16.) House of Chains
I have seen the dark universe yawning
Where the black planets roll without aim,
Where they roll in their horror unheeded,
Without knowledge, or lustre, or name.
- HP Lovecraft
MINAKO
Our departure ended up not taking place for three days after Rei had left. There had been more work put into this diplomatic journey than I had originally anticipated. That was probably, in large part, due to Luna's insistence that she be included in our plans. And by 'included' I mean she had organized the entire trip down to the smallest detail. Some times I didn't know how Artemis could stand working along side her, she certainly didn't have his aloof demeanour or quiet patience. Though I suppose when you were in constant contact with the Princess it was bound to have some affect on you.
I idly looked out the window as Luna ran through proper procedure and Terran etiquette one last time, I had noticed somewhere down the line these lectures were focused primarily on the Princess... Luna didn't seem to think we needed the same level of coaching that she did. To be fair to the princess, the rest of us had far more experience dealing with these kinds of situations.
Michiru had been raised to become a diplomat and eventual ruler of her people, she had years of exposure to the ways of the court. Setsuna... well, she was Setsuna – she always knew what to do or at least that's how it seemed. Ami had spent much of her spare time studying the ways of the galaxy so she was hardly in any need of help. As for Makoto, she wouldn't need to worry much – Ami had already promised to stick by her side to act as a translator and guide. The final member of our company was Haruka and she was only coming along to serve as our pilot. Michiru thought it best considering the fact that Haruka had been ready to go to war with the Terrans only a few days prior. Secretly I felt as though Haruka might prove to be problematic on this journey... despite Michiru's reassurances that everything would be fine.
I only began to focus on the conversation once more as Luna bid Serenity farewell. It seemed more like a worried mother saying goodbye to a cherished daughter rather than a teacher to a mere student. I supposed that they were close in their own way, Luna certainly had spent a fair amount of time with the Princess. Serenity shared none of her mentors anxiousness though, she was, instead, full of excitement at the prospect of seeing Endymion again.
She truly believed that this visit was centred around the offer of peace and unity between our planets. She believed we were going to negotiate the terms of her betrothal to the King. I shook my head. We would only play that way until we got what we wanted from the Terrans, I needed to know their what their intentions were above all else. If Rei was right... there was something dark about their aims.
I gave a sigh. Rei. I glanced up to the sky hoping to catch sight of where she was heading. Even though we were heading into an unknown situation I felt secure, I had a group of people I trusted with me. Rei had none of that. She was alone, heading towards the world of her nightmares. I wanted nothing more than to have her by my side now.
"Stop worrying about her, Minako." Haruka said, nudging me in the arm. "We've got better things to do."
I glared at her but she had already started boarding the shuttle we were taking to Earth. Michiru gave me a sympathetic look and a sigh.
"I apologize, she's just..."
"Being Haruka? I know. She does have a point though, I should stay focused on the task at hand."
"And I'm sure the twelve hour flight to Earth will be absolutely riveting... I have no doubt that you can spare a few moments for Rei." Michiru told me. "We've rehearsed our cover story enough, I'm sure if you want to occupy yourself with other things we will be alright."
"What is Mars like?" I asked her as we entered the shuttle. Michiru took the seat across from me, making sure she still had Haruka in sight. Her attention seemed entirely focused on me though.
"I've never actually seen it to be honest. Rei has spoken of it though and my mother has described it in detail. She visits there quite frequently on diplomatic missions... or rather she used to. The former Autokrator stopped that custom a few years back, a Martian now takes the journey to visit us rather than the other way around."
"Why is that?" I questioned, feeling drawn to learning more about the present circumstances on Mars.
"They've had less need of us in recent years. Things have been surprisingly peaceful, there have been no severe droughts, no massive uprisings, they have coped well on their own. If they needed us they would call for aid. Cycnus saw no need for yearly visits... he knew if he required something he had only to ask." Michiru explained, her face remained impassive as she spoke of Cycnus, though I felt a flash of anger run through her heart. She despised the man.
"How did Mars and Neptune become so close politically?" I asked her, wondering what had lead to the friendship between she and Rei, it obviously started between the two royal families somewhere down the line. Whether it started in friendship though I wasn't sure, I doubted it.
"It began shortly after we became part of the Lunar Alliance. We had little to do with them before that... aside from some basic trade agreements. Weapons shipments in exchange for excess food and the like – if there is one thing besides war that the Martians exceed at it's metallurgy. I would even say some of the things they do rival that of your people, though theirs are militaristic rather than artistic. Anyway, sometime during the negotiations with the Lunar Empire, it became known that the Neptunians were rather skilled at diplomacy... and getting what we wanted – so the High Queen asked us to try and broker peace between a member of the Alliance and our trading partner Mars." Michiru's words had a scripted sound to them as though she was reciting from a topic she had studied extensively.
"I take that to mean your family was responsible for the end of the great war between Uranus and Mars?" I questioned, cataloguing what information I could. Michiru shrugged.
"As much as anyone was I suppose. We knew what both parties required to end the war and we knew how to phrase things in a way that made the option of peace... palatable. If it wasn't for the High Queen we wouldn't have gotten involved though. There was no real reason to. We still got what we needed from the Martians and the Uranians were no allies of ours. Joining the Empire changed that. We suddenly found ourselves allied to the two warring factions... one whom we had received protection from in the past and the other... well, if we failed in helping them we would find our place in the new Alliance a lot more precarious than we had originally bargained on."
"So your mother ended up visiting Mars far more often as a result of this... treaty?"
"She did. She actually was the one who pushed for Mars to be included in the Alliance in the first place. After our people had proven so effective as peacemakers... I guess she developed a taste for it. She thought that if she found a way to include them in the Alliance it would prevent further wars from breaking out... after all, you can't establish colonies on other planets within the Alliance. That was what originally started the war, the Uranians and Mercurians were trying to reach out – expand, I guess, and the Martians didn't particularly like that."
"They saw it as an invasion?" I prompted, I'd only bothered to learn the bare minimum about Martian history before this point. The story around Mars' inclusion in the Alliance had never been this well explained by my texts.
"It was. I mean they would have received technological upgrades and solutions to their ecological problems. It would have made their lives easier but it meant giving up what was already theirs. And they were already wary of outsiders, the earlier Mercurian visitors made sure of that. They brought with them outrageous ideas that threatened the very survival of the Martians... so yes, they very much saw this as an invasion."
"You keep making reference to the fact that Mars has food shortages, how bad is it really?" I asked her,
"It depends on the year really, if it's not the battles preventing them from growing their crops it's the droughts... those years are the worst. The water shortages just intensify all the other issues, riots break out, the army is brought in... things just escalate so quickly." She sighed. "The great plains of Mars turn into fields of dust. The Autokrator controls whatever resources they can lay their hands on with an iron fist... just to ensure that everyone gets an equal share. The farmers are faced with a choice, withhold whatever they can to make sure their family makes it through the famine... or yield to the soldiers demands. They get enough... but only just. The temptation to withhold food is so great... its what many of the riots are caused by. Even in the good years the soldiers take away a vast majority of the food, attempting to stockpile for the next drought. Force is the only thing that works."
"And Neptune helps with these shortages?" I asked, feeling sickened. I came from a world of plenty, where finding your next meal was the least of your worries. Michiru's home world was the same way, I could see how much speaking of Mars was bothering her.
"As much as we can. There are only so many problems we can resolve... and Mars doesn't have much to trade. They refuse most altruistic help, they don't wish to be indebted to us, so my mother doesn't help as much as she would like to."
I nodded, even though I was still trying to understand.
"You say things have been better the last few years though?"
Michiru nodded.
"Whatever else he may have been, Cycnus was a good leader – he kept firm control of the resources he did have... and he cultivated them well. And once Rei..." She paused, I could feel her reluctance to voice what was running through her head. "She is quite skilled as well. Peace grew on Mars after she was old enough to fight. Cycnus knew exactly how to preserve the lives of his people and Rei was a very effective weapon in his arsenal."
SETSUNA
I listened as Michiru and Minako spoke of many things... though it all centred around Rei in some way or another. The conversation had left Mars quickly after the topic of Cycnus had been broached. From there it progressed to Michiru's home world... and by default Rei's visits. When the topic turned to Minako the questions revolved around her past times, this inadvertently lead to a comment on the last dance Michiru and Rei had shared. The two women were still obviously trying to figure one another out, they both had complex relationships with Rei and they both wanted to know the other as well as possible. Eventually I grew weary of listening to them dance around the issue and decided to join Haruka up front.
