Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, and now with that said, I can get to writing the actual story.

"Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

-Terry Pratchett

A/N: What a great quote! This has absolutely nothing to do with this chapter, but it was so funny, albeit slightly morbid, that I couldn't resist.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 4:

Attack from Above

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Makoto fought hard to suppress a groan, but she soon realized it was a loosing battle, just like the one she was in with Minako at the moment. The day before, when she had finally returned after composing herself from her talk with Toshinokou, she discovered that she had been the unlucky person to be stuck sleeping with Minako. The others had already paired up, Michiru and Haruka in one room, Ami and Rei in the another, Hotaru and Setsuna in the third, and Usagi and Mamoru in the fourth (Makoto could not resist winking at them when they had announced that, however, both had the decency to blush) since they were already engaged.

But now Makoto was regretting not pursuing the issue of her bedmate further.

The blankets had been knotted around Minako's slim form and the ones she had not managed to get tangled around her were pooling on the floor. That coupled with the fact that Minako's body was sprawled out across the majority of the bed meant that Makoto had to be careful how she shifted her weight for fear of falling of the edge.

Then there was the fact that Minako had a tendency to talk in her sleep. Needless to say, Makoto had not had a good night.

A sudden swift kick from Minako finally drove Makoto's precariously perched body over the edge and onto the coarsely woven rug on the floor. With a soft grunt she hit and rolled onto her back to stare at the stone ceiling.

"Minako," she growled out dangerously, "I'm going to kill you..." But Makoto did not move immediately from her position on the floor. Finally she simply sighed and stood, not really wanting the inquiry to begin as to where she had been last night and what was so desperate that she had to ask Toshinokou. Instead she stepped off the rug and onto the cold flagstone of the floor, shivering slightly from the chill before walking silently over to a pile of neatly stacked clothing. She could not help but wonder when and who had brought the flowing silk dress and matching slippers. It was another dress, emerald in color, with long sleeves, a scooped neckline, and empire waist with the skirt beginning just under her breasts. It looked more like the typical medieval dresses worn than the one she had previously had on. If only I could figure out where that dress had come from. Did that stranger in the park do this? But then again, why would he even want to change us all into dresses? I think I still have too many questions for Toshinokou.

After dressing, Makoto stepped out of the room she shared with Minako and into the larger sitting room. The room was cold. A fire that had been burning brilliantly the past night was now only embers. Makoto soon noticed that she was the only one yet awake. It was unusual for her to be the first awake, and she wondered what time in the morning it was exactly. Maybe if it was that early, she could suffer through Minako's cover stealing, kicking, bed hogging, sleep talking... or maybe she should just sleep in one of the overstuffed chairs in the antechamber.

Makoto softly padded towards the window seat where a blanket was neatly folded and a soft inviting pillow beckoned her. She curled into the cushioned seat, wrapping the thick wool blanket securely around her form before leaning her head against the cool stone wall, the pillow supporting her back, and glanced out the window.

At first Makoto was not exactly sure what it was that she saw, but slowly the dot become larger and multiplied. Her gaze followed the flock of birds for a long moment, enjoying their graceful and fluid movements, before she rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes. A grunt echoing around the room brought her attention to a disheveled Haruka standing in the middle of the room uncertainly.

"Haruka?" Makoto questioned, curious.

The woman in question turned towards Makoto, her heavy lids sinking lower over her eyes before snapping open. Although Haruka was obviously tired, Makoto could still see an angry fire shining in her eyes.

"One small, insignificant comment and she sends me out to sleep on the couch!" Haruka huffed indignantly. "She's the one who..." Haruka trailed off and coughed in embarrassment, and Makoto decided she definitely did not want to hear what her next words would have been. She was safer not knowing.

Haruka stumbled forward in a sleepy stupor, and shoved Makoto's feet out of the way as she took a seat beside the tall brunette. "So Makoto, why are you up so early. I'm wondering if your in the same kind of trouble with Minako that I'm in with Michiru."

Makoto's jaw fell straight down. "What?!" she screeched in surprise before lowering her voice to an angry whisper, afraid of waking someone else. "I don't know what gave you that idea, but Minako and I are not like that!" Makoto then noticed the mischievous light in Haruka's eyes and realized she had been goaded into her reaction.

"Sorry," Haruka mumbled smiling, although she sounded anything but, "It's just that you and Minako are the only ones without a boyfriend at the moment. I thought you might have finally given up. Oh, but wait, that's right, you and Akebono-*kun* are together." Despite the obvious teasing quality to Haruka's voice, Makoto could not stop her blush. Turning her face away quickly from Haruka, she looked out the window, deciding it was best to change the topic of the conversation and quickly.

