*Theme
song: Never Surrender, by Stan Bush*
Reuisu:
You know, this actually feels a little weird.
Astra:
How do you mean?
Reuisu:
When I was first searching for the Titans, I would be contacting messages via
laptop to Rei back in Tokyo. And now,
here we are. You're in Crystal Tokyo,
and I'm here in Lut Gholein contacting you.
Astra:
Well, I can tell you that the main difference between what happened back a
thousand years ago and what's happening now is that I am not off fighting
demons whereas Rei was.
Reuisu:
And I am quite grateful for that.
Astra:
Although, politics that are occurring here in the city are not exactly the
best.
Reuisu:
What do you mean?
Astra:
Serena's going to be giving a big speech in front of the Global Education
Association in a moment.
Reuisu:
I heard about that. It's a pointless
speech. They're just making her do the
speech because the GCE's too stupid to see that the Queen's not trying to screw
them over.
Astra:
Unfortunately, they are that stupid, and when someone starts shouting at the
administration that they're not trying to help Education...
Reuisu:
Yes, yes. Anyway, Astra, I have to get
going. Serenity may be saving the world
with negotiations, bills, and laws, but I save the world the old fashioned way:
with a kind word and a two-by-four.
Astra:
And you stick to that, babe. I love
you.
Reuisu:
I love you more.
Astra
smiled, blushed, and the communication line on Reuisu's laptop turned off. Reuisu closed the laptop and stood up,
walking into the next room, where Michelle and Tyrael were sitting along with
Prince Jerhyn and Tal Rasha.
Reuisu:
What's next?
Serenity:
AMARA!
Serenity
growled as she stormed through the hallways of Crystal Tokyo down to her limousine. All of her personal aids that stood beside
her were wincing, and trying to keep a safe distance from their boss. Rei moved in beside her.
Rei:
Your majesty, are you still upset about the GEA Speech?
Serenity:
No, but they can still go to hell. I'm
pissed off about something new, Rei!
Rei:
And that would be, mam?
Serenity:
First I have to get Amara. AMARA!
Amara
Tenou walked out from behind a group of cubicles, and started walking with
Serenity, Rei, and the rest of the group.
Amara:
You called, your highness?
Serenity:
Remember that invitation to appear on Capitol Beat to debate with the Senator
from America on Christian issues in the thirtieth century?
Amara:
The one we turned down because we didn't want to get into a fight on religious
extremists, school prayer, and abortion?
Serenity:
That's right.
Amara:
What about it?
Serenity:
I'm sending you to fight with them.
Amara:
Why? I thought we didn't want to get
into a fight about those things, that it would make us look bad.
Rei: It
will.
Amara:
So why do you want me to go fight with them?
Serenity:
Because something's come up.
Rei:
What has?
Serenity,
one of her aides, and three secret service agents entered into a nearby
elevator, leaving everyone else outside.
Serenity:
I'll explain in the car!
Michelle:
One down, two to go.
Reuisu,
Michelle, Tyrael, Jerhyn, and Tal Rasha were all assembled within the standard
meeting place in Jerhyn's palace. Tal
Rasha stood up.
Tal
Rasha: The Staff of Kings was a good start.
The three of you managed to go in and retrieve the Staff with little or
no effort. Unfortunately, our next
encounter with our demonic foes may not be so fortunate. To merge the Viper Amulet and the Staff of
Kings together, we shall require a mystical item known as a Horadric Cube. There were only five Cubes ever created, and
one of them is in the Lut Gholein desert.
Tyrael:
The cube does indeed possess great power.
Its ability to merge multiple items to create an entirely new one was
part of the reason why two of the cubes were destroyed.
Reuisu:
What guarantees do we have that the Cube is still in the desert?
Tal
Rasha: Only that the chamber that it was sealed in has not been opened for
hundreds of years. It was sealed in an
underground temple called the Halls of the Dead.
Michelle:
Should I be asking why it was called such a happy name?
Tal
Rasha: The Halls were a burial ground, young Titan.
Reuisu:
If that's true, then judging by what's been going on around here, it's more
than likely that we're going to be dealing with Skeletons, Zombies, and
possibly some stuff we've never encountered before.
Michelle:
How do we reach the Halls?
Reuisu:
Town portal?
Tal
Rasha: Only option. All the known
entrances are sealed and several feet below the ground.
Angel:
You know, a thought has occurred to me.
Moonshine:
And what would that be, oh wise leader?
Angel:
Well, for a temple that's supposed to be underground and isolated from the rest
of the world, there sure is a lot of air flowing through here.
Tyrael:
And that is the only thing you're wondering about?
Angel:
Well, I was a wee bit suspicious when all the torches came on the instant we
came through the town portal onto this end.
Moonshine:
I was a little curious about that, too.
Of course, my curiosity didn't last very long.
Tyrael:
Oh?
Moonshine:
Yeah, the dozens of Skeletons and Zombies sort of took my mind off of it. ACK!
Tyrael:
What's the matter, my love?!
Moonshine:
Nothing, nothing. One of the Skeletons
that I killed had a section of their bone snap off and scratch my leg. Don't worry, it's not bleeding.
And
through all of the conversation that the three were having, they were each
engaged in combat with about several undead creatures at once. Moonshine was using her staff as a club,
smashing in heads or knocking them clean off.
Tyrael's sword, being imbued with angelic power, cut through the
Skeletons and Zombies as if they were air.
And Sailor Angel's staff, even if it hadn't been angelic as well, was
still a big, strong stick.
So, it
should've been a quick battle.
Unfortunately, every time the three killed a group of undead, the very
same creatures that they had just killed glowed a bright gold, then put
themselves back together and arose once again.
Angel:
This is getting old FAST!
Angel
slammed his fist through one of the skeletons' skulls, smashing it to dust.
Moonshine:
Actually, it's familiar!
Tyrael:
What do you mean, my love?
Moonshine:
Back in the old days, when it was just you, Reuisu, Lucy, and me! Remember the Fallen One Shaman?
Angel:
Of course! Something like that must be
around here!
Tyrael:
Pray tell, Reuisu, could it be that creature over there?
Tyrael
pointed at a demon standing in the nearby doorway. It had some type of Egyptian headdress on, and it held its arms
out with its hands glowing. Its skin
was a mixture of red and gold, and was almost humanlike.
Angel:
Probably!
Tyrael
promptly tossed his sword at the demon, blade first. Azurewrath sliced right into the creature's neck, chopping it's
head clean off. The beast fell to the
ground, and the three quickly sliced and smashed the remaining skeletons and
zombies.
Angel:
Bugger all! They might've been
annoying, but at least they were more of a challenge then the Sand Maggots.
Moonshine:
This is turning into something of a more funny assignment than an action-packed
one.
Angel:
Don't worry, moon-face. Knowing our
luck, Duriel will be clawing at our skin soon enough.
To Be
Continued...