Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Love and Lament ❯ Dreams End ( Chapter 16 )

 

PinaPoe's Notes:: All notes are located in the Q&A chapter

 

 

Love & Lament

 

Chapter sixteen

Dreams end

 

 

“Look, there!” Bruuna pointed toward the ever increasing ruins. Seemingly stepping from thin air appeared hundreds of Lunarian and Venusian knights lead by General Lunari Elusiian Mox.

 

Bruuna silently cheered as the hundred Venusian warriors she came to the moon with, and the hundreds of lunar knights that she commanded and befriended, charged into battle.

 

The Knights fought bravely and seemed to have the upper hand. The enemy was caught off guard and fell by the hundreds to the surprise flanking attack. Bruuna's spirit was bolstered as demon after demon fell before her comrades and friends.

 

****

 

“They won't last long enough for us to make it to the bunker.” Revian mumbled. Taking three strides away from her comrades, the Martian warrior ripped off the furs covering her top and traced her scimitar across her exposed flesh.

 

Staring straight ahead Revian began to speak. “By my blood and the blood of my ancestors none of these warriors will get to you without killing me first.”

 

As she started to charge the clashing armies, Revian raised her sword and let out a final cry. “I'll meet you in the next life!”

 

“Come on people, let's move!” Hyperion shouted as he started to once again push toward the bunkers. Revian's unexpected charge pulled everyone from their stupor and renewed their will to fight their way toward the bunkers.

 

“Wait.” Bruuna stopped Merci as she was about to follow behind Hyperion and Endymion. The scarred Mecurian locked gazes with her former mistress and childhood companion. A tear fell from Merci's eye as Bruuna traced a calloused hand down her cheek. Bruuna knew that Merci understood what she meant to do. Looking down upon the hidden love of her life, Bruuna gathered the courage to say what she has kept hidden her entire life.

 

“I love you my Lady. I always have and I always will.” Bruuna confessed for the first time. Merci looked upon her lifelong friend in stunned silence.

 

Bruuna withdrew her hand from Merci's cheek and turned to Hyperion. She knew that her time was short, but Merci had a chance to live. Bruuna understood that Merci needed someone in her life, she had always depended upon the presence and stability of another. Now that Vileal was dead, Merci needed Hyperion now more than ever. “I know you still love her. The future looks grim, now is the time to forgive the past.”

 

Bruuna waited for a glimmer of acknowledgement in Hyperion's eyes before she removed the heirloom trident from the holster along her back and turned toward the battle.

 

“Take care of her my lord, or you will regret it for eternity.” Bruuna called out while running after Revian to join her in a last stand fighting alongside her men.

 

“No, wait! Bruuna!” Bruuna grimaced, holding back her tears as she heard her lady, her love's voice for what would probably be the final time in her life.

 

“Lady Revian, wait!” Bruuna called out to the Martian warlord, several paces in front of her. Bruuna was inspired by the Martian, as barefoot and topless she charged straightforward into an impossible battle.

 

“Decided to die with your men after all?” Revian yelled out as she slowed her pace just enough for Bruuna to catch up. The sinewy muscles of her coal black skin stretched and contracted as she spun her scimitar while running. “You are a warrior and a true leader after all.”

 

“I won't abandon my men, neither will I let you die alone here.” Revian turned her head, and flashed a feral smile at Bruuna. The Mecurian commander of the Lunar and Venusian knights smiled back, realizing that Revian loved this and that there was no other place she would rather be. Martians lived for the ultimate battle and to die in a fight as overwhelming as this, against such awe inspiring opponents would be an honor for her.

 

Bruuna did not exactly share that point of view, but she would die happy and fight hard knowing that for every Demon she could slay, her men, and her friends would live that much longer.

 

“Raaaargh!” Revian screamed as she tore into the ranks of red and black skinned demons. Even though she had the element of fire under her command, it seemed as if she was going to rely solely on her scimitar.

 

Bruuna, having no supernatural abilities always had to trust in her skill with her trident. Having fought underwater for many years, her strength and movement on land was much faster, and more powerful than even the strongest of soldiers. She knew this and intended to use it to her full advantage.

 

Bruuna charged foreword, skewering a wayward demon and pushing him back into another. As the two monstrosities fell backward, Bruuna vaulted over their bodies, tearing her trident out and landing in the middle of the fierce battle between the Lunar, Venusian, Demonic, and Human warriors.

 

 

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“Commander!” Bruuna was greeted by dozens of her men as she waded into battle by their side. She looked around as best she could while fighting off countless waves of humans and demons.

 

Five minutes and twenty plus kills later, Bruuna ascertained that less than half of her men still survived, most having been slaughtered by the seven shadow warriors. Fueled by the desire to avenge her men, Bruuna tore into the enemy ranks with a renewed vigor.

