to their families. Although the Senshi preferred to leave without fanfare, the good-byes had been necessary, for both them and their families. Although their kin had chosen not to watch them leave, she was sure they would be glued to the windows anyway.
As she entered the glade, she saw that everyone else was already there. Sailor Pluto, enigmatic as always, stood waiting patiently. Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus stood to one side, deep in discussion. Sailor Saturn stood with one hand on her Kin Sister's crest. Arilith had assumed her Kin form, as had all the Dragonkin. They were more powerful in their natural forms, and against the Death Dragon, they needed every advantage they could get. Sailor Mars stood, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited. Sailor Mercury leaned against Arilon's side as she waited. To everyone's surprise, they had taken their Kin Bonding flight last night.
Sailor Jupiter was talking animatedly to Avalon as they both waited. Sailor Venus and Jadeite simply enjoyed each other's company. Noir had not yet assumed her natural form. Both Maeribeth and Sailor Chibi-Moon were watching as she fitted a pair of peculiar devices over her hands. The five Guardians waited patiently. They had said their good-byes also, and now were ready for action.
Tuxedo Kamen and Haeth smiled as Sailor Moon entered the glade. "Well, FINALLY!" Mars snorted, "I was beginning to wonder if you'd EVER show up!" Sailor Moon stifled a grin. Some things never changed, thank goodness. "What are those?" she asked as she walked up to Noir and pointed at the strange things on her hands. Each device had four long razor sharp blades and fit snugly over the hands. "They're called `battle claws', Hatchling," Maeribeth answered, "Unlike the rest of the Kin, Noir has never been in human form before and knows nothing about using human weapons. I had Avalon pick up a set of `Claws' from the Kin Caverns for her. Being much like her natural claws, their use is instinctive. If she ever has to fight in her human form, she will now be armed and able."
"Well, are we all ready?" Mars said impatiently. At Sailor Moon's nod, Lynn moved forward as her Soul Gem appeared above her. "Everyone gather round," she ordered, "It's time to go!" Haeth and Noir changed to their Kin forms and joined everyone else around Lynn. With six Dragonkin, it got a little crowded, but everyone managed. When everyone was ready, Lynn raised her hands and sent a mental command to her Soul Gem. It pulsed, each pulse brighter than the last, until the sixth pulse, which was so bright, that those watching from the windows were temporarily blinded. When they regained their sight, the glade was empty. Tears came from more than one set of eyes as they turned away to pray for the safely of their children.
Sailor Moon looked over the snowdrift, studying the cave entrance suspiciously. "No guards," she muttered to herself, "Why are there no guards?" Greywolf straightened from where he had been studying the area. "I don't like this," he said with quiet conviction, "Granted that we destroyed a great deal of the forces he brought from the Star Kingdoms, but he WOULD normally have guards! Even if just a pair of Killanki!" He turned to regard the others somberly. "This smells like a trap," he continued, "I think the Dark One has something planned."
"Does that make any difference?" Mars asked impatiently, "We have to take him out, trap or no trap!" Galen nodded firmly. "You're quite right, but we CAN be extra careful." He turned to regard Sailor Moon. "With your permission, My Princess?" he asked. Sailor Moon smiled slightly, despite her growing unease. "You and Greywolf are in command, Galen-san," she answered softly. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up.
"Noir, you and Antari check to make sure the coast is clear," he ordered, "Since you look like their forces, it's unlikely that you'll be challenged if there ARE guards inside." They watched anxiously as the Dark Elf and Dark Kindred moved through the snow, towards the cave entrance.
Tari peered cautiously into the cavern. Torches lit the passage, and as far as she could see; there was no one about. She and Noir exchanged puzzled glances. "Cover me," Tari muttered. She entered the cave as Noir assumed a combat posture, ready to fry anything that attacked Tari.
Everyone tensed as Tari entered the cave. After a long timeless wait, during which everyone imagined all sorts of disasters happening, Tari emerged and waved `all clear'.
"I went as far as the dungeon levels and saw no one," Tari concluded her report, "It's as if the place is deserted!" Jadeite looked extremely worried. "I know the approximate numbers that he had here," he said, "And even with the forces we eliminated, he should STILL have enough here to cause us problems! So, where are they?" Sailor Mercury consulted her computer and looked up in puzzlement. "I can't get any clear readings here," she said anxiously, "It's like my scans are being jammed!"
