L O V E H E X A G O N S
by Moonlight Eternal
Welcome back everyone to a new chapter. YAY!
This time I do rejoice!
Excerpt from The Princess Wars of the Cursed Ring:
In the Bermuda Triangle.
"Look, a boat of tourists"
The Ring glared.
"Raise your skirt or something!" Sauron cried desperately.
The Ring glared.
"No, no, wait!...oh, BALDERDASH!" Sauron turned back to the Ring and glared. The RIng glared back,
like a smug cat (thank you L-chan). "WHY did I ever link my lifeforce to YOU?! I want a SEVERAGE"
"DIVORCE!" cried the natives, swarming The Ring and Sauron.
Chapter 8 In Which There's a Hint of Fighting And We Learn More of the Long Since Past
"Okay, do you have ANY idea where you're going, Sailor Moon?" Sailor Star Fighter wondered aloud to his traveling companion, who was running beside him through the dark, dank corridors of Desdemona's castle.
"Any idea...well, I'm looking for Alexander!"
"So that means you really have...wait, who's that?" Star Fighter asked, clueless.
"Oh, well, he's the one who kidnapped me with every intention of killing me-"
"WHAT?!" Fighter yelled, floored by what Sailor Moon had said. And they were TRYING to find this guy?
"SHHHH! Not so loud, Fighter. Don't worry, I managed to convince him that his revenge on Endymion-"
"Endymion's Darien, right?"
"Darien's past self, the Prince of Earth, yes. See, back then, we were both betrothed, or at least planned to be betrothed to other people. But once we fell in love with one another, we attempted to have all those plans put off as much as possible. We couldn't say we'd chosen each other yet because the Earth and Moon didn't get along. At all; we were in quite a strained relationship, the Earth and Moon I mean. But we were in love, and all of our sacred beliefs was that love ought to come first. So, even if our planets hated us for it, all other betrothal ties were broken. Apparently, the girl that was betrothed to Endymion and the man my mother had planned to have me marry were NOT happy about the new arrangement. Somehow they met, and devised this whole vengeful plan. It's kind of complicated, but in short Alexander was going to have his way with me, then give me to Azura and she'd kill me. Same with Darien, vice versa. But, after I purified Alexander and he told me Azura was just being taken over by her hate like he'd been and that he really did love her, I realized I had to save her. He asked me to as well, but even if he hadn't I would have. Even without him telling me, it was and is obvious that somewhere along the way Alexander and Azura fell in love."
"Well, that's all nice and romantic, but still...you don't have ANY idea where we're going?"
"Um...no." Star Fighter tripped on herself in utter disbelief. "But don't worry, I'm sure I'll AH!" Using her remarkable skill of bumping into people, the young scout of the moon had just managed to run headlong into someone. In Star Fighter's mind, a very dangerous looking blond someone.
"Stay back, Serena! I'll take care of him!" she shouted.
"No, WAIT!" Sailor Moon cried, jumping up to embrace the stunned Alexander. "THIS is Alexander!"
After a moment's hesitation, Fighter resumed a more relaxed pose. "Oh."
Alexander looked back and forth between Star Fighter and Sailor Moon, seemingly unable to figure something out. But upon realizing they were conversing in the middle of an open corridor, quickly, pulled Sailor Moon, who pulled Sailor Star Fighter, into a room off to the sides. Moon recognized it immediately as the room she'd been held captive in. She'd assumed it to be Alex's... So I was going in the right direction, the scout congratulated herself: she'd originally thought she'd been running around in circles. Or had she actually been doing that┘
Alex closed the door softly behind him after checking if there was anyone down the halls. Then, he turned back to the two others and said in exasperation towards the Moon scout, "Serena, what in all the worlds are you doing here?!" At the same time, he eyed Sailor Star Fighter warily. "I thought that you were going to-"
"I figured I just needed to make a plan up then come back here, so I did."
