"Fall back!"
"Fall back!" Mars echoes Venus' cry from across the front lines. The two simple words sound so foreign on her lips. She doesn't want to say them. She barely understands them. She was created to fight those who challenge the Moon Goddess until her last dying breath. Not run as a coward.
She is fire. She is passion. She is war.
But she also exists to serve.
And, from what I can tell, the situation seems pretty hopeless. The Isu, the planetary warriors with their dwindling numbers, are overrun by angry, bloodthirsty humans. Arrows litter the sky. Weapons made of shining, sharp metal clash, spraying silver blood everywhere.
Her soldiers pause. They don't understand her words. The concept of retreat appears foreign to them.
"I said 'Fall back!'" Her voice—my voice—is hoarse.
"To the castle!" Someone else calls in the background. Everything else is chaotic violence. She doesn't allow herself to feel fear. Her chest swells with heat and rage and a nagging concern for the Commanding Officer she can hear but not see.
"Arrows!" Someone else shouts just before they blot out the blood-red sun. Mars waves her hand in an arc above her. Flames shoot from her fingertips and light up the sky.
She can control fire! It feels so natural, being inside of her, commanding fire… So many things are beginning to make sense. Relief, the likes of which that comes with understanding the personal mysteries I've carried with me all of these years, brings me joy. The Sacred Flames didn't choose me. They are a part of me, just as I am a part of them.
Many of the arrows disintegrate into ash and blow away. But others, made of that same strange material as the pillars, remain unaffected. She runs backwards but cannot escape the persistent projectiles.
Accepting that she will take a hit, Mars braces herself. She shifts, surprised when a deluge washes them away. A stream of water fills the sky before us, taking away the immediate threat.
Mars turns towards the source. It's Michiru's Isu ancestor, wielding that mirror, wearing a white bodice with aquamarine trim. There isn't much left to her skirt or bow; everything is torn and stained with mercurial Isu blood. Despite her injuries, she turns and sprints towards the castle. If she had any soldiers, they're long dead now.
Mars sets her gaze upon the leagues of humans ascending the castle perimeter. She hesitates against her own order. Fingers twitch. She lights an invisible match. Flames lick her fingertips. If only she could raze the entire battlefield. Burn mortal flesh like kindling; make them feel her fury. Make them regret rising against the Moon Goddess and her soldiers. She would kill anyone who harmed so much as a hair on Venus' golden head. But since it was nearly impossible to keep track of the entire battle, she would just as soon kill them all.
Mars raises an arm. Quicksilver drips from her wrist. I can't tell if it is from her own wound or not. Pain no longer registers with her. There is only bloodlust and rage.
A bow appears in her hand. It's crafted entirely of flames. Magic. Or rather, advanced Isu technology we will probably never fully comprehend. Her other hand pulls on the fiery string. An arrow of flame ignites from nothing. She has forgotten her call to retreat. Mars demands revenge on the humans who have scorned her liege.
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
She loosens the arrow. It strikes an armored man only a few yards before her. A single arrow becomes a raging fire consuming everything in its path. It billows and erupts. Its commanding roar snuffs out their pitiful wails. Piles of smoking ash sit where humans just stood. Her soldiers, taking her attack as a change of heart, gleefully charge, kicking up ash and pilfering unburnt weapons while advancing upon the next wave of humans.
Her brief moment of satisfaction ends. A hand roughly grasps her brooch and yanks. "What are you thinking?!"
Minako. Streaks of silver and crimson wrap around her neck. Moon dust and sweat coat her bangs, sticking them to her forehead. Her skin has a translucent, silvery glow. Small nicks on her cheeks are marked with metallic streaks. It isn't Mina. It's her Isu predecessor.
"I said 'Fall back.' Get your ass in the castle and protect the royals!" Her voice cracks. Like Mina, she puts on a brave face when she really just wants to break down and cry. Mars' contradicting feelings brush against me. She wants to console her. She wants to kill for her. She wants to burn every human who rises against her. She wants to obey.
After a long moment of suffering beneath her cerulean gaze, Mars finally concedes. We sprint together towards a large castle built from white marble. Twirling spires reach for the stars. I see Earth in the background, gazing upon it as I would the moon. It's surreal and foreboding. The closer we draw to the castle, the deeper the pit in our stomach grows. Mars suspects an unhappy ending, but she does not give voice to such thoughts.
