Chapter Fourteen: Descending into Outer Darkness


With the fall of the senshi of love, only one group remained of dimensional counterparts. Everyone knew it as well as they all looked to Dark Shadow Mars and Super Sailor Mars. A long moment passed as the anger of watching the last two senshi die made Sailor Mars seethe, but Shadow Mars had hardly any expression at all. Then the Omega Master looked to his next victims and grinned with a higher sense of gratification, "Well, going with the current trend, that only leaves two. I've waited so long for this." The same glow appeared in his eyes that freed the others and Sailor Mars looked eager to have her chance. Then, a word from Shadow Mars took them all by surprise.

"No."

Everyone's attention moved to him and the glow subsided in the Omega Master's eyes. The dark leader merely looked at the ground blankly and said no more, though it was hardly enough to satisfy Sailor Mars, "Yamito? What do you mean, 'no'?"

While she looked to him and expected and answer, all she received was a silence. He didn't even look up at her and it suddenly made her feel disappointment in him. The Omega Master decided to make things worse, "Well, it looks like your true colors are showing through, coward." He quipped and laughed lightly at him.

Sailor Mars couldn't believe what was happening and demanded his attention with her voice, "What's going on, Yamito? This is what you've been waiting for ever since I've known you!" Although her words did make him wince lightly, he never looked up and stayed quiet in his reason. Oddly, Super Sailor Uranus was standing behind them a bit with an informed look on her face. Although she and her partner had figured the reasons behind this, they said nothing and watched in an equal silence. The Omega Master saw this as a point to exploit and eyed Sailor Mars for a moment with evil intent.

"It's very simple, Rei. He saw what I did to his other friends and now he doesn't want to die. He's not as gallant as you thought he was, hm?"

That did warrant a reaction from Shadow Mars and he slowly looked up to the Omega Master with a look of sheer angst in his eyes. Still, he remained silent.

"Well, then I'm going to do it alone!" Sailor Mars declared and pulled against her retraints. A fierce look was burning in her eyes and she looked to the Omega Master with great anticipation. Shadow Mars slowly looked back to her and fought back the urge to say something. It was then he noticed Sailor Uranus behind her and the look she was giving him. Sailor Uranus slowly nodded to him and was confident she knew why he was doing what he was doing. It seemed to relieve Shadow Mars a bit and he nodded back to her once. Then she stepped forward against her restraints as well, leaving the oblivious Sailor Mars out of the moment.

"Not alone, I will fight also."

"And I will as well."

Super Sailor Neptune was also in on the understandment and showed her support. Finally, Super Sailor Pluto also joined in and silently offered her assistance. The massing of the Outer senshi at Sailor Mars's side made Shadow Mars feel a bit better but he still looked to the Omega Master with great concern. Sailor Mars never bothered to even look at him as she waited to be freed and take revenge for her friends. From in the sphere Eternal Sailor Moon looked at her without breath. As much as she wanted to cry out for her friend, she found she couldn't breath as she dreaded what would happen next. Though she hoped the four of them would have the best chance against the omnipotent evil, she would have felt a lot better had Shadow Mars joined as well. It seemed only the rare few knew the reasons why he hadn't.

"How does it feel, Yamito? To know these four girls will do what you are too cowardly to do." The Omega Master laughed and his eyes glowed once more. The ring disappeared from all of the girls and they stood ready to attack him. This battle was interesting him further than any of the others had and he slowly opened his hands at his sides in anticipation, "Let's see what you've got."

Sailor Uranus was the first to attack, fueled by the memories of the others falling to this evil. As she furiously attacked the Omega Master with an assault that would have impressed her fallen friend, she found that none of her strikes landed on his person. In fact, he was amused as he avoided her hits and slowly stepped back from her. It was then the dull metal from Sailor Pluto's staff came cutting through the air at him as well. Nearly taking the blow in the head the Omega Master seemed a bit surprised by the double team and jumped back from the elegant figure of Sailor Pluto. He did find a moment to say a few words to the senshi, but it was cut before he could start by the blue energy blast coming from Sailor Neptune. His confidence quickly faded as he leapt out of the way of the attack but found himself face to face with a Flame Sniper attack. This attack did catch him and cause him to reel back in pain. The senshi were hardly through as Sailor Pluto spun her staff around and brought the end of it across his face, spinning him on his feet just in time to catch Sailor Uranus's foot in the middle of his chest. The combined effort had put the omnipotent evil on his back and the four of them stood triumphantly before him.