"Actually," she corrected, "Minako kicked me out of the bed, too, although she did it in her sleep and quite literally." Haruka took a moment to think about that new revelation and blink before chortling happily at the mental image it brought to mind. Makoto, chuckled softly too, her gaze still fixed out the window. Her laughter died abruptly.

"Haruka-san?" she began, her voice unsure and oddly pitched, "Look out the window and tell me what you see."

Haruka was still laughing merrily as she turned her gaze outside, but it ended just as suddenly as Makoto's had. "I can't be sure, because I've only just seen a live one yesterday, but... those look like dragons to me." Her voice was strangely distant to Makoto's ears, but hard nonetheless.

Rei stumbled into the room in the same instant, her eyes and hair wild. Shuffling could be heard behind her, indicating that Ami was awake as well.

"Everyone needs to get up, now!" Her voice was as wild as her hair and eyes at the moment.

They wasted no time in waking their room mates and bringing everyone into the central sitting room, everyone continued casting nervous glances out the window.

Rei was the last one to enter the room, dragging an apparently half-dead Usagi behind her. Her shouts had echoed around the large apartment in her attempts to wake the blonde princess, but Usagi still gave off the appearance of not having heard anything. At the moment, Rei's hair looked wilder than it had when she had first woken up.

"I felt evil," she spoke at long last, although most occupants of the room had guessed something similar once they had seen the dark outlines of the large fleet of dragons approaching them. They seemed to radiate a palpable aura of pure evil that everyone in the room could feel in the air.

"Hmm... Wha?" Usagi said intelligently. While the other senshi adopted sweat drops. Usagi was, however, startled out of her sleepy stupor as the door to their room banged swiftly open.

Toshinokou stood framed in the doorway. He did not appear nearly as immaculate as he had the day before. His graying hair was flying away from his head uncontrollably, and the cheerful wrinkles around his eyes had multiplied in number and severity as a result of his frowning face. He wore red robes trimmed in gold today, eerily similar to the robes Makoto had seen on Merlin and the man in the park. While he did not appear calm, his voice was.

"Hurry, we do not have time to waste. Dress quickly and follow me." His voice was urgent and the senshi found themselves complying.

Those who were already dressed waited nervously on large overstuffed chairs.

"What?! Not another dress!" The outraged cry had come from within the room Haruka and Michiru shared, but seeing as she had no other options, she appeared moments later in the sitting room, arms crossed across her chest and frowning.

Had the tension in the air not been so thick, Makoto was fairly sure she would have laughed out loud. True, she was not too happy about being forced to wear a dress under the circumstances, but she was not absolutely against them as was Haruka's case.

Usagi was once again the last one to emerge. Fly away pieces of hair a testament to the fact that she had yet to fully wake up. Mamoru sighed heavily upon seeing Usagi before running back into their room. He was no longer wearing the armor of the Prince of Earth, but a pair of black slacks, white undershirt, and an expensive looking black tunic with gold and red embroidery. Obviously, once Toshinokou had discovered about the group's previous lives, he coordinated the color schemes of all of their outfits accordingly. Mamoru suddenly emerged from their shared room after a bit of searching and scuffling. He dropped a pair of white slippers, identical to the shoes everyone else was wearing except for the color, in front of Usagi. No, Usagi was definitely not awake yet. With Usagi's feet finally covered, the group was ready to leave.

That was the precise time at which the dragons had reached their destination. A shockwave made the very foundations of the castle tremble beneath their feet, and they almost lost their footing. Dust floated ominously from the stone ceiling as it was knocked loose from its resting place due to the force behind the shockwave.

"Hurry! Move! Follow me now!" Toshinokou no longer sounded calm and collected, he now sounded exactly the opposite. Practically shoving Usagi out the door, the group hastily followed their guide's pounding feet. For an old man, he moved surprisingly quickly.

Another shockwave rocked the strong foundations of the castle, and the senshi found themselves speeding up. Toshinokou led them quickly through the halls. Forging ever upward, along stairwells and hallways until they had reached a tower. The halls had been strangely quiet and absent of the activity of the day before. Ami had been expecting to see someone running in terror, but the only sounds any of them heard had come from outside. Sounds that the warrior in them was all too familiar with.

The circular staircase they were now following finally opened into the outside. They found themselves on the walkway around a turret at one corner of the castle. Arrayed along the parapet was an arrangement of soldiers and men wearing robes similar to Toshinokou's.

"Toshinokou-san," Makoto heard Usagi's now clear and awake, if somewhat confused, voice begin, "What's happening?"

"Well, Odango Atama," Rei began, interrupting whatever Toshinokou had been about to say, "If you had been awake you might have known." Rei's voice had a definite bite to it.

"We are under attack Princess." Toshinokou told her simply.