"I was wondering when you were going to join me." She commented as I sat down beside her. "Though I'm surprised you trust me after our last outing."
"You won't crash this time." I muttered, knowing this as truth. Haruka chuckled, looking out across the starry expanse before us. "There will be no need for fancy flying on this particular charter... though I cannot say the same for your later journeys."
"You have so much confidence in me it's amazing." Haruka remarked drily, putting her feet up on the console. I raised my eyes upwards, shaking my head. I knew this would happen coming in here... so why did I even bother?
"I have complete confidence in your piloting abilities, it is your inclination towards daredevilry that concerns me. You are never satisfied with a simple trip... you always have to make it extraordinary." I remarked, shoving her so she removed her feet from their precarious resting spot.
Haruka grinned at me, the familiarity of the expression took me back to when she was younger. The child so intent on causing as much mayhem as possible. Originally I had gone on her excursions merely to keep an eye on her... but then it changed. I found I enjoyed her company, it never felt as though I was reliving moments, she kept things exciting and new.
"You love that about me. It keeps you on your toes." She teased, knowing that was entirely true.
"Yes Haruka, a near death experience does tend to do that to a person. Keeping you alive is more than a lifetime commitment."
"Come on, I am not that bad." Haruka protested.
"Do I need to present you a list of your near misses?" I asked rhetorically.
"No." She replied, seeming almost annoyed... then she continued muttering under her breath. "Especially since I know you could list all of them... in chronological order."
I smiled, knowing that this banter with Haruka was only serving as a distraction. For her it was to avoid the near painful boredom she was experiencing, for me it was something else entirely. I did not want to think of the future – if I allowed myself to concentrate on it for any length of time I would surely go insane. The choices before me were not getting any clearer.
REI
The shuttle ride back to Mars felt far longer than the trip I had take with Artemis. The company probably had something to do with it, I wasn't as at ease with the Crimson Guard as I was with Artemis and the Lunarians. They had mostly left me alone and that wasn't something I could expect from the Guard even with Prometheus' presence. Even though most of them were in the aft cabin I remained on edge and Prometheus and Chryses were not helping with that much. They had been engaged in political talks for much of the last few days.
"How much do you know of the Bonehunters?" Chryses asked, looking towards me during a break in his heated debate with Prometheus. I shrugged. The more I learned about him, the more I questioned myself and my memories of childhood. I remembered the Bonehunters as a much more... understanding order. Perhaps that was because I mainly associated it with my memories of my mother.
"More than I want to." I told him. I knew how they ended... and that was enough for me. It was all I needed. It seemed that Chryses and I were yet again at odds. I silently prayed for Minako's presence, she was all that had gotten me through my last encounter with him. I would hate to see what crisis of faith he would put me through next.
"I believe it is time you learn more about your people Rei, you have proven yourself adept enough at our teachings and I believe they will benefit you in the days to come." He told me. I remained silent.
"The Bonehunters were founded by the last Avatar of Ares, a man by the name of Menoetius. He preached about control and abstaining from war, he was charismatic enough that he held Mars together without waging wars. I can only hope that you follow his example."
"I hope that if you continue this legend about the great Menoetius that you remember to mention that his era of peace was more of a byproduct of fear than it was goodwill towards each other. His enemies were so terrified of his might in battle that even though he became a pacifist, the mere memory of the destruction he could rain down upon his foes prevented an uprising. Your religion is based on terror not peace, that's why it holds no place in Martian culture. Without military might it is nothing. Your doctrine is useless." Prometheus gritted out, trying his hardest not to glare at Chryses. I shook my head. It seemed that their political talks would break out again. I closed my eyes, hoping I would be able to get a few hours of sleep before the shuttle landed in my nightmares.
The shuttle landed roughly, kicking up a dust storm across the parched plains of Mars. I shouldered my bag, exiting the shuttle as quickly as possible. Behind me I could feel Phobos and Deimos moving in tandem as they watched my back. Already I could sense the agitation my presence brought to the Martian troops.
As my distance from the transport increased I straightened up, turning back to watch the rest of the Martians disembark. Prometheus was giving instructions, having to yell to make himself heard over the sound of the engines.
Prometheus looked in my direction, gesturing for me to continue on without him. I nodded, catching his glance at the gathering crowd of soldiers. I retreated to a more secluded part of the camp, distance always had been an effective shield.
I sighed looking back at the swarm of activity near the shuttle and then beyond to where the Olympic Mons rose in the distance. Deimos' hand brushed over my shoulder, I could hear her loosening her sword in its sheath. I glanced back, noticing a lone man walking in my direction. Immediately I was on guard though I was still trying to be subtle about it. Sometimes looking prepared for a fight only brought one to you.
The man's pace slowed as he approached, it was then I realized I recognized him. He was a field commander I'd fought along side on several occasions. He was a man skilled in battle and generally well liked by his subordinates. He had risen quickly through the ranks during his time in the Wastes... he was a competent soldier and one who was prepared to put aside prejudice for the sake of winning a war.
"Ephor." I greeted, he was one of seven men who used to share the rank with Prometheus. He nodded his head in response.
"Will the Autokrator be joining you?" He asked, not looking at me. I looked back towards my brother.
"Eventually." I replied, Prometheus would join me whenever he had a moment to spare.
"Then I shall wait for him here." He responded. I nodded, not sure why he chose to wait with me rather than seek out my brother's attention on his own. It seemed the Ephor was in charge of this particular front, a meeting with him was probably top on the Autokrator's list of priorities.
As it turned out we didn't have to wait long for Prometheus to join us, as soon as he noticed the Ephor and I standing together he made his way towards us.
PROMETHEUS
I waved the Crimson Guard away as I approached Rei and the Ephor – with these two around I had no need of protection.
"Hephaestion." I greeted, clapping my hand on his shoulder. He gave a smile and a bow. I caught Rei's eyebrow quirking at our interaction.
"Autokrator." He replied, I gave him a gentle shove to his shoulder. The smile became more pronounced and he amended his greeting. "Prometheus."
"It is good to see that you're well, it puts my mind at ease." I told him, allowing my hand to rest on his shoulder a moment longer. He nodded, then flicked his eyes in the direction of the Crimson Guard.
"They haven't been giving you any trouble, have they?"
I shook my head.
"Nothing I can't handle. They're just stuck in their ways." I reassured him.
"I imagine they are." Hephaestion responded, his eyes trailing over to Rei for a moment. I decided it was time to get to work and steer the conversation in a more agreeable direction.
"So, how are the evacuations coming?" I asked, wanting him to bring me up to speed – Hephaestion latched on to the new topic quite readily. I noticed Rei was listening intently now as well.
"We're moving the remaining Neptunians to refugee camps with extensive military presence – we're unsure about whether or not we'll be able to get them all off planet before the fighting starts. We're cutting it damn close if you don't mind me saying so." He told me.
"And if fighting does break out? What are your plans then? The Neptunians will need protecting..." Rei put in.
"This isn't a matter of simply protecting them. It's a matter of honour. We may not like admitting it but we damn well owe them. They've supported us in the past – it's time we return that favour. No harm is going to come to them so long as one Martian is left standing." Hephaestion explained.
I glanced over at Rei, catching the smallest hint of a smile playing its way across her face. It was then I realized that this was what she fought for... the smallest display of human decency was what kept her going. It was knowing that despite everything, our people would do what was right.
"With that being said, there are still some issues we need to contend with. The movements of those... things are hard to pin down." Hephaestion continued, moving his concentration from Rei to me. I nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "As far as we can tell they're attempting to flank one of the Neptunian convoys – either trying to surround them or funnel them in a particular direction. We've been picking them off where we can but it's proving ineffective at best, they're just so elusive. We move to attack and they fade into thin air only to appear on our opposite flank. We're lucky they haven't made a wholehearted attack yet... but it's only a matter of time."
I could see that Hephaestion was uneasy with the current situation, so much so that I felt the need to offer him some reassurance.
"You've done well Hephaestion." I told him, catching the look of pride my words brought him. I gave him a small smile then looked to Rei. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking I want to get a better look at the situation." She replied with an emotionless tone in her voice. "I take it the refugee convoy in question also happens to be the one with the Royal family?"
