Aurora Eos Rose 4/13/01 http://heavensdawn.org/ auroraeosrose@hotmail.com Redemption: Part 1- Chapter 01 - The End of the Silver Millenium They couldn't hear a sound. The silence blanketed the small group of woman in dread. War was supposed to be a noisy business. The quiet wasn't a positive sign. Sere glanced at the tall blonde standing on the far right of the throne. The beautiful young woman wasn't really tall, but compared to Sere's slight five-foot frame; five foot six inches seemed enormous. The taller girl stood motionless, eyes alert, sword held steadily in front of her. Sere had always been in awe of Aria's unwavering courage. Her long lemon-blonde hair was swept back at the sides and held with a large red bow. Sere glanced down at the silver-white braid resting against her own shoulder. Her gaze traveled to the battered sword wobbling in sweaty palms. Sere knew she didn't have Aria's determination. Sere hated the war. All it brought was death, destruction, and a great darkness. A darkness that crept into the soul, freezing everything it touched to a block of ice. But the war was being lost today, no matter how the army clucked over their maps and charts. The palace was nearly empty, the city was evacuated, and the entire population of the moon was tucked away in caves and shelters. Sere just wanted a warm bath and a soft bed. She wanted to crawl away into a corner and forget she'd ever heard of the Prince of Darkness. She didn't think she could handle much more of the silence, the waiting. She rubbed one damp hand against the white skirt of her short guard's uniform. The cotton soaked up the liquid quickly. Sere used her now dry hand to flip her braid over one shoulder. Then the silence turned to banging, shouting, and blood chilling screams. The invaders had breached the palace. Sere longed to drop her heavy sword and slap her hands over her ears. The sounds of destruction echoed through the moon palace's long corridors and shook the walls. She closed her eyes, fighting not to think of those dying in a desperate attempt to protect this last bastion of the Silver Millennium Kingdom. The white marble and crystal amplified the clashing swords. An acrid smell floated under the locked throne room doors and stung Sere's nose. She knew the stench was evidence of heavy magical use. Her heart began to race wildly. She felt a bead of sweat race down her forehead and drip off the end of her nose. The air grew thick and warm in the locked throne room. Sere took a step backward, unconsciously drawing nearer to her friends. The four other girls followed her lead, closing the half circle at the base of the crystal throne. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, weapons drawn and ready. The first bang on the heaven wooden doors made Sere jump. The sword wobbled wildly, almost falling from her grasp. Sere's breath caught in her throat. This was the end. The Silver Millennium would fall and darkness would win. She choked back the tears rising in her throat. The only chance now was the Queen. Selene would put a stop to the shadows that threatened the light. Sere closed her eyes for a moment. She had to be strong. Selene's earlier words echoed in the young girl's mind. "Show fear or even the slightest tear and the darkness will devour the light. You must be strong of heart and soul." "They're coming." Aria said the words in a low growl. Sere swallowed loudly. The assault on the door became louder. The heavily seasoned wood began to buckle slowly, despite the silver bands stretched across the oak for strength. The doors bent inward under the physical and magical battering. Sere wanted to slam her eyes shut and scream. This was the end, and now the dream of peace and prosperity would die, along with the five lone guards still alive in the palace and their queen. Finally the wood gave way and the doors fell with a loud crash. Dust flew up in a cloud, obscuring the invaders. Aria tensed her muscles, preparing to move forward. "Wait." The gentle voice came from the other side of Sere. The short dark-haired girl was pointing towards the figure emerging from the rubble and smoke. The shadow untied a sword belt and let it fall to the marble flooring. The metal clattered against the carved tiles. Sere guessed it was a man from the figure's height and broad chest. He walked forward slowly, arms raised. The man emerged from the cloud of debris. Aria gasped in recognition, her sword wavering for the first time. "The Prince of Darkness." The words tumbled from Aria's lips like a curse. A low blasphemy came from the copper haired girl toward the back of the group. Sere turned her head slightly to the right. The girl was still swearing under her breath. Sere almost smiled. Tory did have a temper. The dark-haired girl was silent, her eyes scanning the room. Sere could almost see Diane's thoughts churn. Sere swung her head the other direction. Aria's eyes were narrowed, her eyes bright with the desire to kill. On Aria's left, Cassie stood with bow lifted, arrow in the notch. Sere turned back to the man who was still moving forward. The dust slowly settled, allowing the five girls to clearly make out their attacker. Sere had been unprepared to see this man personally storming the place. He was the source of the war, the root from which the darkness had spread. The man was dressed all in black, except for his cape, which was lined in blood red. There were stories about him. They called him the Prince of Darkness. He was said to be evil incarnate. He was ruthless, exacting, powerful, and without mercy or heart. The stories of the atrocities he had ordered were so horrible that just the tales had given Sere nightmares for weeks. A shaft of light crossed the man's face. Sere's mouth almost fell open. The stories never mentioned that he was beautiful. She felt desire rise in her gut, sweeping through her body in a hot rush. He was the man who haunted her dreams, both awake and asleep. Her wishes and fantasies embodied in one person. Tall, an elegant stride, thick black hair, and eyes the color of sapphires. But they were cold, empty, like the gems they copied. He carried himself like a king, arrogant, with a cruel smile. Sere's initial surge of admiration was followed by a sense of foreboding. "Endymion." The word came from the queen's lips in a breathless gasp. Sere turned around in surprise, forgetting her training. Her sword dropped to her side, limply held in one hand. Queen Selene had said nothing since the moment she had ordered the five girls to guard her in the throne room. Now she stood up slowly, her face pale and her silver eyes wide with some strange emotion. Sere didn't understand how the Queen could possibly know this devil. "Sere." Aria's voice snapped across the room. Sere blushed a deep red and whirled about quickly. Her startled blue eyes met the tall man's mocking gaze. His mouth twitched a bit, revealing a hint of a smirk. His eyes traveled over her body, down the tight white garment all guardswomen wore, sweeping over the long slender legs revealed by the short skirt, and returning slowly to her face after lingering on her chest for several moments. His eyes were hot, full of admiration and a great deal of lust. Sere felt