The look of hope in Sailor Moon's eyes was enough to also give some to Shadow Mars, though they both watched silently and intently.

Slowly the Omega Master rose to his feet and held his gloved fingers to his lip. A streak of crimson crept out from under his digits and he had lost all of his cocky attitude. Sailor Mars smiled at him and rested her hand on her hip, obviously not impressed at his showing, "Is that good enough for you?"

What answered her question was a soft chuckle from his lips. It made all of them uneasy and he slowly lowered his fingers away from his mouth, "That was all very good, but you severely underestimate my power."

It was then a cold feeling swept over the room and a sublime aura appeared around the Omega Master. Much like a mist, it covered his body and made each of the senshi on guard once more. It was obvious that he was digging deeper and deeper into his power as his opponents progressed and these four required him to go further than he had yet.

Before the senshi could even move, he thrusted his hand forward and a massive wave of energy rippled through the air. It lifted each of the senshi from the ground and tossed them into the wall behind them very harshly. Both Shadow Mars and Sailor Moon winced in shock as the four of them were on the ground with a single attack. As they all stirred to regain their footing, the Omega Master approached them all with the aura firmly in play, "Now, it seems I will have to stop playing around with you. Pity, I was having fun." The senshi rose to their feet and prepared for an attack once more, but this time it was the Omega Master who attacked first, headed straight for Sailor Uranus.

She set into her fighting stance and waited but his tactic took her by surprise. He suddenly turned as he flew towards her and fired a spiraling swirl of dark energy right at Sailor Neptune. Sailor Uranus quickly looked to her partner just in time to see her try and avoid the attack. Although it missed her body, the energy did catch her across her shoulder and injure her badly.

"Michiru!" Sailor Uranus yelled but taking her attention away from the Omega Master sealed her fate. Suddenly she felt something contact her stomach and her breath left her. A deep gasp left her lips and she hunched forward from the attack, but the Omega Master was hardly done. Just as she leaned forward he planted his hand on her back and threw himself into the air above her, spinning around to face her below. A sadistic gleam flashed through his eyes and he threw his hand towards her, sending a force rippling through the air at her. The force smashed into her back and sent her to the ground but continued to press into her to the point where she began to dig a crater with her body. As the force stopped pressing on her she laid at the bottom of a deep crater, barely awake and moving. The feet of the Omega Master then landed softly at the edge of the crater and he looked down into it thoughtfully.

Sailor Mars wasn't so calm and she watched with a deep worry in her eyes, "Sailor Uranus!"

"And to finish her off......." The Omega Master cooed and slowly pointed a finger down at the weak figure of Sailor Uranus. It was then a scream caught his attention as Sailor Neptune appeared behind him with flashing eyes. In her weakened state, she was easy prey for him. In a blur of motion he spun around and caught her by her slender throat. An exhausted cough escaped her and she held onto his arms, looking at him with one eye. Without a word and teeming with a grin he spun around and tossed her into the depth of the crater. However just as his hand let go of her, his palm opened fully and extended a burst of energy into her. The force sent her skidding down the sides of the crater and to a stop next to the motionless body of her lover. Although her face was bruised and relaxed, Sailor Uranus still extended a weak hand out to touch it and clenched her teeth in pain.

"M...Michiru....."

Those fierce eyes then closed as her arm fell limp to the ground. The two senshi lay at the bottom of this crater and faded into the ranks of the victims of the evil one. Sailor Mars quickly ran up to the edge of the crater opposite of him and looked down with wild eyes. She saw the two lying there and felt a new surge of anger go through her. Then, Sailor Moon's voice startled her from afar.

"Sailor Mars, watch out!"

She turned and those eyes fell on the grinning face of the Omega Master. His hand reached out as he stood right next to her and his eyes seemed to glow darkly as he spoke, "And now it's your turn."

