Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Ascension Trilogy, Book 2: Judgment Day ❯ Chapter 12

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

JUDGMENT DAY,
Chapter 12: "By Dawn's Early Light"

By Bill K.

Sailor Mercury read the data from her computer screen.

"My long range telemetry is showing all the Frost Giants on Earth
are congregating on Japan. I count thirty-eight in all. Some will
arrive sooner than others, but they're all headed here."

"Bring 'em on," Jupiter said resolutely. "The sooner we end this,
the better."

"I don't know if that's a wise strategy," Mercury warned. "We've
proven, with the exception of Serenity, that we can barely take on one.
If two or more happen to attack us at once, particularly if we're tired
from fighting other giants, we could be overwhelmed. And the longer we
take in defeating one or more, the more the odds increase against us."

"So we take the fight to them?" Venus asked. "Pick them off where
they are now? It's a big globe, Mercury. That's going to expend a lot
of energy, because I'm guessing Serenity's going to be our only mode of
transportation."

"If only Pluto had stuck around," scowled Jupiter. "But she's an
outer and they have to do things their way."

"Jupiter, don't," Serenity moped.

"Hey, you've always been our leader," Jupiter said to Serenity.
"What do you think we should do?"

Serenity wrung her hands. "I don't know. Both plans involve
killing them."

"Serenity," Mars sighed, tired and irritable, "we can't make
friends with them, no matter how much you want it! Face facts!"

"They're living creatures, Mars," Serenity argued gently. "They
have every right to their life."

"Well, so do we!" snapped Jupiter. "So does San-San, and Akiko
and Ichiro! I don't even know if they're still alive, but I know they
won't have a chance as long as those things walk this Earth! You've got
to choose, Serenity! It's them or us! I know which side I'm going to
choose."

Serenity's eyes sought the ground. "You don't understand. When I
had to kill the one Giant, I heard it die. I felt it die." She
shuddered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I sense so many new things
since I got this power! I can feel everyone's life force, all around
me! And-and when that Frost Giant died - - oh, it was so horrible!"

Endymion put his arms around Serenity from behind to support her,
for she seemed about to collapse in a heap of sobs. A hand reached out
and gently touched her arm. Serenity looked up and saw the sympathetic
face of Sailor Venus.

"War's never easy, for anyone," Venus said gently, an encouraging
smile on her face. "I'm sure it's a lot worse for you, in ways I
couldn't even begin to imagine. I know this is rough for you, a lot
rougher than it is for me or for any of us, and this has literally been
Hell for me. But it's got to be done. Part of life is doing things you
don't want to do because they need to be done."

"I-I just wish there was another way," Serenity moaned. "There
has to be a way to do this without hurting anyone."

"Well, that's all well and good, as far as it goes. But it takes
two to have peace and they don't seem to want it." Venus put her hand
on Serenity's shoulder. "You say you're in contact with the life force
on Earth. Well, I'm not. So tell me - - how strong is it at the
moment?"

Serenity said nothing, but her expression told everyone how weak
the pulse of Earth was.

"We've got to bring all those lives back, Serenity," Venus told
her. "They're crying out to us, because we're the only hope they've
got. We have to save Earth - - and if a few eggs get broken along the
way, then - - then that's the way the ball crumbles."

"And she was on such a roll, too," Artemis mumbled, rolling his
eyes.

Though she tried to prevent it, a giggle burst from Serenity's
mouth. It was all she could do to force the corners of her mouth back
down.

"Did I say something goofy again?" Venus asked the others, a
twinkle in her eye.

"All right," Serenity said, struggling to maintain her solemn
tone. "We'll take them on. And we'll use your direct attack strategy,
Venus."

"Are you sure you want to use a plan 'she' thought up?" jabbed
Mars.

"Perhaps I can teleport them home instead of - - of killing them,"
Serenity said. Then she felt herself being gently turned to face
Endymion. Serenity looked up, surprised and intimidated by the tall
dark man before her, the man who was her lifelong love and yet a perfect
stranger now.

"Don't do anything to jeopardize either yourself or the mission,"
he warned.

"Endymion," she began to plead.

"Be charitable if you can," he told her, firm and yet gentle.
"But if it comes down to them or us, you must be strong."

Serenity looked into his eyes, searching for something that
reminded her of Mamoru. Finally she looked down and nodded.

Their hand clasped, Serenity and Endymion extended their free
hands toward the others. The group gathered in and a bubble of silver
energy formed around them all. To the wonderment of the senshi, the
couple effortlessly lifted them all into the air until they hovered a
thousand feet above Tokyo.

"Where is the closest giant, Mercury?" Endymion asked.