Metallic gates are already open. We sprint through them and up the staircase. There is no evidence of carnage here. Save for a few splatters of mercurial liquid, the entrance is pristine. The woman beside me clutches a gash in her side, but doesn't let it slow her down.
Mars inches ahead of her to get the door. She refuses to meet our gaze as she hobbles inside of a massive, resplendent foyer.
"Venus! Mars!" Venus. Of course.
Our concerned gaze turns from Venus to the group assembled in a circle before us. Familiar faces wearing strange outfits and somber expressions. One man stands out in the group of Isu women. He has no silvery glow. Red liquid trickles from a gash on his cheek.
He is human.
He stands behind two women. One kneels on the ground, cradling another in her lap. The kneeler has long golden hair, splaying across the prone form in her lap. She openly weeps for the older woman who she resembles.
"Mother, no!"
"Moon Goddess…" Venus gasps. She falls to her knees, clutching the dying woman's arm. "You can't die! Use the silver crystal. Heal yourself."
The woman she calls a goddess struggles to breathe. Her ivory dress is torn, but there is no blood. Not red or silver. Beams of light escape her eviscerated flesh. Her hands rise to cover her chest. After a second they pull away, bringing with them a silver crystal shaped like a blooming lotus.
"Venus." Her pale blue eyes are filled with kindness. "The bloodshed. It ends now. Leave… to Earth… Save Serenity… Preserve the crystals."
Preserve the crystals?
"Mother, no!" The golden blonde cries louder.
Other voices rise in protest. They want to fight. Mars included, of course. Venus stares at the dying goddess, mentally and physically exhausted. Our eyes turn to Michiru, gazing into her mirror while Haruka participates in the shouting match. Contemptful names and thoughts ring between our ears, while staring at the couple, but I can't make them out amongst the furor.
The one with the tall garnet rod is silent as well. Setsuna, I can't help but think as we stare at her timeless visage. This time the name is clear as crystal: Pluto. Daughter of Cronos and Keeper of the Space-Time Gate. Mars regards her with equal parts admiration and suspicion.
Impassioned pleas to continue the battle continue. The Moon Goddess hears none of it. She pours her remaining energy into the crystal she holds. Healing energy tickles our flesh, repairing our wounds with magical silver stitching.
Mars is not relieved for the healing. She grabs Venus, who is staring at the goddess' lifeless body as her daughter mourns over the silver crystal, and forcefully turns her by the shoulder.
"This is the end," Mars states her question.
Bloodshot eyes blink back tears. Resentment boils her heart. She should have been enough. If only she were stronger. Smarter. For all of her ferocity and flames, the ire of the humans and the compassion of their goddess overpowered her in the end. Venus, the embodiment of love and beauty, shouldn't have been burdened with this. What was the Moon Goddess thinking when she created Venus to fight?
The others argue amongst themselves. It becomes static. Fire roars in our ears. Venus presses her dry lips against ours. Mars almost doesn't hear her whisper above the flames calling for vengeance.
"Yes, love. It is the end."
—-
"Mars," was the only word Rei managed to whisper when faced with the ghostly visage of her Isu ancestor. Awe, respect, but primarily fear, fill the young assassin as stern violet eyes pierce through her. Mars' aura glows crimson with the very essence of her element. Her lips remain firm and unmoving; expressionless, save for battlelust and indignation.
"Inherit your crystals. Or die trying," the violet reaper's whisper echoes in the cavern.
With a swipe of her scythe, the battle begins.
Signaled into action, the Isu warriors take flight. Rei desperately wanted to catch a clear view of Minako's face. But Mars came too fast, closing the distance between them faster than Haruka sprinting at top speed. A blaze of flames was left in her wake; lighting the darkness behind her. The heat of her flames licked at Rei's body as she clumsily rolled from her path. Sharanga's bulky shape pressed into her back, severely limiting her mobility.
After rolling away from the initial advance, Rei leapt to her feet and simultaneously drew her bow. The lone arrow was notched and Mars was in her line of fire before catching her breath. The warrior smirked and flew towards her again, not giving a second thought to the arrow pointed between her eyes. Mars' complete disregard gave Rei pause. She steadied her breath, exhaling and loosening the arrow.
The projectile followed its intended course, disintegrating into ash mid-flight. Mars flew through the blackened ash before it scattered. Rei was unsurprised, but annoyed and frustrated nonetheless. There was no time to dodge. Mars was upon her. Sweltering, suffocating heat accompanied by a steely midnight stare signaled Rei into action. Unable to dodge, she performed the next action that came to mind.
