Sailor Moon Z: #18 - Enter Darkness By. Janelle Jimenez (pandora@indy.net) Official WebPage: http://www.indy.net/~pandora/sailormoon/zodiac/intro3.html The sky was a strange crimson color, like the color of fresh blood. Dark clouds floated angrily in the air. Black mountains surrounded the Sailor Senshi, the air was chilling yet had a rather sweet smelling fragrance. In the distance the Zodiac Senshi saw a round bubble flying towards them at warp speed. The bubble broke and ten Senshi gracefully landed, except for two who made rather messy landings..Sailor Moon and Neo Sailor Moon. Sailor Mars wrapped her arms around herself and shivered visciously. Everything she saw felt evil and dark. "Don't inhale the air too much." Sailor Scorpio warned. "How do you expect us not to breathe?" Sailor Leo asked. "I'm just warning you, the air is saturated with a chemical that more or less destroys your brain so you know nothing, and loose your memory. These people who are so unfortunate to live here only know cruelty and harshness..they know nothing else anymore. Their brains don't remember goodness...Fear, is not as we percieve fear. They are so used to it, that fear has become a normal emotion." Sailor Scorpio explained bitterly. Sailor Mercury paled. Sailor Jupiter looked down, the ground consisted of large slabs of black rock, a few yards away from her was a disgusting looking plant. It had rather rubbery branches that swayed in the wind...although there wasn't any breeze. "How do plants even grow here?" she asked aloud. "They suck energy from people.." Sailor Scorpio answered as she looked straight ahead, "Don't get near to any plants that appear to be like that one. Their roots are tentacles that will grab you and some may take so much energy from you that you'd die." Sailor Jupiter looked horrified and moved away from the plant. Sailor Saturn adjusted her Glaive and looked prepared for anything that could possibly happen. "Scorpio-san..Where exactly are we?" Sailor Virgo asked. "We are about six miles west of Aku no Kyuden (Palace of Evil), on the planet of Kurai in the system of Kuroi...Welcome friends, to the Black Star Galaxy." "So this..is the Black Star Galaxy itself?" Sailor Moon asked, she wasn't expecting an answer. "Yes. As I said, we are very close to Aku no Akyuden..the root of all this evil and darkness you see. It is the home of Sulfiria and Lithia and the sanctuary of Queen Hydraja." Sailor Scorpio nodded, she turned to Sailor Leo, "Take us six miles to the west." Scorpio ordered. Sailor Leo stared at Scorpio for a moment considering whether she should comply or defy, "SUN RISE!" she shouted, the sphere of light slowly rose from the ground. The light and heat it emitted was a pleasant relief from the bitter coldness and darkness. The globe swallowed the Senshi and whisked them away. Moments later it descended and dropped the Senshi. Sailor Venus looked around, before her was a large and black, yet very beautiful castle. "Aku no Kyuden.." Sailor Mars murmured, she shuddered uncontrollably for a second or two. The evil surrounding her was immeasurable, it was deafening her senses. "Quiet!" Scorpio hissed, Mars noticed the Senshi all huddling behind a giant thorny hedge, she ducked down abruptly. Scorpio pulled the branches apart revealing two guards riding pale green horses. They wore glowing platemail, underneath the visors of the glowing helms, two pairs of glowing red eyes watched the area for trespassers. "Death Knights.." Scorpio whispered. "Can we take em?" Sailor Jupiter asked, Scorio nodded. "I know I personally can..you should all be able to take them without great difficulty. Don't get hit, however, they hit hard." she advised. "Let's go then." Sailor Uranus replied, she glanced at Neptune and Pluto who both nodded at her. "World Shaking!" "Deep SUBMERGE!" "Dead...Scream..." they said in unison directing the triple attack at the Knight closest to them. The Knight was knocked off the green animal which vanished. The Knight charged towards the Sailor Senshi, "Shining Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Mercury shouted, the icy water hit the Knight and it froze. "Crescent BEAM!" Sailor Venus said and directed the laser towards the frozen Knight which