 

Dozens upon dozens of men and beast fell to their doom before her throughout the following thirty minutes. Bruuna continued on, not feeling the protesting of her muscles or the sting of the numerous cuts spanning her dark blue skin.

 

The Mecurian warrior's golden eye, gifted to her by her lover, flared hotly as she spun her trident in a circle cutting down two men and wounding another. Pulling backward and swinging overhead, she brought the heavy metal weapon down upon a demon's skull. The beast did'nt make a sound as its skull split open and its body crumbled to the ground.

 

Time continued to tick by, and Bruuna found her allies becoming few and far between. Bruuna pulled back a moment, she was still in the midst of battle, but she focused on defense rather than attacking. Using the minor break she looked around for her friends and allies. Much to her chagrin she found that only four of the two dozen men she was fighting beside still stood. She knew there had to be many more hidden from view in the thinning battle, but she could not see them. She had also yet to see General Mox or Revian since the battle started.

 

“Marqui!” Bruuna called out to one of the four knights still fighting by her side. The burly Venusian male looked to be enjoying the battle, and showed no sign of slowing down. Bruuna was thankful this particular warrior was here to watch her back. “Have you seen General Mox?”

 

The large knight, dressed similar to Bruuna in a tight chain mail shirt and even tighter leather shorts shook his head as he drove his mace into the head of his human opponent. The Venusian armor was designed to be pleasing to the eye, they never really expected to see actual combat. Unfortunately it showed, at the beginning of the battle Bruuna estimated that less than a fourth of the original hundred Venusian knights remained.

 

“She was by squad seven, fighting a giant cat demon and that Earth general Jadeite.” The large golden skinned man barked out between swings of his ridiculously large mace.

 

“These demons used to be Martians, and other races.” Marqui grunted as he crushed a human's face with his bare hand while tearing the arm off another with his mace. “The Genr'l was cursing at the cat demon, said it was her husband.”

 

Bruuna was shocked, citizens of the galaxy were being corrupted and transformed into demons, that and who knew the general was married? “How was she faring?”

 

“Seemed to be knocking that bastard down a couple notches. Damn thing killed a couple good friends of mine… Raaaagh!” The muscular Venusian spun around, his mace thudding into and collapsing the chest of one of the demonic Martians. “She was the only one though, except maybe a handful of us, nobody has the skill to stand up to those warriors that fell out of the sky.”

 

“Then we'll just have to work together.“ Bruuna grimaced fiercely as she started to press her attack again.

 

“Knights of Serenity, if you can hear me, start converging on my position; we have to work together and take these vicious bastards out one by one!” Bruuna called out to her knights as she tripped a human soldier and crushing his skull with the butt of her trident. As the man died, the Mecurian warrior thrust backward, skewering one of her demonic foes.

 

“Numbers, will fail you.” A booming voice thundered, seconds later a lunar knight's severed torso flew over Bruuna's head.

 

Bruuna flipped forward, crashing into an unsuspecting demon as a humongous knight with swords for arms, and armor covering every part of his body, crushed the ground on which she just stood.

 

“Commander!” The two lunar knights fighting alongside Marqui threw off their opponents to run to Bruuna's aid. The gore covered Mecurian was tested to her limits as the surprisingly agile behemoth began to strike at her.

 

“No wait! Stay back!” Bruuna cried out, trying to save her comrades lives. She was too late; in the wink of an eye the giant armored knight skewered one of her men and beheaded the other.

 

“No one beat Bunbo!” The booming voice echoed from within the giant's armor. “Bunbo, strongest one there is!”

 

“We'll see about that, asshole!” Bruuna thrust forward with her trident as Bunbo raised his sword like arms in an arrogant salute.

 

The hulking shadow warrior did not recognize the feint for what it was and struck at Bruuna with all his might, counting on her momentum to keep her from dodging.

Instead, Bruuna used her momentum to leap and roll away from the giant's deadly attack.

 

Bunbo, fast as he was did not have enough dexterity to change his thrust. Both of his blade-like arms smashed into the ground, embedding them deep into the lunar floor.

 

“Now!” A hoarse, but familiar voice cried out. Bruuna turned to see over a dozen knights lead by General Mox, break through a swarm of enemies and lay into the trapped giant.

 

Bunbo struggled as first Mox, then a dozen other soldiers including Bruuna and the Venusian, Marqui, slammed and thrust their weapons into and against his previously thought to be indestructible armor.

 

“Biina, Help Bunbo!” The massive warrior frantically cried as the first weapons penetrated his armor and bit into his skin.

