"The Lost Princess: Part II"
started by Princess Crystal

        Crystal closed her dark green eyes and shuddered slightly. 
"Nephlite, PLEASE tell me that this is a joke, and you just somehow know a WHOLE
lot more about me than you should..."
        The voice whispered again in her ear, "No joke, beloved... I
have returned, as promised... and your little flunky is oblivious to us...
what a fool, to have left you here alone."
        She shuddered again. His voice was sweet and full of future
promises.  "No..." She pulled out of his grasp, whirling around to see him.  Her
greatest fears were confirmed.  She glanced across to Nephlite, who
really WAS quite unaware of the fact that someone else stood on the parapets
with her.  "Not you..."
        He pulled her back close to him, and this time she was forced to
look into his eyes.  He was strikingly handsome, hair fire red and
shoulder length.  He was muscular, and wore no shirt, only a pair of vaguely
baggy dark brown pants.  But it was his eyes that caught one's attention. 
They were a vivid violet, and shone brilliantly in the light of the stars.
        Crystal turned her eyes from his, but he grabbed her chin and
yanked her head back to where it had been, but then looked over at Nephlite
himself. "Do you love him?" 
        She looked over at the Negaverse general, and sighed, her eyes
shifting to light blue.  "I think so..."
        "Then he dies." He whispered, his voice revealing no trace of
deception.
        She turned to the red-haired man. "No!" she cried, fear evident
in her voice.
        He placed a hand on her cheek softly.  "Then be my queen.  Rule
the Legions with me."
        "NEVER!" she shrunk back from his touch, but she was in a corner
parapet and could only retreat so far.
        Grabbing her arm, he whispered, "Then I will give him to you...
as a wedding present."
        Her eyes were very and abruptly purple, losing all traces of
fear and almost perfectly matching the man's own eyes.  "How... DARE you!" she
growled through gritted teeth and slapped him, though the blow was
seemingly nothing to him- actually, he smiled at her outrage.  "How dare you
think I would EVER want such a thing!  You know full well, that if I even WANTED
that, I could have it!  But I don't!  I want him to love me for ME!"
        He grinned evilly.  "I do so love it when your eyes match
mine...
        "He loves another.  And it has been a long time since anyone has
seen the real you.  Do you think he would love you if he knew EVERYTHING?" He
replied to her statement, smiling evilly.  "Why deny what you feel for me?"  He
drew her into an embrace and kissed her with a fierce passion.  As he finally
let her go, he whispered into her pointed ear, nibbling on its lobe as he
did.  "Now, tell me you felt nothing..."
        Crystal shivered, and the voice in her head said  'Go ahead, try
to deny it...', but she told it to shut up.  She shuddered and tried to get
farther away from him. "I felt nothing," she whispered back harshly, turning her
gaze from his.