Hephaestion looked slightly confused.
"How did you...?" He started to ask, Rei waved her hand.
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you get me to them as quickly as possible." She ordered. Hephaestion's mouth snapped shut and he glanced at me. I nodded. If Rei said that's where we needed to go I trusted that.
"Shall I mobilize a unit to accompany you, Autokrator?" The Ephor asked me, before I could reply Rei cut in.
"No, you're going to want to start moving troops to the Olympus Mons. We'll have an advantage there. Prometheus will join me with the Crimson Guard while you begin preparations for the final battle."
Hephaestion looked like he wanted to argue with Rei but, upon noticing I was already summoning the Crimson Guard, he followed suit.
"How exactly will we be preparing?" He asked Rei, a confrontational tone still in his voice despite his apparent effort to hide it.
"Your only concerns at the moment is getting the armies of Mars acclimatized to the altitude... I'll explain the rest when we catch up." She told him, he seemed stunned into silence.
As Rei and her two companions left us Hephaestion turned to me.
"She expects me to command the armies of Mars?" He asked, sounding slightly astounded. I could understand what he was thinking, he was merely an Ephor, they generally only commanded a fraction of the army at a time... and only non-vital conflicts. Anything of true importance was overseen by a member of the royal family. Hephaestion was a talented fighter and general but this was bigger than anything else he'd dealt with.
"If she didn't think you could handle it she wouldn't have told you to."
"It's not that I'm concerned about, it's that the orders came from her. I am fully aware she is our best chance at winning this war... but many do not agree. The fact that she is the one issuing the orders will make many refuse to obey..strictly on principle."
"You will make them understand that these aren't just her orders they're following – they're mine and I do not appreciate disobedience." I allowed the firm tone in my voice to fade. "You are my man in this, make them understand that."
"Stay safe Hephaestion." I finished with a smile, he bowed.
"You as well, Prometheus."
REI
Even from a distance I recognized the group of harried Neptunians. The Martian army was doing its best to fend off the sporadic attacks but it seemed that each time the shadows gained a further advantage. I spurred my horse forward, focusing on the emotions that were brought forth by seeing Nereid in danger. I strung my bow.
The arrow I let fly burst into flames as it soared through the air, embedding itself in a shadow. With a flick of my wrist I sent it arching along the line of attackers. I could feel the first hints of aid as Prometheus, Phobos, and Deimos also summoned their powers.
Prometheus dismounted as soon as we reached the line of soldiers and began restoring order. I could still sense some form of darkness lingering in the area so I continued forward, gesturing for Phobos and Deimos to remain behind. If I needed aid they would know.
As I distanced myself from the group it became clearer to me. The entity was focused intently on the caravan, though whatever it was vanished quickly. I completed a quick circuit, attempting to find it's whereabouts. I couldn't pick up on anything though... I turned back to the group and dismounted as I approached Prometheus.
"You deal with them, they're not seeing sense even after I explained about the intentions of our attackers." Prometheus told me, cutting across me as I went to greet Nereid. I looked between the two of them, Prometheus was clearly on edge while Nereid seemed unflappable... as always.
"I'll handle it." I told him, Prometheus nodded.
"Good luck, hopefully she'll listen to you." I forced a smile, I had little confidence that I could convince Nereid to listen to me using conventional methods. I would probably have to look for a more extreme solution.
"So it seems you're here to fight." Nereid commented, looking over my attire with a careful eye. I nodded. "I don't suppose I could convince you to come with us when we finally leave?"
"Doubtful. I'm needed here. They need all the assistance they can get."
"No one else came to help?" Nereid asked me, looking more concerned for me than she was about her own safety.
"They tried – Haruka tried but the High Queen stopped them; she wants to try for peace." I explained. Nereid frowned.
"But you came anyway." The tone in her voice hinted at disapproval though concern showed clearly in her eyes. I shrugged, not knowing how to respond to the concern she was showing. You'd think after all these years I'd have gotten used to it.
"No one can stop a Martian from going to war." I murmured with a dry laugh, then I sighed. "Someone has to stop them from advancing. More planets will fall if we don't fight now."
Nereid nodded, she understood my reason for doing this. Her hand came up to rest on my arm. I gave another weak smile, trying to stop myself from revealing too much weakness. Part of me wanted to break down and ask her for advice... about everything – the war, Minako, the future. But I knew if I started now I'd never accomplish what I came here for.
"Come on, I'll find you a shuttle so you can get to safety." I stated.
"I'm not leaving until I know my people are safe." Nereid replied, the rebuke in her tone causing me to roll my eyes. It was clear to me that she wouldn't come with me as easily as I'd hoped. Hopefully I could make her see that there was only a fine line between a noble action and the action of a fool.
"Staying here could kill you." I stated, trying to make her see reason. "And that's the best case scenario."
"I won't leave my people." Nereid told me firmly, the steel in her voice. "I cannot in good conscience leave while they are in danger. How can I call myself their leader if I abandon them at the first sign of trouble.
"That's a foolish sentiment. You may not like to hear this but you're more important than them, you need to get to safety. Your planet can survive a massacre... it could not survive losing you."
"I am no more important than any one of my people." Nereid told me sharply as if I could put her into the same category as them; as if I could simply disregard the fact she had raised me. I growled, knowing there was only one way to get through to her.
"The Imperator of Uranus has already fallen, do you really want to do the same thing to Michiru? We're in a time of war, things are unstable enough as it is. Haruka and Michiru are ruling the Uranian people as best they can, they're struggling with it even if they refuse to admit it. Your death, Proteus' death, would only worsen their situation." I stated coldly, watching the emotion travel across her face as she processed this. She opened her mouth to reply, a look of determination in her eyes. She wasn't convinced. I cut across her.
"You may be willing to let that happen but I am not. So either you're getting on that shuttle willingly or we can do this gracelessly. Your choice." I warned, lowering my hand to my belt. I hated even acting like I would hurt her or make her do something against her will. But my choices were limited and time was running short.
Nereid looked astounded for a moment before taking on an annoyed expression; she seemed ready to argue further but then, unexpectedly, she folded.
"Fine." Came her short reply as she shook her head. I sighed in relief.
Much of the journey from then on was in silence. The silence was only broken when Nereid was about to board the shuttle. Prometheus had tracked down and escorted Proteus to another transport, we were hoping that separating them would keep them safer. The shadow attacks had yet to resume after the earlier skirmish... But if the attacks were to resume they would have to worry about two targets instead of one... and we had a large enough group assembled to handle the threats effectively. However the sooner we got Nereid and Proteus off planet the better.
Nereid hesitated, looking back at me like she wanted to say something.
"We won't let any harm come to your people." I promised her, leaving out the fact that I thought they would, in fact, be safer as soon as she was off-world. Nereid reached out to me, placing a hand against my cheek softly.
"Rei, I know you've probably never heard this from anyone.. but I'm proud of you. Proud of the woman you've become." Nereid told me as she hugged me goodbye. As she stepped back I found myself blinking back tears.
"I'm glad someone is." I responded with a smile.
"I will see you when you return to the Moon." Nereid murmured, her eyes were watery now. She looked like she thought this was the last time she was going to see me. I nodded.
"You will." I promised. I had every intention of returning to the Moon victorious, no matter what the Terrans would throw at us. "Have a good trip."
Nereid nodded, stepping on to the shuttle. I watch it take off and head for the sky.
MINAKO
From the very moment I stepped out on to the Terran ground I felt uneasy. A chill wrapped around me that had nothing to do with the weather. I forced a smile as I greeted the Terrans. My attention was drawn by the woman named Beryl. Now that I took a closer look at her I could feel the first stirring of fear with in me.
I forced that emotion down, attempting to get a measure of the woman. I could not help but remember Rei's earlier interaction with her. At the time I had snapped at her, I had wanted her to play nice with Terran emissaries but now I could feel nothing but unease.
This woman had changed since the last time we met. I had picked up on nothing of this... cold perfection. She was a charismatic speaker with a gentle poise and refinement that gave an air of compassion. I could actually feel it in her, that lingering warmth, but there was steel in her heart. On its own it was nothing to worry about but in her words I caught wind of her commitment. There would be very little that could cause her to waver from her path. There was nothing we could say to stop her from achieving her own ends.