"Well I'd say that's fairly obvious. What I want to know is why?" Haruka was not amused with the simple sentence Toshinokou had given.

Just then, they heard a primal roar from above as a dragon swooped down on them. With a startled cry the senshi flung themselves to the ground. Toshinokou, however, remained standing. The dragon, its mouth wide, with rows of sharp teeth gleaming in the pale sun, sent a blast of fire down on the senshi. Toshinokou raised his arms high above his head, fingers splayed. The fire streamed down, reaching as though alive to capture its victims in groping tendrils. Mamoru covered Usagi with his body, just as Haruka did with Michiru. The fire continued downward, and Mamoru tightened his grip on Usagi. As it reached Toshinokou's hands, the old man gave a grunt.

The fire, flickering and licking at his hands with red tongues, hovered centimeters above his palms. The senshi chanced a glance upwards and their breath caught in their throats. A shimmering shield arced above Toshinokou's hands and blocked the fire from reaching any of them until it had burned itself out against the shield with no fuel to sustain itself.

As one, the senshi blinked and let their mouths fall open. Smiling, Toshinokou turned to face the shocked group, and, with a wave of his wrist, beckoned them on.

"How..." Ami began.

"Illusions," was Toshinokou's monosyllable answer. Haruka's only response was a groan.

"Great, our lives depend on an illusion," she muttered.

The group made their way quickly across the causeway, occasionally stopping to catch their balance as the walls shook dangerously, but otherwise they made it to the middle of the wall without incidence. Connected to the middle of the wall where the senshi had stopped was the guardhouse that served to protect the castle and house the soldiers and drawbridge. Dragons were diving and sending flaming breaths all around them, but the main attack was being aimed at the guardhouse, which was where the largest portion of soldiers for the castle's defenses were stationed. That was when Makoto noticed that the battle was not being fought solely from above. Legion upon legion of armored men, bearing all sorts of medieval and magical weapons laid siege to the castle itself.

Toshinokou had meanwhile kneeled in front of the King and Queen of the castle, who stood safely inside the guardhouse, protected, but close enough to issue orders.

"Toshinokou, now is not the time for kneeling. My Advisor, now, if ever, is the time for which I must ask for the aide of the Sailor Senshi in protecting my castle from attack. The dark forces are most likely attacking because of them. I believe we need their help in ending this battle."

"I am afraid that is not possible, your majesty. They have not inherited their true power, their most pure form of magic. They cannot use their magic until they have been granted that form."

The King sighed, "I feared as much. I suppose we will have to hold out as long as we can."

Toshinokou turned sadly from his King and went to stand by the senshi and inform them of the details he had previously learned about the attack. Usagi looked close to tears.

"Oh, Toshinokou-san, we're sorry, I didn't know our presence would cause so much trouble. There has to be someway we can help." It was obvious from Usagi's distraught voice that she blamed herself for the attack on the castle and the possibility of loosing innocent lives.

"Don't worry, our magi are strong in their magic and our soldiers are more than capable. We will win this."

Usagi still did not appear convinced. "This is all our fault. If it wasn't for that stupid man in a bath robe we wouldn't have this problem!"

"What man in a ba... a robe?" Toshinokou asked quickly.

Usagi blinked, surprised at his insistency before answering, "There was this man, dressed in a blue velvet robe, like yours, in a park on Earth. We went to stop him, but he was apparently waiting for us. Then this mist... it must have been Enmu... flooded the park and a golden gate appeared out of the ground."

"You were attacked by a First Level Dark Magi on Earth, and you didn't tell me?!"

"Er... yes?" Usagi answered uncertainly.

"This is important, what else did he say? Anything at all that might help us out."

"I don't kn—"

"Owari," Ami cut in quickly.

"Nani?" Usagi turned in confusion towards her friend. "End? End what?"

"No, no. That guy said that he had been sent their under orders of Queen Owari, of the Evening Mist clan, to take us to her." Once again Ami's intelligence, memory, and analytical skills had proven very beneficial.

Toshinokou looked out among the attacking legions below. "Then they are here to collect you." He said simply.

Usagi looked out among the battling soldiers, watching with regretful sapphire eyes as innocent blood was spilled on the war ravaged ground. "Maybe we should just give ourselves up. That way no one else will have to die."

The other senshi looked nervously at Usagi, ready to debate her own surrender to the enemy, but not theirs. Guilt weighed heavily on each of them. "No! Absolutely not!" Toshinokou's sudden exclamation surprised them and abruptly pulled them from conflicting thoughts. "You are the reincarnations of the Princesses of the Silver Millennium. Avalon made a pact with the Age of Millennia, a promise we intend to keep. We pledged that we would always protect our friends and allies, and they us. We failed the night Beryl attacked, but we will not fail again. You will be safe within the confines of this castle. We will call neighboring kingdoms as well and enlist their help. All the kingdoms of Avalon will hold fast to the promise we made with the Age of Millennia and its protectors."

