PRETTY SOLDIER SAILOR MOON: FUTURE
Chapter 67: Taboo Restriction Released
"Unbelievable!" Luna uttered. "Has the Holy Blade chosen Zarnik as Small Lady's guardian!?"
"If she's wielding it, then it must be true," Artemis said.
"But she's supposed to be a Chaotic Descendant - a scion of a fragment of Chaos," Endymion realized. "Can a being of darkness really hold the sacred sword of the Moon Kingdom?"
"She's a Sailor Soldier, first and foremost," Serenity reminded him. "An experienced warrior who has found a place in Small Lady's heart, and thus the heart of this very kingdom. If anyone can keep this era's princess safe from harm, it's her."
She remembered the ancient days of the Silver Millennium when she was once the beautiful, innocent and naïve Princess Serenity, daughter of the almighty ruler of the Moon, Queen Serenity. It was Sailor Venus who had sacrificed her own happiness and safety to act as a dummy for the princess since they looked very similar, and could thus fool their enemies into attacking the wrong person. Despite the heavy burden Venus had to endure as the leader of the Inner Sailor Soldiers, she had been granted the privilege of being the only one able to hold the formidable Holy Blade and strike down the Moon Kingdom's enemies with it.
Those days were gone. They lived in a new age, and the Holy Blade had to change hands to accommodate this. They just never expected those hands to belong to an alien Soldier whose blood coursed with the darkness of the ultimate evil. Was there something the blessed sword could sense in Zarnik that no one else could? No one could really tell. All that mattered was that Zarnik used the Holy Blade to destroy anyone who put Small Lady Serenity in harm's way.
Sailor Zarnik whipped the Holy Blade in an arc and declared to Upala, "No more games, Eris. By the powers of Zarnik, Earth, and the Moon Kingdom invested in my soul, your death will correct the wrongs that you have committed in the name of vanity and envy."
"Now, now. Lady Eris is indisposed at the moment. I'm your opponent right now, you worthless simpleton," Upala chuckled.
"I'm not talking to you, pawn. I'm talking to the king on your chessboard."
"… A pawn? ME!?"Upala was astounded. Never before had anyone dared to insult her sovereignty with such graceless insults. "How dare you lower my infinite majesty to such depths! I am not a slave to anyone! I am the greatest queen in all of history!"
"They say that the weaker the dog, the louder it barks, but even that would not account for all the noise you make."
Chibi-Moon resisted the urge to smile. The sharp-tongued Zarnik that she knew was back to unleash unrepentant verbal abuse upon those who deserved it.
"You-! I-! Agh-! Khhhh!" Upala was totally dumbfounded by this calm, pint-sized Soldier's crass tongue. All she could retort with was, "Shut your goddamn face, you measly cretin!"
"How unoriginal for someone so toxic and villainous. Then how about this for inspiration? You're breathing the same air as me. Stop hogging my oxygen and go die in some obscure corner like the obedient dog that you are."
The egotistical Sailor Soldier's cheeks turned beet red and her eyes widened with fury. Zarnik's comment broke her already-fragile sanity, and it would not recover until the archer was reduced to a smoldering, unidentifiable corpse. This was exactly what Zarnik wanted; a mentally broken opponent who would make irrational moves and careless mistakes.
Zarnik continued her mind rape strategy by adding, "It's truly a pity to think that someone like you, who can be broken so easily, became the victor of Eris' game. I would have had much better luck playing by her demented rules without falling prey to its many loopholes."
"Oh yeah…? Oh yeah…? OH YEAH!?" Upala shrieked, each word building up into a livid crescendo. She smacked her whip to the ground and shouted, "Then I'll show you my power! I'll show you that I don't need Lady Eris' power to shut that smarmy little mouth of yours forever! Tremble in fear at the power of Upala's Sailor Soldier!"
"Speaking of 'shutting up smarmy little mouthes', why don't you do the same and demonstrate this power you so love to pontificate about."
"WITH PLEASURE!"
With that, Zarnik and Upala flew at each other and clashed weapons in a violent dervish that Chibi-Moon's eyes couldn't keep track of. Upala cracked her whip dozens of times to send small colorful whiplashes at Zarnik, but she deftly parried each one and swung the Holy Blade straight for Upala's neck.
"NO!" Chibi-Moon shrieked and closed her eyes. Fortunately, Upala was an experienced enough warrior to tilt her head backward so that the sword missed her neck and chin by millimeters. Zarnik was so caught off guard by the self-claimed queen's combat abilities that she was left wide open for a nasty whiplashing.
