Special Thanks: "Tuxedo" Will Wolfshohl for editing, good ideas and
                comments, and providing me with Sailor Moon stories to
                enjoy! Thanks Will!

                Doug Helm, for his suggestions to improve the tension
                and make the chapter stronger thereby. :)

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, Sailor Senshi and all terms, names etc associated
            with the series are copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha.
            The Guardians and everything pertaining to the Star Kingdoms are
            MINE!


                   Sailor Moon: Guardians of the Star
                   Chapter Sixteen: Apocalypse North

Sailor Moon hurried through the halls of the Hikawa Shrine on the way to
the glade they were using to teleport from. It was time to kick Morgoth
to oblivion, if they could.

Everyone had said their good-byes to their families. Although the Senshi
preferred to leave without fanfare, the good-byes had been necessary,
for both them and their families. Although their kin had chosen not to
watch them leave, she was sure they would be glued to the windows
anyway.

As she entered the glade, she saw that everyone else was already there.
Sailor Pluto, enigmatic as always, stood waiting patiently. Sailor
Neptune and Sailor Uranus stood to one side, deep in discussion. Sailor
Saturn stood with one hand on her Kin Sister's crest. Arilith had
assumed her Kin form, as had all the Dragonkin. They were more powerful
in their natural forms, and against the Death Dragon, they needed every
advantage they could get. Sailor Mars stood, tapping her foot
impatiently as she waited. Sailor Mercury leaned against Arilon's side
as she waited. To everyone's surprise, they had taken their Kin Bonding
flight last night.

Sailor Jupiter was talking animatedly to Avalon as they both waited.
Sailor Venus and Jadeite simply enjoyed each other's company. Noir had
not yet assumed her natural form. Both Maeribeth and Sailor Chibi-Moon
were watching as she fitted a pair of peculiar devices over her hands.
The five Guardians waited patiently. They had said their good-byes also,
and now were ready for action.

Tuxedo Kamen and Haeth smiled as Sailor Moon entered the glade. "Well,
FINALLY!" Mars snorted, "I was beginning to wonder if you'd EVER show
up!" Sailor Moon stifled a grin. Some things never changed, thank
goodness.  "What are those?" she asked as she walked up to Noir and
pointed at the strange things on her hands. Each device had four long
razor sharp blades and fit snugly over the hands. "They're called
`battle claws', Hatchling," Maeribeth answered, "Unlike the rest of the
Kin, Noir has never been in human form before and knows nothing about
using human weapons. I had Avalon pick up a set of `Claws' from the Kin
Caverns for her. Being much like her natural claws, their use is
instinctive. If she ever has to fight in her human form, she will now be
armed and able."

"Well, are we all ready?" Mars said impatiently. At Sailor Moon's nod,
Lynn moved forward as her Soul Gem appeared above her. "Everyone gather
round," she ordered, "It's time to go!" Haeth and Noir changed to their
Kin forms and joined everyone else around Lynn. With six Dragonkin, it
got a little crowded, but everyone managed. When everyone was ready,
Lynn raised her hands and sent a mental command to her Soul Gem. It
pulsed, each pulse brighter than the last, until the sixth pulse, which
was so bright, that those watching from the windows were temporarily
blinded.  When they regained their sight, the glade was empty. Tears
came from more than one set of eyes as they turned away to pray for the
safely of their children.


Sailor Moon looked over the snowdrift, studying the cave entrance
suspiciously. "No guards," she muttered to herself, "Why are there no
guards?" Greywolf straightened from where he had been studying the area.
"I don't like this," he said with quiet conviction, "Granted that we
destroyed a great deal of the forces he brought from the Star Kingdoms,
but he WOULD normally have guards! Even if just a pair of Killanki!" He
turned to regard the others somberly. "This smells like a trap," he
continued, "I think the Dark One has something planned."

"Does that make any difference?" Mars asked impatiently, "We have to
take him out, trap or no trap!" Galen nodded firmly. "You're quite
right, but we CAN be extra careful." He turned to regard Sailor Moon.
"With your permission, My Princess?" he asked. Sailor Moon smiled
slightly, despite her growing unease. "You and Greywolf are in command,
Galen-san," she answered softly. He grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

"Noir, you and Antari check to make sure the coast is clear," he
ordered, "Since you look like their forces, it's unlikely that you'll be
challenged if there ARE guards inside." They watched anxiously as the
Dark Elf and Dark Kindred moved through the snow, towards the cave
entrance.

