Chapter V

Nephrite smiles and gently takes her hand, twining his fingers with hers.

“M-chan, you need not run from me.”

He feels his heart melt when she smiles at him.

“Neph?!” HLM gasps, her dress suddenly being replaced by her jet-black battle uniform.

“M-chan? What is it?” He asks in surprise as she sprints towards the spot Jae is fighting a purple skinned, spiky blue haired creature with yellow eyes.

“Youma?” Neph exclaims, his voice cracking as he sees five more of the creatures burst out of the bushes. HLM unsheathes her claws as they run together.

“You…ma?”

“I’ll explain later.”

HLM nods slightly as she unsheathes her claws and seems to literally fly, claws first, at the youma about to attack Jae while he fends off the one he was already dealing with. When both of her claws sink in all the way, she seems to glow green for a fraction of a second before the monster jerks, as if struck by a massive amount of electricity. It roars and spins, trying to get HLM off.

By now, Diana had arrived in her battle gear with Zoi and Kunz. Once three youma had been destroyed, the rest retreat. Within the following silence, the warriors look around, never dropping their stances, to make sure there are no more monsters around. Once they’re sure of their safety, Zoi speaks up, looking grimly at the others.

“Shit. We have to let Queen Serenity know about this attack,” he comments.

Diana nods as she puts pressure on the gash in Jae’s shoulder to try to stop the bleeding. HLM sees the red-haired woman looking over at her bleeding chest.

“You’re right, Zoi,” Diana starts, “how about you, Kunz and Neph tell her while I take care of Jae’s and HLM’s injuries? We’ll join you later.”

In a soft voice, the young Pharaoh says, “I will be fine.”

Neph turns to HLM and puts gentle hands on her shoulders, knowing her wounds must be hurting. “You’re injured; let Diana tend to your injuries. You need to be as strong as possible.”

“No, I mean it,” she says, looking down at her flesh knitting itself together. Into the amazed silence, she continues, “See? I’m healing already.”

“Ah…well…it appears M-chan will be accompanying us after all,” the auburn haired general comments after a moment.

HLM nods as she puts a hand to the chest of her uniform, mending the fabric with a flick of a mental switch.

Soon, while Diana and Jae are in their room, and Kunz, Zoi, Neph and HLM are telling the story of what happened in the garden.

“…and now Lady Diana is attending to General Jadeite’s injuries.”

“No one else was injured?” Endymion asks.

“Save for Pharaoh HLM, who appears to have accelerated healing, no, my Prince.”

Prince Endymion nods. “For that we are thankful. General Nephrite, Senshi Mars, have your divinations said anything that might be of use in this situation?” He asks as Diana and Jae step in.

Nephrite steps forward respectfully. “The stars showed me a woman, tall, slender and with red hair with…a darkness behind her.”

Mars joins the auburn haired man. “The Sacred Flame showed me much the same. It also gave the impression that this is the beginning of something much larger.”

Neph nods. “The stars did as well.”

At that moment, both the Prince and Nephrite notice the pale look of horror on HLM’s face.

“M-chan?” Neph asks softly, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. “What is it?”

In a trembling voice, she answers, “O…oh…just…your description of that woman, it…it sounded exactly like a legend that has been passed down through the generations.”

“What is this legend, HLM? Perhaps it will help,” the Silver Queen asks gently.

“Well, um,” the young Pharaoh straitens her back, preparing herself to tell the tale. “It is said that millions upon millions of years ago, there was a child born on one of our remote planets who was absolutely and uncontestably evil. Her parents and those all around her refused to see this. As soon as she reached adulthood, she destroyed the world she lived on, killing her friends, family and neighbors heartlessly.

She did not go unpunished for this deed, though. No, she was exiled forever from the Black Hole Worlds.

Before she was forced out, however, she made a vow to one day return to destroy all of our worlds and kill off our entire race.”

The young woman pauses to close her eyes and lick her lips.

“The legend describes this woman as ‘having hair as red as blood, willow thin and having the yellow eyes of the rarest lizard’, and her name, so the legend says, is Beryl.”

HLM feels Neph’s hand touching hers under the table, and she squeezes his hand.

“Hmm, we must be careful if this legend is true,” Serenity says in her soft voice. “You are all to be on your guard from now until this is all over.”

“Yes,” everyone answers with a bow.

Once that meeting ends, Neph escorts HLM back to her quarters. They face each other outside the ornate doors to her suite.

“Are you certain you’re all right?” Neph asks, concern in his cobalt eyes.

HLM nods, a small smile adorning her lips. “I’m just a little shaken is all. Less by the attack and more by that woman you and Senshi Mars described. It looks as if there is more truth to that frightening legend than I had originally thought.”