"Although, it could use a bit of work..." Star Fighter shot at Moon.
"So, I would guess that would be who's attacking us?" Sailor Moon's affirmative nod answered him. "And...um...I'm not really sure, I thought there wasn't a Sailor Earth, but this isn't...Endymion?" Alexander seemed to be quite confused as he stared at Sailor Star Fighter's well-endowed state.
"NO!" Sailor Moon and Star Fighter shouted in unison together. Alex jumped back at their loud response.
Star Fighter had a look of pure disgust on his face, while Sailor Moon seemed to find the mix up a little humorous.
"Then..."
"You're right, there isn't a Sailor Earth, just a knight, Alex. If you'll remember correctly, there wasn't one of the moon either. I was given scout powers only recently. This happens to be Sailor Star Fighter, or Seiya, who is my friend and loyal scout companion in this part of my plan: we met when we first versed Chaos."
"So..um...what exactly are you?" an uncomfortable Alex pursued, looking at Fighter questionably.
"Human...or Kinmokian, if you want specifics." "No, I got that...well, not the Kinmokian, but I meant what ARE you? As in..."
Sailor Moon figured out Alex's confusion first. "Well, his regular form is male, but there are no male sailors, only knights, and since he was already a Starlight, he just changed to girl when he transforms."
"Thank you, Serena," Fighter said with a hint of sarcasm.
"So, you were ORIGINALLY a girl?" Alex asked in astonishment.
"Do we really have to-" Sailor Moon interrupted Star Fighter.
"Yes, but after visiting Earth, he decided to stick with the form he chose for his disguise there. I think it's partially because he has such a musical singing voice male. It's hypnotizing, you'll have to have Seiya sing for you sometime," Sailor Moon ended on a tangent.
"You really think so?" he'd always wondered...
"Of course! Why do you think you were an idol, for the sake of the moon! You don't reach that status by lip-syncing or anything like THAT. It takes real talent, which you have!"
"Alright, obviously you two have a lot to catch up on. But I think I ought to point out now might not be the BEST of times."
"Why does everyone think that?" Sailor Moon questioned. "You were the one to start asking questions, Alex."
"I know, I got...distracted." "Distracted by what ex-" Loud footfalls interrupted Sailor Star Fighter's direct query. Someone was running at top speed for Alex's room, presumably, and someone who was wearing heels...
"Hurry! Hide somewhere, ANYWHERE!" Alexander said. He knew who was coming, and she would NOT be happy to find him talking with the enemy.
"Alexander!" before Sailor Moon could even begin to panic, Azura, dark blue hair flying wildly and out of its usual kept state, burst through Alexander's door. "We have problems! Not only have the sailors launched an assault on our northern and eastern walls, but we have an intruder..." Azura finally noticed Sailor Star Fighter and Eternal Sailor Moon, who were standing stock still in the middle of the room. She narrowed dark azure eyes and just stared malevolently at her foe for a moment. "Or two..." Her eyes were fixed on the scout of the moon, and she glowered at her malevolently. They were two sapphire stones glaring at Sailor Moon, passionate fires blazing in their blue depths.
Then, she turned her icy stare onto Alex, who seemed to be in shock. "Alex..." her voice held contempt of the utmost percentage, but under the layered hatred of Azura's voice, Sailor Moon heard the hurt of betrayal's cracking tones as well.
"Azura, I-"
"Don't even look at me, you...you...!" Tears glossed Azura's unemotional eyes, tears she seemed to be refusing to allow to fall.
In an outburst of anger, the dark blue hair shot up above her head, and her eyes dried quickly as any emotion withheld in them dissolved into malice. Her words seemed to fail her,
and in agony from her assumed lover's treachery, she sent bolts of blue electricity, white hot, from her fingertips with blue painted nails, at Alexander, surprising both of the intruders.
