Getting Christen Back
The school was even more destroyed the Demi's house had been after the Succubus had tried to murder her parents for her blood. Everything was left was huge holes that still burned with cursed fire. The ground was the color of dried blood and the trees were twisted, charred and dead.
They didn't have time to think about the hellish and desecrated nightmare around them, they only could think of the one about to become a reality. They knew without a doubt the Succubus had found a way to free more demons from the enchanted graves that were meant to keep them imprisoned and now they'd captured the girls' fellow classmates. Which meant only one things.
Those students were to be used as host bodies for the demons just as the Succubus was still using Demi's body as her own. And from what the kittens had been able to analyze from the recent data they'd gathered there was a cost to being a host body to a demon.
Given how fragile Demi had seemed when they'd met her and the other highly advance scans and test they'd run indiscreetly from all the attacks the Succubus and actually a piece of hair they'd found at the house belonging to the Succubus they'd learn disturbing and fatal details about how the new form of demonic possession actually worked.
Demi the real Demi was dying. Her mind and body were severally weaken by the 15 years of abuse she'd suffered from her parents and the toll of being possessed by the demon was burning through her life-force so fast she'd be dead soon.
Meaning most likely the Demons were looking for only the healthiest bodies and also because of the longevity the Silver Crystal granted to the people and the same went for the Heart of the Sea they really wanted only the best of the best.
So like any parasite they took all they could from you till the host shut down. And right now they're looking for the ultimate host bodies that could provide for them forever. So most likely they wanted perfect and powerful bodies.
There was no time to think or really plan they'd only had two course of action to do. But they're divided on who should do what. The girls mothers said they should be the ones to go to the cemetery to rescue the students before they'd became host bodies and their daughters should be the ones to head back to the Palace and wait for the battle to come. As well as sent a message to Orca's people to come to the land ASAP for they'd need their help once again if they'd wanted even a prayer of sealing the Demons away again and hopefully for good this time.
The girls argued with their mothers that this was their job and it was time they'd stop treating them like helpless children and that if they're ever gonna become true Senshi warriors this was the time and place. They'd couldn't protect them forever and it was time for them to also rescue Christen before she was likely made into a host body as well!
The bickering went on for a few minutes till two waves of light erupted between them and glowing in-between the groups were the two princess starting to look a little like that final image the Moon Mystifier had shown them.
"Please we cannot fight among ourselves and waste time. That is what they're hoping for! We must act as one! United in the harmony brought together by love and friendship! That's where our true strength and power lies!" Chibiusa declared.
"The demons have no honor and only live to do harm and evil. They don't understand anything about the light of purity. That light of love, friendship and unity! Please we can banish the darkness by using the light found within ourselves!
If we united now in all forms of this light. In all forms of love, friendship, hope, faith and family, then we'll finally accomplish that which couldn't be done the last time. And this time we'll have two generations united together in this light!
So please find this light within and quickly! For it is only by finding this light within you that is gonna get rid of these demons for good!" Orca proclaimed loudly as she and Chibiusa held hands tightly and they're glowing to show they'd found the light within them and how strong it was.
The rest of the Senshi taken aback by the young girls' words for a moment let them sink in but understood all the same. The girls' mother conceded and hugged their daughters tightly letting their tears of love and pride flow down their daughter's faces as a way to show their love and pride for their daughters.
Before they left they asked Orca if she was really going. As they pointed out it was 4:30. Orca pointed out it was daylight saving time and the sun wouldn't set for many hours and she was willing to risk her life for this mission. For it was her people were at risk and the world and that was worth risking her life any day of the weak.
With one more hug the adult Senshi teleported back to Palace to wait for the battle there and to call upon the Aqua Senshi both the adult ones and their own daughters to aid them in the inevitable battle that was coming their way.
The other girls turned and looked grim. They knew this would be the toughest and scariest thing they're about to do in their short time as Senshi but they're ready. But how to get to the Cemetery which surely the Demons had now used their own dark magic to make entry impossible except for themselves?