"Dead Scream."

It was the next thing heard as a purple blast ripped through the air and struck him away from her. He reeled back from the impact and looked up to find Sailor Pluto with a frown on her face. Just like that, his expression changed as he found himself faced with a new problem.

"You? And where is that obscured husband of yours?" The subject didn't seemed to amuse her as it usually did and she just gripped her staff tightly. It did, however, cause the Omega Master to twitch lightly and he seemed reluctant to make a move against her. This made both Sailor Moon and Shadow Mars watch with great interest. The moment soon faded as the Omega Master shook his head and snarled, "You are an unwelcomed variable in this. My unique knowledge about you makes this....distasteful to my plans. You....I will allow to leave unharmed."

"You should know that I won't do that. Even if you do know about such things, that changes nothing. I am still a senshi, and if fear the Mage as I know you do, give up now and keep him out of this. You know even now....he watches."

Her words were mysterious to them all but the effect they had on the Omega Master was obvious. His face became tight with anger and he stared at her speechlessly. A sort of stalemate lingered and no one seemed to know what was exactly going on, except for the two facing off against each other. It was then the Omega Master broke it off with a fierce glow in his aura.

"I don't care what this brings me! I won't have you or that man ruin my plans! I'll kill you all anyway!" With that he started to gather the tempest of energy around him and it even seemed to make Sailor Pluto's eyes widen. Then she decided to use an immensely powerful attack as well.

"Dark..........Dome........"

However she was cut off quickly as the Omega Master's eyes widened at her attack. In a quick move he threw a very unusual blast towards her, much like a tornado of energy. However this attack didn't hit her and cause damage. Instead it opened up a massive portal that swallowed her and disappeared along with her. After her departure he huffed a few times and seemed relieved that she was gone from the fight. His apparent anxiety at her presence struck curiosity in Shadow Mars but his counterpart was much more agitated at it.

"Sailor Pluto! What did you do to her!?"

Suddenly his demeanor returned to normal and he stood straight. Looking at Sailor Mars made him smile a bit and he flipped his cape around his arm lightly, "None of your concern. You have no idea what she really is, do you? I know why they keep it a secret from you, but that really doesn't matter anymore. You're next to die, Sailor Mars." That reality of that statement caused the other two senshi to wince and look at the other two intently. Although Sailor Mars got ready for the fight, she knew her chances were slim and she gritted her teeth. A part of her longed to have Shadow Mars at her side but the other part was still angry at him for staying out of the battle so far. So she stood, facing off against the greatest evil she had ever faced and winced as it took the form of Endymion. Even as she watched the two star seeds from the crater float up and disappear into his possession, she loathed the fact that she would have to hurt Mamoru. Then a dark smile crossed that familiar face and he slowly pointed at her with a single finger.

"Ready for the end? After this is your lover and your beloved Princess. It will be great to watch their faces when I take your seed."

In all her anger, she still cried out when her body lifted off the ground a bit. Dark energy coursed through her veins and she tried with all her might to hold in her cries. As the beautiful flower containing her star seed began to bloom, she felt a few tears burn down her face. Her impending death did have one redeeming quality, as it brought the final senshi into the battle.

A loud yell grabbed Sailor Moon's and the Omega Master's attention very quickly. The entire room seemed to light up with a bright light as a single column of fire burned from the last remaining senshi. Shadow Mars had reached his breaking point and had lost his reason to stay out of the fight. His power flooded the room and caused the Omega Master to slowly lose his grasp over Sailor Mars. As she felt herself returning, she weakly opened her eyes and looked over to see Shadow Mars. His passion for her had come flaming through and she felt something in her flutter a bit at the sight. She watched as his rings burned away and left him free, eager to join the fight with his counterpart. As she fell weakly to one knee the Omega Master moved off away from her as he sized up the exerted Shadow senshi. Shadow Mars just stared at him with lifeless eyes and never made a move against him. The final assault containing the most powerful senshi was about to begin and the idea brought a wicked smile across the face of Endymion.

"Are you ready to join the fight then, Yamito?"


Next Chapter: The Unforgettable Fire