Mercury was about to answer, but Serenity nodded as if she'd read
Mercury's mind. Mercury stared, unsettled by the experience as Serenity
propelled the bubble toward Australia.

It was the first visit any of them had made "down under", and no
one was sure what to expect. When they arrived, it was a great deal
like Tokyo: everything as far as the eye could see frozen in a thick
blanket of ice and snow. The terrain was so barren and lifeless that it
was hard not to be depressed by the sight. The senshi flew over miles
and miles of ice, exchanging dejected glances with each other and
casting worried glances at Serenity. The thought entered more than one
mind, asking the question "What would break on Serenity first - - her
stamina or her will?"

And Serenity would return those glances sadly, as if reading the
mind of the thinker each time. And each time the senshi who wondered it
would look down in embarrassment.

"We're approaching the next Frost Giant," Mercury announced, her
eyes glued to her computer so she couldn't peek at Serenity.

"I feel it," Serenity said calmly.

The energy bubble landed in what had once been a huge stretch of
desert. In the distance, lumbering toward them, was what could only be
a Frost Giant. When the bubble dissipated, the senshi fanned out
reflexively in a defensive pattern around Serenity and Endymion. But
Serenity did the unexpected, lifting off into the air and heading for
the approaching giant.

"Serenity!" Mars called after her. When no response came, the
woman ground her teeth angrily. "Be careful, you little dope."

Serenity came to a stop roughly thirty feet from the Frost Giant's
face. The giant stared at her, uncomprehending, then began to lift its
hand toward her.

"Don't be afraid," Serenity said, trying to be calming. "I won't
hurt you. I want to send you home. You want that, don't you?"

In response, numbing cold shot forth and struck Serenity. Taken
by surprise, the future queen of Crystal Tokyo fell back and tumbled
toward the Earth. As one, the senshi surged forward in a valiant
attempt to get to her before she impacted. It was unnecessary, for
Serenity managed to right herself in time.

"You just wrote your ticket!" snarled Sailor Jupiter. "Supreme
Dragon Thunder!"

At once Jupiter seemed to glow white with energy. Then the
electrical energy jumped up into the air above Jupiter and formed the
outline of a huge dragon. The winged beast turned and lunged for the
Frost Giant, spanning the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
The dragon tackled the giant, throwing it to the ground with a force
that shook the area. The giant stiffened as electrical energy sizzled
through it. The electrical beast snapped its jaws around the throat of
the ice beast and poured every erg of its energy into its prey.
Fissures began to span the surface of the gigantic ice creature.
Finally it could withstand the pressure no longer and exploded in a
shower of ice chunks. Serenity grasped her head in pain and limped
through the air back to the group.

"All right, what the Hell's going on?" demanded Venus. "First
Mars and now you?" Jupiter answered the demands by clutching her head
and sinking to one knee. "Jupe, you going to make it?"

"Don't know where that came from," gasped Jupiter, "but it took a
lot out of me."

Suddenly Serenity pushed next to Jupiter. With one arm around her
friend's shoulders, Serenity brushed her hand along the woman's temple.

"Jupiter?" gasped Serenity, her own pain shoved aside. "Please be
all right!"

As if her wish translated into fact, Serenity saw Jupiter relax
visibly. Her lips curled into a small smile and a pleasant sigh escaped
her mouth. Jupiter swallowed and opened her eyes.

"I feel so much stronger," Jupiter remarked. "Did you do that?"

"I guess," Serenity shrugged.

"Perhaps Serenity and Endymion weren't the only ones who changed
during hibernation," suggested Artemis.

"And note the similarity of the attacks," Luna added, "and how
much it took out of them. I don't think there's any doubt about it,
Artemis. They've entered 'Dragon Phase'."

"Dragon Phase?" asked Mercury.

"Once a senshi reaches a certain level of maturity, she can, in
times of great anger or desperation, summon all her power in a single
burst," explained Luna. "This burst takes the form of a dragon. As you
can see, it's quite formidable. Unfortunately it usually takes the
senshi a while to regenerate her power. It's basically an all or
nothing gambit."

"You shouldn't have done it, Jupiter," clucked Serenity. "I would
have been all right."

"It did the job," Jupiter replied.

"Yes, but now we're down two senshi," Mercury advised. "At this
rate, we're going to be out-numbered very quickly."

"Then I'll handle them from here on," Serenity declared.

"Be careful, Serenity," warned Luna. "Your power isn't unlimited,
either."

"Where's the next Frost Giant?" Serenity asked.

Mercury consulted her computer. "The sub-continent of India."

