Last time in Son of the Sun: Terra helped John to lift the curse Metallia had placed on him and in doing so saved him from a life of torment, and the Dark Master unleashed a tri-headed serpent on Tokyo to "test" someone. And now: Son of the Sun: Last of a Legacy part 3 As John raced out the door, he couldn't help but feel that something was about to go wrong. That feeling became reality when he ran into an outstretched arm and was knocked backwards... "Ah, again the Phoenix Knight... This time I will win the fight!" "You again you pathetic clone?" John spun to face the malicious grin of the Fenix Knight. "I thought I killed you! I see that ugly habits die lightly..." "I would transform were I you, Or else, my friend, your days are through!" The Fenix Knight drew his sword, a new one, John noticed, a long sword, etched with glowing runes in the midnight-black metal. His armor had not been replaced, and he wore only fine black robes and a cape. "Pity you're in such a spot. But one good slash your blood won't clot!" Fenix lunged and tried to slice John's chest open. But John leaped backwards landing just out of the his reach. "John! What in-?" Terra then saw the Fenix Knight. "Again? I thought you were dead!" "Do not so easily count me out, For soon to me you'll scream and shout!" John took Fenix's moment of distraction for all it was worth. "PHOENIX POWER!" he shouted. A cocoon of flame encircled him, and when it cleared, the Phoenix Knight stood, sword drawn. "Close your mouth...and open your eyes. Anyone who threatens her surely dies!" John rhymed and then blinked. "Damn it! Now he's got ME doing it!" "So now you steal my rhyming shtick? Blackfire's flames shall surely you lick!" His broadsword was again engulfed in the sickly dark fire. The Phoenix Knight's immediately clashed with it. "Now, you malignant miscreant...prepare to again fall victim to my wrath!" The Fenix Knight leaped into the air and flapped his ugly scar tissue-covered leather wings, taking flight. PK followed quickly. "Hey! Phoenix! What am I supposed to do?" Terra yelled from below. "Go help the other Sailors! You can't do any more good down there!" His sword again clashed with the Fenix Knight's. "And hurry!" He saw Terra take off out of the corner of his eye. "Now, you sideshow freak, take a taste of cold steel!" PK swept his blade across the Fenix Knight's neck and flapped back a few meters as a small black line appeared. The Fenix Knight merely smiled a wicked smile and wiped his hand across his neck, only fresh skin remaining. "You'll have to do much better than that, Or I, my friend, will knock you flat!" He quipped. The Phoenix Knight grimaced...he'd gotten smarter, and was still annoying as ever. He was sure he could still take him, but what was in store for the Sailors? ------------------------------ "Right, Terra. We'll watch for it. Chris out." And with that, Christopher Meston clicked off his communicator. "So there's a new monster after us. Big deal. We can take him!" Lita clenched her fist and took a menacing pose. "True. But why would an enemy like this shadowy presence do something stupid like attack us all in one place?" Ami asked. Chris spoke up. "John called him Doppler. I don't know why he's doing it, but from what I understand, he's a master of necromantic arts, as was demonstrated by that army of undead...this just gets stranger and stranger." "Perhapsss we could ssshed sssome light on..." "...thisss sssubject for you!" "Or bring you eternal darknesss!" Three voices echoed. "Huh?" Serena jumped bolt upright. "W-who's there?" "Show yourself!" Rei called out. "Or are you afraid?" "We are not afraid." "Merely cautiousss." "The quessstion isss...are you ready for usss?!" And with that, the tree branches above exploded in a flurry of scales and leaves as a very large creature dropped directly in the middle of the courtyard. And an impressive sight it was. Shiny green scales covered his body, a plain cloth tunic the only other cover. A long, split-blade partisan lance was gripped in it's green scaled hands. But the most prominent feature was the three green, shiny necks that led to the dragon-like heads on their ends. A prominent ridge down the center of each of the three identical heads, between the 2 ear ridges. "What in the world-?" Came Artemis' fist words. But the creature had gained the initiative and swiped at Serena with it's weapon. The only way Serena could have dodged was the way she did: an incredibly long, drawn out fall