Haruka cast a critical eye out across the battle waging in the forests surrounding the castle and above the castle itself. "It doesn't look like everyone is keeping to this pact."

"The ancient races were never a part of this pact... Nor were the Dark races. Dragons hold no interest in the affairs of man. They believe themselves superior to man, and in many ways they are. The dark creatures who inhabit Avalon wanted nothing to do with an alliance of Light. Those dragons you see attacking you outside are Lesser Dragons who have been overcome by the Dark. I must go and see how the battle is progressing. For now, my King and Queen need me. If you have any questions about dragons, ask Makoto-san, I explained to her some of the finer details last night." Toshinokou swiftly walked out of this room and into an adjacent one where the King and Queen were watching the battle unfold beneath them. Meanwhile, the senshi had turned to Makoto, eyebrows raised in question.

Blushing at having her discussion with Toshinokou uncovered, Makoto explained to her fellow senshi the finer points of what had been told to her last night, leaving out some of the more personal comments.

A sudden shockwave rippled through the castle and sent the senshi crashing to the ground. Just as they were climbing to their feet, Toshinokou returned. His old face was hard and grim, and the senshi knew they were not faced with good news.

"The dark dragons are being led by a golden dragon." The doom laden voice with which Toshinokou spoke, echoed ominously off the stone walls.

"Er... I know that's probably a bad thing, but..."

"Probably a bad thing?! My dear, that is most definitely a bad thing! A dragon's power and abilities are most often judged by their coloring. A brown dragon is the lowest, least powerful of the race, green and blue are not far behind. All three colors blend well with their surroundings and environment. The colors of a dragon's hide not only serve to advertise their strength, but also protect them and camouflage them adequately from stronger powers. Brown or black dragons are the only dragons you'll ever see who are Lesser Dragons, all the other dragons have more power than that. Red dragons are powerful, but by no means the strongest. That falls to the silver and gold dragons. Silver dragons have complete and utter control of the mists of Avalon, they are born of Enmu and more an extension of the silver mist than anything else. Gold dragons are dragons of the Light, with the power over life and nature, over the very weather, plants, and creatures of Avalon. Gold dragons received their power from Gaia when she once again recognized Avalon during the Age of Millennia.

"The fact that the Dark dragons out there are being led by a Gold dragon, a dragon of Light, is unsettling to say the least. It means clans that have long supported the Light may have been turned to the Dark."

Makoto turned and looked out the small slit that served as a window in the stone. She could see the diving forms of black dragons flaming the grass beneath them with their breath, and tearing into the ranks of soldiers with large, sharp, and powerful talons. The fight was gruesome and incredibly one-sided. Men in red robes similar to Toshikinou's lined the wall or chanted together in tight circles, eyes closed and hands clasped, glowing. Others wearing emerald green or azure robes were grouped sporadically among the numerous red, aiding anyone who needed more power, advising some of those still in training, or attacking the enemy.

"Shimatta! That's it! I can't just sit here, I've got to do something!" Haruka had immediately started moving for the door. Makoto watched her in surprise for a second before jumping up as well.

"She's right! I feel totally helpless. I can't watch this battle anymore, not without helping them."

"Mako-chan, Haruka-san! Stop, we can't even transform! What are you going to do against dragons and magicians in dresses! This is crazy, you can't go out there." Usagi appeared frantic, worrying about her short-tempered friends.

"She is right, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave... And this is most certainly *not* a dress!" Toshinokou had used his slight frame to block the doorway and Haruka's and Makoto's exit. He wore a slight frown on his face, but whether it was from having his attire labeled a dress or from the two angry women in front of him was debatable.

"We can fight," Makoto told him angrily, eyes flashing and daring him to try her, "I will not sit here any longer and watch these people be slaughtered because of us. I'm going to help!" Rei had come to stand behind her and Haruka, as well as Michiru, Mamoru, Minako, and Setsuna. Those who knew Martial Arts or how to fight without their powers had joined Makoto and Haruka.

"You don't understand," Toshinokou told them. He stood tall in the doorway, refusing to back down. "Those are not magicians; they are Magi. Magicians have no more magic than any normal person, they are mortals practiced in slight of hand or tricks. This battle is on a larger scale than that. True, there are soldiers fighting down below, but even they have been trained in some minimal magic and are experts in sword combat. This is a battle of magic and illusions. You have no place in it."

Haruka and Makoto were still not willing to back down. "But those people are dying. They are dying because of us. I can't just sit here and watch that happen!"

