A soft empty breeze raced quickly across the now quite wasteland of
war. The sounds of death and pain echoed softly in the back ground. But
the sound of the empty breeze whistled loudly across the empty landscape.
The dark pillar stood solid piercing straight up into the clouds
and then stopped some where beyond the sight of vision.
Then the silence was suddenly broken. A small band of soldiers
clad in the armor of the palace marched across the land and to the dark
pillar.
"We're approaching the pillar, be on your guard. Scans say most of
the demons have retreated under ground but some are still in the vicinity
of the pillar." said the Captain of the Guard. They were almost to the
great doors of the pillar. Queen Serenity had ordered her finest warriors
to go to the pillar and retrieve the princess. They were even closer now
and the doors were only a few yards away.
Behind the doors of the pillar Mars stood waiting for the group
of soldiers to come closer. Under her command was a legion of shadow
warriors.
The group came closer still not aware of the danger ahead of them.
"This seems too easy! Something's not right here!" muttered the
captain of the guard. They had arrived now at the tall dark doors of the
pillar.
Behind the doors Mars could hear them approach. She was eager to
fight. Having been made look incompetent before Tuxedo Mask had made her
angry and she needed some thing to vent that anger.
"Open the doors!" commanded the Captain of the guard. Following his
orders two soldiers started to pull on the both of the large doors. After
a few seconds the doors swung open. Silence. Beyond the doors was a think,
dark, silence which bothered the Captain of the Guard.
Then from the dark red eyes appeared a split second before hordes
of demons started pouring out led by Mars.
They over took the guards taking the advantage of a surprise
attack.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" she screamed sending forth a strong blast of
flames. The unfortunate guards before her quickly turned to dust.
She then turned to the captain of the guard and prepared to attack.
"But how are _you_ here! I saw you captured and put on trial!"
he said before blocking her strike with his sword. His sword was no match
but it did the job despite the fact that the sword was wearing away faster
with each strike.
"Fools! You're doing our work for us! Too bad you can't go and
warn your people, you won't leave here alive!" she said as she sent forth
another blast of fire. This time it cut easily through the captain's sword
and vaporized him in seconds. The same was happening for the rest of the
guards they were no match for the demon warriors.
Nearby one of the soldiers over heard one the conversation and
realized what would happen if he stayed here.
"I'm dead if I stay here. I got to get back and warn the palace.
But how can I leave my comrades!" thought the young soldier as he battled
with a shadow warrior. He swung his sword quickly striking the demon and
dispersing it. He saw his chance. The rest of the warriors were busy with
the palace guard. This was the only chance he would get.
"I've got to warn them!" he thought as he decided what he must do.
He quickly dashed out of battle field and back towards the palace. As he
ran he looked back one more time seeing his comrades bravely fighting
the shadows and then slowly one by one falling from battle.
He turned running harder this time and hoping that he would be able
to reach the palace in time.
Sailor Mars smiled wickedly as the bodies piled up around her.
The demon warriors were winning and only a few soldiers were left. She
happily scanned the area with her eyes, enjoying the sight of death around
her. Then off in the distance she noticed a dark figure running away
from the battle and back to the palace.
Mars cursed silently before dictating her orders, "One of them is
escaping! After him!" she bellowed commanding five of the warriors to
persue him.
"If he should survive...." she spoke not finishing her words
but insinuating the pain to come.
*****************************
Silence. A think silence hung dimly over the hall where the Sailor
Scouts stood. All that broke that silence was the quiet echo of their
boots as they walked through the empty hall. Each of them were afraid too
talk. Too afraid to speak the truth for they knew the truth hurt too much.
They were starting to feel the onset of the crystal. Their thoughts were
clouded with the guilt which painfully hung over their heads. They knew
what was happening. They could feel a dull throb of pain inside them.
As they reached the end of the hall each of them stopped and looked back
one final time at the building on the island. They all looked at each other
with solemn expressions carved into their faces.
"So what now?" spoke Mercury.
"Now we wait for Darien to return. What other choice do we have?"
answered Venus. They all quickly exited the room and closed the door behind
them, with only the silence and the memories to comfort each other.
"So where's Darien?" asked Mars as they entered the main room once
again. Darien was no where in sight.
"Probably still inside. Lets give him a little while." said Jupiter
as she leaned up against the smooth wall and stared upward to the high
vaulted ceiling.