        Nephlite had never had an opportunity like this before, and he
was taking full advantage of it.  Usually, he just found one or two new
constellations, searching through ancient texts. Never before had he had the
opportunity to use a whole new set of mythos to work from...  and Crystal
had provided him with the light trails to work from, as well, making things
all the
easier.
        He felt something brush against his leg, and he kicked
obliviously at it.  Whatever it was yowled, and rubbed against his calf more
insistently. He kicked at it again, and this time it hissed.  Then,
abruptly, he felt a stabbing pain near his knee, like eight tiny daggers
digging into his
flesh.  Whatever it was moved away faster than he could kick it, but he looked
around for it, and found several cats sitting about 10 feet away from
him.  Then he looked past them.        Across the castle, standing rather
close to Crystal, was another figure, larger than she was, but Nephlite
could see little more by the light of the stars.
        He walked silently over to the pair, and discovered that this
other was male, a bit taller than himself, and his bare upper torso tanned and
incredibly well muscled.  
        The man turned to him as he approached, and Nephlite noted that the
man had a firm grip on Crystal's left arm.  His face was expressionless,
save for an eyebrow arched in what Nephlite took to be curiosity.  "I
thought you said there were no others on this planet." Nephlite said to
Crystal, a hint of anger in is voice.  He then turned his attention to the
red-haired man.  "May I be so bold as to ask for your name?"  He stood back,
but the man showed no malice.  There was, however, something Nephlite
could feel about him, as if he was exuding some strange aura.
        The man spoke before Crystal could.  "I am called Zethus.  Who are YOU,
and what business do you have with Ti-"
        *CRYSTAL!!* she roared in his mind.
        "-Crystal?" he finished, as if he had stopped intentionally to think of
something.  *My, my, playing name games again, are we?  And awfully
touchy about it, too!*
        *Shut up.*
        Nephlite was oblivious to their mental conversation.  "I am Nephlite, of
the Negaverse.  I brought Crystal here as a favor, in return for permission
to study her stars and constellations.  We will return home as soon as she
and I have both accomplished our respective tasks." 
        "The Negaverse?" he sounded vaguely surprised, and looked at Crystal
with amusement playing across his features and dancing in his eyes.  *Shaenyn
Doa, did you turn evil without even telling me?  I'm crushed... but I'm
glad to have you back in the ranks again, beloved.*
        *I am NOT your beloved!* she yelled at him.  *I believe in their cause,
and I fight with them.  That does not make me one of yours.*
        Nephlite looked surprised as well.  "You have heard of it?" He didn't
understand why Crystal wasn't saying anything, and why she looked angry
and frightened at the same time.  He got the feeling he was missing
something here.
        Zethus laughed.  "Of course.  It is my job to know of such things, and
what concerns Crystal, concerns me."  *Would that be the 'kill all the
humans' cause, or the 'follow this idiotic sap around like a puppy' cause?*
        *Shut up, you black-hearted bastard.*
        *I do so love it when you compliment me like that...*
        "Your job?  Are you and Crystal friends?" he asked, confusion clear on
his face. He WAS missing something, somewhere...
        "No!" she immediately replied.
        "Yes." Zethus stated firmly, barely a second after her.
        "Yes or no?  It is a simple question." Nephlite said as he saw
them look at each other.  The tension was apparent in the stare between the
two, but he tried to continue on.  "You still did not answer my question...
Who are
you?  I seem to know a lot about me, but I know nothing about you."
Nephlite paused and there was silence as their attention finally pulled away
from each other and he gained their focus again.  "It seems you two are
preoccupied, so I will leave you alone.  It seems my work here is done."
        Crystal grabbed his arm, pushing past Zethus, who still had a
firm grip on her own arm.  "No! Please... do not leave... there are still
stars for you to study..." She wanted to kick herself.  She sounded like one
of those
defenseless senshi.  But then, when she was around Zethus, she FELT
defenseless...
        Nephlite looked into her pleading, dark green eyes. She truly
did not wish to be left alone with this Zethus... something about him scared
her... and Crystal struck him as a woman with immense power.  What could be
between them that she feared so much?  
        Crystal tried to pull her arm from his grasp. *Let... me... go!*
she cried frantically.
        His grip was firm, and he stepped out in front of her once more,
facing Nephlite.  *NO. You are MINE... and a queen's place is behind her
husband.*
        "I am Zethus.  I am one of the High Council, Chief God of Evil.  I am
the God of War, Corruption, Destruction, Slaughter... hmm... there's another
one..."
        "Cruelty..." Crystal whispered.
        "Yes," he grinned evilly, "and Cruelty."
        "I see," Nephlite said.  "Those are all fairly good traits and
gods that I would follow.  The only thing I feel sorry is that they are
confined to this universe, for I have never heard of any gods of those
traits.  That does
not mean they do not exist, because one is standing before me now.  It is an
honor to meet you."  He turned around and looked up at the stars. 
"Being a god must be a hard job, but being a god of destruction, I could deal
with any day.  So, what brings you down to this planet?"
        Had Nephlite been able to see Crystal, he would have seen her
eyes turn an even darker green, if possible, and something, some slight
hope, some tiny part of her, die.  She closed her eyes, blocked from his
view by Zethus.
        'No...' she whispered mentally, and the voice laughed.  
        'You see?' It said.  'There is no winning over Him... give in... let me
out...' 
        'With my last breath,' Crystal told it, 'I will fight you.  You will
never do what you did again.'
        The voice laughed again, and Crystal shuddered. It resembled Zethus'
laugh far too well.  'You talk like you weren't there...'  
        Smiling handsomely, Zethus spoke to Nephlite. "I thank you for your
words, and commend you for the work you have done for your Negaverse.  I do
tend not to hang around your dimension, and there are plenty of others to
terrorize... besides, destroying planets that don't believe in your
existence is boring... is it much more pleasing to kill those who know
just who they have the honor of being slaughtered by.  I come here because
the... Lady of the Castle... has returned home." He tightened his grip on
Crystal's arm, reminding her who was in control, and she barely stifled a cry of
pain.
        Nephlite saw this man was ruthless, but quite his style... just
like when he worked with Queen Beryl in conquering worlds, but they never killed
without an ulterior motive.  But then again, being a god of what he was,
he needed no motive.  "If you do not mind, Zethus," Nephlite asked him. 
"Could I have a word with Crystal?  I have been meaning to tell her how much I
appreciate this.  Maybe you two could teach me more about your wonderful
star systems afterwards."
        Zethus drew his eyebrows together, and frowned slightly,
wondering what he was up to.  "Of course.  She is, as always, her own woman."
        The voice laughed.
        Zethus let go of Crystal's arm at last, leaving a large red
circle around her wrist where his hand had been, and Crystal quickly moved with
Nephlite over to the furthest rampart from Zethus. The red-headed god was
leaning against a crenellation and staring avidly at Crystal, who looked back at
him hesitantly, fear evident in her eyes.  
        "You never told me you were an acquaintance of the gods,"
Nephlite said, his surprise now evident.  "I would be flattered and honored
to be in the presence of any god, but you seem quite hesitant in your actions...
heck, I would too.  I wanted to say that I deeply appreciate you showing me
around, but I still have much to see, and new stars to learn."  Nephlite looked
at Crystal's eyes, which were still dark green.  "Is Zethus actually who he
says he is?"
        Crystal looked down.  "He is... all that he has said is true,"
she whispered.  
        "Is something wrong, Crystal?" Nephlite asked, puzzled.  "I
sense hesitation in your voice."
        "He has always made me... nervous... he wants something from me