caused by her klutzing over her own feet. "Sorry, buddy! I don't take kindly to guys trying to kill my friends defenseless!" Chris said. "NEPTUNE CELESTIAL INFUSION!" The heavens gave way to a blinding white light, and when it vanished, there stood the Neptune Ninja, holding his Lunar Blade for the serpent to see. When the creature spun to face him, and was blinded for an instant by the heavenly light, Lita shouted. "Everyone follow suit!" The Scouts held up their transformation pens and Serena her brooch. "Venus Star Power!" "Mars Star Power!" "Jupiter Star Power!" "Mercury Star Power!" "Moon Crystal Power!" Each Sailor went through her respective transformation and emerged as the scout of her planet's origin, they then surrounded the serpent. Darien merely phased into his Tuxedo Mask costume. "I am Sailor Moon, defender of love and justice, and in the name of the Moon, I will punish you!" Said Sailor Moon. The creature turned one eye to each of it's six attackers. "And we are..." "...the Trileth..." "...servant of Doppler!" Neptune Ninja nodded sympathetically. "Too bad...now it'll be EX-servant!" And with that, he lashed out with the Lunar Blade and snapped the leftmost of Trileth's three heads off. It hit the ground with a wet **SMACK** and rolled in front of Sailor Venus. "I think I'm gonna be sick..." Commented Sailor Moon. "Now's not the time for that, Sailor Moon..." said Tuxedo Mask. Venus kicked the head behind her, and it rolled up against a tree. "Honestly, you've seen enough of it..." "Uh...guys?" Jupiter sounded worried. "Not to get you worried or anything...but his head's growing back!" Trileth laughed. And, indeed, his severed head was growing back. "Well, we'll fix that, now won't we?!" And Neptune Ninja lashed out again and again with his sword, cutting the heads as they grew back at alarming rates, until at least 5 were on the ground, and three had already regenerated. "Ok this isn't working..." Sailor Moon observed. When she felt a hand grab her shoulder and spin her around. She screamed. "Sailor Moon?" Tuxedo Mask spun and faced a perfect clone of Trileth, but with only one head. "All of them are growing!" said Sailor Mercury. "The heads are becoming new monsters!" "Sailor Moon! Run!" A rose slashes across the wrist of the creature holding her. Causing it to grope in pain. Sailor Moon took off for the opposite side of the Temple. "Everyone scatter! That way they'll have to split up!" Tuxedo Mask called out. "I don't think so! We fight! VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN, ENCIRCLE!" The shimmering chain of hearts captured the original Trileth and held him captive. The other six clones swarmed towards the Scouts, Neptune Ninja, and Tuxedo Mask. "Right on Venus! JUPITER LIGHTNING BOLT CRASH!" The Lightning globes flew at one of the clones, but bounced harmlessly off it's hide. Jupiter went bug-eyed. "What?" "Let me give it a try!" Mercury said. "MERCURY ICE STORM BLAST!" The blast of arctic wind hit the same clone Jupiter's attack had not affected. It was frozen in it's place. "Each must have a different weakness...this could be a long day..." Commented Venus. She was wrong, it would eventually be a short fight, but the impression left would be long-lasting. ----------------------------- "Why don't you just DIE!?" The Phoenix Knight said. He and the Fenix Knight had been fighting for half an hour, and the battle was showing no signs of stopping. They had flown over the more populated metropolitan area of Tokyo and if he used his powers he might wound "Simply put, my chum, I would leave your life real glum." The Fenix Knight rhymed. **If this guy recites another annoying rhyme...** John thought. He swiped at the Fenix Knight's midsection, only to have his blow parried and a counterstrike aimed for his neck, which he avoided by pulling his head back. His throat just missed being nicked by the blade. The Fenix Knight stopped fighting and merely hovered there, smiling wickedly. "Why the smile?" PK asked. "You may take a shot and bring my end, But your Sailor pals are done for, friend." He laughed it maliciously. "If you insist!" Then PK spun around and took off at top speed away from the Fenix Knight. ------------------------------ **What a coward! Perhaps he's not as much of a threat as Lord Doppler supposes.** The Fenix Knight thought. **Maybe if I start dicing up some innocent bystanders he'll come back for more!