naked under his gaze. Her face turned bright red. Sere felt anger rise inside. She wanted nothing more than to bury her sword in the man's chest. His eyes darkened for a moment, reacting to the fire in Sere's crystal blue gaze. Then he dismissed the trembling child and turned his attention to the regal woman standing on the dais. "Selene." He tipped his head in a mocking bow. His sapphire eyes returned to their cold and deliberately empty stare. "We meet again." Selene began to lower herself onto her throne. Her hands were shaking. Sere felt a second burst of surprise. Not only did Selene know the Prince of Darkness by name, she obviously had met him at some point. "Endymion. I didn't expect you." Selene was silent for a moment, her eyes filled with a strange sadness. "This is my kingdom, Endymion. Although I cannot say that it is a pleasure to see you, nor can I bring myself to welcome you. I always knew you were not fit to be Prince. Had I accomplished my goal, today would not have arrived." The words were said in a gentle tone, as though spoken to a dear friend or child. Selene folded her hands serenely in her lap, a mask dropping over her features. Endymion's eyes grew a bit frostier, and his face seemed to be carved from stone. A red flush crept up his neck. Then he closed his eyes for a moment. The flush disappeared. Endymion opened his eyes, and then he smiled. Every one of the six women standing in the otherwise empty throne room felt a shiver run up their spines from the menace in that smile. "I have brought gifts for you, your majesty." Endymion bowed mockingly and motioned with one hand. A figure moved into the room. He was dressed in a gray, with a royal blue cape. His hair was long, copper blonde, and extremely curly. It was tied back into a ponytail. Over his shoulder was an object garbed in blue and white. He walked forward and dumped the bloody bundle directly in front of the throne. Sere swallowed loudly. A gift indeed. She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "Athena." Selene's voice shook with emotion, although her expression didn't change. The woman on the floor was dressed in a sailor suit. The outfit was ripped and covered in blood, and her head was tilted at an odd angle. A thick slash was carved across her neck, the wound still dripping. She was also obviously dead. A low moan came from Diane. Sere dropped her sword and wrapped her arms around the girl's waist. "Don't let them see you cry, they think we're just guards. If you break down, then they win, and they'll know who you are. We must keep up the masquerade." Sere whispered the words fiercely in her friend's ear. Diane sniffed a bit, nodded, and pulled away. Her eyes turned to the handsome young man covered in her mother's blood. He took a step forward, dropped to one knee and pulled out a saber, the point still dripping. The hilt shone for a moment. They all knew that blade. It was the space sword. Diane took an unconscious step forward, her eyes brimming with tears. "Haruka's sword." Diane's voice rippled through the room like water, like the tears that began to flow down her face. She took another step forward, ignoring Sere's desperate attempts to stop her. Tory grabbed Sere by the arm. The man rose, flipping strands of coppery blond hair over one shoulder. Sere felt her heart drop into her shoes. They hadn't heard from Haruka and the others in weeks. If this man held the space sword, Haruka would have to be dead. The man reached forward with one bloodstained hand, brushing a stray tear from Diane's cheek. Tory held tightly to Sere's hand, keeping the struggling girl from rushing forward. "Such beauty should never be stained by tears." Diane's eyes lifted to meet his, and she was caught in the man's pure beauty. He moved his hand down her cheek and then brushed a thumb over her lips. Diane jerked backward, her eyes filling with hate. The man's gentle smile turned to a frown. His eyes darkened, and he gripped Diane's arm tightly. Sere managed to escape Tory. Sere grabbed Diane around the waist. The man held tightly to Diane, resulting in an impromptu tug of war. "Enough." Endymion's voice held a note of warning. The young man let go. Sere pulled the girl back into the half circle still valiantly standing at the foot of the throne. Zavier moved just behind Endymion, his bloody rapier still drawn, his eyes never leaving Diane's slight form. Endymion's voice sliced through the unshed tears in Sere's eyes. "Prince Zavier." The young man saluted the huddled group with his blade. He wiped the weapon on his frayed, bloodstained cape, and sheathed the sword. Diane moved from Sere's grasp and took her place. She continued to weep silently, tears spilling down her cheeks and splashing over the elegant shuriken clutched tightly in her hand. The blades glistened under their saltwater bath. But here eyes never left Zavier's, and her gaze was cold even through the tears. Endymion's smile became even more menacing, a feat that had seemed impossible a moment before. A second figure emerged from the shadows. Endymion kept his gaze locked on Selene. She sat silently, her face deathly pale. The figure moved into the light spilling through the crystal ceiling. His sunny hair shone brightly, and he walked with a cocky strut. He pulled the limp form from his shoulder and dropped her, his smile never wavering as the dead body hit the ground, red and black against the white marble. "Eris." Selene's voice was barely audible. Cassie growled low in her throat. Then she lunged forward, her bow dropped in the same motion. The growl grew quickly, erupting into a scream of rage. Aria had anticipated the short-tempered girl's reaction, tackling Cassie in mid flight. The two scuffled on the floor for a moment. "Cassie, stop it. Let it go." Aria's gentle words couldn't stop her best friend's struggles, but the mocking laughter of the man made Cassie freeze. She lifted violet eyes to clash with aquamarine ones. The man's smiled widened at the fire in Cassie's gaze. "Short tempered people are always the first to react and the last to think." His voice was low and mocking. He lowered the spear grasped tightly in his hand. The pointed rested lightly against Aria's chest. He laughed at the blonde's startled features. "Get up, let her fight her own battles." The point dug into the creamy white flesh. Aria stood and moved backward. Her eyes were drawn to the mirror tucked in his waistband. Aria's eyes filled with tears. Cassie slowly pulled herself upwards. Her gaze flicked to the lifeless lump of flesh lying at the man's feet. "I always fight my own battles." Her voice was husky with unshed tears and the words shook a bit. The man used the end of his spear to flick the short white skirt of the girl upwards. She gasped and took a step back. Endymion cleared his throat loudly. The man stepped closer, pinning Cassie in place with the intensity of his gaze. "Until we meet again." He grasped her chin in one bloody hand, and pressed his lips against hers. "Prince Jason." Endymion's voice was laced with frustration. The blonde turned and took his place behind Endymion, leaving a shaking Cassie behind. Jason tilted his head in a mocking half bow. Sere was curious why Selene didn't