Sailor Moon - Rise of the Exalted Knights

by Lisseas

Chapter Four: Trials of the Past

Posted: 22/09/2016

"Welcome, Rinjirou, to Caer Denerdhing." Hino's face remained sombre as his arms fell slowly back to his sides. "It seems your trial has begun."

Mamoru couldn't help but feel a little smug satisfaction. Putting up with Rinjirou's snide jabs hadn't been easy, so it was immensely gratifying to see him speechless for a change. He briefly considered an errant taunt of his own, but ultimately decided against it. This isn't the time, he thought, taking a closer look at their newfound surroundings. I am trying to be the better man here, after all.

They stood in a large, stone hall with a high, vaulted ceiling. Simple, utilitarian sconces provided the room with some light, although the majority came from the impressive wood chandelier hanging overhead. Solitary in its ornamental nature, it was the only truly decorative thing in a thoroughly spartan room. Several plain wooden tables surrounded them, low benches running their length. It almost looks like a…

"It's a mess hall."

Mamoru exhaled sharply as Rinjirou stepped up beside him. "Found your tongue again, I see. That's disappointing." It wasn't quite as easy to hold back his own sarcasm as he'd hoped. He has this way of really getting under my skin…

"Oh, ha, ha."

In stark contrast to their wary stance Rei's grandfather seemed almost awestruck, drinking in their surroundings with a reverence Mamoru didn't understand. He ran a wrinkled hand over one of the tables as if worried its weathered surface might disappear at any moment. "Caer Denerdhing. I can scarcely believe it…"

"Don't be ridiculous, Hino-sama," Rinjirou said, with an impressive eye-roll. "Time travel isn't possible."

Chibiusa would beg to differ. A certain Guardian Knight of Justice, too. Still, he has a point…of a sort. "Let's not jump to conclusions either way. Time travel is possible, but it isn't the only explanation. It could be an illusion, or some sort of elaborate recreation." Memories of his time in Wrath's sanctum flashed through his mind, including an encounter with the Revenant Knight alongside Usagi. "It wouldn't be the first time I've encountered such magic."

Hino nodded slowly, clearly reigning himself in. "Sound logic. We should investigate further."

Rinjirou looked first to Mamoru, then Hino, and finally back again. His right hand was coiled in a tight, quivering fist, a clear sign of nerves. He doesn't know what to think, Mamoru decided, but his pride won't let him admit he's worried.

"Well, we're not going to find much in here," the former Black Paladin declared, finally gesturing to a door at the far end of the hall. "Let's see what we're dealing with."

"Just stay on guard," Mamoru reminded them, remembering Wrath once again. "If this is an illusion, it could change at any time."

"Indeed," Hino said, gesturing for Rinjirou to go ahead. "After you, Knight-Commander."

"Oh, stop it."

Mamoru remained focused on their surroundings as they moved towards the door. A series of large tapestries hung across the nearest wall, not visible from their initial location. A man in plate armour knelt before the sky, the sun burning high above. Between them hung a sword, the blade red-hot. A rendition of the Exalted Knight's origins, perhaps?

"Time travel," Rinjirou muttered, as he reached for the door. "That's the most ridiculous-"

The door opened outward before he could reach it, squealing on rusty hinges, followed by the sound of metal on metal. Mamoru recognised it immediately as a sword being drawn. Rinjirou was quick to respond, slapping the blade away and reaching for one of his own.

"Wait!" Mamoru cried, leaping for him. "Don't-"

A golden-tinted gauntlet appeared through the doorway, striking Rinjirou's jaw with a dull thwack. It was forceful enough to knock him on his rear, allowing a not-so-ethereal Exalted Knight entry. Quite stocky in build, his craggy features and piercing grey eyes combined to lend him an intimidating air. "Sound the alarm! Intruders inside the fortress!"

Thinking quickly, Mamoru triggered his transformation. Not into Tuxedo Mask, his typical form, but a far more useful one in Prince Endymion. Of course, that usefulness could vary greatly depending on exactly when this was…

"How did you-" Hino's surprise quickly gave way to relaxed realisation. "Ah! Very good."

Heavy footsteps preceded the appearance of a second Exalted Knight, axe in hand. He had soft hazel eyes, neatly brushed brown hair that cascaded past his jawline and a trimmed, well-kept goatee. The armour he wore was notably less intricate than that of the Moon Kingdom's Guardian Knights, a sign of Earth's lesser technology, but the wide cuirass and harsher, squared-off pauldrons somehow lent its occupant a more menacing appearance. The stern expression on his face did little to compensate either.

"Who are you?" His voice was equally firm and commanding, clearly someone in authority. "How did you get in here?" A brief flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes as he glanced at Mamoru. "Hold a moment. You are-"

"Prince Endymion, yes." It wasn't a lie, when Mamoru thought about it. I am him, he reasoned, just reborn into a new life.