She was a terrifying mix of ruthlessness and charm. There was a dark brutality about her that lay hidden under a shell of perfection. Charisma. Poise. Refinement. Compassion. Those should have been good things but instead it instilled me with terror. She would be able to sway audiences with nothing more than mere words, she wouldn't have to conquer us to win this war. Even if she couldn't persuade us... I had little doubt she could persuade our people.
I clamped down on my read of her, trying my best to stand against her dangerous allure.
Her smile when she finally came to greet me was compassionate, as if she could sense a great weight in my heart. I did my best impression of Rei - if she could stare Beryl down with out flinching, so could I.
"Lady Minako, it's a pleasure to have you with us." She greeted, giving me a bow.
"I have always desired to visit Earth, it is wonderful to finally get the chance." I replied as courteously as I could. I glanced away from Beryl to watch Princess Serenity and Endymion greet one another. I fought back a smile as I noticed awkward purity about them. They were each so earnest in the relationship, to them this was nothing but a joyous reunion.
"It is wonderful to see, is it not? It seems a shame to disturb them with something as petty as negotiations..." Beryl mused, the sincerity in her voice and emotions was disarming. I struggled to find something to say, I needed to prod at her defences as much as possible but I couldn't figure out how. I could feel how much she truly wanted Endymion to be happy. There was relief at the thought that we could actually be negotiating something that would bring him so much happiness. I could sense the doubt though... that it was never really going to happen. And the guilt over it as well.
I knew I needed something more substantial than my own readings of Beryl's emotions. If the court rejected Rei's interpretations, they would most likely do the same to mine
"It does." Setsuna agreed, appearing at my shoulder. "Perhaps that is something you and I should take up, so that they may simply enjoy each others company."
I allowed Setsuna to step in and oversee this. It was all part of the plan after all. It was a gamble though, I could sense the seduction between them. They danced along boundaries I couldn't see, I could feel it though... and I knew I had to simply trust Setsuna. There was nothing else for it.
I flicked my gaze towards Serenity and Endymion again. They were trailing further and further away from the group.
"I beg your pardon but I really must follow them, I was assigned as Serenity's guard... The circumstances which brought about this meeting has not set the Queen's mind at ease." I offered, trying to find a way to escape from Beryl's watchful eye. Michiru and I were to accompany the two love-birds. I was alone to try and draw attention away from Ami and Makoto who were going to sneak away to learn what they could.
"Perhaps Kunzite should accompany you in your duties, Lady Minako. We don't expect trouble but under the circumstances it may be prudent." Beryl offered. I nodded my acceptance and left their company. I had expected to be kept under close observation while I was here. Michiru and I would be more than a match for him. I could keep him occupied, Michiru could keep an eye on the Princess, and Ami and Makoto could be left to their own devices.
If asked about what they were doing I trusted Ami to come up with a good explanation. She was a fast thinker and would figure out a way to pass on information without anyone else catching on. The battle had begun.
BERYL
She seemed just a foolish girl a few months ago, now I saw before me a force to be reckoned with. The Venusian was a commanding presence, eyes were drawn towards her without fail... and she didn't even seem to notice. It was a subtle draw, a quiet confidence and humility which I hadn't expected of her. She had grown into herself... and had become a threat in the process.
I could tell there was something she was hiding, she did not conduct herself with the openness she had a few months ago. Behind the beauty was a cunning mind and a
I was lucky to have such a strong ally in Kunzite, he was someone who would not fail me. He would not fall prey to a pretty face, not even a Venusian one.
I paused as Kunzite joined her, her smile was slightly disconcerting. As I watched them walk off together I had the nagging feeling I had played into her hands. I turned my attention back to Setsuna, who was waiting silently – watching Lady Minako retreat to the gardens with Kunzite and the others.
SETSUNA
I watched as Minako's presence demanded Beryl's attention, distracting her from her other companions. Minako was certainly coming into her own. She had gifts and she certainly knew how to use them. The draw of a Venusian was overpowering when they wanted it to be. Add that to their ability to read the hearts of others made them into dangerous foes. They did not take kindly to being toyed with and they could be manipulative if they sensed they didn't have the upper hand.
I sighed, I still could not believe that I chose to come her and offer myself up for more torture. I was faced with impossible choices between a salvageable future I loved and the fates of people I had come to respect... cherish even.
Beryl. She was so different than anyone else I had encountered. Even Rei, with her willingness to understand and comprehend the world around her would never compare. Beryl took the knowledge she had and bent the world around it. She could make the impossible a reality through sheer force of will. It was so tempting...
But then there was Rei. Even now she was fighting for a future that was all but lost to her. She was preparing to fight a war that wasn't hers alone. Rei had told me to do what made me happy but that would betray her in the worst way. Rei would lose the war on Mar and the worlds would come tumbling down around her. I flicked through that future in my mind, seeing Beryl distraught over the loss of someone she valued. I couldn't choose that.
Not yet at least.
"Is there something on your mind?" Beryl asked. "Or more than usual?"
"You are a very singular woman." I told her, trying to look for a light at then end of this dark road. I needed a salvageable world. It just wasn't this one. At least not currently – it was up to me to change that.
REI
When Prometheus and I finally caught up to Hephaestion, his legions were already at the base of Mount Olympus, setting up camp. And it seemed that the rest of the army was making its way towards us... now all that was left was to explain the details of my plan to Prometheus.
The Ephor guided the two of us to one of the tents which would serve as our command centre. I waited for Prometheus to finish receiving various reports from his officers before launching into my plan. The information coming in was nothing surprising, after the Neptunians had departed the focus of the shadows had shifted towards Prometheus – it was evident that the shadows were heading this way in force. The rest of the army had been similiarly harried, most of the casualties were members of the chain of command in some way. Our opponents were trying to make us fall into disarray. Most armies would have... but we were Martians.
Prometheus sighed, dismissing his men from the room. He sat down on one of the seats, studying me carefully.
"You didn't seem at all surprised at their reports." He commented. I shrugged.
"It was what I thought would happen." I told him, then explained my theory as to what I thought their objectives were. They wanted to keep as many of us alive as possible, only those in charge were removed from the picture. On another planet that could have mean capture but most Martians would rather die than face that.
"And what do you propose we do to combat this? They have vastly superior numbers, they'll keep picking us off until we cave beneath their might." Prometheus prompted, pouring me a drink from a flask that had been left on the table. I took it, drinking only after he had.
"The army is gathering here. That will put our command in once place... if they want to demoralize your armies the sensible thing for them to do would be to come after you. Once they take you out of the picture many of the Martian factions you've held together would begin to fall apart." I explained, Prometheus looked like he was beginning to catch on "I say we take advantage of the fact we know their objective. If they're after you... we should use that. We can draw them to you and the Crimson Guard and then..."
"And then what? You lure them all to me, trying to spare as many of our troops as possible then what? The Crimson Guard and I wait to be slaughtered?"
"Do you know what Mount Olympus is?" I asked my brother. He rolled his eyes.
"The tales of old say it is the place closest to the gods, either way it is the place our power is strongest. But if you expect that slight advantage to carry the day..." His voice trailed off. He looked like he might be losing faith in me. I shrugged, he had explained some of my strategy.
"That's part of it. But think about it Prometheus, Mount Olympus is the largest volcano on Mars... and that is our advantage. The only one we need." Prometheus gaped at me. I allowed myself a smile. "The Terrans have been attempting something of a scorched earth policy... let's show them how to do it properly."
"I'm not sure if that's genius or simply insane... How do you expect our soldiers to get through this catastrophe? While most of the army has at least some access to the blood trait it won't be enough. What you're talking about is... so much greater than anything they can handle."
"I plan on placing Phobos and Deimos with the two flanks, they are strong enough to steer away any major threats. You will be with the Crimson Guard at the heart of the chaos, they are all fairly skilled with manipulating the element. If that's not enough, I should be able to aid in keeping you safe."
"Gods above Rei, you really think this will work?" Prometheus asked, looking over my loosely sketched plan. "We're taking a huge risk."
"Their numbers are far superior as you've seen. I believe that this is the only thing that can work. We might be sacrificing most of Mars but it will make it so we can defeat them further down the line. A large portion of their force is here... imagine if we could wipe it out completely. We could show the Terrans we are not to be trifled with. They have been toying with us... this will force them to meet us head on rather than continue to pick away at our forces. It will buy us time to convince the rest of the Alliance to join us in this fight."