stop this macabre scene. It was as if the queen knew how this farce would end. A third figure entered the hall. This one wore a long black cloak that covered him from head to toe. He carried in his hand a tall, heavy key-shaped staff, topped with a garnet ball. He stopped suddenly, whirling the cape around and off him and dropping his burden to the floor in a single motion. The cape partially covered the mangled body, but one long leg and a hank of coppery hair fell against the white marble. Sere noticed this man's eyes were sad, regretful. Not mocking like the first two. Tory took several steps forward as if in a trance. She gingerly reached for the edge of the dark cape. "The stars have known her fate, as the gates of time welcome her even now." The man's voice was rich, like dark chocolate, but laced with a touch of bitterness. Tory looked up at the towering figure, her emerald eyes filled with questions. Then they hardened. She jerked the cape back. "Hera." Selene's voice cracked a bit. The body was mangled, as though a wild animal had torn in to shreds. Sere turned her face away in horror. Tory whirled around to face Selene. "Why?" The word was not really a question. It was a plea, a cry in the darkness. Tory felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and twirled around quickly. The motion upset her balance, but strong arms kept her from falling. "That is a question that even the stars cannot answer." His voice was whisper soft, full of longing and regret. He tugged on the end of a wayward curl, his mouth curving into a gentle smile at the way it sprung back into place. Tory's eyes moved to his hand. They narrowed at the bloodstains there. She pushed the man away, fury and anger and grief warring with each other. "Murderer." She turned and raced toward the door behind the throne, broken sobs trailing behind her. "Prince Nestor." Endymion made a motion with his hand, and the man with the staff headed after Tory. Endymion beckoned with his hand and the last person entered the throne room. Diane had moved to the very foot of the throne, her eyes still shedding tears, her arms wrapped tightly around Cassie. Both Cassie and Diane were engaged in a contest of wills with the two smirking princes. They stared at each other, no one willing to concede. Sere retrieved her sword, her heart troubled. Aria had taken a position in front of the others, never wavering. Sere looked at the sword in her hand, then at the man entering the room. And she knew why Selene didn't fight back. There was no hope left. This figure was taller even than Prince Nestor. His hair was very long, and was brilliantly white. He moved very gracefully. In his left hand was an enormous glaive. It was Hotaru's, the silence bringer. Sere swallowed loudly. Aria's voice shook a bit. "Prince Athan." Sere cringed. They called him the Prince of Shadows. Cradled in a single arm was a body. The man moved forward slowly. He laid his bundle gently on the ground, pressing a gentle kiss on the figure's cheek. His eyes were full of an unreadable emotion. The body sprawled out next to the other four, yards of lemon yellow hair spreading across the blood and white marble. "Aphrodite." Sere felt the name spill from her own lips. Even in death, the Senshi of Venus was hauntingly beautiful. A choked sob came from Aria. The man didn't stop. He stepped over the four bodies littering the throne room floor and headed for the throne. Aria pushed Sere back violently and took a stance in front of the other three girls. "Stop right there." Aria's voice was cold. The man moved closer. Sere peeked over her friend's shoulder. The man's eyes were a deep purple, almost black, and deadly in their intent. "Aria." Sere whispered the word urgently. "He's not stopping." Aria gritted her teeth and took a step forward. "I said stop." Aria's voice was loud and forceful. The man kept moving until her sword was pressed against his chest. "Move or I will kill you too." The voice was an octave lower than what Sere had expected. The man was deadly serious. He whirled the glaive expertly, pressing the blade against Aria's throat. The words were issued neither as a threat or a promise, merely a statement of fact. "I'd like to see you try." Aria's reply was steady and just as calm. Her eyes had narrowed. "Don't bait me, guardswoman. You don't want to make me angry. Even your beauty cannot save you." Aria lifted her chin stubbornly. "Athan." Endymion's voice rang through the tense situation. "Give me the Moon Sword." Aria's face turned white, but she didn't waver. "It has returned to its pedestal, young man." Selene's gentle voice rang over the room. "Only the next chosen protector can remove it. No one but the chosen one can wield the silver sword." Athan grunted. His eyes fixed on the red bow in Aria's hair. They softened, as though searching through an old memory. He reached forward and yanked the scrap of satin from her head so fast she couldn't even react. Then he took a step back, crushing the material in his hand. He tucked the ribbon inside the flap of his uniform and returned to Endymion's side. "I've waited long enough Selene. Surrender to me now, unconditionally, completely, and be tried and executed for your crimes, or I will kill every living creature on this hunk of rock." Selene's face registered nothing. Endymion drew closer until he was within Aria's sword range. Then he moved, so quickly that even a blink would have stopped one from seeing. He reached forward and grabbed Sere's arm. He stepped backwards quickly, dragging the startled girl. She stumbled forward into his arms. He turned her, so her back was pressed tightly against him, and pressed the edge of a katana against her throat, just hard enough so a thin trail of blood trickled down her neck. The other girls lunged forward, screaming denials almost in unison. Even Selene reacted, lunging to her feet, her eyes wide with horror. "I think I'll start with this little innocent." His breath was hot on her ear. Sere felt herself trembling in his grasp. Selene's eyes were tortured. Endymion pulled Sere closer, pressed a kiss against the curve of her throat. "Make up your mind, Selene. Perhaps I'll kill her the way I did Michiru and Haruka." He laughed softly, as his hand crept under the edge of Sere's white shirt. His hands danced over her bare skin, grasping a breast in one hand. "I enjoyed listening to them beg for each other's life, while I had my fill." Sere shivered in his arms. Her body reacted to his touch despite her fear. "I'm so sorry, Serenity. I meant to give you a chance at life, and instead have destroyed even the future." Selene moved forward slowly. Aria, Diane, and Cassie moved out of the Queen's path. She stopped in front of Endymion. Her silver eyes stared at the young man for several long moments. "You leave me no choice." Endymion merely stared back, expression unchanging, Sere still held tightly against him. His hands continued their erotic dance. Selene dropped to her knees. "I, Queen Selene do hereby surrender all lands still held in trust by the Silver Millennium Kingdom to the prince of earth, Endymion." Selene raised her head. Her eyes were filled with tears. She held out her right hand. The Moon Sword