Instantly the bubble formed around them and they were off. In
India, they found much the same as they found elsewhere. All was in
ruin and covered with ice. Mercury in particular cringed at the sight
of the famous Taj Mahal broken and in ruins. They found the next Frost
Giant lumbering across the mountains in northeast India. Serenity set
her senshi down and flew up to the giant.

"Please stop," she appealed to the monster. "Hasn't there been
enough destruction?"

The giant raised his hand to her.

"Look out, Serenity!" yelled Mercury and Venus, lurching forward
to use their power to defend her.

"Stay back!" Serenity called, even as the burst of numbing cold
passed harmlessly around her. "I'm ready for it this time." She turned
back to the Frost Giant. "You leave me no choice."

Cupping her hands before her, Serenity began to take on a silvery
glow. Uncomprehending, the giant continued to batter Serenity with cold
waves. It did nothing to dim the glow. Serenity seemed to reach an
apex, and then the glow shot out and enveloped the Frost Giant. The
giant recoiled and tried to pull away from Serenity.

"Don't fight me, please!" begged Serenity. "I only want to send
you home!"

The giant continued to struggle to break from the silver energy.
As it thrashed around, its movements seemed to tug at Serenity.
Valiantly she held on, trying to accomplish her task. The monster
continued to fight her.

"It's resisting being sent back," Endymion announced, feeling what
Serenity felt through their connection.

"Single-mindedly trying to accomplish its goal no matter what,"
Artemis added.

"Sounds like some of the guys I used to date," scowled Venus.
"Maybe if I could knock it out with a shock blast . . .?"

"No," advised Endymion. "You'd never penetrate her energy."

The Frost Giant's struggles became wilder. Serenity found it
harder and harder to hold on as she tried to force the being through the
warp to Knorr she created. But she didn't let up. She was determined
to see it through to the other side.

And, since one force wouldn't yield, the other had to. At once,
the Frost Giant tore itself apart, shattering into misshapen chunks of
lifeless ice. Serenity clutched her head as if knifed through the
brain, then slowly drifted back to Earth.

"Why?" Serenity asked numbly. "Why wouldn't it let me help?"

Mercury took her hands. "It didn't want your help. You can't
force someone to let you help them. There are some creatures, just like
there are some people, who refuse to allow themselves to be helped.
Whether it's because of pride or ignorance, faith or fantasy, some
people won't be helped."

Serenity looked down, dejected.

"Unfortunately, that only leaves you with two choices now,"
Mercury continued. "Logically, you can either give in to them or
destroy them."

Serenity kept her head down. She seemed to weigh things silently.

"Give me your hands," Serenity requested.

And her senshi, her friends and trusting companions, complied
without even a question. Their hands folded one atop another. Serenity
folded hers atop theirs. Instantly everyone felt a charge pass through
her hands. Serenity closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

And a bolt of silver lightning leaped from Serenity's body. It
sped through the air on a northeasterly course toward Russia. A Frost
Giant, trekking across the vast Russian plains, turned toward the
approaching bolt. It had a moment to comprehend what it was before the
bolt tore through the giant like a bullet through an apple. Unhampered
and undimmed by its encounter with the giant, the bolt altered course
and headed for central Europe. It didn't slow until two Frost Giant's
remains lay beneath it, then altered its course again for northern
Africa.

Like a crazed pinball, the bolt of silver energy sped across the
globe. It would seek out the nearest Frost Giant and speed through its
icy mass like a missile, then seek out the next giant without a single
second spent in remorse over the last. More fell in Africa, then the
bolt burst across the southern Atlantic to South America. As it sped
toward the Giant in Peru, the icy monster seemed ready for it, as if it
heard the death throws of its brothers. The Frost Giant raised its
hands and threw its powerful cold at the energy. However, the cold only
seemed to make the energy move faster. It obliterated the giant, the
huge monster flung to pieces before it even realized it was dead. In
rapid-fire succession, more giants were smashed. Their resistance was
of no consequence.

The bolt tore up the continents of the Americas, jumping from
Frost Giant to Frost Giant with deadly consequences. Only after every
Frost Giant had been obliterated from the seven continents and all
smaller land masses, the bolt shot back to India. Seconds had passed,
so scant a time that the senshi still held hands and wondered about the
jolt that had passed through them. They watched Serenity stiffen as the
bolt entered her body. Another charge passed through them all. Then
Serenity sank to her knees and began weeping. By her side in an
instant, as he would always be, was Endymion.

"Serenity," Endymion said gently, lovingly, "don't cry, please.
It had to be done."

But despite his whispered words of tender encouragement, Serenity
continued to weep bitterly. It tore out the hearts of the senshi to
look at it. It was like Serenity had taken the misery of the entire
world into her and she cried inconsolably.

