Chapter 9

"Makoto, would you come here for a moment?"

I bowed. "Yes, Mother."

She stood beside her throne and looked out at all the guests. Her eyes were nothing but cold orbs until she turned to me. My smile matched hers. Elegance is power, that is what she tried to teach me. "Jove is with us tonight. Can you feel it?"

I nodded. "His heart beats in time with this storm."

She turned. "Queen Serenity has sent for you to return to the moon."

My eyes widened. "But I am still on leave until the next solstice."

She sighed. "I know."

"Is there a reason for this?"

She stepped forward. "The other Princesses are ready to become senshi."

I hear muffled voices now. Venus' movements are still frantic. Every inch of me wants to move, but I know that I can't. The red sky seems to slowly fade to purple. The more darkness, the greater the disadvantage. Soldiers exit the temple first. The sheer of wounded is greater than I thought there would be. I step to approach, but stop once I see civilians. It's not just the soldiers in this place, but many people of Tokyo as well.

This isn't good. Leading this long string of people back to the palace would be suicide, and if the barrier is still up... I'm not sure if I could hold it open for everyone. Venus exits with Endymion draped over her shoulder. Her steps are slower than usual. He must be heavier than she is used to.

I turn to one of the soldiers. "What happened?"

He bows. "When the first attack came, the King lead the soldiers out to defend the city."

I nod. "But I was told he was captured by the enemy. How is he here?"

"I don't know. Kenji said that he found him lying at the bottom of the temple steps."

Endymion; he has changed very little since the Silver Millennium. I remember riding with him to the front lines. His heart has always been in the right place, but right now I feel that something is wrong. Venus sets him down as I hurry over. His body is filled with injury, but that isn't what intrigues me.

"Mina, get everyone back."

She turns. "What is it?"

I summon energy to my fists. "This isn't the King."

His eyes shoot open, and I react by placing my hand around his throat. Everyone moves back. I can feel the dark energy pulsing up through the ground. "Makoto."

My grip tightens. "Who are you? Where is Endymion?"

He smiles. "We should have fought with them, all those years ago. I understand. It wasn't a revolt, it was an attempt to be free."

"Answer my questions!"

A light shine hits my eyes, but I still feel his movement beneath my weight. "Lita!"

Mina yells, but I react on instinct. His right hand goes to strike me with a familiar dagger in his hand. The symbol of Uranus rests emblazoned just above it's hilt. "Did Wiseman give you this?"

"You break my heart, Makoto." He continues to push his blade towards me, but I've caught his wrist. The strength of his thrust is gone.

That is when I see the glimmer of familiarity in his eyes. I can't help, but let a tear slide down my cheek. "Shino?"

He closes his eyes. "My Queen, I didn't think you would remember."

It's all an illusion. The facade is broken. The image of Endymion disappears and in his place rests Shinozaki. My lieutenant from the past. "What is this?"

He kicks me back and rolls to his feet. "You senshi are so gullible."

It's not Shino, I can tell by the way he stands, but I could have sworn that I felt his presence. Dark energy seems to emanate from his very being. How could I be so stupid? He lunges again, but Venus has already reacted with her chain in hand. Several soldiers surround us with their weapons drawn. Guns won't hurt him. I'm almost certain of that.

"It's a shadow."

Venus steps back as the man in front of us melts away until there is nothing but a dark outline in its place. Her chain falls to the ground. It's like facing a ghost head on.

"So I get the honour of facing our timeless enemy before the others awaken. I am truly blessed by Metalia's teachings."

I let the electricity course through my fingers. "Metalia is dead, there is no need for your kind to fight us."

But it's no use. The response is a simple battle cry and a mountain of dark energy being released up from the ground. Venus and I are able to move, but soon all we hear are gunshots. Still, the energy doesn't stop. One of the soldiers falls, caught in the cascade of darkness. Venus attacks the shadow without mercy. Her crescent beam shoots a hole straight through its torso. Within moments the silence comes again, but at the cost of one of our own.

This is the enemy; a relentless force that will oppose us at every turn. Mina doesn't say that she understands now, but I can see that she does. Just being out here and seeing what has become of this city is proof enough. The truth stares us both in the face. There are too many people. There is no way that we can safely escort everyone to the palace. That is when Phobos and Deimos caw from their sacred arch.

If this place has the divine protection of Mars then perhaps we should leave the civilians here. At least then they would be safer. I kneel down and pick up the fallen dagger; one of three instruments from my family's ancient empire. It is both a strength and a weakness in my hand.

"Mina, we have to make a decision."

She nods. "I know."

"They should stay here. Hikawa has Mars' blessing. They would be in too much danger if they traveled to the palace with us."

Venus nods in agreement. "I think you're right, but I would feel more comfortable if we left a couple of men behind to look after them."

I turn. "Alright."

Both Phobos and Deimos continue to watch my every move. Venus assigns a couple men to the temple and assures the people that Hikawa is the safest place for them to be. I can still feel the intense heat resonating off of the temple. The rain doesn't fall here no matter how hard my storm rages overhead.

I remember the day I accepted Jupiter's crown. My uncle performed the ceremony himself, and Shino stood behind me the entire time. In both this life and the last, he's always stood with me. Damn that shadow. No one plays with my emotions like this. I had forgotten about him for a reason; he is the path I could have taken if I cared only for how people perceived me. He was perfect, and for me that was his biggest flaw.

We return to the barrier with more men than I thought we would. It's almost hard to believe that they were all resting at Hikawa. Venus is the first to notice how thin the barrier has become. I go to place my hand on the wall, but the moment I touch it the entire barrier pushes energy into my body.