Neph nods slightly. “I understand.”

“I must tell my people about these recent developments and warn them to be watchful for anything amiss. If you don’t mind,” she gives him one of those charming, shy smiles, “I’d also like to introduce you to an old friend and trusted advisor of mine.”

Neph blinks and nods, a slightly confused smile adorning his handsome features. “Forgive me, but…are we visiting your worlds to do this?”

She blinks slightly at him, opening the doors so they can both go in. “Ah…no…I have a system of communication crystals. Though, I can arrange a visit to my worlds in the future, if you wish.”

The auburn haired man nods. “It would be an honor to see your worlds sometime in the future. Now simply is not the best of times.”

She chuckles musically. “Of course, I understand.”

The enchanting young woman goes to her desk and takes a seat on the softly cushioned chair in front of it. On the desk before her sit five colorless crystals with a small deep purple piece in the center of each pyramid shaped stone. She lightly touches each stone’s tip with a delicate fingertip, setting the center of each one aglow. Each ultraviolet light sends a beam up into the air. The five beams gravitate together and they form a miniature image of Cal after a moment. Neph watches in amazement.

The raven haired man smiles when he sees her through his own set of crystals. “My Pharaoh! It is good to see you! How is your stay going?” He says in the language of the Black Hole Worlds.

“Ah, Cal, things are going well, save for one incident,” she responds in English, cuing Cal to do the same and holds up a slender hand to briefly dam the flood of words Cal seems to want to unleash. “I am fine, and I will tell you about what happened. Before we continue, though, I would like to introduce you to my guide and guardian, General Nephrite.” She turns, gently takes one of the General’s hands and draws him up beside her while manifesting a chair over to sit by her. “Nephrite, this is my oldest and best friend, Advisor Cal.”

Neph bows politely, as does Cal, but Neph sees a hint of jealousy in the blue pupiled eyes of the man nearly a galaxy away. “ ‘Tis an honor to meet you, sir,” Neph comments, giving no clue that he saw that glint.

“Likewise,” Cal replies in a heavily accented voice. “Guard her well,” he continues in slightly broken English.

“I shall do my best.”

Cal looks back to HLM, and comments in his and her language, “He’s strange looking. Do all of them look like him?”

HLM can’t help chuckling slightly. “No, Cal, try not to be so judgmental! Yes, they all share features similar to his, but I happen to think he’s beautiful.” Cal raises a brow at that.

“I see…”

“Cal, relax, please don’t be jealous of him. I think you’re beautiful, too, all right?” She just sighs at the look he gives her. She then glances at Neph and the slight confusion in his eyes. She begins in English, “We’re being rude.” She sends an apologetic smile to Neph, before turning back to Cal. “How are things going on our worlds?”

“Save for the…usual…ah…petty arguments, well.”

HLM nods. “Good to hear. I suppose you wish to hear what happened.”

Cal nods.

“Nephrite and I will explain.”

Throughout the story, Cal’s frown deepens and his brows knit. “Are…you sure you are safe there?”

HLM nods, and Nephrite speaks up, chafing slightly under the other man’s dislike. “Your Pharaoh seems to be an excellent warrioress, and I am always by her side to protect her as well. Advisor Cal, you have no need to worry for her. I do my job to the best of my abilities, and I have yet to have any complaints.”

Cal eyes Neph up and down, his jealousy and dislike thinly veiled. “Very well. General Nephrite, if anything happens to her, I hold you personally responsible.”

HLM frowns and says sharply in their language, “Cal, we are no longer lovers, yet you speak as if we stall are. Much as we both may wish it had worked out, it had not. Nephrite is a valuable ally and will be a good friend. Now please, put your emotions aside and try to be diplomatic.”

Cal blinks and nods, not having been scolded by his pharaoh in quite a while and slightly taken aback by her sharp tone. “Yes, Pharaoh HLM,” he responds before switching back to English, “My apologies, General Nephrite.”

Neph nods in acceptance and the young woman between the two speaks up. “Thank you, Cal. Remember, please be on your guard, and report anything out of the ordinary that happens over there to me via mind or communication crystals, all right?”

The alien man nods. “Yes, Pharaoh.” He pauses. “And HLM? Take care of yourself.”

HLM smiles gently. “You too, my friend, you too.” In her language, she continues, “Cal? I’m sorry for yelling before.”

He smiles wryly, “It’s all right, I deserved it.” With one last nod to both HLM and Neph, Cal terminates the connection.

Chapter IV
Chapter VI
Life Between Worlds Index