that I will not give him."
        "And what is that?" he asked.
        'Me,' she thought. 'My soul, my mind, my body...' But she said
none of this aloud.  "Some thing very important to me."  If she told him the
truth, he would probably not understand... he would probably think it was an
honor... just like Zethus did.
        Nephlite looked up at the stars.  "And you do not want to give
it to him?" he heard only silence as she lowered her head and he continued and
changed the subject.  "These stars tell many things, they tell of destiny and
fate... you just have to find them.  I see nothing about Zethus or you,
though.  This place has struck my interest, and I am sure I have not
seen everything yet." 
        'Well, there sure are a few things about YOU she'd like to
see...' the voice whispered with a laugh.
        Crystal told it to shut up firmly, and relaxed slightly now that she
was away from Zethus.  "The stars do tell us many things.  But they have never
been very good at foretelling the fate of either myself or the gods..." she
looked at Nephlite, then up at the stars with him.  "And no, I do not
want to give him what he wants.  But he is relentless in his pursuit of
it..."
        'My, the way you talk about me is so... kind. I'm a part of you,
too, remember...'
        Nephlite wondered what was so important that she had that the
Chief God of Evil couldn't have easily found elsewhere.  Something incredibly
important, obviously.
        Crystal let them calm serenity that made her world what it was
sink into her slowly, and she sighed, forgetting anything other than the calm
peace of the stars and her home, and the comforting presence of Nephlite next to
her.
        A hand on her shoulder startled her out of her reverie.  "Are
you well, Shaenyn Doa?"  Zethus asked, and smile dancing upon his lips and
in his eyes.
        Crystal glared at him. *I TOLD you not to-*
        "Shaenyn Doa?" Nephlite interrupted her angry psionic shout at
Zethus.  "What is that?"
        Crystal sighed and spoke, glaring at Zethus angrily as she did.
"Shaenyn Doa... is the name by which the gods refer to me.  In Terran, I believe
it translates to 'Daughter of the Stars.'"  
        Nephlite looked at Crystal.  "Is that title true to its word, or
is it a pet name?  A child of the stars should be free to do whatever she
pleases with such power.  Not be bound to a planet.  Having any lineage to the
stars whatsoever would be the greatest honor I could think of.  You should be
happy about that, right?"
        'Oooo, he LIKES you!  Reel him in, reel him in!!  He'll make a
tasty treat before m'Lord has us...' 
        'Zethus will NEVER have me, you ponytailed bimbo!'  Crystal
smiled pleasantly, her eyes becoming a much lighter green. "Thank you,
Nephlite! It's not always been a title that I've... welcomed... being
referred to
by, but if you wish to, you may use it."
        "Shay-nin dough-ah..." he pronounced out, making sure it was
right.
        Crystal stifled a giggle, and glanced to Zethus.  She
immediately quieted.  
        The god's violet eyes glittered angrily in the starlight.  *Just
remember who you belong to, girl.*
        *I belong to no one!* she shouted mentally at him.  *I am as
free as the wolves!*
        Zethus smiled wickedly.  *Then I Challenge you.*
        'No...' Her eyes were wide and dark again, and she backed away
several steps.  If there was one thing she had never been able to do, it was to
truly defeat Zethus... and she would not fool herself as to who would
win the Challenge had she accepted.  But in declining, she declared his
dominance over her... and he knew it.  She looked away from him, out
over the horizon.  The sun poked at the edge of the sky, and despite her
fear, Crystal yawned... this day had been almost too much for her, and if she
didn't rest soon, she would collapse... and she feared what Zethus would
do to her if she left herself overly vulnerable at any point.  She looked
to Nephlite.
        "It has been a long day, and even the daughter of the stars
needs sleep every once in a while.  If you are tired as well, I shall lead
you to your rooms." 
        Nephlite nodded as he agreed.  He thought about Azurite and
thought maybe he should go back...  but the present situation said
otherwise, and Nephlite had an overwhelming urge to stay.  After a night of
stargazing, he also was very much wiped out and ready to sleep.
        "Follow me, then."  Crystal went to the staircase and descended
the four flights rapidly, Nephlite and Zethus following close behind.  She
went to the room closest to the library, and produced a key from...
somewhere. Handing the key to Nephlite, she opened the door and stepped out
of the way, letting him in first, and glaring at Zethus.  *STAY.*
        *Yes, my mistress...* he laughed mentally.
        She growled angrily at him.  
        Nephlite looked curiously around the front room... a study desk
against the nearest wall, tapestries draping the others... a couch and quite a
few pillows in one corner.  A door stood in the middle of the left wall, and
this, too, Nephlite entered.  Inside was a shelf full of books, and a
large, full-size bed with several pillows.  The sheets and the pillows were all
royal purple.
	"This is truly too extravagant," Nephlite said as he though maybe he
should have left instead of imposing the way he was.  "It am very grateful
you are letting me stay, very impressive.  Thank you, Crystal."  He looked
around the room.  Everything was absolutely spotless, as though it were
cleaned constantly.  He walked over too a window in the room and looked out
to see the vast forest of the planet... a pleasing site since he hated the
earth for the fact it was polluted with humans.  People he did not care very
much for.  He
turned around towards Crystal.  "I can take it from here, there is no reason
for you to stay... I will retire for now if you do not mind."
        Crystal nodded and left Nephlite to himself. Closing the door behind
her silently, she turned to retire in her own chambers.
        "So. where do I sleep?" Zethus' voice was low and sensual in her
ear.  "Shall I join you in your bed, and show you what a privilege it is to
be the wife of a god?"
        'Ooooo, yessss, PLEASE...'
        Crystal moved away from him very quickly, turning only briefly to
face him.  "Sleep in the stables.  That's where you belong."
        Zethus frowned, and backhanded Crystal so hard her jaw snapped
audibly and she was flung sideways, and collapsed to the cold stone floor.
She propped herself up with her arms, struggling to get up, but he strode
over to her, grabbed a fistful of her long auburn hair, and yanked her up to
face level, dangling her feet several inches off the ground.  "I am your
MASTER.  Impudence will NOT be tolerated!" He smiled slightly.  "You will be
truly mine, one day... it is destined that way." He tossed her into the
wall, and there were several sickening cracks as a number of bones broke in
her neck and back as she was slammed into the wall almost headfirst.  Zethus
stood over her broken frame and smiled wickedly.  "I will sleep in the
stables.  You are right, a stallion such as I does belong there.  I shall
return for you in the morning, my queen.  Sleep well, Crystal!"  He laughed
and disappeared.
        Crystal shifted slightly, and gasped, whimpering softly in pain.
Her jaw was broken, several of her vertebrae were the same way, and she was
pretty sure her shoulder was no longer in its socket. She whimpered softly
again. Abruptly, she was surrounded by several cats. 
        "Mrrw?" a golden one said, worry clear in his blue eyes.
        Crystal sat up, closing her eyes tightly.  "Fine... I'm... just fine..."
        A one-eyed silver cat glared at her with his one good eye.  "Mffrrrs!!"
        "Quiet, Balin... I'm fine..." She stood, and fell back down.  "Okay,
I lied..."  she cringed and sat back, willing her vertebrae and jaw to heal
all the faster.  As she felt the bones mend, she reached over and grabbed
her dislocated shoulder and wrenched it back into place with a jerk, biting
her lip and trying not to scream.  She stood up again, sliding her back
against the wall for support.  Leaning against the wall, she slowly made her
way to her room, holding her sore shoulder and gasping with the impact of
every step. She unlocked the door with a weak gesture, and walked quickly
and painfully into her inner chambers, falling half-dead into the pile of
furs that was her bed. There she slept, the cats following her and curling
up around her, until she was completely covered in a blanket of, soft, warm,
living, fur.

