Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Redemption ❯ Awakening ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

AWAKENING

Gray stillness filled the large, circular hall, a tomb-like
silence that permeated the chamber's very essence. A light
layer of gray dust covered everything -- the cylindrical
wall of black stone, the once-ornate furnishings and
tapestries, the circular carpet -- fading away any sign of
their former grandeur and color. Dim light filtered in
through the room's three windows, poor attempts at
illumination that were barely reflected back by the
unpolished surface of the seven-foot mirror made of black
glass built into the wall opposite the chamber's sole
doorway. High up, on the wall, near where the dome of the
fresco-covered ceiling began, a ring of tarnished gold
sconces encircled the hall, each one of their twin arms
holding a fist-sized clear crystal of lifeless luster.

Of all the contents of the room, only a solitary item
remained untouched by the depressive drabness that saturated
the atmosphere. Lying on the faded carpet before the dark
mirror was a single gemstone, a faceted sphere of glossy
black whose deep-green highlights were the only sparkle to
be seen.

Suddenly the sepulchral stillness was shattered by a sound
-- a low, deep thrum of energy. The dark gem's glitter grew,
intensifying into a glow. From deep within its depths came a
greenish-black light, pulsing in a heartbeat-like rhythm.
With each pulse, both the light and the sound increased. As
they did so, the entire room began to transform, shaking off
its oppressive atmosphere.

All around the pulsing gem, the gray dust disappeared,
bringing back the true color and luster of the carpet, the
tapestries, the furniture and the fresco of the solar system
painted on the domed ceiling. Even the black stone wall took
on a glossiness previously lost, while each of the
sconce-mounted crystals high above began to gleam with an
inner white light.

The metamorphosis continued as the light and sound formed a
slow crescendo, building into an inexorable climax that
filled the hall. The gemstone's light, no longer pulsing but
now a steady beam of greenish-black brilliance, transformed
into a vaguely human-shaped silhouette. Both light and sound
then quickly faded away, leaving behind a six-foot-tall
figure with long, wavy, dark-brown hair and draped in a
nearly floor-length cloak.

The reflection in the now unearthly polish of the
transformed mirror was that of a youthful adult, a human
male of noble bearing and handsome visage. Deep-brown eyes
so dark they appeared black glanced over his own image
reflected in the smoky mirror, taking in the familiar look
of his dark clothes and athletic form. Like his knee-high
boots and gold-buckled belt, his tucked-in pants,
mid-thigh-length tunic and long cloak appeared black, but
the bright illumination of the glowing crystals above
betrayed the truth. In their light, those three items were
revealed to be actually dark blackish-green in hue. Around
his head, a golden circlet glimmered from beneath his thick,
dark hair, an oval-shaped black gemstone set in the center
of the metal band where it crossed the middle of his
forehead. Satisfied that he was truly conscious once more,
the regal man turned around to inspect his surroundings.

The metallic-gold trim at the neck, wrist and hem of his
tunic, as well as the metallic-gold lining of his cloak,
glittered in the light as he scanned the circular hall with
his dark-brown gaze. Spying no evidence of violence in the
room -- everything was much the way he remembered it should
be other than the few small items lying scattered across the
pictures of the Zodiac woven into the circular carpet -- the
tall lord nodded in satisfaction. *So, the enemy never
reached the sacred Hall, he thought. *At least our
sacrifices weren't made in vain.*

Images suddenly flashed through his mind, memories from that
last fateful day. *No, not yet,* he chastised himself.
Closing his eyes, he ruthlessly pushed the pictures and
their accompanying emotions away. *I must find out what
happened first.*

A determined frown crossed his handsome face, twisting its
masculine beauty into a sinister mask. With a fluid grace
that betrayed his quickness and strength, he strode over to
the right-hand window and looked out.

An utter wasteland greeted his sight, a desolation of sand,
dust and stone bathed in the dim light of a perpetual
twilight. Looking down upon the devastation from atop the
tall, round, castle-like tower, the dark-clad lord could see
that nothing remained save the black marble wall that
encircled the tower a quarter-mile away. From just beyond
that somewhat distant wall, the uncomfortably close dome of
what could only be called the sky rose upward to a zenith
merely a quarter-mile high. There were no stars, no sun, no
wind, no sound -- just muted light, powdery dust and
profound silence.

**************************************

A scene from the past: The dark lord is leaning out of the
open tower window where he now stands, a gentle breeze
stirring his shoulder-blade-length hair, and is smiling as
he watches other lords and ladies stroll through a lush,
green garden. The others, dressed in a rainbow of colors,
are making exclamations of delight as they discover each new
fascinating flower gathered from the four corners of the
Universe by the lord in the tower. Beyond the marble wall,
emerald-green trees and sapphire-blue skies are seen, a
rival to any such beauty found on Earth.

**************************************

Another scene from times long ago: Wounded and obviously
exhausted, the dark lord is on his knees before the black
mirror, which is glowing with an eerie greenish-black light.
Eyes closed and head thrown back, he's apparently
concentrating on the flow of the energy.

Outside, in a defensive posture before a gate made of
wrought-iron bars, a silver-haired, silver-eyed amazon
stands ready, a formidable crystal spear in her hands. She
glares at the advancing hordes, daring them to come closer.
As a tall, demonic-appearing woman with long, flaming-red
hair urges the army on, seven humanoid shadows rush forward.
As they pummel the gate with their dark energy, the amazon
braces the iron with a force-field of sparkling silver
light. Concentrating on both tasks at once, the white-clad
amazon telepaths to the dark lord in the tower that the
enemy was at the gate and that she would hold them off as
long as she could.

