Sailor Moon: The Order of Black

Chapter Twenty Eight - Elysion Falls: Mamoru's Awakening

Originally published 12/10/2015

AN: I'm trying something a little out of comfort zone again; an entire chapter dedicated to developing Mamoru's character! I'm not 100% on this one, so I'm looking forward to your feedback to let me know if I'm on the right track with him or not. Thanks in advance, and I hope you find it an interesting read.

"Come on," Mamoru muttered, with a weary groan. "At some point you have to start helping me!" It was a struggle to stay awake at this point, to keep his hands extended over Setsuna's prone form. An incandescent golden light illuminated her skin, emanating out from his palms. Somehow, despite no idea how…he was healing her. Exactly as Endymion would have in the past. She'd already woken up once, a sudden gasp and shudder before passing out again, but what mattered was she now had a pulse. So, with that in mind – and a very real fear that if he stopped he wouldn't be able to start again – he kept right on healing her.

There was just one problem with such an approach; it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his eyes open. Mamoru's recently regained memories were clear. He was likely exhausting his own energy the way Usagi did whenever she used the Silver Crystal. At some point, he was probably going to pass out, or perhaps even die. It was a sobering thought, but one he forced aside for the time being. If I stop now, he decided, there's no guarantee Setsuna will make it. She could still slip away at any moment, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let that happen!

Time passed - exactly how much he wasn't sure - and fatigue finally began to catch up with him. Sleep tried to claim him, a familiar weight pulling his eyelids down. Mamoru blinked once, his head lolling forward before he could correct for it. A second followed, and for just a moment he was certain he saw a fiery figure before him, shaped like a man. Before he could question what he'd seen, he blinked one more time…

…and found himself standing in the throne room of Castle Terra. It was another memory, but not the same as the others. There was an odd sense of detachment this time, a disconnection between what he was seeing and what he was feeling. I'm more conscious this time, he realised. I'm Endymion right now…but I also know I'm Mamoru Chiba. But why? What's different? What's changed?

The throne room was full of people. He recognised many as regular members of his father's court, a sycophantic group of posturing idiots that had affixed themselves to his cape years ago. They lacked their usual smugness, however, exuding a subdued concern as they focused on a lone scout kneeling before the throne.

"The Order of the Undying Sun is no more, Your Majesty. They were utterly decimated by the witch's forces."

A dull murmur sprang up as a mild panic spread throughout the crowd, hushed whispers of disbelief and panic the only other sound.

His father leaned forward on his throne, mouth slightly agape. "How could that be? They numbered close to one thousand strong! Were there no survivors at all?"

"None we could find, Your Majesty," the scout said, with a sad shake of his head. "There were but a few scattered reports. A vast army comprised of monsters and humans both, a woman with red hair at its head."

The king slumped, appearing very much weakened at that moment. "The witch…"

Endymion remained silent, grief and guilt battling within him for dominance. He'd thought Smythe a touch pessimistic when suggesting this outcome, but here it was; the paladin was dead, and the rest of his order along with him. This was his fault. If he hadn't missed that assembly, shirking his duty to find solace in Serenity's arms, perhaps the Exalted Knights would still be alive. They might have been able to convince his father to act after all…but now he'd never know.

For his part, Mamoru could feel everything Endymion did, but unlike his previous experiences there was a clear awareness that this had already happened. This was all the past, and he knew that as he watched it unfold. Days passed by in a flash, disjointed and nonsensical like a dream in the morning light. He was nothing but a passenger now; the entity pushing him to relive his past life wasn't being patient anymore. Whatever conclusion his memories held, Mamoru was being driven towards it with increasing urgency.

The news only grew darker in the following days. Reports of open rebellion flooded in as yet more of the outlying towns and villages swore allegiance to Beryl and an unnamed 'mistress'. Her anti-moon rhetoric was strong, playing on a latent fear and mistrust of those above and their seeming disinterest in the problems of Earth. The people wanted someone to blame for every drought and famine they'd ever experienced, and Beryl was whipping that hatred into a homicidal frenzy.