Prometheus nodded, rising to his feet.
"I'll go inform the troops."
And then I was left alone in the command tent. I had forgotten how much I hated military operations, it wasn't just the killing I hated. I hated asking people to risk their lives, I hated knowing that the fates of men rested on my decisions.
"This isn't a good idea." Prometheus told me as he studied the cliffs rising above us. I looked over at him upon hearing the slightest tone of apprehension in his voice.
"Are you scared?" I asked him, feeling surprised at the possibility.
"No. I just don't exactly like the idea of bringing your corpse back to Minako. I get the feeling she won't be particularly happy with me." He grumbled. I gave him an odd look.
"You're scared of her?"
"No." He replied, sounding slightly too defensive for it to be truth. "But you should be."
"What she doesn't know won't hurt her." I commented, knowing I would do my best to keep this from her until my dying day.
"I don't think she'll find that defence particularly convincing when she finds out." Prometheus cautioned.
"The point is for her not to find out." I told him, trying to keep the irritation out of my voice. "And if we even loosely stick to the plan everything should work out."
Prometheus shrugged, looking entirely convinced.
"It will have to do I guess."
"You realize that you're at greater risk than I am, right?" I questioned, not quite understanding
"I trust you with my life... I do not, however, trust you with your own. All I ask is that you concern yourself with your own safety before that of anyone else." He sighed. "And it's not the fight that concerns me, it's the climb to the top. Even your powers won't save you if you lose your footing. It would not be a painless death either..."
I found myself looking up at the rocky cliffs above. The path continued for a few more meters then it disappeared into a confusing network of handholds.
"It's where I have to go. It's the best vantage point, I'll be able to keep an eye on everything from up there." I explained, not seeing what the problem was. The climb looked easy enough... even if it was higher than I'd ever gone before. Usually I climbed buildings on Neptune... not Martian cliff faces. At least here it was dry...
"Fine. But if you die I'm leaving you here for Minako to piece back together." He grumbled, with another shake of his head. He clearly thought I was crazy.
"I'm not going to die." I muttered as Prometheus turned back to his troops. He couldn't even bring himself to look at the cliffs any more.
BERYL
"I'm a singular woman?" I asked, allowing a laugh to pass through my lips. Coming from Setsuna that was rich.
In her presence I felt like a mouse before a cat. I knew she could see through all my petty deceptions, it was a dangerous flirtation; Setsuna was a goddess among mortals, a true deciding factor in this game. And I was attempting to toy with her like a child does with fire. In this case, getting burned was the least of my worries – whole worlds were at stake.
"The fact that you can be so convincing, even knowing what I do, is not a feat just anyone can manage." Setsuna commented. "It is, quite frankly, a terrifying notion."
"It fascinates you as well." I replied, trying not to feel stung by her words. Terrifying was not something I tried to be in her presence... or anyone else's.
"I am not accustomed to someone knowing me as you do." Setsuna admitted.
"Nor am I." I responded, meeting her eyes. "You know me better than I know myself."
"I know you well enough to say that what is between us is real." Setsuna told me softly. I reached out, wanting to lay my hand upon her arm. "I just have trouble deciding how I wish to confront this. The lines are blurred where you are concerned."
When I opened my mouth she laid a finger across my lips carefully.
"I know you are about to speak to me about what is right for me. You are not the first to do so." She told me. "The right thing... it is entirely possible to do it for the wrong reason. And is that any better or worse than doing the wrong thing for the right reason?"
She paused, a small frown gracing her lips. There was softness in her eyes despite the stern lines of her expression.
"In the eyes of many you are doing the wrong thing." She cautioned, I took her hand in mine.
"In your eyes, am I doing the right... or wrong? Are my actions anything less than pure of heart? That is all I care about at the moment." I admitted as if it were some terrible secret.
Silence entered the room as Setsuna's eyes shut. I could tell she was viewing the various outcomes. The various futures and how they ended.
"... I cannot say." She told me.
"With you by my side we can fix the worlds, we would be able to right the wrongs of this universe. All I need is your help. " I offered.
"You remind me of her you know." Setsuna told me softly, I knew exactly who she spoke of but I was unsure if she meant it in a good way or a bad way. "She is like you; eager to unite the galaxy and stop the conflict between us all. But once you step on to that path you can never stop yourself, the pressure of holding everyone together will make you fall apart. You end up abandoning things you swore to protect... all for the sake of the greater good. She has the guidance of light, Beryl, what do you have? What could possibly stop you from taking things too far?"
I paused, thinking over what words would convince her, I was trying to find a way to sway her to my side.
"In the bright light you see everything so clearly... and that prevents you from actually looking at what's going on. Because of the light you are no longer fumbling your way through the dark and trying to make sense of the world. You needed to do more than just see the world, you had to experience it.
I prefer the shadows – they teach you more about the world than does the light of day. As for what would stay my hand... who could do that better than you." I paused, brushing my hand along her arm. Seduction. It was the next logical step in the game. "You've seen so much more than the rest of us, there could never be a better ruler or adviser than you. Just imagine what we could achieve together."
"You are far more dangerous than you let on." Setsuna whispered, but she smiled.
MINAKO
As we strolled through the Terran capitol I caught Michiru's eye. It was looking awfully familiar. Michiru nodded, she too was remembering the sketch she had drawn. The sketch of Rei's vision. I looked back to Kunzite as Michiru once again focused on the Princess and Endymion.
I felt bad about assigning her the role of chaperone but she was the only one I trusted to manage the Princess alone. She had undoubtedly picked up certain skills from Rei during their time together as children. I was needed to keep Kunzite and the others occupied, if they ever showed up.
If chaos rained down upon us like we expected it might, I trusted in Michiru's ability to get the Princess to safety on her own... and if need be she and Haruka were to leave the rest of us behind.
I highly doubted that would need to happen, so far only Kunzite had shown his face and even he was seeming quite preoccupied.
We continued on our way, trailing a fair distance behind the Princess and Endymion. Kunzite was absently whistling a tune, impervious to the tension both Michiru and I were feeling.
Along the way I asked Kunzite for information about the districts we walked through, looking for any hint or information that could prove useful. I could tell Michiru was also logging this information away for future use, even if she remained completely focused on the pair in front of her.
"Where are Zoisite and Nephrite? I have yet to see them around." I asked absently, still puzzling over their absence.
"Nephrite is dealing with some business in on of our outlying lands. And Zoisite..." A fond look entered his eyes, I could feel the warmth in his heart at the mere thought of the other man.. "Is tangled up with something or other in one of the labs. As always."
Then he paused, giving me a curious look.
"And what of your companions? I noticed that they seemed rather anxious to get away."
I paused, trying to come up with a suitable lie. I realized why he had avoided the topic of his partners... he was covering for them in the same way I was covering for Makoto and Ami. I could still avoid too much suspicion being placed on them if I came up with a story fast enough.
"They have been trying to get some seclusion for some time. They have been growing closer these last few months and have been seeking out seclusion with more and more frequency." I replied, deciding to keep it close to the truth. "Despite the fact we are supposed to be here to offer you aid, they're probably hiding away in one of your libraries. Ami out of academic curiosity and Makoto because she loathes to leave Ami alone."
"Ah, so they are playing at being tourists" Kunzite chuckled, sounding far more convinced than I expected. I couldn't pick up any mistrust from him either. "That sounds far more interesting than the drudgery of the Palace. If we run into them I might advise them to visit the Circus grounds, we have a wonderful selection of beasts from around the globe. Perhaps it might persuade the Jovian to visit again when we go on our annual hunting trip."
I smiled at him.
"An annual hunting trip, I'm sure she would enjoy the experience."
"I'm sure I would as well. I could definitely stand to see Nephrite taken down a peg or two. He's insufferable, it certainly doesn't help that the rest of us are all rather useless when it comes to the practice."
"I imagine your skills lie elsewhere." I prompted. Kunzite laughed, his good nature was already beginning to put me off guard. I had to focus on the fact that he was probably trying to play me as much as I was him.
"Absolutely. Chasing wild game through a forest has never been my thing. I much prefer other... sport." He replied with a roguish grin. The playful tone in his voice certainly made me want to engage in the banter.
"And Zoisite?" I asked. The fondness I felt before entered his being again.