Up in the tower, the dark lord acknowledges his captain's
message. Desperation fueling his actions, he throws his arms
out to either side of his kneeling form. A sphere of
blackish-green energy explodes outward, engulfing everything
in its path.

Down at the gate, the seven shadows combine in a massive
attack that shatters the amazon's shield. Before she
recovers, two warriors on the other side step forward. Both
are male and wear simple gray uniforms; the one to the left
has short, golden hair and the other has long, dark,
reddish-brown locks. Together they raise an arm, combining
their powers into an intense emerald-green bolt that smashes
the female warrior to the ground. Both men smile in
apparent satisfaction as the amazon's unmoving figure
vanishes in a glow of sparkling silver light.

Seconds later, the leading edge of the blackish-green sphere
is seen sweeping past the spot where the amazon disappeared.
The enemy force pauses, seemingly confused by the dome of
energy as it stops just beyond the black marble wall, then
renews its attack. However, no matter how hard they try, the
now immobile shield appears invincible.

At the same time within the tower, the dark lord screams out
in an agonized voice, "NO!" His deep-brown eyes then open,
despair and determination written all over his handsome
face. Focusing his gaze on the glowing mirror, his own form
begins to glow as well. When his blackish-green aura becomes
brighter than that of the dark-glassed mirror, the entire
tower begins to shake. As small items crash to the carpeted
floor, the quaking and the light become more intense.

Outside, the ground is shaking as well, creating panic
within the enemy ranks. As first fissures open up and then
entire chunks of earth begin to rise in the air, the
red-haired demon-like woman calls a retreat. Gathering
together as best they could, the obviously frightened horde
impatiently waits as four gray-uniformed figures take up
positions along the outside at each of the major compass
directions. To the north is the man with long, reddish-brown
hair who helped with the attack on the amazon, while his
partner in the deed now stands to the east. The figure to
the west is a slender woman with her golden-blond hair bound
in a ponytail and the figure to the south is a tall man with
long, silver-blond hair and a long, white cloak. As one,
they raise their arms up to the dirt-filled sky, swirling
their energies together to create a sphere massive enough to
encircle the army and themselves. Dead center in the sphere
stands the demon-like woman, the seven shadows surrounding
her tall form. As they and the sphere fade away into
nothingness, she glares in enraged frustration at the black
stone tower within the blackish-green dome. Once the
invaders leave, the other sphere abruptly disappears as well
while what remains of the trembling planet explodes apart.

**************************************

The dark lord slowly shook his head, the enormity of what he
had done sinking in. *Behold that which you have wrought,
Lord Obsidian,* he thought as he continued staring down at
the eerie, barren landscape below. *My poor, beloved Lithos,
you who once rivaled any jewel in the solar system,
including that peerless sapphire known as Earth, I felt your
agony in those last few moments as the power of the Mirror
tore you apart. Driven by duty and desperation, I had no
choice but to sacrifice everything I held dear in order to
safeguard the Vortex Mirror. As it has always been since the
Dawn of Time, when the Spirit of Cosmos appointed me
Guardian of the Gateways, so it shall always be that my duty
comes before all else.*

Obsidian started to turn away from the forsaken sight in
guilt and frustration when a momentary flash caught his eye.
Startled, he paused, carefully searching the gray wasteland
that had once been his prized Garden of Delights. Finding
nothing, he dismissed the invisible barrier serving as the
window's glass with a wave of his hand and leaned out of the
three-foot-wide opening for a better look.

From his new vantage point, Obsidian could now see, off to
his left, the wrought-iron gate where the final
confrontation had taken place. The gate still showed signs
of the past violence, for even from the Hall of the Mirror
high atop the Obsidian Tower, the Lord of Lithos could see
twisted, blasted bars within the gate's intricate structure.
It was from near there that the faint shimmer had come.
Scanning the area meticulously, he was about to abandon the
search when a dim sparkle caught his eye again. *There!* he
thought, focusing on the distant object. Reaching out an
arm, he felt his power wrap itself around the item. *To me!*
he Called.

The object erupted from the barren ground, exploding the
thin layer of dust in a shower of fine gray particles. It
streaked through the oppressively still air and landed in
the dark lord's outstretched hand. Retreating back into the
circular room, Obsidian restored the window's invisible
barrier with an absent-minded wave.

The moment he saw it, he knew what it was. It was a
Gemlord's soulstone and was all that remained of his
advisor, friend and close companion, Captain Diamond of the
Tower Guard.

**************************************

Another scene of the past: Obsidian is sitting at the high
table in the tower's Feast Hall, smiling in amusement, a
golden goblet in his hand, as the beautiful amazon with
silver hair and silver eyes sitting next to him tells a
rather ribald joke. The couple about whom the joke is told
don't seem to appreciate Diamond's sense of humor and a
confrontation appears inevitable until Obsidian stands up
and takes command. At his insistence, Diamond apologizes.
Apparently satisfied but still appearing somewhat miffed,
the insulted couple returns to their meal. The dark lord
then telepaths to his friend that in all reality, he enjoyed
the joke. Diamond's face breaks out into a sly, satisfied
grin.