Why no blame for those truly responsible, Mamoru wondered bitterly. Endymion's father, my father, should have taken his fair share…but I suppose the Moon Kingdom made a much easier target. There was no-one around to defend them from Beryl's claims, and the people bought into it all too eagerly.

Endymion's only escape from his ever-mounting despair was Serenity. She continued seeing him in spite of the danger to herself, but he found it increasingly difficult to justify their meetings. How could he put her at risk for his own selfish desires? If she were discovered she'd likely be lynched by an angry mob, and that was something he couldn't bear to imagine.

Mamoru found that revelation in particular unsettling. Usagi had accused him of overprotectiveness the last time they fought, and not for the first time. Now, though, he was seeing it with his own eyes. From behind his own eyes, in fact. I accused her of overreacting, he admitted, ashamed with himself. Said she was just insecure. But now, after seeing this…how can I argue her point?

Serenity was waiting for him at their special place, his favourite outlook, on the eve of Elysion's fall. They could actually see the torchlight from the approaching army, make out the various formations and battalions. The siege would commence shortly, his father's armies their only hope for salvation. Endymion would lead one of its flanks himself as duty demands…but that was tomorrow. Tonight belonged to Serenity, a final chance to share a moment of peace before the end.

"I fear for you, my love," she said quietly. "Don't go. Don't fight. Just stay here, with me."

She looked radiant as ever. Perhaps even more radiant than Usagi, Mamoru admitted, though it was always up for debate. It could be a case of rose-tinted glasses and nostalgia, or the literal glow to her skin that she lacked in the present day. Either way, he couldn't help but remember the last time he'd spoken with Usagi…and his distance from her. I thought I had to rediscover my past myself, but I was wrong. I see that now. Usagi makes me a better person...and I wish she was here with me now. His newfound understanding made what his past self said next even more unpleasant, though not unexpected.

"You mustn't come back to Earth again," he whispered, holding her tight against his chest. "It isn't safe for you here."

"What? No, Endymion, I love you! I-"

He withdrew reluctantly, gently clutching her shoulders to keep her at a distance. "The hate towards the Moon Kingdom grows deeper every day. People talk of revenge for imagined slights, maybe even an assault on the moon itself! But you can't see it, can you? You're too innocent, Serenity, too naïve. I love that about you…but you have no idea how much danger you're in just being here."

Her deep blue eyes blazed defiantly. "So some bad people don't like the Moon Kingdom. That's why you're trying to push me away? Coming here has always been dangerous for me! Our union is expressly forbidden by the laws of my home, but that didn't stop me from coming back again and again. I love you, Endymion, and I won't leave you!"

How many times have I tried to do exactly the same thing? Mamoru couldn't help but feel ashamed at that moment. He could feel Endymion's sorrow, his regret at having to give her up…but that was just it. It was his sorrow, his regret. The same emotions he'd felt in the present when he pushed her away. Seeing it from an outside perspective hammered home the point Usagi was trying to make in their last fight. I convince myself I'm pushing her away for her own safety…but it's all about my own fear. Fear of losing her, fear she'll be hurt…when I'm hurting her in the process. Usako doesn't need my protection; she's the strongest person I know. She needs my love…even if it's the love of a fool!

Something was happening, though, pulling him back to the events of the past. A twig snapped in the distance, just as it had on their first meeting. Endymion immediately guided Serenity behind a tree, motioning for her to remain silent. Leaves rustled in the distance; whatever it was, it was definitely growing closer. He peered into the darkness cautiously, fingers wrapped around the hilt of his sword in readiness for combat. Finally, a dark shape lurched out of the brush before him…wearing familiar armour. "Smythe?!"

It was the paladin, alright. His once-golden armour bore many signs of battle, stained with soot and blood alike, with yet more crimson marring his right temple. It was his eyes Endymion found of most concern, however. They were wild, even mad; a far cry from the knight's usual measured gaze.

"Endymion. I thought I might find you here."