It was then a message came from the kittens who said there something unexpected on their computers. A very faint energy signature of Christen! Almost as if her life force was all but gone but it was there.
They told the girls if they're to concentrate their energy and use Christen's energy like a homing beacon they'd be able to get to her location and bypass anything the demons or residual magic their mother's had used before.
The girls argued that meant teleporting and they never done that before but Chibiusa pointed out desperate times called for desperate measures and anyway they'd needed to rescue their friend and also they'd owed her an apology too.
So with pure determination and strength of will they'd joined hands and focused all their will power on Christen and willed themselves to be near her. The girls become pure energy and in a flash of light they disappeared and when they reappeared they found themselves in dark, odorous and spider webbed covered catacombs.
Didn't take a genius to realize they're under the cemetery. Even under where the demons' enchanted coffins had been buried under their magical crystal gravestones.
They didn't stop to take in the sights they got right down to business and that was following the creepy raspy voices singing in tongues. It was tricky trying to pinpoint which of the twisting tunnels it was coming from due to the echoing and knowing every second counted.
Eventually Orca was able to use a power similar to how dolphin's used echolocation to sort out where the sound was coming from to bring them to center of the catacombs and what they saw scared them speechless.
They could tell some twisted dark ritual was being performed from what they're witnessing. In the center of the room was a huge blackish red crystal that looked like a huge fire that within seemed to burn a real fire of some unidentified color.
Merged with this strange crystal were their classmates all looking like half dead corpse no doubt the fire within was really their life-force energy being drained inside this massive crystal.
Below them there were black candles and satanic markings being drawn all under the directions of the Succubus ordering her fellow demons around. There was the sharping sound as someone in a very dark corner was sharping twisted daggers to be used to make bloodstones for the possession.
Everyone made an almost silent gasp when they realized it was Christen but they also could see something in Christen's eyes they hadn't seen before. She looked truly sick, frighten and revolted. Like she wasn't doing this willingly as if she was now in fear of her life and was only doing this to be avoid being made a host body or being put to death.
They could tell the Succubus was growing impatient by her tone and how she was treating everyone. She created an energy whip and smacked everyone with it but it was when she whipped Christen for not sharping the daggers fast enough and still called her weak that everyone just snapped!
The girls came pouring in and shout in unison HOW DARE SHE! HOW DARE SHE HAVE THE ADUICTY TO EVEN STRIKE A FELLOW FRIEND AND SENSHI LIKE THAT?!
THEY WOULDN'T FORGIVE HER FOR ANY OF HER SINS BUT THEY WHAT THEY WON'T FORGIVE HER THE MOST FOR WAS ATTACKING THEIR FRIEND!
And with that the battle was on! Soon it was hell on earth as the demons had reclaimed some of their dark powers and soon the Neo Senshi and Sailor Amphitrite were fighting with passion and fury try and break up the ritual and save everyone.
Christen was watching stunned in the corner her mind was racing with many different images and her own feelings. For so long she'd felt like an outcast because of her vastly different interests from her fellow Senshi or her inherit divination powers or worried she might causes her parents to split.
And yet just hearing those words from her fellow Senshi? That they did care for her? That they were her friends despite everything? That they did accept her for her? And right now they're pissed off because the Succubus had attack her? Despite her betrayal they're fighting for her?! Had she been so consumed by her own insecurities she hadn't seen the truth that was there all along?
She wanted to transform and help but couldn't as all her powers were gone as her pendent was dull and colorless. But she was desperate to help and it was killing her now that her friends were knocked out cold and knowing that they'd be used for host bodies.
And she knew the Succubus wanted Chibiusa for her new body having heard her talk about nothing else since she'd restored the bloodstones. Christen didn't realize till just then how much Chibiusa really meant to her nor had she realized how much her other friends meant to her.
She remember the vow she'd taken when she'd become a Senshi and she thought of her mother at the moment and knew she couldn't break her heart like this. She whispered silently that if she could do anything at that moment to atone for a single mistake a moment of selfness and weakness please let her.