**************************************

A mere inch in diameter, the multi-faceted diamond sphere
that had once been the heart of a living being was now dull
and dark, its facets chipped, its luster and inner light
gone. *Alas, my dear friend, such is the fate of all
Gemlords, to live eternally young but able to die, our
spirits locked away in cold, lifeless stone should our
bodies be destroyed. I alone am the exception, having been
given the gift of true immortality by the Spirit of Cosmos
when I was chosen Guardian of the Gateways. Yet even I
doubted that gift that last, fateful day; when the darkness
overcame me, I was sure I would never awaken again.

*Yet here I am, whole once more, while you sleep for
eternity within the crystal of your power. And for what?
For greed, for power, who knows. I know only that five of
our own turned on us, leading the forces of Chaos against us
to gain control of the Vortex Mirror. And where were those
warriors of justice, the Sailor Senshi, the allies whom
Queen Serenity promised would come to our aid should a major
threat against the harmony of the Cosmos ever appear?
Nowhere! Outnumbered by the Chaotic horde, facing leaders
who knew our defenses and powers inside-out and overpowered
by the Seven Shadows, we were slaughtered to a man as we
foolishly hoped for reinforcements. When Ruby and Sapphire
fell, leaving only you and me, I knew then that the only way
to fulfill my duty to the Spirit of Cosmos was to rip the
Mirror from the physical realm to a place where nothing
could reach it save that which is brought through the Mirror
itself.*

Obsidian clenched his hand into a fist around the dead
soulstone, his face a mask of blistering rage. *I swear, by
the spirits of each and every one of you who fell defending
the Obsidian Tower and the sacred Mirror, that I will exact
revenge on those responsible for your deaths and the
destruction of our beloved planet,* he vowed. After
carefully placing the chipped and lusterless diamond on a
table nearby, Obsidian walked to the center of the circular
hall.

His handsome face was still grim as he looked down at the
knotwork mandala woven into the center of the carpet beneath
his booted feet. His eyes following the intricate loops of
the pattern in what amounted to a relaxation spell, the dark
lord let his anger go and centered himself, clearing his
mind of all thoughts and emotions. Once that was achieved,
he looked up into the domed ceiling, his deep-brown eyes
unfocused as he stared through the fresco of the solar
system painted there. For the first time since his
reawakening, his rich baritone voice filled the room,
breaking the silence that permeated the Hall of the Mirror,
speaking a phrase once taught to him by another Gemlord long
ago. "The movement of the stars rules everything."

**************************************

The past once again: Obsidian is standing in the center of
the Hall, looking up, while another man -- who has long,
dark, reddish-brown hair and wears a casual outfit of
greenish-white and emerald green -- points upward and
speaks. "I've imbued the fresco with an essence of my power,
my lord. Anytime you wish to observe the patterns of the
past, present or future, you will be able to do so without
having me by your side. All you have to do is speak the
triggering phrase I told you and the Orrery will appear."

The dark lord replies, "Thank you, Commander Nephrite. A
generous gift, indeed."

The other Gemlord turns and faces his leader. The handsome
man, who would later be one of the invaders under the
command of the demon-like woman, salutes the Lord of Lithos
by placing a fist over his heart and bowing. "Think nothing
of it, my lord. Anything to help fulfill our sacred duty of
safeguarding the Mirror."

**************************************

The moment the trigger was spoken, the crystal sconces
dimmed, throwing the domed ceiling into deep shadows.
Obsidian could feel the slight tingle of old power as the
planets of the fresco seemed to leap out into the center of
the darkness and begin their majestic orbits around their
miniature sun. Glittering sparks appeared in the shadows,
representations of the constellations within which each
planet appeared to move. He frowned in guilt when he noticed
that the Orrery accurately depicted the solar system as it
now was -- an asteroid belt now filled his beloved
homeworld's orbit.

Composing himself once more, the dark lord spoke again. "I
call upon the planets of Saturn, who rules our limitations,
Uranus, who rules sudden and disruptive change, Neptune, who
rules the land of dreams and spirit, and Pluto, who rules
our destruction and regeneration, show me the shadows of the
past from the time of the death of Lithos to now."

The darkness around the Orrery shimmered, pictures forming
within its depths. Obsidian's deep-brown eyes narrowed as he
watched the destruction of the Moon Kingdom, the return of
the Chaotic power and the resurrection of the Moon Princess,
Earth Prince and the Inner Senshi, the deaths of the four
traitorous generals, the second deaths of the Inner Senshi
and the Earth Prince, the final showdown between the
demoness and the Moon Princess, and the second resurrection
of the Senshi, Prince and Princess. He also caught unclear
images of other Senshi, but found himself still too weak to
pull the pictures into focus.

The patterns would have continued to dance among the moving
representations of the solar system, but the dark-haired
lord had seen enough. With a disgusted shake of his head, he
dismissed the power of the Orrery. Turning around to face
the table on which Diamond's soulstone was placed, the
crystals high above brightening yet again as the vision of
the planets became once more merely a painting on the
ceiling, Obsidian mused out loud. "So, the ones truly
responsible have met their fates at the hands of the
Princess and her Senshi. And though I was unable to discover
what role the other Senshi had in the fall of the Silver
Millennium, there is one thing I know: those Senshi directly
under Queen Serenity's command were enjoying themselves at a
masquerade ball while I and my Gemlords were under attack!
How dare they ignore my pleas for help in defending the
Vortex Mirror in favor of something as frivolous as that?
Queen Serenity knew what would happen to the Cosmos should
the forces of Chaos ever gain control of the Gateway to the
Worlds, yet she continued on with her idiotic nightly party
while my people were slaughtered and I destroyed my world.