 

“Yeeaargh!” Bruuna was thrown back as an electric shock ran through her and her comrades bodies.

 

“By Metallia you men are truly helpless.” Bruuna cleared the fog from her head and pushed herself quickly to her feet. Hovering above and standing beside the quivering knight were three of the shadow warriors.

 

“First Bakeene gets beaten half to death by his wife, and now the mighty Bunbo is begging for help… Pathetic!“ The one speaking was a beautiful young woman with long black hair and pale green skin. A pair of angelic wings sprouted from her back. As she spoke she wrapped her arms around her quaking companion and the two disappeared in a swirling mist.

 

Bruuna did a quick headcount, besides herself and the General, only six of the lunar knights and two of the Venusians, Marqui included, survived the devastating electric attack. Their opponents were two of the Shadow Warriors. The first was a lanky man dressed in a skintight bodysuit with an electric current jumping from the different patches of armor he wore; the electric currents formed a sort of shield around him. His thin pointed sword was also charged, and crackled with energy. The other warrior was a well built winged man with light green skin, pointed ears, and massive talons in place of his lower legs. He had no weapons, but his fists looked to be made of metal and were covered in gore.

 

Both men tensed and looked as if they were about to strike when a piercing wail tore through the commotion of the battle raging around them. “Mars Liquid Fire… Wave!”

 

“Everybody down!“ General Mox's coarse voice shouted out in desperate warning.

 

Bruuna immediately dropped, and turned to see a massive wave of fire incinerating everything it touched. Every Demon and human she could see was consumed by the molten flames. Thanks to the general, the few remaining knights were spared the gristly fate of their adversaries. As the wave began to roll over her; she could feel her skin blister and peel even though it was at least five feet overhead. The attack was on par to the attack her lover, Radiance, had used to level the battle field earlier.

 

Bruuna's golden eye flared as a hulking mass flew over her at the tail end of the hellish blanket of liquid fire. The burnt, exhausted warrior leapt to her feet in time to see Revian, bloodied and battered, leap upon the burnt, darkened, and thrashed Shadow Warrior. Bruuna gasped, Revian's adversary was the giant ape like beast she had earlier described as a perverted mockery of her people.

 

The giant demon stood on his hind legs to block Revian's downward strike. He lifted a giant version of her weapon with impossible speed, and batted her aside. The Demon did look rather ragged. His black fur was mostly burnt away, revealing darkened red skin underneath; multiple cuts and gashes bled freely through out his twelve foot frame.

 

“GRANDFATHER!!” Bruuna paled as Revian screamed at the giant beast while attacking once again, this time with flame and sword. “What did you do to Phobos and Demios? Where are my wives?”

 

Bruuna spared a quick look around, thankful to see that everyone had made it to their feet. The two shadow warriors seemed hurt, but still ready for a fight. For the moment, however, they seemed content to watch the tail end of what could quite possibly be a fight between the two greatest warriors in the galaxy. Only Hivial and WaterLilly were better, and if they were not here, then they were probably dead.

 

“You should be proud!” The Martian Lord boomed as he and his granddaughter exchanged strikes faster than Bruuna's eyes could follow. In her heart, she wanted to help. Her mind, however, knew that neither she, nor any of her few remaining allies, Mox included, could do anything against the giant monster except die.

 

“Your Women were loyal to you unto the end.” The Lord JiJi, spat some vile liquid from his maw, which extinguished a flaming bird-like image that Revian threw at him. “They refused to join the rest of Mars in allying with Metallia. Even after I had beaten them in combat, they were defiant.”

 

“What did you do?” Revian screamed as she charged the hulking demon. Dodging his attack by a hairs width, she somersaulted past his legs and cut at the exposed muscles and tendons. JiJi groaned as he went crashing to his knees.

 

Revian flipped backwards, landing on her grandfather's massive shoulders. Her blade flashed and rest against his throat. “The battle is mine Grandfather. Now tell me where I can find my women. Even if it just to give them a warrior's pyre.”

 

“Hmpf.” JiJi grunted, everyone watched in rapt fascination, unable to interrupt the end of the two Martians great battle. “I beat them in a duel of honor. They were mine; even then, they would not fight against you.”

 

The Mars Lord slowly moved his arm to grasp at two glowing gems braided into his matted, white, waist length beard. “They chose a soul imprisonment instead. They're spirits will reside in these stones until the day I call them forth.”

 

Revian snarled as she prepared to end the duel, and her grandfather's life.

 

“Oh Granddaughter,” The Mars king rumbled, as his eyes flashed. “You lost our duel!”

 

Bruuna, Mox and the remaining knights dashed forward, too late. The Mars Lord moved his massive hand faster than any mortal eye could follow. Revian's blade bit into the side of JiJi's neck as his meaty paw wrapped around her head and pulled her to the ground.