"Well while we wait why don't we check out what's behind the other
door?" asked Mars. She walked forward and grasped the golden handle. As she
did it shook like a ripple in a pond and then once again became solid. Now
written upon the door was the word "Destiny". Mars looked to the
other scouts for their reaction.
In response to her look they gave one back in equal wonderment.
Jupiter was standing again free from the wall and found her self intrigued
but the mysterious door.
Mars looked back to the door and once again grasped the handle. This
time it didn't react. Mars started to turn the handle. The crack of the
door slowly opened letting out a few rays of pure white light.
"Mars don't!" shouted Venus in protest. Startled by the sudden
noise Mars closed the door fully shut once again.
"What's wrong Venus?" asked Mars.
"It's just...well remember what Serenity said before we entered
Serena's mind. She said that some things here in Serena's mind are private
and shouldn't be touched. Well this is Serena's future, this is Serena's
life. What happens if we let out what ever is behind that door. This is
something for Serena to discover on her own. Maybe we should leave it be."
"You're probably right." said Mars but still her curiosity yearned
to see what lay beyond. She turned away from the door and waiting once again
with the others. Time slowly slipped away, Darien was taking an awful long
time. They sensed the pain in side them start to grow stronger once again.
"I can't stand this waiting! If we don't do something soon we'll
all be dead. I don't know about you but I'm going in after Darien." said
Jupiter.
"Yeah we can't wait here forever!" chimed in Mars. They all agreed
and decided to go look for Darien. They quickly entered the room marked
love. As they entered they noticed a black figure on the stair ahead of them.
As they got closer they noticed it was Darien.
"Oh my God, Blood!" said Mercury as she put her fingers to his lips.
His eyes were slightly open and his gaze glassy.
"What happened to him?" asked Mars, her voice starting to become
frantic.
"I don't know but we need to get him some help..." said Mercury as
she felt for a pulse, "...he's dying."
*******************************
Serenity sat quietly upon her throne. She had asked to be alone
after the trial to collect her thoughts and feelings. The main hall which
often was filled with the voices of many was now silent. Ever since
the day the princess was kidnapped things had seemed to stop. A tense
silence grew over everything. Serenity was happy; the war was over
and the silence was to be broken, or so she thought.
Then from outside the great doors Serenity could hear a disturbance.
Someone was howling in pain and murmuring warnings that she could not
decipher. Queen Serenity stood at once and went to attend to the disturbance.
As Serenity opened the doors she found the palace guards attending to one
of the soldiers she had sent to retrieve the princess. He was badly beaten
and a long bleeding cut crossed his forehead.
"What's going on here?" she demanded. She walked over to the guard
who was slipping in and out of consciousness.
"My liege, we were at the pillar and we were attacked just out side
the doors. It was Sailor Mars who led the attack! We were being beaten bad
and I took my chance when it came to warn the palace. I didn't get very
far until I noticed they had sent a group of soldiers after me. I hid and
managed to elude most of them but one found me before I escaped. I'm hurt
bad but I defeated him."
"But how can this be? We have the prisoners locked away." asked
Serenity.
"I don't know how but she was there. Maybe they were telling the
truth. Maybe they weren't the ones who kidnapped her. Maybe they came to
help." said the solider. His voice started to weaken as he spoke and his
breathing was erratic.
"But how?" spoke Serenity softly as she pondered what could have
happened, "Could they have really come to help?"
"Serenity you must stop them they'll know I'm gone when the demon
warrior does not return. You must send the people you imprisoned to help.
They are our only chance!" he said at last. This said he finally gave up the life
he was hanging on to. He had done what he had set out to do and now he could
rest. His eyes slowly closed and his breathing stopped. His heart gave up
last beat as the life faded from his body.
******************************************
The Dark Tuxedo Mask stood tall towering over Mars in the dark pillar.
The rest of the scouts looked on from behind her.
"Explain!" he said coldly and simply. He was looking straight forward,
he wasn't even looking at her, he wasn't looking at the rest of the scouts,
he was looking into the dark shadows which hung like black curtains from
the walls of the main hall.
"One got away. I sent someone after him but it hasn't
returned. I'm sorry." said Mars looking up at him.
He swung his hand through the air letting it hit her in the side of
the face. She fell down cringing at the pain of the now large bruise on her
face.