"I swear I will make them pay for abandoning us," he
snarled, addressing the cold, gray soulstone. "Somehow I
will make them regret not answering our call. For Lithos,
you and all the others, I will have our revenge against the
Princess and her Senshi, as well as that simpleton Prince
Darien.

"Protector of the Earth indeed! Had he not been such a
love-struck fool, always sneaking off with the Princess,
perhaps he would have noticed the signs of approaching
danger. Had he informed me that my generals were beginning
to act in a suspicious manner, I would have recalled them
immediately and found out what was going on. Instead, he had
to spend his time either hiding the Princess from the Senshi
on Earth or hiding from the Senshi on the Moon, never once
paying attention to what was going on under his nose."

**************************************

A scene from the past: Within a palatial courtyard, Lord
Obsidian is standing in front of a regal-appearing young man
with short, black hair who wears black and silver armor and
a long, scarlet-lined, black cloak. Light glints off the
formidable sword strapped to the raven-haired man's side.
Behind the Lord of Lithos stands a bound and gagged, rather
angry-appearing woman with long, flaming-red hair who is
surrounded by four others. The person behind the bound
prisoner is the black- and green-uniformed Lord Nephrite.
To the prisoner's left stands a serious-looking man with
short, light blond hair whose black uniform is trimmed in
golden-yellow while to the tall captive's right is a
slender, androgynous-appearing man, his long golden-blond
hair bound into a thick ponytail, his equally sable uniform
trimming in violet-blue, and his arms crossed. In front of
the flame-haired criminal, his back to her, stands a tall
man with long, silver-blond hair, his lithe form clad in a
matching jet-black uniform trimmed in lavender. In each
case, the uniform consisted of black nearly knee-high boots,
black pants that were baggy enough to allow for comfortable
movement, a well-tailored black jacket, and a nearly
floor-length cloak pinned to the shoulder by jewel-adorned,
metal brooches.

"I don't care who gave you the authority, I still don't like
it, Lord Obsidian," the armored man says, his anger quite
apparent.

"Forgive my frankness, Your Highness, but you don't have to
like it," the dark-brown-haired man replies. "You need only
obey your Sovereign, the Queen. You know as well as I that
Earth is the only place our Gemlord powers are greatly
inhibited. Therefore, it's the only place I can exile the
prisoner and be reasonably sure that she will cause no more
trouble for anyone."

The Prince slowly shakes his head, his expression stubborn.
"Any Gemlord, no matter how weak, is a source of potential
disaster for the mortals in my care. And had you kept a
better watch on the Vortex Mirror, none of this would be
necessary."

Obsidian's expression becomes as enraged as that of the
Prince. "Never before in our long history has any Gemlord
used the Vortex Mirror without my authority. There was no
need to be especially vigilant. However, I will not repeat
my mistake. Nothing happened this time, but I won't give
her another chance to complete whatever it was she was
attempting."

"I resent this intrusion into my domain, Lord Obsidian. I
don't appreciate my planet being used as a jail," the Prince
insists.

"It's not a choice, Darien, it's a command from Queen
Serenity herself. Are you willing to shatter the peace of
the Silver Millennium over this?" the Lord of Lithos asks.

"No," Prince Darien quietly admits, his posture becoming one
of defeat. "But I want more than just your word that she'll
cause no trouble among my natives, Obsidian. She's one of
yours, therefore she's your responsibility."

The dark lord considers the Prince's demand for a moment. "A
reasonable request," he finally says. Snapping his fingers,
he calls, "Commander Kunzite!"

The tall, lavender-cloaked Gemlord steps forward. Placing
his fist over his heart and giving a slight bow, he
inquires, "My lord?"

"You, Lord Nephrite, Lord Zoisite and Lord Jadeite will
remain here on Earth as the criminal's jailers. I'm placing
the four of you under Prince Darien's personal command; you
will obey him as you would obey me."

"My lord, I must protest," the golden-blond-haired man in
violet-blue interrupts, his strident voice sounding full of
contempt. "To be stationed here on this backwater mudball
among a horde of stinking primitives--"

Obsidian whirls around, obviously livid with rage. "You dare
question my authority and insult our host all in the same
breath, Commander Zoisite? Must I remind you of your proper
place?"

"Please, my lord, let me speak to him about it," Kunzite
hastily pleads. In the next instant, he bows in obeisance to
Prince Darien. "Your Highness, I beg your forgiveness on
behalf of us all. Zoey's still relatively young for a
Gemlord and rather impulsive."

As Prince Darien nods his acceptance of the silver-haired
Gemlord's apology, Obsidian sighs. "Very well," the dark
lord responds. "I shall dismiss his outburst this time.
However, Lord Commander Kunzite, it shall be your
responsibility to see that he learns how to properly address
his superiors. I don't want him starting an interplanetary
incident." Noticing the expression of relief that crosses
the lavender-clothed man's handsome face, Obsidian telepaths
to him to watch it where Lord Zoisite was concerned, that he
must not be allowed to cause unrest on Earth. Kunzite bows
again, telepathing his acknowledgment.