Alexander screamed in his own agony, although his was physical. Azura seemed to lavish on his pain, and smiled as she watched the bolts travel through him. As they coursed down his body and sent cries of pain from his lips, Sailor Moon could no longer stand it. Before Sailor Star Fighter could stop her, she'd leapt in front of Alexander and received the full of his blast for him. Alexander dropped to the ground, breathing deeply and thanking all Gods the pain had left him. It took a few moments for him to realize the reason the interminable pain had left him. His emerald eyes stared up in wonderment at the angel who'd protected him.
She was sacrificing herself for him...but she didn't love him... why would she go to such lengths to save one person such as himself?
"Okay, we've entered the fortress. Now what do we do?" Mars asked.
Sailor Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Mini Moon all stood in a close semi-circle, along with Tuxedo Mask, in the middle of the fortress's courtyard. For being located in the middle of a desert, it seemed to be quite lush with plants. There were three fountains that were spaced evenly in the center, each spilling for gushes of water. The gardens were expansive, and the sailors were forced to look back through the hole in the wall they'd just run through to verify that they had, in fact, just entered from into a sea of green from a sea of sand.
"I'd say they're being a little selfish in keeping all of this to themselves..." Jupiter said, staring wide-eyed at the splendors surrounding them.
"Yes, well, you can tell them that when we actually find them. Bringing me back to my original question..." Mars said testily.
"Being in battles must just make you sarcastic, huh Raye?" Mini Moon questioned.
"I think you've been speaking with your mother here too much," Mars answered.
"We're supposed to meet at the middle of the..." Venus began, then saw that there were two doorways, one to the far left, one far right of the grand castle-like building at the far side of the courtyard. Running quickly towards it, she continued, "-building...and therefore: we go through," she ran to the left door, "this one!" A large roar erupted from within. Venus quickly slammed it shut.
"Or not..." Sailor Masquerade supplied for her, joining the group. Sailor Star Maker, Healer, and Sailors Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and Pluto also met the other inner senshi.
"This one!" Venus was not distracted, and she approached the right door immediately afterwards.
A sudden burst of light from a little distance away that rose up from within the center of the castle caused her to be diverted from opening the door. Everyone else's attention also seemed to go towards the bright blue-white light that still flowed through the darkening skies. Tuxedo Mask fell to his knees as an impact of pain hit him all over his body. "What's wrong?" Sailor Mini Moon asked, going to his side at once. It took Darien a moment to decipher that the pain he felt was not his own. It was... Serena's?
"Serena's in trouble...deep trouble..." he said, standing up and wincing as a new wave of pain, this time that which belonged to him, struck his chest.
"Well, what did you expect would happen when you sent her in there with that Starlight as protection?" Uranus wanted to know as she dropkicked the right door. Venus had attempted to open it the old fashioned way, but it had apparently been locked. It was unlikely that that was the only thing that would detour the scouts in the near future (although a locked door seemed a silly distraction...).
Luckily, there was no immediate danger on the other side of the door. As nothing seemed to emerge from there, and everyone drew a breath of relief. At least that part would be easy...
"Thank you for the reassurance," Tuxedo Mask answered dryly to Sailor Uranus. He felt a hand on his shoulder as everyone else ran into the dark castle. He looked down into olive-green eyes.
"Don't worry. She's stronger than you think. And he wouldn't let anything happen to her," Sailor Star Healer gave an encouraging smile before she too followed everyone else in. Darien couldn't help but hope she was right.
- -
"Get out of the way, Moon Brat. My fight isn't with you... yet. Don't encourage your fate to come any earlier. You have something I want...but I'm not quite ready to take it." Azura growled, glaring at the woman who'd just protected her prey.
"No," she managed to answer, as the shocks continued through her body. She could not accompany the words with anything else besides screams. Alexander attempted to stand.
"Star Serious LASER!" Sailor Star Fighter powered up, and released her ever-strong attack. It struck Azura, her target, and allowed Eternal Sailor Moon to fall to her knees, arms still spread, in front of the struggling Alex.