The other girls tiara jewels glowed and their powers were transferred into Christen's pendant and it turned red again. Knowing it was time to atone for her mistakes she yelled her catchphrase and become one more Sailor Neo Mars and then attack the Succubus just as she was closing in on an unconscious Chibiusa.
"STAY AWAY FROM MY FRIENDS YOU BITCH! PHOENIX STRIKE!" she bellowed and the most beautiful and graceful phoenix came out her and struck down the Succubus and sent her through five feet of the wall.
Neo Mars went over to Neo Moon and helped her up. "You okay?"
"Neo Mars? How?"
"I'm sorry, but the why or how going to have to wait till we get everyone out of her. We have to break up the rest of the ritual and get the students out here first!"
"You're right, Neo Mars. Do you have a plan?"
She looked startled that Neo Moon was asking her for a plan but she nodded, "The Crystal Fire. If we cause enough damage to it the demons will lose some power. It will weaken them and give the students some of their energy back."
"Do you think we can teleport the students out in same groups? There no way we can get one large group out at once. We just don't have that kind of power? Oh I'm Princess Orca aka Sailor Amphitrite by the way. Nice to finally meet you, Neo Mars." Orca introduce herself with a handshake.
"You're the mermaid that the Succubus mentioned when she said how it was lucky you caused a distraction so she could escape with the blood, aren't you?"
"Yes, but that's not important now. What is you telling us what to do?"
"We need powerful attacks to take down the Crystal Fire so we need our powerhouses to attack the Crystal and then I guess the other inner can teleport small groups out and the three of us can provide cover fire for everyone?" she suggested timidly.
"Good plan. Let's transfer some extra power to our friends to help them," as the three of them placed their hands over their brooches and focused their energies and their energy flowed into everyone else.
They quickly got their second wind and followed Neo Mars's plan quickly before the Succubus and demons had time to recover.
The Neo Outer Senshi start to attack the Crystal Fire from all sides trying to bring it down and they're doing a great job of doing a lot of damage but their powers also could do no harm to the lives of the innocent students.
Once they destroyed Crystal Fire the Inner Senshi working together Crystal, Gracie and Ariel would do quick teleportation trips back and forth. Soon joined by the Outer Senshi once their job was done destroying the Crystal Fire.
Then before the last three Senshi depart and hopefully weak the demons Christen first made a ring of fire to protect them and then combining the powers of the Scepter of Moonlight and Crystal Trident they sent out a cleansing wave of power to do as much damage as possible and give them time to escape.
They manage to teleported just outside the boundaries of the Crystal Palace and it was then Chibiusa turn to Christen and hugged her and whispered. "I'm sorry Christen."
"Huh? Why? I should be sorry! I acted like an idiot and jerk. It's because of me many of these bad things are happening because I was blinded by my own foolish misconceptions instead of seeing what the whole time was really there. Or admitting I was just jealous of you a little bit."
"But I should've been a better friend and listened to what was troubling you and listen to all my friends' ideas and let them all give me advice. I cannot be a good leader if I don't let my team help me lead and sometime let others lead when I cannot do it. I wasn't being a good friend and I need to be a friend first and a leader second. So I'm sorry too."
"Sounds like you both learned something from each other and maybe this is what I needed to learn to help me with my own team. Come let's get back to the Palace. The battle will soon come our way and we need to fight. Are you ready, Christen?"
Nodding. "I'm ready but first I need to see my mother and let her know I'm safe and I'm okay."
"Let's go find your mother then."
"Yes, oh and my mother would like you to know Christen you've already been extended an invitation to come to the Kingdom of the Crystal Seas should we defeat the demons."
"Huh?"
"It means you and all the other Neo Senshi will be able to become mermaids and visit me in my home under the sea from time to time," she replied.
"Oh wow."
"Let's worry about that later, Christen, your mother's gonna want to hug you to death before we face death!" Chibiusa told her and all the girls nodded as they ran down the lawn to greet their mothers.