Sailormoon Zodiac: #20 -Ooinaru Tatakai // The Great Battle By: Janelle J. (janelle@sailormoon-millennia.net) Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ "No, he was right. I am dead." Leadan said coldly. A shattered look more terrible than any of the Zodiac Senshi had ever seen swept across Scorpio's face. She remained silent, though her eyes were glassy with tears. "How could you say that to her!" Sailormoon screamed, breaking the heavy silence. She whipped around to face Leadan, "Do you have any idea what she's gone through? What's wrong with you! You're supposed to take her into your arms and say you love her!" she cried as tears filled her blue eyes. "Usagi-chan," Sailormars whispered as she gently tugged Sailormoon's arm and led her out of the crowded cell. She smoothed Usagi's hair and wiped away a tear, "There's something deeply wrong with him," she whispered to her. "It's the same feeling..." Mars added in a louder voice, "That I felt when we first met Sailorscorpio." "I already know," Scorpio said as her shoulders slumped with resignation. "You have erased your emotions?" she whispered accusingly to Leadan. "Do you hate me so much that you wanted to forget me?" she demanded with hardness in her voice. A glint of what looked to be sadness passed briefly before Leadan's eyes. He blinked several times before shaking his head. "No, it was Arseniru." he replied finally. Scorpio was silent, why would Arseniru do such a thing to his own brother. She felt her heart chill as she came to the realization that Arseniru was far more calculated than she believed. *It was a safety measure.* "Did you see... did you see *it*? Did you see what he did to me?" Scorpio asked, voice cracking with bitterness. "Yes," Leadan said with a nod, "You looked very happy," he added grimly. Scorpio felt herself grow weak and she gripped Saturn's arms tightly for support. "No!" she screamed, "I wasn't happy! Don't you understand? He planned this all along! He wanted you to see! He erased your emotions so you wouldn't kill him in rage when you saw us!" "I could never kill him, he's my brother. I have always protected him." Leadan shook his head, his eyes stared at Scorpio intently. "You're here to kill me, aren't you?" she demanded as she wiped her tears away. Scorpio pushed Saturn away and straightened her back. *I refused to become a slave to these terrible things called emotions.* Leadan nodded silently. "Kill me then," she said as her eyes settled upon the blade that was hanging in a sheath at his side. She pulled aside her collar and ripped off her ribbon to reveal her bare chest, a blood shaped pendant hanging perfectly below her collarbone. Leadan seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then reached for his knife. "No, you cannot do this." Sailorsaturn said as she stepped forward and blocked Leadan from further movement with the Silence Glaive. "Don't interfere, Sailorsaturn. Thank you for your help, but I don't want to live if this is how I must remember him." Scorpio said as she pushed away the Silence Glaive. "Don't be so selfish." Saturn retorted with equal coldness as she turned back to face Scorpio, "The strong do not give up, even when it seems like all is lost." "Move out of the way, child." Leadan muttered as he struck Saturn across the face with a fierce blow that sent her frail body reeling. "How could you be so cruel?" Sailormoon cried as she struggled against Sailormars and Sailorvenus' grip. "Don't you see she loves you? I don't care if you've had your entire brain turned to mush! I thought you loved her! You must have been lying to her because love is stronger than this!" she exclaimed as she finally broke free from the grasp of her friends and rushed back into the cell to tend to Sailorsaturn. Leadan paused again as he looked at the cursed dagger, then to Sailormoon, as if he was analyzing her words. "Yes, don't you remember?" Sailorcancer said as she stepped forward, "You were the one that saved Scorpio. You made sure that one good emotion would never be erased. Love. It's why she's here to save you now, because she always loved you." "You were the one who stopped Methania from attacking us, weren't you?" Sailorleo asked. "Don't let him win." Sailormars said with much difficulty, "Ars--your brother is deeply troubled, you must help him. Don't let his cruelty destroy everything." "Stop it." Leadan murmured as he dropped the blade on the ground and brought his hands to his head as if to block the words from entering his brain. Sailorsagittarius quietly bent forward and snapped the blade away, lest he regain his composure. "Please, I know you are right... but what can I do? I can't feel anything." he whispered, his voice maddening close to sounding desperate. "I can't take this anymore!" Sailormoon cried as she fought against Sailorsaturn's grip, "I can't stand the evil of this place!" she sobbed. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, several drops staining her uniform. A single drop fell upon her brooch and suddenly a stream of light poured from it and filled the room with a luminous glow. "The Silver Crystal..." Sailorleo whispered, her eyes entranced by the power and majesty radiating from Sailormoon. "What's happening to me?" Leadan whispered as he suddenly clutched his head once more and fell to his knees. Scorpio rushed to his side, her eyes filled with worry and hope as she looked up at Sailormoon with curiousity. The light washed out the room and all of Sailormoon's features, leaving only a silhouette of a maiden with long flowing hair tied in royal fashion. "Queen Selestia?" Scorpio whispered, looking confused for a moment. "Is that you?" "Princess Sailormoon!" Sailormars gasped as she watched Usagi's long royal dress shorten and alter itself to a battle uniform. "I feel..." Leadan murmured, "I feel happy..." "But how? How can she have the power to shatter this spell?" Sailorscorpio asked, "Only Queen Selestia has such power." But she cared not for the answer and left it to the others to ponder the question, her attentions turned back to Leadan who was now staring at her with warm eyes. But the reunion was not to happen, because suddenly the light of the Silver Crystal suddenly disappeared and the room turned to blackness. The Senshi felt a strange sensation as if they were being pulled and lifted in midair and thrown about in a void. The silence was deafening and the terror of not being able to hear their own screams was only replaced when a shrill voice boomed and echoed in their ears, "You have failed, Leadan!" * * * * * "You fool, a traitor, just as I thought." Lithia spat, her bronze-colored eyes glaring at Leadan. "I hope you enjoy the Burned Lands--be sure to write the court a letter describing how it feels to have your flesh flayed off by the other starving half-humans that litter that hell." "Be gentle, sister." Sulfiria soothed, "He betrayed us because Arseniru did not properly erase his mind," Scorpio opened her eyes slowly to see that she was lying on the marble floor of the throne room. Leadan was standing protectively in front of her, while Lithia paced angrily in front of the twin thrones. She seemed to be paying very little attention to anything except Scorpio and Leadan. Turning her head slowly, Scorpio saw the other Senshi were trapped inside a cage made of black matter. They too were coming to their senses and it was only a matter of seconds before they realised they were missing someone, "What did you do to Sailorvenus!" Sailorjupiter shouted to the orange-haired princess. "Silence, I wasn't speaking to you!" Lithia roared back. For someone with such a small lithe frame, she certainly had a piercing voice. She stopped pacing and rolled her neck from side to side, two small cracking sounds filled the sonorous room. "But what shall we do with this other traitor?" Lithia asked as she turned around and fell back against her throne. She sat in silence, tapping her long fingernails against the black marble. Her sister looked at her with curiousity, but remained silent. "I think slavery of the soul sounds like an ample punishment. There's nothing like your mind roaming for a millennia without a body to make one feel a little regretful. At least your lover here will die in a few years." she said with a smirk. Sulfiria sat in her seat uncomfortably, she knew better than to try and show favor to Leadan. It would just turn the entire court against her--he was a traitor. "But what of her body, dear sister?" Sulfiria asked cautiously, "Would it not be a shame to let it waste away? It is such a lovely figure." she commented with a soft smile. Lithia rolled her eyes at her sister's comment, it was obvious where this was going. Though Lithia didn't care what body Sulfiria chose to possess, it was infantile to think having Scorpia's body was all that she needed for Leadan to love her. "Fine, sister, it is yours." Lithia said with a flippant wave of her hand. Did Sulfiria not know that with each request she asked, she was relinquishing more and more power to Lithia? The court would never worship a weak ruler who had the logic of a child. "Please, Princess Lithia, Princess Sulfiria--let me beg for mercy on her name!" Leadan pleaded. "The damned do not have rights." Lithia retorted. "Wait, sister." Sulfiria said as she stood from her throne and raised her hand, "Mercy should be granted. Although Leadan may have committed treasonous acts, in the past he has acted with nothing but devotion. The same for the former Lady Scorpia. Mercy shall be granted if Leadan agrees to marry me." Sulfiria propositioned, her eyes locking on him. "This is absurd!" Lithia shouted as a murmur of agreement rose from the rest of the court who were obscured in the shadows. "You have gone too far sister--your love for Leadan blinds you!" she said accusingly. "And what of your shameless affair with Lord Arseniru?" Sulfiria demanded, a wave of shock followed in the shadows. Lithia's jaw clenched as she stared at Sulfiria with hatred. "The trade is simple, if Scorpio and Leadan both deny loving each other and Leadan