Soul Mates
by lady

Chapter 12
And Eye for an Eye: The End of a Twisted Legacy

 

The beauty of the setting sun was lost to Usagi as she stared at the spot where their house should have been. Hovering above the ground where the gate used to stand was a huge, gaping hole of massive proportions. Within it’s darkened interior, black clouds swirled round and round, silently beckoning her to enter its depths. Mesmerized by their movement, she stepped forward without thinking, but a touch on her arm had her turning with a start. She found Mamoru behind her; worry lining his handsome face, as he watched her with a question in his eyes.

"Usako?"

The sound of her name shook her out of the trance and she wondered what she could have been thinking. There was nothing compelling about the massive void when she turned around and looked at it again. Only the fact that her family was lost in it had her moving closer to the pulsing rim. Peering into the darkness, she searched for them in vain as jagged streaks of lightning lit its depths.

"Usagi-chan?"

A hand settled lightly on her arm and she turned to find a person close beside her. An elderly woman stood to her right, giving her a friendly smile.

"It is you. When did you get back?"

It was Mrs. Nakahara, their neighbor from across the street.

"Your parents must be so happy to see you," she went on, seemingly unaware of Usagi’s preoccupation. "I know Ikuko-san has been so worried about you."

The young woman just continued to look at her strangely, a frown marring her face. Her brows drew together as she realized her neighbor didn’t notice what was happening.

"Nakahara-san, the house—what happened to it?" she finally asked.

"Oh, I know it's changed a bit." the old lady answered, looking right into the void. "Your father did some renovations while you were away. Don't you think it looks much better now?"

Usagi followed her gaze to the swirling cloud of darkness, before quickly looking back. She had no idea what to say to her old neighbor. A tap on her shoulder made her turn to Mamoru and she saw him shake his head. She understood what he was trying to tell her.

"Yes," she finally agreed in a trembling voice. "I...I think it looks much better now. It's nice to see you again, Nakahara-san."

"I hope I'll be seeing more of you now," the old lady responded. "Don't you go and leave again without saying goodbye." She beamed another smile at Usagi and, with a wave of her hand, headed for the corner to cross the street.

When the old lady was out of hearing range, Usagi couldn't keep her panic in much longer. "What is happening?" she demanded of Mamoru. "Why can't Nakahara-san see that the house is missing?"

"I don't know, Usako," he replied, looking at her worriedly. "I just don't know."

"Usagi-chan?! Mamoru-san?! What's happening out there? Someone please answer!"

The voice was coming from the car and they both remembered the communicator. Mamoru quickly opened the door and picked it up. "Rei? It's Mamoru."

"Thank God," cried the relieved senshi. "What happened? Are you both okay?"

"We're fine," he said, then quickly changed his mind. "Actually, that's not completely true. There's something very strange going on here. I think you all need to see it."

"We'll be right over." This was from Galen. "Stay put and don't do anything rash."

"I understand," Mamoru answered and switched the communicator off. He placed it on the dashboard and turned to Usagi. She was still standing beside him, staring into space blankly. She didn’t seem to be aware of his presence and he wondered at her state of mind.

"Why don't you sit down for a while, Usako," he suggested softly. "The others will be here soon and we'll discuss what to do about this."

Usagi moved like an automaton as she turned to the car. Guided by Mamoru's hands, she settled quietly on the passenger seat and stared out through the windshield. The shock and worry of the past couple of hours finally caught up with her and it left her feeling drained and exhausted. Laying her head on the seat, she concentrated on gathering all the energy she could muster. She knew she needed all her strength to save her family from whatever Morgon had planned for them.

Unaware of her thoughts, Mamoru leaned back against the car and regarded the source of their dilemma. From both sides of the street, people continued to pass it by without giving any notice to the phenomenon occurring before them. Somehow, Morgon had managed to shield what was really happening from the view of ordinary people. Only the persons who mattered were given a glimpse of his evil power at work.

"Mamoru-san!"

Mamoru turned and found all the senshi and generals coming towards him. He gave them a relieved smile and stepped forward to meet them. Galen was the first to reach him.

"Usagi?" the other man questioned right away.

Mamoru motioned behind him. "In the car. I'm not sure if she's okay. She's really worried about her parents, and I don't blame her. Just look over there," and he pointed to the area where the house should have stood.

"What is it?" Makoto asked, taking a step closer.

"Some kind of energy," Ami answered, doing quick calculations on her mini computer. "It has the same characteristics as a wormhole, so it most likely leads to a totally different place."

"Any idea where that could be?" Zach asked her.

"I'm afraid not." She gave Galen a frustrated look and he nodded his understanding. He gave the swirling, dark energy another glance before looking back towards Usagi.

She was still sitting inside the car, quietly staring out the windshield. Her face, still impassive, showed tracks where the tears had fallen, already dried. The slim fingers curled upon her lap began to clench as forgotten memories surfaced in her mind. Then within her soul, the searing heat of anger began to burn.

Morgon...Morgon...Morgon...

It was all his fault. Images quickly passed through her head like a film going backwards...

…Zach falling back when he got hit by a youma, his face echoing his pain...Saturn's shocked face as she waited for the fiery whip to end her life, unable to make the move that would save her from certain death...Mercury's futile effort to free herself from her captor, her harsh breathing evident as she desperately struggled...Drago lifting a knife to plunge into Falcon's vulnerable back, and the horror she felt at the moment she witnessed it...Jupiter holding a bleeding shoulder, her eyes searching for the unknown warrior who helped her out...