Toshinokou regarded the all the figures in the room quietly for a moment, before turning and moving from the door. "You can fight, but you will fight my way, or not at all. Is that understood?"

"Hell, as long as we're helping, I'm game!"

"Getting a little overenthusiastic about fighting, are we love?" Michiru commented walking past Haruka.

"You know me," Haruka said smiling.

"Too well I'm afraid," Michiru retorted. Haruka frowned, but not before smiling at Makoto and winking.

"At least she's talking to me again."

The group quickly followed Toshinokou past archers firing from the window to the doorway that would once again lead them into the open. Usagi groaned.

"Oh not this again. Last time I was out there we were almost barbequed!"

Toshinokou stood just within the confines of the door before turning to face them. "First, can any of you shoot a bow and arrow?"

Rei was the only one to step forward. She had acquired practice in archery from using her 'Flame Sniper' as Sailor Mars. Toshinokou frowned thoughtfully before speaking. "Very well then, the senshi of Mars and Venus follow him," he directed, pointing at a tall platinum haired man with pointed ears, a quiver on his back, and a bow in his hands who had a large group of other elves following closely behind him.

"What?!" Minako asked in surprise, "But I've never shot an arrow in my life."

"The senshi of Venus as well as the immortal elves were the children of Aphrodite, she held elfish blood within her as do you, and elves are natural archers with a deadly aim. Because of your elfin blood, you should have no problem firing an arrow," the elf standing at their side told her, his voice sounding like a whispering breeze in the forest and a mischievous smile decorating his face. Then upon seeing her dark frown, he quickly added, "I can teach you any skills you do not naturally have."

Eyes widening at the thought of having the bishounen teach her, she leapt forward, smiling enthusiastically and looking every inch like the elf she stood beside.

"This I have *got* to see," Rei mumbled, knowing full well Minako's clumsiness rivaled Usagi's at some times, as she too stepped towards the elf.

The elf led them away from the group as Toshinokou returned his attention to them. "How about medical expertise?" he questioned. "We are sadly low on Healers, most have been forced into battle because of their powerful magic."

Ami, with her dream of being a doctor, Hotaru, knowing of medical skills even without her healing abilities, and Mamoru, after having been told that he had similar healing abilities to Hotaru during the Silver Millennium, were soon gone, following a woman in a black dress with a white band on her arm, marking her as a nurse and Healer.

Usagi glanced up at Toshinokou questionably, wondering what exactly he had planned for her and the rest of the senshi left. "Serenity-sama, I think it would be best if you stayed with our King and Queen. You are the leader of the senshi, are you not? You may help our leaders with the details of the defense."

"What?! No, I don't know anything about battle. I wouldn't know what to do. I couldn't."

"Nonsense, I will take you to their majesties, if nothing else, your very presence will uplift the spirits and morale of the fighters and people of this kingdom."

"I don't really have much else to choose from, ne? I'm not really all that great at fighting, and I doubt I'd be any better at being a nurse than Minako was," Usagi sounded defeated, frustrated with her own lack of skill in battle, but then she allowed a small smile to grace her features, "But I don't mind helping people, I've always been better at making friends than enemies." Makoto found herself smiling. She remembered when Usagi had approached her on her first day of school. No one else had been willing to sit with her, but Usagi had. She had become Makoto's friend when everyone else feared or looked down on her, gossiping behind her back. Usagi had the biggest heart that Makoto had ever seen, and she knew that if anyone could help to lighten the mood and encourage the soldiers, it was Usagi.

Toshinokou led her away momentarily from the last four senshi and they stopped in front of the King and Queen. When Makoto saw the three members of royalty smiling at each other, she knew that Usagi would be alright. If nothing else, her involvement with the plans and soldiers of the battle would help to keep her mind off her senshi and her self-induced guilt about the innocent lives lost in the war. Perhaps it would help her to stop blaming herself for something beyond her control.

Makoto's thoughts were interrupted with Toshinokou's return. He looked at the last four still remaining for a long moment before speaking. "I suppose there is no way I could dissuade you from fighting?" He asked in a final bout of desperation. Then upon seeing the determination on their faces sighed. "No, I thought not. Well, where are you knowledged in warfare?"

Haruka quickly spoke, "If you have a sword with you, I can leave now."

"And fight in a dress? No, have patience, this battle will still be raging before we are done here. Lady Pluto, I assume you fight with a staff... Good. And Princess Neptune, what of you? ... You fight with your hands alone? Same as you then Prin... Makoto-san? Well come with me, and we will have you outfitted as soldiers."

* * *

"Well," said Haruka, modeling for her companions, "How do I look?"