Any confusion was fleeting. The Knight's hazel eyes narrowed again as he stepped over Rinjirou, a marked sign of disrespect he was sure the man hated. "Paladin Smythe left no room for doubt that you had chosen to abandon us, same as your father. Why would you come here now, and unannounced?"

So it's after Smythe left Elysion, Mamoru realised, but before they marched on Beryl. He saw Rinjirou glance over his shoulder, wiping blood from his lip. He clearly wanted to hear his answer as much as the Knight, and it was easy enough to give. He just had to be honest. "I…I wronged Paladin Smythe, and your order. I did not do so out of spite, or cowardice, but through placing my trust in false friends…and perhaps some wilful ignorance as well."

"And you have come here to…what? Apologise?" The harsh edge to the Knight's tone reminded him all too well of his final encounter with Smythe in Elysion.

"No." This was a lie, but the part of him that was Endymion made it very easy. "I know of guilt now, true guilt…and I've come to make up for my mistakes." He exhaled sharply and stared right into the man's eyes. "I've come to fight at your side."

The Knight studied him silently, brow knitted in concentration. Finally, he gestured with his axe, first to Rinjirou and then Hino. "And these two?"

"My travelling companions," Mamoru replied quickly. "My servant, Rinjirou, is so devoted he simply refused to allow me to travel alone." Despite their tense situation, he couldn't help but flash a smirk at his downed associate. The meaning behind Rinjirou's glare was clear; I hate you. "And this is Priest Hino of the High Fane of Elysion. It was he who brought us here."

Hino's eyes sparkled with amusement, but he was quick to play along. "I regret any commotion our arrival has caused. I intended for us to appear outside the main gate, but it seems my familiarity with Caer Denerdhing's layout leaves much to be desired."

The axe dipped towards the floor almost immediately, matched by the Knight's bow. "You are most welcome here, Your Grace. All of you, of course."

"Your Grace?!" Rinjirou snickered quietly from the floor, rubbing his jaw gently.

Mamoru did what he could to suppress his own amusement at Hino's reaction. He remembered the Exalted Knights as a holy sort, whatever that meant, and it seemed it held true. His respect for Hino certainly seemed genuine though, and it couldn't hurt their chances of gaining an audience with their Knight-Commander.

The Knight gestured to his companion, and Rinjirou was allowed to stand. "I am Paladin Baldor, and I'm in command here. There are but forty-eight of us, the last to return from across the kingdom."

Forty-eight? That was bad news. We've arrived later than I thought. If the bulk of the order is already marching on Beryl…

Baldor hesitated a moment, clearly uncertain about something. "My apologies for your unorthodox welcome, Your Highness, but we make ready to join our fellows in the field. Tensions are running a touch high, and your companions' attire is…most strange."

"Says the walking garbage can," Rinjirou muttered, receiving a backhand from Hino for his troubles.

"Of course," Mamoru replied hastily. "Disguises to…aid in blending in. Camouflage. I fear the Witch grows ever bolder in her attacks." It was terrible logic – why wouldn't he be wearing the same gear as well? – but it was all he could come up with in the moment.

Fortunately, Baldor seemed to accept the explanation. "She is bold indeed." The sound of footsteps echoed in the hall behind him, signalling the arrival of more Knights. He clasped his hands together before him and smiled. "Well, we were just about to sit down for a final meal before our departure. Would you do us the honour of joining us?"

Mamoru shared a glance with Rinjirou and Hino, receiving surreptitious nods from both. "Paladin, the honour would be ours."

The dining hall soon filled with dozens of men and women. Many wore simple cloth garments in lieu of their more recognisable golden plate, the apparent casual wear of the time. Mamoru, or Endymion as Hino reminded him, found himself seated at one of the long tables with Paladin Baldor, the priest and Rinjirou at his sides.

"I don't get it," the former Black Paladin said, keeping his voice low. "Isn't this supposed to be some sort of combat trial? Those…ghosts, they said we had to face those who came before."

"That they did," Mamoru agreed, carefully observing their hosts. They'd shown no signs of hostility after their initial suspicions, but that didn't mean he trusted them to stay so passive.

"So, what? Are we saying we accept this as reality now?"

"We can't afford not to," Hino answered firmly, without a trace of his familiar goofiness. "If this is all some grand illusion, it will reveal itself in time. But if it isn't? We'll never have a better chance to find Solguard than now."

"I suppose so," Rinjirou said, somewhat grudgingly. "At least we know where it is in this time."

"Yes, though convincing the order's Knight-Commander to part with it will likely prove a challenge."

"Perhaps that's the trial by combat they hinted at?"