declares his love for me, then Scorpio may return to that wretched planet she now calls her home. Surely living on the ravaged Sacred Star is punishment enough." Sulfiria declared. The members of the seemed to hum in agreement. Lithia quietly sat back in her throne, her dark eyes calculating. "If the terms are so easy..." Leadan said slowly as he gave Scorpio a hesitant look. "No. Scorpio will not return to Earth. Instead she can find peace in knowing her suffering will be over with the thrust of a sword. Since you'll no longer need Scorpio's body to torment Leadan, I shall claim it." Lithia replied. "But why?" Sailormoon demanded from her prison, the Senshi had remained quiet throughout the exchange. Things seemed to be looking up when Lithia suddenly made this strange demand. "What do you need her body for? You are beautiful enough!" Moon exclaimed. Lithia smirked but did not acknowledge that Sailormoon had spoken, instead her eyes fixed cruelly on Scorpio's. "Because my lover finds her figure so tempting." she said with a dark smile. Scorpio's eyes widened with fear of what her words could mean when suddenly a burst of fire appeared at her feet. A tall, tan-skinned man with a disgusting sneer playing on his lips appeared before them. "You didn't really think I was dead, did you?" he whispered. Scorpio was speechless as she looked from Arseniru, to Leadan, to the Princesses. Her stomach turned with disgust, she couldn't bear to look him in the face. "How?" Lithia asked, reading the look on Scorpio's face. She laughed delightfully as she shook her head, "Why don't you ask your precious lover?" she asked. Scorpio's eyes widened as she turned to the grey haired man who looked down on her with bitter regret, "My love..." he whispered, "I'm sorry. I could not let him die." * * * * * Sailorvenus slowly came to the realization her head was aching, and furthermore she was lying on a cold slab of rock...and the room had a terrible smell. Slowly she opened her eyes to find a pair of worried green ones staring down at her. "Oh thank god," Tenjilan breathed as he gently wiped Venus' forehead with a cool rag. "Tenji-kun? Where am I?" she asked as she tried to get up, "Where is everyone?" she demanded in a more alarmed tone. "Calm down, calm down..." he said as he tried to soothe her, but did not answer her questions. Venus slapped his hands away while she tried to get her bearings. That was when she noticed how Tenjilan was dressed: dirtied white blouse and mud caked trousers. She stared at him with shock. "Why are you dressed like...like...that?" she whispered. She didn't want to say what she was thinking. Tenjilan lowered his head; he looked very disappointed in himself. "I didn't want you to know," he murmured, "It was too embarrassing. How could I tell such beautiful women that I was such a lowly position? How could I tell a woman who I could tell had interest in me that I was just a stable boy? I'm sorry I made you believe I was someone more important." he said as he hung his head. "Tenji-kun, I don't care about those sorts of things." Venus exclaimed, "It doesn't matter to me what job you have--but wait, we should have this conversation later." she said as she held her hand up. "Please, where am I, where are my friends?" "I saw everything. I was disposing of, well, waste, in the lagoon when I saw you and your friends saving Lady Scorpia." he began. *Well, that explains the terrible smell.* Venus thought as she wrinkled her nose slightly. "Then I saw Princess Lithia's Void forming above you, so before it swept you up, I pulled you away." he explained. "Wait--so where are my friends?" Sailorvenus asked fearfully, she prayed desperately he wouldn't say the worst. For if the worst were true, she would have rather gone with them than live alone without them. "They are in the throne room." he said as he lowered his head, "I brought you to my room, and then I watched from one of the chambers and saw Princess Lithia condemning Lady Scorpia to death. Then I rushed back here to make sure you were still safe." Venus nodded her head, her eyes glancing around the room and realizing she was in a bedroom. Hanging from a wooden rack was the pair of clothing she had seen Tenjilan wearing when they first met. She blushed furiously. This was not the place for a proper young girl to be. "I am very sorry, I apologize for bringing you to my quarters. I did not mean anything by it." Tenjilan said quickly as he noticed her obvious embarrassment. She nodded her head again and stood up. "What are you doing?" Tenjilan asked as he jumped up. "I've got to save my friends!" Sailorvenus exclaimed. "Please, Lady Minako, you cannot do such a thing. They are trapped behind one of Lithia's spells. You cannot do it alone--you'll die--" "Then I'll die trying," Sailorvenus snapped. "What do you want me to do? Sit here and wait for everyone I love to die?" "No, please. Calm down." he said as he reached out and gently rest his hand on her shoulder. Though this was hardly the time for it and she knew it, Venus