** He looked at the crowd gathered below, watching the fight, wondering who the bat-winged fiend was. **Let's see, maybe the old man? Or the little girl? Or some teenagers? What a delicious choice!** As he started to descend, bit by bit, he thought he heard a whistling sound. **Perhaps the one who is whistling will perish first!** He surveyed the crowd again, but none of them had their lips pursed. Several had turned and started to run or walk quickly away.**Then what is that sou-?** His eyes went wide with realization. He spun about on the vector the Phoenix Knight had flown off in. What he saw did not amuse him. "DAMN IT!!" Were his last words before the Phoenix Knight slammed into him Mach 3 and carried him far from over the crowded city. "You always forget to rhyme when you're about to die, don't you?" PK quipped. The Fenix Knight didn't answer, as his spine had snapped during the impact, and his head lolled from side to side as the wind whipped by. ------------------------------ "Serena!" Terra yelled. She'd heard her scream and she was still several blocks from the Temple! "Hang on! I'm coming!" She was running, but increased her pace to the fastest she could go. Barely a minute later she was at the staircase to the Temple, and she heard the struggle going on. **Hang on guys!** "EARTH POWER MAKE-UP!!" Terra's body was engulfed in light. Holding her hands palms together, one facing upward and one downward, she pulled them apart and eight balls colored green, white, red, blue, black, yellow, grey and transparent raced around her, casting the ribbons which made up her uniform, then finally colliding back at her hands. She finished posed with her arms extended as if she is about to take a bow. "I'm coming!" She raced up the stairs and into the very center of the battle. ------------------------------ The Trileth clones had grouped together and demonstrated a power that no one knew they had yet: Flame breath. They unfroze their compatriot, who had taken up position behind the rest and was still visibly shaking from the chill. The original Trileth was still at the center of the battle, struggling at his chains of light. "Sailor Earth!" Sailor Moon shouted, seeing her friend rush up and nearly hit the monster. Sailor Earth noticed and joined the group at their side of the field, but not before knocking the beats over with a well-placed kick. "I miss anything?" She asked. But no sooner had she said that then the clones looked towards them, and hissed, baring their fangs. "Nothing but Chris trying to chop that THING to pieces and the parts growing into the other lizards!" Sailor Moon motioned to Trileth and the clones in turn. "Any ideas?" Sailor Earth asked. "What about the myth of the Hydra?" Sailor Mars suggested. "Huh?" Jupiter said. "Legend tells of a multi-headed monster that had nine heads which regenerated when they were cut off." Mercury explained "And it was finally defeated when the wounds were cauterized after the head was cut off!" finished Artemis "Great idea, Sailor Mars!" "But the Lunar Blade's flame had no effect! Plus, how are we going to cauterize both the head AND neck?" Neptune Ninja asked. "Leave that to Mars and I!" said Sailor Earth "Just start slicing!" And that he did. First, he cleaved a clone that had tired to sneak up on the group in half. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!" called Mars Calling upon the magic of the espers, Terra performed several hand movements and shouted "FIRE!" 2 balls of flame erupted from the scouts outstretched hands, enveloping the two halves of the creature and incinerating them. Nothing remained. "It worked!" Sailor Moon whooped and jumped in the air. "See if your Moon Scepter has any effect, Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask suggested. "Oh, right!" The Scepter appeared in her hand. "Moon Scepter Eliminatio-!" "Ssstop right there..." "...Sssailor Moon!" "Or isss he going to die with usss?!" "What?" Sailor Mars spun to see where the sound was coming from. She saw the original Trileth holding her grandfather by the neck of his clothes, unconscious. "NO!" She ran straight for the creature... A cry echoed around them. Suddenly, each of the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask felt a piercing scream echo through their minds. They fell to their knees, gripping their heads. Sailors Mercury and Jupiter writhed in agony. Mars reached out for her grandfather before passing out from the pain. Only Neptune Ninja and Sailor Earth remained standing. "What'sss wrong?" "Didn't my massster'sss