"Give him a day in his work shop and he's happy. He'll tinker away at some project or another for days at a time. He's good at it too. Makes things I've never seen before." Kunzite explained. "A man of magic and science, I swear he's brought Earth forward decades by himself."
I nodded, wondering if Zoisite was connected to the creation of those shadows in some way. Hopefully Ami would be able to make some sense of what was going on... if she ever found what she was looking for. If Zoisite was involved I had the feeling she would have her work cut out... it sounded like he was quite the genius.
As for Nephrite, I still couldn't quite get a read on him. He sounded formidable. They complemented each other the way we did, they all had their strengths and weaknesses. Kunzite was very obviously the better leader though, he had experience with his team that I did not. And now they were all generals in their own right, we were simply soldiers.
REI
The cold was just beginning to make itself known in my fingers as I climbed on to one of the ledges that dotted their way up the cliff face. The air was starting to thin, my breath leaving a white haze behind. I began to focus on bringing forth my power, trying to dispel some of the chill. I allowed my mind to sink into a meditative state as I resumed the climb, accessing the power needed for the coming task would take some time. If I was even able to control such a force.
I would need to be sure of what I was about to do... I needed to be sure of myself. I brought my focus deeper within myself, ignoring the fact I was scaling a mountain. I trusted my ability to make this climb... the rest of it was a little less clear. The borders between worlds was thin here, the transition of power was easier. Perhaps that was what I needed... a little guidance never hurt.
My concentration deepened, I was now only vaguely aware of the fact I was pulling myself ever higher. The heat had finally begun to work its way down my fingers, spreading through out me until it encompassed my body. I could feel strength beginning to course through my body. I opened my eyes to a different landscape.
"You seek my counsel again?" Ares asked me, sounding amused. "You certainly don't seem as though you need my help..."
"I felt this visit was warranted. Last time we spoke you made it clear that I had a purpose, I'm still not entirely certain what that purpose is." I explained.
"Your purpose is war. If it were not for the events currently unfolding, you would not exist. There would be no reason for you." Ares replied. "You are both the glory and the pain of war. You are blood-lust, you are mercy. You are the god of war made of flesh and blood. I do not define you... you are simply what you are. You may have a purpose but what you do with that purpose is unclear. And it is not up to me to judge who you are or what you do."
I remained silent for what seemed an eternity. Ares watched me just as carefully as he had during my last visit. Finally I found the words to speak and the questions to ask.
"I heard talk of your last Avatar, Menoetius – the Bonehunters say he was a man of peace in a time of great struggle... the rest condemn him as a traitor to his own rule. When looking at how things turned out...were you mistaken in choosing him?"
Ares seemed to catch my underlying accusation. If he could make such a mistake what was stopping him from doing it again?
"Menoetius was not a mistake, he was a solution to a problem. All in all, a good man in the end... but he was not pure." Ares told me, his hand settling on my shoulder. "Menoetius strayed from his convictions in the end, he was trying too hard to live up to the image his followers had created. It was in that folly that Mars ended up where it is today. I can only hope that you have more trust in yourself than he did.
"What I'm saying is that you should not listen to an external morality system. What is in your heart should be your only guide... do not concern yourself with the morals of others. When you do that, you betray my faith. If you listen to your heart, you shall not falter."
I blinked sweat out of my eyes as finally pulled myself up on to the final tapering ridge. I was breathing heavily as I knelt by the cliffs edge, looking across the chilled landscape.
The mountain top was eerily quiet. I got to my feet as quietly as possible, it felt as though I was intruding on something.
I just didn't know what.
I shook my head, I needed to ignore that for now and prepare for the task at hand. The time was drawing near, even from this height I could hear a rising commotion. The plan was in motion, it was almost time to spring the trap. I needed to summon what strength I could to vanquish the shadows.
I approached the cliff at a different spot which over looked the battle field below, it was sheltered from the rising winds by a small rock outcrop. I settled down behind it, knowing I would need to avoid as many distractions as I could. I needed to concentrate. It wouldn't do to burn the planet from the inside out.
Just as I settled into a comfortable stance, I felt an insistent tug at my heart. A darkness thrashed at the edges of my mind. I tensed, looking over my shoulder from my place of refuge. A crackle of energy spread across the ridge, growing larger as black tendrils stretched outwards.
I shielded my eyes as the darkness exploded in a wave of nothingness, rocks and dust swirled outwards. I braced myself for the concussive force. I knew what was going to happen, I'd felt this before.
I hunkered down out of sight as a form emerged from the portal. I caught a glance of the dark haired Terran general, Nephrite. I gritted my teeth, not knowing why he was here. Had Beryl and the others guessed the reason for the visit to Earth? I felt a pang of fear in my heart. Was Minako alright? Were the others?
I risked another glance at the Terran, still trying to figure out what he was doing here, behind him spun a pool of darkness. He walked to the edge of the cliff near where I had climbed up but instead of looking for tracks or searching for some sign of me he simply looked down at the landscape below.
It clicked for me. He was here for the exact same reason I was. It was the best vantage point from which to watch the battle. He was here to command his forces. I took a deep breath and left my secluded spot.
If he was here to take charge, dealing with him could only improve our chances. I didn't need to kill him, incapacitating him until the battle was done would serve my purpose just as well. Then I could bring him to the Moon and wring a full confession out of him.
He spun around at the sound of my footsteps as I approached him on the cliffs edge, the portal gleaming at the corners of our eyes.
"Nephrite." I greeted.
NEPHRITE
The sound of footsteps startled me. I had thought that I was alone in this section of Martian wasteland. Surely no one would have been foolhardy enough to make the summit. I turned around, automatically raising defences about me. They sputtered out of existence as I saw who it was.
"Nephrite." She greeted, looking as she had the last time I'd seen her. Not as though she'd just stepped out of the grave.
"Rei?" I asked. I had seen some odd stuff these last few years but this certainly was the strangest. All the reports had indicated that she had died after an encounter with Jadeite's forces.
"You... you're alive." I murmured in awe. "But how is that possible?"
The next thought that sprung to mind was Zoisite's vague allusions to the research he had been conducting with Jadeite. The soul conversion. If Rei was here had it worked? As far as we knew everyone had died from the attempts. Jadeite had been under the impression that if Rei survived we would be able to control her somehow. We'd be able to save her.
"And why on Earth do you expect me to be dead?" Rei asked. I was just beginning to sense a rise of danger in her. I realized I had given away too much about our involvement. I had knowledge that I shouldn't... and my carelessness had just exposed us.
"We'd had word of an attack on the Moon. We were told of your encounter." I said, attempting to come up with a plausible explanation for what I knew. I was carefully reaching out with my senses trying to pick up on some hint or evidence of the soul conversion.
"Obviously you weren't told the whole story..." Rei said lowly, a smirk was beginning to show on her face. It was obvious she was taking pleasure in catching me off guard. I decided to try a different tactic.
"It wasn't personal Mars, it wasn't even what Beryl wanted. It was Jadeite..." I amended upon seeing that she didn't believe me. I felt owning up to it was the best way to get her to listen to me. If I could just explain what was going on maybe this wouldn't have to end in a slaughter.
That wasn't what Beryl wanted. She had killed Jadeite for killing Rei, I'd hate to end up in similar circumstances. I had nothing against Rei personally, I just needed to get confirmation on my orders. Having Rei here completely changed things, I wasn't sure what Beryl would want me to do. Surely not kill Rei...
I had sensed some thing out of place in her. It felt familiar, there was darkness there. Hopefully I'd be able to grasp that and try and manipulate the outcome in our favour.
I needed to get back to Earth and explain what had happened. My eyes flicked towards the portal then back to Rei. I studied her carefully. Something in her eyes told me she was alone here. She was fighting alone. If she was here... where were the others?
I kept my thoughts to myself.
"It's actually a relief to see you well. Beryl was quite distraught when she heard of your demise." I tried, lacing my words with some of the dark seduction we were all so go at now
"What makes you think I give a damn about that?" She growled. I was still trying to get a handle on flicker of darkness I'd felt in her. I didn't want to bring her under my own will, I just wanted this to end well for both of us.
"I'm trying to be reasonable. Neither of us want a war here, I'm trying to tell you we can stop this before it gets out of hand. You and I can stop this before any blood is shed."