appeared, glowing white with power. "Only the chosen protector, or the sovereign of the moon kingdom may wield the sword. I'm so sorry." With those last words, Selene buried the sword in her chest and fell backwards among the bodies of her dead senshi. Her body erupted in a burst of light, and all that was left of the senshi and their queen were bloodstains on the marble floor. Sere screamed. The sound echoed from her soul to the edges of the Moon Kingdom, its anguish ripping through the hearts of anyone who heard it. Endymion simply held on to Sere, his brain refusing to accept the sight before him. He had intended to drag Selene before a jury, to make her face her crimes. Now she was dead, at her own hand. And her powers had been passed to another. Endymion swore loudly and threw Sere to the ground. She didn't even notice, too wrapped in her own grief to function. "Athan. Lock up the guardswomen, the princesses are somewhere in this castle. They are the link to holding this land now." Athan nodded brusquely and headed towards the still screaming Sere. He swept her up with one arm and threw her over one broad shoulder. Aria was staring at the blood, too shocked to move. Athan slid his glaive into a loop on his back and swept Aria into his arms. He headed out of the throne room. Jason was close behind, carrying an unconscious Cassie over one shoulder, and Zavier was last, a now dry eyed Diane cradled tightly against his chest. Sere couldn't remember the trip to the dungeon, nor the night spent with four weeping girls. She couldn't think, couldn't move. She couldn't even cry. She felt as if she were stone. A statue carved from the marble that seemed to be everywhere in the palace. The cold stone floor sucked the heat from her body, just as the death of Selene had sucked the life from her soul. The night seemed endless. Sere was the first to wake. An impossible occurrence under normal circumstances. She glanced at the four bodies curled up against her. She rubbed her eyes in confusion for a moment. The memories came back fast, rushing against her fragile self-control. She felt the tears threatening, but pushed them back with a repeated litany. She would survive. A pair of arms wrapped around Sere. "I can't believe they're gone." Diane's gentle voice washed over Sere, blanketing her in compassion. "You scared me, Diane. I thought you were asleep." Diane shrugged. "I'm better now." Diane wiped her tear-stained face on her arm. "Sere. I know you hurt. God, we all do." A second pair of arms wrapped themselves around Sere. "This has to be the hardest for you Sere. We expected this, somewhere in our hearts. Our mothers, they were senshi. It was the path they were destined to follow. And the path of a senshi often leads to death." Aria's voice seemed far away. She pushed a strand of loose hair behind one ear. She just didn't seem the same without her red hair ribbon. Sere untied the pink ribbon on the end of her hair and tore it in half. She moved behind Aria and began forcing the slippery lemon locks into a braid. "I didn't expect their bodies to be presented to us like some sort of pagan ritual." Tory's voice came from the shadows, bitter and harsh. "And then to be picked up like a sack of flour and tossed in the nearest dungeon." "How will our kingdom survive?" Cassie's voice floated up from her still body. Diane stood up and started pacing. "What kingdom. There's nothing left." Sere's voice was flat, dead. "They aren't stupid. They'll find a picture, a dress, something that tells who we are." Cassie opened her eyes slowly and sat up. "I'll not give up without a fight. There has to be a way." Tory slammed a hand against the cold stone wall. Aria's eyes became thoughtful, far away. "We need to escape, and we need to split up. Our mothers are dead, but that means that four new senshi have been born somewhere. If we could only find them." She pursed her lips. Sere finished braiding Aria's hair and moved back to the center of the group of girls. "How do we escape?" Sere asked the words in a whisper. Four sets of eyes turned to a flustered Diane. "I'll see what I can do, but I'm not making any promises. We're running out of time." *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Endymion had the urge to slam his fist into someone, anyone. His plan was falling apart. Selene was a wily one. She had given him control of all lands still held by the kingdom. But according to the fresh treaties and papers on the desk, the kingdom didn't hold any land but the palace. The planets had been given their freedom, under their own rulers. Endy ran a hand through his dark hair. "What do we do now, Zavier?" Endymion's voice was full of frustration. Zavier looked up from the papers he was sorting. "It seems we need to look at the old law, before the Silver Alliance was formed." He turned back to the stack of papers. Endymion sighed loudly and grabbed another stack. "Why all this paperwork. You'd think they'd have concentrated more on war." Endymion flipped through the stack quickly. "You can't fight destiny." Nestor's voice came from his perch on one of the large wooden desks in the room. "And the Silver Kingdom was a huge bureaucracy. Large kingdoms mean lots of paperwork." Nestor turned his gaze back to the book in his hand. "I've found it!" Jason raced into the room, a thick book clutched in his hand. Endymion looked up in surprise. "What?" Zavier jumped down and yanked the book from Jason. He flopped onto the chair opposite Endymion. "I was gathering up survivors to interrogate, and I came across an ancient librarian trying to hide that book. I figured it had to be something important." Jason propped his legs up on the edge of the desk, his eyes twinkling, obviously proud of himself. "And from the way Zavier is totally absorbed, I'd say it's very important." Endymion rolled his eyes. Jason always was a cocky bastard. "Aren't you supposed to be helping Athan find those princesses?" Endymion moved the stack of papers he'd been sorting. Jason shrugged. "You know him. He has to do everything methodically, top to bottom. I'm afraid he got bit fed up with my methods." Nestor laughed loudly. Athan did despair of ever teaching Jason to be serious and logical. But Jason was more ruthless than everyone else combined. Except maybe Endymion. "He'll call for you when he needs some questions answered." Nestor jumped down and glanced over Zavier's shoulder. "I always do love a good torturing session." Endymion groaned at Jason's flippant answer. The man was seldom serious. "By the Goddess, have you seen this Endy?" Nestor's voice was filled with awe. Endymion moved quietly behind Zavier and read over the other shoulder. "My God." Endymion resisted the urge to yank the volume from Zavier's hands. "The history and laws of the golden kingdom. This book predates the Silver Kingdom, the Silver Alliance, the planetary wars, back to the time when the Sun Kingdom ruled." Zavier nodded. "It also has the origins of the planetary senshi, the talismans, the laws of the individual planets, and the ceremony we performed on the outers to absorb their powers." Zavier's voice crackled with excitement. Jason spun around, his normally laughing eyes serious. "Does it have the information