And the other less obvious injuries...

…Zach’s apprehensive face at thought of Ami’s reaction when she sees him for the first time…and Ami’s uncertainty as to how to react…Makoto’s hurt and disbelief at her first glimpse of Nephrite…and Nathan’s worry and fear at destroying the love he had finally found again after so many years…Justin's shattered heart when Rei refused to believe in him...and Rei's tears at the thought of losing the one she loved...the pain in Mamoru's eyes when she refused to see him...and the echoing hurt she felt when she denied her feelings for him…

And then there were her own...

…The site of Mamoru's still form as a youma stood over him, the blood seeping from underneath his head...the feel of the sharp claws as they were embedded in her back, tearing at her skin and leaving it bloody and raw...Morgon's evil laughter at the sight of her friends’ suffering, all of them wounded and hurting, if not totally unconscious...the accusations she suffered as a result of his tricks, delaying her arrival with the appearance of unexpected foe...the loss of her family and friends, and the regret she felt at leaving everything behind...all the long, lonely years that followed...

…And now, the disappearance of her home...

It was all Morgon's fault. All the unhappiness of the past few years came about because of his appearance. She wasn't going to let him get away with it, she thought as she clenched her fists. She'd be damned if she were just going to sit here and let him harm her family. Oh, no, she promised herself. This was one battle Morgon was NOT going to win.

The opening of the car door caught everyone’s attention, and they all watched as Usagi emerged from within. Mamoru, who was closest to the car, quickly stepped forward, but his progress was halted by a hand on his arm. He turned around in time to see Galen shake his head, and was puzzled as to what the other man was thinking. Puzzled, that is, until he heard Usagi’s voice.

"Galen," she said with a command in her tone. A glance at her showed that she was neither teary nor helpless, but well in control of herself. Mamoru wasn’t surprised when the Moon Kingdom general obeyed immediately and moved to her side.

"Have we learned anything new about that…thing?" Usagi asked as soon as Galen was beside her. "Nothing much," he said in reply. "Just that it has the same characteristics as a wormhole and could possibly lead to a different location."

"I see," she said, disappointed. "And you can’t tell me anything more about it?" she asked again, repeating herself.

"Not from this point of view," he replied, understanding what she meant.

Then there really isn’t anything to decide, Usagi thought to herself. If saving her parents meant entering that void, then she would gladly do it. She just didn’t want to do it without knowing all the facts. She had counted on Galen being able to tell her more about it, but it seemed even his sight wasn’t able to penetrate through the darkness.

Usagi glanced around to see if the others had learned anything new. They were gathered at the far side, discussing something she couldn’t hear. She was just about to ask them what it was when she saw a young man approaching from the corner of her eye. She turned around in time to see him stepping through the void.

"Shingo, stop!" She ran to intercept him, but was too far to reach him in time. She jumped the last couple of feet and managed to hook onto his arm, but she couldn’t check her landing fast enough and ended up catapulting them both into oblivion.

"Usagi!" everyone screamed as they saw her fall through the wormhole. Nobody was close enough to catch her without going in themselves, and they looked at each other in panic when she completely disappeared.

"Galen?" Ashe prompted, for once completely serious. He was looking at his commander, waiting for his signal to go ahead. He wasn’t disappointed.

"We have no choice," was Galen’s reply, resigned to what he must do. He looked at each of them in turn and saw that they understood. With a last deep breath to calm himself, he took the first step forward and beckoned them all to follow. "Let’s go."

The darkness was absolute on the other side of the wormhole and it brought most of the group to a complete stand still. Only Galen continued forward a few more feet, until he reached the two people standing stiffly in the middle.

"Usagi, are you alright?" he asked of the frozen senshi.

"Galen? Thank God you followed me," she said with evident relief. "Is everyone else here?"

"Yes, they’re right behind me."

"Good." She tightened her hold on her brother and tried to look around. She couldn’t see anything in front of her, not even her brother’s form.

"Can you see anything at all?" she asked the general beside her.

"I could see about a couple of feet in front of me, but not much more. From the looks of that wall on my right, we’re somewhere underground."

"Would Falcon be of more help?" she asked enigmatically.

There was no answer for a moment, then a hesitant, "Yes, but you know there are consequences." He was referring to the fact that Shingo was around.

"We have no choice," was her response, echoing his earlier words. "If we’re to get out of this alive, we need Falcon and the others."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"I’m sure."

"Very well." He retraced his steps to the others and told them of Usagi’s decision. They were all a bit surprised but understood the need for their alter egos.

A few feet away, Usagi relaxed her hold on her brother, before completely letting go. She touched him on the shoulder and turned him to face her. "Shingo, I’ll leave you for a moment, but stay right here," she told him so he won’t panic. "No matter what happens, don’t move so I’ll know where to find you." She waited another moment to make sure he understood before retreating to join her friends.

"Ready, Everyone?" she asked the whole group. A chorus of assents followed her question. "Then let’s do it." She raised her hand and grasped the crystal pendant. Aware of the others raising blades and transformation pens, she looked up and shouted her command. "Millennium Moon…Make up!"

