Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)
AN: New chapter, and early, too. :) One more before it ends, and as I said before, I'll have it up before I leave. So, enjoy...
Hearts of Darkness
Part 8: Reaching into Darkness
by JG Chan
A biting gale howled across the barren arctic plains, obscuring the sun with flurries of snow, as several forms emerged amidst the chaotic elements. Tuxedo Kamen immediately flipped his cape over Sailor Moon, who was shivering from the intense cold. The other Senshi huddled together for warmth, and to keep the snow off of Mercury's computer.
"There's an enormous buildup of negative energy over there," she said, pointed towards a snow dune. They started walking in the indicated direction. Cresting the dune, they beheld a huge palace of glimmering crystal. The air around it was abnormally calm, like the eye of a hurricane. Jagged spires rose from the polished structure, and a faint purple glow emanated from within the crystal walls. The entire scene was one of eerie, ominous grandeur.
"How cliche..." Venus muttered.
"So, are we going to just blast in through the front doors?" Jupiter asked.
"I'm working on it," Mercury replied. Then, suddenly, she dove and pushed Venus to the ground, even as a bolt of red lightning streaked over them.
The Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen gathered in a circle facing outwards as the enemy began to appear. A number of chimeras and youmas rose up from the snow, growling and chittering. Another dozen or so forms appeared in various eccentric ways, surrounding them completely. The Senshi tensed warily when they noted the uniforms these figures were wearing.
"Looks like they're going all out," Tuxedo Kamen said.
"How flattering," Mars replied sarcastically.
"They must have sensed us when we teleported here," Mercury guessed.
"Can we break through to the palace?" Jupiter asked.
"There's too many of them!" Venus answered.
One chimera raised its muzzle and howled, and at once all hell broke loose. The chimeras charged, roaring and snarling, while the youmas moved into among them. Several of the lesser generals floated up to the sky, loosing a barrage of projectile attacks. Flames, lightning, roses, beams of light, and a small tiara flew all over the battlefield, while here and there creatures stopped, frozen in their tracks.
The first wave fell easily before the combined might of the six warriors, but the enemy was of a caliber they had never faced before. Even as the chimeras and youmas fell, the Dark Kingdom commanders fought on, and the Senshi slowly grew tired.
As the battle raged, patches of shadow swirled and converged high in the air, forming a portal. Selenite stepped out of it calmly onto thin air, watching as Sailor took out two Dark commanders with her Moon Rod. The respite was brief, though, and now Sailor Moon was even closer to exhaustion.
Three of the Dark warriors gathered together and charged, one behind the other. The leader bore the brunt of several attacks before he fell, and the second managed to tackle Mercury before being incinerated by a close range fire burst. The third warrior was now in close range, though, and the Senshi were forced apart as Tuxedo Kamen engaged him in melee.
The break-up of the Senshi's formation caused the tide to shift, as the Dark warriors began to isolate the Senshi and concentrate their attacks. Mercury was soon unconscious, followed by Jupiter who took out two more generals with her. A barrage of needles hit Tuxedo Kamen, and a few passed through his cape to imbed themselves in his chest. He grunted and sagged a bit, but kept on throwing roses.
Seeing her beloved hurt, Sailor Moon reflexively called out his name. Selenite seized the brief moment of distraction and swooped down like a hawk, grabbing Venus by the arm and pulling her into the air. He took the struggling Senshi beyond the battlefield and dropped her to the ground. She landed safely and glared at him.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, bracing herself for a fight as Selenite touched down. She carefully studied the man before her. He was handsome in a cold kind of way, with short black hair streaked by a single lock of silver in front. He wore the Dark Kingdom uniform and held no weapons, although she was sure he wasn't helpless. His eyes were black and cold; staring into them, Venus could almost feel the power he held, but there was something else as well. She briefly wondered about that before he spoke.
"I merely wished to duel with the leader of the Sailor Senshi," Selenite told her, sounding almost polite.
"Umm...yeah, I'm their leader! Let the others go, I'm the only one you want!"