                       *********************************

        Zethus transformed silently from his over six foot human form to
that of a small, red-haired cat, and headed up stairs rapidly, glad that all
of Shaenyn's pesky furballs were with her.  He slipped through her barriers
easily, wondering why she had forgotten he could change shapes.  As he
slipped into the room her Nephlite slept peacefully, he quickly morphed back
into his normal guise, drew the sword from his side, and approached the bed 
        Zethus raised his sword above his head, holding it with both hands,
ready to bear down on the sleeping victim to make it quick and painless. 
        Before he could start the task, he felt something cold touch underneath 
his chin... a sword. He looked to the side to see Nephlite standing beside
him with his sword angled under his chin. 
        Nephlite snapped his fingers and the sheets fell onto the bed.
"Illusions are so easy under the guise of rage. I felt something peculiar
but I doubted it. One thing I always do when in a strange place is never
sleep where you are offered... you never know when something like this will
happen. I guess a god's alertness can be clouded." Nephlite smirked. 
        "I came here to kill you and that is exactly what I am going to do," 
Zethus brought back his hand then swung it to his side to hit Nephlite. It
knocked Nephlite against the opposite wall and he fell to the ground,
dropping his sword. "You mortals are so easy to kill. You talk big but you
hardly have enough strength to kill a fly." He said this as he walked to
Nephlite who was a little dazed from the hit. 
        Zethus then picked up Nephlite's sword and threw it toward him.
Nephlite 
darted to the side as the sword was aimed at his head. He retaliated 
with a volley of energy blasts that seemed to just get absorbed by their 
target. 
        Zethus quickly made his way toward Nephlite with sword in hand.
Nephlite seemed to dodge it but could not get an offensive measure in
edgewise. Fighting against a god was like trying to cut a rock with a
butterknife. Both were equally swift, but it seemed Nephlite could not get
off the defensive until Nephlite saw a break. He approached his sword and
pulled it from the wall and immediately threw it toward Zethus. The sword
rushed beside Zethus, but enough to cut his arm. Zethus winced, but covered
the wound with his hand... it was healed in a matter of seconds. 
        "I have had enough fun," Zethus smirked as he held out his hand and 
started to gather energy. Nephlite stood as he had run out of options, and
was tiring out from dodging everything. 

        Crystal slept the sleep of the dead, if she was not truly already
so.  Abruptly, her eyes flared open as she felt the lines of power in the
universe gathering close by.  She sat up, sending cats in all directions.
'Oh gods... Neph!  If Zeth so much as scratched him...!' She disappeared,
reappearing milliseconds later between the god and her companion.  
        "What is going on-" her eyes went wide as she saw the energy
coalescing in Zethus' hands.... and leaving them.
        Zethus' own violet eyes grew wider.  "Shaen!!  No!"
        "Crystal!"  Nephlite cried as he watched the huge white sphere hit
her, slamming into her chest, and the force slamming her back into him. 
        She screamed as the white-hot raw energy hit her, and fell back onto
Nephlite.  "Must... get... away..." she cringed, and they disappeared,
leaving behind one very angry god of evil...

        Her teleport spell took them deep into the forest surrounding
Crystal's castle.  Crystal stood, sobbing, shudders of pain wracking her
muscular body.  She threw back her head and howled, long and loud, and then
collapsed in the brush at Nephlite's feet.
        "Crystal!!" Nephlite yelled as he fell beside her and tried to wake
her.  "Are you all right!?"  He got no answer.  Thoughts went through his
mind, wondering why she had done such a stupid thing and why she would risk
her own life for a practically unknown stranger.  A feeling of great anger
flooded his head as he saw the god that he briefly admired was now an enemy
he could not possibly defeat.  He doubted he could kill a god, but if he
could not kill him, he would at least get even.
        Nephlite looked up to see himself and Crystal surrounded by wolves.
There was something different this time... they did not show fear or anger
toward Nephlite.  He did not know whether he should fight or trust them,
after his experience with Zethus.
        One of the wolves walked up to Crystal, and Nephlite recognized it
as the one she had Challenged earlier.  He sniffed her, and whined softly.
He licked the side of her face, causing her head to roll to the opposite
side.  He whined again.  
        Nephlite had no idea what to do... and then another of the wolves
nudged him closer to her.  He looked at it.  "What am I supposed to do??  I
don't have any healing powers!"  The wolf nudged harder.  "Okay... fine..."
He picked Crystal up and cradled her, her broken frame light and limp in his
arms.  She was so beautiful... even like this... he reminded himself of
Azurite.  "Crystal, don't you dare die.  I need you.  You have the rest of
your constellations to show me.  Maybe together we can beat Zethus...  and I
like you.  I don't want to loose an ally so soon after meeting her...  Come
on, wake up!"  
        Crystal heard a voice somewhere above her.  Nephlite?  What did he
want? Why couldn't anybody ever just let her die in peace?  She grumbled and
tried to grab something as she felt herself being yanked back into her body.
She cried out and couldn't find anything... dammit, for once, it would have
been nice to stay dead... it would solve so many things...
        She coughed, blood coming out of the corner of her mouth, and
cringed.  Very slowly, she opened glazed lavender eyes.  "Mmmrnn." she
groaned, and coughed more blood... Zethus' blast had not done her already
shattered body any favors, and the blows of gods tended to take longer to
heal than normal ones.
        "Crystal," Nephlite said with a slightest hint of concern in his
deep voice.  "Are you all right?" He then raised her to a sitting position.
"You are hurt... It was suicidal to take a hit like that.  I should be the
last person you should be risking your life for."
        Crystal's mind raced, and her heart pounded against shattered ribs.
Nephlite was holding her... and he sounded like he cared!  She wanted to
wrap her arms around him and draw him into a long, deep kiss... but even if
she had had the strength to so much as raise her arms, she wouldn't've.  He
loved another... and until the day Nephlite came to her and declared his
love for her, she would let him be.  She treasured free will higher than
anything else in life, and she would not take it from anyone, ever, not even
for personal gain...
        "Mmmmmrnnn." she said again. She couldn't talk... something was
broken there, too.  *I... had too.  I... couldn't... let Zethus... harm
you... just because... you're... a fellow general... and I'll be just
fine... after I...* she trailed off, going limp once more.  
        Nephlite lay her on the ground, hoping she was just resting
herself...  He thought that trust and loyalty to fellow generals was one
thing, but even Nephlite drew the line when his own life was at stake.  He
thought there must have been more, maybe Zethus was too much for her to
handle alone, maybe he was her hidden ace in defeating him, but it didn't
seem that way before the recent fight. Nephlite, tired from not getting a
wink of sleep, stayed up to see if the god would pay another visit.

