Pawns in a Chess Game

Mina’s Tale III – Part 3

We walked silently through the beautiful landscape. The sound of our footsteps was the only sound that came from our group. The sound of determined people making their way to death or glory echoed through the landscape. I felt Chibi close to me holding her close to my warmth. I looked down at my daughter, “Chibi, What are you thinking?” She looked up at me with those eyes that resembles her father, “Mom, just look at this land, it’s so beautiful.” She’s right; the land was so beautiful, even lovelier than Earth at its best. “Sailor War, where are we?” She stopped to look at me, “This land is untouched by outside forces. It’s pristine like the entire universe was at one time. The Shrine allows no outside forces to influence the land. I think that if we come back a million years from now, it would look the same.” I noticed a small smile on the young girl’s face. She looked towards the purple mountains in the distance, “Come, this is the beginning of everything.” We walked behind her, still in silence, just absorbing the scenery of this alien landscape.

In about ten minutes the first wave of Negaverse creatures attacked. Our two youngest Sailors threw themselves to the front of the column. “Lovely Darling Rainbow” shouted Chibiusa followed with Chibi yelling, “Charge Loving Beam”. The creatures dissolved in the light of the two attacks. My heart almost stopped when Chibi ran forward but it swelled with pride when her attack destroyed the enemy. She really takes after us. That’s why we need to win this war to preserve all that will be in the future.

Wave after wave of monsters attacked us as we made our way to a dark purple light. Multiple attacks rang through the air.

“Crescent Soul”, screamed Serena as she waved her moon rod to gather the light of the stars.

“Energy Inferno Fist”, shouted Sailor Mars and a circle of flames appeared around her body before it flew towards the enemy.

“Arctic Dream”, yelled Sailor Mercury. A blast of cold chilled everyone to their bones but the effect on the monsters was truly disturbing.

“World Tornado”, said Sailor Jupiter as she turned in faster circles. A spiral of wind lashed from the center destroying all that it touched.

“Cosmic Wind”, Sailor Pluto said softly. A soft wind started but as it past us, it developed in a fury that none could withstand.

“Final Annihilation”, was Sailor Saturn’s words. A small sphere issued from her glaive but it grow and whatever stood in its past, simply dissolved.

“Star Shock”, said Uranus as she rushed towards the front with her sword held high. The creatures before her were felled as a slice of a star cleaved the force before us.

“Heavenly Storm Hurricane”, did Sailor Neptune issue the last attack as she collapsed in Uranus’ arms.

I then sent my power into the mix, “Sensitive Heart” into the next wave. The creatures were touched by the power of love and dissolved as it touched their hearts.

The final assault brought Sailor War into action, “Full Comet Shock” that brought the enemy to its knees and broke the enemy forces in rout. The way to the purple light was cleared but a loud rushing wind delivered the final warning, “Come, King of Light. Bring you minions and we will fight this final night and I will dine upon your bones as the sun rises in the east.” Sailor War was unaffected by the message and continued her tireless stride to the final conflict. The scorched ground crunched under our weigh but as I looked back I could see that the land was healing itself and soon no sign of our battle would be seen.

The sun had disappeared behind the western horizon but a dim light shone over the land even though no moon appeared in the sky. “War, where is the light coming from?” Sailor War pointed to the sky and I saw the night as she sees it. A million stars blazed in the night. More stars than I have every saw before. It was almost like the entire galaxy revolved around us and then I realized where we fight this battle. The end of time is also its beginning and we were in the exact center of the Milky Way galaxy. A place untouched since it was first formed eras ago in fiery conflict. “Is this where the two forces decided to make the universe?” Sailor War stopped and reached back a hand to me. I grabbed it and held it close to me, “Mina, the forces have to remain in this place until the final outcome is determined. They are held to this place by the universe. It will only allow a portion of their power to infuse their different agenda into the universe. That’s why it’s untouched. It has never encountered entropy that has affected the rest of the universe. While we are here, we are truly eternal but we are also human in our own way. This land is where we were suppose to dwell many years ago but forces beyond our control drove us from this paradise.” I could tell a hint of sadness in her voice and I drew her hand to my chest. I looked at her face and saw the same smile that Nova had when I did the same. Nova and Sailor War had fully merged into one being. I could feel his mind in control of her body. My confidence in the upcoming battle soared because with Nova in control, I had no doubt that we must win because he was so driven to succeed.