Selenite smiled faintly. "We will see about that." He slashed the air with his hand, sending a wave of blackness flying forward. Venus rolled aside and countered with a Crescent Beam, but he disappeared before the attack hit. Warned by her well-honed instincts, she sprang forward even before she felt the presence behind her. She spun around and saw Selenite pulling his spear out of the snow where she had just been. The weapon was black and heavy-looking, with a six foot metal haft and a broad blade with two smaller spikes coming out the sides. Connecting the blade and haft was a large metal ring covered in strange markings.
"I'm impressed, Sailor Venus," he said grimly, pointing his weapon at her. "You truly are a worthy opponent, to be able to dodge that."
"True warriors don't stab others in the back," Venus taunted. "CRESCENT BEAM!"
Selenite casually deflected the beam with his spear. "Wrong, Venus," he retorted. "A true warrior will fight with all he has, and expect his opponent to do the same." He charged, leveling the sharp blade at her heart. She jumped over him and spun around in mid-air, extending her arm. "CRESCENT BEAM SHOWER!"
Selenite danced nimbly around the beams of light, using his spear to block those he couldn't dodge. Holding out his hand, he formed a bolt of shadow and hurled it at Venus like a javelin. Still recovering her balance from landing, she couldn't get completely out of the way, and the bolt detonated near her feet, throwing her backwards into a snow dune. Before she could get up, Selenite had his weapon at her throat. She froze, but glared at him defiantly all the same, refusing to show fear.
"Fine, finish me," she said through ground teeth.
"And you would die so willingly?" he asked, an odd note in his voice.
"Of course not!" she replied angrily. "Unlike you monsters, we value our lives and friendship. But I will not beg for my life from the likes of you!" Her gaze was unwavering as she met his cold, black eyes, and for an instant she felt something was out of place. Still, she couldn't help blinking when he withdrew his spear.
"I have respect for you, Sailor Venus," he said, sounding somehow sincere. "I had my doubts as to what you Senshi could really do, but I see that I was wrong."
Venus was stunned, but only for a moment. She started to get up, and her eyes briefly locked with Selenite's. Instantly, the force of his will poured into her and crushed all of her defenses, and she fainted. He picked her up, and glanced back at the crystal palace.
"But...there is still something that needs to be done," he said to himself, and disappeared into a portal.
Meanwhile, the fight continued on the hill overlooking the palace. Mars had finally gone down, and the enemy had been reduced to three warriors. Surprisingly, only Sailor Moon was relatively unscathed, although she was close to exhaustion.
Two of the Dark warriors charged Tuxedo Kamen, both wielding sabers. He dodged one of them and used his cane to block the other, then kneed him in the stomach. As the general doubled over, he thrust his cane at the first warrior, hitting him in the throat. The two stumbled back and were disintegrated by Sailor Moon.
Now only one enemy remained, and he seemed to be waiting. Sailor Moon was privately glad for the chance to rest. She tried desperately not to break down now; the sight of her friends lying there, not knowing whether they were alive, threatened to drown her with fear.
A brief instant of darkness passed, and Selenite stood before her. He waved his hand, and the fallen Senshi were enveloped in shadows and disappeared. Sailor Moon could only stare in shock.
"What did you do to them, you creep!?" she demanded.
"Do not worry, Sailor Moon. They are unharmed for the time being, as is Sailor Venus." He motioned for the lesser general to fall back, and the man obeyed silently. "Now, we shall finish this."
Tuxedo Kamen raised his cane and stepped in front of Sailor Moon, ignoring his injuries. "You'll have to get through me, first!" he challenged.
"Very well." Selenite raised both arms, and ribbons of darkness flew and twisted towards them, forming a shaft of pure shadow. "Since you wish it so, I will go through you. Your being there makes absolutely no difference."
Tuxedo Kamen watched intently as the dark energy continued to gather. He could feel the strength of it, and knew Selenite wasn't bluffing. He desperately focused his mind, trying to summon enough of his powers to withstand the assault. Finding a warm, golden glow within himself, he drew on the power of his and Usagi's love to protect them. A golden rose appeared in his hand.
"I will protect her!" he declared, raising his arm. "Twice already we have been separated, but I will never let that happen again. I will not let her die, and I will not die here! We will stay together, no matter what you throw at us!"
The rose began to shine with a light rivalling the pure darkness in Selenite's hands. As the black-eyed warrior released his attack, Tuxedo Kamen threw the rose in its path.
"SHINING ROSE BOMBER!"