felt a slight tingle rush down her spine. He smiled at her, green eyes dancing mischievously as if he were hiding a great and interesting secret. "Do not worry, Lady Minako, you will not save your friends alone." * * * * * "You couldn't let him die?" Scorpio asked in horror as she stared at Leadan and backed away from him. "How could you betray me like this?" "That's ironic, coming from a traitor." Princess Lithia laughed. Scorpio's eyes flared, she flicked her wrist and extended her claws. "Would you like to say that again about ten yards closer to me?" she hissed. "Scorpia, please. Calm down." Leadan soothed. "My name is Scorpio." she snapped. "You stupid child, do not be hateful to the only man who actually really ever loved you." Arseniru sneered, "Blood is thicker than water, as they say." Scorpio's harsh eyes softened as she looked to Leadan for an explanation. "Scorpio, my beloved. I have restored his life, but I have not forgiven him for what he has done to you, what he has done to *us*. The anger will always remain." Leadan whispered as he came towards her and gently took her hand. "Enough of this farce!" Sulfiria exclaimed as her yellow eyes burned with rage and envy. "Destroy her!" she ordered Arseniru. "No--wait." Lithia said as she stood up and pushed her sister backwards, "You were right before, dearest sister." she sneered, "I was so deluded. Death is much too easy for such a traitor. Scorpio shall live, so she can suffer her for the rest of her miserable life without her precious lover." Sulfiria stared at her sister in shock, her eyes flaring. "How dare you try and undermine my authority." she whispered in a cool hiss. "What authority?" Lithia scoffed. "You are flawed, a mistake. The entire court knows it. Why should they want the flawed daughter as queen? You have no authority." she replied coldly, then brushed her sister aside. "My sister and I have decided it, Scorpio may return to Earth with her useless friends if Scorpio and Leadan deny their love for one another, and Leadan agrees to marry the Princess Sulfiria." Lithia declared, deciding that it was prudent to let her sister have at least some of her desires. "If the terms are as simple as you say," Leadan said again. Arseniru disappeared in a burst of flame and appeared near Leadan and Scorpio. "Absolutely not!" he shouted, his handsome face twisted into a monstrous look. "These terms are asinine. Why should a traitor be set free, and another traitor be made into a Prince of the realm?" he demanded. Lithia shrugged in response and fell back into her throne, golden eyes watching the theatrics. "I will not allow it. Never. Leadan will never rule above me, and they will never have the remotest chance of being together again." Arseniru whispered, his eyes maniacal as he stalked closer to the couple. "I will never allow you the pleasure of dreaming about your little Lady Scorpia living happily on Earth." he spat, "I will never let you plan a way to join her. She will never again absorb your time and attention!" he shouted, "She took you away from me! How could you let her do such a thing? Even I have never stooped so low as to fall in love with a whore!" he exclaimed. Leadan's eyes flared with anger and he struck Arseniru squarely across the jaw. "Do not speak to me in such a manner, younger brother. I have saved your life twice. I will not do it again." he replied coolly. Arseniru's mouth twisted into a smirk, but as the realization he had lost his brother slowly filled his mind, his anger began to increase. His eyes flashed with dangerous anger, "I will NEVER let her have you." he seethed as his hands started to glow with a dangerous red aura. Scorpio stared at Arseniru, the burning hatred in his eyes made her feel cold inside. Terror caused her to shake as she stared at Arseniru and knew she was looking at Death. "If I can't live with you, I don't want to live. Freedom, Leadan. I think I want freedom the most..." she whispered. Arseniru lunged at her, his hands teeming with deadly energy. Scorpio closed her eyes as she prepared herself, "I am finally free." *Dear Mother, Caelestis Evia, please save my soul...* When what seemed to be an eternity passed, Scorpio opened her eyes. Though in reality, eternity was fractions of a second. She had opened them too soon and Arseniru was still lunging towards her. A strange sense of peace settled over her and she stared at Death. But instead of her life flashing in front of her eyes, a grey cape did. She felt herself being forcefully shoved to the side and heard a grunt, followed by a watery choking sound. She brushed her hair out of her face to see Arseniru staring at Scorpio, his eyes wide. A small trail of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. As he fell to his knees, Scorpio could see a dagger stabbed into his back. Leadan stood behind Arseniru with an expressionless face. "Leadan..." she whispered as she gazed up at him. "I could not let him do it." he murmured, "Please forgive me, I've once again taken away your freedom." he added