Chapter 10
The two Saiyans shot away from their Prince and into the fray. Just as before the enemies were easily vanquished but the sheer number threatened to overwhelm their forces. The cut through them easily enough but always another wave was just behind the first.
"Is there any end to these things?" Raditz shouted over at his friend. He grunted as one of the creatures made it through his last blast and landed a punch against his ribs. The powerful Saiyan gripped its head and yanked viciously before dropping the enemy on the ground.
"Nothing lasts forever," Nappa said in attempt to keep faith. As more and more of the dark creatures crawled over the walls it was hard to imagine they would come out of this battle alive. Even when they had fought them before there were not so many. It was even more difficult because the creatures seemed to realize that there was a delay between each ki shot they were able to form.
Of course they could fight them physically as well but that was how they had seen their comrades fall in previous battles. The enemy would pile on between their blasts and then overwhelm individual Sayains. In the end some of the Saiyans were able to release one final massive attack that not only killed themselves but also would cut a huge swath through the enemies around them. It was their final act in attempt to ensure their fellow warriors were able to win the battle.
"You sure about that?" Another voice joined in and Raditz grinned at his younger brother who landed beside him. "Seems like these things go on forever." The younger Saiyan released a blast immediately following his sibling in an attempt to keep some distance between them and the enemy.
"Don't worry baby brother, I won't let anything happen to you."
Near the back of the battle Vegeta fought in front of the three young women, cutting a path towards the Moon Queen who had not yet seen them. The Saiyan Prince would take out any large groups but was forced to fight hand to hand alongside the Moon Princess and her senshi any stragglers that made it around his attack.
"Rei!" Usagi screamed as her friend was attacked from behind and landed on her stomach. Usagi jumped over the fallen girl and grabbed the arm of the dark creature tossing it over her like Vegeta had taught her. As soon as it hit the ground it shriveled into an empty husk.
Lightening flew past her taking out another creature as Makoto fought back to back with Vegeta.
The blonde put her hand out and pulled her fire senshi to her feet before they leapt back into battle taking out two more of the creatures. Their path was finally clear once more.
"Mother cannot hear me from here, we need to get closer!"
Usagi yelled and they took off running once more. They did not make it very far before the Moon Princess stopped and grabbed Vegeta's hand before pointing the silver haired Queen.
A huge wave of enemies and crashed through the guards and only one lone Saiyan, Bardock, was left between the monarch and the enemy.
"Vegeta you have to go help him protect my mother! She'll have been using the crystal to heal and if she uses it to attack now.." Usagi didn't want to say it. It was hard to admit her mother was growing older and that using the crystal now took more out of her then it ever had.
Vegeta hesitated for a moment. He knew what his princess said was true. Serenity had told them before that healing with the crystal was easy, that is what is was for. But using it as a weapon took so much more out of her. Finally Usa's pleading gaze got to him and he nodded sharply.
He grabbed her close and kissed her fiercely once before he shot off landing next to Bardock.
"Need some help?"
The older Saiyan grinned wearily at his Prince before turning back to face the onslaught.
Usagi, Rei, and Makoto continue to try to force their way towards the Moon Queen. It seems there is a break in the enemy forces and so they are almost to the Queen when a small group of the creatures surge up before them.
Suddenly another figure is there in front of them. The Earth Prince in bloodied and bruised but holds a sword out in front of him pointed at the oncoming enemy. There is no time for the girls to be surprised at his appearance and they attack the enemy as a group.
It doesn't take long for them to take out the attackers. Endymion turns to look at the princess he had betrayed. Everything that could have been flashed before him.
"I'm sorry Serenity."
The blonde haired girl's eyes go wide. For a moment she says nothing and the Earth Prince takes that as an invitation to continue.
"I know I did this. I should have never taken up with Beryl. I was with someone else, someone I actually cared about but she broke things off because of certain duties she had. I took up with Beryl to be petty, to get back at her. I'm sorry you got caught in this. Once it's over, I'll tell my parents the engagement is off." He smiled ruefully at her. "I think if I had met you first Serenity, we could have been happy together."
Usagi wanted to tell him they would never be right for each other but instead she just smiled and nodded. "Maybe in a different life Endy."
Their attention was immediately pulled from one another as the booming, amplified voice of Beryl rang out over the grounds.
"Queen Serenity. Your forces are diminished. Your people are dying. Give me the crystal for my master and all this can be done."
Everything had stopped and every eye turned to the silver haired Queen of the Moon. She stood tall at the top of the steps that would lead down into what was once the beautiful front lawn of her kingdom. She looked over the broken bodies of her faithful warriors, of the Saiyans who had fought so fiercely against their common enemy then back at the witch who had brung all of this to their doorstep.
"The Silver Crystal will never be yours. I will fight you until I have no more breath in my body."
Beryl only laughed. Her head thrown back, her wild red hair waving around her face. Abruptly she stopped and her gaze snapped back to the Queen.
"Even if it means forfeiting your daughter's life as well? Or hadn't you noticed she was missing?"