After a moment of silence, Sailor Uranus broke it. "Look, we suspected a trap, and now it's likely it IS a trap," she said impatiently, "Since we know it, WE have the advantage now, so let's go up there and stomp him!" Galen laughed delightedly. "As blunt as ever, Uranus," he grinned, "but you're right. Trap or not, we MUST go on. I want everyone who can, to extend your senses to their farthest range. Let's not get taken by surprise." At everyone's agreement, they entered the caverns.
As soon as she entered the cavern with the others, Mars felt an alien pressure in her mind. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her midriff. "Mars!" Sailor Moon cried as she moved to her friend, "What's wrong?!" She trembled again, and looked up at Sailor Moon, her violet eyes haunted. "I sense a terrible brooding evil! It completely permeates this place," she answered in a whisper as she looked around uneasily, "Not even the Dark Kingdom felt like this!"
Greywolf looked thoughtful. "Is it Morgoth?" he queried anxiously. Mars shook her head in confusion. "It is, and it isn't!" she said in frustration, "I've felt Morgoth, and I can sense elements of HIS evil in this feeling, but most of it is so alien, that I can't figure out anything other than the fact that it's the greatest evil I have ever felt!" She shivered again.
When they reached the lowest of the dungeon levels, they stopped to confer. "Kreigh, you and Arilith guard the stairs down the hall to make sure we're not interrupted," Galen commanded. They nodded and moved down the long hall, past closed dungeon cells, to take position at the bottom of the next set of stairs. As Greywolf and Galen plundered Jadeite's memory of the layout of the base, Mars curiously approached one of the cells. At her touch, the door creaked open. Her nose wrinkled at the odd smell coming from within. Peering into the shadows, she thought she saw something behind the door. What's that? she thought as she raised her hands. Readying her powers, she pushed the door open further, and entered the cell.
Everyone jumped as a hoarse cry echoed through the hall. Sailor Mars stumbled from the cell, white as a sheet. With her hand over her mouth, she ran down the stairs they had just climbed. After a moment, they heard the sound of retching as Mars emptied the contents of her stomach. "Wha..." Sailor Moon got up and hurried to the cell as Maeribeth took off the way Mars had gone. Greywolf seized Sailor Moon's wrist in a firm grip. "Let me look, Highness," he asked grimly. At her shaky nod, he released her and entered the cell.
When he came out, his face was pale and his lips compressed grimly, but his gray eyes were ablaze with fury. "Civilians," he ground out, "At least a dozen in this cell alone! Guardians! Check the other cells. Sailor Senshi, remain here. This is NOT something I want you to see!"
"But..." Sailor Jupiter began. "Trust me!" Greywolf said softly, "They were drained completely and that's NOT a sight for young girls, however great warriors you may be." She stared at his grim face and nodded. The Guardians were joined by the Dragonkin as they checked cell after cell; all were the same. Filled with bodies who had been drained of all their life energy.
"That makes about one hundred forty by my count," Greywolf said quietly after Arilon had shakily reported his findings. Sailor Moon looked stricken. "But HOW?!" she cried in anguish, "HOW had he killed so MANY?! We always stopped the Dark Kingdom when they tried that because we always noticed something was wrong!"
"Yeah, but who notices the homeless?" a hoarse voice interrupted. They turned to see a pale shaky Sailor Mars supported by Maeribeth's arm around her. Even now, they could see she was regaining her composure, but Sailor Moon noticed a slow burning rage in her violet eyes. She understood that. The same rage possessed them all. "Homeless?" she questioned sharply. Mars nodded firmly. "While some of them had good clothes, most wore patched clothes or outright rags," she explained, "No one notices the homeless, so who's gonna care if a few hundred or so, vanish." Sailor Moon was about to refute that, when Mars interrupted, "I know WE care, but we CAN'T be everywhere! There are HUNDREDS of cities, each with HUNDREDS of homeless. If the Dark Kingdom had done it THIS way, they would have been able to release Metallia before we even knew what was going on!" They all exchanged determined glances. Morgoth would pay DEARLY.
Kaylen approached the waiting group with a puzzled expression on his grim face. They were on the top dungeon level. Each level's cells were filled with the dead. Greywolf had been careful to see that the Senshi were shielded from the awful sights within. "Tari, I think you should see this," he requested with obvious reluctance, "Something about those who died in the last few cells puzzles me." Tari got up and dusted off her long skirt. "You want me to take a look?" Kaylen looked at her unhappily. "I DON'T want you to see it, but you may have answers that I don't."