"So where do you plan on incarcerating her? I want as little
contact as possible with the mortals," the black-cloaked
Prince asks, his attention focusing on Obsidian once more.

"An underground cavern on an island near Earth's North
Magnetic Pole should work the best. There are few natives
there and the intense magnetic field will inhibit her powers
the most. With my commanders stationed here to assist you
in watching over her, I believe the prisoner can be locked
up safely," the Lord of Lithos responds.

Prince Darien stands there a moment, a thoughtful expression
on his noble face. "Fine. You may report back to our Queen
that all shall be done as commanded."

**************************************

Lookin g up from where he had been staring at the lusterless
stone, Obsidian's deep-brown gaze froze on the window
through which he'd retrieved it. Recalling the oppressive
barrenness of the landscape beyond, he spoke out loud once
more. "If that which lies beyond the Tower cannot be the
blue skies and emerald fields of the Lithos I loved so well,
then I wish to never look outside these walls again.
Obsidian Power Magnify!"

At the sound of the triggering phrase, the dark-glassed
Mirror behind the Lord of Lithos began to glow. In response,
Obsidian's own greenish-black aura began to shine as well,
steadily becoming stronger. Once the eerie deep-green light
around the tall Gemlord was bright enough to fill the Hall,
the Mirror became dark, shining no more.

He stood there a moment, head bowed and eyes closed,
delicately balancing the energy from the Mirror with his
own, fine-tuning his control. Satisfied, he then flung his
arms out to either side, letting the power go.

Twin beams of dark-green light erupted from his palms,
striking the black wall. Absorbing the energy, the stone
began to glow. As more power poured into it, the deep-green
glow began to spread until the entire surface was covered
with the light, including the areas where the windows were.
Then, abruptly, the beams were gone, all of the energy
having been transferred to the Tower itself.

Pale and shaken, Obsidian dropped his arms and fell to a
knee. Taking a few deep breaths to steady himself, he
thought, *I seem to be a bit out of practice.* By the time
he had regained his composure, the radiance had all but
vanished from the obsidian wall. Looking around, a grim
smile crossed his handsome face. Where the windows had once
been was now black stone; all of the openings in the Tower
to the world outside had been sealed. *There,* he thought.
*No more shall I see what you've become. Instead, I shall
always remember you as you were.*

Rising once more to his booted feet, he crossed the carpeted
floor to where the Vortex Mirror stood. Waving an arm in a
graceful arc before the dark glass, Obsidian's voice intoned
a phrase well-known to him. "Great Mirror of the Vortex, to
whom all routes are open and no place unknown, show me the
area where Lithos would be if it still existed."

The Mirror began to shimmer again, a softer, more muted
light. The unearthly polish of the dark glass's
eerily-smooth surface began to ripple, like the wind-kissed
water of a still lake. Obsidian's reflection became
distorted, then disappeared altogether, leaving behind a
vision of star-spangled space. After clearing his mind of
all thought, the dark lord stepped through the shimmering,
liquid-like, black glass.

He reappeared out in space, his dark cloak and long,
dark-brown hair billowing in the solar wind. Made immortal
by the Spirit of Cosmos itself, the vacuum of space had no
effect on him. In fact, there had been times in his past
where he'd gone out into the void in order to enjoy the
peace, silence and awesome grandeur that was Creation.
Glancing around, he noticed that he was floating in the
midst of an asteroid field. A scowl darkened his expression
when he realized that they were probably the pitiful remains
of his homeworld. Looking outward beyond the asteroids, he
saw the shining red light of Mars, the sapphire star that
was Earth and, brighter than anything else, the golden glow
of the Sun.

He closed his deep-brown eyes to the awe-inspiring sight,
concentrating instead on expanding his psychic awareness.
With every heartbeat, his mind reached further out,
encompassing more and more of the space within the solar
system. Finally, inevitably, he achieved his goal; from
Pluto's majestic orbit all the way to the Sun and back out
to Pluto's orbit again, he could sense the patterns of
matter and energy from which the star and planets were made.
With the music of the spheres singing in heart, mind and
soul, Obsidian raised a hand high and sent out a special
Call to all the Gemlords of Lithos, one they could not deny
be they dead or alive.

One by one they came, streaking through space like miniature
comets from wherever they'd been floating abandoned and
forgotten in order to orbit around their Lord. At first
dozens -- then hundreds -- of cold, lifeless stones, each
one a smooth or faceted sphere an inch across, circled the
dark-clothed man as he continued his Call, determined to
bring them all home. A few more straggled in, joining the
swirling kaleidoscope of muted colors, but eventually there
came no more.

Obsidian continued his Call a moment longer, an odd feeling
deep within that there was one left who resisted. But the
sensation was borderline at best. *Perhaps I'm mistaken,* he
thought, dropping his arm and pulling himself out of his
trance. Opening his eyes, he saw the whirling spheres that
surrounded him. Holding his hands out in front of himself,
he formed a greenish-black orb of energy between his palms.
One at a time, the orbiting soulstones spiraled into the
globe, nestling against one another as the ball was filled.
Once they were all collected, the dark lord took a moment to
silently address what remained of the Gemlords of Lithos.
*Forgive me, lords and ladies, my friends nearly one and
all. I never meant to abandon you to the cold nothingness of
space, but I myself have only just recovered from the
disaster that overtook us. Let me now honor your heroic
sacrifices on my behalf by taking you home to rest within
the Obsidian Tower.* Bowing his head and closing his eyes in
order to concentrate on his power once more, he then
silently cried the trigger-phrase. *Obsidian Mirror Return!*

In response, the large oval-shaped obsidian on his golden
belt buckle began to shine, its mirror-like surface taking
on a watery sheen identical to that of the Vortex Mirror.
His dark aura began to shine as well, the shimmering light
causing the outline of his form to ripple and flow. Then, in
a flash, he disappeared.