Hearing his sister’s voice, Shingo looked towards the spot where the sound came from. He couldn’t see anything at all, until a bright spark suddenly appeared in the darkness. It illuminated Usagi’s face for a moment, before suffusing her whole body in the brightest of lights. Shingo shielded his eyes as all around her other gleaming shapes took form, revealing the senshi as their bodies transformed and outlining the generals as their frames metamorphosed. When the light finally disappeared, he put down his arm once more to the sight of utter darkness. No changes were evident but he knew something important had taken place.

He felt a touch on his arm as Sailor Moon reached out to make sure he was still where she left him. When she was assured of his presence, she turned around once more and assumed the others were behind her.

"Falcon, what do you see now?"

That general quickly looked around, noted the confines of the cavern they were in, and reported his observations. "The cave we’re in is not very large, but there are three passageways leading away from it. I can’t see where they end from here, but one of them must surely lead to Morgon."

Wolf took a deep breath and tried to separate the scents that permeated their surroundings. His eyes narrowed slightly as he detected an alien smell, and he stepped in the direction it came from.

"He’s in the cavern to the left," he told the group to their surprise, earning a few raised eyebrows in the dark.

"But, how--?" Sailor Neptune inquired, voicing the question in everyone’s mind.

"His scent," was the simple answer. "The other caverns just smell of earth, rock and plants. Natural scents that you’d expect underground. But the one on the left has a little something added. Something I can’t identify."

"Good work, Wolf," Sailor Moon said before turning back to Falcon. "Can you lead us through it?"

"Of course." He took Uranus’ hand and told the others to follow suit. Then cautioning them to stay close together, he proceeded to lead them down the left passageway. When they finally reached the other end, a huge boulder blocked the exit.

"Kodiak, I think we need you for this one," Falcon said as he eyed the giant rock.

"What is it, Falcon?"

His leader took his arm and brought him to the front. "If you’ll reach out, you’ll feel a boulder right in front of you. It is quite huge and presumably heavy from the way it looks."

Kodiak did as he was told and immediately made contact with the rock’s surface. He tested its weight by applying some force and felt the boulder shift a little.

"Can you move it out of the way?" Sailor Moon asked from behind him.

"No problem." He put all his power into his arms and easily slid the boulder forward. As it slowly rolled under the pressure, a sliver of light penetrated the opening, making the small group shield their eyes from the unexpected brightness. When the space was big enough for a person’s body, they filed through one by one and regrouped on the other side.

The flatness of the cavern was almost unnatural, with no outcroppings or smaller rocks to mar the smooth floor surface. The light that blinded them earlier came from the far side of the cave, where the rocks piled one on top of the other until they reached the opening high above.

With the room being bright, Shingo turned around to ask Usagi what was going on, but the words never left his mouth. He looked at the senshi and the generals with wide, startled eyes and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He had started to back away when Sailor Moon stepped forward and tried to stop him.

"Shingo, please. It’s me, Usagi."

"Usagi?" he repeated after her, not making any sense of her words.

"Look at me, Shingo," Sailor Moon told him; cupping his face in her hands to make sure he did so. "Look closely."

He saw the wide, blue eyes staring back at him, imploring him to show some recognition. He noted the heart-shaped face he knew so well, and the imminently familiar way she did her hair. He wondered why he never saw it before. Sailor Moon was Usagi. Usagi was Sailor Moon.

"Usagi!" he cried and held on to her tightly.

She put her arms around him and thanked the Lord he was alright. She would do everything in her power to make sure he won’t be hurt.

"Sailor Moon," Pluto called, making her look up. The other Senshi pointed her staff towards the side wall, where the light caught on something and sparkled in return. Sailor Moon dropped her arms from around her brother and moved closer to examine the two large objects. She had to cover her mouth a second later to stifle her scream of distress.

"Huh!" she gasped loudly, attracting everyone’s attention. She was oblivious to their stares as she gazed at the horrifying scene. Two blocks of ice stood at attention, the forms of her parents encased in their cold depths. Both of their faces wore an expression of terror, and Sailor Moon could clearly imagine how they felt at their final moments. She shook her head in denial. She couldn’t believe this was happening. No! She didn’t want to believe it.

"Mamaaaaaaaa!"

The terrified scream was followed by someone passing by her, shoving her to the side. She was too stunned to react at first, but quickly run after him when her mind finally grasped what was happening.

"Shingo!" she screamed, reaching out to stop him. She had almost managed to touch his arm when an energy force came out of nowhere and blasted her away. She was thrown a few feet backwards and landed painfully on her side.

"Sailor Moon!" Mercury called and quickly moved to her side. "Are you alright?"

"I’m fine," she told her impatiently and motioned her away. "Look after Shingo."

Mercury glanced at Usagi’s brother and sadly shook her head. "I don’t think I can do anything for him right now," she told the other senshi.

"What do you mea—" The words were cut short when she noticed her brother, and the tears in her eyes threatened to fall. He was still where he was when she last reached for him, literally frozen in the act of running.

He came so close, was the first thought that crossed her mind, her anguish almost uncontrollable. He almost managed to touch Mama. Sailor Moon closed her eyes in despair and let the sorrow pass through her. And when the sorrow had ebbed, her anger took over. He will touch her again…I swear!