"Why...did you do that? This fight is between just us!" Alex asked, frustrated.
"It's not...just between you..." Eternal Sailor Moon gasped, her breath rasping as it came in uneven quantities. Alexander looked at her once, compassion written all over his face. For a moment, he just stared (Star Fighter and Azura were exchanging attacks in the background). He still loved her, he realized. But was it the love he'd always thought it had been? He glanced from Sailor Moon over to Azura, and then back.
What did he love about Azura? What attracted him to her? All of her negative qualities were obviously positive in Sailor Moon┘Serenity. The only positive qualities of Azura were her hatred. No, no...that wasn't right.
"Alexander!" Azura shouted, smiling widely at the new princely acquaintance. Earth was such a strange new world to her, full of life and wonder. She waved her arms around just to feel the cool wind their movements made. Then she flopped down on the soft, mint green grass that accompanied the meadows a short distance from Adamina Palace.
The elder boy grinned happily. He watched the small 6-year-
old, her happy movements reminding him of someone else he knew┘the small moon-child he'd met previously. Their physical contrasts were that of light and dark: Serenity had the fine chiseled features of her mother only in miniature form. She would be a beauty, perhaps even one that would surpass her mother. Serenity was sure to at least equal the queen in her features. The small princess had blue eyes as clear blue as the pools rippling nearby; crystalline and twinkling, they held such joy and passion and she was only 6. And her hair was as golden as the sun in daylight, silver as the moon in moonlight. There was never a dull moment with Serenity around.
Azura, on the other hand, was the night. She was just as adorable now as the Moon Princess, and would someday be quite breathtaking. She had beautiful dark sapphire hair, hair that brought out her deep azure eyes even more. She had the white complexion of a child who never left the confines of the home, although she traversed the outdoors more than the in. It was hard to think that this child would someday be the ruler of Earth┘just as hard to believe, to the 8 year old boy, as him ruling the moon just a short distance away. Well, not him, but his wife┘
They'd met only a few weeks prior, the 4 suitors that were supposedly going to join two systems together, the Solar System and the Arukas System: Endymion, Crown Prince of the Earth, Serenity, Crown Princess of Earth's Moon, Luna, the main planets of Solar; Azura, Crown Princess of Misunova, and he himself, Crown Prince of Misunova's Moon, Catrica, main planets of Arukas... To him, it seemed almost backwards that he, a boy from one galaxy, should be forced to marry a girl from a completely different one. They didn't even know one another's language, let alone one another. However, the Prince of Earth and Princess of Luna both knew the ancient tongue of Terrunian. And he and the Princess of Misunova knew Novician fluently.
Somehow, the meetings of Arrangement amongst the adult monarchs had seemed somewhat tensed. Alexander knew that the others felt this too, especially the Earth prince. Something about their betrothals in general seemed wrong. Not that he was complaining. The Princess of Luna would make an excellent queen and wife. Her power was also creditable. But what of his planet, or hers? Neither could be left alone, and they would certainly have a time uniting them. Additionally, neither of them had any other siblings to take over. Who would carry on in the other's absence? The same problem was presented between the unison of Misunova and Earth.
"Alex? Alex? Alex?!" Azura yanked on Alexander's shorts in an attempt to get his attention. He was staring off into space┘literally. ⌠What are you thinking about?■ she asked.
"You're supposed to be practicing Terrunian, Azura." Alex reprimanded fondly.
"Yes, well, you're supposed to be practicing that too, and you aren't. Besides, you're so much better than me, I'd never understand you! Now can we play?" the child asked.
"But there aren't enough people to play..."
"No, but I asked Serenity if she wanted to and she said yes. Although, I don't know how I got it across to her that this is what I wanted to play, she can barely speak a word of Novician."
"It's better than you can say about Terrunian!" Alex teased, tickling the little girl he'd been raised with to know like a sister.
"Alex...we...we can't go on seeing one another like this..." Azura s poke, breaking off their kiss.