The Queen's eyes went wide at Beryl's implication. She had of course known her daughter was missing but she had assumed she was with her friends. Given that the Saiyans and her senshi were missing as well. For a moment her strength wavered until the princess' voice rang out from behind her.
"She's a liar mother! Do not give up the crystal!" Usagi stood tall beside the Earth Prince with Rei and Makoto on either side of them.
Beryl's eyes narrowed hatefully as she took in the sight of the golden haired princess.
"You ruin EVERYTHING." The red haired woman screamed at the other girl. Without warning she swung her staff and let out a vicious stream of dark energy.
Usagi arms came up reflexively but just before the energy crashed into her Endymion threw himself in its path.
For a moment it seemed that time had stopped and then everything happened at once.
Usagi screamed out the Earth Prince's name as he crumpled to the ground in front of her. Beryl let out a howl of despair and from her staff a wave of energy crashed into her minions as she poured all the power she could into them. Their enemies became frenzied with the excess of energy pouring through them and begin a brutal assault on the remaining forces.
Seeing her daughter alive strengthened the resolve of the Moon Queen who faced Berly with a hardened look in her eyes. The crystal began to glow brightly as its owner began to draw forth its strength. Serenity would end this war at the cost of her life if that's what it took.
Bardock sensing what the Queen was doing roared in anger as he slashed out an another enemy. He could feel her drawing on the crystal's strength and knew it a few moments she would unleash an attack that would, hopefully, destroy Beryl and allow them to finish of the remaining forces. But it wouldn't matter to him because she would be dead behind him.
The rage blinded him and a blow to the back of his head put him on the ground. Serenity was momentarily distracted and the crystal's light wavered. She wanted to heal him.
"Don't!" He yelled as he forced himself to his knees.
Her gaze resolved and turned back to their enemy.
A sharp hit underneath Bardock's chin put him back in the dirt and the enemy piled on top of him. A moment later two Saiyans exploded in anger as their father's life force flickered out.
Raditz and Kakarot fought back to back until they felt their father's energy flicker and die. From within they found access to even more strength then they realized they had and their screams of pain and anger forced more power through their bodies. Their eyes flickered green, the ground below them cratered slightly as they began an even more feverish attack on the forces surrounding them. But the enemy just kept coming.
Usagi and her two senshi battled through the forces. Flames burst from the senshi of Mars' fingers as she burnt away their attackers. Makoto called lightening forth and sent it out ahead of them to clear a path. Behind them their princess had her eyes focused solely on her mother. If she could only to get to her. Help her hold the crystal perhaps she would not have to face a life without her.
Beryl continued to force energy into her forces, strengthen them against the defenders they still faced. Her eyes swept the battlefield noting that she would have to get her minions to the Queen before she could finish gathering the strength of that blasted crystal. She'd need to kill her Saiyan defender though.
She looked for what forces she could send that way when her eyes landed on the Moon Princess pushing her way towards her mother. Beryl's eyes went wide. How could that wretched girl still be alive? In an instant she disappears.
And reppears in front of Princess Usagi. In her hand she holds Endymion's blade.
"Goodbye princess," she whispers and thrusts the blade into the shocked young woman.
Usagi's eyes go wide as she feels as though she has been punched in the stomach. Vaguely she hears the screams of her senshi, her mother, and the man who should have been hers. And then darkness.
Vegeta did not see the moment Beryl disappears. He had just blasted away another enemy when he looked up and she was gone. Immediately his dark eyes went to Usagi just in time to see the redheaded witch thrust a blade through the middle of the Moon Princess. He could see the shock in her eyes and for a moment their gazes locked. Her knees hit the ground and the light inside her went out.
The color ran completely out of the Moon Queen's face as she watched he daughter die in front of her. The next moment the Saiyan who had been defending her let out a heartbroken scream and light exploded around them.
When Serenity was able to see through the light the Saiyan Prince too, lay dead before her along with almost all the remaining enemies. Beryl though, still remained.
Serenity felt power rip through the Silvery Crystal and seek out and purify the remaining dark energy. Beryl's frustrated yell barely registered as she was swept away by the pure energy. Her life force flickered but was swept away into space before it completely disappeared.
The Queen wanted to walk to her daughter but she could already feel herself beginning to fade.
"Crystal." She said softly, her voice broken with unshed tears.
"Please send her, her court, her fiancée somewhere safe." The silver haired woman begged. The Crystal flickered and Serenity frowned as it communicated with her.
"The Saiyans? No. Certainly they would be happier being reborn back on their own planet." She could not imagine why the Cyrstal would want to send the Saiyans with the rest of Serenity's court. Perhaps they hoped that they might keep her safe once again. And the Saiyan Prince did lose his life in her defense after her daughter had.. here her train of thought broke off.
"No, better they go home. I know it will be difficult to send them to two separate planets. Perhaps if we at least send them to the same point in time.. yes. Please."
The Silver Crystal winks out of sight and reappears hovering over the slain Moon Princess. Slowly it lowers into her. Serenity smiles softly and lays her head back against the broken pillar she has come to rest on.
"Thank you."
They all disappear.