Gripping the length of Sharanga with both hands, she prostrated the bow before her like a shield. Rei grimaced, anticipating a knockback of dangerous proportions. Eyes open, she found herself staring into her own smug expression.
Mars floated before her, arms spread wide, gloved hands clenching Sharanga's upper and lower limbs. Extreme heat consumed her flesh. Heat never bothered Rei. She never quite tested the limits of her tolerance, but she was vaguely aware of the hems of her sleeves singeing while they stared each other down. The effort to hold her ground while maintaining a glare was considerable. Mere seconds passed, and every muscle in her body ached.
Rei half-expected the bow to be wrenched from her grasp. It would have been painfully easy, after all. But the knowing, confident expression on her ancestor's face gave way to wide-eyed shock as something neither of them expected happened.
Now it was Rei's turn to smirk.
—
The vision of beauty and splendor floating before her nodded. It was like looking into a mirror, if she were a shimmering goddess wearing a miniskirt and a navy bow across her chest. Her mask amplified the blinding orange aura surrounding Venus. Minako was half-tempted to remove her mask, but decided against it. She would need every edge she could get.
A chain identical to hers was wrapped around the Isu warrior's waist. Something told Minako that Venus was leagues more skilled with it than her.
Hundreds of questions cluttered Minako's thoughts. Try as she did to shut them up, she couldn't. The impending battle needed all of her focus. But she wasn't Rei. She couldn't turn off her thoughts or emotions for the sake of victory. Nor was she singular-minded like Michiru; a woman who spent her entire life plotting and conniving to bring everyone to this point.
She was only Aino Minako: a woman who made a deal with the devil to save her body and her career. She was no leader. No warrior. And she certainly didn't have the unwavering loyalty Venus had for her creator.
Sailor V could not begin to count the amount of days she spent in abject misery, regretting her choice to become a templar pawn and losing touch with the passion that made her a famous idol.
Or maybe it hadn't been much of a choice at all.
Minako would not risk a glance at the Templar Augur, but the more she thought about the events leading all of them to this supernatural showdown, the more it seemed she had been tricked and coerced this entire time. If Michiru could trick Takashi into murder and betrayal, and Rei into patricide, orchestrating the equipment malfunction that led to her paralyzing accident would be mere child's play.
The revelation disheartened her. Had any of her choices truly been her own? How much of her life was predetermined, or at the very least, meticulously steered into this direction? When did the crystal fragment choose her?
Sounds of battle erupted around Minako and Venus. From her left, damp mist permeated the air, encroaching upon her sight. From the right, brilliant flames warmed her skin and heart, reminding her of Rei and the shrine maiden's own struggles with the same fate laid before them. So many voices shouting; their urgency and her own melancholy made her heart race, yet Minako could not bring herself to move.
"Why me?"
The question probably sounded pitiful. Especially to this ancient Isu warrior, who lost everything during the First Catastrophe. Everything except whatever Minako was staring at now. A ghost? An illusion?
The ethereal figure sank to the floor, isolated and unperturbed by the escalating battles surrounding them. Orange heels clicked against the strange metal beneath them.
"If you must ask, then perhaps you are not ready."
Minako was listening to an echo of herself. How casually she could suggest that everything Minako had endured to get to this point had been for nothing was maddening. In fact, it was more upsetting than believing even being here was out of her control. If Venus meant to light a spark inside of her, it worked.
Minako pulled the beaded chain from her waist in one motion. The slight snarl on her lips urged Venus into a battle stance.
"Oh, I'm ready."
—
Brilliant orange flames danced between them, shrouding most of Mars' face. Rei could just make out her haunting midnight eyes, alive with the reflection of their spark and the surprise of what transpired.
Sharanga was no more. For the third time that she knew of, the Piece of Eden transformed. Or rather, perhaps it would be more accurate to say it absorbed the magic at Mars' fingertips. A bow comprised of pure flame was in their grasp, somehow tangible and solid in her hands. Rei was either holding fire in her hands, or incredibly convincing magic mimicking the element. Sweat beaded her brow and the hems of her sleeves caught fire, but her skin did not burn.
Left with no time to ponder her new weapon and invulnerability to it, Rei wrenched the bow from her surprised opponent.
Mars composed herself instantly, allowing that smug grin to return. "Perhaps you are worthy after all."