The golden rose impacted with the black bolt, and the attacks nullified each other in a blast of pure power. Tuxedo Kamen raised his cape to shield Sailor Moon.
"You did it, Mamo-chan," Sailor Moon congratulated him quietly. "You got your powerup too."
He nodded, then they looked around for any sign of Selenite. Tuxedo Kamen saw him first and fell soundlessly to his mental onslaught.
"Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailor Moon cried, kneeling next to him.
"He's only unconscious, Sailor Moon," Selenite said.
"Why are you toying with us like this?" she shouted, her eyes tearing up. "Why must you be so cruel?"
"Do I look like I take pleasure in this, Sailor Moon?" he asked impassively. She got up and summoned her Moon Rod, but he did nothing. She hesitated, wondering what was going on. Then, she too fell before the power of his will, and all three of them disappeared in waves of darkness.
The city of Tokyo was winding down, evening rush hour having passed. Ryo stared up at the sky, absently listening to Phobos and Deimos cawing to each other. He was sitting outside Rei's room while the cats were inside keeping busy. In other words, Luna was pacing around worriedly and Artemis was watching television. Ryo had laughed a bit when the white cat had reached up to tap the remote, to which Artemis had responded with a sour look.
'I have a bad feeling about this,' Ryo thought. 'I just know something must have gone wrong. Ami-chan...'
"Luna, Ryo-kun," Artemis called out then. "Come here, quickly!"
Ryo went inside and stared at the television screen. There was no mistaking what was there.
"A chimera? Now?"
"Doesn't bode well, does it?" Artemis said glumly. Luna stayed silent, but her expression was clearly distressed. Ryo understood. If the chimeras were attacking now, then either Adamantite didn't feel the Senshi were a threat, or they had already been defeated. Neither possibility was encouraging.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" a voice called from outside. Ryo and the guardians exchanged puzzled glances and went to check. They found a boy about Ryo's age with short brown hair standing in the courtyard.
"I'm sorry," Ryo said. "The caretakers of this temple aren't here at the moment. Perhaps you could come back some other day..."
"You're Urawa-kun, aren't you?" the boy cut in. "Mako-chan told me about you. My name's Shinozaki Kenta." He held out his hand, and Ryo took it, remembering the boy now.
"Yes, I'm Urawa Ryo, but how did you know I was here?"
"Mako-chan told me the Senshi would be leaving from here, so I though I might find some help."
"Help?"
Kenta opened his jacket to reveal his bokken. Ryo stared at it, then blinked as realization came to him. "You can't be serious..."
"Yes I can. I've passed a few places under attack on the way here, and there are a lot of those creatures. The Senshi are busy, and the police already has its hands full. We have to help them."
"But we're just normal people. What can we do?"
Kenta shook his head. "I'm not about to stand by and let people get hurt while Mako-chan's somewhere risking her life. Even if we can't destroy those monsters, at least we can help people get away." He smiled briefly. "Mako-chan promised to have a long talk with me when she comes back, and I plan to be around when she does. So how about it, are you with me?"
Ryo hesitated, then nodded uncertainly. Kenta grinned at him and led the way to the nearest chimera sighting, followed by the two cats. 'What the hell have I gotten myself into?' Ryo mused sourly as he ran along with them. Above, the sky was completely hidden by the clouds, casting an ominous gloom over the city of Tokyo.
Selenite entered the throne room, from the back as usual. The dark lord was watching the images in his crystal orb, smiling appreciatively.
"Good news, my Lord?" Selenite asked, stepping onto the dais.
"The people of Tokyo are so helpless without the Sailor Senshi," Adamantite gloated. "Their fear is almost palpable. At this rate, all the energy we've used against the Senshi will be regained in short order."
Selenite nodded. "What shall we do with the Senshi, then?"
"Leave them alone for the time being," Adamantite decided. "Once I have gathered enough power to invade the Earth, I'll invite them to watch. They should find the show very interesting."
"I suppose so..."
Darkness. Complete and utter darkness. That was the first thing Sailor Moon saw when she awoke. Then, as her eyes adjusted themselves, she could see the faint light coming from outside the the small slot in the door. She sat up and looked around her. She was in a small stone cell, like the ones found in old medieval prisons. There was a pile of straw against the wall and nothing else. The place smelled of stale, humid air. She could hear water dripping somewhere, and further off, the sound of wails.