"Sorry isn't good enough! You've failed twice, if this should
happen again you will _not live_ to regret it! They know of us now we must
attack while we can. For your failure you and your four friends will go
alone to attack the palace. They know that they have the wrong Scouts so
they'll surely send them to defeat us. I will not waste any more soldiers.
Either you destroy them or I will destroy you!" he spoke with an evil
malevolence.
"Yes master, I will not let you down again!" she said as she turned
to leave with the other scouts.
"And remember I will be watching you! Every thing you do from now
until you return I will know of!" Tuxedo Mask threatened as they left the
dark hall. They did not return an answer but simply left to take care of
their duties.
Tuxedo Mask turned and walked to the large throne. He lay his hand
on the smooth surface of the crystal. The crystal was ice cold to the touch.
Inside, the figure had opened it's eyes. They were dark as his and
peered out behind the mists with a thick emptiness.
"It won't be long now. Soon you will be born and we will usher in
a new age of silence in the real world. This mind, this body is ours for
the taking. This girl's mind is too weak, the waves of pain have made her
fall. How ironic it is that such great power is kept in such a frail body.
Soon my true love you will awaken and the silence to follow will be
deafening."
*******************************
"We need to get him some help!" shouted Mars in despair as Darien
lay dying before her.
"But what can we do? Maybe if Serene was her then she could heal
him but she's not and we need to find some help fast."
The girls had managed to get Tuxedo Mask out of the room with the
stair case and into the main room.
"If only I could think straight for a moment then maybe I could think
of some thing!" said Mercury. She found concentrating hard, her mind was now
all a flux with guilt from the crystal.
As they stood helpless wondering what would become of Tuxedo Mask
the main doors swung open and Queen Serenity and a contingent of Guards
entered.
"Please you need to help him, he's dying, he's innocent!" said
Venus.
"I know, I'm sorry. I was filled with feelings of revenge. You are
not the ones that took my daughter. I don't understand how this is happening
but you are doubles of the ones that kidnapped her. The guilty ones are now
attacking the palace. Our guards are no match for them we need you to
help us. If you protect the palace I can heal your friend but it will take
a while. I've stopped the power of the crystal but the damage will take
time to heal."
"Queen Serenity we would be more than happy to protect the palace
but we've lost our powers in this world. Some thing focuses our powers
differently here." said Mercury as she felt her mind start to clear.
"Mercury, could it be possible for them to have different powers.
Maybe they have different things to help them like a different power Items
or different words."
"It's possible, do you know of any such things Serenity?"
"I know not of any different power Items but when they transform into
the Sailor Scouts they call out the name of their planet along with "Soul
power". Does this help any?"
"It might, first off lets get Tuxedo Mask out of here." As Mercury
said this the Queen motioned for the guards to take him away and to take
care of his wounds.
"Well it's worth a try." said Mercury as she willed her self to her
true form. She stood and prepared to transform again with the new words.
"Mercury Soul Power!" she shouted. As she spoke two blue serpents
burst forth from the floor and wrapped them selves around her. They encased
her in their lock. A sudden flash of blue light filled the air and Mercury
stood dressed in her scouts uniform.
The rest of the scouts did as Mercury and transformed back to their
former self.
"I'm next, Venus Soul Power!" shouted Mina. A gust of wind flew
around her, her hair moved freely in the breeze and carried upon the wind
were a flock of pure white doves which each carried a small ribbon of light.
They spiraled around her and then there was another flash of light and
Venus stood dawned in her Sailor uniform.
"Jupiter Soul Power!", as she spoke the ceiling above disappeared and
a bright blue sky appeared. From high above the call of a bird was heard
and then diving down came a giant eagle which wrapped it's wings around
Jupiter. Another flash of light came and Sailor Jupiter appeared from the
light.
"Mars Soul Power!" Raye screamed. From the earth below her exploded
are magnificent dragon which soared high into the sky and then returned
to the earth and wrapped it's self around Raye. A moment and a flash of
light later Sailor Mars stood ready for battle.
"Come on Scouts we got a job to do!" said Jupiter. They all held
hands and their tiara's began to glow. A bright aura appeared around them,
they started to rise into the air and then were gone.
******************************
The air was empty of all life, of all movement. And then from the
darkest realms between time and space so sprang forth power. Power of light,
fire, water and lightening. The air waved silently for a moment with the
sudden surge of power and then returned as it had before. But now stood
holding hands in a circle were the four Sailor Scouts. They were in the vast
plain where war had taken place only hours earlier.