Mamoru stared down at his plate as he took in both arguments. A game animal of some sort? Boar, perhaps? He couldn't fault either man's logic…but he was the tiebreaker. "We play along."

Rinjirou raised an eyebrow warily. "Uh-huh?"

"We can't pass up this opportunity. Travelling to the front with Baldor and his troops gets us close to the Knight-Commander and Solguard. We can figure out the rest from there."

"Of course," Rinjirou scoffed. "I'm sure this has nothing to do with Endymion's guilt, right?"

Mamoru had no answer for him, choosing to remain silent as one of the Knights' few servants refilled his goblet. The wine was a departure from what he usually drank, odorous with a tart, almost bitter aftertaste, but it was a welcome distraction from his melancholy. I'm doing this for the sword, he told himself, and nothing else.

"There is talk that Hyperion has forsaken us." A tall, powerfully built woman with short, red hair and green eyes was evidently confiding in Rinjirou. "That he does not march with us into battle."

"What makes you say that?"

"The Knight-Commander all but admitted it," she answered, with a shake of her head. "The Undying Sun is silent, he said. He works in mysterious ways, or so they say, but I cannot help but doubt. Why would he ignore us? Is it a test of faith?" Her eyes flared as she noticed Mamoru listening in. "You're well placed to answer, my lord. Why has your father forsaken us? Why does the Golden Kingdom not send aid?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Rinjirou muttered, swigging the remaining contents of his mug, "Why does the King refuse to help our cause?"

Mamoru could have strangled him, but he steeled himself against the urge and considered it. It's not like Endymion didn't know the answer, he admitted silently. "My father, the nobility…they're wrong. I was wrong." There was a brief twinge of satisfaction again as Rinjirou paused, obviously caught off-guard by the answer. "Beryl is the single greatest threat to our world, and that's why I'm here. I may not have brought any additional support with me, but all that I do have is yours."

"And we thank you for it, Your Highness." Baldor clapped a gauntlet-clad hand on his shoulder as he stood to address the room. "I know a lot of you have doubts. I know you're scared. So am I, truth be told. I heard the Knight-Commander, same as you. I heard the whispers, that Lord Hyperion remains silent yet…but I also have faith. I believe in his light, his love, his strength…and he will not forsake us, his most Exalted Knights. He will stand with us in our hour of need, and we will stop the Witch in her tracks."

Mamoru couldn't help but be swept up in the Paladin's words, and he saw Rinjirou was in the same position. He gives one heck of a speech; I'll give him that.

"We may well die," Baldor said, suddenly sombre, "But I know that we will defend our world to the very last, with our dying breaths if need be. Thatis our oath as Exalted Knights of the Undying Sun!"

A cheer went up across the room; even Rinjirou punched a fist into the air. His enthusiasm wasn't to last, however; he slumped almost immediately.

"What is it?" Mamoru asked, seeing Hino lean in from the opposite side.

"All this false cheer is for nothing. History doesn't lie; they'll be dead in a few days at best."

"Nothing can change that now," the priest reminded him quietly.

"It's just…" There was an honesty to Rinjirou's words that Mamoru hadn't heard before. "I expected to be disappointed, you know? I thought there was no way they could possibly live up to the hype."

There it is, Mamoru realised, with a pang of sympathy. He's still looking at all of this as the beginning of the Order, expecting to see shades of them in everything else.

"But I was wrong. They truly are as great and selfless as the Order says they were." His face dropped, falling into a deep frown. "It just makes it all worse, somehow. To think we fell so far…"

"Perhaps so," Hino countered, with an upbeat smile, "But that isn't the end of the story. That's why we're here, my boy, to retrieve Solguard and continue their legacy. The Exalted Knights can and will rise again under your leadership, and I know you'll bring a return to greatness such as this."

"I suppose." He didn't exactly sound convinced, but he forced a faint smile all the same. "I...I think I'll go get some air."

Mamoru drained his goblet as he watched him go, sorely tempted to slip away himself, but he knew Endymion's place was here. The pleasant warmth of the alcohol worked its way down his throat but faded all too quickly, leaving him with the cold pain of foresight. Rinjirou was right about one thing; like it or not, the Exalted Knights were going to die, and they'd see it for themselves if they stuck around long enough. And that, he thought sadly, is something I have no desire to see at all.

They were on their way within a few short hours. Expecting a forced march, Mamoru was surprised to see several lightly-armoured Knights form up around the bulk of the army in a loose circle. It was a reminder of the Sailor Teleport he'd seen several times, and with good reason; the 'clerics' began a low, rhythmic chant reminiscent of Gregorian monks, and the air around them began to shimmer. After years of exposure to magic, and Endymion's memories, Mamoru recognised its familiar tingle on his skin. The loose dirt at their feet began to drift into the air, defying gravity as the chants grew louder and louder, finally reaching a crescendo in concert with the light. He squeezed his eyes shut against the almost painful flash, opening them again a moment later to find himself standing on an open, snow-littered plain. But something was wrong; it was stained red with blood!