 

Bruuna saw the attack in slow motion, watching as Revian's head was wrenched backward at an incredible speed. She imagined that she could hear as her friend's neck and back broke from the sudden force. She could not be sure they had, but it seemed certain. Revian crashed hard upon the ground, she did not move.

 

Without any flash or goading, JiJi drove his massive blade into Revian's body; she was nearly split completely down the middle. To those watching, none could tell with absolute certainty if Revian died before she had hit the ground. Despite herself and the situation, Bruuna wished she hadn't. Revian would have preferred death by blade, rather than a snapped neck.

 

The Lunar Knights did not stop their charge forward, if anything the death of Revian drove them harder. The remaining two shadow warriors whooped and howled before charging as well. Surprisingly, and much to the relief of the remaining knights, the Mars lord turned to attack, but instead let out a choked gurgle before slumping heavily to the ground.

 

“Lord JiJi!” A portal opened in front of the two sets of charging warriors. The traitorous General Jadeite rode through atop his nightmare steed. “Nephrite and the others have Serenity's temple under siege. How fares the… battle?”

 

Bruuna inwardly smiled, imagining what the murderous bastard must be thinking upon seeing his entire army and his greatest ally destroyed. JiJi wasn't dead, but unless he woke up in the next minute, he would be.

 

Serenity's knights hastened their charge upon seeing the enemy General, and though the Shadow Warriors tried to stop, their momentum would not allow it.

 

At once, Mox, Bruuna, eight knights, and two Shadow Warriors, collided into both sides of Jadeite's beastly mount. Unprepared for the strike, Jadeite was hurled from his steed and slammed head first upon the lunar rocks. The nightmarish horse was shredded and pummeled to death. Its unrecognizable carcass crumbled to the ground.

 

Determined to exact Merci's revenge for her, Bruuna leapt after the Earthling General. Her trident flashed brightly as it plunged downward toward the stunned general's throat. The kill however, would not be so easy to archive. Jadeite, with blood oozing from a gash in his head rolled out of the way.

 

Due to either dumb luck, or pure skill, Jadeite quickly drew his sword, and slashed out, cutting deeply through armor, and into Bruuna's side. Bruuna winced but otherwise showed no reaction. She knew however, that the wound was grave indeed.

 

Despite the critical hit, it was obvious that Jadeite was not completely coherent. Not wanting to give him a chance to recover, Bruuna fought beyond her pain, and immediately pressed her attack; the fact that she was fighting the Earth's most feared General did not escape her. She would not be getting any aid either. From the corner of her eye she saw General Mox latched to the back of the winged warrior while Marqui grabbed his talon and tried to bring him back to the ground. Behind her she could hear the shock of electricity and the death cries of her men.

 

Not ignoring her own opponent, Bruuna pressed her attack. She was surprised and relieved when she quickly gained the upper hand. Fate was on her side, as the wound to Jadeite's head had him fighting by instinct alone. Unfortunately for him, instincts were not enough.

 

The butt end of Bruuna's trident slammed into Jadeite's side, spinning around with envious speed Bruuna crushed his sword arm with the side of her trident's head. Jadeite stumbled to the ground, still too dazed to do much more than grunt in pain.

 

As Bruuna spun her trident over head, Jadeite's eyes locked onto hers. A chill ran up her spine as she could see and feel all of the negative emotion he was directing toward her. It was with a great sense of justice that Bruuna brought her weapon down upon the traitorous general's head.

 

“Yeeeearrgh”

 

“Urgh”

 

“Noooooo”

 

Bruuna stumbled backwards as a brilliant white light engulfed her intended victim. The screams of the Shadow Warriors were cut short, and she hoped whatever happened to Jadeite, claimed them as well. From the sounds of their screams, it could not have been pleasant.

 

“Lady Revian!” Bruuna cringed as she heard General Mox's cry, and the sound of her footsteps rushing to their friend's body. Though she tried to move, Bruuna found herself falling to the lunar floor, holding her wounded side and struggling for breath.

 

“Commander, are you okay?” Marqui wrapped his meaty hands around Bruuna's waist and helped her to her feet. The large Venusian handed her, her trident to lean on once she was on her feet again. Her side throbbed painfully and her breathing was struggled. She figured that when Jadeite hit her he must have broken a few ribs which she could feel pressing against her lung. She just hoped that it wouldn't become punctured. She was bleeding fairly freely as well, and that was never good.

 

“Leaning on Marqui, Bruuna mad her way toward General Mox's side as the Lunar General was removing Revian's ring and placing some odd stone upon her chest. JiJi`s, whose body was missing, sword was still protruding from her. The blade was halfway embedded in the ground. Bruuna knew that any attempts to remove it would fail.