"Why not...?"Alexander asked, caressing her soft body. She took a step backwards and found she'd backed into a tree.
"Do you know what the penalty of me being here is now? Death. If any of the Misunovians are found on Catrica, the issue is death. Same as on Misunova, you know that. You're just ignoring it, as always."
"Why is this suddenly such a big deal to you? A month ago you didn't care either..."Alex said, looking at her strangely. Her blue eyes would not meet his.
"Besides, this is wrong in the first place. We're BOTH engaged. Your princess from the moon of Earth, she's nearing the age of marriage on Luna."
"She's only 14, same as you. We have 2 years-"
"No, we don't; the marriage age on Earth is the same, but I am supposed to go there to become better acquainted with Endymion." Alexander stiffened at the name. To think that that man would be the one to love her, explore her...it had been unbearable to him when he'd first felt his fire for Azura rage forth. Now it was unthinkable!
"When do you leave?" he asked, sighing. It was out of his hands...
"...this afternoon." Alexander's eyes shot open. "I came to... to say good-bye." Tears now welled up in Azura's eyes. She began to turn, attempting to stop the racking sobs from being heard by Alexander. He suddenly spun her around, and kissed her passionately. If this was to be the last time they saw one another...
Azura moaned. "No, Alex...no...it's forbidden, she tried to say, but his mouth was on hers again. "On Earth."
"You're on Catrica. There is no such law. I will have you before him..." Alex kissed her a third time, then waited. Waited for her refusal, waited for her rejection, waited for her withdrawal from him forever┘
"...Yes."
The final farewell was something neither of them could or would forget. But the relationship could not continue, both agreed. Even after a few months, when Alexander found himself on Earth, never once did he visit Adamina Palace. He was engaged to Luna's princess, and there was some sort of strife between the Earth and the Moon that even he could not figure. He stayed at Luna's palace of Jericho, located on Earth's surface instead of its province of Elysian within the parallel's of Earth. He thought of Azura often, until he met his bride to be for the second time in his life.
Serenity was stunning, and she was not the total bore he'd thought she'd be. She was both gentle and firm, kind yet she kept her own. She had her small flaws, but overall she was... practically perfect. And after a while, Azura faded away into Earth. Their engagements had not been formally announced yet, and it was one year after the expected date when Alexander first caught wind of why the engagement was being put off continuously. Or as to why it was called off in the end.
Over the years previous to Princess Serenity's birth, her mother had begun the Silver Millenium Alliance with all the planets. Due to some difficulties in agreeing on certain issues, Earth refused to join. The two ruling families, of Luna and Earth, only allowed the chasm to grow when they began to openly quarrel. Serenity, the peaceful ruler of Silver Millenium, disagreed with many of the Earth ruler's ways, and although it is not one monarchs place to criticize another's ways, as the sworn protector of the Solar System, she could not very well stand by and allow Earth to injure itself. Earth in return resented that it was not independent of the moon, the same as many of Luna felt towards not being completely estranged from Earth. But, because Earth had once been a gathering place for all peoples, it could not easily discontinue any contact with the moon or any of the planets in the Silver Millenium, was that would completely cut it off from other civilizations.
The Arukas System was chosen for both the Luna and Earth heirs' to marry into because it was nearby, and in the middle of a similar conflict and competition. By marrying another moon, Luna would get on a neutral side with the Arukas System planets and therefore be able to win over the rest, allowing them to join into the Silver Millenium and also isolating Earth to only Misunova. Because Misunova and Catrica were at war, it wouldn't cause strife between them that wasn't already there.
However, in the year Serenity turned 16, she happened to get lost on Earth. Originally, she'd meant to see Alexander who was staying in Jericho for the time being. The unfortunate princess happened to travel to Adamina Palace, and who should she meet but Endymion? Of course, everyone in the galaxy knew the story of their forbidden love. Poor Alexander, much to his shock and horror, was the first to learn of it though.