we need?" He folded his hands over his chest. Zavier nodded slowly. Endymion felt a strange feeling blossoming in his chest. Hope, and triumph. He would have everything he wanted. "Look here. Each planet has a royal family that passes down the talismans, but the senshi can be anyone. The only requirement for becoming a senshi is having latent magic ability, and having the powers granted by the previous senshi. The powers of a senshi can be stolen by a ceremony, but unless the powers are bestowed voluntarily at the moment of death, the planet will reject the new senshi, causing the person to slowly go insane." Endymion felt the words driving into him like daggers. "Like my mother." The four men looked at Endymion's tortured face. "For some reason, the outers gave us their powers, instead of letting us slowly go mad." Nestor's face twisted into a bitter smile. He moved away and leaned against the desk behind him. His eyes were troubled. "We were legally adopted by the outer princesses. Regardless how they died, we are now the royal line of the outer planets. Theoretically we could simply show up on the planet and take over." Zavier looked up at Endymion. "It won't truly be that easy, but it's a place to start." Endymion nodded. "All right. Start dispatching the troops. What about the inner planets?" Nestor picked up a piece of paper from the desk beside him. "There are five planetary princess. Serenity, Ariadne, Dianara, Cassandra, and Victoria. They were last seen in this castle. There's no way they could have escaped without us knowing about it. They have to be here." Endymion's eyes narrowed. "Five girls." He turned away and started pacing. "The easiest way to secure those planets would simply be to marry off the girls to each of you, breed heirs, and kill the mothers. We hold the planets now by force, but it would be much easier to hold them with bloodlines." Endymion stopped for a moment. Something was bothering him. He felt a tickle in the back of his mind. There was something he was missing. A flustered Athan raced into the room, out of breath with his hair slightly ruffled. The other four stared at him for a moment. Athan was never out of breath, and his hair was never out of place. "They tricked us." He spit the words like a blasphemy. Endymion's eyes grew wide. Athan held out a picture in a silver frame. Endymion yanked it from Athan's grasp. Endymion stared at the painting for several long moments. He slammed it on the desk. His frustration and annoyance intensified. He hated being deceived more than anything in the world. Then he looked back up at Athan, sapphire eyes glowing. "Those little bitches." Endymion strode quickly from the room, followed closely by Athan. Jason picked up the picture. Nestor and Zavier stood on either side of him. "Shit." Jason's mouth opened and closed several times in astonishment. There were six people in the picture. A tall beautiful woman and clustered at her feet were five beautiful girls, each with a crown on her head. Jason held the picture a bit closer and gasped. "Queen Selene. The blond one in yellow, she was the one who stood up to Athan in the throne room. The girl with short black hair dressed in blue. She was the one you took a fancy to. And the violet eyed one, she's the firebrand." Jason handed the picture to a still gaping Zavier. Nestor nodded. "The copper haired one is the girl I captured in the room behind the throne and drug to the dungeon. The silver haired one, who dropped her sword. That's the one Endymion was ready to kill. Damn, she's the princess Serenity. I didn't notice how much she looked like Selene in that guard uniform and the braid. No wonder the others reacted so violently when Endymion took her." Zavier dropped the picture, his face turning white. "We just locked them in their own dungeons. With the princess of Mercury, supposedly the most intelligent woman in the solar system." Nestor swore and headed after Endymion, the other two close behind. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* "Did I mention that I love you Diane?" Sere's voice floated through the narrow corridor. Diane smiled. Sere always was easy to please. Diane swept her hair out of her eyes. She needed a haircut, but there just hadn't been time lately. "About twenty times in the last twenty minutes." Diane kept moving through the winding passages. The stone was a strange gray, and thick dust coated the passages. "Hush. Sound echoes too well in these passages." Aria glared at the offending culprits. "It's a good thing you remembered these passages, Diane." Tory whispered the words, but the sound still hissed off the cold stone walls. The passages were becoming wider now, and the stone looked less carved and more natural. Diane blushed at the compliment. She had been running a finger over the stone floor when she found the crack and remembered a conversation with a very erudite scholar who was a fan of ancient architecture. "Where exactly are we going, Aria?" Cassie looked at the slime growing on the walls in distaste. But it was glowing, so the girls could actually see where they were walking. "We're going to be in trouble if we end up outside of the environmental dome." Aria kept walking, attempting not to think of that eventuality. Diane mentally calculated how far they had walked, and how far the dome extended. Although because they were underground, the entire cave system might have filled with air over the years. Diane kept the thoughts to herself. "Momma always said that there was a secret teleport chamber down here. I wonder if it still works?" Sere kicked a stone in the passageway. Diane jerked to a stop and spun around. "Are you serious?" Her eyes were bright. "It really exists?" Sere shrugged. "I suppose yes. We just have to find it." Aria noticed the others weren't following her and halted for a moment. "What are you guys doing?" Diane sat down hard, sending up a cloud of dust. "Aria, I think Sere may have discovered a way off this rock." Diane immediately started to recall everything she'd ever heard about the rooms. The technology would be ancient, but much more reliable than modern methods. It would spectacular if she could look at the mechanisms. Sere just looked at the others, her face puzzled. "I thought that's where we were going all along. Although you are going in the wrong direction." Sere reached into the top of her shirt and pulled out a crystal hanging from a golden chain. The crystal let off a soft glow. Sere moved forward in a trance, and then pointed to a left branch in the passages. "I think we need to go that way." "Why didn't you tell us you had the Ginzuishou?" Aria's face was red. Sere shrugged. Her eyes misted over. "Momma gave it to me just before we went into the throne room." Tory reached down and hauled Diane to her feet. Diane broke from her own trance, but still kept recalling everything she could about colonization technology. Her eyes were bright. "We need to get going. The entrance to these tunnels is unsealed, remember? And we're leaving a clear trail in the dust." Aria pointed at the five sets of footprints clearly visible in a thick layer of dust. Sere smiled and headed off down the corridor. Tory had the urge to smack the silly girl. "She should tell us this stuff before we start getting lost in tunnels." Cassie grumbled under her breath. Aria sighed and brought up the end of the line, hoping quietly that they'd find the room before the guards discovered they were missing. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Jason held the unfortunate soldier up against the wall by the throat. The man thrashed and clawed at the hand, and then went limp. Jason threw him to the floor with a violent motion. He hated incompetence. If a soldier was supposed to guard prisoners, that didn't mean take a nap or run out for a drink. Jason dusted his hands off, feeling satisfied with the idiot's punishment. "Dammit." Zavier was examining the circular hatch in the floor, which was now hanging open. "It looks like the hinges were made of an alloy that wouldn't rust. It's excellent workmanship. The stone fit so tightly I'm surprised they found the opening at all." Jason smiled. Zavier always was interested in the hows and whys. A strange man, but incredibly useful. Zavier could also be a lot of fun, especially when they decided to annoy Athan. Jason wasn't surprised to hear Athan groan. "Stop admiring the craftsmanship. Jason, have you talked to the guard." Jason entered the small cell, a frown on his face. Athan was expecting answers, but even Jason couldn't extract what wasn't there. "He swears he didn't hear anything. I killed him." Athan nodded slowly. Endymion entered the cell, followed by Nestor. The two carried a variety of weapons and some cloaks. Jason smiled again. He was ready for a little action. All the paperwork and rounding up prisoners had left him longing for some excitement. "Let's get started. They can't be too far ahead, and from the dust on the passageways, I'm expecting them to leave a wide trail." Endy threw the cloaks he was carrying on the ground, put his own on, and dropped down the hole into the narrow stone passage below. Jason scowled for a minute, then picked up his gray and aqua cloak, dusted it off, and followed his impatient leader. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light coming from a strange slime that grew on the walls. He looked down. The area directly underneath him was free of dust, and five sets of boot prints led off into the corridors. "There's a clear trail. Let's get moving." *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Diane ran her fingers over the ancient equipment reverently. "They just don't make computers like this anymore." "Can you fix it?" Tory hung over the shorter girl's shoulder. "I think so, everything seems to be in good condition." Aria and Cassie were perched on the edge of the teleport pads. Aria glanced at the two hovering over the computers. The room seemed strangely familiar, like something out of a dream. "My parents tell stories of how all the planets had these rooms. They were built during the Golden Kingdom to allow quick evacuation of a planet." Cassie ran her fingers through her tangled hair. Aria lay back against the teleport pad. She was troubled at how long it had taken them to find the room, and the clear trail they had left. Something would go wrong. They had escaped far too easily for fate to let them leave without a fight. "I didn't believe in this old technology. I always thought those stories were myths. Computers laced with magic. It makes you wonder how much of the legends are true." "Momma told me most legends have a grain of truth to them." Sere ran her hands over the carved walls of the room. The ginzuishou had led them safely to the doors of the teleportation room, and open the lock as well. The air had been stale and stiff. Aria felt her heart grow heavy. Sere seemed to be retreating into the past. Aria had lost track of the number of times Sere had said, "Momma told me," in the last hour. "The trick is separating the truth from the embellishment. Tory, go push that red button." Tory followed Diane's directions. The room hummed and lit up. "Good, the generator still works." Diane headed for another corner of the room. Sere moved to the console where Diane had been moments ago. "So you can get it to work?" Diane nodded from her place in front of another set of buttons. Aria watched, a bit amazed at the magic the dark haired girl seemed to be weaving over the old equipment. Then something tickled on the edge of her senses. A feeling, then a noise. "Did you hear that?" Aria sat up quickly, her eyes scanning the room. "I didn't hear…Oh god, they're coming." Cassie popped up beside Aria. The two stared at each other for a moment. "Is there anyway to close those doors?" "I don't know. They slid back into the wall. I'm not sure how to close them." Sere's words came out at a wail. Cassie and Aria moved to the door and took up positions on either side. Aria felt the urge to scream in frustration. "Sere, we don't have any weapons. We don't have any way to hold them off. You stand on that platform there. Tory, you go with her. Diane, how long until you can get the thing to work?" Aria sounded almost desperate. They had to escape, especially Sere. "I don't know Aria, I hope I can get this done in time. The problem is someone will have to stay behind to send everyone else. I can't get the remote system to work." Diane punched a few more buttons. Aria closed her eyes tightly. She had known this would happen. She opened her eyes and stared at Cassie. The violet eyes staring back knew. "You take good care of her, Cassie." The girl nodded, her face filled with pain. Aria clasped her best friend in a tight hug. Then she turned to Diane. The decision was made the moment Aria had entered the Silver Moon Palace at age seven. Serenity meant everything. "I'll stay Diane, just show me what to do." Diane's face fell, but she nodded Sere flung herself into Aria's arms. "I won't let you. I'll stay. They won't hurt me." Aria disengaged the smaller girl. "You are the one we're trying to protect Sere. You need to keep that crystal safe. The four of you will come back for me, I'm sure." Cassie tensed up. "They're coming." All the girls could hear footsteps echoing from the passageway. Cassie's eyes grew darker. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on several containers in the corner of the room. She moved forward, grabbing a canister and started spilling the contents in front of the door. The others moved to help. Then Cassie closed her eyes, her lips moving. A tiny flame touched the liquid. The fire blazed upward, forming a four- foot wall in front of the open doorway. "I hope that burns for a while." *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Nestor could smell the fire long before he could see it. The five men were racing through the twisting corridors, following the footprints in the dust. "What did they hope to accomplish down here?" Jason was slightly out of breath, but managed to force the words out. "There are legends of an underground teleportation chamber, capable of sending people off planet." Nestor almost laughed at Jason's breathing problems. "Every legend has a kernel of truth." Zavier gasped the words out. Athan sighed. "I think we'll be adding more running to our training." He wasn't out of breath at all. The two behind him groaned. Nestor shot a rueful glance at Athan. The taller man simply shrugged. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* The entrance to the room was huge. Endymion reached the flames and simply rolled through them. He glanced quickly around the small room. Sere and Cassie were holding hands on one teleport platform, Tory and Diane on the other. Aria was standing over the console. Endymion began running for Sere. "Not today bastard." Aria hit the switch. Cassie and Sere were swallowed in a whirlwind of light. Athan came flying into the room at that moment. He didn't waste time heading for the girls still standing on the teleport pad, but went straight for Aria. He leaped over the first row of computer consoles. Aria flicked the second switch just in time, and the second set of girls disappeared. She flipped out of the way, narrowly missing a beheading by the glaive in his hands. She ducked behind a console, avoiding a similar beheading from Endymion. She could feel the anger emanating from the two. Aria resisted the urge to cry. She was in trouble. "You little bitch." Endymion's voice roared over the fire still blazing in the door. Aria noticed the fire creeping toward the computer consoles. She forced the fear back inside. She rolled behind the last row of consoles and made her way across the room by slithering on her belly. She silently thanked whoever had designed the computers to be highly flammable. "Well, I don't have to worry about destroying the computers." Aria kept crawling on her belly toward the door. She heard the other three enter, and Athan seemed to have lost her in the thick smoke that was starting to clog the room. "Dammit. We could have followed them." Zavier's voice broke through the smoke and haze. The only sounds were burning computer equipment and heavy breathing. Aria slowly pulled herself up and peeked over the edge of the console. She couldn't see anything. "It's now or never." She whispered the words and made a break for the door. She almost made it. She never saw the glaive knock her legs out from under her. And then all she could see was a pair of shiny black boots, inches from her nose. Aria resisted the urge to cry. She knew the door was just a foot or two behind the white haired giant. She had been so close. A hand reached down and yanked her to her feet by her long blond braid. Athan dropped the silky braid and pinned the girl's arms behind her back. He pushed her forward towards the place where Endymion and the others were standing. He forced her towards the ground. Aria dropped to her knees. Her eyes were stinging from the acrid smoke. She tried to fight against the hold on her arms, but Athan was incredibly strong. "Princess Ariadne of Venus. I see not all the rats escaped." A second pair of black boots filled her vision. She looked up into the very angry eyes of Endymion. Aria spat on his boots. The grip on her arms tightened, and they twisted up higher. She took a deep breath. "I would give my life to keep my friends out of your grasp." Endymion smiled. Then he drew back the defiled boot, and buried it in Aria's gut with a single swift kick. She shut her eyes tightly against the pain, but she didn't drop her chin. "I don't think you understand your situation, little girl." Endymion bent down so he was at her level. He grabbed hold of her long braid and jerked her head backwards. "You now belong to me. I claim you under the rules of the Golden Kingdom. You have no where to run." Aria's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" Endymion stood up slowly, his smile growing. "You, Princess of Venus, are trespassing in my territory. By Selene's own hand, the Silver Kingdom is no more. Selene has given me this palace by her own words, and has signed a contract sending us back to the law of the Golden Kingdom. Any person who enters my property belongs to me." Endymion's mouth caressed the words as if they were candy. Aria's eyes grew wide. She had thought they would simply torture and kill her. This was unexpected. Endymion smiled. "I'll never belong to you, bastard." Endymion slapped her across the face. Aria's head jerked to the side. "I won't be so stingy as to keep you for myself however. I wasn't the one who caught you. I shall gift you to my first in command. I know he can handle you." The other men laughed at the innuendo beneath the words. Aria just stared for a long moment, her mind unable to comprehend what Endymion had just said. Athan let go of her arms and yanked her to her feet by her hair again. Aria stumbled. Athan wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "He likes pretty thing you know. Male, female, doesn't matter, as long as they're blonde and gorgeous." Endymion brushed a hand over Aria's hair, ignoring the way she flinched at his touch. "I think you'll do, with a bit of grooming." Endymion laughed nastily and headed out the door. "No rash comment, little princess?" Athan whispered the words harshly in Aria's ear. She tried to jerk away from him, but his hold didn't falter. "I wouldn't do that, Angel." "Don't call me that." Aria spat the words. "Only my mother ever called me that." Her eyes filled with tears. She was tired, sore, and her brain refused to function anymore. Athan spun her around, picking her up by her arms until she was eye level with him. "Then what shall I call you?" His voice held a healthy dose of sarcasm. "Would bitch do?" Aria felt anger rush over her face in a red flush. "My name is Ariadne. But you can call me Princess or your majesty, peasant." Aria kicked out with her legs, but Athan merely held her farther away. His eyes darkened a bit. "Don't make me angry. You won't like the consequences." His voice was calm, matter of fact, and cold. "My friends will come back for me. And then I'll slide a sword in your gut and laugh while you bleed to death." Aria's eyes spit fire. Athan yanked her tight against him. The two were nose to nose. "I certainly hope your friends return. And when they do, we'll be waiting. But until then, you are mine." His eyes swirled black and violet. His quiet voice and the arrogance in his tone made Aria's heart sink. He lowered his mouth against hers in a brutal kiss. Aria felt his teeth sink into her lower lip and opened her mouth to protest. His tongue swept inside. She bit down hard and managed to bury her knee in Athan's gut. He threw her to the ground brutally. She never saw Nestor's staff crack against her skull. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* "What do we do now?" Jason's voice was whining, almost petulant. Endymion glanced back at Athan, a bit worried over the man's reactions to the girl now lying unconscious in his arms. Athan never showed emotion. But yet he had gotten genuinely angry at the little slip of a girl. And he had almost removed Nestor's head for knocking her out. "I think the most logical path would be to secure our current holdings and gain the support of the outer planets. The four girls could be anywhere in the solar system. Searching for them will probably do no good whatsoever. They could be anywhere, and will probably be constantly on the move. However, that little girl there could be our trump card. They will return for her. And when they do, we need to be secure in our position here." Endymion's face didn't change. Nestor cleared his throat. "What will Venus think of us holding their princess? That was a nice speech you made Endymion, but I also know the law. Her planet has the right to buy her back." Athan's voice echoed from behind. "We were betrothed." His tone was hard. Zavier glanced back at Athan in astonishment. "What?" All four men stared at Athan for a long moment. He simply continued walking. "A tale for another day." Zavier frowned. Athan never acted so possessively with any of the woman and men he "collected." He never seemed to care at all about his lovers. He only wanted beautiful things. Zavier caught Endymion's eye. The black haired man looked back at Athan with a thoughtful expression on his face. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* "Sere? Sere? Are you all right Sere?" Cassie looked around the dusty red field where she'd landed. The red sky, the dry ground, thin air, the cold. They were on mars. Cassie stood slowly, her legs still shaking. Teleporting might allow one to travel anywhere quickly, but Cassie felt like she had left a few body parts back on the moon. She still couldn't see her friend. "Sere? Where are you Serenity?" Cassie's voice echoed over the flat plain. Just when she was starting to worry, a distant sound came over the sand. "Cassie?" The voice floated over the plain. Cassie started running. Only one person could whine while screaming. "Sere! I can't see you." Cassie kept running toward the source of the faint call. "I'm stuck!" Sere's voice got louder, and sounded more than a little annoyed. Cassie felt laughter bubble in her throat. Finally Sere came into sight. She was stuck, in a cactus no less. Cassie's laughter turned to hysterical sobbing hiccups. Sere just glared. "When you're done laughing like a hyena, I'd really like to get down you know." Cassie swallowed a few times; still stifling giggles, and helped Sere down. Cassie shook her head. "Only you could manage to teleport into a cactus." Sere frowned. "It's not my fault. You'd think those teleport thingies could aim better." Cassie silently agreed. The girls looked around them. Nothing but red sand as far as the eye could see, broken by an occasional cactus. "We're on Mars, aren't we?" Sere grabbed tightly onto Cassie's arm. Cassie grimaced. Sere had a tight grip. "Yes, we're on Mars. I haven't been here since I was little girl." Cassie felt memories flooding back. She had loved life on her home planet. It was strange to be back after so long. "I was seven when the planets reconciled and mother returned to the moon. I'd almost forgotten how beautiful it is here." Sere glanced at the barren landscape. The red sand was beautiful, in an eerie, haunting way. Cassie's voice sounded odd, far away and lonely. "Do you know where we are? I'm hungry." Sere's stomach took that opportunity to growl loudly. Cassie glared at the noisemaker. "Your stomach is going to have to wait. The nights get very cold here. We need to find shelter before that happens. Otherwise we're going to be in trouble. I wish we had a compass about right now." Sere grinned and held up the crystal cradled in her hand. Cassie sighed loudly. Sere just shrugged and winked. "It says to go this way." Sere started marching off across the desert, Cassie following and grumbling about teleports with bad aim. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Diane looked at the circle of guards surrounding her. They were all blonde, all tall, all male, and the swords they were holding seemed very deadly. "Diane? Was this supposed to be an escape?" Tory's voice floated over the silent room. Diane and Tory stood back to back in the center of the group. "I think we managed to go a little farther than anticipated. From the guards, the architecture, and the colors, I'd say this is Uranus. And from the number of guards and the speed of their response, I think we managed to teleport right into the palace." Diane's voice was matter of fact, and calm, but her knees were shaking. "Well what do we do now?" The words dripped with frustration. Diane shrugged her shoulders. Tory felt the motion. "You're a lot of help." Tory stepped away from Diane towards one of the guards. "We come in peace. Our teleport just got a little wild." The guards' faces remained impassive. Tory threw her arms up in exasperation. "Don't just stand there, talk to me." She finally gave up and plopped onto the floor. "Fine, I'll just sit here until they do something. Your turn Diane." The girl glanced at her companion and sighed. Then her eyes brightened. She yanked a signet ring from its hiding spot under her belt. "I am the Princess Dianara of Mercury. An experiment with one of the ancient teleporters we've discovered went terribly wrong and my guard and I seem to be quite lost. Do you know of a way we could find transportation?" Diane's back was straight, her tone regal and kind at the same time. The men stared at the ring for several long moments. One of the guards turned and whispered something to his companion. The second guard quietly left the room. Diane simply folded her hands and waited. Tory sent Diane a deadly look. "How come you get to be the princess and I get to be the guard?" Diane shot Tory a puzzled look. "It's a logical assumption for the guards to make from the way we've been acting." Tory shrugged. "Fine. But I'm not bowing or anything." Diane laughed softly. A tall, thin young man in a yellow and navy uniform and cape entered the room. The guards parted slowly. Diane sized up the young man. His hair and eyes were an odd shade of brown, but he was smiling kindly. "Welcome to Uranus, Princess Dianara. I regret to inform you that as of this moment, I am the closest thing Uranus has to a ruler." The young man took Diane's hand and kissed it gently. His eyes grew sad. "I regret to inform you that the Princess Haruka and her lover were both murdered almost six months ago. We tried to contact the Moon Kingdom, but the war made things difficult." Diane raised one hand. "I understand. I simply wish for some way to return home." The man bowed low. "I, Gregory, Prime Minster and Captain of the guard, am at your service princess." Diane giggled a bit at the young man's gallant manners. "Thank you, Prime Minister Gregory." The man offered his arm. "Please, call me Greg." Diane blushed and took the man's arm. Tory stood up. "What about me?" She was feeling a bit left out. The man turned and frowned. "You should learn some manners, guardswoman. You can take your meal in the hall with the others." Greg turned and swept a blushing Diane from the room. Tory fumed and stomped after the two, determined to find something to fill the gnawing ache in her stomach. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* AN: Names for the past- 1. Minako = Ariadne Kunzite = Athan Aphrodite 2. Usagi = Serenity Mamoru = Endymion Selene 3. Makoto = Victoria Nephrite = Nestor Hera 4. Ami = Dianara Zoisite = Zavier Athena 5. Rei = Cassandra Jadeite = Jason Eris If you know anything about mythology, you'll recognize the names, the last column is the girl's moms, the previous senshi…enough blabber. Welcome to my own dark view of the Silver Millennium. I hope you enjoy the story!