Sailor Moon stood up, relieved that she didn't seem to be in any pain. She moved over to the door and tried to see outside her cell. All she could tell, though, was that it opened on a corridor, and that there were other cells at irregular intervals nearby. She turned around and slumped against the metal door.
'This is all my fault,' she thought. 'I should never have agreed to come here. We never even stood a chance!'
She recalled with crystal clarity the moment Selenite had overpowered her. It had almost felt like each of her nerves had been methodically and painlessly shut down, like someone pressing a row of switches. While Beryl might have achieved the same end, there was something unsettling in the way Selenite had done it. And now she was trapped her, and she didn't know where her friends were...or where Tuxedo Kamen was...
The wails grew clearer now, seeming to come from the floor below her. She shuddered at the sound. Agony and madness were evident in those wails, and she really didn't want to find out what had caused them.
A sudden beep snapped her back to reality. Her communicator! Of course! With some hope back in her heart, she pressed the respond button. Sailor Mercury's voice came through faintly.
"Guys? Is everyone alright?"
"Mercury!" Sailor Moon cried out with relief. "Oh gods, I'm so glad you're okay!"
"You didn't have to yell so loud, Sailor Moon," Mars complained.
"I'm a bit sore, but I'll live," Jupiter reported.
"I guess we're all here then," Venus said.
"Wait, what about Tuxedo Kamen?" Sailor Moon asked, worried again. "He doesn't have a communicator. Is he..."
"He's fine, Sailor Moon," Mercury reassured her. "His cell is across from mine. And he says his wounds are nothing to worry about."
"Oh, good," she breathed a sigh of relief. At least, that was one thing off her mind. "Listen guys, I'm really sorry for getting you in this mess..."
"Don't start on that, Odango-atama," Mars interrupted. "We all agreed to come, and it's not your fault."
"So, Mercury, have you found any way out of here?" Venus asked.
"Unfortunately, no. The walls and doors are reinforced with negative energy. Our attacks can't function in here, and I don't see anything we can use."
"And the bars are too thick to break," Jupiter added. "Not that we can fit through the slot, anyway."
Sailor Moon held her hand up to her tiara.
"MOON TIARA ACTION!"
Nothing. Her heart sank.
"It's no use, Sailor Moon," Venus said. "I think we've all tried that. We'll have to come up with something else."
Sailor Moon nodded, and closed the communicator. She found one of the walls and leaned against it. 'Think, girl,' she told herself. 'Think! There's got to be a way out. I won't let my friends down again!'
In another cell, Sailor Mars was thinking the same thing. She, however, had more resources at her disposal than Sailor Moon. Kneeling down and closing her eyes, she entered her meditative state and reached out with her spirit. Without the fire as a focus, it was much harder...but at the same time, her transformation gave her a noticeable energy boost. She pushed her awareness outwards, briefly registering the presence of her friends before continuing further. Taking a chance, her spirit started to seep through the floor as well, trying to determine the cause of the screams.
"Rei!? What the hell are you doing here!?" The spirit voice was familiar...and furious.
'Jadeite! We came to fight Adamantite, but we all got captured...'
"Are you insane? Keep your mind away from here! You'll go mad if you come in contact with the souls trapped in here."
Mars ignored that. 'Do you know how we could get out of here?'
He sighed. "Sorry, but no. Those cells are warded against most kinds of attack. I can't think of anything you guys can do that'll work."
'What about you? Where are you?'
"I'll be alright. Nobody knows about me, anyway. Just don't come looking for me, Rei."
Mars was about to reply, when she heard a faint sound. Returning to her body, she stifled a cry of surprise when she saw Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Mercury standing outside her open cell door. "How did you get out?"
Tuxedo Kamen smiled, hefting his pair of Guardian stones. "I just got taught a new trick. I'll explain later, alright?"
Mars nodded, noting Mercury's slightly awed expression. The three of them moved down the corridor, and she watched as Tuxedo Kamen seemed to concentrate before each of the doors, followed a few seconds later by the click of the lock. Sailor Moon was the last one they reached, and she immediately embraced her beloved.
"So, how did you do it?" Mars prompted him. The others were also looking curiously at the masked hero, who held up his Guardian stones and explained how he had come to have them.