She stood up determinedly, fury coursing through her veins, and screamed a challenge to the unseen enemy. "Who’s there?" she shouted to the room at large, her voice full of grief and overwhelming rage. "Stop hiding behind the walls and show yourself, Coward!"

Nothing happened for a moment, and then the sound of loud clapping was heard from the front. A shadow of a man detached from the wall.

"Ah, the tigress has sprung some claws. I think I like that," Morgon mockingly observed. "How are you, Sailor Moon?"

"You damned coward!" she answered, almost spitting. She rushed towards him, but Endymion held her back. "You cursed, underhanded—"

"Tsk, tsk, such language," he scornfully laughed. "I take it, you don’t like my little surprise? I thought I’d pay you back for what you did to me last time."

"My family had nothing to do with it!" she screamed, straining to get free.

"Your family had everything to do with it," he countered. "You killed my mother!"

"Your mother deserved to die! She was nothing but pure evil, and you are just like her!"

That statement wiped the smirk from Morgon’s face. "You’ll pay for that, Sailor Moon."

"No, Morgon. You are going to pay for what you did to my family. I’m going to kill you!" She finally managed to break out of Endymion’s hold, only to run into another unyielding chest. "Get out of my way, Nephrite," she commanded, trying to move around him.

"No." He clamped two hands on her arms and wouldn’t let her move an inch.

"Let me go!"

"Snap out of it, Sailor Moon. You can’t take him on alone."

"I can. I’ll kill that murdering son of a bit—"

"No. Listen to me, Usagi," he said as he gave her a hard shake.

"Your parents are not dead. Your brother is not dead. Do you hear me?"

Sailor Moon shook her head, refusing to believe his lies. "He killed my family. He has to pay, and I’m going to make him."

"You’re going to get yourself killed!" he told her in reply.

"Listen to him, Usagi," Jadeite beseeched her. "He knows what he’s talking about."

"That’s right, Usagi," Kunzite added when she seemed to be listening. "Your parents and brother may be frozen in those ice blocks, but they can hear everything you’re saying. I don’t think they’d want you to sacrifice your life for them."

"They’re not dead?" she finally ventured, hoping against hope that they were right.

"No, they’re not," Zoisite assured her, "and if we defeat Morgon, I’m sure they’ll be alright. But you have to be calm to be able to fight well, Usagi. Rushing into things will just get us all killed."

"I think that’s what he wants you to do," Nephrite finished, looking down at her. "You don’t want to give him that satisfaction, do you?"

"No," she answered, inwardly calm. The rage that had run rampant through her earlier finally dissipated.

"How touching?" Morgon sneered. "And such a waste of time. I was going to take it easy on you, Sailor Moon. I was going to kill you right away. But now, because of your, oh, so noble warriors, you’re going to suffer through my hands."

"You’re wrong, Morgon," Sailor Moon contradicted. "You’re going to suffer through mine! Millennium Flaming Sphere…INCINERATE!"

Morgon watched as the fireball approached, feeling the heat intensify as it moved closer and closer. He squinted against its overwhelming brightness but stood his ground until it was almost too late. At the last possible second, he jumped out of its way, his movements so quick, they weren’t visible to the naked eye. To all those who were watching, he seemed to disappear for a moment before reappearing somewhere else.

Sailor Moon’s group tensed at this show of immense power and everyone prepared themselves to confront their final enemy. Each of them knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and many of them were bound to get hurt. As they stepped forward and started to separate, Morgon moved back to his original position. He watched them carefully as they came nearer and waited patiently for their next move.

The Senshi and the Generals were quick to surround Morgon, making sure he had no path for escape. Sailor Mars was the first one to attack, raising her arms and shouting her command, "Mars Fire…IGNITE!"

Morgon just laughed and put his arm forward. The palm of his hand alone dissipated the flames.

Venus and Jupiter quickly followed up and sent an electrified chain whipping his way. Morgon countered with a blast of dark energy, which easily neutralized the senshi’s powers.

As more of them tried and failed, it quickly became obvious that attacking in small doses wasn’t going to be enough. They all looked at each other and seemed to come to an agreement. They moved forward as one body and quickly got into position. What came next was a barrage of assaults that even Morgon wasn’t expecting.

He jumped high into the air as the ground cracked on Jadeite’s command, but quickly got caught by an icy wind. Nephrite’s Arctic Tunnel managed to change his course a little, but he was too strong to be blown away by its force. He feinted to the right as soon as he landed and avoided being slashed by a disc of Steel Talons. Yet, the very movement that saved him from Falcon’s attack caused him to be in the way of Lynx’s Blazing Claw. He arched his back and performed a graceful somersault over the massive explosions, all the while chanting a malevolent command. Even before his feet touched the ground, a massive amount of dark energy surrounded his body and exploded outwards.

Zoisite took Mercury in his arms and shielded her from the blast, while Nephrite grabbed Jupiter’s hand and tried to run as far away as possible. Both Jadeite and Mars dropped to the ground to avoid most of the impact, and Kunzite covered Venus’s form as they ducked to do the same.

As the destructive force rapidly spread outward, Lynx held Saturn tightly and jumped quite a distance away. Kodiak didn’t think twice before standing in front of Pluto, taking the brunt of the explosion himself. Falcon, Wolf, Uranus and Neptune held each other’s hands and formed an energy shield to protect themselves, while Endymion wrapped Sailor Moon in his cloak, the armor he wore lessening the impact on his body.