"Great mother of madness," Rinjirou murmured, wiping the back of his hand over his mouth.

The ground around them was littered with corpses; corpses wearing golden plate. Mamoru recoiled instinctively but froze at a stomach-churning crack; an arm, mostly stripped of flesh, snapped under his boot.

"By the ancients…" Baldor tugged his axe free from his belt, a motion matched by several Knights in his vicinity. "This cannot be!"

There were hundreds of bodies sprawled before Mamoru's eyes. He knew this had happened, but he had never expected to see it for himself. "I thought we had more time…" Endymion's guilt, relatively controlled to this point, flared at the sight. He remembered Kunzite's gentle enquiry, squeezing what information he could from him. He sounds so smug in my memories now, but I couldn't hear it at the time. I was a fool…and it cost these men and women their lives. I did this, as much as Kunzite. Maybe even more…

"The Great Massacre," Hino whispered sadly, with a shake of his head. "Just as the Order's archives described."

"We were too late." Rinjirou appeared legitimately sick at the sight, strange given his past as an Order of Black Paladin. Hadn't he killed many times? Rei had said as much.

The remaining Knights spread out under Paladin Baldor's direction, searching for survivors. Several hours passed in a blur as Mamoru and his companions helped in whatever ways they could. He was able to save several wounded Knights with his healing ability, his guilt mollified only slightly by that fact. Setsuna's warnings on time travel and interference did enter his mind, but there were injured men and women before him; his training as a doctor kicked in without a second thought. It seemed unlikely the survival of a few Knights now could change much anyway.

A basic camp was established as night fell, bringing with it a numbing chill. Less than twenty Knights had survived Beryl's ambush, a pittance of the hundreds marching against her. They spoke of awful beasts with disjointed, horrific appearances, confirming an army of youma in Mamoru's mind. They had clearly teleported northeast to mainland Europe, towards D-Point; just another reminder of his own time.

"We are but seventy strong," Baldor murmured, crouching beside him. The flickering light from their campfire cast shadows over his face at random intervals, revealing deep furrows in his brow. "That's including the survivors plucked from this carnage, fighting at less than full strength. I would order an immediate retreat, but the clerics cannot teleport us again without rest…and even a forced march in this snow won't get us far."

"What of the Knight-Commander?" Rinjirou asked quietly.

"Dead. The survivors I questioned all confirm he was one of the first to fall…and many Paladins along with him."

Hino leaned in closer to the flames, eyebrow raised. "What of Solguard?"

"It fell with him, it seems, and presumably rests amongst the dead." A heavy sigh followed; he shook his head, distracted by an approaching Knight. "Unless the Witch claimed it as a trophy…"

The priest watched him go, idly stoking the flames with a nearby branch. "We'll have to conduct our own search in the morning."

Mamoru merely nodded in reply, still mired in guilt and regret. Their 'fetch quest' as Rinjirou dubbed it now seemed less important somehow. There has to be a way to save the rest of these Knights. The future isn't set in stone, right? Setsuna said that once, I'm sure of it!

"Nothing to add, Your Highness?" Rinjirou's snippy jibe was the surest sign yet of the foul mood he'd been in since their arrival here.

"No." Mamoru gave him little more than a blank stare in response, too focused on the day's events to really care.

"Well, maybe you could pull your head out of your arse and give it some thought?!"

Hino raised his hand quickly. "Rinjirou-"

"I'm sorry." Mamoru was speaking before he even realised it. "This is…" He took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to organise his thoughts. "You're right. Wallowing in guilt is hardly helpful. I…" A long, shuddering sigh slipped out as he arrived at a conclusion. "I have some foresight here, knowledge of what happens next and…"

"Spit it out," Rinjirou snapped impatiently.

"Just wait," he retorted, somewhat snappy himself as he waved Baldor over once again. "Might I ask, have you found any sign of Paladin Smythe?"

"No. He would have fought at the Knight-Commander's side, but we have yet to find his body." There was a brief hesitation. "One or two survivors suggested he may have survived the battle and struck east for aid, but…they're in a bad way. Fever clouds their minds."

Mamoru nodded slowly, finally piecing it all together. "Thank you."

Hino was quick to lean in as the Paladin departed again. "You have a thought?"

"I do." His memory drifted to another night, technically the future…but his past: Endymion's moonlit rendezvous with Serenity atop his favourite overlook, and a surprise encounter with an old friend. "I think Smythe could be this Progenitor the Order of Black holds…held in such high esteem."

