Awakened
Sera made her way to the double doors that lead to the courtyard the sight was unseemly remains of fallen heroes and villains alike lay at her feet, she stepped over the bones and walked forwards ready to face down her former friend. Alia somehow made it into the city limits the temple was not that far off 'Now I have you' she thought as she descended towards the temple, she was alight with glee when suddenly, she saw her standing there in the middle of the courtyard. Sera stood her ground as she watched Alia descend towards her, the dim light of the crescent moon giving them an unearthly glow.
"You, traitor!" screamed Alia "How dare you!"
"Your insane" said Sera with a cold look in her eyes
"I'll kill you!" screamed Alia as she lunged and wrapped her hands around Sera's neck. Sera grabbed Alia's hands and pushed with all her might until she was able to kick her in the ribs and fling her over her head. "You bitch!"
"I hate you!"
This time it was Sera who did the lunging barely missing her target as Alia dodged her attack.
"I swear I'll kill you!" Alia screamed.
"Not if I kill you first" replied Sera and a full-on fight ensued all the while Jupiter, Luna and Artemis watched from inside the temple.
"We can't just sit by and watch this, there must be something we can do" said Luna but Artemis was not paying her any attention his focus was on Jupiter.
"Artemis are you listening"
"Luna look" he said gesturing to Jupiter's hands. The sparks were there, and the gentle glow of her power was emanating from her hands "Her strength is coming back faster than we thought" whispered Luna
"Look at the sky" said Artemis looking up.
"Thunderclouds" said Luna looking up as well.
"Jupiter" said Luna
"I'm going out there" said Jupiter walking towards the door
"Wait your not strong enough" called out Luna
"I'm strong enough for this"
"No, wait" Luna started but Artemis stopped her "She has to do this" he told her and before she knew it Jupiter was out the door.
Alia and Sera were locked in battle. Alia clawing at Sera while she dodged her attacks when suddenly was small oak leaf came straight at Alia cutting her cheek and drawing her attention from Sera to her new attacker.
"No!" gasped Alia in surprise. Jupiter stood on the courtyard about thirty feet away from them ready to strike again. Sera smiled and looked up that the thunder clouds rolling in their direction.
"How?" asked Alia.
"I guess it was just a matter of time" said Jupiter
Alia roared in frustration and went straight for the offensive. Sera on the other hand anticipated this and tackled Alia to the floor. Sera held her down and punched her in the face while Alia clawed at her arms leaving a deep gnash on Sera's upper arm. Together they rolled over, Alia now sitting astride Sera ready to claw her eyes out when Jupiter grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled. Alia fell backwards opening her eyes and staring at the bolt of lightning coming her way. It hit her squared in the chest but to no effect.
"Damn it, I'm not strong enough yet" cursed Jupiter under her breath. Alia just lay there stunned for a minute before she got up and went straight for her. Sera spread her wings and flew towards Alia grabbing her by the foot and lifting her up towards the sky. Alia spread her wings and started flapping them creating a gust of wing that forced Sera to let go of her. Another bolt of lightning hit her square in the back, this time Alia smiled. "You are not strong enough to kill me, are you?"
"Keep getting stronger with each passing minute"
"It only takes one to do you in"
"Are we going to talk or fight"
Sera smiled at Jupiter's cheekiness while Alia frowned. Both hovered on each side of Alia. She wondered at who to strike at first her former friend or her longtime rival when suddenly Jupiter cocked her head to the side and asked "Tell me, how long have you been jealous of me Alia"
"Shut up"
"Jealous because I became a guardian or is there some other reason" Jupiter taunted
"I said shut up!" and that decided her, Alia flew towards Jupiter almost reaching her goal when another bolt of lightning struck her in the back sending her tumbling down to the earth. Both Jupiter and Sera landed a few feet away from the unconscious dragon humanoid and faced each other.
"Thank you," said Jupiter. While both girls stood talking Alia opened her eyes and slowly moved towards Jupiter's back intending on stabbing her from behind, when suddenly Luna cried "Look Out!"
Sera grabbed Jupiter by the forearms and turned them around so that she took the blow from Alia. Sera gasped and wheezed as Alia's claws dug deep into her chest and fell in a heap to the floor dead. Jupiter's eyes opened in shock and dismay "NO!" she screamed as the crack of lightning appeared in the night sky the thundering boom of her anger shone in the atmosphere Alia was about the strike again against Jupiter when an arrow hit her in the lower abdomen. With wide eyes she saw Mars standing a few feet away, bow at the ready to strike her again. Jupiter used this moment of confusion to strike her down she summoned all of her strength and let the lightning rod attached to her tiara pull a bolt of lightning that hit her in the forehead sending sparks of electricity down her body through her finger tips and straight to Alia's heart.