"Kunzite and Zoisite have been helping me remember my past," he told them, "and one of my...Endymion's abilities is psychic power. I've been doing some minor exercises to get them to work again, so when I heard Mercury talk about the doors being warded, they suggested I try them out."
"Telekinesis?" Mercury asked.
Tuxedo Kamen nodded. "Essentially. There isn't that much that I can do right now, but I guess we lucked out this time."
"Nice of you to let us know," Jupiter commented jokingly, before turning to Mercury. "So, where do we go now?"
"We're below the main structure of the palace," Mercury told them. "We'll need to find stairs that lead upwards. After that..."
"Is there anything below us?" Mars asked.
"Just more cells, I think. The concentration of dark energy is higher down there, too." She gave Mars a faintly questioning glance, as did Tuxedo Kamen. The Senshi of Fire nodded uncertainly.
"Guys...I guess I've been keeping secrets, too," she said apologetically. "Jadeite's the one who's been giving me information on the Dark Kingdom. He's imprisoned somewhere below us, and...I want to go free him, before we finish this."
She looked warily at the other Senshi as she spoke, wondering what their reactions will be. She was caught off guard, however, when Sailor Moon came up and hugged her without a word. Mars felt a wave of relief wash over her and visibly relaxed, murmuring a 'Thank you' in the blonde's ear. Jupiter and Venus, seeing their leader's tacit approval of the plan, simply smiled.
"So, does anyone else have former Dark Kingdom generals tucked up their sleeves?" Venus quipped. The others laughed, and Mercury began working on her computer again.
"Alright," she said after a moment, "I think I've got a lock on him, based on the data I have stored from our previous fights. He should be two levels below here."
"Let's go!" Sailor Moon said. Everyone nodded and filed after Mercury, filled with a sense of anticipation. The end of the battle was drawing near...
Naru looked around frantically, trying to keep the frightened crowd from trampling her. A moment ago, someone had yelled 'Monster!', and everyone had panicked. As she stood there in confusion, a large werewolf covered in armour plates approached her from behind, its feral eyes intent on its prey. It raised its paw, preparing to rend the helpless girl to pieces...and felt a sudden pain in the back of its knee.
Kenta delivered a few more blows to the howling chimera's back. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Ryo grab Naru's arm and run off with her. He quickly followed, leaving a furious werewolf snarling at nothing. He rounded a corner and met up with Ryo and Naru, all three slightly out of breath.
"Ryo-kun? What are you doing here?" Naru asked.
"Trying to help. I'm surprised we're still alive, frankly," he replied with a wry smile. "But it's getting dark, and we can't keep this up much longer."
Kenta nodded in agreement. He was the one doing the bulk of the work, and he was getting really tired. The police had managed to kill a few of the chimeras, but more kept on coming, and they just couldn't keep up. 'Please hurry up, Mako-chan,' he prayed. Then they heard Luna call for them from down the street, and the boys started moving again. Naru stared wide-eyed at the talking cat, then cautiously followed them.
"They're coming for you," the voice said calmly.
'I know that!' Jadeite snapped. 'Why can't that girl just listen to me!? They're putting themselves in too much danger!'
"Then you should help them."
'How?' Jadeite asked quickly. The ensuing silence was amused, almost mocking, as he suddenly remembered the answer himself. 'Oh, yeah...'
"I think you're getting old, Jadeite," the voice observed.
'Maybe, but you're still older,' he muttered back. Then, he focused his will about him and drew in as much arcane energy as he could. Carefully, he constructed a magical barrier leading away from his prison, pushing the wailing spirits away.
The shadows around him began to writhe even more. The screams grew more shrill, and several of the more powerful wraiths launched their own attacks. None of these, however, could penetrate Jadeite's forcefield. The lost souls wailed in frustration as they were forced away, and a path appeared before the crystal tomb, free of darkness.
"Well done, old friend," the voice said.
'Nothing special,' Jadeite replied nonchalantly. 'She'd better hurry, though. I can't hold this thing forever...'
On the floor above, Sailor Mars suddenly yelled out. "Wait!"
The Senshi stopped, Sailor Moon bumping into Tuxedo Kamen and falling on her rear end.