Tari peered cautiously into the cavern. Torches lit the passage, and as
far as she could see; there was no one about. She and Noir exchanged
puzzled glances. "Cover me," Tari muttered. She entered the cave as Noir
assumed a combat posture, ready to fry anything that attacked Tari.

Everyone tensed as Tari entered the cave. After a long timeless wait,
during which everyone imagined all sorts of disasters happening, Tari
emerged and waved `all clear'.

"I went as far as the dungeon levels and saw no one," Tari concluded her
report, "It's as if the place is deserted!" Jadeite looked extremely
worried. "I know the approximate numbers that he had here," he said,
"And even with the forces we eliminated, he should STILL have enough
here to cause us problems! So, where are they?" Sailor Mercury consulted
her computer and looked up in puzzlement. "I can't get any clear
readings here," she said anxiously, "It's like my scans are being
jammed!"

After a moment of silence, Sailor Uranus broke it. "Look, we suspected a
trap, and now it's likely it IS a trap," she said impatiently, "Since we
know it, WE have the advantage now, so let's go up there and stomp him!"
Galen laughed delightedly. "As blunt as ever, Uranus," he grinned, "but
you're right. Trap or not, we MUST go on. I want everyone who can, to
extend your senses to their farthest range. Let's not get taken by
surprise." At everyone's agreement, they entered the caverns.

As soon as she entered the cavern with the others, Mars felt an alien
pressure in her mind. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her
midriff. "Mars!" Sailor Moon cried as she moved to her friend, "What's
wrong?!" She trembled again, and looked up at Sailor Moon, her violet
eyes haunted. "I sense a terrible brooding evil! It completely permeates
this place," she answered in a whisper as she looked around uneasily,
"Not even the Dark Kingdom felt like this!"

Greywolf looked thoughtful. "Is it Morgoth?" he queried anxiously. Mars
shook her head in confusion. "It is, and it isn't!" she said in
frustration, "I've felt Morgoth, and I can sense elements of HIS evil in
this feeling, but most of it is so alien, that I can't figure out
anything other than the fact that it's the greatest evil I have ever
felt!" She shivered again.


When they reached the lowest of the dungeon levels, they stopped to
confer. "Kreigh, you and Arilith guard the stairs down the hall to make
sure we're not interrupted," Galen commanded. They nodded and moved down
the long hall, past closed dungeon cells, to take position at the bottom
of the next set of stairs. As Greywolf and Galen plundered Jadeite's
memory of the layout of the base, Mars curiously approached one of the
cells. At her touch, the door creaked open. Her nose wrinkled at the odd
smell coming from within. Peering into the shadows, she thought she saw
something behind the door. <What's that?> she thought as she raised her
hands. Readying her powers, she pushed the door open further, and
entered the cell.

Everyone jumped as a hoarse cry echoed through the hall. Sailor Mars
stumbled from the cell, white as a sheet. With her hand over her mouth,
she ran down the stairs they had just climbed. After a moment, they
heard the sound of retching as Mars emptied the contents of her stomach.
"Wha..." Sailor Moon got up and hurried to the cell as Maeribeth took
off the way Mars had gone. Greywolf seized Sailor Moon's wrist in a firm
grip. "Let me look, Highness," he asked grimly.  At her shaky nod, he
released her and entered the cell.

When he came out, his face was pale and his lips compressed grimly, but
his gray eyes were ablaze with fury. "Civilians," he ground out, "At
least a dozen in this cell alone! Guardians! Check the other cells.
Sailor Senshi, remain here. This is NOT something I want you to see!"

"But...." Sailor Jupiter began. "Trust me!" Greywolf said softly, "They
were drained completely and that's NOT a sight for young girls, however
great warriors you may be." She stared at his grim face and nodded. The
Guardians were joined by the Dragonkin as they checked cell after cell;
all were the same. Filled with bodies who had been drained of all their
life energy.

"That makes about one hundred forty by my count," Greywolf said quietly
after Arilon had shakily reported his findings. Sailor Moon looked
stricken. "But HOW?!" she cried in anguish, "HOW had he killed so MANY?!
We always stopped the Dark Kingdom when they tried that because we
always noticed something was wrong!"