Holding her hand I felt the love pouring into me. “Nova,” I said as I rested my head against her body because she was not Sailor War anymore, “is this going to be your toughest battle?” I could see that Nova was thinking hard about my question, “Mina, my toughest battle took place over seventeen hundred years ago.” I puzzled about his response, “You mean against the Unstoppable.” “No, my love, I mean the battle that occurred when I first met you. Love is the most mysterious and intense battle that you can ever fight. More people decide that it’s easier to run from the battle than to fight. Fighting someone you love until they love you back is the toughest battle that anyone will ever fight.” Love as the ultimate battle, only my Nova would ever think of something like that as a response. I snuggled closer to her side as a small arm encircled my waist. If we lose today, I will be happy to have conquered Nova as my finest battle.

I start to see something in the distance, I can’t make it out but soon we came to a signpost along our way. I stopped gave a good look at the picture on the sign. It seemed out of the ordinary but it appears to be an angel pointing with one hand towards the dark structure before us. On the sign was words written in a language that I have only seen once before but it definitely read ‘We are waiting Sailor Wind’. I felt Nova give me a little tug on my hand and we started back on the dark road, “Nova, what did the sign mean, who is Sailor Wind?” Nova looked me in the eyes and pointed to herself, “Mina, I am Sailor Wind. I’m not Sailor Nova or Sailor War anymore but I’m the Sailor that will cause the winds of change to cleanse the universe of the great evil that appeared. But, I’m also the wind of war in that I will bring war against the entire universe to protect all that I hold dear. I didn’t want these roles but they were thrust upon me. I just wanted to be Nova, nothing more but they wouldn’t let me and after I finish what I must do, I just want to be Nova again.” He is still torn within himself but not with the others. He just wants to live a normal life and I want that wish for myself but we can’t travel far from our destiny.

The darken structure became more defined as we strode towards it in the light of the stars. It appeared, to me, to be an arena of some type like an open aired sport arena but much smaller. It was maybe seventy feet across and about a hundred feet wide. Rather small for a place that will settle the fate of the entire universe. Nova stopped and hugged me. Nova pushed my head down towards those wonderful lips, “I will depart here. I am the only one that have to face the dangers.” As Nova started to turned I grabbed her around the waist, “No, you will not leave me alone again. You left me once before but I promised myself that I will share the same fate as you, no matter what the fate.” “Mina, I can’t allow you.” My hand on his lips cut off the words, “Nova, nothing in this universe will stop me from being at your side.” Nova kissed my fingers and held her tiny hand towards me. I took that hand and cradled it to my breasts and side-by-side we entered the dark arena.

We entered the dark tunnel to the interior of the arena and continued to walk more than the one hundred feet of its widest dimension. “Nova, where are we? We should be inside already.” I heard a small chuckle from Nova, “Mina, we are not in our space anymore. We are journeying between the seconds of time between the end and the beginning of the universe. We are endless here. We have no meaning and nothing that we see will have meaning but each will have the meaning of everything.” I was confused, “Nova, I don’t understand.” “Well, my darling, that makes two of us because I can’t make any sense out of what’s happening now.” We continued to walk until we say a shining light at the end of the tunnel.

We went into that light and found ourselves in the midst of two glowing spheres, one pulsating with pure white light and the other with a dim black light. I knew that these ‘beings’ were the two entities that controlled our past and our future. Nova dropped my hand and stood in front of me. I felt a wind blow towards us and felt Nova changed into a male form. I opened my eyes and saw that Nova had transformed into himself but was wearing garments of pure white from his boots to the white crown that he wore on his head. The white light spoke, “Behold, my brother, the Light King has returned and will drive you from the universe. I will be the only determinant of its direction. I will reign supreme.”

Suddenly, coldness went through my bones as Nova changed into the Dark Queen, “No, my brother, my Queen will defeat your King and I will dominate the universe with my divine chaos.” I held the Dark Queen’s hand and looked in her eyes. I saw Nova inside them. With a shudder and a scream, I saw Nova transforming into Sailor Wind, the Light King and the Dark Queen but then I saw the Nova that I love, my shining knight draped in the Mantle of the Defender of the Realm. With a shout that shook the heavens, Nova said, “I am not your pawn anymore. I am now and forever Nova. The Nova that my love wishes to have beside her forever.” The two beings lost their brilliance and moved closer to each other. As a single voice they said, “Nova, please pick between us. One of us has to provide the plan for the universe. You must make a choice between us. I know … we’ll give you back your sisters.”