Everyone followed Kaylen to that last few cells and waited while he entered with Tari. After a moment, they came out to check the next, and the next. Even with her dark skin, they could see that she paled more after every cell. Finally, when they exited the last, Kaylen had to help her since she was blinded by tears. She turned and gently closed the cell door. Leaning her forehead against the door, she wept.
Sailor Moon rushed forward to place an arm around the sobbing Dark Elf's shoulders. "Tari, what's wrong?" she grimaced, "Other than the obvious I mean." Tari looked up, her amber eyes filled with grief. "Behind those doors, lies the price of failure," she whispered, "Dark Kindred, Killanki, Kashalkanite Elves. Dead, drained...and worse." Sailor Moon looked faint. "Worse?" she repeated softly. Tari nodded. "He was not satisfied to just drain them. He did other...things...to them BEFORE he killed them. My little sister lies beyond this door." She heaved a mighty sob. "And her death was not an easy one!" She swallowed her sobs and regained control of herself. "By the Steps of the Nine!" she cried, a fell look in her amber eyes, "The demon who did these foul deeds shall die before this day's sun finds its bed! This I do swear!"
Lynn stared at Tari's determined expression and turned to her Lifemate. "Despite our need to beat Morgoth," she said worriedly, "There is an element, based on our findings so far, that I think you're all missing." She swept her worried gaze over them all. "In the cells below, and on this level, are almost 700 people that were drained of all their life energy. What has Morgoth done with all that energy?"
Uh oh. Everyone exchanged confused looks. "Maybe he used it in his battles against us," Venus ventured. Lynn shook her silvery head. "All those people died within the last twenty-four hours. Morgoth never used that energy, not against US anyway." She turned to Mars. "Rei, do you STILL sense that alien evil?" Mars nodded. "Oh yes," she replied, still pale, "And it's even STRONGER here than it was down below!" Lynn looked as if Mars had just confirmed her worst fears. "It looks as if the Dark One plans something most vile, and needed all that life energy to do it. We'd better hurry, if we want to disrupt his plans!"
Soft malevolent laughter echoed down the corridor. Before anyone could so much as blink, the hall was plunged into darkness as the torches dimmed and went out. "Sailor Moon! Where are you?!" "I'm over here, Mars!" "Nobody move! I'll get a light!" Yet, before Lynn could cast her spell, the torches flared up, and the hall was lit once more.
"What IS going ON here?" Sailor Jupiter asked as she looked around warily. Everyone looked around cautiously, then, someone noticed. "Kin Sister! Where is my little Sister?!" Noir cried as she looked around frantically. "Chibi-Moon! Where are you?" Sailor Moon called worriedly. Noir snarled and shimmered into her human form. "He's GOT her!" she growled, her voice becoming more guttural and hard to understand. With a shriek of fury, she dashed down the hall to the stairs with claws at the ready, then dashed up the stairs and out of sight before anyone could stop her.
"Noir, WAIT?!" Lynn yelled after her, "We must stick together!" The Inner Senshi turned and grabbed Sailor Moon, as she was about to dash after Noir. "Let me GO!" she cried, struggling against the hands that held her. "Kin Sister! Calm down!" Haeth commanded gently, "We need to get to Morgoth's Throne Room. When we find HIM, we'll find Chibi-Moon as well!" She stopped her struggles as she reluctantly accepted her Kin Sister's advice. A tear trickled down her cheek as Tuxedo Kamen moved forward to take her in his comforting arms.
"It'll be alright, you'll see," he whispered to her. After a short time, she nodded and pushed away. She smiled at him gratefully and turned to the others. "Let's go," she said softly, "I'm gonna trash him for this!" The others shivered at the look in her eyes, but followed as she walked to the stairs and began to ascend.
"Here we are!" Sailor Moon said softly as she looked around warily, "Beryl's Throne Room." Mars glanced around uneasily before leaning towards Sailor Moon. "That alien evil!" she whispered hoarsely, "It's here! And stronger than ANYTHING I've ever sensed before!" Mocking laughter filled the Throne Room. "Very GOOD, Sailor Mars!" a hissing voice laughed, "Very VERY good! Mercury's computer I could block, but not your sense of, ah, presence shall we say?" A form materialized before the throne and Sailor Moon shuddered. An animated Dragon skeleton was bad enough, but one animated by the malevolence that was Morgoth, was horrible beyond description.
