Chapter 18

There is a darkness in Serenity's eyes that I had never seen before. It doesn't suit her, and though I will admit that having her act is refreshing this isn't what needs to be done. "Not everyone deserves to die."

She looks at me with her crystal in her hand. "This has to stop."

I nod. "I agree, but not in this way. There are people on Nemesis that-"

"And what about our people? How many have died since this started?"

I look to the others for any form of help, but I can tell that each of them has something else on their mind. "Won't somebody say something?"

Mars looks up. "They caused this didn't they?"

I step back. "That's besides the point. I have spoken to Sapphire and we agreed to-"

Serenity shakes her head. "Was it not you who was criticizing my lack of action? You said so yourself that the time for diplomacy was over."

"Hold on-"

She steps towards me. "No. I will not listen to someone who lost the right to be my senshi."

The thunder crashes over head. "It is a right that I would have gladly given up if I had known just how selfish you were!"

Venus puts her hand on my shoulder. "Lita..."

I shrug it off. "What happened to the compassion that you used to have, Serenity? You lay a hand against them then I will be your opponent."

"Makoto." Hotaru steps forward.

"Don't tell me you will follow her."

She sighs. "These fields have long since been left to ruin. Do you remember the oath you had taken with me?"

I step back. "You have no right to pull that card. I have been nothing but loyal for centuries. What has she done for you besides leave you to a prison on your own planet?"

She nods. "Whether we agree or not is irrelevant. She is the duty that we all took on. To raise your swords against her will mean that I would be forced to raise my glaive against you."

"What has this war done to us?" Mercury's voice speaks just above a whisper. All of us turn to the smaller woman.

Mars approaches. "We'll get through it just like we always do."

She shakes her head. "No we won't, at least not together. Look at us. Look how we've changed. If this is the future of the senshi then I want no part in it."

Venus turns. "Amy, you don't mean that."

"Yes I do."

Mars looks to me. "If there is a way to end this now then I'd be willing to listen to it."

I turn away. "This is pointless. As far as Nemesis is concerned the war is over. There is only Wiseman left."

Serenity screams. "Don't you dare turn your back to me!"

That is when I feel it; the hot burning power of the Silver Crystal. The force is strong enough to hit me forward several meters. I can taste the blood in between my teeth. Venus hurries to my side. "Lita."

I shrug off her attempt at help and stand on my own. "My patience with her is running out."

Venus turns to her Queen. "That was not necessary!"

Neo-Queen Serenity steps forward. "I won't tolerate this any further."

Mercury throws her computer onto the ground. The act is enough to attract everyone's attention. "Just look at ourselves for one damn minute!"

Mars steps back. "Amy..."

Mercury shakes her head. "I've already accepted that war isn't logical, but friends turning on each other... explain to me how that happens because I'm at a loss."

Neo-Queen Serenity speaks. "I just want peace again, and if I need to do the unthinkable then I'll do it."

I shake my head. "The unthinkable isn't justified. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself."

"Stop talking like you're better than me! What about Endymion, Lita? What about my husband? They have him."

"No, they don't."

Mars steps in front of Serenity. "I think we all just need to calm down. Emotions are running..."

But her words trail off and I understand why. There's a darkness converging on us. I charge my fists and take several steps away from Serenity but that only seems to anger her further. "Jupiter, is it too much to ask for you to look at me?"

One bolt speeds in my direction. I can feel the burst of energy. I summon a storm and ready myself for the impact. That is when I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Saturn. The two of us stand strong and take the blast head on. Behind us, Mars pulls Serenity to the side while both Venus and Mercury ready themselves.

"These are the shadows of the hunter." Saturn's words are spoken just above a whisper.

I shake my head. "Wiseman is no hunter."

"Not anymore."

The shadows form in front of us and I waste no time in drawing my swords and meeting them head on. Saturn is at my side the entire time. I can hear Venus' chain snapping behind us, and I can feel both the temperature drop around Mercury and rise around Mars, but Serenity's power is a spec compared to ours. I would have thought that she would have attacked the enemy by now.

One cry of pain erupts behind me, but I don't look back. My attention has to be solely on my opponents. "Silence wall."

A familiar purple light begins to surround us. The wall rises from the ground, but I'm not done fighting yet. I vault over its top before Saturn has a chance to seal it. Venus calls my name, but my focus doesn't falter.

Shadows are both as light as air, and as forceful as the wind. They can only attack when they take on their solid form. I'm hit back into the wall, but that doesn't stop me. A bolt of lightning drops from the storm over my head and creates a wave of electricity around all of us.

I smile. "My lightning will dance."

The wave of shadows fall back but they don't retreat. "You have always been so strong, but so weak at the same time."

"Wiseman."

One of the shadows steps forward. It may be his voice, but Wiseman is not here with me. "This will never be over, Jupiter. Not while I still breathe."

"You coward! A true leader fights with their army, but you use your soldiers as puppets."

The shadow continues to walk forward until we are both face to face. "They will always hide in a box while you fight for them. You know that, but nothing changes."

My grips tighten around my blades. "I'd love for you to face me."

That is when the shadow reaches out with a closed fist. "This is merely a message, Makoto of Jupiter. I intend to make you experience all the pain of the past one last time. I will face you when I am ready to, but for now I'll leave you with a few play things."

I stab one blade through the shadow and it melts away like it was never there, but the small clang of metal fills my ears. In front of me, my opponents have disappeared, but my attention is on the ring that now sits on the surface on the moon. It is just as bright and beautiful as the day it was given to me. Nephrite's ring, the one I wore when I killed him, is right there. I kneel down and pick it up. Damn Wiseman. I will cut his heart out.