All in all, they looked remarkably like medieval soldiers, the only even remotely ornate piece of armament on their bodies that did not appear functional in the least, what a band of red cloth tied around their bicep. The four of them were wearing lightweight armor. It was sparsely adorned on their bodies so as to reduce the weight they would be carrying, and increase their speed and mobility. What was not covered in the armored metal was hidden behind chain mail, surprisingly lightweight. Underneath the chain mail and armor, the four senshi were wearing dragon hide, a form fitting shirt and pants made from the brown scaly hide of a Lesser Dragon. "They don't have much magic," Toshinokou had explained upon handing them their dragon scale clothing, "So they make up for that in the size of their teeth and the toughness of their scales. Only powerful magic or a blade crafted by elves or dwarves could split that hide."

"Then why are we wearing all this extra weight?!" Haruka had complained.

"I know I cannot stop you from traipsing out into battle, so I'm going to ensure the King and Queen do not have my head for you not coming back. If you are going to insist on fighting, then I am going to insist that you are well protected." Seeing no point in arguing with the man further, Haruka had dropped the matter and put on all of the armor that had been stacked in her arms.

Now, after readying themselves, and also wondering exactly what it was they had gotten into, the quartet followed Toshinokou out of the armory and into the courtyard. Setsuna held in her hands a staff, forged by dwarves in a dragon's breath and enchanted by elfin magic. Haruka held a sword created in much the same way that eerily resembled her own Space Sword. Michiru had chosen an elfin dagger to occasionally aide her in her hand to hand combat, and Makoto had opted for a staff. Hers, however, was different from the metal weapons of her friends. It was a staff made from a gnarled branch of an ancient oak that had been felled during a storm. While she had not felt Jupiter's power within her veins while in this place, once her hands had touched the staff, a feeling of deja vu swept over her. It was no where close to the same raging storm that raced through her blood when she was Sailor Jupiter, but just the same it left her with the ghostly caress of her planet. A sensation similar to when an amputee feels a phantom itch on a missing limb sparked up her fingers as they had made connection with the staff. The power that had once been within her still lingered, sensed but unseen.

The group walked quickly across the grassy courtyard, ignoring the sounds of battle raging outside the walls, but not failing to notice that there were no dragons flying overhead. Before they could comment, Toshinokou had stopped directly in front of the stone wall on the side of the castle's enclosure.

"Er... Toshinokou-san? Exactly where are you trying to take us?" Makoto asked staring straight into the unforgiving, hard surface of the gray stone.

"Simple, we're going through."

Setsuna and Michiru both raised sculpted eyebrows, but Makoto had a more disbelieving reaction. "What?! You can't be serious, we're going *through* a solid, stone wall?"

"Just watch," Toshinokou said simply. He raised his palm and laid it flat against the stone, his eyes closed in concentration. Then he began chanting, his voice low and even, the words unintelligible at first, but slowly becoming clearer.

"Kochi, Greatest Kingdom of Avalon, split your stone, open your doorway, create the portal, and allow us passage." He continued repeating the spell, his palm pressed against the stone before a distinct grinding noise rose above his voice. It drowned out his words, but Makoto could still see his lips moving in the same pattern. Then, a beam of light shone along the edge of a sudden door, appearing from the very wall of the castle itself. The door creaked noisily open, the stone rumbling and groaning as it grinded against itself in order to swing open. Its hinges were crumbling pieces of stone attached to the wall, barely able to hold the incredibly thick door upright and straight. Toshinokou motioned them forward, but still did not stop his chanting. It was only after he had followed them outside the castle as well that he allowed his words to end. The stone door hinged back into its original place in the wall quickly. The light shone through the doorway's cracks before glowing so bright that the senshi momentarily closed their eyes. As the harsh, bright light against their eyelids disappeared, they opened their eyes and found themselves staring at a stone wall with no visible cracks, fractures, or chipped and crumbling stone. It looked as though the door had never existed.

"That," Toshinokou explained upon seeing their shocked faces, "Is the side door to Kochi, our Kingdom."

"I'd hate to see what it takes to open the front door," Haruka mumbled sarcastically.

"Now, I'm going to lead you towards the battle." Toshinokou continued, ignoring her. "Do not attack the main force, leave that to the magi, archers, and soldiers of the castle. I'll lead you towards one of our smaller legions, you will be attacking with them. Now, listen to me when I say this, avoid the Magi at all costs. There will probably be numerous Third Level Magi fighting in this battle against the soldiers. You can identify them by the red robes they wear. The magi in green robes are Second Level; blue robes, First Level and the strongest. They are designated in color similar to dragons who have their power defined by their color. The amount of power a mage has is advertised by the color of his robes. And if you see a Magi in Silver robes, run like a bat out of Hades." Makoto blinked at Toshinokou's odd expression, wondering exactly how much time he had spent around Minako since their arrival. "That is an Arch Mage," he continued, oblivious to the silent criticism, "A mage who, like silver dragons, has been given almost limitless power by Enmu."