 

General Mox said a few words as the remaining knights, Bruuna, Marqui, and two Lunarians, gathered by Revian's side. After the short eulogy, Mox whispered a strange incantation, and the stone upon Revian's body became enflamed and incinerated the Martian warlord's remains.

 

Bruuna nodded once in salute to her fallen friend. She was glad that Mox had been able to provide her with a suitable warrior's pyre.

 

“What now General?” Bruuna did her best to hide the pain she felt. During Revian's eulogy she had stopped leaning upon Marqui and chose to rely upon her trident instead.

 

“We have to hurry to the bunkers.” Lunari snapped unintentionally as she started running in that direction. “We need to make sure that Princess Serenity is alright. From there we go to the Queens aid.”

 

Bruuna watched as the curly haired general took off in a dead run and the others followed her. Taking as deep a breath as she could, Bruuna gathered her strength and began to follow.

 

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“Bruu… Bruuna…”

 

“What?” The dark blue skinned Mecurian turned at the garbled sound. She could have sworn that she heard someone calling her name.

 

The five remaining knights had arrived at the bunkers only to find the Princess and Endymion dead. Luna had found Vileal's ring being worn by the Princess, and Marqui had found Merci's ring amidst a pile of ashes. The burley Venusian was hesitant to give it to her, knowing how protective of Merci Bruuna was.

 

Upon receiving the ring and seeing what had to be her love's remains, Bruuna gave up. She did'nt scream or shed any tears, she just stopped caring. Too many had died, she just could not accept anymore.

 

General Mox was beside herself with grief, when they found the princess`s body, as were the two Lunar knights. None of them failed to notice that her mortal wound was self inflicted. Marqui had seemed disgusted by that and had left to scout around while the others prepared her body for transport. If the last remaining Venusian knight had not been wondering about, they would have never found Merci`s remains.

 

“Bruuna…” The strangled whisper passed Bruuna's ears again. This time she did not discount it as her imagination.

 

“Who is it? Where are you?” The commander, despite her pain, hefted her trident in an attack stance. She proceeded with caution toward where the voice had come from. Seeing his commander reacting to danger, Marqui also readied his mace and proceeded forward.

 

“Oh blessed Serenity! Hyperion?” Bruuna dropped her trident and rushed forward to cradle her friend as he lye in a growing pool of blood. The former Lord of Jupiter was in sad shape, his sword arm had been severed, and there was a vicious sword wound through his abdomen that was oozing blood. Bruuna could not fathom how the man still drew breath.

 

“General, Lord Hyperion still lives!” Bruuna shouted out as she tore off his sleeve and tied it around his wound. “Hang on my lord.”

 

Hyperion's bad hand moved slowly from his side to cover Bruuna's hand. “Mer… Where is my wife?” Hyperion began to cough violently. Blood spilled from his mouth and his dressings soaked through. Hyperion wheezed once, a loud and strangled sound, before he pitched forward and became still. Before Bruuna could answer his question, the former lord of Jupiter had died.

 

As Hyperion convulsed in her arms, Bruuna felt his weight push into her, and her already broken ribs. By the time General Mox and the others made it to Hyperion's body, the Commander could hardly draw breath. A thin line of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth; she knew her time was short.

 

General Mox claimed Hyperion's ring, as the remaining knights moved his and Endimiyon's bodies next to Merci's remains. Another quick eulogy and funeral pyre paid them tribute before the knights, with Serenity's body, hurried toward the Lunar Temple.

 

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“Any idea's how we are getting in there?” One of the lunar knights asked. The five remaining warriors had carried the princess's body from the safety bunkers to the royal temple. Queen Serenity, and Radiance of Jupiter were sealed inside, but the temple was surrounded by a growing hoard of demons.

 

There entire trip to the temple they could feel the watchful eyes of the great shadow upon them, but it sent very few minions against them. Seeing the chaos in front of them, they now knew why. It seemed as if every remaining demon on the planet was stationed around the temple, trying to find a way in.

 

Looking around, no one could spot any of the Shadow Warriors or the four traitorous men of Earth. They were thankful for that, because they were in no shape to fight their way inside. Mox and Marqui were the only two able to last in any battles that might erupt. The two Lunar Knights had too many small wounds for them to be effective, and they carried the litter on which the princess's body rested. Bruuna was dying; everyone knew that it was only a short matter of time.