"And how would we do that? Surely you won't just order your army to stand down?" Rei asked, glaring at me. I absently wondered if she could feel some thing out of the ordinary... Or maybe she was just naturally this hostile. I wouldn't blame her, what we'd learned of her was quite tragic actually.
"You being alive changes things Mars. Beryl wouldn't want to do anything to further push you away from our cause, she'll want to know you're alive. She'll be happy to know this outcome can be changed." I proceeded, trying to offer her a way out. I remembered what Beryl had told me of her offer towards Rei. The longing on Rei's face when offered a life without having to become a weapon was all we needed.
"Why would I want her to know I'm alive?" She asked me lowly. I grasped on the life with out war line of thought as my mind gripped that line of
"It would stop the war. You want that, don't you?" I offered, and having a firm grasp on the darkness I'd discovered. I tugged on it firmly.
"I do." Her voice was soft, almost regretful. I smiled, thankful that I'd gotten a hold of it in time. I turned towards the portal, confident that the conversation was over and I could return for new orders.
There was a flash of flames before my eyes.
So this was how it was going to go.
PROMETHEUS
Just as planned the Martian army allowed their walls to crumble, allowing the shadows to charge into our midst. The Crimson Guard closed ranks around me, keeping a defensive position as we were slowly forced back until we were cornered against the mountains steep cliffs.
As we continued to fight, I realized I could not feel any tremors coming from the ground beneath our feet. Realizing something was amiss I sent out a protective shield of fire around us. It would buy us some time... help us avoid a slaughter for the time being. I could feel the Crimson Guard's power join mine in our defence.
I looked upwards to the summit of mount Olympus. Where was Rei? Had something happened to her? Worry chewed at my insides as I struggled to keep the wall of flame surrounding myself and the Crimson Guard. Time passed slowly, each moment a battle in and of itself.
Shadows threw themselves at the protective ring around us, trying to get through without heed for their own well being. My strength would eventually fade, I could not withstand this onslaught forever. The tide of darkness would not be held back for long.
Even now I watch as my own soldiers dropped from the fatigue of using the blood trait for so long. As their numbers dwindled, my own power waned. The brunt of each attack fell upon my shoulders alone.
We were losing.
Where was Rei?
REI
I raised a wall of flame between Nephrite and the portal as he turned to leave. I couldn't let him to return to Earth, he would warn his allies of what was going on. And that would put Minako and the others in danger... and I couldn't allow that to happen.
"I can't let you leave." I told him dangerously as I approached. He turned back to face me, frustration was clear on his face.
"I can stop the war on Mars if you just let me talk to Beryl. We can fix everything... no one has to die here." He explained, there was an almost pleading tone to his voice. My eyes narrowed. Chances were he could stop the war on Mars but what would happen if he was allowed to return was far worse than the destruction we faced here.
"I already stated my terms. Don't make me kill you, I really would rather not." I told him, I had already given him one warning. He would not get another. I prayed he would not be foolish.
"You may not like it but I have to get back. I'm willing to go through you if I have to." He informed me. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You're welcome to try." I dared, silently hoping that it wouldn't come to a battle. I knew better though, so when he drew his sword I had already closed the distance between us and brought my fist to his face.
I could feel his nose break under my blow. As he reeled back he let go of his sword with one hand to assess the damage. I seized on that movement, snaking one foot around his and he tumbled to the ground. I gritted my teeth as I gripped his arm and hand then twisted. There was a howl of agony as his wrist broke.
I took a step back, placing myself between him and the portal, as I released my grip.
"I will take you apart piece by piece if you make me. Surrender before something happens that we both regret." I offered, trying to avoid more violence. His arm was cradled against his chest but he held his sword steady as he rose. This time his approach was more cautious.
He was brave, I would give him that. Brave and proud.
I stayed between him and the portal even as I evaded the swing of his sword. Pain stabbed through my chest, I risked a glance downwards. There was nothing there. Probably just a recurring ache from my encounter with the shadow. I pushed it aside as he launched another attack.
Again I ducked under his sword, this time a spurt of blood began to drip from my arm. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the flash of darkness that had caused it. Nephrite's eyes were narrowed in concentration.
"Like I said, I am willing to hurt you if I have to." He told me. I allowed the distance to increase between us again.
We sized each other up again. His focus had lapsed somewhat as he eyed me carefully.
"I thought you said you wanted to avoid this war?" He asked, clearly not understanding what I was doing... or why.
"I do. But it has to happen, there's more at stake here than just Mars." I replied. A look of comprehension crossed his face.
"You're here alone..." His eyes widened, his voice was accusatory. "Your companions are on Earth. What are they doing?!"
There was agony in his voice, a kind of desperation I'd never heard before. He lunged for the portal, I pivoted to intercept him. My elbow catching him in the jaw.
"You should be on our side..." He said softly as he stumbled back from my blow, blood dripping from his mouth and nose. I was watching him over my shoulder and even then I knew what was about to happen. I spun around as his foot caught on a rock.
He tripped and fell over the edge of the cliff as I dove towards him trying to catch a hold of his arm.
I skidded through the dirt at the edge of the cliff, unable to watch as he fell – knowing there was nothing I could do to stop it. I closed my eyes, hearing the snap of bones as he met with rock far below. I looked away, making back to my hands and knees as I watched the portal fade away. This was exactly what I didn't want to happen.
A portal would have to be open on both ends, the Terran end had probably disappeared at the same time as this one. They would know something was amiss. I had given them warning as easily as Nephrite would have had I allowed him to return. I growled out a curse, ignoring that for now. I had to. There was nothing I could do to help them.
I closed my eyes, reaching towards the bond between us somewhere deep inside of me. I need the reassurance that she's alright. My consciousness warms as I brush against it, power courses through me. Trust your heart.
I chuckle, opening my eyes as flames rise from the mountain around me. The link between Minako and I mirrored that of Ares and Aphrodite's back in the day and I draw strength from that and the land around me. Below me I feel the planet beginning to rumble and shake.
I looked out across the plains below me, this planet still held power over me. The land and all the associated memories made it all too easy to bring down the kind of destructive power that used to terrify me. Blood lust began to rise up, but it was controlled in a way I had never felt before. Despite the fact I was giving myself over to the path of war I kept a firm grasp on the blood lust.
It still lingered at the corners of my being, struggling to break free and consume. I focused on Minako, she was all that really mattered now and was one of the few things worth protecting. I would take the path of war and the blood lust, it was the only thing that could save her and all I loved.
Below me Mount Olympus erupted. The air was thick with ash as I surveyed the scene before me. Fire and Martian wrath rained down from above, vanquishing all it touched.
And from somewhere deep inside of me I could feel the God of War smile.
KUNZITE
There was an ache about my body as I felt the portal to Mars disintegrate. It was time to stop stalling. This game was over.
I sent Minako a grin.
"Come on, I think it's about time we got the two love-birds to dinner." I prompted, doing my best to keep her unaware of the concern within me.
"It is getting rather late." She commented, watching me carefully. I cursed myself, I was letting my carefree facade slip.
I could no longer simply just run interference, I needed to gain some actual information from her. I had the feeling she had all the cards currently, there was no way the Martians could have prevailed without Minako having something up her sleeve.
Especially since she had managed to sever Nephrite's contact with us and she wasn't even on the same planet as him. There was something wrong here.
Despite the fact I wanted to run towards the courtyard that held the portal I restrained myself and we continued on at our sedate pace. Halfway there we encountered Beryl and Setsuna.
Relief washed over me.
"Kunzite, I was hoping to catch you before dinner. Zoisite just called me, apparently he has lost contact with Nephrite. I would appreciate it if you would go help him resolve it." Beryl requested, I could see the tenseness about her body. She was uneasy.
A flash of knowledge passed through me, a silent victory. I looked towards Minako, from whom the sensation had radiated from.
"He wouldn't happen to be on Mars, would he?" She asked and then I knew that the gleam in her eyes would not bode well for us.
I watched as the other companion stepped between us and the Princess.
MINAKO
I had finally put it together. This break down in communication between them and Nephrite had probably only happened because of Rei... and that could only mean that they were winning. Or at least had the advantage. Relief flooded through me.
"He wouldn't happen to be on Mars, would he?"
The expression on Kunzite's face was all I needed to know. I decided to push a bit farther to try and get confirmation of our suspicions. Either way this was probably going to end poorly between us. It seemed diplomacy was failing us.