        Crystal woke and stretched cat-like, not bothering to open her eyes,
and yawned widely.  She at last opened her eyes, and looked up.  The stars
were above her head once again, and she smiled, then looked about.  Leaning
against a nearby tree, asleep, was Nephlite... and in his lap, the wolf pack
leader rested his head, looking asleep himself.
        **Thay?** she sent to the wolf, a slight look of confusion on her
face. **Why do you protect him?**
        **Protected High-Elf-Leader.  Bring her back.** He opened his amber
eyes and looked at her, but did not move from his spot at the general's
 side.
        Crystal smiled and crouched next to Nephlite "Lord Nephlite?  It's
time to go..."
        Nephlite instantly woke up, looking like he had not meant to fall
asleep. He looked down to see a wolf staring up at him, its head in his lap
and its body by his side.  He swore... the first time he fell asleep in over
a day, and he almost got eaten=85!  But he saw there was no malice in the
wolf's eyes, and he wondered why a wolf would come this close to a person
who had only been there a little more than a day... He got up and walked
toward where Crystal was standing, every movement mirrored by the wolf as he
stayed by his side.
        "Your, uhhh..." Nephlite started. "...wolf seems a bit friendly
 today.
Is something wrong?"  He asked her, figuring that she knew them best.
        "His name is Therion... call him Thay if you like.  He thinks you
are worthy of his companionship... and he wishes to stay by your side. Would
you turn him down?"
        Nephlite looked at the wolf standing next to him.  Its shoulder was
at his hip... it was easily the largest wolf he had ever seen... and also
the most majestic, its dark gray fur long and its amber eyes shining with
hidden intelligence.  
        "Well," Nephlite started as he looked at Therion and looked away.
"It seems awkward that any animal would want to hang around a guy like me.
But in any case, if he wants to, it would be hard for me to refuse.  A
companion might be just what I need, one I can trust."  He looked at the
wolf into its fixed eyes.  For some reason, those eyes gave him the sense
that he had nothing to worry about if he had any doubts.  
        "Where are we going anyway, Crystal?  You said it was time to go."
        "Back to the castle."
        "You mean back to that crazy god," Nephlite said.  "You were almost
killed the first time, why risk being confronted a second time?  It is
suicide!  I, for one, would like to defeat him now, but the last battle, he
bested me.  Maybe if we fought outside instead, it might be less confining.
I will go... You would be crazy to go after what happened.  I feel much
better right now and think I have a chance.  Like I said, it would be
suicide if you went after what just happened."  
        Crystal shook her head, and whispered, "It's not a matter of wanting
to... if it were my choice, I'd never go near him again... but he has made a
Challenge that I truly cannot refuse... for, if I deny to face him again...
then I am his, now and forever..."
        "It's you he wants, isn't it?" he frowned, trying to understand why
she felt compelled to face someone who had almost killed her only several
hours ago. He looked Crystal and understood why the god wanted her,
though... she was easily one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen...
but, to have piqued a god's interest... this woman was definitely something
special... there lurked a power within her that was stronger, possibly, than
his own...  "It does not matter what he is after... I'd like another shot at
him... and, though I don't quite understand this 'Challenge', I admire your
courage in facing him again..."
        She smiled in thanks.  "So... shall we go?  Feel up to battling a
god?" 
        Nephlite somehow doubted that anyone was ever 'up' to battling a
god... especially the chief god of evil... but he nodded slightly, summoning
his star sword, ready for anything the instant they got there.
        "Good." Therion and the rest of the wolf pack gathered about them,
Crystal closed her eyes for a second, and they were suddenly back on the
battlements of the castle.  The night wind blew their hair behind them, two
great auburn banners atop the castle's towers.  
        Zethus was leaning on a nearby crenellation, facing out and away
from them, but he turned as he felt their presence.  A wicked smile played
upon his lips.  "Ah, my Shaenyn Doa... I knew you'd be back. 
Feeling a bit more... alive, are we?" He chuckled.  "So, have you come to
give yourself to me?"
        "NEVER!" she shouted as she marched up to him, looking angrily up
into his violet eyes. *I Challenge you.* 
        He arched an eyebrow. "What... did you just say?" he looked down at
her in disbelief.
        She punched him quick and hard, causing his head to snap back and
forcing him to take several steps backwards.  *I SAID.... I CHALLENGE you!!*
Her eyes shone deep purple in the starlight, and began to glow with a soft
white light.
        She turned to Nephlite, speaking softly into his mind.  *I shall
engage him on both Physical and Astral Planes...  I will do my best to help
you here, but most of my attention will be on the mental battle. 
The pack will help you as well.  Ready?*
        Nephlite shivered as she looked into her eyes.  She looked truly
like a demon like that... "As ready as I'll ever be..."
        *Good.*  Turning back to Zethus, she whispered, "Time to pay,
godling..."
        The fire-haired man laughed, but glared at her.  "Watch what you
say, Shaen... I might be forced to hurt my Queen..."
        She said nothing as she summoned her soul sword, the Animus Ferrus,
a Greatsword almost as large as she was, that glowed with muted power and
magick.
        Zethus frowned.  "Is that that way it is? Very well then..." he
conjured a longsword of his own.  "This victory will only make my conquering
you all the sweeter..."
        *Dream on!* she sent a sharp mental bolt into his mind, and drew him
to the Astral Plane.  *How long has it been, Evil One?  Since you've
actually had to fight for yourself?  Since someone actually fought BACK?*
She conjured sword and armor on this ethereal world, as well.  She slashed
at him, forcing him to do the same to block her.
        Nephlite could not know what was happening on the planes of their
minds, but he knew he had to lead the attack here.  He looked at the wolves
surrounding him, all of whom were growling at the god, Therion by his side
the loudest.  "Today is a good day to die, Zethus."
        "Everyday is a day to die.  But today shall be the one you and those
mutts of Shaen's perish!" He swung his sword lazily at one of the wolves at
the front of the pack, who skittered away from the blade quickly.
        "We have fought before, I know your tricks," Nephlite said as he
held out his hand and his Star sword appeared in it.  "I will not be as
easily bested this time."
        Zethus let out a chuckle and answered, "Oh, you really think so,
mortal?  Since when did you get the knowledge on how to defeat- let alone
kill- a god?"
        "You are not my god, so I could care less." Nephlite said as he
quickly swiped his sword to his side and presumed a battle stance.  He then
took no time as he leaped toward Zethus.  Zethus stepped to the side and
Nephlite  fell to the ground.
        "Is that all?  I thought you would do something different.  You are
the same weak mortal I fought before."  With that Zethus raised his sword
and held it point towards Nephlite, when he fell forward and hit the ground
face first.  Nephlite looked up to see Therion standing on Zethus' back.
Nephlite reacted quickly as he got up and struck down at Zethus, toward his
head.  Zethus shifted quickly enough to avoid it through his throat, but it
stabbed his shoulder instead.
        Nephlite leapt backwards, expecting Zethus to be raging at this
point.  Therion jumped off of his back and trotted over to Nephlite.  They
waited for a few seconds, as Zethus rose, saying nothing as he touched the
wound on his shoulder.  "I am impressed mortal, you are one of the few
people that have managed to ever wound me.  It is a pity I have to kill
you."  With that, Zethus leapt toward Nephlite, who dodged, but Zethus
stopped immediately and swung his sword around toward Nephlite.  He quickly
blocked the strike and countered with a blow of his own, which Zethus
blocked.  One of the wolf pack leapt at Zethus, but he batted it away like
it was a fly. Another wolf reacted to this by jumping from an area opposite
where the other was hit.  Zethus was again knocked to the ground.  He got up
and looked fairly angry, but an unfamiliar frustrated look was becoming
relevant as Zethus did not have one target to worry about anymore, as in his
fight with Nephlite before.
        "I said I am different now," Nephlite said to Zethus.  "You see this
time, I came to you... there is a difference."
        "The only difference I see is a person swallowed by an ego and
leaving himself open."  Zethus suddenly vanished and appeared behind
Nephlite and thrust his sword at him. Nephlite tried to move out of the way,
but the sword cut into his arm.  Zethus jumped back and laughed.  "Now we
are even... care to continue? I am quite enjoying this challenge.  It is not
all the time an omnipotent being gets a challenge."