Everything took place in less than a minute, but the damage it caused was quite extensive. All the senshi and the generals sustained numerous injuries, ranging from bruises to broken ribs. As they assisted each other to their feet, Morgon was busy chanting another spell, one especially meant for Sailor Moon.

"Usagi, watch out!" Jupiter screamed as she saw what their enemy was up to.

"Cataclysmic Forest…"

"Mercury Hiemal Frost…AMALGAMATE!"

A dense forest of icicles formed in front of Sailor Moon and protected her from the blast. Mercury and Zoisite’s quick reflexes managed to save the Moon Princess but at the cause of aggravating Zach’s injury. He fell to his knees as the large cut on his side started to bleed again.

The others quickly attacked Morgon from all sides to keep him from doing any more damage. Just like before, he managed to avoid all the assaults easily. The only thing it accomplished was to keep him busy.

As he watched Morgon moving about the cavern, Kodiak found the opportunity he needed. He clasped his hands together tightly and raised it all the way behind his head. Then, with all the force in his brawny arms, he moved to strike the air in front of his face as a glowing energy suffused his hands.

"Kodiak Feral Grip…RIP!"

The blinding light rushed towards the elusive Morgon and caught him completely unaware. He was too busy avoiding the attacks of those who were near him that he didn’t pay attention to the others at the back. As he noticed a lightening in his surroundings, he finally spotted the coming of the energy force. He twisted sideways quickly, but it still managed to hit his right arm. As it passed through his skin, it made deep cuts across it, like the claws of a bear ripping upon his arms.

The wound he sustained only managed to make Morgon murderously mad and he screamed his outrage. He focused all his hatred and sent it surging towards the back of the cave. The ‘shiro-kage’ generals and the outer senshi were quick to scatter to avoid the deadly blast. Only Lynx and Saturn had no time to move out of the way because they were standing nearest to the front.

Lynx quickly jumped to avoid the explosion and tackled Saturn in the process. They landed a few feet away and rolled away to safety. Falcon was beside them at once, making sure they were alright.

"Are you two okay?"

"I’m fine," Saturn replied, getting up to relieve Lynx of her weight. He followed her lead at a much slower pace.

"You’re hurt!"

Lynx followed her gaze to his arm and saw that it was bleeding. He immediately covered it with his palm and gave her a reassuring smile. "It’s just a scratch, Saturn," he told her to stop her from worrying. "It’s nothing to be concerned about."

"Then let me have a look at it." She took his hand away and proceeded to work her magic on his wound. While she was preoccupied, Lynx turned to Falcon.

"He’s too strong, Falcon," he told the other knight. "He’s stronger than all of us put together. We need to do something else."

"I realize that," Falcon replied, watching the already battered senshi and generals as they fought the illusive Morgon. His vision suddenly blurred as fog descended on the cavern. "What the—?"

"Metamorphic Rocks…PULVERIZE!"

"Searing Molten Magma…"

"Venus Solar Rays…BLAZE!"

The others kept attacking even though they couldn’t see anything. Morgon’s form was completely shrouded in the fog, and they weren’t sure if he was still where they saw him last. Only Falcon could see slightly through the thick mist, and what he saw made him curse.

"Damn it!"

"What is it?" Lynx asked.

"Force field," he replied curtly. "He’s built a force field around him. None of the attacks broke through."

"Shit!"

"Oh, no. What are we going to do?" Saturn was suddenly beside Falcon and looked to him for a solution.

He was quiet for a moment as he studied his enemy’s defense shield. "There is only one possible way to beat him," he said after a while. "The energy totems." He turned to Lynx and commanded, "Find Wolf and Kodiak and bring them here right away. Saturn, you come with me." He grabbed her hand and moved closer to the others.

"Outer senshi, I need your help!" he shouted over the sounds of fighting. The three older Senshi were beside him at once and he turned to the ones left behind. "Try to keep him occupied for a few moments. We might be able to beat him yet."

He led the Outer Senshi to where the Knights of Selene generals were waiting and told them of his plan. They understood what he wanted and quickly formed a defense line in front of the Knights. The four men faced each other in a circle and unsheathed their swords. A moment later, a glowing light suffused them and their energy totems became visible above their heads.

On the other side, Morgon was taking a brief rest from the battle, knowing that his force field could withstand any of their attacks. He was gathering his energy to finish them off once and for all when he glimpsed an unusually bright light from the corner of his eye. He quickly looked up and saw what was transpiring at the far end of the cavern.

Ah, so this is the secret weapon Athol was talking about, Morgon thought to himself. What was it he said? They had no bodies? His eyes narrowed to slits as he closely observed what was happening to the Knights. When their energy totems became visible to his view, an evil grin formed on his lips. He stretched his arms forward, putting inner wrists together with palms spread outward. A flow of destructive words emanated from his lips as he chanted his most powerful attack. Then with a mighty shove, he released the energy force that would destroy them all.

"Haaa!"

The inner senshi and Royal Guard generals were quick to jump out of the way. Sailor Moon turned to Endymion and shouted, "The outer senshi!"