Alia stood wide eyed and stared at Jupiter looking her over and then down at herself. There was a gaping hole where her heart should be, and her lifeless body fell to the floor.
"Well, look who's up" said Jupiter smiling
"Now who said you could have all the fun without me?" said Mars
"Who else is up?"
"Just me"
"Well that is unfortunate"
"What do we do now"
"Don't know but we best figure it out"
Solarian Palace…
The cloaked figure stepped out from a dark portal and into the Lady Beryl's private chambers "Well?" said Beryl.
"The Dragon Maiden failed, the guardians are still alive two of which are awake" said the cloaked figure. Beryl screamed in frustration and threw the contents of her vanity to the floor. "How?" she screeched at her servant
"We underestimated them"
"And the princess, have you found her yet?"
"No, my lady"
"Where is she!" she threw her hairbrush at the cloaked figure hitting her in the chest "Do you not understand if Princess Serena were to take the throne it would all be over"
"I understand my lady, every effort is being made to find her"
"Gather the troops have a small contingency attack Lunaris and kill the guardians while there is still time"
"But the Barrier is still up," said the figure
"And how did the dragon maidens manage to break in, do it, there must be a way in"
"And what of our search for the princess?"
Beryl looked into the mirror in contemplation, she was running out of time every minute that passed was a minute closer to losing him and everything that she had gained. Princess Serena would soon come back to take the throne, she only had a small window in which to strike her down.
Meanwhile in his private quarters Prince Darien paced the length of his room, there was something bothering him, but he didn't know what. The voice in his head kept getting stronger and stronger, calling out to him in the middle of the night. He was becoming more annoyed by Beryl's attempts to seduce him and he was running out of excuses as to why he wanted to postpone their nuptials. Beryl wanted to marry him, wasn't it enough that they were ruling Solaris together why did she want to marry him and why was the thought of marriage to her making him feel sick to his stomach.
Lunarian Temple…
Mars gasped as a vision of what is to come passed through her mind. "What is it?" asked Luna.
"There is an attack coming"
"What?" asked Jupiter
"Just what I said, there is an attack coming for us"
"When"
"Soon"
"How long before this spell wears off on the rest of them?" asked Artemis
"There is not telling, it all depends on the subject of the curse" said Luna "It could be minutes or hours"
"That's not very reassuring"
"I know, but what can we do?"
"Nothing" said Jupiter
"What?" asked Mars
"There is nothing we can do about waking the other's, but there is something we can do about the oncoming attack"
"But it's just the two of us and I'm not feeling one hundred percent yet"
"Neither am I, but we can't just sit here and do nothing and let them pick us off one by one, we have to fight"
"Alright what's the plan?"
Dark Moon Palace…
"Your highness" called Rubeus as he entered the ruins of the old throne room. "Well?" said Prince Diamond from his place on the throne. "Two of the guardians are awake"
"Good" said the prince smiling "That is good and the other's?"
"Still under, they will awaken but not soon enough"
"What do you mean?"
"Lady Beryl has ordered an attack on Lunaris"
"Send some of our Sandmen to help hold them off until the other guardians are awake"
"My lord, are you sure that is wise?"
"Do as I say Rubeus" said the prince as he strode out of the room. He made his way to his chambers and stopped straight in front of the hologram of princess Serena "Soon Serena, very soon we will be together again"
Lunarian Temple…
While Mars, Jupiter and Luna gathered around the table to strategize Artemis looked out the window paying them no mind. "That's strange" said Artemis in a hushed tone but Luna heard him anyway.
"Is something wrong Artemis?" asked Luna still looking at the battle plans on the table.
"The sandmen are gone"
"What?" asked Luna quizzically "The sandmen that were patrolling the courtyard they are gone" said Artemis "Why?"
"Who knows, now are you going to help out or not?" Artemis sighed and turned away from the window heading back to the table "So what's the plan?" he asked. "We don't know, there are too many variables playing around in my head and I can't decipher which course they will take"
"What about a sea attack?" asked Jupiter
"No" said Luna calmly "The people of Atlantis are guaranteed to be on our side if there were a sea attack, they would stop it before it even got here"
"What?" asked Mars and Jupiter in confusion
"While you lay sleeping Artemis and I went on a long journey trying to gather as many supporters to the cause as possible"
"And?" the guardians asked
"The Phoenix King turned us down, without the guardians it's like everyone lost all hope"
"Maybe I can convince him" said Mars
"How?"