Sisters, wait, Nova had only one sister and that was Serenity. I saw two lights merge in front of Nova. From the white beam came my dear sister-in-law, Serenity, but from the dark beam formed Queen Beryl. Queen Beryl, Nova’s sister, what’s happening was all I can think but I remained silent. “Here are your sisters and you can have them back if you pick either of us.” I saw that Nova was torn. He could have his sisters again but I had begun to realize why Nova had a hard decision. Before us was Order and Chaos, light and dark, good and evil. Nova learned long ago that neither can exist without the other and to place one above the other would lead to a disaster. Nova drew the Cosmic Bane and lifted it towards Chaos. Order proudly claimed, “So, the choice has been made. I will rule.” Nova lifted the blade and shouted, “Galactic Flare Shine” and a fiery blast enveloped both beings. I watched as Nova’s sisters fell to their knees and struggled against each other but they were not fighting but trying to support each other as they try to make their way to Nova’s side. I rushed from behind Nova and grabbed each woman around their waist and helped them towards their final goal. When we were safely behind Nova, the blaze stopped and I could see that the two beings were straggled by Nova’s power.

A sadden voice spoke from the being known as Order, “Why? I brought you to your power and gave you everything that you could desire. A loving sister, a niece that was like your sister, a wife that loves your with her entire soul and a beautiful daughter. We gave you everything.” I then knew that it had made a mistake. It said that we gave you everything not I. The beings before us were acting in unison to bring Nova to this moment in time. He has been a pawn but not for just Order but both of them. He, no, we have been used. We have been simply flotsam that they could throw away when they were done with us. My temper was starting to rise but Serenity placed a hand on my arm, “Mina, this is Nova’s fight. We have to stay out of it.”

Nova rose in the sky to bring him even with the two, “You have given me nothing but heartache. You had my sister’s husband killed before the birth of his child to provide me with a playmate and my first follower without the benefit of a father in her life. My parents were destroyed just to bring the Nova Crystal to me t gain powers from both sides. You had the parents of my love killed to bring her to the moon to be near me. You made the Unstoppable to challenge me and increase my power but also to bring me to the future and causing all I knew to die because my powers were not available to them in their hour of need. You corrupted one of my sisters to provide the Sailor Warriors with an opponent that would bring them together. All the trials and tribulations that they suffered before I came to them and then the Unstoppable and the four avatars were just designed to get me to choose between you in the final moment of the universe. I will not be used anymore. I am myself and I made the decision that neither shall rule. I have faith in my heart and know that I can do anything. The power of my dreams will come true because I know that I have faith in my soul.”

With those fateful words, Nova raised the Cosmic Bane and cleaved the heavens to seize its power. He pointed the dark sword glistening with a million stars towards the two, “Final Blaze”, was his only words as the power of the universe flowed through him. The two beings countered with powers beyond understanding and was driving Nova back when I heard voices behind me. “Take my power, Nova” was all Erica said as she poured her entire being into Nova. The rest of the Sailor Warriors did the same and Nova soon was holding his own but suddenly with the power like the strongest wind came from all those we left at the Shrine. Nova gleamed with the brilliance of a million suns and soon the air around the three flared with blue tongues of flames. I saw Nova caught by the flames as the two refused to release him but instead wished him to share their death. My love was dying before my eyes and I knew that this is the reason he wanted to go alone. He had seen his death but with it, he would free the universe to determine its own course. My heart soared with pride but also great fear. Nova was losing the battle but he won’t go alone. I will follow him forever even to the gates of hell. I will not let him be alone again.

As I started to run to leap in those flickering flame, a hand stopped me. I looked and saw Beryl with tears in her eyes, “Mina, I won’t help to commit yourself to the flame. You must be Nova’s anchor in this world. You must be one with him.” His anchor what did she means. I didn’t care at that moment because all I wanted to do was to be with him in his last moments. How can I be more one with him than I am now? Suddenly, it came to me. If we were one soul, he must remain with me since you can’t separate a soul. A soul must continue to live until all of it had ceased to exist. I looked into myself, “Romantic Touch” was the spell that flooded my mind as my soul departed my body and flew to Nova. It joined his soul and merged as one. We are now one soul and I could hear the universe sing in joy of our union. He was slowly drawn from the flame to me. I embraced him in my arms as the two beings dissolved with a whimper into the structure of the universe. I looked at Nova and all he did was smile at me before he passed out.