"Welcome to my abode!" he hissed sarcastically, "I'd provide the refreshments the living seem to need, but I doubt you'll be in that state for much longer!" He dropped his jawbone in a grotesque parody of a Dragonkin's grin. He turned to Sailor Moon. "Greetings, Princess!" he hissed, "I believe that you were looking for THIS!" He extended one foreclaw. Grasped firmly within it was a terrified Chibi-Moon. "Mama!" she wailed as she struggled frantically to free herself. Sailor Moon gasped in horror.
Noir watched the scene unfolding below from a balcony high up on one wall. When Morgoth extended his foreclaw with the captive little Princess, she acted. Lovely lips twisted in a vicious snarl, she leaped from the balcony, her battle claws extended. As she passed Morgoth, she slashed viciously slicing deep into Morgoth's forearm bone. Even HE felt that. He shrieked in mingled pain and fury, as his claw opened, and Chibi-Moon fell from his grip. Noir spun into a somersault and struck the ground, feet first. Changing back into her Kin form as she struck. Bending her hind legs, she leapt back into the air, her foreclaws outstretched. Chibi-Moon fell into them, and clutching her precious burden to her chest, she fled towards the Senshi. As she landed, Morgoth shrieked again, "DIE!" Powerful dark energy bolts exploded from his foreclaws. Everyone looked on in shock, as the bolts impacted on a shield long before reaching their intended targets.
An elegant form flickered into existence between Morgoth and the objects of his rage. He recognized her at once. "General Lieriana!" he roared, "You go TOO far!" As she settled to the ground, she turned amber eyes filled with hatred, on her erstwhile `master'. "No, Lord," she said softly, injecting whole volumes of insult into the way she slurred his title, "YOU have gone too far, or did you actually think I wouldn't notice the death of my..." She spared a glance for Tari. "...OUR baby sister. Tari and I disagreed on MANY things, but keeping young Sharai safe, was not one of them."
"And so you will betray me?" Morgoth said softly, "I have ways of dealing with THAT, at least!" He extended a foreclaw and clenched it tightly. Lieriana gave a choked gasp and fell to her knees. "N...no!" she choked out, "I will NOT die until I've seen you off to HELL!"
"Sailor Moon! Quick! Accept her into your service!" Lynn whispered to her friend. Sailor Moon turned a confused look on Lynn. "But why..." she began. "No time! I'll explain later!" Sailor Moon spared a quick glance at her daughter. Noir was cuddling her and calming her terror with gentle whispers. She had seen many expressions on Noir's face, but never the gentle and loving expression she wore now. Her child was in good hands. She turned back to Lynn. She nodded in agreement at her friend's idea and rushing to the faltering General, she knelt down.
"There's nothing you can do, Moon Child!" Morgoth gloated as he continued to rip out Lieriana's lifeforce, "She's MINE!" Sailor Moon ignored him as she put her lips to Lieriana's ear. "Will you enter MY service?" she whispered urgently, "Be MY general? Protect My Kingdom, my kith and kin from all harm?" Lieriana turned pain filled eyes on Sailor Moon. She struggled to answer and finally managed a faint "yes." Sailor Moon smiled despite her anxiety and laid her hand on Lieriana's bowed head. "Then I accept your oath!" she whispered. Magic sparkles traveled from her hand moving over Lieriana's body before disappearing. With their disappearance, the pain also vanished. She gasped at the relief from the terrible ripping pain as Sailor Moon helped her to her feet.
Morgoth looked at them in shock. How can this BE?! he wondered as rage began to possess him. Then, he noticed Tari and Noir. "Ah! Yes!" he hissed venomously, "Yet MORE traitors! If I can't take ONE, then I'll take TWO instead!" Before anyone could react, he reached his claws towards his two erstwhile servants and clenched them. When nothing happened, he hissed in frustration. "BLOCKED! AGAIN!" he roared in fury, "Who DARES block me from punishing MY creatures?!"
nn stepped forward. "You cannot punish them, Dark One!" she mocked, "hey are no LONGER your creatures! Tari's service has been accepted by the Queen of Tarandar, Noir is in service to the Princess of the Moon, and just now, Lieriana has ALSO been accepted into HER service! Howl your head off until it's empty, but you'll never be able to do to them what you did to the others!"