Despite wielding fire, her voice chilled Rei to her bones. "Worthy of what?"
Instead of answering, Mars sprung to action. She floated towards the roof, her heeled toes dangling a dozen feet above Rei's head. Her arms flexed as if notching an arrow on a bow. A bow made of fire, identical to hers and what Rei saw in the strange vision, appeared.
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
Rei could not sprint fast enough. The flaming arrow chasing her morphed into something far greater; a veritable inferno shooting through the air, threatening to consume everything in its path. Weapon in hand, Rei ran, catching a glimpse of Minako in her peripherals. She wanted nothing more than to help her, though Minako seemed engaged in a staring contest with Venus. Knowing better than to direct the stream towards Minako, Rei pivoted and rolled towards the back of the cavern as the flaming geyser made contact with the floor. Heat seared up her back as she rolled. Half a second later, she would have been burnt.
Rei leapt to her feet. A lifetime of assassin training, and she still felt woefully ill-prepared for such an encounter. She was trained to strike silently from the shadows, unseen and unheard, ideally. And she was trained to fight mortals made of flesh and blood with weapons made of metal and wood, not shades or demigods wielding the elements.
Rei glanced at the fiery bow in her hand. Why had Sharanga inherited Mars' flames, if not to be wielded as such?
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
A new, but not foreign, sensation welled inside of her. It was similar to the raw heat and strength she experienced while inside of Mars during the flashback, except exponentially more potent. Something inside of her awakened, drawing from her latent powers in the form of vermillion flames ensconcing her arms before morphing into a notched arrow of fire.
The fiery projectile sailed through the air, heading straight for the brooch between her breasts. Mars did not so much as blink. She welcomed the arrow, inhaling deeply as it became absorbed by her instead of impaling her.
Rei stifled a groan. Fat lot of good this fancy new weapon would do her. She would need to rely on melee attacks to even have a chance. Which meant getting the Isu warrior down to her level.
"Come down here and fight me!" Rei shouted while brandishing her hidden blade.
Pale lips curved into a grin before Mars became a crimson and violet bullet heading straight for her.
Arrogant and stubborn as Rei could be, even she was beginning to think she was in over her head.
—
"Venus Wink Chain Sword!"
Minako had no time to process what exactly she was looking at. Venus twirled in a sea of flowing orange magic, winking and conjuring… a sword?
A sword that summoned dozens more chains, creating a collision course straight for her. The destructive beads drove into the ground again and again, the destruction of the metallic floor ringing in her ears repeatedly. Chunks of metal and dust filled the empty space between the dueling blondes. Minako felt trapped; escaping to her left would render her blind in the mist born from Ami's struggle, and escaping to the right would land her in a lake of fire.
Minako took a deep breath and began sprinting toward the animated chains. Gripping her own chain in both hands, she ran until the first opportunity presented itself in the form of a rising hunk of rock large enough for her to propel herself from.
The debris breaking from the floor was heavy beneath her feet; resistant to her weight for the short second she pushed herself from each piece. Rock dust filled her lungs, somehow increasing in thickness the higher she rose from the ground. Venus' chains whipped about in no particular order, lashing at her ankles with each leap. Minako was too occupied with finding a landing point with each step to watch the actions of her Isu opponent, until Venus appeared within striking distance with a sword in hand.
"Shit!" Startled, Minako lost her footing. That was the lesser of her concerns, considering that she was about to be on the receiving end of Venus' very shiny, sharp blade.
Minako acted on instinct to take out the immediate threat. One end of her whip wrapped around the sword, attempting to yank it from Venus' grasp. The sudden jerk of her whip should have wrenched the weapon free, but the warrior was too strong. Venus refused to relinquish her weapon, and the two collided mid-air above the soaring debris. They struggled against one another, each one-handed as Venus refused to release her sword and Minako, her whip wrapped around said weapon.
It didn't take long for the ancient Isu to overpower her. Two pointed heels pressed into her chest, causing enough inertia to kick her towards the ground. Minako fell fast and hard; the chain linking her and Venus too slack to provide any assistance. Hair fluttered across her vision. Fear and panic welled in her chest. Combined with the pressure, she thought her chest might burst. If she did not act fast, she would crash onto her back and break a few bones in the process.
Minako put all of her weight into drawing Venus towards her. The unexpected pressure worked in her favor, but only for a short second before Venus recovered. It was enough time for Mina to wrap the other end of her chain around Venus' waist, forcing them to crash together.