He stepped forward, reaching out to steady him. "I thought you were dead! My father's scouts-"

"Yes, I'm sure you did." Smythe's tone was cold and emotionless, and Endymion found it thoroughly disconcerting. "We were betrayed. Ambushed. There wasn't even time to call for the Undying Sun's divine strength before they were upon us." His eyes narrowed slowly, studying the prince carefully. "It was a massacre, like a slaughter of livestock. My brothers and sisters fought bravely, but it was no use. There was no hope of victory against such foul magic."

Endymion found his hand slapped away as he reached forward a second time. "Just sit down and rest! I can heal your wounds and we can-"

The paladin continued unabated. "The mind is a strange, fragile thing. Subject to a myriad of flaws and faults, incongruities and lapses none of us can expect or explain." He spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground at Endymion's feet as he laughed, not a reassuring sound in the least. "It occurred to me, as I lay in the blood of my fellow knights, that nobody outside the order knew our intended route, or our plans." There was dark intent in his eyes now, as he looked up. "Nobody…but you."

"What?" Endymion backed up as Smythe's hand moved slowly to his sword. "Wait, you think I was the one who betrayed you to Beryl?!"

"You came to me, Endymion, remember? You offered your friendship, your aid gathering support in Elysion, but when it really mattered…you weren't there! You were hindering me from the beginning, weren't you, thwarting my every effort!"

He was crazed, not listening to reason. It was becoming clear to Endymion that he had to get out of there, lure Smythe aware from Serenity so she had a chance to escape. There was no telling what he might do if he found her; the paladin was acting irrationally as it was.

"How long have you been in league with the witch?!" Smythe's sword left its sheath and came up to point at his throat. "Answer me!"

He kept his hands up in a sign of peace. "I swear to you on my honour, I didn't betray you. I'm not in league with Beryl, Smythe, I promise you!"

"Liar!" The paladin brought his sword down at Endymion's head with an angry snarl. "You'll pay with your blood!"

He dodged a second swing but left his own sword in its scabbard. "Please, just stop and listen to me!"

"Nobody else knew the route we would take, the time and day we would march. How do you explain that?!"

Endymion froze mid-retort as it finally dawned on him. "Kunzite. Kunzite knew you'd march after the assembly because…" The words stuck in his throat with the bitter taste of failure. "Because I told him myself. The night he told me you'd left Elysion early on urgent business." He took a step forward, his arms slowly coming down; Smythe had stopped, though he was still highly agitated. "He played us all for fools, no one more so than me. I fell for his lies hook, line and sinker, but if you'll just listen to me a little-"

His vision blurred as Smythe's gauntlet-clad fist collided with his temple, then his jaw, falling forward onto his hands and knees. The paladin kicked him hard, driving the wind from his lungs and knocking him onto his back. Endmyion scrambled back from the ledge, all too aware the overlook behind him fell away in a sharp decline. "It's all Beryl, I swear to you! She's been manipulating every one of us from the start!"

"I agree…and this is one such scheme I'll not fall for again!"

"Don't hurt him!" A blur of white and gold leapt onto Smythe's back as his sword began to descend; Serenity. Her hair flailed wildly in the wind as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a vain effort to topple him, looking impossibly small atop his imposing frame. She cried out in pain as the paladin span and tossed her into the ground.

Endymion crawled forward to shield her, a surge of panic empowering him. "Please, leave her out of this!"

Smythe stared down at them menacingly, a hint of recognition dawning in his eyes. "I see…" Barely-contained wrath quickly replaced it as his face contorted in a sneer. "She's the reason you weren't at the assembly that night. Why you were distracted a dozen times before that! A tryst with a Lunarian, royalty no less judging by her hair!"

"Please, just-"

"Her and those she rules abandoned their promise to Earth a long time ago, just as the Undying Sun abandoned us, his most faithful servants, in our time of need." The sword wavered in his hand as he raged, alternating between the two of them. "Just as you and your father abandoned your people!"

Endymion reached out for Serenity, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. He could only hope she wouldn't judge him too harshly for his failings, even if he deserved every last bit of disgust she could muster. Smythe, brain injury or paranoia or whatever was afflicting him was right, too. All he had left was a plea for mercy. For her. "Just stop for a second and listen to me! If you want to hurt someone, hurt me! I failed you, I know that. I failed everyone, and I'm willing to offer my life in penance! Just leave her out of it. Let her return home and we'll deal with this, just the two of us."

