Sailor Moon refused to slow down. All her friends were gone, and all she could do now was hope that Mamoru and Chibi Usa were safe where they were. But she had little time to worry about them. There was someone that needed her help now more than anyone else. Someone who's friendship was just as important as everyone else's.
Take…
Aquarius, Libra, Sailor Elysion, and Monoceros followed closely behind Sailor Moon, though Monoceros was right next to her, just as determined to save Take.
"We're going to get her out…." Sailor Elysion said.
"We'll make sure of it…" Libra added.
Sailor Moon only kept her eyes to the rapidly approaching Ice Palace.
"I know we will…" Sailor Moon said. "We just need to stick together on this one…"
"We're with you Sailor Moon." Monoceros said, nodding.
We're almost there… hang it there Take… Sailor Moon thought to herself, as she and the rest of the group reached the entrance.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Opal stood by the Dark Mirror, watching the ebony haired girl still crying her tears of blood. She clenched her fist, as she stepped closer to the Earth Princess.
"What is it about you that intrigues Lord Cronus so much?" Opal asked her, not expecting a response.
Opal turned her back to the mirror and diverted her attention back to the sapphire stone.
"What was the last thing that you saw?" Opal asked herself out loud.
She then focused the energy of her own stone to that of Sapphire's. She saw visions of Sapphire's battle with the Zodiac and Mamoru. She also felt the weakness of the Golden Crystal that Sapphire did. After seeing all this, caused a smile to form on Opal's face.
"This has proven to be the only useful thing you have done for me Sapphire…." Opal said, heading out of the room, where the Dark Mirror once resided.
"If the Golden Crystal is as weak as it is, then why not bring the Golden and Silver Crystals at the same time?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Libra was the only one bold enough to get close to the giant door that would have allowed them access to the palace. She was met with resistance.
"A barrier's up…" Libra said, after shaking her hand out to get over the shock.
"Do you think you can break it?" Monoceros asked Sailor Elysion.
Sailor Elysion took a moment to meditate, to break the barrier with her powers. Her eyebrows furrowed when she kept meeting resistance.
"It….. has so many layers…" she said, as she kept trying to get through.
"Please be careful" Sailor Moon said.
"Doesn't anyone knock anymore?" a voice rang out, causing the senshi to step back in surprise, thus, making Sailor Elysion lose her concentration. The giant doors slowly started to open.
"If we ever got the chance to get in…. now's the time…" Aquarius said.
They rushed inside, with Sailor Moon and Monoceros in the lead, followed closely by Aquarius, Libra, and Sailor Elysion.
They entered a vast yet barren courtyard. Opal stood there in the center, appearing overly confident over what was about to take place.
"Welcome Sailor Moon…" Opal said, a smirk appearing on her face.
"Where's Take?" Aquarius asked angrily, glaring at Opal.
"Oh…. You mean Princess?" Opal said, raising her right hand, snapping her fingers.
"Resting peacefully right here…."
Behind her, the Black Dream mirror started to materialized, and within the mirror, Take's silhouette began to form.
Sailor Moon took a step back in shock, after seeing the dried blood tears that ran along Take's face. Take remained unconscious and still.
"What did you do to her!?" Aquarius cried out angrily.
"I didn't do much…" Opal said mocking innocently. "All I did was alter her memories of the past… placing her at fault of the fall of the Silver Millennium…. The deaths of her family and friends… the reason why Lord Cronus and his faithful servants are still here and at large…."
After she explained, a wicked smile spread cross her lips.
Sailor Moon glared angrily at Opal. She sensed Monoceros's fury on her side. This only seemed to amuse Opal.
"What is the matter Lord Monoceros? You seem angry…"
Monoceros replied with a glare.
"Aw…. How sweet… after all of this time… you still care for her…" Opal mocked.
"Well… it's only fitting that the two of you should die together…. since you were deprived of the privilege during the last war…."
Opal reached her hand out, a glaive materializing within it.
Monoceros, Aquarius, Libra, and Sailor Elysion stood protectively around Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon gripped her Cosmos scepter tightly, more than ready to fight when called for.
"You All Die Now!" Opal cried out, striking her glaive against the ground, causing a rumble. The ground began to crack beneath her, as black lighting began to lash out from the cracks and was heading straight for the senshi.
"Dream Catcher Activation!"
Sailor Elysion's attack formed a shield around the group, blocking Opal's attacks.
As soon as she dropped it, Libra and Aquarius leaped out and charged towards Opal.
"Double Zodiac Attack!"
With their combined powers, an aurora like beam of red and blue flew straight for Opal. Only she had managed to dodge the attack, with then cause a giant pillar to come crashing down.
"Cosmos Star Reaction!"
Even Sailor Moon's attack was no match for Opal, for she simply twirled her glaive in front of her to shield herself from the attack.
Monoceros took the opportunity to reach the Dark Mirror. His hand glazed over the reflection of Take.
"Elara…" he said softly. "It me…. Please wake up…. please…"
But she didn't stir.
There has to be a way to release her…there has to… he thought to himself.
At that moment, after continuous exchanges of attacks, Libra, Aquarius and Sailor Elysion were flung into different direction, crashing at various points. It was only Sailor Moon still standing.
"Sailor Moon…. Keeper of the Silver Imperium Crystal…." Opal said, stepping closer to the Moon Princess.
"The sole heir to the Silver Millennium, future Queen of Crystal Tokyo…. How can you not see? The hopelessness of your situation? The battle that has been long lost? Give up the Crystal…. It would be the wisest move to save all your remaining loved ones…"
As she spoke, Opal moved closer and closer to Sailor Moon.
Sailor Moon refused to remove eye contact with her.
Opal smiled.
"The anger is rising inside you. A beautiful flame of hatred. Just release it… you'll feel better…."
Opal then raised her glaive threatenly at Sailor Moon.
"Especially since what will happen to you won't be so pleasant."
Sailor Moon tried to attack again, but only to have Opal fling her across the court yard, close to the Dark Mirror. She tried to get up, but her arms shook so much that she ended up falling back down on the ground. As Sailor Moon lied there, Opal stepped closer to Sailor Moon.
"Well… any last words, Moon Princess?" Opal asked, raising her glaive high.
Sailor Moon tried to get up again. She looked over at Monoceros, who returned her gaze. Sailor Moon then gave him a quick nod and a small smile. Monoceros seemed to have gotten the message.
"I…I think…. I have one….." Sailor Moon said, gripping her scepter tightly.
"And what would that be?" Opal asked, a little interested.
"Catch…!" Sailor Moon shouted, throwing her scepter towards Monoceros. He lunged forward and successfully caught it.
Once the scepter touched his hand, a silvery glow illuminated from the sphere, shooting beams in nearly every direction. One beam hits directly at the Dark Mirror, causing cracks to slowly spread.
Aquarius, Libra, Sailor Elysion, and Monoceros were wide eyed on shock and worry as the cracks continued to spread. Opal instantly realized what had just happened.
"No!" She screamed, as the mirror finally shattered, releasing Take in the process.
Luckily, Monoceros was close enough to catch her. Take was still unconscious and her eyes remained closed.
Aquarius and Libra took Opal's one moment of broken concentration to their advantage.
"Celestial Star Infusion!"
Opal took that last moment to turn around, defenseless, as the shooting aurora beam engulfed her entire body.
Lord Cronus…. Forgive me…. I failed you…
Opal closed her eyes as she felt her body fall completely to ash, leaving only an opal stone behind.