solemnly. "You, YOU!" screamed Lithia as she rose from her throne in hysterics, the initial shock instantly being replaced with terrible anger. "What have you done, what have you done!" she cried as she descended from her throne and down the marble steps to the place where Arseniru lay breathing his last breaths. "Arseniru, oh, my darling..." she whispered as she cradled his head. He tried to look up at her, but his eyes darted around the room, his eyelids fluttered as if he were dreaming... ---- "I hope the money was worth it, you disgusting animals." The cold night was chilling his skin, but the heat of the inferno warmed his face. Heavy footsteps, someone shaking him fiercely. "Arseniru, what have you done!" "I took care of them, brother. They can't ever hurt us again." "Oh gods...What have you done? We must leave before others come. Why did you do this?" "To make them pay. They tried to take you away from me!" "I could never leave you, younger brother. I'll always be here to protect you..." ---- "Brother, how could you do this to me...?” Arseniru whispered, his face strained as blood filled his lungs. "I only wanted to protect you...as you protected me." he choked. "She's wicked...cursed...she'll only bring your destruction." Leadan turned away as Arseniru's eyes went blank and his body became terribly still. Lithia stood up from the body, her eyes burning with anger. "I'll destroy you," she seethed. "I'll destroy all of you!" * * * * * "We have to find a way out of here, or we'll die in a cage." Sailormars murmured as she tore her eyes away from the scene taking place near the throne. Lithia had just stood up and was clearly saying something menacing. Mars could feel her ferocious anger and knew it was only a matter of time before they were all killed. "How can we destroy this thing? Sailorsagittarius asked, she had earlier attempted touching it, only to find that she had burnt her finger with coldness. "We should destroy whatever is making it." Sailorleo suggested, though looking around she saw no machinery that was creating the field around them. "There's no point in looking around," Sailormercury said with a smile as she tapped on her computer, "The field is completely magical. My guess is that it is being created by someone." "Either Lithia or Sulfiria..." Sailoraquarius murmured. "But we can't attack them from here." "You don't have to." whispered a voice. "Minako-chan!" Sailormoon exclaimed as she instantly recognized the voice. She turned around and jumped in shock, "Sailoruranus, Sailorneptune--Aries, Pisces, Gemini, Virgo! How did you find us?" "Tenji-kun," Sailorvenus grinned, "He saved me and brought me to them. He's waiting for us outside the palace to help us escape." she whispered. "You must hurry," Sailorpluto advised, her eyes fixed on the two Princesses. Both of them were completely distracted by Scorpio and Leadan, who were clinging to one another defiantly. * * * * * "I'll destroy you," Lithia hissed. "I'll destroy all of you!" She took a step forward when suddenly a white ball of energy whizzed by her head, missing her by only inches. "Stop! How dare you try and destroy true love!" Sailormoon shouted from inside her cage. "In the name of the Moon, and the Stars, we will punish you!" "Deep Submerge!" "World Shaking!" "Double Ice Freeze!" "Gravity Crush!" Lithia was struck one by one by the four instantaneous attacks, and her power over the cage wavered and then disappeared. She fell to the ground, but a small cruel smile spread across her lips as she got up and wiped the blood off the corner of her mouth. "It's not going to be that easy," she whispered icily. With unmatchable speed, a whirlwind of dark energy swirled around her. She reached above her body and a spear made of darkness materialized in her open hand. Before another word could be uttered by anyone, she flung the spear towards Scorpio and Leadan. "No!" Scorpio cried, throwing herself in front of Leadan. But as she did so she heard the metal of his armor clang against the marble floor. Her heart stopped beating as she swallowed with difficulty. She did not want to turn around, but the look of satisfaction on Lithia's lips coupled with the look of horror on Sulfiria's all but confirmed the worst thoughts. She turned around slowly; her crimson eyes met a pair of cold grey ones. Dead. She never got to say goodbye. She collapsed to her knees and took his hand and kissed it. Instead of anger burning inside her, she felt nothing but grief. At least she got to see his face one last time. "I'm so sorry, Leadan." she whispered, tears streaming from her eyes. The one person who gave her happiness in the bleak world they lived in. The one person who protected her. She stroked his grey hair gently, and smiled weakly though the tears as she gave him one final kiss on his cold lips. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, my love. You were too good for this world, but now you're finally free." she smiled again as she choked back a sob and stood up to face the Princesses. "I'll see you soon."