"By Jove..." Before I know what is happening I'm falling to the ground.

"Jupiter."

I nod and push myself up to my feet. "Something is different. It's like there's ten times more power."

That is when a small hole opens in in the barrier. The soldiers ready their guns, but stop once Kunzite appears. "Come, quickly."

Saturn stands behind them with her eyes closed. There's something different about her. I can tell just by looking. We wait until all the soldiers go in before Mina and I follow. The moment we're clear, the barrier closes again.

Hotaru opens her eyes. "Mako."

"Hotaru." There's no expression on her face, and to me that feels more comforting than anything else. We share a silent understanding and that's enough.

She steps forward and offers her hand, which I take without hesitation. "It's good to see you."

I nod. "The barrier seems stronger."

She turns. "That's because I'm putting more energy into it. Wiseman won't be prancing back in forth any longer."

Somehow I don't think it's that simple, but I don't question her. Venus is talking to Kunzite now. It's probably just an update of what has happened in her absence. Hotaru and I look at the palace. I know she's thinking the same as I am.

"Promise me you won't lower your glaive this time."

She shakes her head. "I heed destiny's calls. If silence is to come then it is I that will bring it without hesitation."

I sigh. "So you would have us live yet another lifetime where ancient history haunts the present?"

"I never said that."

I shrug. "Are the memories not eating at your skull?"

She steps back. "They are clearly a message from the past. A forlorn warning." I go to speak, but stop as I hear that distinct hum in the air. "There's flame in the wind."

I feel the temperature increase with each passing second. Hotaru's right. That's when I feel it, the silent arrow flying towards me. A split second passes by. I only have enough to glance in it's direction before I'm forced to move back. Mars stands in front of the palace with flames coating her wrists.

"Raye, what are you-"

I step forward. "Mina, I have this."

There is literal fire in her eyes. It is this moment where I see the remnants of the Princess of Mars. I've seen Raye pissed off before, but this is nothing compared to how she looks now. "How dare you bring blood to Hikawa. My grandfather spent his whole life making sure that it was a place of peace."

"Rei I-" All I feel is the sheer burn of flame peeling the skin from my cheek.

Mina goes to step between us, but Hotaru catches her arm. They exchange words that are too faint for me to make out. Rei grabs the edge of my armor.

"The spirits were crying, Lita..." She stops only after my skin starts regrowing across my cheek.

"I know. I should have known better."

It seems like hours before she looks away from me. Her hands are still curled into fists, but the flames are a lot smaller than when she had hit me. Perhaps I had underestimated Raye's hold over the spiritual world. She senses things that she never did in the past. Is it possible that she was stronger than Princess Rei?

"You have sat on the Jovian throne, but there are still rules to follow, Jupiter."

I turn to Saturn who is facing me, eyes closed, with her glaive in hand. "And when the time comes I will take responsibility for the ones that I have broken."

Venus steps forward. "Wait a second. It was partially my fault. It's not fair to-"

Saturn shakes her head. "You are still as naive as you were two thousand years ago, Venus. I understand that none of you remember the past, but do not burden the present with what you don't understand."

Mina looks as if she had just been slapped in the face. "Hotaru?"

Mars steps back. "My god, Lita. I'm sorry. I don't know why I got so angry."

I go to speak, but Hotaru grabs my attention. "Jupiter, you and I must have words."

I nod. "Of course."

Venus and Mars exchange careful looks of confusion as the two of us head back towards the palace. Hotaru is just as stern as she was in the past, but even I know that it is a facade to facilitate duty. Out of all of Serenity's senshi, I understand that she has given up more than any of us. Her youth, her power, and even her freedom. Her and I sit on opposite ends of the spectrum, and still we find a way to get along.

"You angered Phobos and Deimos. Serenity would have had you punished if she wasn't so weak."

I shake my head. "This isn't really what you want to talk about, Hotaru. I can see the questions in your eyes."

For what seems like the first time in so long, she smiles and leans back against the wall. "How long has it been since we trained on my planet in front of my father and the remnants of the old court?"

I shrug. "We were only eight then."

She nods. "And now we've exceeded the limits of age."

"Do you regret it?"

She laughs. "I only regret that I didn't awaken sooner."

"That couldn't be helped."

That's when her smile fades. "This world is just like the Silver Millennium."

I sigh. "But it is also very different."

"Only the people, Makoto, but the circumstances are just the same. Silence is building in the very remnants of time itself, I can feel it."

I turn. "I will stop it."

She smiles. "The price will be greater than any other."

"I've known that from the beginning, but my life doesn't-"

"I'm not talking about your life." She steps back. "There will be a storm that not even you can control."

I nod. "Then let it come. I am not afraid."

"My friend, you should be." She sighs. "My power grows weaker with each passing second that I keep this barrier up. The senshi must do their part."

"The barrier is useless to the Wiseman-"

"Don't underestimate my powers, Makoto. I will keep him out."

I sigh. "But not if you keep getting weaker."

She turns. "I fear that this age will birth a great shadow that has long since been dispelled to prevent the very turmoil that exists now."

"I don't understand what you're saying."

She nods. "You will, and he'll be right there beside you."

I step forward. "What are you-"

"Jupiter."

I turn and see Nephrite standing behind us. "Nephrite?"

He walks forward and bows. "I apologize for the intrusion, but something has happened."

My eyes widen. "Well tell me."

"It's Princess Rini. We can't find her."