It became apparent that they had entered the inner part of the dimension when the rocks became more smooth, the air became clearer, and a cold evil penetrated through there bodies, where before they had been in an unbearable heat and smoke.
"Where do you think we go next?" Sailor Venus asked in a whisper as they entered a new cavern, and they froze as the first signs they had entered the living quarters came into view. Off to the right was an impressive spindle and wheel with a few strains still attached to it, as if the owner, who had to be Clotho, had left it midstride. Sailor Moon stood still as the other three walked forward and towards the next doorway. Mew Zacro stopped in the middle of the room and looked back towards Sailor Moon who stood with her eyes taking in everything the room contained. Sailor Venus stopped at the next doorway with Mew Pudding and they peeked out. "The coast is clear." Venus whispered turning back, but Sailor Moon didn't seem to hear her. Instead she took a step closer to the spindle and her gloved hand rested gently at the top of the wheel. She gazed across the cavern towards the other two's workplaces. "Sailor Moon?"
"Sailor Moon Onee-chan, we have to hurry. NaNoDa." Pudding reminded.
"Look at how far apart their work places are." Sailor Moon whispered. Mew Zacro glanced at each of the stations, but Sailor Venus and Mew Pudding shook their heads.
"And?" Venus asked confused at why it was important.
"They were in the same room, but still separate from each other. And it isn't just for space. They might as well have been in separate rooms." Sailor Moon continued. Mew Zacro turned to Sailor Moon.
"They are right, we have to get going. Who knows how long we have until they free-" The whole of the cavern began to shake violently and dust came down upon them as they covered their heads protectively. "Hurry!" Mew Zacro shouted and she pushed Sailor Moon forward after the young woman had reached her. "Into the other cavern!" They entered into the next room, and the shaking seemed to lighten up, and a minute later it stopped entirely.
"Lets go." Venus ordered and the others followed her to the far end of the cavern and towards where they could see the ceiling open up. The room was dark and the ceiling was high above them, giving off only a faint light. It reminded Mew Zacro of a dark and desolated cathedral, with different layers of flooring leading up to the far end of the room. As they entered into the cavern, a cold chill crept up their backs and an evil presence was impossible to miss. They turned their heads together towards the far end of the room, and at the final level of the flooring, a large, black throne towered over them, and cast the already darkened room into shadow. Even more frightening than the throne, though, was a swirling mass of black energy above it.
"Welcome, Sailor Senshi..." A voice spoke, and it echoed in the tall, empty room, and the sound of swirling air was the only other sound in the room besides their breathing. Their eyes moved back to the throne, and for the first time they noticed the figure sitting on the throne. She sat with her eyes closed and her hands rested on the ends of the throne's arms. Her skin was a marble white, and it stood out in contrast to her deep, black, robe, and silver belt that wrapped around her waist. Her hair was done up much like they had first seen Clotho's hair before she had begun to wear it loose. It was pulled back tightly at the back of her head, and a black wreath wove through her dark, purple hair; even darker than Lachesis' had been. The woman's eyes opened to reveal a deep blue, and if it hadn't been for the evil presence floating all around them, they would have had to admit she was strikingly beautiful. In fact, all of The Fates had been. She stood up, and though the hight of the throne made her appear small, she stood probably an inch or two taller than even Sailor Pluto. "But you are already to late." She told them with a small smile.
The group made there way forward and Sailor Moon took the lead as she stepped upwards onto the first, long platform.
"Who are you?" She demanded as they all stopped. "What have you done?!" The woman's chin lifted high and she glared at Sailor Moon.
"I have broken The Night's seal, and soon the whole world will be encased in shadow..." Sailor Moon held the Royal Tier out in front of her.
"We will stop you!" The Fate's eyes grew harder.
"This is my dimension..." She said. "You are at a great disadvantage, Heir to The Silver Millennium..." A gasp came out from behind Sailor Moon and she turned to see a dark wall of energy had formed at the bottom of the step cutting her off from the others.
"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Venus slammed her fist against the wall, but it didn't even flicker. "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" She shouted, but the attack came back at her and sent her to the ground.
"Venus!"
"Venus Onee-chan!" Pudding cried bending down beside her. Zacro turned from the other two and back towards Sailor Moon who stood on the other side. The Fate was laughing deeply. Sailor Moon was now glaring at her and stepped up onto the next level.
"So, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity..." The Fate said putting her hand out to the side of her. "How does it feel to meet your end at my hands?" She asked.
"I don't even know who you are." Sailor Moon said. "Please, stop your plan. Nothing good can come out of this destruction!" She called out. Anger seemed to consume The Fate.
"What do you know?" She demanded. "Have you seen everything you worked hard to build crumble before you so that others could find happiness?!" She demanded. Sailor Moon nodded.
"I have..." She said. "But it didn't bring anyone happiness. It only brought more pain. Please, your sister has already suffered death. Can you truly wish that for everyone else?" The Fate's fingers flexed and a long sword-like object with what looked like a raven at the hilt appeared in her waiting hands.