"What?!" Rinjirou was suddenly very interested again. "Why?"

"He's not here," he answered quietly, "Just as I knew he wouldn't be." The stars shone bright above, allowing for a rough estimate of east from their position. "Baldor believes he's dead, but those men are right. Smythe got out of here, headed east…and I'll bet he took Solguard with him."

Rinjirou and Hino simply stared back at him silently. They clearly needed more to go on.

"A few days from now, a thousand years ago for us, Paladin Smythe will stumble upon Endymion. He isn't alone, however."

"The Moon Princess," Rinjirou murmured, with a sliver of accusation in his voice.

Mamoru nodded sombrely. "He'll fly into a rage, accuse Endymion…me…of selling out Earth, and the Moon Kingdom of decadent inaction and arrogance. The…" He bowed his head a moment, lost in the memory. "Let's just say I could understand him founding a new Order of Black, dedicated to an Earth free from our influence."

"And he had Solguard with him?" Hino asked, head cocked slightly to one side.

"No, but he could have stashed it somewhere else."

Rinjirou made a rude noise. "That's a big leap, Mamoru, and a whole lot of assumptions to make."

"Well, what's the alternative?" he retorted, gesturing to the blood-stained fields around them. "The sword's still out there? Baldor and his Knights searched, Rinjirou, and they couldn't find it. Oh, wait, maybe Beryl took it as a trophy, or one of her youma, and we'll never find it?"

The other man stared back at him irritably, but didn't argue further.

"No," Mamoru said firmly, taking a deep breath in an effort to calm himself. "I refuse to believe that because it makes finding Solguard all but impossible. I choose to believe that Smythe, who loved this order more than life itself, had the wherewithal to pick it up and carry it to safety! He had to do that because-" He trailed off abruptly as his anger faded, leaving him just…tired. "Because if he didn't, we may never find it."

A long, weary sighed slipped from Rinjirou's lips. "Fair enough. I guess it beats giving up." He glanced sidelong at Hino, then nodded slowly. "So, what's our next-"

"Alarm!"

Mamoru's head whipped around so fast he felt something pop. "No…"

"Youma! Youma in the camp!"

He drew his sword without a second thought, seeing Rinjirou do the same with his tantōs. Was this what the ghosts meant when they said they could die?

Baldor appeared out of the darkness, axe in hand, with a look of grim determination on his face. "It seems we will share the fate of our brothers after all."

Mamoru didn't know if it was Endymion's lingering guilt or his own innate sense of righteousness, but he was incensed. He strode to the Paladin's side without looking back, brandishing his weapon. "It's not over yet. We fight with you!"

"Damn right!" Rinjirou agreed, twirling his blades for a little extra flourish.

"Then let us ensure history remembers our names! I will rally my Knights!" Baldor vanished into the darkness again, headed towards the distant sounds of battle.

"Mamoru, Rinjirou…"

He felt a nudge from behind, and turned to find Hino staring up at him sombrely.

"Need I remind you both we have a mission of our own to complete?"

Mamoru exchanged a glance with Rinjirou and found no hint of his typical sarcasm, only a ready and willing ally. "No, but-"

"If we should die here…"

"Then we die," Rinjirou said quietly. "You've seen everything we have, Hino-sama. These Knights are selfless and honourable, the epitome of everything the Order of Black says they were. How can you ask us to just abandon them?"

"By reminding you that all of this has already happened!" the priest thundered, abandoning any and all pretence of calm. "By the ancestors, what's wrong with you?" He thrust a bony finger at Mamoru. "You wallow in guilt not your own while he stands there lost in hero worship!"

Rinjirou's expression darkened immediately. "I'm not-"

"Rinjirou." The priest's voice softened, almost radiating calm. "They're not Black Paladins, and what happened to them isn't your fault. You can't save them. Not here, not now…but you can bring them back."

Mamoru watched the other man deflate as the priest turned on him next, defences ready. He's not going to talk me out of this so easily. I can't just let them die, not after I failed them. I can make up for my past mistakes. I can still save them!

"I know the history of the order, Mamoru, at least as far as the Progenitor told it. I know Endymion's guilt is strong, but he died over a thousand years ago." Hino seized his forearm tightly, with a look of sympathy. "You need to let it go. Learn his lessons, yes, and learn them well, but don't allow yourself to be crippled by his guilt. You only risk our world by doing so."

Usako. It was a selfish thought, but one that led him to the truth. We came here for Solguard, to help rebuild the Exalted Knights in our time because…they're already dead. If we die alongside them, we'll only doom Usako and the others in the fight against Chaos. He studied his blade in silence, reflecting on the priest's words, before finally nodding in understanding. "You're right, but we won't escape an entire horde of youma on foot. Not in this snow."

