SailorStar9: After uploading Chapter 17, I present Chapter 18 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 18: Incompetency! The Forbidden Gate Opens!

At the portal...

"Soon, the gateway will be completely open." Sirius noted. "There's no turning back now."

"Damn it all, Sirius." Erulogos cursed. "Don't you want to save our world?"

"I don't wish to see our world or this world destroyed." Sirius defended. "And for that, only one thing will save both worlds: Darkstar must be destroyed."

"Impossible." Erulogos barked. "Do you really think we can kill Darkstar? You haven't forgotten, have you? What Darkstar's power did to our world? The power he gained after absorbing our Master, Vorfeed, which made him a berserk demon of destruction. How many of us were sacrificed as we fought him time and time again? You'd have us repeat the same stupidity? With a chance to save our world in our grasp, you ignore it."

"We now possess the five weapons created by Darkstar himself." Sirius reminded, brandishing the Bodigar.

"Meaning we have a chance?" Xellos guessed.

"I need the power of both of you to do this." Sirius stated. "If we continue to fight as we have been, the gateway will open before we settle anything and Darkstar will fully materialize in this world."

"And if that happens, the now exhausted Gods and Mazoku of this world will have no way to stop him from destroying it." Xellos concluded. "But with the gateway no longer under your control, he could come back and destroy your world someday. Butting in right up to the very end." he grinned, seeing Filia burst into the portal structure with her passengers in tow. "I think this is a little out of your league."

"Xellos, I have a bone to pick with you." Aria snarled, locking the Mazoku priest in a water bubble. "Do not tell me you've forgotten what you did? Not only did you hit a defenseless girl, you even stole the Galveira."

"Aria-sama, you should use this on him at once." Filia offered her mace.

"It's not my fault." Xellos protested. "I was following orders. Besides, we don't time for this right now."

"You've got a point." Aria conceded and released the Mazoku priest. "I'll deal with you later."

"He's right." Amelia looked up at the gateway that was struggling to be kept closed. "It doesn't look like this is a good time for that right now."

"What the devil's going on?" Zelgadis turned to Sirius.

"Very soon, the gateway leading to our world will be completely open." Sirius answered.

"Meaning we're just barely in time." Lina realized. "Sirius and Erulogos, right?"

"Did you come to interfere with us?" Erulogos questioned.

"That depends on what you're going to do." Lina answered. "If your ultimate goal is to save your world, you have two choices."

"Either trap Darkstar in this world," Zelgadis stated.

"Or else use the power of the five weapons to break Darkstar apart and then destroy him." Lina added. "Whichever you decide to do will decide whether we help you or try to stop you."

"This isn't good." Xellos frowned as Darkstar fought to reopen the gateway, the crackling energy emitting from the Mazoku Lord forced the group to their knees. "We really don't have much time."

"My mind is already made up." Sirius answered. "Darkstar will die."

"That means we'll help you." Lina grinned.

"Use the Darkstar weapons!" Sirius barked.

"Light, come forth!" both Gourry and Zelgadis pulled out Gorun Nova and Ragudo Mezegis, just as Xellos relinquished Galveira to Aria.

"And now, all five weapons are finally together." Lina nodded.

"Listen, like us, Darkstar's astral body doesn't exist in this world's astral plane." Sirius reminded. "That means, this world's magic spells won't affect him. You must attack him using the Darkstar weapons."

Gourry struck the first strike, the light beam from the Gorun Nova stopping the black magic slab from descending.

"Here it comes." Lina warned, seeing Darkstar about to fire his breath attack.

"In a face to face attack, we can't beat him." Sirius remarked, after the shockwave of the attack died down. "First, we must use the power of the five weapons and divide Darkstar."

"Why?" Erulogos was hesitant. "We're facing Darkstar, the dark lord of our world. How can you all risk your lives so easily? This battle has no meaning for any of you."

"Maybe it doesn't." Lina shrugged. "But if I don't do this, I don't know how I'd face my sister back home. And if I abandoned your world, I'd regret it in the morning. Beside, we don't know for sure if this world will be destroyed."

"Heads up, everyone." Aria declared. "He's coming!"

"Erulogos, this is the first and last chance we'll have to avenge everyone who wanted to destroy Darkstar." Sirius reminded. "Now to divide Darkstar's power." he nodded, seeing Erulogos' resolve was strengthened.

"He's wrecking the gateway." Lina realized, seeing the mouth of the emerging Darkstar blasting the portal mouth.

"No, you don't." Sirius stood his ground. "Five powers, born in darkness, we command you to change and cleave darkness away. Become light."

The streaks of light from all five weapons encircled Darkstar, forcing the Mazoku lord to converge into a darkness sphere. Breaking free of the strings of light, Darkstar roared as he forced his way through the gateway. The gateway then closed when the dark lord made his way through the portal.

"Darkstar's power should be cut into half now." Sirius noted.

"Even so, he's still much stronger than Phibrizzo was." Lina admitted.

"In other words, unless we destroy him now, this will be all for nothing." Aria frowned. "Remember, none of our magic will affect him. Use the Darkstar weapons."

Gourry attacked first, blasting Darkstar with a light beam.

"You say our spells won't work, but what about this?" Zelgadis powered up the Ragudo Mezegis with 'Ra Tilt' and sent the charged up light beam straight at Darkstar.

"In that case, Filia, give Gourry some help." Lina instructed. "Amelia, cover Zel."

"What about you, Lina-san?" Filia thought to ask.

"I still have the 'Ragna Blade' to use when I need it." Lina reminded. And the Giga Slave, too. She added as an afterthought.

"Let's hit him all at once." Zelgadis urged, his and Amelia's combined energy melted off a part of Darkstar.

"Flame Breath!" Filia powered up the Gorun Nova, burning through a path at the massive dark cloud.

Aria charged up the Galveira with Ragradia's shinzoku energy and shot a light arrow at Darkstar.

Both Sirius and Erulogos focused the energy from their weapons at Darkstar.

"Isn't it doing anything?" Zelgadis wondered.

"Combining a spell with the Sword of Light worked against Zanaffar, but..." Amelia stated.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Gourry asked.

"He's reacting to something?" Lina's attention was diverted to Darkstar's unusual reaction.

"Impossible." Erulogos objected. "Darkstar has no connection to this world. What would he be reacting to?"

"The Ancient Dragon gem..." Aria pulled out the glowing crystal from her robes. "What in the world..."

Undaunted, Darkstar spread his wings, the shockwave rattling the platform and everyone on it.

"What attack is this?" Zelgadis winced.

"No, he's just trying to fly away from here." Sirius corrected.

His head stretching towards the direction of the Fire Dragon King temple, Darkstar cleared the clouds with a blast of energy before moving off.

"Just by moving, Darkstar affects his surroundings that much?" Zelgadis growled.

"No wonder he's called a demon of destruction." Xellos supplied.

"But where could Darkstar be heading to?" Lina wondered. "Everyone, follow Darkstar. That's the temple of the Fire Dragon King." she realized once the temple came into view.

Near the Fire Dragon King temple...

"What?" Lina gaped when the Ancient Dragon gem in Aria's hand glowed brighter.

"But why did the Ancient Dragon gem react to Darkstar?" even Aria was puzzled. "Could it be..."

"Golden dragons..." Valgarv's voice droned from the looming dark cloud. "Golden dragons..."

"That voice..." Aria breathed in shock. "Valgarv, is that you?"

"Golden dragons." Valgarv snarled. "Murderers of my race."

Right in the heart of the massive cloud, a sphere of light shone through, revealing Valgarv within.

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