"Death?" She asked. "I am not afraid of death." She lifted the sword, but then its blade split in two to reveal that what Sailor Moon had suspected was wrong. It was a pair of long, sharp sheers that split at the raven's wings. "I am Atropos." She declared. "Most people know me only as my title though." She continued. "Morta; The Fate of Death." She lifted her abhorred shears in front of her. "I have cut the life strings of millions, and now, Sailor Moon, I will kill you personally, and destroy your Sailor Crystal once and for all. Just as Lachesis wished." Sailor Moon lifted the Tier.
"Dwelling on the past will be your downfall." Sailor Moon told her.
"I don't look to the past." Atropos told her. "I see the future, a future without that accursed Silver Crystal!" She lunged forward and Sailor Moon began her attack.
"Starlight Honeymoon-" The sheers were upon her and Sailor Moon leapt out of the way. The dimension shook slightly but the two began to fight hand-to-hand with both the sheers and the Royal Tier. Atropos pressed her weight against Sailor Moon and used her height to her full advantage as she pushed down hard. Sailor Moon swung out from under her but as she did so, Atropos' sheers cut through her long hair and the two long streams cascaded down onto the ground, leaving her with only her two odangos, and two short streams of hair wrapping around her face.
"Sailor Moon!" Venus cried standing up again, and Sailor Moon's hand grabbed hold of one of the short streams as she struggled to catch her breath and rubbed it between her fingers. She hadn't had such short hair since she was a child. Atropos was standing up and coming at her again.
"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Artopos' sheers created a shield around her and the attack barely phased her in her own dimension. Sailor Moon gasped as Artopos was now right in front of her again and going one-on-one against her again in a vicious 'sword' fight.
"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Chibi Moon shouted as she and the other two entered into the cathedral. Sailor Moon glanced there way, but as she did so the sheers struck the Royal Tier again and she felt it ripped out of her fingers and fall to the side carelessly and out of reach as Sailor Moon fell backwards onto the ground. For a moment Atropos stood over her with a triumphant smile. "Sailor Moon!" Chibi Moon neared the wall, but Zacro held her back from touching it. Chibi Moon stared frightened at the scene in front of her. "Please! Stop!" Atropos held the sheers out in front of her. She glanced at Chibi Moon whose eyes were pleading with her, but she pressed her lips closed tightly as she hardened her heart once more against the young girl's cries. She was The Fate of Death, the unturnable, because it was her duty to be so.
"Now die, Sailor Moon, and know that your daughter will vanish as well." She pulled the sheers back.
"No! Mama!" Sailor Chibi Moon screamed, and in truth it reminded Atropos of her own scream long ago, but her sheers were already surging forward towards Sailor Moon. She could not be overturned. Her duty was to enact death upon the enemies of The Night. The sheers sliced forward and the sickening sound of flesh being pierced filled the cathedral, only... it wasn't Sailor Moon who stared back at Atropos with pain on their face. Clotho stood with the sheers deep within her abdomen as her hands touched the sides of the blades. Her light blue eyes meet her sister's and Clotho let out a sharp breath as she regained the ability to breath. Atropos stood there horrified unable to make since of what had just happened.
"Clotho..." She squeaked out in disbelief and Clotho began to fall to her knees. "Clotho!" She screamed releasing her grip on the sheers and reached out for her. She lifted Clotho up into her arms. "Clotho!" She screamed again in disbelief as she supported Clotho's head. The young woman was growing pale and her breathing was broken and sounded wet. Sailor Moon continued to lay with her elbows supporting her back as she watched not understanding either.
"Clotho just..."
"Why?" Atropos knelt begging. "Clotho..." Tears were now falling down her face.
"I don't... want... others... to..." Clotho made out the words slowly and with a heavy struggle, "die..." She gasped out, and blood was already beginning to fill her mouth. "For..." Her voice was barely audible now, "give..." Her eyes began to close and she tilted her head forward and rested gently on her sisters chest. Atropos' voice cracked and she wrapped her arms tightly around Clotho's shoulders.
"Clotho, please..." She begged, but she knew it was already too late, and that her sister was already gone. She rocked gently. "No..." She sobbed. "Lachesis, Clotho..." Clotho's once revitalized body had returned to its ghastly grey... "Please!" Atropos shouted hysterically. "You can't die! You are life! You are life!" She bent forward and kissed the top of Clotho's forehead. She looked upwards towards the high ceiling. "Mama!" She screamed loudly, and her hand reached under her robe and she took out a small necklace from around her neck. A small stone shimmered slightly on the end, and she pressed it tightly over Clotho's heart. "Mama help me!" She begged the open air. "Please! Give me your power..." She sobbed, and the stone shimmered slightly. Mew Zacro and Pudding gasps as they stared at their hands. Their entire bodies were glowing a soft blue.
"Mew Aqua?" Pudding asked, and Zacro looked back at The Fate. The glowing stopped, and Clotho remained unmoving in her hands with the same ghastly grey appearance. Atropos hugged Clotho tightly again and kissed her forehead again as she rocked more violently as she continued to press the crystal against her chest, but it appeared that it was useless to her.