"Tsk, tsk," Morgoth returned, "You think THAT will save you? I'll just have to destroy you ALL in the same way!" His jawbone dropped as he laughed. "Your lifeforces will make a paltry meal, being such weak creatures, but it's better than nothing, I suppose." He laughed again.
Uranus exploded. "Eat THIS you dung dog's whelp!" she cried in rage, "This is for the people you killed! WORLD ERUPTION!" Her attack blasted into the ground. Morgoth stretched out a bony talon and as the energy sphere exited the ground beneath him, he seized it and threw it back at her. "Here, my dear," he hissed in amusement, "I think you dropped this!" Uranus dove as her own attack flew above her and exploded against the wall. She looked at Morgoth in disbelief. The Inner Senshi FOUGHT him?! Then she noticed that everyone, Inner Senshi included, were looking at Morgoth as if he had grown two heads. Oh boy! she groaned, If he didn't have this ability the last time they faced him, how are we gonna BEAT him?!
""NOW! All at once! He can't block us all!" Greywolf cried, and as one, everyone attacked. "MOLECULAR DISRUPTION!" "WORLD ERUPTION!" "DEEP FREEZE!" "TEMPORAL VORTEX!" "JUPITER THUNDER JAVELIN IMPALE!" "MARS FIRESTORM ERUPT!" "MOON CRESCENT SCYTHES SLASH!" "PINK SUGAR BOOMERANG STRIKE!" "VENUS SUNSHINE KISS!" "MERCURY ICE SHARD STORM!" Following on the attacks of the Senshi came the individual attacks of the Guardians and the white lightning and bright fire of the Dragonkin.
Moving so fast, that he blurred, Morgoth seized each Senshi attack and threw them back at their owners. Raising mirror shielded claws, he reflected the attacks and lightning of both Guardians and Dragonkin. When the smoke cleared, Senshi and Guardians were on the ground after dodging their own attacks. The Dragonkin, however, were not as lucky. Being slower on the ground, all had been struck by their reflected lightning and flame, and all were wounded in varying degrees. Morgoth remained standing, the lambent flame of his eyes bright with malevolent glee. He stared at his downed enemies, and laughed uproariously.
"He's like a god!" Sailor Moon whispered as she got painfully to her knees. Haeth hissed in pain as she tried to fold her left wing, and it refused to bend. "I don't know how we'll beat him THIS time, Kin Sister!" she said in a pain filled voice, "I really don't." Lynn was about to speak when something in the shadows near the throne, caught her eye. NO! she closed her eyes desperately, hoping that when she opened them, the thing she saw would be gone, It CAN'T be! Oh Goddess, oh Goddess, DON'T let it be! It's a MYTH! A FABLE! She opened her eyes, but the thing was still there, floating in the shadows. Oh Goddess! she cried silently, A Void Crystal! Oh Goddess, what can we DO?! Now she knew how Morgoth planned to destroy this reality, and also why he needed all that life energy. We were so smart. We planned for everything, except the appearance of a legendary horror!
"This game bores me," Morgoth stated when his laughter finally stopped, "You will be the finishing touch on my plan. Farewell, my enemies!" He waved a bony claw. "What's happening?!" Venus cried weakly as she fell to the ground. All around her, the others collapsed as if too weak to stand. Only Lynn saw the Void Crystal glowing malevolently in the shadows. She struggled to hold her head up as weakness assailed her. "You PLANNED on letting us reach you all along, didn't you?" Lynn gasped, the true horror of Morgoth's plan finally becoming clear. Morgoth turned to look back at them. "Of course!" he hissed triumphantly, "When you want to get rid of an insect, you DON'T chase it away! You let it come closer, and closer, THEN YOU SWAT IT!" He laughed, and seeing his enemies were too weak to attack, he turned away to busy himself with another part of his plan.
"Why am I so WEAK?!" Mars cried in frustration as she tried to rise, and couldn't, "Is it a Nullifier?!" Lynn turned weakly to Mars as the others collapsed, one by one. "No, Mars," she answered despairingly, "It's a Void Crystal and THAT is MUCH worse!"
"Yesssss," Morgoth agreed as he turned back to gloat, "MUCH worse. A Nullifier IS a useful device, yet, it is but a TOY compared to the Void Crystal! First it will drain you, then this planet!" His jaw dropped in glee at the horror on their faces. "Yesss! And it won't stop there, oh no!" he continued, "It'll suck dry this solar system, then the galaxy! It won't stop until this entire reality is sucked DRY! And ALL that marvelous power will be at MY command! No one will be able to stand against ME! I WILL REIGN SUPREME!" He turned back to the crystal, laughing in triumph.