"Serenity," Endymion persisted. "You did the right thing. You
must accept it."

"They didn't give you any choice," offered Jupiter. "You did what
you had to do."

Serenity shook her head, helpless to speak to defend her position.

"Serenity!" Mars gasped. "Stop it, please!"

"You didn't feel it - - didn't hear it!" Serenity gasped out
between sobs. "Those mournful wails - - I'm going to hear them for the
rest of eternity!"

"Maybe," Venus suggested gently, "if you only dwell on the
negative. Instead of concentrating on the wails of a few dozen Frost
Giants, how about concentrating on the pleas of all the billions of
people trapped and helpless. Maybe if you think about that, we can help
them."

"We don't think ill of you," Mercury added. "Don't think so ill
of yourself. Venus is right. There are still many positives to be
accomplished."

Serenity didn't react, though her crying seemed to abate. Without
warning, a bubble of energy formed over everyone. It lifted the group
into the air, then shot forward on a northeasterly course. The frozen
terrain whizzed by them, blurry and unrecognizable. The senshi looked
back to their friend. Serenity continued to look down, her face hidden
by her bangs, and it chilled them all. Their concern for their friend
choked out all other emotions, so much so that they scarcely recognized
they were back in Tokyo until the bubble had landed and dissipated.

Without a word to anyone else, Serenity stood up. She took ten
paces away from the group, her head bowed but her shoulders squared and
resolute. Mars felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Endymion
looked on with cautious concern, while the others were mystified.

"Serenity?" Luna ventured, braving several steps toward her.

"Don't worry," Serenity murmured flatly. "I won't be shedding
anymore tears. I realize now what I am and what my responsibilities
are. I'm sorry for burdening you all with my immaturity."

"It was never like that," Mercury said. Her response went
unheeded.

Gathering her hands to her chest, Serenity closed her eyes and
seemed to look inside of herself. Gradually her body began to take on a
silvery glow. It grew in intensity, causing everyone to once more
shield her eyes. The glow demonstrated no signs of letting up, growing
more and more intense.

And with the glow came feelings in them all. The joy of
accomplishment, the passion of newborn love, the giddy rapture of the
aftermath of childbirth, and the security of being nestled in a parent's
arms all swirled around them like a strong current. Mars became so
overwhelmed she began to cry. Venus stared in wonderment, while Jupiter
laughed like a little girl. Even Mercury lost her scientific detachment
and cooed like a baby, while the cat's purrs seemed to rumble all around
them. Endymion merely smiled proudly.

Artemis noticed it first. The ice and snow around Serenity and
around them all was gone. As the aura from Serenity fanned out, the
choking ice began to evaporate. People, animals and insects alike,
frozen for two years dropped to the ground, unconscious and at life's
low ebb. Then they were touched by the healing presence of Serenity.
Eyes fluttered open and lungs once more took in air, while a hundred
thousand million tiny voices whispered "beautiful" almost in unison.
The senshi looked around. Juuban was thawed, free of ice. Its
population began to wake. They looked around and found destroyed
buildings and dead plants, dead animals and some dead fellow humans,
victims of the onslaught of the Frost Giants. But at that moment it
didn't matter. They were alive.

Rising up on shaky legs, the survivors began to stumble and
shuffle toward the senshi, toward the warmth and life-affirming,
hope-giving glow of Serenity. She did not acknowledge them, so deep was
her trance. She was too busy extending her aura over the length of
Japan, over Asia, over Europe and Africa, and finally over the Americas
and the world.

Amid the miracle, a bubble formed. It was ruby energy and
contained three travelers. When the energy dissipated, the trio looked
around in confusion.

"The ice is gone," Sailor Uranus whispered humbly. "Everybody's
awake."

"It's amazing," Sailor Neptune remarked in awe. "I didn't think
even she was capable of - - of this! How?"

"Because she is Serenity," Sailor Pluto replied proudly, "and she
is my queen." With that, Pluto departed from Uranus and Neptune,
joining senshi and human alike drawn to her glow.

Finally the glow dissipated. Serenity returned to normal. She
lifted her head and opened her eyes. Surrounding her were her senshi
and Pluto, Endymion and the cats, and a crowd of people tattered and
bruised and haggard from their ordeal, but with a light in their eyes
that said they lived again. Serenity sought out Endymion and he crossed
to her, gathering her up gently in his arms.

"You did it," he said, the belief in her a rock-solid constant in
his demeanor. "You brought everyone out of hibernation."

"I'm glad," Serenity replied, burdened and yet pleased that some
good had come from the ordeal.

Endymion leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. And suddenly
hope seemed born anew.

Continued in Book Three: Resurrection