He looked towards the four women and saw them still standing guard over the four knights. Endymion knew they couldn’t withstand Morgon’s attack and run to shove them out of the way. He managed to knock two of them to the side and quickly pulled the other two before the destructive force reached their position. Together they watched in horror as it swept through the four Moon Kingdom generals, picking up their helpless bodies and tossing them away.

Morgon watched as the dark energy sped to the group at the back, confident of his victory. He didn’t notice the bright energy totems rushing towards him before it was too late. A scream of agony issued from his lips as they penetrated his force field and tore at his skin and armor. By the time his attack finally hit and the animal figures disappeared, he was badly hurt and bleeding, and much too weak to maintain his defense shield any longer.

The group in front saw their opportunity and commenced attacking him again. It took all of Morgon’s effort just to evade the assaults and he wasn’t aware of what had happened to his earlier targets. He was much too preoccupied to notice that his aim had run true.

The blow caught Falcon from behind and quickly encompassed the rest of the generals. The force of the attack drove their bodies backward and slammed them hard against the wall. As they slowly crumpled to the ground, the outer senshi cried out and rushed to their sides. Endymion and Sailor Moon, who followed close behind, watched them as they knelt beside the men they loved.

Setsuna lifted Logan’s shoulders and cradled his upper body on her lap. She was careful not to touch the outer skin of his arms and legs that were raw from being burned. As she stroked his cheek with a finger, he stirred and opened his eyes. The look he focused on her was filled with pain and anger.

Logan tried to sit up but winced as his injuries began to bleed. He cursed at his own weakness, but let Setsuna lay him back down. A glance at her face had him raising his hand, and he touched the tears running down her cheeks.

"Shh," he tried to sooth her, "I’m going to be alright."

Setsuna managed a smile as she held his hand to her face. "I know."

But the tears kept running down her cheeks and he started to worry. "Where’s Drake? Is Ashe alright?"

A hand on his shoulder kept him from looking around and he gave her a frustrated look. "They’re both going to be okay," she told him to appease him. "They have serious injuries, but Hotaru and Michiru are looking after them."

That seemed to quiet him a bit, before an impossible thought had him fighting against her hold. "Galen!" he shouted then continued in a softer voice, "It’s Galen, isn’t it?"

Setsuna couldn’t deny that she was crying for Galen and Logan tried to look behind her. "Damn it, Setsuna! Let me up. I need to see him." He looked at her seriously and wouldn’t back down, so she had no choice but to help him sit up.

The first person he saw was Ashe being cradled in Michiru’s arms. The right side of his body was terribly burnt and he couldn’t hide the pain he was feeling.

Towards his right, Logan noticed Hotaru bending over Drake’s body. Her hands hovered over his left side as she used her healing powers to try to cure his injuries. His eyes were closed, an arm across them, as he gritted his teeth against the pain. He didn’t see the tears in Hotaru’s eyes nor the furtive glances she kept casting towards Galen’s direction.

Haruka knelt beside Galen and pushed the hair back from his face. She waited for him to open his eyes, but he didn’t stir from the feel of her touch. Behind her, Usagi clutched Mamoru’s hand when she noticed how extensive Galen’s injuries were. He looked down at her and wondered what she would do if he died.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when Galen’s eyelids fluttered before slowly revealing his eyes. His gaze was unfocused and full of agony, but he moved his hand to clasp the one Haruka had on the ground. She leaned closer to his face as he mouthed some words.

"Others…?" he whispered weakly.

"They’re fine," she reassured him.

"Good." He let go of her hand and put both palms against the ground. He winced as he put pressure on them but continued to try to lift himself up. Haruka held his shoulders and tried to talk him out of it.

"Don’t move! Your back—" she told him in a panicked voice.

"Terrible, is it?" he asked with a slight smile.

"Worse," she admitted, eyeing the charred skin that was bleeding profusely in a few places. "You need to stay down until Hotaru can look at it."

"I need to talk to Setsuna."

"No, I—"

"Haruka," he said seriously, making her listen. "This is important. We need to finish Morgon before he kills all of us."

She couldn’t refute his statement, so she reluctantly helped him to his side. "Help me sit up, please." She used his arms to raise him to a sitting position, but he couldn’t support himself once he was up. Very carefully, she lowered his back to her chest so she could take on most of his weight. She almost cried out for him when he opened his mouth in a silent scream as the burnt parts of his back came in contact with her body.

A wave of dizziness passed through Galen as he gritted his teeth against the pain. He couldn’t afford to lose consciousness at that moment and his strength of will managed to keep him from giving in to the agony. He opened weary eyes to find Usagi and Setsuna watching him worriedly.

"Usagi, I’m afraid you’ll have to use the crystal."

"I’ll take care of Morgon, Galen," she told him confidently, worried that he would try to fight in his present state. "Just stay here and rest." She started to get up but he put out a hand to stop her.

"No," he told her, "even though we managed to hurt him, he won’t die so easily, Usagi. He’s very strong—even stronger than his mother."

"That’s alright," she said unknowingly. "The crystal won’t drain my energy so it doesn’t matter how much power I use."

"Actually," Setsuna said before Galen could speak, "it doesn’t have enough power to kill Morgon right now. The crystal’s true power is only awakened when the Moon’s guardians blend their powers with it. We didn’t have time to do that because Morgon moved too fast. Now it’s too late."