 

“Over toward the south end, there is a drainage ditch. It is hidden by foliage, and there is a grate that allows hidden access into the temple. It is magically sealed, but I know the incantations to open it.” General Mox began to speak her thoughts aloud. Everyone listened, having had no ideas of their own. “It is a narrow path, and I doubt the demons paid it any mind, but if we are spotted whoever is in the back will have to cover us. The path is narrow enough that only one demon can get through at a time. We of course will have to walk single file.”

 

“Our main priority is getting the princess back to her mother.” The General looked solemnly upon the litter bearing the slain Princess. “I'll go first followed by Toloam. We will carry the litter.”

 

The tall and quite handsome lunar knight nodded as he moved behind the general. “Bruuna you will follow us. Makk will be behind you and Marqui will cover the rear.”

 

“Aye General!” The remaining soldiers chorused as they made there way around the swarming demons to find the narrow channel that led to the temple's secret entrance.

 

The channel was partially hidden by a generic landscaping. The channel was narrow and roughly six feet deep, it supplied the temple with a fresh water supply. Three of the soldiers were taller than six feet and had to either hunch over or hope that the trees and shrubs planted around the channel would mask them.

 

General Mox had just reached the hidden entrance when they were discovered. Viciously, they were attacked without warning, as the sounds of the surrounding army masked the demons that snuck up upon them. In hindsight it was foolish to think that they could sneak in when the evil presence of the great shadow darkened the sky and watched their every move.

 

“Marqui, Makk!” Bruuna called out as demons began leaping on top of them into the channel. Bruuna was buried under a pile of Red muscle and flesh, with her wounds; she had no illusions of surviving.

 

::Whack::

 

The mass covering Bruuna was gone as Marqui's massive mace crushed its head and sent it flying out of the channel. “Commander get yer ass out of here. Makk's dead, but I'll hold off these bastards while you seal up the door.”

 

The massive Venusian nodded to someone behind Bruuna and she felt arms wrap around her shoulders and drag her into the temple. Seconds before the doors slammed shut, Bruuna watched as Marqui was overwhelmed by the impossible odds.

 

“Damn.” The mortally wounded Mecurian murmured around a coughing fit. Blood oozed from her mouth, and her breathing started to become even more difficult.

 

“Damn it commander, hang in there.” General Mox leaned over and wrapped her arm around Bruuna's waist, helping her to her feet. The last Lunar Knight held Serenity's body cradled to his chest, and stood awaiting instructions.

 

General Mox wiped the growing trail of blood from Bruuna's mouth. “You just need to hang on, we're in the basement and we are magically sealed in; none of those demons are getting in here. We just need to get up a few flights of stairs and my Queen, or yours, will heal you. Just don't go dying on me soldier. We've lost too many today.”

 

Bruuna grit her teeth and tightened her grip on her trident, which she never let go of this entire time. At the mention of her queen, her lover, she forced herself to stay alive just a little bit longer. With the General's aid, and with Toloam following behind, the last survivors of Serenity's army slowly made their way up the stairs into the sacred lunar temple.

 

As the trio reached the top of the stairs they could hear a loud buzzing noise emanating from the main area of the temple. They hurried their pace as the noise increased in intensity. As they approached the main chamber, they could see a golden light pouring from the cracks surrounding the door.

 

“Radiance…” Bruuna gasped as she broke from General Mox's support and shoved heavily into the main doors.

 

As the doors opened the trio was bathed in a blinding wash of pure golden light emanating from the Goddess Radiance, who stood in the center of the temple. General Mox had the presence of mind to shield her vision, but Bruuna and Toloam had neither the energy nor the foresight. The vision in Bruuna's remaining eye burned away in the presence of such intense blinding perfection. If it was not for the magical golden orb that rested in place of her eye lost years ago, Bruuna would have been blinded. Toloam was not as lucky.

 

“Bruuna, come to me.” The scarred, Mecurian could hear her lover's voice clearly in her mind. Following her instincts Bruuna walked through the blinding light and made her way to the center of the room, where Radiance stood and the buzzing noise they heard in the hall was at its most intense.

 

Finding her lover, Bruuna wrapped her arms around her as best she could. She sighed in relief as she felt Radiance's loving presence blanket her.

 

“Kiss me Bruuna. Kiss me like I am the only woman you have ever loved.” Bruuna heard the words in her mind, and the desperation behind them. That was something she had never heard from Radiance before.

 

Not knowing why, Bruuna felt as if Radiance was making a final request, but which of them was it for? Bruuna knew her death was only minutes away, was Radiance dying as well? Not hesitating any longer, Bruuna gathered the last of her strength and wrapped her Golden Goddess in a desperate embrace.

 

“I love you.” Bruuna whispered to her for the first time before drawing her lips to her own. Radiance gasped and shook at the contact and emotion pouring from her lover. Bruuna closed her Golden eye as the pain left her body and a feeling of love and tranquility filled her.

