Chapter 6: Master of Poisons

The heavy, metallic armor and helmet were just extra weight that she was already well accustomed to. She maneuvered through the camp with the confidence fit for her status as the highest commanding officer of the area. One of the messenger girls trailed her with a quill and parchment. The girl seemed frightened and lost at the same time, but she was supposed to be used to this by now. Jotting down quick messages was what she was trained to do aside from running on her two feet to dispatch these written messages.

"You're signature?"

Mina scratched her name on the parchment and waved the girl away.

"Would you like to take your armor off? Must be hot and stuffy," said the lady-in-waiting, suddenly appearing at her side.

"No, I'm going off anyway. It's fine."

"Off? Where to?"

"I'm scouting on my own."

"But, Lieutenant!"

Mina put a finger to her lips. "Quiet, you. No one needs to hear you. Prepare my horse while I'm gone."

"No!"

Mina took off her helmet and winked at the girl. "I guess you may occupy yourself by praying for my safe return, then."

Mina breathed the warm, dusty air as she circled the natural hot bath by the cave. It was here that she finally stripped her armor off and laid the laden metal by a tree. This place meant the world to her because it was her place. The place she and the other three senshi were dubbed guardians of the Moon Princess. The memory was old, older than the little fig tree that she planted just by the cave in memory of the Lunar Monarch, Queen Serenity. Anytime she came by this route, she took refuge in this solemn area. Sometimes she even bathed here as she intended to do again for the form of catharsis. She needed to clean herself of the bloodshed made by her army and the blood of her army altogether.

Mina pealed her leggings and rolled up her cuffs. At night, she thought she could hear Queen Serenity's words as if they were really there again. Sailor Venus, Senshi of Love, I hail thee Guardian of Princess Serenity of the White Moon. Be with power, heart, loyalty, and courage. If and when Mina closed her eyes, not only were the words and the memory of her own oath soundly clear, but the wavering image of the late queen would appear in her line of vision. Though a cloudy apparition she was in Mina's imagination, Queen Serenity was still tall, graceful, and beautiful. She would smile in a motherly fashion, putting all her trust and faith in the blonde, frail girl, who thought she would never amount to much, let alone become the leader. Mina took her job seriously keeping to her word remaining with power, heart, loyalty, and courage even under dire circumstances. She was accustomed to barely coming out of battles alive nowadays.

Mina closed her eyes and shuddered. The cold air pricked her skin, so she quickly ducked into the steamy waters. Mina's skin turned red and splotchy within minutes as she scrubbed herself clean.

The whole time she had her eyes clenched shut, blocking the steam from entering her eyes. A whistle about a couple of yards away alerted her of danger and she plunged over backward in an unwomanly manner. She braced herself against a sharp rock in the ground. Red blossomed in the waters in little red puffs from the fresh scar on her palm.

"Damn!"

Another whistle and this time it barely missed her ear as she ducked her head and cried out in fear. She swam to shore and grabbed her under garments, throwing them on hastily. Her blouse was just tossed on haphazardly as she made a dash toward the direction of her attacker. She sensed he was in the trees somewhere, judging from where the second arrow came from. Quickening her pace was a mistake because the moment she spotted him she had to balk. Balking nearly made her fall over in her haste. Mina slammed into a tree as another needle grazed the little hairs on her scalp. In a rage for being shot at thrice, Mina ripped the needle out of the bark and roared.

"How dare you—you coward shoot at me thrice?! Show your face!"

"Die woman!" He came down from the sky and tried to pounce on her from above, but Mina dodged again.

"Do not test my patience!" Mina screamed, flinging her dripping arms out.

Her attacker hesitated on his second move, when the Lieutenant accidentally revealed her feminism to him, her shirt hanging open. He stumbled and almost fell, so Mina charged first this time. Throwing a left hook and then a low kick. Her attacker fell with a groan.

"Perv…" Mina muttered. She inspected the needle between her fingers and noticed the purple fluid gleaming at its tip. "An attempt to assassinate a high commanding officer of the Royal Army is high treason." She gripped him by the collar and hauled him up to her eye level. It was then, that she noticed that this mercenary, sent to dispose of her, was much younger than her. He was between the ages of thirteen and fifteen.

"I don't care anymore! Kill me!"

Mina's hand trembled as she released him. Her twisted face seemed to ease out of its ferocious lines and wrinkles. She stared at him like a guardian would stare at a kid, who had done something wrong, but on second thought, it was actually not entirely bad. Without the resigned sigh as she intended to release along with the change of her expression, she addressed him a bit gruffly.

"Look, Kid, who do you work for? I'll let you off the hook if you just tell me."

He said it with pride. "Lieutenant Kunzite of the Rebel Army."

"Kunzite? Never heard of him."

"He buried an entire cavalry alive in the Nantin Valley! His armor is heavy with the blood of his enemies. His blade soaked time and time again of evil fluids."

Mina gave a quirky grin as she gingerly buttoned the front of her shirt and laced up the laces. "How fascinating. Sounds like a man with no value on any kind of life whatsoever. I wonder why a kid like you speaks so highly of him."

The boy blushed as he watched her dress. "You're nothing like him!"

"Of course not. I don't have the anatomy of a man and I don't have the guts of a man. Whatever I have, I make do; no complaints from this girl. Doesn't that make me great?"

"You're a lousy leader with no sense of dignity!" The boy huffed.

"I let you live, didn't I?"

"I will not beg for my life, so end it now, Damn Woman!"

"Do not speak with such an uncouth mouth!"

"Damn woman, damn woman, damn…"

The smack of flesh against flesh resonated in the air. "Inconsiderate brat!"

Tears sprung to his eyes. He grunted as he held his cheek with both palms.

"No manners at all!" Mina exclaimed in outrage. "Your General Endymion is now holed up at the palace prison. I doubt you would be pleased to join him, so I suggest you cooperate."

"I've said too much already. I cannot return, then. I must end it," he said to himself, emotionlessly.

"What are you on about?"

The boy drew his knife from his boot and raised his bare wrist to the blade.

"Wait!" Mina grabbed the blade with her pierced hand, twisting his arm back. The boy grunted in pain.

"I hate the kind of people who don't cherish their own life! That's a coward's way out. Your own mother would be ashamed to call you her son." She threw the knife to the floor as the boy knelt and wept before her.

"There is no meaning!" He wailed.

"Be gone with you." Mina murmured coldly. She turned on her heel and staggered forward. For some reason she suddenly felt dizzy and faint all at once.

"What's this?" She wondered aloud, her eyes coming in and out of focus.

The boy dried his tears. "You don't know me, but I am one of the great five mercenaries of General Endymion's army. I am Cody, Master of Poisons."

Mina collapsed on her knees and cried out in pain. Her hands gripped her shoulders as a chill engulfed her heart and sent a sizzling numbness through her veins.

"The knife…" She spoke inaudibly.

"All it had to do was touch your open wound…"

"You… I can't believe I…"

As she looked crossly at him, his face became a fuzzy blur. He rose and made his way to her. "It's a shame to have you die this way." The sound of his voice quivered in and out of audible clarity.

"You…" Bile rose to her throat. She felt her trachea closing up on her.

"It wasn't a part of my plan." His words were distant.

She clawed at his throat, but failed to do any sort of damage. Instead, she fell into his lap. It was then that he tipped her head back and poured something sweet into her mouth. "Rest in peace, Goddess."

And that was that. Mina slipped from the boy's arms and landed gently on the moss covered floor.