"Don't say that!" Serenity said, with a quiet sniffle. "You don't deserve this!"

Two woman in strange, matching uniforms appeared to their right with a brief flash of light. One had long, blonde hair and the other raven-black in a similar length. Both wore – in Endymion's opinion – improperly short skirts, orange and red respectively. Time seemed to slow as the orange-clad blonde looked first at Serenity, then Smythe. Her bright blue eyes snapped to the sword in his hand, and she brought her right arm up, index finger aimed at his chest. "Crescent Beam!"

The black-haired woman joined her, clutching her fingers before her as sparks formed around them. "Fire Soul!"

"No, wait!"

Endymion's cry came too late. Smythe was caught off-guard by their sudden arrival, and took the full brunt of both hits head on. The first, a beam of pure, golden light, punched through metal and flesh alike as it pierced his left shoulder. The second was a ball of raging fire that exploded on his chestplate, engulfing him in flames. Smythe stumbled backwards, teetering on the ledge. With a last ditch effort, Endymion lunged for him…but he was too late. His fingertips grazed the paladin's before he toppled off the cliff and fell into the darkness below.

"Smythe…" he said sadly, as more guilt welled up within his chest. "I'm sorry."

Serenity cried out furiously behind him. "Let me go! I won't leave him!"

"Serenity!" He whirled about, finding Serenity in the raven-haired woman's grasp. His first thought was to go to her aid, but the concern on their faces stopped him in his tracks. This was no abduction; it was a rescue! The skirts, the uniforms, the magical attacks. These were the fabled Sailor Senshi he had heard of, and they were here to take Serenity home. Wasn't that what he'd wanted all along?

"Endymion!" Serenity reached out for him in vain, struggling to free herself. "Please, Mars! Venus! I beg you, don't do this. I love him!"

"You're not safe here!" 'Mars' retorted. Any real anger was tempered by the concern plainly evident in her voice. "What if we hadn't come to find you when we did?"

The blonde, Venus, shook her head gently. "Our first thought must be your safety. That is our duty; it outweighs anything else...even your feelings." Her tone was diplomatic, even apologetic, despite its insistent nature.

"You're nothing but a hypocrite, Mina!" Serenity continued to struggle in Mars' grip, angrier than he could ever recall seeing before. "Could you abandon your own love so easily?!"

Venus' jaw clenched tightly, but her eyes showed nothing but sorrow. "No, I don't suppose I could. If that makes me a hypocrite, then so be it. I'm sorry, Serenity, but I love you too much to leave you here in danger."

Endymion struggled to his feet, his head still spinning from Smythe's punch...and took a deep breath. This was going to be the most difficult thing he'd ever had to say. "Sailor Senshi. Please, take Serenity home. Keep her safe."

Her eyes snapped wide open in disbelief. "What?! Endymion, no!"

Mars nodded curtly, followed a moment later by Venus, as the former secured Serenity in her grasp. Venus pressed down on an odd bracelet around her wrist, and all three vanished in another flash of light. Endymion was left alone, his heart aching in the knowledge he would probably never see her again. She'd be safe, though…that was what truly mattered.

As for Mamoru, events in his own time were beginning to make a lot more sense. Rei's grandfather said the Order of Black was formed by any surviving Exalted Knights. If those survivors shared Smythe's view of the Moon Kingdom, it's little wonder they hate Usagi, the Sailor Senshi and me as much as they do. It certainly puts their goals into perspective...and makes me fear future conflict with them. Are they wrong? I'm not so sure their view of history is as distorted as we thought...

Endymion searched for Smythe, but it was ultimately fruitless; the cliff face was too steep, the night sky too dark. There was no trace of him anywhere, and the prince returned to the overlook a broken man with little idea what to do next. There was no time left; Beryl's army was growing ever closer, a mass of torches and shadows in the dark. Perhaps, though, it wasn't too late for answers. Endymion knew Smythe was right about at least one thing; someone had betrayed his order to Beryl, and there was little doubt in his mind as to who.