Saturn lowers her wall and I sheath my swords, but the screams of pain only begin. Mars cringes on the ground with a wound on the right side of her torso. Mercury is at her side with her visor lowered. The wound looks like a burn of some kind. "I need my equipment."

I nod and turn to Saturn. "Open a portal to the Crystal Palace."

Venus hurries over. "Is it safe?"

"I don't know, but you and I will go through first just to make sure."

"What about Serenity?"

For the first time since the fighting began I notice her on her knees with streams of tears down her cheeks. Her crystal is dull in her hands. "Hotaru will stay with her."

"I don't understand." Serenity's words are quiet.

I turn. "Are you coming or are you going to just sit there?"

She looks up. "The Silver Crystal... it's losing energy."

I watch as Hotaru opens a portal to Earth. "We don't need the Silver Crystal to win."

I don't wait for Serenity to respond before I step through to the tarnished halls of the Crystal Palace. Venus is a mere stride behind me. "My God..."

There's broken glass everywhere. I take several steps forward before looking back to Venus. "I don't sense any dark energy. Tell Amy that she can bring Raye."

Just as Venus disappears back through the portal, I hear movement to my left. I draw one sword and charge one hand with lightning, but stop as Uranus and Neptune come into view with minor cuts on their arms and legs.

"Where the hell have you-"

Neptune stops her partner. "We're glad to see that you're safe."

I nod. "Where are the other Shitennou?"

Neptune pulls out her mirror. "They went to pursue the remaining shadows. When you and Nephrite left the attacks stopped."

At that moment Venus and Mercury emerge from the portal with Mars being supported under their weight. Uranus quickly moves to help while Neptune and I look out at the still darkened sky.

They disappear down the hall just as both Saturn and Neo-Queen Serenity step through with the portal closing behind them. Her look is enough to understand her feelings towards me. Neo-Queen Serenity is still a naive child. I don't care if she hates me, but my actions are for the good of the people and not just for this planet. When this is over I will leave because I can tell that Serenity won't forgive me.

"I think I understand what is happening." Neptune looks to her mirror once more.

I sheath my sword. "And what is that?"

"This is a war of redemption not power. My mirror has shown me visions of the past and that is the conclusion I have made."

I smile. "You might be right."

"I think that we have learned our weaknesses through these battles."

"Does Amara share your insight?"

She shakes her head. "No, but she would follow me if I asked her. Even after this is over I sense that there will be dark times ahead."

I hope not, but I can't deny that we are all heading in that direction. The two of us walk outside towards the ruins of the once beautiful city of Crystal Tokyo. When I was younger I couldn't wait for its inception, but now I wonder if our sacrifices were worth it.

Neptune stops walking and I turn to her. "What is it?"

She closes her eyes. "The oceans are getting restless. There is something-"

I hear the tight pull of a stringed bow and react accordingly. I push Neptune out of the way and hear the arrow bounce off my armor. The moment I see the design on the arrow I curse under my breath.

"Do you know why the will of men is so easily manipulated?" Wiseman appears in front of me with no evidence of a wound at all. "Because they have a dark corner in their hearts."

"Michelle, go protect Serenity."

She smiles. "Don't be silly, Lita. I'll help you hold the line."

Jadeite jumps down from the gate across the field and slides his bow over his shoulder. His aura is darker than Wiseman's. "Where is the Princess of Mars? Her and I have unfinished business."

The storm starts to form over our heads. "I would act surprised, but this isn't the first time I have witnessed you striking against us. Do you even remember your King?"

"Of course we do. What kind of Shitennou would we be if we didn't?" Kunzite. He walks behind Wiseman with several shadows following his every step.

Wiseman steps forward. "Makoto, I will erase you from the pages of history."

"How dare you brain wash good men?"

He laughs. "Good men? Tell me, what makes a good man? They joined me of their own free will. That is the tr-"

I throw a fistful of lightning that hits Wiseman square in the chest. He reacts slower than I thought he would. Michelle readies her own attack in the time it takes me to close the distance with the enemy. My sword screams for blood and I have no problem in granting the request, but when I strike my blades do not meet Wiseman's, but Kunzite's.

The sparks jump from my blades to his. There is this slight smile on his face that I remember all too well. I want nothing more than to slit his throat again. I hear Jadeite pulling the string on his bow.

"You can't stop them all, Jupiter."

Shadows race past both Neptune and I. He's right. Whether I want to admit it or not, Kunzite is a formidable opponent and needs my full attention. Damn, I'm going to have to trust the others.

He kicks me back, but I recover quickly and summon the powers of both the storm over our heads and the nature in the ground. Jadeite wastes no time in confronting Neptune.

Michelle is a good fighter, but I wonder if she matches the strength of a Shitennou. I feel it; the beam of dark energy breaking through the clouds. Wiseman only smiles. "Isn't it wonderful, Makoto? This energy will show this planet's people what it is they really want. The future is mine."

I shake my head and ready myself. "Not until you've taken it from us."

Kunzite circles and that is the moment when I sense Wiseman's movement. He turns to Neptune and readies an attack. I shout in an attempt to warn Michelle, but it isn't enough. My attention turns back to Kunzite whose blade narrowly misses my neck. Then there's a crash. The impact of Wiseman's attack echoes through the air until it stops closer to the middle of the field.

Something distracts Kunzite long enough for one of my blades to slide neatly across his thigh. "No."

I turn and see exactly what it was that caught his attention. Zoicite stands, battleworn next to Neptune. Fatigue is present on his face. "Jupiter, pay attention to Kunzite." A streak of blood falls down his cheek. "I will take care of Wiseman."