"Yeah, but who notices the homeless?" a hoarse voice interrupted. They
turned to see a pale shaky Sailor Mars supported by Maeribeth's arm
around her. Even now, they could see she was regaining her composure,
but Sailor Moon noticed a slow burning rage in her violet eyes. She
understood that. The same rage possessed them all. "Homeless?" she
questioned sharply. Mars nodded firmly. "While some of them had good
clothes, most wore patched clothes or outright rags," she explained, "No
one notices the homeless, so who's gonna care if a few hundred or so,
vanish." Sailor Moon was about to refute that, when Mars interrupted, "I
know WE care, but we CAN'T be everywhere! There are HUNDREDS of cities,
each with HUNDREDS of homeless. If the Dark Kingdom had done it THIS
way, they would have been able to release Metallia before we even knew
what was going on!" They all exchanged determined glances. Morgoth would
pay DEARLY.


Kaylen approached the waiting group with a puzzled expression on his
grim face. They were on the top dungeon level. Each level's cells were
filled with the dead. Greywolf had been careful to see that the Senshi
were shielded from the awful sights within. "Tari, I think you should
see this," he requested with obvious reluctance, "Something about those
who died in the last few cells puzzles me." Tari got up and dusted off
her long skirt.  "You want me to take a look?" Kaylen looked at her
unhappily. "I DON'T want you to see it, but you may have answers that I
don't."

Everyone followed Kaylen to that last few cells and waited while he
entered with Tari. After a moment, they came out to check the next, and
the next.  Even with her dark skin, they could see that she paled more
after every cell.  Finally, when they exited the last, Kaylen had to
help her since she was blinded by tears. She turned and gently closed
the cell door. Leaning her forehead against the door, she wept.

Sailor Moon rushed forward to place an arm around the sobbing Dark Elf's
shoulders. "Tari, what's wrong?" she grimaced, "Other than the obvious I
mean." Tari looked up, her amber eyes filled with grief. "Behind those
doors, lies the price of failure," she whispered, "Dark Kindred,
Killanki, Kashalkanite Elves. Dead, drained...and worse." Sailor Moon
looked faint. "Worse?" she repeated softly. Tari nodded. "He was not
satisfied to just drain them. He did other.....things...to them BEFORE
he killed them. My little sister lies beyond this door." She heaved a
mighty sob. "And her death was not an easy one!" She swallowed her sobs
and regained control of herself. "By the Steps of the Nine!" she cried,
a fell look in her amber eyes, "The demon who did these foul deeds shall
die before this day's sun finds its bed! This I do swear!"

Lynn stared at Tari's determined expression and turned to her Lifemate.
"Despite our need to beat Morgoth," she said worriedly, "There is an
element, based on our findings so far, that I think you're all missing."
She swept her worried gaze over them all. "In the cells below, and on
this level, are almost 700 people that were drained of all their life
energy. What has Morgoth done with all that energy?"

<Uh oh.> Everyone exchanged confused looks. "Maybe he used it in his
battles against us," Venus ventured. Lynn shook her silvery head. "All
those people died within the last twenty-four hours. Morgoth never used
that energy, not against US anyway." She turned to Mars. "Rei, do you
STILL sense that alien evil?" Mars nodded. "Oh yes," she replied, still
pale, "And it's even STRONGER here than it was down below!" Lynn looked
as if Mars had just confirmed her worst fears. "It looks as if the Dark
One plans something most vile, and needed all that life energy to do it.
We'd better hurry, if we want to disrupt his plans!"

Soft malevolent laughter echoed down the corridor. Before anyone could
so much as blink, the hall was plunged into darkness as the torches
dimmed and went out. "Sailor Moon! Where are you?!" "I'm over here,
Mars!" "Nobody move! I'll get a light!" Yet, before Lynn could cast her
spell, the torches flared up, and the hall was lit once more.

"What IS going ON here?" Sailor Jupiter asked as she looked around
warily.  Everyone looked around cautiously, then, someone noticed. "Kin
Sister! Where is my little Sister?!" Noir cried as she looked around
frantically. "Chibi-Moon! Where are you?" Sailor Moon called worriedly.
Noir snarled and shimmered into her human form. "He's GOT her!" she
growled, her voice becoming more guttural and hard to understand. With a
shriek of fury, she dashed down the hall to the stairs with claws at the
ready, then dashed up the stairs and out of sight before anyone could
stop her.

"Noir, WAIT?!" Lynn yelled after her, "We must stick together!" The
Inner Senshi turned and grabbed Sailor Moon, as she was about to dash
after Noir.  "Let me GO!" she cried, struggling against the hand