The return trip to Castle Terra was uneventful. Much of the citizenry had fled Elysion after word spread of the Exalted Knights' defeat. Even the city guard's ranks were thinner, many of their men drafted into the royal army instead. Not even the castle guards were safe, it seemed. The halls were largely deserted as he made his way to his chambers.

"Endymion!"

The prince nodded quickly, immediately wary. "Zoisite." He knew his relationship with Kunzite went far beyond simple friendship; if anyone was in league with him, it would likely be Zoisite. "Have you seen Kunzite?"

"Of course. He's in the throne room, Jadeite and Nephrite too. Your father's been calling for you for some time. We tried to stall him as best we could, but he's becoming most insistent-"

"Then I won't keep him waiting any longer." Endymion led the way down the halls, finally arriving at the two large oak doors that kept his father isolated from the common people. They opened before him and he entered, head held high. The king sat haughtily upon his throne, as always, with his other three friends scattered around him.

Kunzite himself ambled out from behind the throne, his arms open wide in greeting. "Welcome, my friend. We've been waiting for you."

It was a warm greeting indeed, as if nothing were amiss. It threw Endymion at first, but he knew not to trust him at this point. "Father, I-"

"What is the meaning of this treachery, Endymion?" The older man's glare made his hostility clear, but there was a touch of fear in his voice. "Not only am I your king, but also your father, and I demand an explanation!"

"Treachery?" Was this what he'd been summoned for? He had little patience for this sort of flippant nonsense tonight. "Father, I've no idea what you mean."

Kunzite chuckled quietly. "He means this." He snapped his fingers and Nephrite drew his blade, its edge coming to rest against the king's throat.

"Nephrite?" Endymion's blood ran cold as it all began to come together. Not just Kunzite; all of them had turned against him. It hardly seemed possible, but he couldn't deny what he was seeing with is very own eyes. "That village, with the youma. Those slaughtered children. Your tears, the grief; was any of it real?"

A new, yet all too familiar voice answered him. "At the time…Your Highness."

Mamoru couldn't help but feel a flash of pure, unbridled terror at just her voice; it was burned into his memory forever, impossible to forget. A bevy of conflicting emotions welled up within him. Guilt and shame and fear and hatred, all at once. All the injustices, the indecencies she'd inflicted on him, it all came rushing back and for a moment he was her prisoner once again. The power she held over him, even in death, was his deepest shame. For months he was forced to live a waking nightmare, a twisted puppet in her service, until death freed him...and he wasn't sure those scars would ever truly heal. Beryl…

She was identical to her present day incarnation, despite a thousand years' difference. Fiery red hair and piercing hazel eyes combined to give her an otherworldly beauty, despite ambiguous humanity. "Don't feel too badly for being deceived. Turning your friends to my cause was an arduous task, even for my mistress, Metalia." She toyed with her staff idly as she looked his friend over. "Nephrite was the last to fall under our sway…but fall he did."

Endymion kept his eyes locked on Kunzite as the white-haired man moved to her side. "You warned her about the Exalted Knights' attack. You killed them."

"I don't deny it," he answered coolly. "I serve my queen without regret."

"By Gaia!" The king's belligerent roar overpowered every other sound in the room with ease as his face turned red in anger. "This is still my throne room and I will have an explanat-"

Nephrite struck him with the flat of his blade, sneering as he leaned in close. "Do not interrupt your betters, old man."

Beryl let slip an amused cackle. "Peace, Nephrite. And you, Your Majesty, will have answers in due time. You'll have everything you deserve, I assure you."

Endymion was beyond fear now. He was angry. Angry at her for turning his best friends into twisted mockeries of themselves. Angry at them for not being able to resist, for not being stronger. Most of all, though, he was angry at himself for not seeing any of this until it was too late. "What the hell do you want, Beryl? Why not just kill us and be done with it? What's your game?"

"Game?" The witch shrugged, the bony spines in her shoulders rising slightly with the motion. "It's an apt enough term, I suppose." Her eyes lingered on his father as a contented smirk spread across her lips. "The old fool played right into my hands, just as I knew he would. A few exaggerated stories were all it took to convince him to ignore his agents. After all, what possible threat could a woman pose to such a mighty kingdom?" She chuckled quietly at his silence. "I didn't expect the entire order of the Undying Sun to march on me, of course…but Kunzite provided enough warning for us to utterly destroy them."