"There's another way." The priest was remarkably calm, all things considered. "Just keep them away for a few minutes."

Rinjirou turned immediately, ready to face the oncoming horde. "You've got it, Hino-sama!"

The first youma appeared out of the darkness, lunging for them with a hissing snarl. It resembled the monsters Mamoru had dealt with in his own time, a bizarre, even comical melding of man and beast, with a snake's head atop a humanoid, chainmail-wrapped body. Its sharp fangs glistened with poison and its elongated claws served as a reminder of just how deadly these creatures could be.

He took its first strike on his sword and parried, sweeping its arm aside before burying his blade right to the hilt in its chest. Another appeared in the firelight, screeching incessantly; he took its arm off in a single swing, and then its head. Blood splashed against his armour, a reminder of the many horrors of war and just how gruesome true hand-to-hand combat could be.

Rinjirou was a blur of motion, demonstrating a very different fighting style from Endymion's precise, almost deliberate methods. He bounced from body to body, knives slick with youma blood stabbing early and often, and they had little chance to respond. They expected larger opponents in slow and heavy plate; Rinjirou's speed and agility had taken them completely by surprise.

It's little wonder Rei had so much trouble with him, Mamoru observed, between opponents. He never stops moving, attacking nonstop to make up for his own lack of defence. He blocked another attack and shoved off, creating just enough separation to risk a look around. The battle raged and, while they were putting up a good fight, things did not look good. An immeasurable force of youma was match enough for hundreds of warriors, and the Exalted Knights had begun with just seventy. This was less a battle than a slaughter!

Paladin Baldor remained close by, axe and shield in hand, carving his own way through the mass of fur and flesh around him. He shouted orders to his soldiers between blows but, in all the confusion, Mamoru was uncertain how much of it was really getting through.

"We're being pushed back!" Rinjirou cried, through gritted teeth. He spun around and under a hit to sink both blades to their hilts in his opponent's soft flank. "They've got us surrounded!"

He was right. The youma were slowly but surely penning them in, herding them into a compact little sphere in the middle of their makeshift camp. If we don't do something soon, we'll… Mamoru's heart skipped a beat, his thought abandoned as he heard it, heard her; a cruel, mocking cackle that drifted across the battlefield. He froze completely as it pierced his very soul, conjuring up old demons he'd tried desperately to forget…but he couldn't forget her voice. It was burned into his mind forever. The thump of his own heart grew in his ears as he caught a glimpse of wild, red hair in the distance…

"Endymion!"

Baldor's warning pulled him back to reality without a second to spare. He snapped his sword up just in time, catching a set of claws intended for his head. They struggled a moment, claws against blade, gnashed teeth versus bared fangs. Caught in a stalemate, Mamoru risked taking one hand off his hilt and thrust it into the youma's chest. A blast of golden light burst from his palm, setting its fur on fire as it tore through the beast's flesh. A hollow, raspy whine emanated from its throat as its eyes rolled back in its head and it slumped, dead.

"Well, aren't you just full of surprises?" Rinjirou almost sounded impressed, but Mamoru recognised his sarcasm too well by this point to buy it.

"Typical," he retorted, secretly very pleased to find that particularly ability was back as well. "We're in the middle of a fight for our lives and you're still trying to get under my skin?!"

"What can I say? I'm a big fan of continuity!" Rinjirou span around another youma, using a handful of its fur for leverage, and buried a knife in the back of its neck. "I'm cut off by all these hairy bastards! Can you see Hino-sama?!"

Mamoru swung around, avoiding conflict for a few seconds, and found the priest right where he was supposed to be. His eyes darted back and forth, watching for danger, but he hadn't moved an inch. A shimmering ball of magical energy was forming slowly between his fingertips; it seemed the old man had a few more tricks up his sleeve than he'd shared. "He's good!"

An agonising shriek rang out in the distance, cutting through the din with ease. A cleric had fallen, a demoralising moment for the remaining Knights. Their outer defences broke entirely and the trickle of youma they'd been facing became a surging torrent, their numbers greater than even Mamoru's estimates. Even they'd waited too long to strike; with Metalia's backing, Beryl was far too powerful for any single army to stop her now. Even the Moon Kingdom eventually fell to her might; this fight was never winnable for the Exalted Knights, with or without help.

Paladin Baldor immediately broke away from his opponent, axe held high. "To me! We must repel their advance now or all is lost!"

Several surviving Knights responded to his rallying cry, gathering to him like a beacon. They fought as one with renewed vigour, but it was truly hopeless. Another cleric had fallen, and they were well and truly encircled. This was their last stand, whether they knew it or not; the end of their order.