Sailor Moon trembled with weakness, her very lifeforce flowing from her. "Moon Crescent Scythes..." she whispered. The glowing blades appeared in her hands, but the glow was weak and fading, even as she watched. Lynn watched, and as Sailor Moon summoned the weakly glowing blades, hope blossomed within her. She looked around wearily. Seeing Arilith next to her, she reached out a trembling hand and touched her scaled shoulder.
"What?" Arilith turned her head weakly and regarded the Elven Princess. "Arilith!" Lynn whispered, "Tell everyone to send every iota of power they can spare, to the Moon Princess! Hurry! Our time lessens with every moment!" Arilith sent out the call, and slowly, so slowly that Lynn felt like screaming, the others answered. Hands reaching out to Sailor Moon streamed power.
Sailor Moon looked sadly at the blades in her hands. They were almost faded to nothing now. All for nothing, she thought. She gasped when the blades flickered and began to glow brighter and brighter. "Princess!" She turned and saw both Arilith and Lynn watching her intently. "When the blades are at their brightest, join them and hurl them..." "At Morgoth?" she mouthed, to weak to speak. "NO! Look next to the throne! The Void Crystal rests there! If you don't destroy it, this reality will die shortly after WE will! Ignore the Dark One!"She looked, and sure enough, there it was. Its malevolent power obvious, even to her. She wanted to change to Princess Serenity, but knew there was no time. "Unite," she mouthed silently as she pressed the blades together. The power felt different somehow. All the powers were in the Moon Scythe now. Lightning, fire, water, everything. When the blade was too bright to look at, she released it to fly toward the throne, and the dark gem beside it.
When Morgoth noticed a flash of incandescent light behind him, he turned to see the Moon Scythe streak towards the Void Crystal. "NOOOO!" He cried, as he lunged forward to intercept the threat to his plans. He was too late. The Scythe slammed into the crystal with all the fury of an avenging angel. The crystal cracked, dark electricity arcing around it as it pulsed unevenly. Everyone felt their life energy return as the crystal's storage ability was destroyed. Climbing to their feet, they all turned to the Death Dragon, who was watching his plans fall to ashes in disbelief. None of them noticed the black gate opening behind Morgoth.
**YOU HAVE FAILED ME FOR THE FINAL TIME, INCOMPETENT ONE!** Morgoth turned to stare in open jawed horror at the black gate. At the razor sound of that voice, everyone else collapsed, holding their ears in pain. "It feels like my SOUL is being shredded!" Sailor Moon cried. "An apt description!" Lynn gasped as she tried to block that searing voice.
**RETURN TO ME, BELOVED!** the voice continued, **I LONG TO FEEL YOU IN MY EMBRACE, TO FEEL YOUR PAIN AS I FEAST ON YOUR SOUL AGAIN, AND AGAIN!** Morgoth shrieked in horror and despair as he was drawn through the gate, despite his best efforts to escape. "NOOOOOooooooo...!" His last cry was swallowed by the Gate. After his disappearance, the Gate began to close.
**ENJOY YOUR TRIUMPH WHILE YOU CAN, INSECTS! THE TIME WILL COME WHEN -I- WILL TRIUMPH! FAREWELL** At that, the Gate vanished. "Who WAS that?!" Mars gasped painfully, "I've NEVER felt such evil!" Lynn climbed painfully to her feet. "That was Kashalka, Goddess of Death," she groaned at her aches, "Pray you never meet her in person. No mortal can stand against her."
"But why..." Lynn noticed something and gasped, "Quick! EVERYONE GATHER ROUND! WE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE!" As the Void Crystal flashed and sparked, no one needed to be told twice. "Have you the strength?" Sailor Moon began. "I MUST!" Lynn interrupted. Greywolf's arms went around his wife from behind, and she smiled as she felt his strength flow into her. "Let's GO!" Her Soul Gem flashed, and they were gone. The Void Crystal imploded silently. Seismographs around the world recorded a minor tremor in the high arctic. A few more icebergs were seen to pester shipping, and LANSAT photos showed a large depression in a mountainside. All that remained of the old Dark Kingdom base, and the terrible events there.