"But why?" he demanded, his burning desire for answers nearly tangible. "Why bother trying to turn people against the moon in the first place? Why not focus on my father and his record of neglect? It would give most of the people more than enough incentive to rebel!"

"Oh, my dear Endymion…do you really not understand?" She drove her staff into the floor. "Elysion is but a stepping stone to a far greater prize; the Moon Kingdom…and the legendary Silver Crystal. It calls to my mistress, power the likes of which most men can only dream of!"

"You're mad…"

"The remains of the old must be swept away for my new Dark Kingdom to flourish!" Beryl brushed a finger over his chest slowly, staring into his eyes. "But you needn't worry, Endymion, because I offer you a chance at unimaginable power. Rule at my side, as my consort…and all of this will be yours. You can be king."

He couldn't fathom her 'offer'; was she really so mad that she thought he would ever choose to her over his kingdom or Serenity?"

His father evidently thought little of her offer, too. "I am king here, witch, and-"

"No longer." She raised a hand almost wearily. "Kill him."

Endymion could only watch helplessly as Nephrite drew his blade across his father's throat. Crimson sprayed onto the stone at his feet as the King of the Golden Kingdom expired with naught but a wet gurgle. They hadn't seen eye to eye often, disagreeing regularly and vehemently on a multitude of topics…but he was Endymion's father, and now he was dead.

"He was a relic of a bygone era," Beryl said softly, her cold fingers brushing his cheek. "This is a new Earth, a strong Earth free of Moon Kingdom hypocrisy and noble indifference. We will reach up into the very heavens themselves and take their greatest power for ourselves!" She paused, her tongue darting across her lips to moisten them. "Join us, Endymion, and claim your birthright. Rule with me over a new age of man."

He gripped his sword and drew it quickly, aiming a backhanded cut at her throat. Somehow, though, she was already moving before his attack and the blade only nicked her cheek. "Never!"

Beryl's face contorted in a scowl of pure, unbridled fury. "So, Kunzite was right. That little Lunarian whore has stolen your heart!" Her staff began to crackle with power as she raised it above her head. "So be it! I swear this to you, Endymion; you'll live just long enough to see her die!"

His hand came up and unleashed a blast of golden light into her face; he still had the Golden Crystal, at least, if nothing else. She recoiled with a pained shriek, clutching at her face as Jadeite and Zoisite tried to fence him in. Endymion could see no trace of his friends, only strangers wearing their faces. So be it! He sent a second flare of light into Jadeite's chest that left his tunic smouldering, then took a hit from Zoisite's crystal sword on his own blade. They exchanged several blows but the prince had always been the superior swordsman, and it wasn't long before he found an opening. He knocked a quick strike from Zoisite aside and launched into a spinning backhanded elbow smash that took him completely by surprise.

Pain erupted in his chest and shoulder as a pair of violet energy blades tore by him. Mamoru wasn't in control right now but he recognised the attack well; Endymion turned to see Kunzite snatch them out of the air as he strode towards him, each step heavy with malice.

"You're going nowhere, old friend." A strange black aura spread out around him, dimming the room and reducing the temperature to a chill. "I'm no mere servant anymore, Endymion. I have power of my own…and I won't let you escape!"

Mamoru – or was he still Endymion? – deflected a second round of attacks and lunged forward in an attempt to battle through Kunzite's defences. After several failed attempts he succeeded in tackling him to the floor and immediately let healing energy pour forth from his free hand. "Please, Kunzite, come to your senses! See reason!"

A cruel, mocking laugh was his response. "You can't heal someone who isn't hurt, fool!"

His hand jabbed into Mamoru's ribs, unleashing a bolt of dark energy right into his skin. The impact sent him flying back into the wall behind him, narrowly avoiding one of the room's many stained-glass windows. Just standing again was a struggle. The negative energy flowing through him had left him dazed, his body aching. His vision blurred, eyes locking on his father's body in a protracted stare. Beryl was striding towards him now, Nephrite, Jadeite and Zoisite close behind her. I'm trapped, he thought wearily, backing up against the window behind him.