shattered on impact. A dark spirit rose from the fragments and screamed at the Sailor Senshi, floating back into the castle. Sailor Jupiter turned to see the Zodiac Senshi finishing up on the other Death Knight. "Gravity Crush!" Sailor Virgo shouted, the ball of white energy flew towards the Death Knight. The platemail shattered and the spirit floated upwards, screaming on its way to the castle. "Those were a bit easy, ne?" Sailor Neptune asked resting her hand under her chin in contemplation. "Maybe..a little too easy?" Sailor Venus asked in a spooky voice. "Too much t.v., Minako-chan.." Sailor Mars said. "Death Knights were not created to be powerful. They appear to be dangerous and the propaganda that Sulfiria and Lithia send around the Galaxy is that they'll destroy you in a single hit." Scorpio explained, "The most horrid thing about this Galaxy, is how you're a slave to the Black Star..from birth to eternity.." "Doesn't that saying go birth to grave?" Sailor Capricorn asked recalling a sticker on her brother's skateboard back in America. "No, there's no peace for the dead here. At every death the soul is stolen..that's what those Death Knights are..souls of the dead...never being able to have eternal slumber..." Scorpio said sadly. "How could you have been part of this?" Sailor Leo asked in disgust. "I didn't like it, none of us generals did..but we decided for our own sakes just to live with it..we were fortunate enough not to ever die.." she snapped, "At least..some of us were...Cyanida will probably suffer a terrible after-slavery." she added with a short sigh. "Anyways..we must continue.." she said and looked at the gate before her. She pushed on it, a red aura surrounding her hands, the gates slowly pushed forward making a loud groaning noise. "Do you need help, Shi-chan?" Cancer asked. "No..It can only be opened by those who are evil.." she answered. Sailor Virgo's eyes widened in terror, and Sailor Aries glanced nervously at Sailor Pisces. "But..you're not...evil..are you..?" Sailor Aquarius asked, her voice edged with fear. "No matter what Selestia did to me..I'm still who I am...Scorpio Beraku Staa.." she answered quietly. Sailor Cancer swallowed a gasp. "I KNEW IT!" Sailor Leo exclaimed, "I knew you were a traitor...I knew it from the start!" she shouted. A ball of fire materialized in her hands, Scorpio looked at Leo, her red eyes raging with anger. She flicked her wrist, red claws extending. "I have no reason to go against you. Whatever I had to live for was destroyed by his own blood. All I care about really is destroying this place then myself, and if those plans help you in anyway..then we're killing two birds with one stone, got it?" She hissed. Sailor Leo stared at her defiantly, "Destroy yourself? Oh there's an answer." she said sarcastically. Scorpio said nothing, she pushed on the gates once more and they parted enough for them to slip through. "Go." she ordered. One by one the Senshi silently stepped through the gates, when the last person was inside the gates to Aku no Kyuden, Scorpio entered then herself. The gate slammed shut. * * * * "THEY'RE IN!" Sulfiria screamed, she picked up her wine goblet and hurled it at Arseniru. Lithia sat up abruptly and glared at her sister, "Don't ever do that again." Lithia warned. "HOW COULD YOU LET THEM INFLITRATE US?!" Sulfiria demanded in hysterics. "Why weren't the locks of the gates changed?" Lithia asked Arseniru. "You idiot, the gates don't work on locks..they scan auras. Only certain people can enter here!" Sulfiria snapped. "Well..then..she's still evil, right?" Lithia asked calmly, she sipped her bloodwine. "Allow me to speak, M'Princesses, but if Scorpio..is still evil.. then perhaps we could..'persuade' her to rejoin us..and destroy the Sailor Senshi..And if that fails, there is always that Sailor Saturn girl, she was possessed a couple years ago by a being from Tau Ceti, there's no doubt in my mind that we couldn't possess her again." Arseniru smirked. "Interesting idea...but Scorpio won't ever believe you, and..this idea about that other Senshi girl..I don't like it, I doubt it'll work." Sulfiria commented as she began to calm down. "Of course, M'Princess, and I wouldn't even want to persuade Scorpio