I held Nova for the two hours that it took to reconstruct his body. Serena met her mother and her aunt and they met their Chibiusa and Chibi. Darien had led the others from the Shrine to the dark arena and soon the throngs of thousands filled the space. They were all there for Nova. He was their leader, friend, but most of all, his family. Nova stirred in my arms and opened his eyes. They changed after his battle, they were still beautiful but now I saw the sparkling of a thousand stars as he looked into my eyes. He kissed me and slowly stood before the gathered mob. They were all silent as they waited for him to speak.

Nova placed an arm around my waist, “We won.” was all he said before a shout of joy rang throughout this place. The cheers died down after five minutes when Nova raised his hand, “The universe is whole again. Order and Chaos are in their proper place within the hearts, minds, and soul of humans. We must now give the universe back the souls that were taken before their time.” Serena stepped forth and joined Nova by my side. She hugged her brother and lifted the Silver Crystal to the stars and a bright silver light pierced the heavens as the souls of those that died at the hands of the avatars were released.” She looked at Nova, “Where will they go?” Nova hugged Serena and kissed her on the lips, “My little one, the universe has repaired itself. All the worlds of our past home are viable once more. Those souls shall become the new heirs to those worlds and one day all the worlds will unite again.” Serena smiled and pressed the Silver Crystal to her chest.

Teri came to Nova, “Prince, our past home … then we can’t go home.” Nova grabbed her around the waist and spun her. I saw Sailor Saturn smile with joy. “Do fret, my little sister, we are here at our new home. Look and see.” He pointed to the Shrine and suddenly before my eyes appeared the Crystal Palace and the Fortress. “We are home and maybe one day in the far future man will come here and then we will greet them as brothers. Until then, we will live with the knowledge that we allow them to determine their own course as we are able to determine ours.” Nova stretched his hand to me and we walked hand-in-hand to the Fortress.

“Nova,” started Amy, “with all the rulers here. Who’s going be in charge?” Serenity and Beryl quickly told Nova that they would decline ruler ship. They have found each other again and all each wanted was to be close to their sister again. They have many years to catch up on. They were so close in the past that when Beryl left Serenity, she was heart broken. Now they were together again and would remain that way until the universe came to an end.

Serena wanted to decline but Nova cut her off, “Sisters, you have to rule for a while. There are two very good reasons that you must rule in the place of Serena and me … at least for a little while.” Everyone stopped and had the same question but it was Raye that voiced it, “What reasons?”

Nova looked at us in disbelief, “Well, for one, Serena will have a rough time ruling and setting up her government when she’s going through her pregnancy.” Serena rushed to Nova, “What did you say?” “Serena, you are going to have a child, another girl, in seven and a half months. Can’t you feel it inside you?” Serena started to blush but suddenly had herself swept up in Darien’s arms. Everyone gathered around the blessed couple to give them their best wishes. I walked over to where Nova was standing with his two sisters. Serenity was talking to Nova, “OK, I can understand why she doesn’t want to rule but what is your second reason?”

Nova embraced me, “Here’s my second reason. I want to be near my wife especially when she’s carrying my son inside her body.” Those words hit me like a ton of bricks, “Nova, you don’t mean.” “I thought you knew. As far as I can tell, Serena and you will deliver on the same day.” I knew in my heart that he spoke the truth. We shared one soul and now that soul was giving birth to another. I was happy, very happy, at this moment. Nova placed a hand over my womb and I heard a tiny voice say, “Mommy.”

I have everything I wanted in my life, my husband and now my two children. Our child was the reason why Nova fought so hard for the future. He was protecting the life that was growing inside me. Chibi heard the news and hugged me with all her being. She kissed her father and turned to Chibiusa who was holding hands with Helios. The three of them started to walk towards our new home. I put my arm around the waist of my true love and we walked arm-in-arm to the Fortress. Life can’t get better than at this moment. I smiled at my husband and knew that he won’t let anything happen to us. He is Prince Nova, Grand Duke of the Silver kingdom and the Defender of the Realm, but above all, he’s all mine, now and forever.

So ends Mina’s Tale. It has been a good ride and along the way I have met some extraordinary people. I hope that I have brought a moment of joy and maybe thought to your life. An author puts a little of themselves in their work for the joy of putting words on paper.

Don’t worry; you haven’t heard the last from me. There are more stories about our little clan out there. Over seventeen hundred years spans the beginning and end of the story and many gaps still exists that may be filled with more tales. Who knows, if they is enough outcry, there may be a Nova’s Tale in the future.

Until we meet again, I shall be your friend and you have all my love.

Forever yours

Nova aka Lonnie

Shines the light of the exploding star. Nova!