"Seize him!" she snarled, lowering her staff to point at his chest. "He may not serve willingly, but he still has his uses…even if Metalia must destroy his mind completely!"

The war was over before it had truly begun. The Exalted Knights were gone, his father was gone, and Beryl was here in the very heart of Elysion. There was no hope left…unless he could somehow get to the army outside and turn it on the city. Perhaps, if they could just finish Beryl they could end this all before her forces reached them. Perhaps, if she was dead, his friends would return. If he could just reach his soldiers.

A confident cackle fluttered across the room. "There's no escape, Endymion. Elysion is mine. Earth is mine. And soon, the moon shall be mine."

Fight or flee. Fight…or flee. It was at odds with everything he'd ever been taught, but fighting in such a situation was an exercise in futility; he had to escape and find a way to stop this madness! After one final glance at his father's body he turned and blasted the window apart before diving out into the cool night air. He landed hard, the fall higher than he'd calculated, and something popped in his left knee. It buckled beneath him, sending him into a painful roll back to his feet. He lurched into a clumsy jog towards the gates. Just take it one step at a time, he told himself. One foot after the other. Don't look back!

He limped through empty streets, cursing the lack of guards…or people of any kind. Houses gradually gave way to larger buildings like storehouses, mills and smelters; the Forge District, a medium-sized industrial area close to the main gates and the marketplace. Endymion had eluded Kunzite, Nephrite and the others so far but he knew they would be looking for him. Only a little further. Once I make it outside I'll turn my army around and retake the city. Then, we prepare for a siege. If we can just kill Beryl, we can-

"You there!"

Mamoru – Endymion, he reminded himself – froze, searching frantically for the source of the voice. It was strangely familiar…but only to the part of him that was Mamoru. Endymion didn't recognise it at all; it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of whose memories and thoughts belonged to who. He stood in front of a smithy, a hut to its left and a small warehouse to the right. The street was dark but he was sure there was no-one around. In fact, he was certain the only other living thing in sight was an unremarkable black cat on a fence post. Hold on, Mamoru thought, as Endymion continued to search his surroundings. A black cat, with a sort of snobby English accent?

"By Selene, I'm right here!"

Mamoru was as surprised as Endymion…but for different reasons. Titus?! He felt his past self's jaw gape open as he realised where the voice was coming from."You…you can-"

"Yes, yes, I can talk and it's the most amazing thing you've ever seen. I know." He turned to face him, revealing a golden crescent moon on his forehead, nestled amongst the jet black fur. "If you're trying to escape the city, you should know you're going the wrong way."

"But our armies-"

"Have already sworn fealty to Beryl. Most of them, at least. Any who refused are being slaughtered as we speak." Titus bowed his head, ears flattening. "I underestimated her; we all did. She sent her youma army ahead with magic, into the very heart of your camp…and your men were ill-prepared to deal with them, I'm afraid."

Mamoru glanced over his shoulder, expecting to find one of his former friends at any moment. There was little reason for Endymion to trust the cat – in this time or his own - but for the crescent moon. I was suspicious of his motives, I remember. "Why do you care? Who are you?"

"That hardly matters now, does it? Suffice to say I represent Her Royal Highness Serenity the Fourth, Queen of the Moon Kingdom, and I come with an offer of sanctuary."

Somehow, Mamoru's memories had synchronised fully with Endymion's now. He remembered what happened next, not needing to witness it unfold in real time. Titus had no such offer from the queen. She knew nothing of my arrival when I appeared before her. Such knowledge was almost comforting; it was nice to know that some things never changed, Titus's scheming ways and his love for Serenity. No, he thought, correcting himself immediately. Usako. I have to wake up, talk to her. Tell her I'm so sorry for all the pain I've caused her. Tell her I'm ready to move forward…with us, and the future.

"You understand so quickly, Endymion?"

He realised he had control over his form…and Titus was addressing him directly. "What? Titus, how are you…no." Mamoru shook his head gently, realising the truth. "Not Titus."