Usagi remembered then that she had been waiting for Setsuna’s arrival to do just that. It had slipped her mind in her excitement to see the older Senshi and she’d completely forgotten about it until now. "So what happens if I use the crystal anyway?"

"You’ll d—"

"Nothing will happen because you’re not going to use it like that," Galen interrupted before Pluto could finish. The Senshi looked at him with a frown.

"There is no other way," she told him.

"There IS another way," he contradicted. "Usagi, give me the crystal."

Setsuna was shaking her head even as the princess handed him the crystal. "No, Galen. You can’t do this."

"I can," he said determinedly, "and I will."

Still Setsuna shook her head. Galen pleaded with his eyes as he held the crystal out to her. "Please, Setsuna. You know I won’t let any harm come to her."

The Outer Senshi couldn’t refuse him and she reached out to take the crystal from his hand. She knew that Galen had always been protective of Usagi, but to go so far…

Pluto stood up and walked towards the other side of the cave. She went into the fray and managed to do what was needed in the shortest time possible. When she had passed the crystal to each one, she left them to continue fighting the injured Morgon while she returned to the others.

She knelt in front of Neptune and Wolf and covered the crystal with her palms. She concentrated her life force into her hands and let a small part of it slip into the gem, sharing it so Usagi’s won’t be totally drain during the fight. When she had finished, she handed the crystal to Michiru. The other Senshi did the same and reluctantly passed it to Ashe. He managed to clasp the crystal in his right fist and put all the power he could into it. As the life force left his body, he swayed in Michiru’s embrace and almost passed out.

Pluto took the gem from him and passed it around to the remaining senshi and generals. The last one to take it was Galen as Haruka reluctantly offered it to him. He felt her tense as he reached out for it and knew she understood what could happen afterwards. As she transferred the crystal to his hand, she held on to him tightly and tried to accept the decision he had made.

Galen closed his eyes for a moment and leaned back against her. He had no way of comforting her and he couldn’t allow himself to change his mind. To him the alternative was just unacceptable, so he accepted his role and prayed for the best. Still, as he felt her let go of his hand, he wondered why fate was so cruel to bring her back into his life only to grant them so little time together.

He hesitated a bit as he felt the crystal pulse in his hand and watched it start to glow. It beckoned to him, but he couldn’t help but wish for a little more time. A cry from the front put an end to his indecision.

Morgon was starting to get his strength back and had managed a blast at the inner senshi. Mars came out of it with a bleeding shoulder and Mercury was down on her knees. The Royal Guard quickly came to their defense and started bombarding him with continuous attacks. He retaliated by putting up his force field once again.

Saturn saw what was happening and finally had enough. She stood up determinedly and started walking to the front. Lynx watched her with anxious eyes and wondered what she was up to.

Hotaru had had enough of Morgon hurting her friends and loved one, and she was determined to end this battle once and for all. She only had one way of defeating him and the use of it carried a great price. To her, the consequence was insignificant compared to the safety of everyone else, and she was more than willing to accept it.

She stood her glaive in front of her, holding it at arms length. A cloud of doom appeared above her head as she mouthed the words, "Silence Glaive…"

"Nooo!"

The shout came from the back as Drake struggled to reach her before she finished her attack. He managed to get up and take a few steps before falling to his knees with a thud. The blood dripped on the ground before him as he clutched his injured side, but with gritted teeth and determination, tried to get up once again. Frustration was evident in the eyes he raised to Saturn when his body refused to obey him. He held out a hand to her helplessly.

"No, Saturn, don’t!" he shouted over the distance. When she still seemed to hesitate, he cursed under his breath. "Damn it!"

"There’s no need for that, Saturn," Galen said from behind him. "Don’t worry about Morgon. Just take care of Drake before he passes out."

The youngest senshi obeyed him immediately and went to assist Drake. Galen turned back to Usagi when he saw a relieved Lynx enclose Saturn in his embrace. "Get my sword and bring it here, Usagi."

"Your sword?" She spotted the item on the ground a few feet away and went to retrieve it. When she placed it on the ground before Galen, he removed the emerald stone on top of the hilt.

"After I finish with the crystal, put it here and use the sword to destroy Morgon," he told the bewildered girl.

"But why?" she asked. "I mean, why can’t I use it directly?"

"I’m not sure if the crystal has enough power, even now. My sword contains a big part of my life force and it will feed the crystal a lot of the power it will need. That way it won’t drain you so much when you use it."

"I see."

Usagi was surprised to feel Galen’s touch on her face. She looked up to find him staring at her unwaveringly.

"Galen? Is something wrong?"

He shook his head slowly, a slight smile lingering on his lips. He looked up at Mamoru and asked him softly, "Look after her, will you?"

The other man nodded gravely and gave his promise. "You have my word."

Haruka tightened her hold on Galen even more when she saw him clasp the crystal in his fist. She felt the tension fill his body as he closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath. A sliver of light appeared from within his fist and intensified to a blinding shine before disappearing once again. For a moment afterwards, she thought he was going to be okay, and then his body grew slack in her arms. As she held him close and let the tears fall, the hand that held the crystal fell limply to the ground. Within its uncurled fist, the precious gem emitted a dull glow.

Usagi took the crystal from Galen’s hand and placed it on the hilt of the sword. As soon as it settled, the glow spread outwards and encompassed the whole weapon. Sailor Moon carefully touched it with her fingers and felt it pulse with the power it held.