"Rattle Snake!" Upala shouted, enchanting her whip with magical razors. She lashed the weapon about randomly, lacerating Zarnik's skin and uniform with countless gashes that bled out profusely. Despite the pain, Zarnik grit her teeth and swung down at Upala's weapon arm, cutting into the upper arm and forcing her to drop the whip. Although she wanted to curse Zarnik for tarnishing her perfect skin, Upala had to jump away from another sword slash. She gripped her arm and gasped in desperation.
For the Soldier of Alkima's most worthless planet, she's certainly strong, Upala thought in a rare moment of praise for someone other than herself.
She decided to try a different tactic, so she said aloud, "Sailor Zarnik! What is it that you're truly fighting for!?"
"Hmph. I don't need to tell someone like you."
"But think about it. The people you were supposed to protect have been dead for 1000 years. Your so-called friends have manipulated you into doing what they wanted. You're stranded on a foreign planet in the distant future, with no hope of returning home."
"Your point being?"
"There's nothing left for you here. I acknowledge your power, so why don't you use it for my cause?"
"… Nothing left for me, hm?"
The word 'nothing' seemed to trigger something in Zarnik's heart. Long ago, she remembered reading it in a particular phrase that held special meaning to her. It was from the Fallen Hero Arsen's most secret tome that had been handed down from generation to generation until it reached her hands. Although she had only ever read it once in her life, Arsen's writings held profound importance for her. Aside that it was a message that her tormented ancestor had left for her, it was a phrase that was meant to invoke a sense of acceptance for the powers of ruin and destruction:
"Erase Tragedy and reset to Nothing."
To many people, the word 'nothing' was a symbol of aimless despair that could not be escaped from. In her current situation, Zarnik certainly felt like there wasn't any purpose in fighting anymore. But when she remembered Arsen's words, she felt strangely calm. Even though Arsen had lived a life of being ostracized by the forces of good for being an incarnation of Chaos, he did not write that message with hatred or revenge in mind. All he wanted to impart to his family was that, yes, it was okay to lose what you thought was important and try again.
Is that why Lord Arsen vanished after settling those stranded people on Zarnik so long ago? That he wanted to find a way to start over from nothing? Is he still out there, trying to find what he believes is important to him?
Now that Zarnik was in a similar situation, although through no fault of her own unlike Arsen who had killed millions in pursuit of his goal, she could embrace the idea of letting go of her past troubles and resetting to a new beginning. Perhaps it sounded cliché on paper, but it felt cathartic for the broken-hearted Sailor Soldier who had no home to return to.
"You say there's nothing left for me…" Zarnik finally murmured to Upala. "As a guardian of Alkima, indeed there is no worth in me finding something to cling to."
"Then will you join my side and help me rebuild Alkima with the power of creation that the Silver Crystal boasts?"
"Not in a million years, Sailor Upala."
"What!?"
"You're the one who cannot let go of Alkima. You cling tightly to a world that is no longer there, pursuing a dream that is little more than pure folly. Just as there's nothing left for me there, likewise there is nothing left for you there. Well, I know you will never give up your goal of creating this so-called utopia of yours, so I won't waste my time trying to convince you otherwise."
"So then what will you fight for?" Upala demanded with a harsh scowl.
Zarnik wielded the Holy Blade directly in front of her and firmly declared, "So that Alkima's Tragedy is erased, and that it can reset from Nothing without interference."
"Hmph! I have no idea what you're talking about, but it seems this conversation is over."
"It was over before it even began."
"So it would seem," Upala grinned darkly.
The two warriors faced each other in silence for several tense moments. During this while, Zarnik had thought about whether or not to awaken her taboo power as a Chaotic Descendant. However, she felt there was no other option since Upala certainly was one of Alkima's strongest Sailor Soldiers, plus she had Eris' power to rely on through the Victory Crown.
I don't have time to think about this. I should just do it and get rid of this encumbrance.
Zarnik raised the sword before her, and a dark inverted pentagram containing illegible but accursed runes appeared beneath her feet, like some kind of void that threatened to swallow her whole. She chanted the words that Arsen had left behind with an ominous yet ethereal voice.
"When Hope is lost, return to Zero. When Creation is stagnant, commence Destruction. When Light is extinguished, awaken Shadow. Erase Tragedy and reset to Nothing. May The End be renewed hope for The Beginning."
"What are you doing!?" Upala demanded, feeling her negative energy getting sucked out of her body and into the Holy Blade that Zarnik was corrupting with the power of pure darkness.