"Do you see?" the cat asked insistently. "Do you understand now?"

"It's you, isn't it? You're the one who's been showing me these memories, giving them back to me. Why? For what purpose? You said something about me needing to be more, to become more. Why do all this?"

Titus' fur ignited slowly, burning away to reveal nothing but more flames beneath. They continued to grow, twisting and shifting until they took the form of a featureless man-shaped mass of embers. He had seen this figure several times before, just before or after memories.

"Do you understand?" it asked, repeating itself in a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at the same time.

Mamoru nodded faintly as he reflected on what he'd learned. "The Golden Kingdom fell because my father ignored the threat Beryl posed." Only…that wasn't quite right. "No. It's broader than that. As much as I want to blame him, I can't put it all on his shoulders. Nobody realised what a threat Beryl was until it was too late…myself included." He let his head slump forward as he admitted the truth. "I tried, at first…but I became lost in my love for Serenity. I started looking for any excuse to escape everyday life, and she made it far too easy. I'm to blame for the kingdom's fall as much as anyone."

The figure nodded in approval. "Humility is restored. Excellent. The pieces are all in place, save one more. Await my summons, Endymion; it will not be long now."

"Wait! I have more questions!"

He blinked…and everything was dark. There was an odd thumping sound in his left ear, steady and rhythmic...and a soft warmth beneath his cheek. Is my head rising and falling?

"If you're awake...might I request you relocate your head?"

Mamoru opened his eyes fully and realised his face was resting on Setsuna's chest. He sat up quickly, a mild blush forming on his cheeks even as he realised she was smiling faintly. "Sorry! I, er…must have lost consciousness mid-heal."

"So my theory was correct, and I do have you to thank for my being alive." A hint of pain crossed her features as she tried to move. "I admit, I was worried I wouldn't make it through this time."

His experience of Endymion's final days seemed unimportant for the moment. He had more pressing questions. "I didn't expect to see you when I came home, Setsuna. What happened? Why did you come here?" He gestured to her still-resent wounds. "Who did this to you?"

She lifted a trembling hand and winced as he helped her slowly into a sitting position. "I came under attack at the Space-Time Door itself, by a group called the Order-"

"Of Black?" Mamoru didn't believe in coincidences; not when everything dovetailed so neatly. I just learned a whole lot about their potential origins...and they've been active in Tokyo as well. "How did they even get to you? I thought nobody could navigate the Time Vortex without one of your keys. Well, except for you, of course."

"They had help," she said softly, sinking back against the couch behind her with another wince. "I'm not sure how it's possible, Mamoru…but they had help from a very old enemy."

Something in her voice sent a shiver down his spine. "Who?"

The chill intensified as she answered, freezing every drop of blood in his veins. "Chaos itself."

AN: So, my first solo Mamoru chapter is done. I guess some regulars did technically appear, but they were their Silver Millennium counterparts so I would maintain it doesn't really count. My original plan was to splice in chunks of memory (probably the two main scenes involving Smythe and Beryl) around other modern day plot advancement but it wasn't working the way I wanted. So, with that in mind, I decided I'd try resolving Mamoru's memory subplot in one big chapter...and here we are. I hope it wasn't too big of a let-down, and I did manage to get back to the main plot with the final line from Setsuna (see, she's going to be fine too!).

I don't think I broke any canon by introducing Mamoru to Beryl early, but then the Last Guardian Knight universe has always been a little AU; I tend to splice in bits of manga continuity if I think it helps the story along so if it did conflict we'll go with that as my explanation. The other little reference I added was Smythe's encounter with the Sailor Senshi. He started off as a one-time character but ended up sticking around...and he's now potentially the mysterious founder of the Order of Black. As Mamoru reflected, it certainly explains their fanatical hatred of anything to do with Usagi, the Senshi or him.

And yeah, for those who have made guesses over the last couple of chapters it's official. Thorn's not as aspect of Chaos; he is Chaos. All will be explained in time (it totally makes sense, I promise!) Thanks for reading, I look forward to your thoughts and feedback as always. More to come soon!

Lisseas