"It worked!" she said excitedly and turned to Galen with a smile. "Galen, it worked."

She frowned when Galen didn’t respond and thought he had passed out. She shook his arms and tried again. "Galen?"

She held his shoulder and shook it harder. "Galen?!"

"Usagi…" Haruka said and touched the younger senshi’s hand. The tears on her cheeks told their own story.

"No…" Usagi said, letting the doubts creep in. "No! Galen, wake up! Galen! Galen!"

"Sailor Moon," Pluto said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Take the sword and destroy Morgon."

"No…" the girl said, not wanting to believe what had happened.

With tears still streaming down her own cheeks, Setsuna shook her hard to wake her up. "Usagi, do you want to waste Galen’s gift to you, huh?!" she asked her harshly. "Are you saying he died for nothing?"

Sailor Moon could only shake her head.

"Then take the sword and use it! That’s his life force you’re wasting!"

"No…" she whispered, still denying what she knew was true. "No…" she clenched her hands and let the grief pass through. "Nooooooooo!" She grabbed the sword with both hands, heedless of it’s weight, and charged towards Morgon. All she could think about was Galen giving up his life to destroy this monster and a murderous rage suffused her. She wielded the sword like a knight as she run and took her first slash.

The inner senshi and Royal Guard saw her coming fast and moved out of the way. They didn’t know what had happened at the back, but they knew Galen would never have let Sailor Moon attack alone if he thought she couldn’t do it. Taking some much needed rest, they watched avidly from the sidelines to see what would happen next.

Morgon saw her coming alone and an evil smile formed on his lips. Once again, he put his arms forward and repeated the chant he used on the ‘shiro-kage’ generals. As he finished the words, he saw Sailor Moon lift the sword and slash it towards him. Cynically, he thought she was too far away from him and was completely shocked when he felt the first slice.

Usagi didn’t know if she was doing any good, but she repeatedly slashed Morgon as she run towards him. Each time she sliced the air, the sword gave out a blinding light that streaked towards her enemy. The beam passed through Morgon’s form before disappearing into the darkness, but he remained standing in one spot. From the distance between them, Sailor Moon didn’t realize she was cutting him to pieces.

Morgon struggled to call on his power, but he was already too weak to do any good. He watched the cuts appear on his body and felt the torment he had inflicted on countless others. As his body slowly disintegrated and he felt death closing upon him, he searched deep within his mind and found solace in the guise of his mother. He clung to her image as his body turned to dust and he felt consciousness leaving him. "Mother…"

Sailor Moon stood before him and continually sliced at the air in front of her. She couldn’t see anything for the tears brimming in her eyes, the grief clutching at her soul. She lashed out at her tormentor; her only thought to destroy him before he took more of the people she loved. The last price he took was already too much.

Usagi felt gentle arms go around her as Mamoru held her from behind. He used the strength in his arms to stop her wild thrashing and kept her in his embrace until she finally grew still. The tears that bathed her face showed that her grief was still unspent and Mamoru held her closer.

"It’s alright now, Usako," he told her soothingly. "Morgon is finished. He can’t hurt you anymore."

Mamoru didn’t realize that Usagi was no longer thinking of Morgon, but of the man who’d protected her all of her life. The thought that she would never see Galen again had her going numb and the sword fell from her hands. It landed with a clang as Usagi felt the strength leave her and she dropped to her hands and knees. She wasn’t aware of Mamoru kneeling close behind her and looking at her with worried eyes.

On one side of the cave, the three ice blocks had disintegrated when Morgon’s life force had disappeared. Usagi’s parents and younger brother clung to each other with relief as they were released from the icy hold. Ikuko was the first to let go as she looked towards the front at her daughter’s grieving form. She took a step forward but was quickly blocked by the inner senshi who had finally learned what had happened to Galen.

"Please give her time," Mercury asked of her as she gently shook her head. "Nobody could help her right now, not even Mamoru."

Ikuko understood what the younger woman was saying and didn’t try to push past her. She watched Usagi’s face as the tears continued to fall, her mother’s heart feeling helpless at the face of her daughter’s sorrow. She felt a hand enclose her shoulder and she looked back to find Kenji open his arms. She went into them without hesitation, shedding her own tears for the man who had loved her daughter so.

Usagi watched without interest as the tears dripped on Galen’s sword. She looked at her reflection on the shining steel and wondered why she had let this happen. Why hadn’t she known that for Galen to share his life force in the state he was in, he had to forfeit his life? Setsuna had known, and she had tried to stop him. Haruka had also known, but she hadn’t dissuaded him, only held him closer as she supported his decision. But Usagi wouldn’t have accepted it. She would have fought him every step of the way—if only she had known.

Damn you, Galen, she thought in her grief. Why did you have to be so noble, you had to sacrifice your life?! We could have found another way…another way… She clenched her hands against the ground. Damn you! You didn’t have to die!

She raised her face upward and let out a mournful cry, the agony behind it showing the torment in her soul. She wasn’t conscious of the others behind her, holding each other close as they shared in her grief. Nor was she aware of Haruka who continued to rock Galen’s form slowly, her own face drenched in tears as she held him close in her embrace. All that Usagi was conscious of was the empty space in her heart that was tearing her apart.

"Gaaaaalleeeeeeennn!"

to be continued…