A chill ran down his spine as another cackle cut through the air, followed by the ominous, whip-like crack of dark energy. Men and women alike cried out in pain before falling silent. Beryl was making her presence known, and that had Mamoru worried. Hino was right; this had already happened. He wasn't supposed to be here. There was no telling what impact his presence would have on history if she was to discover him. I know one thing for sure, he decided. I will never become her slave again. I would die first!

Frustrated and angry, he dispatched yet another youma and whirled on Hino. "We're out of time! If you're going to do something, do it!"

The priest's eyes snapped open, staring past Mamoru. "Behind you!"

The glowing orb in his hands vanished in a sudden, violent conflagration. Mamoru dove instinctively, feeling the heat of the fireball on his face as it flew overhead. It burned through the youma about to claw his unprotected back, filling the air with the stench of burning fur and flesh alike.

Rinjirou's jaw dropped. "Hino-sama?!"

A second fireball consumed a youma looking to take advantage of his distracted state, leaving ash in its wake. Hino exhaled, seemingly centring himself before settling into a scowl. "Be more mindful of your surroundings! Now I have to start over!"

"It doesn't matter," Mamoru said, feeling his heart sink as Beryl appeared in the midst of the chaos. "We're done." She tore through a Paladin's armour like paper, staff crackling with dark magic and ill intent alike. It was over. She'd spot him any moment now, ending their chances and perhaps even dooming the future he remembered. Unless… He span his sword in his hand, studying the blade in a thoughtful silence. Unless I take her out first. Can I do that? What would that do to our time? What would that mean for everyone else? For Usagi?

"Hold, Witch." Paladin Baldor provided a temporary reprieve, stepping before her. His armour was marred with blood and dirt, but his axe and shield remained high in defiance. "I may fall here, but I will do all in my power to take you with me!"

Beryl's lips stretched into a cruel, knowing smirk, a look that had haunted Mamoru's dreams in the years since his time spent in her unwilling service. "Brave words, Paladin, but fruitless. Your order is broken, and your brothers dead." She cackled briefly as she raised her staff. "Worry not, however; you'll join them in but a moment!"

Mamoru turned his head as Baldor was enveloped in crimson energy. It consumed him completely, leaving nothing but ash in its wake yet still somehow allowing his anguished scream to echo. She's got to see me now. There's no-one else between us. She-

A crack of thunder sounded overhead, and the battle suddenly seemed so very far away. The clash of steel, the cries of the injured and dying Knights, the victorious snarls of the youma; it all grew so very distant. A thick, eerie fog swelled up around Mamoru's feet, threatening to suffocate him. It reached out, encircling Rinjirou and Hino as well as a strange light flashed within its depths. Darkness fell, yet he felt no panic at the sudden loss of sight. Only a strange calm, a sense that everything was going to be alright. Somehow, he knew that this was no trick of Beryl's but something else entirely.

After an uncertain period of silence, another thunderclap boomed almost directly overhead. The fog fell away, revealing the now-familiar ruins of Caer Denerdhing. Rinjirou stood beside him, his clothes caked with dirt and blood; he turned to clap Hino across the shoulders.

"Way to go, Hino-sama! I don't know what you did or how you did it, but-"

"It wasn't me." The diminutive priest glanced about warily, almost uncomfortable. "I had to refocus to throw those fireballs."

"Yeah, about that…" Rinjirou's eyes narrowed immediately. "You said you were a librarian!"

"No," Hino retorted, with an irritated bellow, "You said I was a librarian. I told you-"

Mamoru raised a hand to silence them as the two ghostly Knights from earlier faded back into being, finally beginning to understand what all of this was about. "You brought us back, didn't you?"

"Your Trial is complete." There was no hint of animosity or apology in the Knight's voice. There was little emotion at all, in fact. "You faced those who came before you, came to understand what it was to be them. Then, when the time came, you chose to fight at their side with honour. What would be gained by your deaths?"

"A literal fight to the death does seem at odds with the Exalted Knights I remember," he agreed. "It was a test of character, wasn't it? And a lesson at the same time. You showed us what it meant to be an Exalted Knight…and what it will take to lead them now."

Rinjirou folded his arms across his chest, evidently less impressed. "Was any of it even real?"

"Does it matter?" The first Knight returned his stare evenly, removing his helmet to reveal the face of Paladin Baldor. His lips curled in the faintest hint of a smile as he tucked it underarm. "What does is that you proved yourselves true friends of the order…and worthy in your quest for Solguard. You learned the truth of the Exalted Knights, our hearts, and witnessed where our blind faith in Hyperion led us." A touch of regret entered his voice now. "Where it led me."

That seemed to placate Rinjirou somewhat, and he nodded gently. "Yes. We did."

"I would caution you both not to trust him. 'Tis true he is an enigma to most, but one thing remains clear; Hyperion's goals are his own, and we are but playthings in his eyes. Take care that he does not discard you someday."