Venus tried pushing Minako away, but the tethers kept them bound together until they crashed to the craggy ground. Venus' body helped cushion her fall, but tumbling along the jagged floor took the breath out of her with each bounce. When the tossing and turning was over, Minako found herself laying face down, a cloak of blonde knots shielding her head. Disoriented, she forgot where she was or what she had been doing, until a sharp breath reminded her of the injuries she just sustained.
Minako groaned in pain and frustration. How the hell was she supposed to defeat an Isu warrior, created to defend some Moon Goddess from interplanetary enemies? Having a fraction of her crystal only helped so much. It could probably be credited to how effortlessly she took up basic templar training. Climbing, scaling walls, and wielding the chain whip came as naturally as singing to the popstar. It made overcoming those without Isu blood or Pieces of Eden easier than it should have been, but was leagues away from the threat she faced now.
With considerable effort, she snuck a hand through the veil of hair and felt her face. The mask was still there, miraculously. It had been her saving grace while fighting Rei and Makoto, allowing her to see their future movements through their auras. It would be the only edge she would have fighting Venus.
Every muscle in her body protested as she rolled over to her side. As predicted, an orange blur was speeding toward her, still wielding that damn sword. Minako struggled to her feet and brandished Rei's hidden blade in time to deflect the first attack. Venus recovered faster than Minako hoped, striking again and again. The assassin blade was formidable, holding its own against the Isu metal.
Each time Minako blocked, a dangerous amount of energy abandoned her fatigued muscles. Seeing the trajectory of each strike was the only thing keeping Minako in the fight. The newly-formed bruises on her arms and back were becoming impossible to ignore.
Minutes passed, and Venus offered a moment of respite to tilt her head and smile. "You are tenacious."
She didn't sound the least bit tired. Then again, Minako wasn't convinced she was made of flesh and bone anymore. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Merely an observation." Venus' clear blue gaze diverted to the fiery battle behind them. The distraction was brief, but it was enough. Minako gathered her strength and rushed at Venus. The beaded whip lay on the floor, long forgotten when she hurriedly returned to her feet. Venus had been smarter; her beaded chain was wrapped around her forearm, and Minako preemptively saw the orange glow of Venus reaching to ensnare her with it.
Minako used the blade to deflect the chain. Despite her efforts, the heavy beads wrapped around her forearm, drawing her into Venus' reach.
"And an incredible fighter. For a mortal," Venus said, as casually as if they were sitting across from each other, sipping lattes at a hipster coffee joint.
Venus did not move to strike her. Minako was pulled into her; chained forearm taut at Venus' side. She felt solid and soft beneath her uniform; though Minako could almost see through her. Her eyes sparkled with intrigue. "Remove your mask, young one."
Minako remembered her other arm, dangling uselessly at her side. For no real reason, she obeyed without question. The ethereal love goddess studied her face with flattering fascination.
"You certainly look the part," Venus said before releasing her. She tossed her chain aside, leaving only her sword to match Minako's blade. "Now let us see if the Holy Sword agrees."
The brief respite ended. Venus took the hilt of her sword in both hands now; handling it like a broadsword. Through the orange glow, Minako saw highlights of etchings on the blade, most likely Isu writing she couldn't read. The blade came down with twice the impact as before. Minako raised the hidden blade to deflect yet again.
Rei's weapon shattered in the face of Venus and the Holy Sword's unleashed powers. The Holy Sword continued it's path, slashing through Minako's jacket, and the leather and metal strapped to her arm. Blood poured freely from the wound, and Minako staggered against her will. Her mind screamed at her limbs to move, but no amount of mental power could will her exhausted body to respond.
Pain and heat gripped her chest. Minako vaguely felt her knees hit the floor. She tried to breathe, but felt resistance and realized something foreign was inside of her.
"Mina! No!"
That voice. It lessened the pain as her tether to the mortal realm subsided. Her vision blurred the crystalline sapphires staring at her expectantly, as if waiting for her to do anything else but die.
Minako fumbled for the hilt pressed against her chest. Her lips moved but she couldn't speak; nor did she have any coherent words to summon. Warm blood pulsed from her chest, as if her heart were still beating. She found hands. Hard hands. Hands holding the thing in her chest. Venus? Rei? That silvery woman on the moon?
The blue eyes said something. Minako tried to shake her head, to signal she couldn't understand, but it was useless.
The light came for her, and she succumbed to it with open arms.