"So where are these doubles of ours?" asked Mars.
"Yeah we've got to put an end to all of this. Serena can't be
doing to good. She's been under their control for too long. We need to save
her." said Venus.
"Sorry but I don't think you'll be saving any one. In the name of
Mars I will destroy you!" spoke the dark Mars as she appeared before them.
"You pathetic phantasms of our true, dark, power are no match for us!
In the name of Mercury I will destroy you!" said the Dark Mercury appearing
behind them.
"You'll share the same fate as all who try and fight us. In the name
of Jupiter I will destroy you!" said the Dark Sailor Jupiter appearing to
their right.
"Your bodies will be useful to us. Once you're out of the way we
can take your corporeal forms. Your world is finished! In the name of
Venus I will destroy you!" said Venus appearing to the right and closing off
the circle of death which now closed in the Sailor Scouts. Each of the
scouts turned to their dopplegangers and prepared to fight.
"You want to make a bet on that! Jupiter Thunder Crash!" screamed
Jupiter sending a ball of blue energy at her counter part. Unfortunately
the Dark Jupiter just side stepped it and sent an energy bolt back. It
barely hit Jupiter but it did enough damage to hurt her right arm.
Mars eyed her opponent's moves as she paired off to fight against the
dark Mars. She waited until she saw her chance and then flew into the air
with a kick. The dark Mars watched as Mars flew through the air. She
waited for the last moment until Mars was a few feet from her and she ducked
and as Mars sailed over her head the Dark Mars screamed "Mars Fire Ignite!"
The fire ball struck Mars and sent her to the ground. She was still alive
but her abdomen was alive with pain.
"The powers of good will always defeat the powers of evil! In the
name of Mercury I will punish you! Mercury bubbles blast!" she screamed
sending forth a blast of power. It hit the dark Mercury and sent her flying
to the ground. The Dark Mercury got up and cringed with a slight pain.
"Oh you're going to pay for that! Mercury Ice storm Blast!" the dark
Mercury shouted. She aimed directly at Mercury will all her power and sent
her flying through the air.
"Venus love chains Encircle!" shouted Venus, sending forth a brilliant
chain of light.
At the same time the Dark Venus did her attack. The ribbons met in
mid air. They twisted and fought like serpents and then one was destroyed;
the Dark Venus' ribbon burst forth and dispersed Venus' attack it continued
the assault and hit Venus' leg.
All four of the good scouts had been beaten badly by their counter
parts and all four now lay hurting in the center of the circle with the
four dark scouts coming in for the kill.
"Lets stop playing around! Lets finish this once and for all!"
commanded the Dark Mars.
"Come on scouts we can beat them. We need to work together. Alone
we're weak, together we're strong!" said Jupiter.
The dark scouts all leapt into the air and were coming down for the
final strike. The good scouts stood back to back in the center of the ring.
"All together now, Jupiter Thunder!"
"Mercury Ice Storm!"
"Mars Celestial Fire!"
"Venus Love Chain!" they all said in unison as the dark scouts drew
closer.
"Crash!" shouted Jupiter as she directed her lightening upwards.
"Blast!" finished Mercury as her swirling wave of ice blasted over head.
"Surround!" screamed Mars as her rings of fire elevated above them.
"Encircle!" Concluded Venus as she sent her attack along with that of
the other scouts. They all focused their attacks into one giant beam of
energy. Ribbons of light, rings of fire, beams of bright blue energy and
waves of ice flew upwards and into the dark scouts. The dark scouts
all shook with pain and fell to the ground. But to the surprise of the good
scouts not even all of their strongest attacks combined was able to defeat
the dark forces that infected Serena's mind.
"You're going to pay!" shouted the Dark Mars as her and the rest of
the dark scouts began to rise again to their feet.
Then in the air above them appeared a picture of the Dark Tuxedo Mask.
All the scouts stared up in shock.
"Return to the pillar at once!" he commanded, "You've won this one
Sailor Scouts but this hasn't been the last of us!"
"NO! We can defeat them!" screamed Mars in protest.
"Mars! Don't ever talk to me that way again! Do as I say and return
to the pillar!" he said with anger. Her defiance enraged him.
"Yes Master! You've may have won this battle Sailor Scouts but
believe me the war is only beginning!" said Mars before her, the rest of the
dark scouts and the image of the dark Tuxedo Mask vanished back to the
shadows from which they came.