"I can feel him," Mars said as she concentrated. "Follow me!" She moved up ahead of Mercury and took the lead, finding the flight of rough stairs quickly. They went down, then turned into a long corridor. The walls here were mostly unworked stone, and the ground was uneven.
"There doesn't seem to be any dark energy here," Mercury said, frowning.
"He's blocking it off," Mars replied, still running. Her spirit sense revealed the shadows flitting about, but the shield kept them from affecting her. At the end of the tunnel, she could see a faint glow. Her heartbeat sped up in anticipation.
They reached the end of the path and saw the large block of crystal chained to the wall. A blurred silhouette was visible, outlined by the glow of the crystal. Sailor Moon stepped forward, summoning the Moon Rod.
"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"
The wave of positive energy filled the crystal. As the Senshi watched, it began to break, and finally shattered with a resounding CRACK!
Sailor Mars took a deep breath and walked forward. As the crystal dust settled, she could make out Jadeite's form, standing at the center of the rubble. He seemed to be waiting for her, his gaze fixed upon hers in a mixture of gladness and uncertainty. Much like her own, in fact.
"Rei..." he breathed softly, holding out his hand. She took it in her own, but almost pulled back when he knelt down and touched his lips to its gloved back.
"I'm...glad that you came for me, Rei," he said sincerely. "I know I must have caused you a lot of headaches since this began again...but whatever happens from now on, I'm happy that I could meet you again."
Mars held his gaze for a moment before nodding, a small smile gracing her lips. Jadeite smiled back and rose, and the two returned to the waiting Senshi.
"Hey Jadeite," Sailor Moon greeted him, glancing back and forth between him and Sailor Mars with a gleam in her eyes. Mars scowled at her in warning, and she stuck her tongue out jokingly in response.
"Thank you for freeing me, Sailor Moon," Jadeite said. Then, turning to Tuxedo Kamen, he went down on one knee. "My Prince, I join my brethren in pledging my loyalty to you once more."
"Welcome back, Jadeite," Tuxedo Kamen replied. "But let's save the reunions for later."
The blond general nodded. "I assume you'll want to find Adamantite next?" The Senshi nodded. "Alright, I'll take you up to the throne room then. I'll explain some of what's been going on here on the way up..."
"I don't believe this!" Adamantite exclaimed, slamming his fist on the arm of his throne. The crystal orb before him showed a boy fending off one of his chimeras with a wooden sword, while another led the frightened bystanders away.
"It seems the humans are more resourceful than you thought, my Lord," Selenite noted quietly. Adamantite calmed down with some difficulty.
"No matter," he said, his voice cooling. "They are simply a minor nuisance. Our attack hasn't been compromised."
"That's what you think, Adamantite!"
The doors to the throne hall flew off their hinges, landing with a dull thud and still smoking. Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter came in, followed by rest of the Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, and Jadeite.
"I see you have escaped," Adamantite said calmly. "I suppose that's to be expected of those who destroyed Beryl." His gaze fell upon the former general. "Jadeite? Have you betrayed me as well?"
"I was never loyal to you to begin with," Jadeite growled. He materialized a crystal sword in his right hand. "And now, we'll send you off to see Beryl!"
Adamantite smiled inside his helmet and put his armoured hand on the orb next to him. Black flames danced around his body and rippled outwards, washing over the Sailor Senshi and their allies.
"What was that?" Venus asked.
"I can't move!" Jupiter cried in alarm. The others tried to move as well, but they were all paralyzed by some unseen force.
"That," Adamantite said, "is a token of my power. I was going to let you watch me conquer the Earth, but you've shown yourselves much too troublesome. Selenite, kill them. Slowly."
Selenite nodded and walked towards the Senshi, his heavy spear appearing in his hand. He stopped in front of Sailor Moon, his weapon hovering inches from her chest. "Shall I kill you first," he asked, "or shall I let you see them die?"
"Don't you dare touch her!" Tuxedo Kamen shouted. Sailor Moon didn't say anything, but was instead staring intently at Selenite, like she was trying to figure something out.
"Stop this Selenite," Venus said suddenly. "You aren't going to hurt us."
"What are you talking about?" Mars asked incredulously.
"You're hiding something, Selenite," Venus continued. "You're different from those other generals. Whatever your reasons for helping Adamantite, it isn't because you're evil."