Something told Mamoru that Rinjirou already knew that, but it was interesting to hear it from one as devout as Baldor had seemed in life.

"Now," the Paladin continued, with a glance at his silent companion, "To your quest. Solguard is not here."

"Of course not," Rinjirou muttered, with about as impressive an eye-roll as Mamoru had ever seen. "RPG fetch quest confirmed!"

"Quiet!" Hino hissed, leaping to swat him across the back of the head.

Mamoru resisted the very powerful urge to snicker, focusing instead on the task at hand. "So where is it?"

"It never returned to Caer Denerdhing," Baldor said sorrowfully, as something like shame crossed his features. "Nor does it lie on that bloody plain."

Oh, no. The truth hit Mamoru like a punch right to the stomach. How did we miss it? It's so obvious!

"It lies to the west, with the bones of those who would claim our heritage…in the heart of the Black."

"The Order has it." Rinjirou's shoulders slumped for but a moment before he slapped himself on the forehead. "Of course they do! Why wouldn't they?!"

The familiar pang of guilt returned to Mamoru's heart. "Smythe. He really istheir Progenitor…and he took Solguard with him."

"Then it must rest in the Catacombs," Hino murmured, particularly sombre. "Deep below London, an unending warren of old buildings and tunnels filled with a thousand years of honoured dead."

"Right in the heart of Chaos' new empire," Rinjirou added bitterly. "London's burning just like Tokyo; getting into the city won't be easy."

"Leave that to me." The priest pressed his palms together tightly and closed his eyes. Once again, he was surrounded by a shimmering field of violet-white energy that grew stronger with every passing second.

Rinjirou opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately decided against it. Instead, he gave a stiff, formal nod to the Knights and brought a fist to his chest in some form of salute.

Mamoru nodded unconsciously as a strange calm took him. "You have my thanks, Paladin, both for your help and for the opportunity to right some past mistakes. This was very…cathartic."

"It was an honour to fight beside you, Your Highness." Baldor replaced his helmet and, together with his compatriot, offered a slight but formal bow. "For the little it's worth, may the Undying Sun watch over you as he once watched over us." Their final duty fulfilled, they faded slowly from existence and left the ruins quiet once more.

Rinjirou stared quietly after them, the soft chirp of crickets beneath him. "I'm not looking forward to seeing that monster, Chaos, again…but it occurs to me that this is actually something of a blessing in disguise."

Mamoru arched an eyebrow sharply. "How so?"

"London's the best place to start searching for any Black Paladins that survived its corruption. This'll save us an extra trip."

"If any survived," he reminded him gently.

"Black Paladins are strong. Just as strong as any Exalted Knight, at least in body and spirit. I'm not giving up on them, Mamoru. Not until I've seen every last body with my own eyes."

"I understand and, for what it's worth? I'm with you. We have to see this through; it's the right thing to do."

"Earth deserves true protectors," Rinjirou agreed solemnly, "And I intend to ensure it gets them. We will forge the order anew…and we'll do it the right way. Their legacy must live on."

"Then let's get to it." Hino pulled his hands apart briefly only to slam them together again. The boom was deafening as a man-sized hole in reality opened before him. Within lay the burning cityscape of London, pillars of smoke and flame streaming into the sky.

Rinjirou stared at him incredulously. "Since when can you do that?!"

"I told you I was no simple librarian, my boy." The old man chuckled as he adjusted his jacket, before gesturing into the portal. "Let's go. For Solguard, for your fellow Paladins; for the world."

Mamoru followed them through, closing his eyes against a sudden unrelenting light. In that all-too-brief moment, he thought of Tokyo…and the woman he loved. I wish I could be there with you, but I have to see this through. It's more important than any one city, or even us. Forgive me, Usako…but I won't make Endymion's mistakes again. I can't.

AN: Well, there it is. After close to two MONTHS of work I finally got this one done. I don't usually take such a long time to update and I apologise for it, but as I alluded to in my little "update chapter" I've had a real run of bad luck of late. Work's been ridiculously busy with a lot of unpaid overtime, I've had a lot of family stuff to deal with around it and, on top of that, the worst case of writers block I think I've ever had to handle. But it's finally done, after a complete rethink of where the story was going and how everything fits together.

I'm not going to toss in any of my normal "thought process" stuff like I usually do. I just hope you enjoyed this chapter after such a long wait. I'll do everything in my power to ensure I don't keep you all waiting another two months for the next one. Usagi will (finally) make her RotEK appearance and we'll start to see the Tokyo side of things gearing up towards open war with Chaos. I think. Thanks for reading, as always. If you enjoyed this, or especially if you DIDN'T, please consider letting me know with some feedback.

Cheers,

Lisseas