anyways..but there is another who can.." Arseniru smirked, pursing his lips slightly. Lithia nodded, she apathetically dropped her wine goblet on the cold stone floor, the glass shattered. A figure rose up from the ground, a grey cape flew over a strong slender shoulder. He bowed deeply, his grey eyes locked on Arseniru. "We have a mission for you." Sulfiria replied as she reached down and picked up a shard of glass which Lithia had lazily dropped. "You are to win Scorpio back. No matter what Selestia did to her..nothing can erase the thousands of years of loyalty and memories she has of the Black Star Galaxy..." she said as she squeezed the shard between her pale white fingers. It pierced her skin and blood dripped down the shard, but she didn't flinch. She hurled the shard into the sky, the shard captured a shadow which materialized near the sharp tip. The glass lengthened into a sharp dagger, a shadow for a handle. "If you cannot win her over. Kill her with this. This body tires me, and her form is one I really wouldn't mind having." she added with a twisted smirk. She dismissed the men before her, but before they both disappeared out the door to the throne room she stopped them. She stared at both of them for a moment before speaking up. Her eyes locked on the man beside Arseniru, gazing into his grey eyes. "Oh..and Leadan, don't fail me." * * * * "This place gives me the creeps.." Sailor Taurus muttered, she shivered. "Go figure with a name like Aku no Kyuden." Sailor Uranus said, her voice edged with sarcasm. "Ne..Where are we going, Scorpio?" Sailor Virgo asked. She was examining the walls. All of them had an intricate red design on them. The designs looked wet, like the walls were bleeding. "First, we are going to my old quarters. Something tells me I need to go there. Then we'll go to the throne room and destroy the Princesses then Hydraja. Once she is destroyed, not only will the Black Star Galaxy be freed from a 6,000 year reign, but apparently the Golden Millenium will be saved." Scorpio replied, she expertly manuvered her ways through the dark hallways. She stopped suddenly in front of a set of intricate double doors. She hestitated for a moment and pushed the doors forward. The Senshi stepped in, it was like being in another world. There was no ground, instead a bottomless pit. The whole room was circular shaped, unlight torches lining the walls. Hanging from cords in the middle was a large circular bed with black silk sheets. Scorpio walked forward towards the bed, she was walking in the air. The Senshi looked at each other fearfully. Scorpio looked back and saw their anxiety, she lowered her head, "Dark Light." she whispered. Instantly, the torches lit and a rather translucent star shaped red floor appeared, the bed was exactly in the center. "These..were your quarters?" Sailor Aries asked. "Lovely decor.." Sailor Leo muttered. "Yes..this was.." Scorpio sighed, she fell back into her bed and buried her head in her pillow and inhaled. "Such memories I have here of.. of..Leadan and I." she murmured wistfully. "I really don't want to hear about this." Leo replied in disgust. She wandered off to a corner of her room, examining walls. Sailor Mercury took out her compact and began analyzing the structure. Neptune, Uranus, Pluto and Saturn were staring down one of the triangular shaped holes that the star-shaped floor did not cover. The rest were hypnotized by the ceiling which appeared to go on to infinity. "Scorpio.." a voice whispered. The Senshi became quiet and looked around for the source. Scorpio sat up abruptly. "Scorpio.." the voice said again. A figure materialized behind her. He smiled at the confused Senshi and put his finger to his lips, he gently put his hands over her eyes. "Guess who.." the man whispered in her ear. Scorpio's face twisted into a distorted angered look. She ripped the hands from her face, and whirled around, quickly extending her claws. "Arseniru, you son of a--" Scorpio began, she stopped and blinked as if she couldn't believe her eyes. "Leadan..?" she whispered. "But..how? You're dead.." she gasped. She retracted her claws and sat back down on the bed. Leadan took her shaking hands and kissed them. "Of course I'm not dead. Do I look