SailorStar9: After uploading Chapter 11, I present Chapter 12 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

Chapter 12: Striding and Swaggering! Lamentation Without End!

"What is this place?" Lina turned to Armace.

"I believe you all have already seen it." Armace replied. "The light which lies far away across the sea. This is its source. This is the gateway which we built for when we would summon Darkstar here."

"I never imagined such a thing was built out here." Xellos admitted. "Because this area is forbidden to both Gods and Mazoku. This was where a war even more ancient than the Kōma War was fought."

"Here is exactly where the Shinma War ended." Aria confirmed.

"The ancient battleground of Ceifeed and Shabranigdu..." Lina mused.

"But why choose this place?" Amelia asked.

"It was necessary for our plan." Armace answered. "It's true that a gateway can be opened with just the power of Gorun Nova and Ragudo Mezegis, that lance. However, that will only be a small gateway. This area of space which the mighty power of Cepheid met those of Shabranigdu was left permanently destabilized. We intended to use this instability to create a gateway for summoning Darkstar."

"Why do you need those three weapons you mentioned?" Lina inquired, seeing Aria and Filia walk towards the portal structure.

"The remaining weapons, Nezard and Bodigar," Armace explained. "Their power will be needed to close the gateway. The hated Darkstar, Dugradigdu, will then be divided into pieces. And then, the power of Galveira, the final weapon, will be brought against the pieces and Darkstar will be destroyed."

"So, if he opened the gateway now, there'll be no way to close it." Lina realized. "Wouldn't just closing the gateway after summoning Darkstar here have solved things for you guys?"

"No, if we simply closed the gateway, he'd devour this world in no time." Armace stated. "Meaning he will return to our world again someday. There were no other options."

Higher up the portal structure where the keys holes were located...

"Don't you two find this wonderfully ironic?" Valgarv chuckled, having inserted the Gorun Nova into its hole and Aria and Filia teleported before him. "That the power of Ceifeed and Shabranigdu's battle over this world will be used to open the gateway to summon Darkstar here. A fitting end to this miserable excuse of this world."

"My name is Filia Ul Copt, daughter of High Priest Bazard Ul Copt and priestess of the first Holy Order." Filia declared.

"You're quite an important person, aren't you?" Valgarv was intrigued.

"In the name of Vrabazard, the Fire Dragon King, I pass judgment upon you." Filia declared. "Abandon your mad desires and repent your sins. If you don't..."

"If I don't?" Valgarv challenged. "Go on and say it, you naive little girl."

"Anaku, Sarumu, Nataku, Sakumu." Filia began her spell. "Chaotic Disintegrate!"

"I will not be defeated by you." Valgarv remarked, unharmed by the attack. "Not at the bloodstained hands of a Golden Dragon."

"Please tell me." Filia pleaded. "What you said to use before: did my people really massacre your race?"

"Go home, little girl." Valgarv snarled.

"Please tell me." Filia begged.

"Astral Break!" Zelgadis fired his attack at Valgarv.

"Elmekia Flame!" Amelia tossed in her attack for good measure.

"Useless." Valgarv roared, using the Ragudo Mezegis to negate the attack. "Your attacks will have no effect at all."

"Water Lock!" Aria's water bubble encased the group and she floated them back down.

With Armace...

"I can see there'll be no jokes for this situation." Lina winced. "Besides that, without the Sword of Light, Gourry is pretty much useless."

"Not yet." Valgarv informed. "I won't kill you yet. I'll let you live long enough to see Darkstar summoned to this world."

"Somehow, we have to get Valgarv away from here." Armace frowned. "And then use that chance to close the gateway."

"Easy to say, but can we do that to Valgarv the way he is now?" Lina asked.

"Forgive me," Armace sighed. "But all I've left is to depend on now is you people."

With Valgarv...

"Gods, Mazoku, all who live." Valgarv sneered. "Now know how I feel. Know my suffering. Know my anguish. Gorun Nova which cleaves. Ragudo Mezegis which pierces. Open the doorway to the dark star and let darkness be brought into this world."

"We're not gonna let you open that gateway so easily, Valgarv." Lina cut in before Valgarv could insert the Ragudo Mezegis into it's slot.