 

Bruuna did not know how long she had held her lover before she felt herself slump to the floor. She fell heavily, and was struggling to get to her feet when he heard her Goddess's melodic voice cry out.

 

“Do it now!”

 

Bruuna was slammed onto the ground as a massive blast of energy fired above her head and into Radiance. The pressure of the beam pinned Bruuna to the floor, and she had to struggle to open her golden eye to see what had happened.

 

::No! Radiance…:::

 

The massive beam, a pure white to match the intensity of Radiance's gold, slammed hard into the Golden Goddess. Radiance threw her head back and spread her arms wide as the beam consumed her. Bruuna watched as Radiance's body dissipated and merged with the energies that struck her.

 

Silence.

 

All sound was muted as the energy mass that was the Goddess of Venus, Bruuna's lover, exploded upward and outward. Bruuna lay on her back, and looked skyward as the top of the temple was disintegrated and the stream of energy shot toward the heavens, toward the great shadow.

 

The shadow's eyes widened, then it laughed, mocking the attack. The godlike creature's laugh turned to a cry of surprise and then pain as the beam passed right through it, ripping off its lower torso and dissipating the darkness that surrounded its body. As the shadow faded, the great creature's androgynous body was revealed. Metallia, as it was called, was a repulsive pasty white, with the exception of a purple circle that covered its face. Its hands were simply stubs with finger like appendages sprouting from them. And its bizarre purple face, it had many sets of eyes each resting above the other, all of which contorted in pain as its body began to get caught in the earth's gravitational pull.

 

Sound returned, and Bruuna could only hear the deafening shrieks and cries of the former shadow as its body caught fire and plummeted toward the earth.

 

“Queen Serenity!” General Mox's concerned cry drew her attention toward the great Queen. Lady Serenity was slumped upon the temple's main alter, her legendary wand, topped with the Silver Crystal, lye smoking by her side. Bruuna now understood that the energy that had destroyed her lover, and the Great Shadow, was that of the Mystical Silver Crystal.

 

General Mox and Toloam, though blinded, rushed to the Queens side, helping her to her feet. Bruuna ignored them as they explained to her the fate of her daughter. Bruuna's eyes had drifted to the scorched floor where her lover had stood. In the center was a golden ring, marked with Radiance's personal crest. “Her planetary ring.”

 

As Bruuna reached to pick up all that remained of Radiance, she looked up, and noticed for the first time that the vast majority of the temple had been vaporized. More importantly, there were no demons making a raucous, or clamoring to get in.

 

“You did it… You got all those bastards…” Bruuna murmured to herself before she began to cough violently. Blood and sputum liberally spilled from her mouth. She knew it would not be much longer.

 

“Blessed Radiance, Bruuna?” Bruuna groaned and turned at the familiar voice. Her entire body was throbbing in pain and she could hardly draw a quarter of her normal breath. She could feel liquid in her lungs and knew it to be blood.

 

“Artemis?” Bruuna managed to gasp as the normally emotionless major domo knelt by her side. Now he was anything but, the look on his face was one of someone who had seen to many horrors for their sanity to endure.

 

“My Queen… Radiance, is she?” The dying commander looked into Artemis's bloodshot eyes with her fading golden orb. She nodded slowly as she pressed Radiance's ring into his hand. Radiance had loved them both, but Artemis had been her true consort. The pale yellow skinned man clenched his fist around the ring and struggled to contain his tears and maintain his composure.

 

“Artemis?” Queen Serenity spoke as she finally looked beyond her daughter to see the Venusian and the dying commander of her armies. “If you are here then…”

 

Artemis gently set Bruuna's head down as he stood and walked toward the Queen. “Venus is dead. We were massacred by demons, and moments ago everything went dark, our buildings crumbled, our oceans faded. I now know why.”

 

The Major Domo wiped at his eyes. “I transported here, I was the only survivor. Everyone else died when the planet went dark.”

 

The great Queen looked defeated as she reached out to embrace and comfort the trembling man. “Mars and Earth are all that survived. Though, Mars is now nothing more than a prison for the evil that betrayed us.”

 

“No.” Artemis croaked out, mid sob. “Even Earth and Mars will be destroyed.”

 

“What do you mean?” General Mox questioned immediately.

 

“Before I left Venus, I checked upon my lady's scrying pools. One of them is always attuned to the entombed Goddess of Saturn.” General Mox's and Queen Serenity's eyes went wide. “She has awakened.”

 

“Then it is only a matter of time before she destroys us all.” General Mox spoke in anger.

 

“Yes, she will destroy us.” The Queen spoke, surprisingly calm. “But she is the Goddess of death and rebirth. From the ashes of this world, another will surely rise.”