He was shattered. He and Serenity had not only made such a wonderful couple, he'd become used to the praise he racked from everyone else. It wasn't really love, Alexander realized. It was his pride that was hurt.
The story had been different for Azura. She'd tried to love Endymion, and in an attempt to forget Alexander, had succeeded as best she could. But when he fell in love with the very woman who'd taken her original love away from her, she'd been crushed as well. Only hers was not just her pride, but her heart as well. No one was left to pick up the pieces. Except Alexander┘
But a love between them was forbidden too. The war had not ceased, there was no peace.
- -
"Azura!" Alexander was surged with new energy. He stood up just as Serenity looked up at him in desperation. Her eyes pleaded him not to get killed. He smiled down at her. He finally understood.
His eyes turned back to the woman he knew he truly loved. She smiled at him, automatically seeming to know what he'd thought about Serenity. Well developed, jealous instincts took control of her body and in the blink of an eye, she had Serenity by her throat, and was strangling her before Alexander, much to his horror.
"Azura, why all this fighting? What is the point?!" he yelled, trying to get through to the person he knew was in there.
"The point? The point!" Azura laughed maliciously, throwing her head back. The sound caused Alexander to shiver uncontrollably. "If you've even forgotten that, perhaps you are too far for me to save." She eyed him narrowly, looking him up and down.
"Even if you've sunk to such a low level of thinking, I KNOW I can still save you!" Alex remained confident.
"Save me? From what?! I have everything I've wanted!"
"Then what are YOU fighting for?" Azura's face seemed to twitch. Her eyes faltered in their steady gaze, and she dropped Eternal Sailor Moon from her death grip. She fell to the ground, unconscious, but her chest still rose and fell. Sailor Star Fighter was relieved to see such when she opened her eyes. Azura had thrown her against the stone wall, knocking her out moments before. She attempted to get up, so she could save her. She had to...
Azura began to waver. Alexander could see it in her, she was retreating. If he could just get to her, tell her it was alright, help her see...
"DESDEMONA!!" Azura's voice shrieked. She was staring at Alexander as if she feared him greater than any foe they'd ever faced. "DESDEMONA!" she screamed again before her body fell to the ground.
A vicious laughter echoed through the room, each tone growing in volume and strength. Sailor Moon raised herself off the ground, battered but still willing to fight on. Star Fighter joined her shortly, and helped her up. Alexander had run over to Azura, who seemed to be unconscious.
"Azura? Azura!" he shook her numbingly cold body, but she didn't budge.
"You needn't bother..." Desdemona spoke, her rancorous voice echoing even more as her body appeared in front of Alexander. "Your voice can no longer reach her..."
The bruised and torn Sailor Moon looked at the scene before her, unconsciously holding her bleeding arm. Desdemona had done this, brought these people to their knees. Or had she? What was the real evil here? Was there even one┘perhaps it was just┘
Sailor Moon, the Princess of the Moon, closed her deep blue eyes. When she opened them a moment later, their stern set gaze glared at Desdemona. She looked upon her with the contempt of supremacy. Desdemona's laughter faltered, and her malicious gaze met Sailor Moon's. "I've really had enough of trying to deal with you..." she stated, a smile creeping onto her blood-red lips.
Sailor Star Fighter, from a few steps away, could see what was coming. She stood quickly, shouting, "Sailor Moon! Look out!" She jumped, only to have a blast from an unknown source hit her and knock her aside.
Desdemona's attention was focused on her prey, the princess of the Moon. "Why are you doing this, Desdemona?"
"Doing what? You've overridden my domain, and for that the penalty is death."
"No, why have you taken over these people here?" Sailor Moon avoided an attack by leaping aside, falling to one knee. Her other leg was badly injured. She would not be able to avoid anything, the leg would slow her down too much.
"Ah, yes, here we are..." Sailor Moon looked up to see Desdemona just 3 feet away, looking quite smug. "Now's about the time you say goodbye."