"Wait, Enmu gives power to both Light and Dark magi and dragons."

"Enmu is not a god of either the Light or the Dark. He is not like Selene whose power is based on Light, his is based on illusions. Enmu does not discriminate from Light or Dark, he grants power to all he deems worthy, whether they fight for the Light or for the Dark."

Haruka frowned but did not comment on anything. There was not much they could say in reply. The quartet followed Toshinokou the rest of the way in silence. They reached a group of soldiers being moved into formation. The apparent leader of the small legion oversaw the grouping of the soldiers, then upon seeing the approaching senshi, quickly began walking towards them. "Advisor Toshinokou-sama, tell me, to what do I owe this pleasure."

"I have three additional troops for you. They have been trained in combat, but not in magic. They will be fighting with your legion." The man did not look very happy about adding them into his legion, but he complied with Toshinokou nevertheless.

"Join the right flank, you'll be attacking in the second wave from the side. Anything else Toshinokou-san?" The man asked his tone apprehensive of some of the possible answers.

"No, no, that's it, I should be returning to the castle now." Toshinokou replied in an attempt to placate the unhappy man. "Do not worry about their lack of magical energies. They have been in battles before, and they are perfectly capable of fighting."

"Why didn't they come out with the rest of the soldiers? Who are they anyway? I thought I knew all of the female soldiers."

"They have been aiding us inside the castle until this moment. And all you need to know of their identity is that they are not from this kingdom, that is why you do not know them. They are warriors, do not doubt their skill. You must keep the Dark legions at bay a little while longer, our allies are on their way to aide us. May Enmu guide and keep you safe in this battle." Toshinokou turned on his heel, returning along the same path that moments ago, all five had followed. The four senshi found themselves standing alone amidst an army.

"Alright, now that we are all *finally* ready," the bite in the man's voice was unmistakable, "First wave follow me. Mage, you lead the second wave." The first group of soldiers soon disappeared among the mist laden trees.

After an eternity of waiting, a mage wearing green robes, meaning that he was a Second Level Makoto recalled, led the second group along the same path that the first had forged. Makoto gripped tightly to her staff, taking comfort in the slight tingle that leapt from the textured wood and into her hand. She imagined that she felt the staff humming with power and anticipation. Beside her Haruka was tense and expectant, a feral smile on her lips. Around her, the soldiers moved silently, more like phantoms amongst the mist than the loud, clunking group of soldiers she had imagined them to be. Makoto held her breath in anticipation of the fight, ready to fight against those who sought to capture her friends and princess. No longer feeling insignificant while flanked by apparent, and silent, ghosts.

The enemy hordes descended suddenly and without warning. A large force of soldiers cut through the ranks of the Kochi kingdom fighters. The quiet and solitude of the phantom army was broken with the clashing metal of weapons and bellows of spells or battle cries. Makoto, Haruka, Setsuna, and Michiru wasted no time in joining the fray.

In the midst of battle, the four were quickly separated, but in one on one fights, that point was irrelevant. The staff in Makoto's hands practically hummed with life as she swung it into the oncoming hordes. Her body twirled gracefully in and out of the soldiers, as she wore less and lighter armor than her opponents. The soldiers also seemed incompetent when it came to martial arts. They were ill-prepared to attack a person skilled in that area of combat. And with Makoto's unique combination of martial arts and street fighting, coupled with her natural grace, power, and speed, she was a elemental force to be reckoned with.

The man in front of her brought his sword around in a wide powerful arc, but Makoto's nimble form ducked under it, and her oaken staff swung upwards and connected with his middle section. As the air rushed from his lungs, Makoto brought her staff down with a resounding crack on his head. The hiss and flash of metal sliced neatly through a lock of hair, and Makoto turned quickly to meet her attacker, an exhilarated smile stretching across her features.

More men and soldiers fell beneath the powerful blows of Makoto's staff, and she had soon cut a swath through the legions towards her commanding officer. The final remaining soldiers were dwindling, and soon they would move on to another portion of the forest for another battle.

Makoto arrived just in time to see their leader fall beneath the blade of the enemy, and she could not help but freeze in place as she saw how he was dressed. It was a man dressed in red robes. She could not help but breath a small sigh of relief, he was one of the weaker of the magi. But then Makoto froze, recalling Toshinokou's own magical abilities. According to their red robes, they would be on the same level, and if Toshinokou was any indication of the strength and force of magic she would be facing, perhaps it would be best to approach this matter more cautiously and seriously than her previous fighting. She stepped forward from the still ranks of her own comrades, and towards the enemy, staff clutched tightly in her hand, and eyes flashing in challenge. She dropped into a fighting stance, teasing him with a come-hither wave of her hand.