"Don't make light of me." Valgarv warned. "Now stand aside."

"Can't do that." Gourry replied.

"Please stop this." Filia pleaded. "No matter what may have happened, destroying this world because of it would be a mistake."

"A mistake?" Valgarv sneered. "The entire world was a mistake from the start. The Gods, Mazoku and everything else. And mistakes must be corrected, shouldn't they? It was Gaav-sama who first tried to correct the mistake. I'm merely carrying on his will. By different methods, though."

"I guess you have no intention of stopping this, do you?" Lina sighed.

"Just asking me isn't going work." Valgarv answered.

"Then, you leave me with no choice." Lina noted.

"Bephis Bring!" both Zelgadis and Amelia shot out from the pillars they were hiding behind, the combined attack broke the stone alter.

"You can't run!" Lina jumped in. "Dimil Arwin!" her wind blast shot Valgarv down to the structure's basement. "We sure put one over on you."

"I do believe it's time to end things, Valgarv." Aria declared. "Right here, right now."

"Burst Flare!" Zelgadis and Amelia took the first shot.

"It's useless." Valgarv blocked out the combined attack and starting blowing up the deep hole. "With my power as a dragon combined with the Mazoku power I received from Gaav-sama, you people don't stand a chance."

"I would wonder about that." Aria stated.

"If you think that, feel free to try me out." Valgarv challenged.

Shutting her eyes, Aria focused, drawing upon Ragradia's powers.

"I don't know what you're trying to pull, but it's too bad you lack the energy to cast it." Valgarv floated down the the Water Dragon King's incarnate.

"Not exactly." Aria let out a pleased grin.

"What?" Valgarv gaped when the water user pressed an open palm at his abdomen.

"Ragradia Law, invoke!" Aria shouted, injecting Ragradia's shinzoku energy she had charged up into Valgarv's body.

"What are you doing?" Valgarv demanded.

"That's one of the three Holy Dragon King spells..." Filia breathed. "'Law'. A judgment magic that inflicts massive damage on whomever the caster perceives as an enemy."

"Did it work?" Lina blinked.

A waylaid blast of magic shot out from the withering Valgarv, the purifying magic of the 'Ragradia Law' was wrecking havoc on his mutilated body as it fought to neutralize the Mazoku blood Gaav had given to the hanyou.

"Endure it, Valgarv." Aria pleaded. "It's the only way I could think of to save you."

"Filia." Lina warned when Valgarv shot down and snatched Filia and brought her up to the platform.

On the portal platform...

"If killing me will appease your anger, then kill me now." Filia hissed, Valgarv having brought her to the slot where Ragudo Mezegis was to be inserted.

"I won't kill you." Valgarv growled. "You're going to end the world with your own hands." he forced Filia to hold the Ragudo Mezegis. "If you do that, you will wipe away the greatest sin of all." he guided Filia to insert the weapon in.

Lina and the others arrived too late and witness Filia push the Ragudo Mezegis in and opening the portal.

"The gateway of destruction is now opening." Valgarv laughed. "Let this world be flooded by darkness. Going to devour me first, you pathetic dark lord?" he looked up at the looming figure of Dugradigdu passing through the portal. "Very well, then. You can have me."

"Just as we feared." Zelgadis hissed, Dugradigdu firing off its breath attack that completely overwhelmed Valgarv. "A berserk demon of destruction."

"We have no way of destroying him now." Armace conceded.

"I refuse to give in like this." Aria ripped off the Ragradia Sapphire from her neck. "This world Ceifeed-sama fought so hard to protect... I refuse to back down!"

"You can't use the Sapphire in your condition, Aria!" Zelgadis yelled.

"That form..." Amelia gaped as the looming form of Ragradia emerged from the shining Sapphire. "Water Dragon King..."

The incantation of Ragradia snapped her eyes open, ready to use the Ragradia Sapphire to push Dugradigdu back when Erulogos and Sirius appeared from the portal, each bringing their own weapons. Stabbing both weapons into their respective slots, the portal started to close as Dugradigdu fought to reopen the portal, the outsurge of energy flinging everyone all across the land.

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.