 

“General Mox,” Queen Serenity turned toward her General and longtime friend. She had an idea, but it was anyone's guess as to what it could be. “Do you have all my soldiers' rings?”

 

The General reached into her pocket to retrieve Hyperion, and Revian's rings. Artemis held out Radiance's ring, Toloam retrieved Vileal's from the dead Princess's finger, and Bruuna slowly sat up and offered the Queen Merci's.

 

“All of them are dead then.” Queen Serenity lamented as two other rings materialized in her open palm. “Lord Hyperion, Lady Merci, Lady Revian, Lady Radiance, Hivial, WaterLilly, the Prince Endymion…” The Queen began to weep as she finished the list of names. “Vileal, my adoptive daughter, and my, my darling Serenity…”

 

Queen Serenity swayed briefly before catching herself and moving toward the temple alter. “I cannot let their lives end like this. Nor can I allow all the traces of our Silver Millennium to be erased.”

 

“My Lady, what do you mean to do?” General Mox spoke as she slowly approached her queen.

 

The Queen stood tall, and in a split second, regained her regal bearing. “I will create a seed in which I will store the souls of the final bearers of these rings, along with those of my daughter and her lover. This seed will be protected by the power of my Silver Crystal. It will allow them to be reborn in the new world. If fate is kind it will be during a time of peace where they will be able to live long happy lives.”

 

“What remains of this temple and my palace will also be spared; through it they will be able to find a record of our history. Our people's memory will not be lost to oblivion.”

 

“Can you do that?” Artemis whispered, unbelieving.

 

“Yes, but my daughter, and my Senshi will need guidance. Also…” Queen Serenity hesitated for a moment. “Earlier I trapped the souls of the Shadow's most powerful warriors, and those of the traitorous Shitennou with the power of my Silver Crystal. If by chance they were to survive Saturn's cleansing and be reborn as well, someone would need to be able to train the reborn Senshi to fight and defeat them.”

 

“General Mox, Artemis, I need you to transform.” Bruuna looked curiously at the Queen, and then in astonishment at the General and major Domo, as they began to shrink and morph into miniature panther like creatures, one white and one black, each with a crescent moon shaped patch etched upon their foreheads.

 

“The two of you are the last of your race, it is you who I will send to the future to find and protect, and if necessary, train my daughter and my Senshi.” The two cats seemed to nod. A loud screeching sound was heard as the ground below them opened up and two crystals grew around them, sealing them within.

 

The Queen turned to look at the remaining soldier, Toloam. “Soldier…”

 

Toloam nodded his head and spoke before she could. “If you mean to stay here while Saturn destroys our world, then it is my duty, and my honor to stand by your side.”

 

Queen Serenity nodded and smiled sadly as the blind Lunar Knight bowed before her.

 

“Commander.” Bruuna struggled back into a sitting position as the Queen approached her. “All these years you have stayed by Lady Merci's side. When you moved to Venus you committed yourself to my dearest friend, and when you were asked to move here you did so without complaint. You even took command of my armies while General Mox trained my Senshi. You are a friend to many Commander, loyal and true.”

 

“If I was to offer you a reward for your loyalty and service, what would it be?” The Queen knelt beside Bruuna, supporting her in her last minutes of life.

 

The Magic in Bruuna's golden eye failed and she was covered in darkness. “All those I love are dead, and I too will soon join them.”

 

Bruuna coughed violently. “Although I suppose I won't. They are to be reborn on Earth, while I…”

 

“You will too.” Serenity interrupted, seeing how she could repay the commander. “Your heart shines true, and I will grant your wish. Although, perhaps not in the way you would expect.”

 

Bruuna began to cough again, though this time she could not stop. Queen Serenity, held her tightly as she began to whisper words of magic into her ear. “You will spend the next life with the one you love, and she will love you unconditionally in return.”

 

With a final cough, and an unexpected feeling of hope, Bruuna died.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

::Cough… Cough…::

 

Ayanee Mizuno slowly regained consciousness. Her entire body ached and she could not move. When she had gone to sleep, she had been sleeping next to her pink haired girlfriend. She had spent the evening dreaming of the strange world that she had dreamt a lot of lately, only in this dream she had died.

 

::Cough… Where am… Oh God…::

 

Ayanee tried to sit up but found that she was pinned down. She had thought the darkness due to waking up, but her eyes were wide open and she could see nothing. She was buried alive.

 

::An earthquake? But where is?::

 

“Umi!” Ayanee called out her young lover's name, but it came out in a struggled wheeze. She had too little air, and to much weight crushing down upon her chest. It was only then that panic finally took over.

 

::Oh God…::