"Serena!" Sailor Star Fighter yelled, unable to move fast enough.
"NOOOO!" Darien's voice cried out sharply as he aimed a reflective attack he'd recently mastered (with the help of the golden crystal) in the form of a rose at the attack directed at Serena. The shield successfully countered the attack, and both Desdemona and Sailor Star Fighter were momentarily stunned as Darien without a moment's hesitation rushed into the battle and caught a detransformed Serena. After making sure she still breathed, he turned a masked face to the still shocked Star Fighter.
"What were you DOING?!"
Sailor Star Fighter could only wonder that herself. She could only stare at what had protected Serena from Desdemona's blast, a powerful one that had knocked Star Fighter herself over. A red rose stuck into the ground like a knife within her heart. It was the final piece of resolution she had; the final justification that the Princess of the Moon and the Prince of the Earth were meant to be, and that Serenity would only be the unattainable love he could have had maybe, had Sailor Star Fighter met her sooner. Met her before she was a sailor, before she knew she was a princess, even before she was a princess. When she was still an unborn star in the universe, the same as everyone else. Perhaps then...
Sailor Star Fighter felt tears well up in her eyes uncontrollably as she finally realized destiny had ripped Serena from her grasp forever.
"Serena? Serena?! You have to wake up! We can't do this alone!" Darien shook Serena's shoulders, but her brows only furrowed deeper and she gasped unconsciously as her body objected to the movement. Slowly, Darien felt Serena's chest for what he felt was the most likely cause for her pain. As his medically able hands found the fractured ribs, he winced. And his were only cracked...Upon feeling the slight touch against the broken bone, Serena was momentarily roused as she cried out in pain. Then she slipped back into the subliminal world. Darien, meanwhile, was panicking. It was dangerous to have Serena to do much of anything at the moment, let alone stand. Although her crystal would be able to slowly mend the broken bones, it would be impossible for the mending to be finished in a timely fashion. At the least, it would take a day to repair the damage done to her body. In the mean time, the crystal would be constantly stealing from her energy. There was no way that they could win this fight without Serena, either. The Starlights might have been a good addition, but they were fighting against Helios's equal on the opposite side of the spectrum.
In much the same way that Tuxedo Mask worried over his fiance, Alexander held his own love close and tight. He couldn't even feel a faint heartbeat, nothing. But he refused to accept that she was gone forever. There was no way...he couldn't survive...he couldn't...
Tears brimmed over his green eyes, and fell like a silent rain upon the white face framed with sapphire blue hair. However, after a moment of sobbing, his blurred vision detected a change in Azura's face. Her eyes were┘open?! Alex blinked twice and saw what his already hazed mind did not comprehend. Her eyes were cold, as they had been for some time now. But they were also...vacant, lost. He felt the color draining from his face as he stared into the dark, murky depths of solitude. She was lost...what was going on?
"Ah, I see she's finally awoken," Desdemona said playfully, smiling, as she dodged attacks sent at her by the sailors of the room.
"What have you done to her?!" Alexander cried out desperately as Azura stood from his embrace, and backed away, the same unknowing look on her paled face.
"Ah, well, you see, Azura happens to be traveling a little bit of...well, let's just say a different path than the rest of us living folk, shall we?" A devilish grin played on Desdemona's features.
"NO! She's not...she can't be..." Alexander called out in desperation. Suddenly, Azura's body turned towards the band of inner scouts. With absolutely no expression, her arms shot up like a puppets and send blazing electricity their way, hitting with its high voltage Sailors Jupiter and Mars, who had jumped in front of the younger scouts. And then Azura too was smiling that evil smile of death. "Well, I wouldn't say she was exactly DEAD┘well, no, I take that back, she is. At least her spirit is. Her body is thriving now that Chaos has fully taken over..."