        Crystal was glad that, for now that least, the god was leaving her
physical form alone, leaving her to fight him astrally.  "How long has it
been, dark one?  Since you've fought with your mind?  Instead of those
muscles of yours?"
        There was a familiar laugh behind her.  "But they're such LOVELY
muscles, dear..." The figure attached to the voice walked out from behind
her. She was an exact copy of Crystal... except for her colorless eyes, her
dress, and the aura of... evil... that surrounded her.  She was clad
entirely in black and red, and she moved and wrapped her arms around the
armor clad Zethus before looking back at Crystal.  "You forgot, didn't you?
That if you fight here, I can too?  And I won't be helping..."
        She swore. "I can fight you both..."
        The other laughed.        

 	Nephlite looked up at the stars.  It was a good bet he couldn't best
Zethus in a swordfight... so he was going to try and surprise him with his
star magick.  He thought back on the constellations he had been studying so
hard the previous evening, trying to find one that would be useful right
now...
He felt the stars around him.  They felt new, maybe more powerful than his
native universe.  The thought could have passed his mind of ruling that
universe with his new found powers, but just surviving was more pertinent on
the agenda at the moment.  Nephlite centered on one a constellation Crystal
had called Temis.  The way the stars were positioned told of skill and fire.
  
	Nephlite suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to Zethus, who stopped
in turn.  The power of the constellation made him instinctively call out
"Arrows of Temis!!"  He said this with an outstretched arm while a small red
sphere formed.  He turned his palm toward Zethus and the sphere split into
several shards and flew toward him.  Not expecting anything like this,
Zethus took the attack head-on and fell to the ground. 
	Nephlite saw clouds of dust where Zethus had stood.  He started walking
around to see if he had been vanquished.  Nephlite did not expect that much
power.  He underestimated the stars of this plane.  Then, suddenly, Zethus
darted out of the cloud with evident burn marks over his clothes.
	"So you want to play games," Zethus said as he held out his hands as
electricity jumped back and forth between them.  "It seems you want to up
the ante on this fight.  Makes no difference to me.  I would rather see you
as a pile of dust over bleeding on the ground any day."

        "LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!!" Crystal cried from the astral plane.  She
charged at him, sword raised at shoulder level.  The other woman stepped in
front of Zethus, her own sword suddenly in hand, and with a graceful
movement, brought it vertically to the left, brushing it aside. Crystal
swung again and the other Crystal caught her sword this time in a
corps-a-corps.
        She leered between their swords at her twin, her white eyes glinting
evilly. "You can't win, Shay. You never could, you never will. Especially
not against both of us...." Her voice lowered to a soft hiss. "He doesn't
love you. He never will. He belongs to another... you cannot have him...
stop dreaming, you romantic fool."
        "Shut up!!  I do not care if he will never love me.  I want to have
him as a friend, at least... as a companion."
        "You disgust me."
        "I could say the same." Crystal snaked a foot between her twin's
legs and jerked, sweeping her off her feet with the simple movement, and
placing a bare foot on the chest of the black and red clad version of
herself, she held the point of her sword beneath her chin. 
        The other growled and disappeared. 
        "You never did play fair..." She looked up coldly at Zethus, who had
been avidly watching the entire encounter.