Back in the circular Hall atop the Tower, the dark liquid
sheen continued to dance across the Mirror's face. Without
warning, a pair of hands, between which floated a
greenish-black ball of light, emerged from the Mirror,
sending waves across the sparkling surface. The hands were
quickly followed by the rest of Obsidian's tall form as he
stepped back through the Mirror into the Hall. While he
walked forward into the center of the circular carpet,
behind him the Mirror became smooth and dark once more, its
highly-polished surface now reflecting the contents of the
room.

Stopping in the middle of the knotwork pattern of the carpet
and letting his hands fall to either side, the dark lord
watched as the energy sphere rose upward on its own. Once it
had reached a height level with the crystal sconces, the orb
began to spin. The soulstones left the globe in the same
manner they entered it, spiraling outward one at a time,
then floated gently downward, joining Diamond's soulstone on
the table below.

The entire process only took a matter of minutes. When it
was done, the entire tabletop lay covered with round,
lusterless stones loosely grouped together by color.
Obsidian stepped forward then, looking down at what remained
of his entire race. He felt the profound grief he'd been
suppressing well up from beneath his iron-willed control;
for a moment, he was sure he would break down beneath the
weight of the emotional burden. But then his deep-brown gaze
locked on a pair of stones, and it was anger that filled him
instead.

The soulstones that had caught the dark lord's eye were
unremarkable compared to the others. Both of them were
faceted stones and, like the others, they were chipped and
lifeless. Sitting side by side, looking innocent enough,
their dimmed colors complemented one another; one was
violet-pink, the other violet blue. But Obsidian could sense
the flaws deep inside that marred what little remained of
their beauty.

A bitter smile flickered across Obsidian's face. "I suppose
I should've known that you would have had to answer my Call
as well as the others," he mused out loud. "So tell me,
Kunzite, did you ever learn what was happening around you
before it was too late? Or did you willingly join the
traitor when offered the choice?

"And I suppose it was you, Zoisite, who first turned to
Beryl's side. After all, you were quite insulted by the last
assignment I gave you.

"However, it matters not. Both of you have paid for your
past treachery. Just be thankful that I choose to do no
more."

Seeing the soulstones of the pair of traitors, however, made
the Lord of Lithos curious. Scanning the tabletop carefully,
he ticked off names in his head, a momentary flash of that
lord or lady appearing in his mind as he thought their
names. When he was through with his impromptu roll-call, he
realized that there were three still missing.

*Now where--?* he asked himself, walking away. Pacing back
and forth across the knotwork pattern, Obsidian reviewed the
visions of the Orrery in his mind. *Of course!* he thought,
snapping his fingers. *At least two of them will be there.*

With quick, graceful strides, he stood before the Mirror
again. Passing his hand over its surface, he intoned the
trigger-phrase once more. "Great Mirror of the Vortex, to
whom all routes are open and no place unknown, show me that
area of the Negaverse where Beryl and Jadeite sleep."

This time, the watery image in the glowing glass was one of
unrelenting darkness covered by a glittering gossamer
curtain of silver light. But when Obsidian placed his hand
on the shimmering surface, it stayed there instead of going
through. "Huh? What's this?" he said out loud, surprise
evident in his rich baritone voice. He tried again, but no
matter how hard he pushed on the Mirror or concentrated on
the image, his hand remained flat on the rippling glass.

Stepping back, he glared at the image shown in the Mirror.
With a sudden intuitive flash, he knew what was wrong. *The
seal put on the Negaverse by the Imperium Silver Crystal,*
he thought. *That's what that curtain of light is I see.*

He took a couple more steps back. *No pathway lies closed to
the Vortex Mirror and its Guardian,* Obsidian seethed. His
jaw set in determination, he continued his thoughts. *The
Silver Crystal may be the focus on the infinite Energy of
the Universe, but the Mirror rules infinite Space. By the
Law of Cosmos itself, no place is unreachable to me. In
this, my power is supreme; I shall not be denied!* Bracing
his legs apart, his arms raised in front of himself with his
palms facing the Mirror, the dark lord yelled a
trigger-phrase, tapping further into the power of the Mirror
with each word. "Obsidian... Power... *Magnify*!"

Both the Mirror and the Gemlord began glowing at Obsidian's
first sound, each word after that causing the twin auras to
brightened significantly more. With the last shout still
echoing through the Hall, a thick, swirling beam of
deep-green energy erupted from his outstretched hands.
Striking the dark glass and rippling its liquid surface, the
power disappeared.

Beyond the Mirror, however, Obsidian could feel his power
continue to be blocked by the Silver Crystal's barrier.
Moment by moment, he steadily increased the pressure, until
deep-green light shone throughout the circular room and
Obsidian's cloak and hair were blown back by the force of
the beam. With a final explosive "Ha!", he threw everything
he had left at the barrier all at once. As he collapsed to
the ground, the dark light abruptly blinked out and the
silver seal around the Negaverse shattered into a million
shimmering pieces. Then they too faded into nothingness.