dead? Arseniru lied, I'm sure you can believe it." he said smiling, he looked at her as if it may be for the last time. His eyes rested on a necklace, a small red shaped gem hanging from it. He held it in between his thumb and forefinger. "You kept it?" he said in amazement. "I was postive you'd forgotten about me. I thought Selestia erased your memories..I thought..that you wouldn't even remember who I was." He said, a small tear forming in one of his eyes. He reached forward and embraced Scorpio tightly. "Ahem.." Sailor Leo said clearing her throat, Leadan looked up abruptly. "God he's cute.." Sailor Saggittarius murmured. Sailor Venus nodded in agreement. "Scorpio...I was sent to persuade you back into the Black Star Army or kill you...but I can't do either. I love you too much to allow you to do either. When you destroy Hydraja, if I am still alive...save me from this place. If I'm dead..don't forget me. You must hurry and destroy them before they find out." Leadan said urgently. "Leadan...I can't...I won't let you die." Scorpio promised, "You don't know how it feels to hear the dead isn't really dead.." "Scorpio, if you want to help these people and yourself you must forget about me until its over." he said gently squeezing her hands. Before Scorpio could say anything aa dark light blasted in the room accompanied by a horrible voice which screamed, "YOU FAILED!" It was undeniably the enraged voice of Sulfiria. A blanket of unconciousness fell upon Leadan and the Senshi. * * * * "Stupid fool. You idiot, you traitor." Lithia spat, her dark eyes glared evilly at Leadan. "Because of this treasonous act, you can spend the rest of eternity wandering Kurai." she threatened. Scorpio opened her eyes, she looked up and saw she was in the throne room. Leadan was standing in front of her, the Princesses in their thrones glaring down at Leadan. On the left side of Lithia stood Arseniru, arms crossed and smirking at his brother. "But before you die...you get to watch this little idiot who turned you away from us slowly and painfully be sold to the slavery of the soul. And you can watch all her beautiful friends go as well." Lithia said waving her hand at those who lay on the ground. "But....since her figure is one I'd love to possess.." Sulfiria said, her eyes shifting to Leadan, "We shall remove her soul piece by piece." Lithia smirked. She knew Sulfiria's true desire, she knew that her sister believed if she had the body of Scorpio, the one who Leadan loved so, then he would love her. Petty idiotic thinking, Lithia thought. "Please, your majesties, let me beg for mercy on her name!" Leadan pleaded. "The damned do not have such rights." Lithia spat. "Wait sister. Mercy shall be granted..if the right to love Leadan and marry Leadan are redirected from me and not from Scorpio." Sulfiria propositioned, her eyes locking on him. "WHAT?!" Arseniru exclaimed, the smirk on his face was gone. Instead was a distorted look of jealousy and hatred. "What on in the name of Kurai are you talking about?" Lithia asked, even she was shocked at this strange trade-off. "Simple, if Scorpio and Leadan both deny loving each other, and he says he loves me, they get to go free." Sulfiria said bluntly. Scorpio looked at Leadan, who gazed at her in return. Mentally they told each other that this was something they had to do, and eventually they'd be together again. "Alright..if the terms are this simple.." Leadan began, there was a burst of fire that flashed before the princesses eyes and erupted in front of the Senshi. "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Arseniru screamed, his handsome face was twisted into a horrid monstrous look. "You will never be set free on such idiotic terms...and Leadan will NEVER rule above me here." he said in hysterics. His eyes flashed and he gathered up every ounce of energy left in him into his hands, they were glowing with dangerous red auras. The Senshi, now being temporarily rendered defenseless hovered back in fear. Scorpio stared at Arseniru unable to move, terror causing her to shake violently. Arseniru lunged at her, his hands teeming with deadly energy. Scorpio squeezed her eyes shut, she whispered her last words, "I'm finally free.." * To Be Continued *