	Meanwhile on the physical plane, Nephlite was on the defensive again, as
Zethus showed anger in his eyes.  But he was wearing down, he seemed not as
strong as when he initially fought him.  He was knocked to the ground and
caught a glimpse of Crystal to the side, almost as if she was watching, but
he could see she was doing something as he saw the stress in her eyes.  He
did not have time to think again about it as Zethus followed with another
swing.
	Nephlite blocked as he used the momentum to push himself away.  Zethus fell
to the ground and this gave time for Nephlite to try another trick within
the powerful stars in this universe.  He searched the stars and found a
suitable constellation that might seem useful.
	Nephlite pointed his sword toward Zethus, who was getting up.  He called
for the power of Isev to gather in his sword to be emitted toward his
 target.
"Great wolf of Isev, I draw upon your power, Fang and Claw Strike!"  His
sword grew bright  and the wind around he and the sword stirred with
energy.  He then pointed it toward the air as dark wolf spirits emerged from
the sword and headed toward Zethus.  He saw them coming, but could not block
as it was too late.  He was engulfed in the light energy and the spirits as
they dodged toward him.  He seemed to implode then explode scattering the
spirits as they disappeared.  Zethus seemed weakened as he was holding
himself up with his sword.  It looked as if he was bleeding badly as blood
covered the hilt, streaming down the blade.  
	Zethus regained his composure as he wiped a bit of blood from his lip and
stood up again.  "Interesting trick... Shaen has been teaching you about her
gods... though how you use such powers I will leave until after I have
disposed of you." Zethus commented, "Too bad you did not kill me though, now
it is my turn, and I am sure I will complete the act."  Immense anger filled
his eyes as he pulled his sword from the ground and took a fighting stance
with the point straight at Nephlite.
        "I don't think so..." Crystal's whisper was soft and angry from
behind Nephlite. On the astral plane, she backed off a bit, while in the
physical realm she moved up to her fellow general's side, Therion standing
between them, growling at the fiery-haired god.
        Without taking her eyes from Zethus', Crystal whispered into
Nephlite's mind, *You remember the constellations I showed you before?* She
did not wait for an answer, continuing on, *There is one that we might be
able to use to get rid of him... but we have to work together.*  Her gaze
still fixed on the god, she offered a small, four-fingered hand to Nephlite.

	Nephlite nodded as he glanced at the enraged god, then back at Crystal.
He showed little hesitation as he took her hand in acceptance.  A smirk
rolled over his face as he quietly commented.  "I was starting to run out
of options, he has a minor problem with dying."  He then became serious
again as he looked at her.

        She shivered softly.  His touch sent a wave of joy through her, but
she had no time for that now.  "She was born from the stars..." she
whispered, and Nephlite could feel and see the power, a soft golden hue,
collecting above them. He felt as if the entire power of the stars
themselves was descending upon them. On the astral plane, the force was
gathering as well, even faster, forming a halo around her as the god took
several steps backwards.
        "She lives among the stars.  Given their secrets by the Great One
Himself," she verbally capitalized those three words, "she is his Chosen."
        Feeling like he should know these words, memorize them, Nephlite
listened carefully as she power built around them.
        "Her destiny is the stars, to watch their birth, to watch their
death, to guard them eternally.  When she does die, she will become part of
them, her flames a nova that shall be remembered for aeons to come.  She
is-" she paused and lowered her voice to the barest of whispers, "The Great
Phoenix."
        All around them, everything seemed to flare into brilliance.
Looking up, Nephlite discovered there was a hole in the canvas of the stars
where the last constellation Crystal had pointed out to him had been.
Strangely, it didn't surprise him.  He felt some of his energy diminish, but
squeezed Crystal's hand a bit in support.  Her skin was too hot...
had he not been clasping her hand already and had felt the gradual buildup
of heat, he would have not been able to touch her at all.  Her hair swirled
around her, and Nephlite was startled to discover that the both of them
seemed to be on fire... but it was without heat, and did not burn.  The only
heat was that of Crystal's skin.  
        The flames were slowly coalescing into a shape around them.  It was
a giant bird of flames, it's wings extending beyond the walls of the castle,
the two of them, and Therion between them, within the chest of the great bird.
        Zethus' violet eyes were wide as he beheld the great eagle-like bird
forming before him.  "You wouldn't dare..." he whispered.
        "I dare..." Her voice was like a combination of a thousand different
winds from every direction, echoing and re-echoing around them until the air
was filled with her voice, a whisper turned into a scream.  Zethus covered
his ears, and she raised her arms, taking Nephlite's hand with hers, her
next whisper holding a deadly, quiet, near-omnipotent power laying within.
"Phoenix... Star..." the last word was a roar that echoed through the air
like a hawk's cry. "SCREAM!" The sound was like a giant bird of prey diving
on it's intended meal, eager for sustenance. 
        Collapsing, the god was holding his head in his hands.... it was
obvious his ears were bleeding, as the scream had gone out on both physical
and psychic planes.  He was shaking, trying to get back to his feet.  His
ears would heal only to burst again, the scream ringing endless throughout
the air outside the flame-cocoon that formed the great bird itself and
protected its inhabitants.
        Dropping Nephlite's hand at last, Crystal drew a symbol in the air
before her, her hands dancing intricately.  "With beak of hawk," her right
hand swept to the right in a high arc like the top of a beak, "Wings of
falcon," both hands swept outward, fingers spread like pin feathers for
wings. "Talons of eagle," her wrists flipped and reversed downwards like
claws, "and the fires of Hell," her hands swept back upwards across each
other's path, "the Phoenix is forever..." she drew her crossed wrists to her
face, drawing her arms slowly out to her sides.
        The male Negaverse General could have sworn the god was trembling in
fear as she made these last movements. 
        From being spread cross-like at her sides, the elf brought her arms-
and the wings of the bird around them- to bear facing fingers and burning
pin-feathers to the Chief God of Evil. "Phoenix... StarFlame...
INCINERATE!!!" she roared, that same bird-like cry echoing in her voice.
        Zethus screamed as flames burst towards him, not really setting his
clothes on fire, but his skin, his organs, his soul, his very BEING was
being burned.  Nephlite never wanted to hear a sound like that again, the
scream of a god. It was otherwordly and shook him to his very core, and it
would be forever imprinted on his mind.  
        "Zethus..." her voice echoed, "If you value your life and soul at
all, you will leave this place, now, and never return."  With a gesture she
hooked the wing around him, searing him further, and brought him up to her
face. "Run away, Zeth.  Run away and never come back..."
        The fear was obvious to Nephlite now... the god truly was scared for
his life, and his soul, and he was pretty sure, after this blatant display
of power, that Crystal could come through on her end of the bargain.  
        Abruptly, Zethus disappeared from her grasp, and Crystal turned and
smiled triumphantly to her 'partner in crime.'
        Then, the flames around them disappeared, and he felt weak and
tired, and could tell Crystal was nearly unconscious already.  They fell
from where the powers around them had lifted them up.
        Fortunately, it was not too far a drop.