**************************************

Far away, in another dimension, on a small, watery world
known as Earth, a teen-age girl lay stomach-down on her
frilly pink-and-white bed. With one foot on the bedspread
and the other lazily waving in the air, her head resting on
slender hands, she was concentrating on the comic book lying
in front of her. Shiny blond hair, worn in a pair of
ponytails so long that she had to consistantly twist some of
her hair up into spherical buns on top of her head in order
to keep them from dragging on the ground, spilled from her
head to lie all over the lace-trimmed cover. Near her foot,
curled up on a pink-covered pillow, a black cat with a
remarkable spot of white fur -- it looked just like a
crescent moon with horns pointing upward -- on its forehead
lay watching as the teen flipped a page.

All around them, the girl's room showed signs of that
transition from child to adult all teen-agers underwent.
Dolls and stuffed animals on shelves shared the wall with
unicorn posters and a school calendar. And the
pink-and-white frills of a young girl's bedroom were
balanced by the cosmetics that were lined up on top of the
dresser in front of the mirror.

"Honestly, Serena," the black cat said in a very
human-sounding, female voice. "Shouldn't you be studying
instead of reading that?"

The blond teen kept perusing the comic, unperturbed. For
her, talking cats were a part of everyday life. "Don't
worry, Luna," she replied, blue eyes still glued to the
colorful pages. "I've got loads of time. There's still three
days before my next test. Besides, I've just gotta see how
Sailor V gets outta this mess."

Sighing deeply, the dark cat slowly shook her head. "I wish
ou were as involved with real Sailor business as you are
all this made-up stuff."

"Quiet, Luna. I'm trying to read. Ooooh! This is the good
part... Get him, Sailor V! Toast that slimeball! OWWW!"

At Serena's unexpected cry, Luna quickly jumped into a
standing position. Seeing the slender girl roll onto her
right side, curling up and clutching her stomach with both
arms, the feline advisor became alarmed. "Serena! What's
wrong?"

"Oww! I don't know! It feels like someone's inside tryin' to
make me explode," the teen-ager moaned, rocking back and
forth.

"Well, it couldn't have been those two ice cream cones and
three candy bars you had for an after-school snack," the
midnight-furred cat said, her voice puzzled, as she walked
over to look at Serena's agonized face. "You've eaten much
worse and never had a problem before."

"Very... funny... Luna. I'll remember this... next time...
you're sick. Owwwww! Makeitstopmakeitstopmakeitstop!"

"I wish I could, but I haven't got a clue," Luna replied.
She was still looking down at Serena's curled-up form, panic
starting to fill her, when her keen feline ears suddenly
caught the distinctive sound of breaking crystal. "Did you
hear that?"

"Yeah. Sounded like somethin' broke," the slender blond
answered. She suddenly bolted upright on the bed. "Hey! The
pain's gone!"

"It is?"

"Strange," Serena mused. "It went away so fast, it was
almost like someone flipped a switch and shut it off."

"I've got a bad feeling about this. Why did the pain go away
when we heard that sound?"

The teen-aged girl shrugged. "Ya got me."

"And that noise was most definitely the sound of shattering
crystal."

"But that's impossible, Luna. The only thing I have in here
that's crystal is--" Serena stopped in mid-sentence, blue
eyes going wide in alarm. Bounding from the bed, her long
ponytails flying, she rushed over to her maple dresser.
Pulling open drawers, she frantically searched through
stacks of neatly-folded clothes until she finally laid a
hand on what she was looking for. A look of triumph on her
pretty face, Serena pulled the object out.

It was an ordinary-appearing brooch, solid gold with a
five-pointed star etched on the surface. But what she wanted
to see was inside. With a practiced flip of her wrist, she
flicked open the golden case. Nestled inside was a colorless
crystal.

A multi-faceted sphere of awe-inspiring beauty and unearthly
clarity, the silver-sheened stone caught the sunlight
filtering in through the bedroom window, turning the light
into thousands of tiny, radiant, shimmering rainbows.
Inspecting the dazzling sight carefully, Serena was about to
put it away in relief when a chance turn of her hand caused
the crystal to lose much of its sparkle. *Huh?* she thought
as she peered closer at the suddenly visible shadow in the
heart of the stone. "Oh, no. How did this happen?"

"How did what happen?" Luna asked, nimbly leaping from the
bed to the top of the ransacked dresser.

The blond teen held up the locket so that her advisor could
see the crystal within. "It's broken, Luna. There's a crack
deep inside that wasn't there before. But I didn't think
anything could harm the Imperium Silver Crystal except for
the wielder herself. And I've been so careful!" she whined.

"I don't think it's anything you did," the black feline
reassured. Sitting down and thinking over the events of the
last few minutes, her tail whipping from side to side in
slight agitation, Luna stared at the deep-green shadow
inside the Crystal. *For some reason, that color reminds me
of something.* Twitching her whiskers in annoyance at not
having a better memory, Luna added, "If you want my opinion,
I'd say that somehow the Imperium Silver Crystal was
attacked by something and that the pain you felt was that
attack."

Serena's eyes grew wider. "Attacked? How? I thought the
Crystal was the most powerful thing in the Universe."