She barely had time to react as a gust of wind tore from his outward facing palm and lifted her up before throwing her backwards. She saw his figure approaching her on the ground, and quickly struggled into a standing position, her body protesting its movements. Makoto barely avoided the next swing of his sword and the ensuing blast of wind and energy issued from his hand. Her movements were slow and jerky, lacking all of her normal grace, as sore joints and muscles still screamed against the jarring moves she was forcing them through. She looked around her, hoping for a distraction that she might catch a chance to breathe and check to see if she was merely sore from being slammed into the tree, or if her injuries were something more serious. However, her search for a diversion proved to be her own distraction.

The very earth and fauna beneath her had come alive. Tendrils of green vines and jagged edges of jutting rock and earth ensnared her feet and legs, holding her immobile in front of the mage attacking her. The man smiled maliciously and gave another surreptitious wave of his hand. The same wind that had previously launched Makoto nearly ten feet, hit her head on, slamming her body backwards against the ground, and pounding her into the hard surface. The vines, earth, and rock surrounding her feet held firm, and she could not hold in her cry of pain as the wind continued to beat unmercifully against her unprotected body. The vines rubbed her skin raw as the wind tried to carry her away from their strong hold, meanwhile crushing her bones against the stony ground, and grinding her soft skin against ragged rocks. She opened her bleary eyes to see the mage smiling maliciously down on her. He removed his wind spell from her, and gripped his sword tightly with both hands. Makoto stared upwards at him through a haze of pain, barely struggling against her bonds as her body sagged in almost unbearable pain and utter fatigue. The mage raised his sword high above his head, and brought it down in a large arc, aiming to sever her head from the rest of her body.

Almost purely on instinct and a surge of adrenaline, Makoto brought her staff upwards to block the downward swing. There was a resounding clang as the metal edge of the sword bit into the thin wood of her staff, and the staff held firm. Makoto knew, that if it had been a normal staff, it would have split clean and quickly and she would not have been struggling as it was.

Makoto was not weak by any means, but after being slammed repeatedly into solid objects, her muscles were shaking from the strain they were under, and despite her staff having momentarily stopped the blade's downward trek, it was slowly inching forward. She could hear the wood creaking and straining under the applied pressure of both the swords and her own hands. The staff was amazingly strong to be able to stand against the razor edged metal of the blade. Makoto could not understand how it was still in one piece. It looked like any other ordinary piece of gnarled wood, except for the carved vines and leaves etched into its surface. If anything, those made it appear more ornamental and fragile, not like the strong fighting staff she was utilizing it as. She looked up into the eyes of the mage struggling above her. Had it not been for her battered body, she could easily have overpowered him. He was not much to look at. A weak man with few if any muscles. But his magic lent him strength that Makoto did not have, and so the blade came to rest centimeters from her face. She was fighting desperately, hoping against all hope that Haruka or Setsuna or Michiru or even any number of the men fighting around her would see her and come to her rescue. Her energy was failing fast and she knew that she could not postpone the inevitable for much longer, but she would never give up.

Her body was nearly slumped in defeat, but with an inner strength that often manifested itself when her friends were in their greatest danger, Makoto kept the blade from closing the remaining space between her staff and her body. Her thoughts wandered ceaselessly as she envisioned her death, an unpleasant reminder of what had befallen her before. Only this time, without her senshi abilities, she did not know if she would be reborn. This death would most likely be final.

And with her arms burning and shaking uncontrollably, the sharp weapon moved to complete its descent. Makoto closed her eyes, tensing and having one final thought flash through her mind. A flash of caring, concerned pale blue eyes, whose swimming depths she would never see again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Translations:

Kochi - wisdom of the ancients

Author's Notes:

Okay, yes it's a cliffie, but what can I say, they're so much fun to write. I am so, so sorry for the lateness of this chapter. There are so many reasons why this chapter is late, but the main reason is due to laziness, although AP and SAT II tests played a major part as well for the school months. Another reason is that I just seemed to loose interest in this story, I actually have another story that has progressed as far as this one, but I refuse to post it before this one is finished. I'm sorry to say this, but expect the quality of work to diminish in the next few chapters while I try to wrap up this story. I'll still attempt to stay true to plot and at least give you a decent read, but my heart just isn't into this particular story anymore. I promise, though, that I will finish this story and get the other one out after that. Wish me luck, I start my senior year on August 19, thanx so much to everyone for their faith in me and encouragement, without it, I think that I wouldn't even have the will to finish this story. Until next chapter (whenever that may be, I promise I'll try and hurry)!