        Crystal woke, blinking back water in her eyes as something wet was
dabbed across her forehead.  She was laying somewhere soft... not her own
furs though... She opened her lavender and deep green eyes fully, sitting up
abruptly, and instantly regretting it.  A soft hand pushed her back down by
her shoulder, and her eyes widened to find it was Nephlite.
        "Hey," his deep voice rumbled. "You've been out for a while."
        Looking around, she found she was laying in the bed she had given
him, and she blinked again as he dabbed the wet cloth across her forehead,
and she weakly swept his arm away.  "How? When? Why?" She questioned, her
voice as weak as she felt.
        "You got knocked out after that insane god left... you've been out
for three days.  And I would guess it was because you overtaxed the both of
us with that last power... I will admit though, it was damn impressive..."
        "No..." she shook her head.  "Why are you here?"
        "Oh." He smiled a bit and she blushed a little.  "I realized you had
done the same for me, so I owed you."
        She nodded weakly, and tried sitting up again.
	"You are still tired and weak.  Get your rest.  I assure you I will stay
until you are better.  I never leave without a proper goodbye."  He said as
he saw she was grabbing her head, knowing perfectly well she probably had a
pounding headache.  He leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead.
He got up and sat in a nearby chair and closed his eyes.  Crystal looked
over and saw his eyes close, then relaxed and closed hers.  "You had me
worried," Nephlite said softly as he drifted into sleep he had been
deprived of for days.
        'He really was worried...' she thought as she watched him, touching
her forehead softly where he had kissed her. 'Why, though?'  Her thoughts on
the handsome general faded as her eyes drooped closed and sleep overtook her
once more.

	The next morning, Nephlite got up to see Crystal was sitting where
she had been sleeping, staring at him and smiling.  Thoughts of if he did
something stupid in his sleep ran through his mind.  "Is Zethus gone?  Or
was it all a dream?"  Nephlite questioned.
	"It was real, he is not here anymore." she said as she rose up.
	"So it is time to leave... the moment has come too quickly,"  Nephlite
followed Crystal out to the terrace and stood beside her as she looked out
onto the vast landscape.  He suddenly felt a rough nudge at his side and
almost
fell on Crystal.  He caught her from falling to the floor, knocked off
balance by his running into her.  He looked around to find the source of the
nudge, and found Therion standing at his side.  If wolves could laugh,
Therion would have been laughing, a wolfish grin on his face.  Nephlite held
Crystal in his arms and slowly brought her up again so she could regain her
balance.  "Are you all right?  Therion seems to be enjoying this."  He glanced
over at the wolf, who seemed to show no concern for the well-being of
Crystal, as if he knew what would happen.
        "I'm..." she shook off the urge to just cling to him, grab him, kiss
him deeply, take him and make him hers and her his in as many ways as she
could as quickly as she could, and pulled away. "I'm fine.  Shall we go now?"
        Nephlite nodded to her, then looked at the huge wolf at his side.
"What about him?"
        She looked at the wolf, and Nephlite got the feeling they we're
having a conversation that he was not going to be a part of.  At last she
nodded softly, and looked up at the general. "He wishes to accompany us-
more specifically, you, Milord."
        
	Nephlite looked down at Therion and saw something that he had not seen
before.  Someone who had admired him, an intelligent animal at that.  "It
is an honor to be accompanied by such a noble creature.  Besides, we have
been through much."  Nephlite touched the wolf on its head and gave a faint
smile.  he stood straight up and took a deep breath.  "Now this part is
easy, it was harder before because I did not fully know the ending point."
He rose his hand palm up and chest height and closed his eyes.  He pictured
Earth and his mansion, Crystal and Therion.  A small blue light formed in
his hand and instantly flared all around.  
	Nephlite opened his eyes to see his mansion before him.  The long missed
smell of musty pine filled the air.  He looked to his side and saw Crystal
rubbing her eyes and head.  "You get used to it when you do it enough,"
Nephlite commented.  He saw Therion at his side, lying on the ground,
obviously dazed also.  "Hang around me and you will get used to it my dear
friend," he said as he pet Therion.  He saw the same unaltered look, trust
almost.  Nephlite looked up at Crystal whom was smiling.  "Is this all right
for him, I mean Therion?"
	"I am sure, this is what he wants.  He wants to be with you.  He wants to
be here to stay at your side."
	Nephlite got up and looked into Crystal's eyes.  "This experience has
changed me a little.  I have learned much and am grateful."  Nephlite said
softly as he put his hand on her shoulder.  "I do not want this to be a
goodbye, you know where I stay and you are always welcome here.  After all
we have been through, I now think of us more than just friends and allies." 
	Her brow creased a little, and she arched an auburn eyebrow.  "What...
what do you mean?" Her eyes were a soft periwinkle as she looked back at him.
	Nephlite said nothing as he took her hand and kissed it gently.  He then
released her hand and stepped back with Therion at his side and took a deep
breath. "Maybe a time will come where circumstances will be different," he said
softly.  "No, I am certain it will come."
        She cocked her head slightly, watching him as he moved away.  Once
he had entered her mansion and was out of sight, she disappeared without
another word.

        She was still lost in thought when she sat back into the pile of
furs that was her bed in her large place on Metis, one of Jupiter's moons.
The past few days had been the most eventful she had had in a long time,
and she was still worn out from fighting Zethus.  She sighed thinking over
that.  He was probably very angry, wherever he was right now.  And she had a
distinct feeling he wasn't gonna be gotten rid of so easily this time.
Sighing again, she mentally set it aside for later.  Her thoughts wandered
to the Negaverse general who had accompanied her throughout the journey.
Nephlite... what had he meant? Could it be that he had grown to have some
feelings for her during their brief stay at her home?  She sighed once more.
Whatever was going to happen would happen... but all that was a matter for
another day. She shook her head and pulled her furs up over her torso,
closing her eyes and drifting off slowly to sleep.  

                            *~*THE END(of the beginning)*~*