"In its own element of energy patterns and the flow of
energy within the Universe, the Imperium Silver Crystal is
unmatched. But there are other things that are just as
powerful in their own way."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Never mind, Serena. Just take my word for it that there are
other items out there that represent various aspects of the
Law of Cosmos. What bothers me is that whatever cracked the
Crystal is either something almost as powerful as the
Crystal itself -- or it's one of those other items. Either
way, I don't like this one bit."

"Do you think there's trouble ahead?" the slender girl
asked.

"I wish I knew," the cat finally replied.

**************************************

Back in the pocket-sized dimension where the Obsidian Tower
was now located, the dark lord slowly rose to his feet.
Still weary from the enormous burden of power he'd
channeled, Obsidian took the time to shake off the worst
effects before approaching the Vortex Mirror again. The
image in the Mirror's rippling surface was now clear; it
showed a shadowy cavern similar to that one on Earth in
which he'd imprisoned the rebel Gemlord Beryl long ago.
Frowning at that realization, Obsidian stepped into the
Mirror. This time, he slipped through with ease.

Once in the Negaverse cavern, the Lord of Lithos drew his
blackish-green cloak closer around his tall form. Cold and
forbidding, the eerily-illuminated stone seemed to suck up
his warmth. He could smell the malignant scent of Chaos in
the air. *How appropriate,* he thought to himself as he
started searching the cavern with his psychic powers.

Something registered on his heightened senses. Curious, he
strode over to where the sensation had come. Looking at the
sight, Obsidian couldn't help but smile in grim
satisfaction.

Up against a thick stalagmite leaned a transparent crystal,
a lone figure frozen inside. The person was a
youthful-appearing man with short, wavy, light-blond hair.
Wearing a gray uniform, the imprisoned male appeared frozen
in an attitude of pleading horror, one arm upraised to ward
off a power he couldn't resist. Obsidian put a hand on the
clear crystal, sensing the energy patterns within. *So,* he
silently said. *You sleep within a construct only Beryl can
remove. And if the construct's destroyed by other means,
you'll instantly die. An interesting quandary indeed.*

He cast out with his mind again, searching for the other two
soulstones still unaccounted for. One of those two he knew
would be here somewhere, but the second one's location
remained a mystery. Not finding either one in the immediate
area, the dark lord sent out his special Call.

Only a single soulstone came in response, a deep red sphere
whose facets were full of flashing fire. Startled, Obsidian
realized that he was looking upon not a dead Gemlord but one
in a comatose state. Mind reeling, he reached up and grabbed
the floating stone -- then instantly let it go with a shout
of shock and disgust.

The spirit within the stone may have been that of Beryl
once, but nothing now remained of that rebellious, ambitious
Gemlord. Instead, the soulstone housed a spirit of pure
Chaos, lying dormant and slowly recovering strength, waiting
for the time for it to reawaken and spread destruction
again.

As a guardian of the Cosmos, Chaos was Obsidian's mortal
enemy. His duty to the Universe was clear -- no matter what,
he could not suffer an agent of Chaos gaining a foothold
within the Universe itself. So long as Beryl's physical
remains existed, the sleeping Chaotic spirit had a way to
become active and terrorize physical reality. Without
another thought, the Lord of Lithos grabbed the dark stone
once more. Then, in a fluid move strengthened by his
greenish-black energy, he dashed the soulstone to the
ground, where it shattered into a thousand pieces. As the
deep ruby shards skidded across the cavern's stone floor,
their color fading into dull reddish-gray, Obsidian thought
he saw a shadowy mist rise up from the point of impact. But
the vision was quickly gone, so the dark lord dismissed it
from his mind.

Nearby, another crash of shattering crystal echoed in the
oppressive cavern. Glancing over at the transparent prison,
Obsidian dispassionately watched as the colorless fragments
melted away, letting the blond man's body fall to the
ground. Then that also disappeared, leaving behind a smooth
sphere of glowing orangish-yellow. As he picked up the
soulstone and cupped it in his hand, the dark lord caught a
momentary flash from the spirit within before the stone
became lifeless yellowish-gray. Mildly surprised, the Lord
of Lithos commented out loud, "My forgiveness, Jadeite?
Perhaps one day. But for now, you can lie within the
stillness of death with both your victims and your
conspirators." Clenching his fist around the stone, Obsidian
looked around the frigid, shadowy cave.

*Strange,* he thought, thinking back to the feeling of
resistance he'd felt during his first Call. *I didn't truly
expect him here, since the Orrery showed him dying on Earth,
yet he shouldn't have been able to ignore my summons.*
Shrugging his worry aside, he continued, *Well, no matter.
It's a loose end I shall deal with in time. Obsidian Mirror
Return!*

Once back in the familiar, comfortable surroundings of the
Obsidian Tower, the dark lord walked over to the
stone-covered table and set Jadeite's soulstone down next to
those of Kunzite and Zoisite. With Beryl's stone destroyed,
only one traitor remained at large.

Obsidian scowled, unwilling to let that fact distract him.
*No, forget about not finding him. Now is the time to
concentrate on a way to make the Senshi pay for abandoning
us. I have only enough energy left to resurrect one of you.
Since the Mirror's ability to gather power is severely
hampered by being cut off from the rest of the Universe, it
may be a long time before I'm able to bring back another.
Which one of you should I recall to my side so that we may
punish the Senshi?*