"Rei's presence on Mars could have something to do with your lapse in communication with Nephrite." I commented, knowing that we could catch them in a lie right here and now. Surprising Beryl was probably the only way to do that. If they were responsible for the attack on Rei then they would believe her to be dead... and they would show surprise at her being alive
"Rei?" Beryl choked out, horror rang out in the name. I did my best to ignore the concern and guilt that that was there. I could handle the fact she was afraid of Rei being alive, I couldn't handle knowing that she felt guilt over Rei's death. Or the fact that Rei was now fighting for Mars... it was too similar to the feelings I was trying to block out. "She's alive?"
She realized her mistake more quickly than I had expected. And we were now in a very precarious position. We were on a planet full of hostiles... and they knew that we had been attempting to play them.
We had successfully goaded them into revealing their intentions, now all we had to do was escape and inform the rest of the Alliance.
One of the doors opened and Zoisite came tearing out of the Terran palace to take his place beside Kunzite. They both drew weapons, their shadows appearing to grow as the darkness spread.
As Beryl stepped closer, I could feel a heart wrenching shadow wrap around me. There was a painful fury in the air about us, I stepped between her and the Princess, gesturing for Michiru to leave.
But she didn't. Instead she brushed by me, water exploded out of one of the near by fountains – blasting Kunzite off his feet.
"Go Minako." She told me calmly, the water churning about her. As if sensing I was going to protest, she looked over her shoulder at me. "For Rei."
That was all I needed to hear, I turned back to grab the Princess but found her tightly held in Endymion's arms. I drew my sword.
"Release her." I ordered. He jerked back as though stung. Though he didn't back away. He met my eyes after glancing at his friends.
"I don't belong here." He told me, his emotions unable to lie about his feelings. The regret over the loss of his friends... and the overwhelming affections for the Princess. "I am not leaving her side."
"Then move." I growled. "The shuttle is that way."
I shoved them both in the direction of the shuttle, as there was an explosion of darkness above my head
SETSUNA
I watched as Minako guided the Princess to the shuttle. My mind told me to ignore them, they would escape even if no one else did. I knew this even as Kunzite and Zoisite slipped past Michiru to pursue them.
Upon their return to the Moon the arms race would begin. The Old Ones were awakening fully. The end was in sight and there was only one decision I could make. In truth, I had made it when I refused to reveal Rei's presence on Mars earlier. I had chosen to side with Rei in that moment... just as I would choose to side with Michiru in this one.
I could not stand by and watch a friend die. Beryl may have been tempting but I could not abandon my friends to their fate. Hopefully this would not always be the case.
A shadow lunged towards Michiru and with a flick of my hand, it was torn apart by time.
"A step to your left Michiru, if you don't mind." I requested idly, she obeyed without question. A shadow emerged from the ground where she had stood a split second before... and then it was washed away by a torrent of water. Michiru seemed at peace even though she was becoming fatigued.
"If you continue on that way, you'll encounter Makoto and Ami. They seem to be in need of some assistance. I will hold Beryl here." I told her with a smile.
Michiru disappeared in the direction I had indicated. The shadows ceased their attack on me.
"So this is your decision?" Beryl asked me, breaking the sudden calm. A sadness filled me.
"It must be."
"I am sad to hear that." She whispered, stepping closer.
"As am I." I told her.
"Go then, if you must." She replied before her lips met mine. Eternity disappeared for one blissful minute and then I turned my back and walked away.
Leaving Beryl behind to take over my future.
AMI
I had known nothing good could come of breaking into someone else's lab, yet I did it anyway. Curiosity had won out over self preservation and now it seemed Makoto and I were in some trouble. Behind us a howling mass of shadows followed. We weren't going to be allowed to escape with the knowledge we'd uncovered.
The twisting streets of the Capital drew us further into the heart of the island. We were being drawn too far off course, too far away from the rendezvous point.
Then just in front of us rose the temple we'd seen outlined in Zoisite's notes and Michiru's sketch. As far as I could tell it was the heart of the great machine they had built. A machine which stretched beneath the entire city. The Isle of Atlas was the device they used to power the soul conversion Rei had spoken of. It concentrated the power in levels I'd never seen. It was something wholly evil. And no good would ever come of it.
I met Makoto's eyes, she was thinking the same thing that I was. We needed to destroy it, no matter the cost. I reached down and took her hand in mine and we raced towards the temple. Somehow, miraculously, Michiru met us at the base of the Temple and though we didn't speak of our plan we all ascended it together.
"We need to destroy it." I told Michiru, as we reached the summit.
"How are we going to do that?" Makoto asked, as she spun – blowing apart an approaching shadow off with a well aimed jolt of electricity. "The thing is massive!"
Michiru looked over at me.
"We can sink it. It's an island." She offered.
"A man made island." I agreed. It was the only viable option. Makoto nodded, understanding that while she couldn't exactly help with the sinking, she certainly could keep the shadows off our back. Her eyes shut in an expression of utmost concentration and massive thunderclouds built up around us.
A gigantic thunderclap sounded all around us, the electricity sparked across the steps of the temple. I looked over at Michiru and together we called upon the water.
MINAKO
As the shuttle picked up speed I couldn't help but feel a little terrified. The way Haruka's eyes narrowed in concentration and the winds began to howl did not make me feel any safer. The wind whipped around the craft with such intensity that I thought it would be torn in two.
Setsuna stepped into the cockpit, settling into the other chair with an air of calm.
"This the other journey you mentioned? The one that might not end so well?" Haruka asked, a joking tone in her voice... though I caught the smallest hint of fear in her emotions. Beneath the adrenaline it was hard to pick up on but it was still there.
"Perhaps."
"Not filling me with a lot of confidence here Sets." Haruka laughed, the doubt in her was growing.
"You're a better pilot when you're scared." Setsuna commented softly. I wasn't sure if Haruka heard her but I found my eyes glued to her in shock. Had she had an entire conversation with Haruka earlier simply to plan for this event? To ensure Haruka was at her best?
I looked away. I got the feeling I simply didn't want to know.
"Towards the centre of the town Haruka. Michiru is waiting for you there." Setsuna guided. Haruka's grip on the throttle tightened.
I left the two of them in the front, returning to the passenger bay where Endymion and Princess Serenity were buckled into their seats.
When he saw me enter the room, Endymion fumbled for the straps holding him in place and stood.
"Do you require any assistance?" He asked. I shook my head, grabbing on to one of the safety bars and pulling the shuttle door open. Below me I could see the temple rising towards us, the wind was bitterly cold as it swept sheets of rain into the interior of our transport.
The next time I glanced at him I could see he was focused on the three on top of the temple.
"They are trying to sink it?" He wondered aloud, no doubt feeling the power of their blood traits raging against his own. I could see the water flooding inwards, we only had a few minutes to get them to safety. He nodded, as I reached out towards Michiru and the others.
They appeared reluctant to abandon their task.
"Tell them to get in. I shall make their job easier." He informed me, raising an arm. I yelled his encouragement to them over the screams of the wind and shadows. The ground began to shake beneath the temple.
Michiru was the first to leap in, followed closely by Ami. Makoto lingered for another second. There was a blinding flash of light. The thirty or so shadows that had been closing in simply disappeared.
The crackle of electricity was in the air, the winds howled their fury sweeping large waves towards the shore. Beneath us I could see the land tremor, looking almost ready to give way. I reached out, catching on to Makoto's arm as Haruka began to gain altitude. Endymion's arm around my waist steadied me as I pulled Makoto into the shuttle.
"You're going to want to get strapped in." Haruka cautioned as the storm's fury intensified.
The land gave a tentative shudder before beginning to cave. And with that, the isle of Atlas sunk beneath the waves.
AN: Well, I apologize profusely. I 'thought' I had uploaded this my last time home (about two months ago) and, well, I guess it didn't work. And since I haven't had internet since that day, I didn't realize what had happened until I got home the other night. Hopefully it's worth the wait and all that – I tinkered around with the POV order a bit before uploading as I wasn't quite satisfied with the previous version. I also blended it with 75% of the next chapter...and it makes much more sense this way. So I guess it's kind of a good thing it didn't update? Anyway, I still haven't properly edited it as my job kind of took priority. I'll take a look at it soon and get the next chapter updated as soon as it's finished. It should be pretty short, so hopefully it won't take too long.