"Release Restriction Omega…"
The Holy Blade transformed into a darker version with an upside-down black crescent moon on the hilt. Zarnik herself also appeared to have a much darker aura surrounding her body, although her eyes glowed an eerie green in the darkness. She murmured the final words:
"Miasma Convert."
As the Sailor Quartet prepared to apprehend the defeated Toxicum Soldiers, Kanos raised her head and gasped, "What the-!?"
"What's wrong?" Ceres demanded.
"This dark power… NO! She's released Restriction Omega!"
"Are you kidding me!?" Nabar raged.
"What are you talking about!?" Juno yelled, having no idea what they were so afraid of.
"Are you stupid!? Zarnik's using her power as a Chaotic Descendant! We have to stop her, NOW!"
"Uh…"
The Quartet weren't sure what to do. Although they had been enemies just now, both groups shared the same concern for Zarnik's well-being. If she really was going to awaken the forbidden darkness sleeping in her blood, they needed to prevent it as soon as they could or it could prove disastrous for their friend.
"She must be using it as a last resort against whomever she is fighting," Mangar said. "If we hurry, we might make it in time."
"We were so close!" Kadmas yelped. "If only we had the Silver Crystal, I could have used the Lambda Processor to fight back! Then she wouldn't have needed to use her sealed powers!"
"Then how about this?" Pallas suggested. "We work together temporarily to save Midori. Once we beat up the bad guys, then we'll make you fess up to the queen. Deal?"
Kanos nodded. "Deal."
Right when the Toxicum Soldiers were about to get back up however, a demonic inverted pentagram with the symbols of Baphomet and Eris shone beneath their feet. The Quartet stepped back in shock totally, confused about where this evil magic circle came from.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!" the four women screamed simultaneously as they were instantly engulfed in a searing hot barrier that literally cooked them alive.
"What's going on!?" Ceres demanded.
"Damn you, Eris!" Nabar screeched as her body disintegrated into ashes. The only thing that remained of her was her blood-red Sailor Crystal.
"Everyone… I'm sorry…!" Kadmas cried out and apologized to everyone in Alkima as she too evaporated into dust, leaving behind a honey-gold Sailor Crystal.
"We were… too late…" Mangar gasped and collapsed, but she scattered apart before she could hit the ground. A lilac-purple Sailor Crystal was all that remained of her existence.
"Zar… nik…" Kanos dropped to her knees and helplessly reached out. "Please… don't… do it… Mi… do… ri…"
She was the last one to disappear, and an ultramarine-blue Sailor Crystal was left behind. The burning pentagram cooled down and vanished as if nothing happened. The Sailor Quartet were absolutely dumbfounded by the grisly sight.
"That was horrible…" Vesta momentarily forgot to breathe.
"Guys, look!" Pallas pointed upward. They stared up as an Apple of Discord floated above the four warriors, and a dark skull-like face could be seen forming on the surface.
"The traitors have been properly disposed of. Oh, how wonderful it is to have my power back," Eris' voice echoed from the apple.
"Who are you!?" Juno shouted.
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself to you children, have I? I am the true leader of the Animus Syndicate, a being with no equal; the Goddess of Discord, Eris."
"So you're the monster behind all of this!"
"Now, now. I have not come to discuss such trifling matters. I've come only to impart a very important message for your queen."
"I have a feeling I know what it is, and suffice to say, she will not accept," Ceres retorted.
"Humor me a little, would you, my flowery dear? I'm willing to negotiate a truce between our two forces; if she peacefully gives me the Silver Crystal, then I too will leave her kingdom alone. There will be no war between us if she readily agrees to those terms."
"As if! The moment you get your hands on it, you'll destroy everything in your path!" Vesta scowled.
"I'm not here to argue with you. Pass that message along to her, would you please? I would do it myself, but the holy energy that protects Crystal Palace will not allow me entry. I will be waiting for her favorable reply."
With her business done here, Eris made the Apple of Discord vanish. Now that they were safe, the Sailor Quartet lowered their guard. Pallas cupped her hands around the four Sailor Crystals and asked, "What are we gonna do, guys?"
"We almost had them on our side," Vesta sighed despondently.
"Zarnik's not going to like this…" Juno frowned.
"We did everything we could. As a Sailor Soldier from a war-torn world, she'll understand," Ceres assured her sisters.
Pallas gasped as the crystals floated away on their own and disappeared into the sky. She exclaimed, "Where did they go!?"
"They might be dead, but their wills still live on. Now that the Camarilla's threat has been neutralized, we need to return to Chibi-Moon's side. There's also Zarnik that we need to worry about."
"Yeah," Vesta gazed in the distance as she could see the attacks that Zarnik and Upala were throwing at each other.