"Do we have any more allies among the kingdoms" asked Jupiter
"Just King Delphin and the Dragon Queen"
"Well, at least that is something" said Mars
"Not enough"
"We're covered if the come by sea but if the come from the sky and by land we're screwed"
"Tell me Mars do we have time before the battle?"
"Time for what?"
"Maybe we can travel to the island nations and beg them to change their minds"
"No, they are coming now of that I am sure"
"We still have no idea what to do when the invasion begins"
"I say you use the time to rebuild your energy" all eyes turned to Artemis "Come now we know that a single guardian has the power to destroy a village all we need to do is rest and all will turn out well"
"Rest, that is your answer"
"It's all we can do"
Dark Moon Palace…
As the princess lay, she could be heard whispering in her sleep. "There're coming" Prince Diamond walked into the room with Rubeus & Esmerauld following close behind and heard the whispered words coming from the princess. "Is she waking up?" asked Esmerauld
"No, it's a warning" said the Prince
"For who? I thought we were safe here from Metaria's eyes"
"Not for us"
"Then for who?"
"Maybe the guardians. Have the sandmen been deployed?"
"Yes, they are hidden in the city just as you asked away from sight"
"Good, now go"
"Yes, my lord"
Rubeus walked out the door. As soon as it was closed, he ran to the throne room.
Lunarian Temple…
Mars awoke with a start; she sighed into the darkness and swung her feet off the bed. The two guardians had chosen to bunk in their own bedrooms, no sense in being uncomfortable. She was dressed in full armor he bow laying next to her she felt decidedly better, stronger in fact, but the question is, was she strong enough? Suddenly she heard it there was someone moving through the temple. At first, she thought it might have been Jupiter when suddenly she came bursting into her chambers asking if she heard that noise, Luna and Artemis trailing not far behind. "What was that?" asked Mars.
"Don't know, let's go check it out" said Mars grabbing for her bow
"How are you feeling?" Jupiter asked Mars
"I'm feeling very well, you?"
"A great deal better, almost like my old self" Jupiter smiled
"Good, then we might stand a chance when the fighting starts"
They made their way down the stairs and to the hall they were just about to open the double doors when a flash of light came at them from behind forcing them to separate. "I know that light" said Mars from behind a pillar.
"Venus stop, it's us" screamed Jupiter as another ray of light came at her forcing her duck and roll behind another pillar.
"Jupiter?"
"Yes, it's me"
"Us" called out Mars
"What happened? Why are the other guardian's unconscious?"
"Long story" said Jupiter standing to her full height
"Who else is awake, where are the Queen and the Princess?"
"Like we said long story. But so far it's just us two and Artemis and Luna"
"Artemis?"
"Right here old friend" In that moment Venus smiled and fell down to her knees and opened her arms to welcome her feline companion. Artemis went happily to his owner's arms and snuggled in closer.
"I've missed you Minako" Venus laughed then. Hearing her birth name brought a fresh flood of happy tears to the guardian of light and love.
"What about her majesty?" she asked standing to her full height.
"We've been so focused of getting back our strength and that battle ahead we don't know," said Mars.
"We do" said Luna sadly "Come follow me" said Luna heading for the exit back into the courtyard. All three guardians did as they were told and followed the black cat out into chilly night air. They arrived at what used to be the training yard and there laying on a fallen pillar were the decayed remains of their queen. Mars and Jupiter gasped while Venus let out a loud mournful cry, falling to her knees letting Artemis find his footing.
"What happened?"
"She used the crystal to revived the prince and princess"
"Where is the crystal?"
"Missing, along with the princess"
"How could this have happened?" cried Venus
"Metaria's power has grown since her isolation inside the mountain" said Luna
"How" asked Jupiter
"That is something we must find out if we have any hope of defeating her"
"What about Serena, we have to find her" said Venus in agony
"Right now, we should worry about the attack coming our way" said Mars
"What attack?" asked Venus more calmly tears still streaming down her face. "I saw it when I first came to and then again when I woke up just now, there is an attack coming intending on wiping us out while we are still vulnerable" said Mars.
"Where is it coming from, how long do we have?"
"That's the problem I know there is an attack coming but I can't see from where or when"
"This is just like the attack on us during the new millennium, for months you couldn't tell us from where or when the attack is coming from. What use is your power if we can't rely on it when we need it!" Venus screamed at Mars
"Do not blame me for this, obviously this is Metaria's doing her power has grown a great deal while obviously we grew more complacent. We let our guard down. But we can still rebuild our world"
"How can we defeat an enemy we can't see coming" asked Jupiter
"First we hold off the ones coming for us long enough for the other guardians to awaken"
"And then"
"We go to war"