"You-" Alexander stood, shaking in fury, his body raging with loss. "You gave Azura to CHAOS?!"
"Yes." Desdemona seemed utterly pleased with herself. "While Azura's soul drifts in Kali's Abyss, Chaos lives as my partner. I thank you for your help allowing me to acquire such a beauty as well as such a strong, willing human."
Alexander lunged towards Desdemona only to be knocked back by a dual attack of both Desdemona and Azura, the terrifying combo raising screams that could have shattered glass had not all the windows already been broken previously. And still, Alexander stood for another go, only to be brought back down seconds later.
"This bores me...you take care of it," Desdemona yawned, then waved towards Azura's possessed body. It nodded slightly before turning back to Alexander. Desdemona disappeared in a dark haze.
"Coward..." Alexander audibly murmured. Azura sent waves of shocks through his body for the comment. The Starlights and outer scouts ran to block Alexander from another attack.
"Get out of my way," he growled under his breath as he glared down at the ground.
"Shut up and don't be a fool," said Sailor Star Maker furiously.
Meanwhile, Sailor Venus knelt beside Tuxedo Mask, looking down at her friend, then back up into the knight's face. Concern was written all over it. Not just the usual concern for her safety, but an honest concern for her life.
"She can't fight Venus. At least three of her ribs are broken..."
Venus nodded grimly. She understood what she must do. Standing, the blonde guardian turned back to her scout team. The Starlights (including Star Fighter) and the outers were all battling Azura with little mercy. The others were waiting by nervously, each stabilizing another.
"Here's the deal: Serena's officially out of commission."
"It's kind of obvious, but will she be alright?" asked Sailor Mars.
"Darien's really worried. She's broken 3 ribs..."
"Must run in relation.." Jupiter said bitterly.
"That means that there's only one thing we can do: retreat."
"I vote a yes to that." Sailor Mini Moon assented.
"But if we retreat, can we really buy ourselves any time? Sooner or later, they'll come for us. What can we really fight for anyway? And how will we manage an escape with her," Mercury nodded towards Azura, who still was distracted by the outers, "attacking them?"
"We have no choice. The only way we can win this battle is kill Azura." Venus stated.
"NO, Serena would never forgive us!" Mars cried, sticking up for her friend's beliefs. "There must be another way!"
"But technically, it's not Azura, it's just her body. So if we-"
"No! By killing her body, that eliminated any chance of her returning!" Mars argued.
"Then how do we-"
A bright light blinded everyone in the perimeter. As it softened somewhat, and a pulsation in its intensity became more obvious, the source became clear.
"The silver...crystal? But I thought-"
"Even if Serena is unconscious, her own soul can protect her somewhat," Darien said, approaching the scouts. The others, who'd been fighting Azura, turned to look towards their princess or at least their friend.
"What's-"
"No time to explain really. This is the break we need. We HAVE to get Serena out of here!" Venus said, glancing back at Azura, who held her hands over her eyes and cried in agony. It was not so much the bright nature that got to Chaos, it was the essence the light carried.
Quickly, Sailor Star Fighter detransformed, and took the unconscious Alexander's arms over his shoulders, and everyone exited. It would be, however, a long trudge back to Elysian.
--
MUAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAAHA!
Oh, I feel BAD!!
NEXT CHAPTER SOON:
Chapter 9 In Which Brooms Become Weapons And Star Wars Makes a Sailor Debut
Ah, yes, another chapter completed. I expect there to only be about 2 to 3 more, plus maybe a little epilogue. I pretty much have this all planned out, now I just have to find the time to complete Love Hexagons...sigh...
Anyway, Chapter 9 is oh, about 10 paragraphs from completion but still, it should be another few weeks or so before it's up, as exams are coming up in a week I believe. Lovely.
Hope you all stay tuned, whoever you are...oh, and please,
if you have ANY comments PLEASE leave them for me! Drop a note, please, I would REALLY love some responces! THANK YOU!
Moonlight Eternal