ssspell..." "...make enough of an imperssssion?" Trileth said. "Mina!" Neptune Ninja shouted. "What have you done?" Sailor Earth challenged Trileth, who threw aside Rei's grandfather. "How have you desecrated this holy place with your evil?" Trileth merely hissed. The remaining 5 clones created a half-circle behind him. There was no chance of survival... Until a pure white crane streaked from he sky and crashed into a clone with it's razor-sharp beak, it's brain pierced, the duplicate fell to the ground. The other clones turned towards the distraction, except for Trileth. "What isss going on?" All three heads cried at once. The clones swiped for the crane, but she had already pulled free and flown to the safety of the roof of the Temple. "Hope you like special deliveries, Trileth!" it taunted. The clones looked up as a rapidly growing shadow covered them, and saw something falling towards them... ---------------------------- "Finally had a chance to unload that thing..." the Phoenix Knight commented as he dropped the Fenix Knight's limp body from his arms. He watched gleefully as it crashed into three of the clones and knocked them to the ground. He pulled his golden broadsword from it's sheath and landed next to them. "How about a lizard roast? PHOENIX BLAZE, ENCLOSURE!" The silver-fire dome enveloped the three lizards, who let out bloodcurdling cries as they were burned alive. The dome finally evaporated and left nothing but ashes...and the Fenix Knight's body. "What? But how could he survive that even when he's already dead?" PK wondered. "PHOENIX KNIGHT! BEHIND YOU!" He heard Sailor Earth cry. He turned around quickly, held his sword horizontally... ...and caught the split-blade of Trileth's Partisan on his sword. "Tsk, tsk Trileth. You should know better than that!" PK scolded. He pushed the lance head to the side and brought up his broadsword again. "You have to be erratic and unbound when you fight!" He started to slash at Trileth's chest back and forth, edging the lizards backwards. Tried as he might, Trileth couldn't get a blow to land. The only attempts he made were weak slashes easily deflected by the Phoenix Knight's armor or avoided by a quick shift of weight. Then a blade jutted out the the right side of his chest, and it was over. --------------------------- As the Phoenix Knight drove the lizard backward, Neptune Ninja came up behind him, and impaled Trileth through his heart. "THAT'S for hurting Mina...and THIS is for your master to chew on before messing with us again! LUNAR FLAME INFERNO!" And with that the Lunar flame incinerated Trileth. The remaining clone took off at high speed, picked up the body of the Fenix Knight, and disappeared into a black portal that materialized. As Neptune Ninja started after them, the Phoenix Knight held up a hand. "Let them go. They'll face worse punishment at their master's hands than at ours. Besides, there are other things to be taken care of here." He motioned to the scouts who Terra was busily attending to. Neptune Ninja nodded. "You're right..." He picked up the burnt haft of the partisan and hurled it through the portal before it closed, then snapped back to reality. "Why are you even here? Saving my life?" The Phoenix Knight sighed. "Your self-worth amazes me. How self-centered can one person be? I didn't come to save YOU alone, it was to save ALL of you from one of Doppler's tests." He paused a moment. "Yeah, well, I don't know why he would want to test us. We've beaten everything he's thrown at us this far." Neptune Ninja remarked, proudly. The Phoenix Knight gave a short laugh. "And you think they are his most powerful minions?" "Of course not, but..." Neptune Ninja started. "Enough. I'll explain everything AFTER we take care of the mess Doppler's pet caused." and with that he removed one of his gauntlets and placed his hand on Serena's forehead. It glowed white for a second. Serena groggily opened her eyes, the clutched at her head. Neptune Ninja clenched his fist, then loosened it. Maybe this whole thing would soon be explained. Then again, maybe not. But it was worth a try. He walked over to Mina and sheathed the Lunar Blade. It had been a long day. ======================================================================== To be continued in part 4. What does John have to say to the Scouts? What was the "test" all about? To be answered therein. All questions, comments, and anything else should be directed to John Talisant at: Darkfireblaze@Compuserve.com