"And you would bet your life on a baseless hunch?" Selenite asked, his voice taking on a strange tone, almost as if he were looking for a specific answer.
"No," Venus replied quietly, so that Adamantite couldn't hear. "I knew it when I looked into your eyes. I can't explain it, but I trust my feelings. You aren't evil."
Selenite regarded her silently for a moment, then turned to Sailor Moon, who still looked puzzled about something. His eyes held hers for a long while, as if they were speaking silently to her, and suddenly she gasped.
"It's you..."
As the others looked on in confusion, Selenite smiled faintly, a smile that, while muted, held none of its usual coldness. Spinning around, he flung his weapon at Adamantite. The whirling blade struck the crystal orb, and with a loud explosion, all the energy held within it was released. Screams and roars were heard as youmas and chimeras still in the palace disappeared, deprived of the energy that sustained them. The Senshi felt the hold on them disappearing as well.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" Adamantite roared, fuming. The flames in his eyes flared up brightly.
"You didn't think you were actually in control of me, did you?" Selenite asked impassively. The dark lord glared at him, then ran off into the shadows behind the ruined throne.
"Jadeite, take the Senshi after him," Selenite said. "Try to catch him before he can start laying traps. I need some time to speak with Sailor Moon."
"Anything you say," Jadeite answered. The others, except for Venus, looked at Selenite suspiciously. "Don't worry, we can trust him. He's the one who's been helping me all along."
The Senshi glanced at the blond general in surprise, then at Sailor Moon, who nodded to them in reassurance. It seemed to work, and the Senshi followed Jadeite towards the back of the room. Tuxedo Kamen stayed behind with Sailor Moon and Selenite.
"Well?" Sailor Moon asked expectantly. Tuxedo Kamen was slightly taken aback by the lack of wariness in her tone.
"I'd like to ask a favour of you." Selenite reached inside his uniform and took out a small silver bracelet. It was exquisitely made, and studded with various gems. "I need you to destroy this."
Sailor Moon looked up from the bracelet in surprise. "But why?"
"This...is the first Heart of Darkness ever created," Selenite explained somberly, "and the most powerful one as well. I was still young then, and fell into its trap. Because of that, I've done some dreadful things. I've broken its hold once, but it's still active...and my powers cannot destroy it. Only the Illusion Silver Crystal can truly do that."
"So that's why..." Sailor Moon said. Then she nodded. "I'll do it."
"Are you sure, Sailor Moon?" Tuxedo Kamen asked. "Using the Silver Crystal is dangerous."
"I'm sure, my love," she replied. "You'll see..." She opened her brooch and detached the Silver Crystal from it. Her sailor suit flowed into her Moon Princess gown as she raised the Crystal over her head, flooding the throne hall with its pure radiance.
The crescent moon on Serenity's forehead shone brightly, and the Crystal responded immediately. A beam of white light shot out from it to hit the bracelet. There was an inhuman howl, as swirling darkness wrapped around it, trying to block off the light.
Serenity concentrated harder, trying to call forth even more power without losing control. Seeing his princess struggling, Tuxedo Kamen transformed into Prince Endymion and put his hands on her shoulders, giving her his strength through their soul bond.
Selenite seemed to have a similar idea. He closed his eyes, and his uniform disappeared, to be replaced by loose-fitting black clothes and sturdy leather boots. Silver greaves and cuffs encircled his limbs, and a shirt of scale mail appeared over his torso, tied at the waist by a wide leather belt. A silver crescent moon appeared on his forehead.
Serenity smiled and Endymion stared wide-eyed as the transformation took place. Athan raised his free hand, and the shadows surrounding the bracelet streamed towards it, leaving the item defenseless. The shrieking grew in pitch and volume, echoing eerily off the walls.
"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" Serenity shouted. The power of the Illusion Silver Crystal surged through the beam in a great torrent, smashing the unguarded bracelet. The malevolent spirit of the Heart of Darkness let out a final, agonized scream as it faded into nothingness. Then, silence fell upon the room once more.
Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion powered back down into Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. Sailor Moon was panting and leaning on her beloved, but she was still smiling. Prince Athan took a step forward, and she moved into his arms, crying tears of joy.
"Welcome back, brother," she whispered.
"Thank you, little sister."
To be concluded...